The L.D. Sewell Podcast

What Are You Doing For A Living And Is It The Right Work For You? Whatever you are doing you are spending a huge chunk of your life doing it - so it only makes good sense to choose something that you can be passionate about and excited to keep learning more about and keep doing new things. Hopefully, you are already doing that now. But if not, then why not change it? There are plenty of options - you just may have to be brave enough to go outside of your own comfort zone a little. You also might want to consider a total career change if you are not happy in your current field. Think about becoming a truck driver or a freight broker. Trucking is a huge industry and it has all kinds of opportunities available to you. You can start as a driver and learn the business and then proceed as far as you wish. Trucking is just one option - there are many others too. Regardless of what you choose - choose something that is the right work for you and you will have a much happier and much more productive life. Check out my courses available at www.ldsewell.com on the Courses page.

Where Are You Going? As a professional driver you would never head off down the highway with a load that you have no idea where it is supposed to be delivered to, would you? Then why do that with your career? Far too many drivers are out there working hard and delivering freight day in and day out week after week, year after year just getting by. Their only real focus is the next load and the next paycheck. The problem is that is not much of goal or a plan! So predictably their careers are not so much careers as they are jobs. Sure they get the lifestyle - which some love and others hate - but there really is no career plan at all. Think about how much more is possible and available to you if you have a plan and if you work the plan consistently. You can get to whatever level your ambition, drive, skills and abilities can take you if you know where you are headed and work to get there - for some that will be owning your own fleet some day. For others it might be owning and operating a freight brokerage. It could also be any combination of all kinds of other opportunities. Opportunities that you will probably never even get close enough to be able to see, not without some clear goals and plans to get you from where ever you are now to where you would like to be. So what are your goals?

Have You Ever Been Taken Advantage Of By A Company? I'm sure you have, and probably many times. I know I have and everyone I personally know has too. How does it make you feel when that happens to you? That's why it is so important to take extra care in your own business and in every transaction that you have with other people and make sure you have a win-win situation. That simply means that the customer or client is getting at least the value they were promised and expect, and that from a company standpoint, ideally they should always be given more value than they paid for. When you do that you build relationships that can last many years - some even a lifetime. Not only that, but every person you come in contact with and deal with has other people in their lives. Most have many other people in their lives - all of whom have people in their lives too and so on and on it goes. Treat people right to the best of your ability and it will come back to you tenfold - and they will bring their friends and families! Treat them wrong and it will come back to you in a bad way one hundred fold too! So always treat people fairly and honestly and do the best you can. Do not set systems up to be a predator and to intentionally try to take advantage of people. When companies and people do that they lose the opportunity they could have had to get referrals and repeat business. All for what? A quick buck? Instead, work to build mutually beneficial long-term relationships. If you do you will enjoy life more, sleep better and make a lot more money too over the long haul! src="https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/6048229/height/0/width/0/theme/standard/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/autoplay/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/" height="" width="" placement="bottom" theme=""

A Fleet Owner And An Owner Operator Have Very Different Roles When you decide to make the transition from being an owner-operator, or from whatever else you are doing now - If you want to build your own fleet - you are about to enter a whole new world! So start getting ready NOW before you make that move so you will be more prepared for your new role. You will be doing many things of course, especially in the beginning, but as quickly as you can your focus will need to be more and more on your people. Making sure the right people are selected, hired, trained and then that they have a crystal clear understanding of what their own responsibilities are and that they have all the tools, resources and support they need to get their work done. Leadership and management are your focus. You decide the overall course and your people carry it out. Some never seem to learn this and they constantly focus on all the wrong things. They spend massive amounts of time and resources messing with things they should not be doing themselves at all - and as a result, their companies suffer. Some eventually fail and the rest struggle for decades, more often than not barely scraping by. I highly recommend that you don't follow their lead. Instead decide now - before you start your fleet - what it is specifically that you want to accomplish. Then get the information, training and support that you need to make it happen. With that in mind consider our new Facebook group, Trucking Business Success. The focus of the group is on helping you to build the most successful trucking company that you possibly can and to be a resource for you all along the way.

Whatever Attracts You To Being An Entrepreneur - Knowing Your Why Will Help You Succeed! There are all kinds of reasons to start a business. Reasons given by new business owners often include the desire for more control over their own lives and the opportunity to do things in what they believe are the best ways, instead of being constrained by management in a typical job working for someone else. Some do it for more money - or at least the hope of more money. Some do it for ego. Others feel they are pursuing a cause and that their work will have a positive impact on other people.A lot of people just want more control over their own lives instead of always being told what to do by someone else. What Are Your Reasons? In today's uncertain and sometimes volatile world - having another source of income at least - instead of just counting on a job - is a good idea. There are so many different businesses you can start and run that will meet that need. A business that can support you and your family in the event the primary job unexpectedly just goes away. And many do every year. So having a source of income that you control is kind of like having your own insurance against job loss - and having that makes even the time you do spend at a job more pleasant because you are no longer relying completely on that job. Anytime is a great time to consider starting your own microbusiness - but since we are rapidly coming up on the end of this year and the beginning of a brand new year, so many people are thinking about their plans for 2018 and beyond. Maybe even you are considering starting a business. If not - maybe you should!

Which Is The Better Choice For You? Simple question, but a complicated answer. That's because there is no one answer that is right for everyone. It all depends so much on YOU - your knowledge, skills, abilities and your goals. Beyond that, it depends on how willing you are to learn, and there is a lot to learn if you intend to be successful. Then there is the amount of additional work involved - are you willing to do it, or willing to pay someone to help you with the critical tasks that must be done? Too many drivers think they want to be Owner Operators - yet few truly fully understand exactly what that really means and what the price will be if they are to become successful. So most do not become successful - they fail. How About You - What Does Being An Owner Operator Mean To You And Why Do You Want To Become One? Do you understand the FMCSR requirements that you will be responsible for compliance with - and the penalties and risks for violating them? How about your cost per mile - what will you need to generate to cover all your expenses before you begin to make any profit? Emergency Reserve Funds? Getting freight? How freight rates are calculated and what they currently are where you are operating? Trip planning strategy? DOT drug testing requirements and penalties ( maybe per load moved in violation!) and overall risk management? What you do not know at a minimum will hurt you severely financially and expose you to all kinds of risks - and can very easily result in your business failing and worse. What could be worse? Being forced out of business and still owing tens of thousands of dollars for starters. Independent Owner Operators Have Big Responsibilities They also have much to gain if they understand the business and all its requirements and are willing and able to do the things that must be done consistently. Those who do will make far more than any company driver ever will - and enjoy life in the process! However, it won't be easy or simple - far from it. Lease Drivers and other Independent Contractors/Lease Purchase Program Drivers Most of these programs are terrible - though there are a FEW that are beneficial to the drivers who understand them fully and are willing to work hard and smart. There are some good companies with good and fair programs - but you have to know what you are doing and even then you have to be able to find the good ones while avoiding the bad. That's often very hard to do because for every good program there are dozens of rotten ones... so be very careful if you intend to go this route. Also, keep in mind that leased on drivers and lease purchase drivers are CAPTIVE and do not have the same freedom over their own business as an Independent Owner Operator operating under his or her own authority does. That's BAD. It means the motor carrier you are with really controls your business more than you do. You are not free or independent and they control your freight so long as you stay there. If you are leased on (but own your own truck financed or not) you can at least leave the company and go elsewhere if you choose - but it will be the same business relationship at the next company too - meaning the company will always have more power than you ever will, yet you will be taking much of the risk and most of the expenses on regardless of where you go. Is that acceptable to you? The company driver has a better deal. If he or she knows what they're doing and runs smart and hard and treats their job like a business - they can benefit more in most cases than the captives can and have none of their risks or and far fewer headaches in the process. In many cases, you will be better off as a company driver while you learn the ropes, gain experience, and save up the money to buy your first truck and pay cash for it instead of going in debt. You can also use the time to take courses and study the business you are about to start so your chances of success will be much better. In the end, it is a choice that you will have to make for your self, and regardless of what you choose, I wish you all the best. Want more info? Then keep reading my posts and listening to our podcasts. You might also want to join our new Facebook group Trucking Business Success too if you are serious about your trucking business. Its free and we will be covering everything trucking business related on an ongoing basis - so come and join us there!

There has never been a better time than right this moment to start setting your goals. Why wait until New Years Day? Goals are targets. They give your life intentional direction toward a specific purpose. Then as each goal is reached and attained and new goals are set and worked towards you continuously set sail for new course after new course - and you constantly improve your life and live better in the process. There are no secrets. There is no magic pill, lotion, potion or premium product that can fix everything overnight with no work. Just simple proven basic principles, methods, and tactics coupled with good old fashioned effort. That is how you get from where you are to where you want to go. But even though the concepts are simple that does not mean they are easy. Take weight loss for example. We all know how to lose weight - including you - at your core you know it is as simple as eating the right stuff and not the wrong stuff, reducing the quantity down to what is needed instead of what is wanted and then moving much more than most people ever do - right? Simple. But is it easy? Hell NO! It is not easy at all, which is why billions are made selling lotions, potions, and programs that promise some kind of short cut or magical results without a bunch of effort. This year try something new. Be brave. Be bold. Do something different. Set your GOALS NOW! Don't wait until January 1, 2018 - do it now! Then get started...put the work in, stick with it long enough to make it your new habits - then stay with it! If you do you will already be ahead of millions - and you will be different. Different is GOOD!

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving and a great weekend. Another year is quickly coming to a close and so it's always good to do some reflecting on your life and how it's all going for you. As you contemplate everything remember that you are the one at the helm. It is your life. You decide how to live it. So maybe its time to think about trying something new if you want a different life - a better life. Only by doing something different will you ever be able to get different results. Keep in mind nothing is ever perfect. Your assumptions, mental images, and expectations won't always line up exactly with reality. Never the less - if you keep trying you will make PROGRESS. And that is as close to the secret as it gets. Just keep trying, keep taking action, take more action, adjust - rinse and repeat. You will fail. Failure is the price of success. But if you keep trying you will ultimately succeed too. So decide - then go do it.

Time is yours to use and control how you spend it. You may not believe that at this moment but it is true. Don't like your job then modify it or quit. Don't like anything else that is eating away at your time then change it. If you don't then your life is and will always be a miserable and stressful experience. Some human beings (a lot actually!) will absolutely test you, push you and manipulate you constantly - IF you LET THEM. But here is the thing - you are in charge whether you realize it or not. So if people are wasting your time (your life) then stop letting them do that! Start saying no to time-wasting tasks and time wasting people. Start saying no to things and activities that you do not wish to be involved with. Simply say " Thanks for considering me - but I'm going to have to decline your offer at this time." and that is the end of that. Will it rub some people the wrong way? Probably so - especially the inconsiderate manipulative ones who are used to taking advantage of you! But that's their problem, not yours. Don't worry - they will immediately find someone else to push around and manipulate. But it won't be you. Not anymore. When you start saying no to the things that squander your time and then you have the time to start focusing on the things that matter, and in the order that matters. Then your life starts changing for the better fast. Set goals - use a task management system and prioritize your daily tasks - then take action and be amazed at the results. Invest in yourself and learn new things and develop new skills that can help you be more successful instead of letting other people just waste your time. By the way for those interested in building and running a successful Trucking Business - and who want access to lots of free information and resources - then come join our new Facebook group Trucking Business Success. Up to you, but the time you spend there will be a very wise investment if you are serious about building and running any kind of successful trucking business.

There will be challenges. That you can always be sure of. But you can overcome what you need to overcome and reach your goals and build a better life - if you have the courage and the drive to do it and then you go and actually do what needs to be done in spite of your fears and doubts. People will support you - some of them anyway - other people will most definitely try and tear you down along the way. There will be all these things and more to deal with. You will be scared. You will doubt yourself. You will feel insecure. You will feel like an imposter. You will have knots in your stomach - but if the thing is important to you - then go do it anyway... Many years ago I decided to go take a skydiving class. I didn't want to do the tandem thing, where you are basically cargo for your instructor. I wanted my own chute and full control of it. So I chose to take a static line class. For those of you unfamiliar with this, basically you have your own chute - but they hook a line to it so that as soon as you exit the aircraft and jump - as you drop away from the plane, the static line deploys your parachute so you don't have to worry about doing it yourself. Once that happens you are free and on your own - good bad or otherwise... It just so happens that I took about a dozen or so other people with me too - all first-time skydivers - with exactly zero previous experience. Were we scared? HELL YES! But guess how may quit and changed their minds? Not a one - every single one of us jumped that day... and since the school was happy that I brought them so many students I got to jump again for free. Check the gallery on my site and see me hanging under the wing of a Cessna moments before letting go. Fear and doubt? You better believe it. But I did it anyway. So did everyone else with me that day. Over the years I have had many such experiences - though perhaps not quite as intense as that. I have taken scuba classes and gone diving in lakes, bays and the ocean. I learned to drive a tractor trailer and then drove professionally all over the country and throughout much of Canada. I have taken countless other courses, classes and various training programs on multiple different topics. Started new jobs. Started businesses, tried new things - some worked some didn't - but all were valuable personal experiences and learning experiences. With each and every new thing, there is always some level of apprehension, fear, and self-doubt - but the only way to have a shot at the rewards each one offers is to push on through and do the very things that scare you anyway. Are there real risk? Hell yeah! Some things are absolutely dangerous and quite possibly even fatal if things go bad. But these things are the things that make you feel most alive when you survive them too. There are many other things that require courage and have risks other than physical danger. These other things have emotional danger and sometimes that is even scarier. Life is full of opportunities. In recreational pursuits, business and social pursuits as well and all require some level of commitment and risk taking to get the rewards offered by each one. But what if someone ridicules you for even trying? or tells you that you will fail, you're not good enough, you are too young, or too old. They may say "Who do you think you are anyway - you are no expert on that!" Here is the deal - no one ever is until they are. Your biggest critic is most likely to be the one in the mirror - yourself. Even when not a soul tries to impede you in any way, chances are there will be something inside knawing at you. Self-doubt - fear - maybe even panic. Keep in mind that you are not alone - everyone else pretty much has the same challenges too - whether they admit it or not. It's OK. Acknowledge your fears to yourself - then move forward anyway. In life, you have so many opportunities. So what will you do? Start a business? Start a new career in another field? Try a new hobby or sport? Take a course? Go to a seminar or workshop? Meet new people and make new friends? Whatever it is is totally up to you - but all new things require that you overcome fears. At some point, you have to make a decision. Choose something. Then go for it - just go do it - and damn anything or anyone that gets in the way! You have to find your own courage and overcome that fear that holds you back - otherwise no guts no glory.