The L.D. Sewell Podcast

Whether in trucking or any other business you absolutely have to get a grip on your finances if you are going to be successful - otherwise you won't be. In trucking, because of the nature of the business, this is especially critical. Take for example, say you have a transmission go out on the road hundreds of miles from home and you are under a load. What will you do? If you have an adequate emergency reserve fund it will be an irritation and an inconvenience and nothing much more than that. You will have some calls to make and some arranging to do to get the load taken care of and get your truck fixed and keep yourself warm, comfortable and fed while it is being repaired. On the other hand, if you do not have any money or very little set aside and cant easily cover all the expenses - then what? In that case, you will be in an immediate crisis situation. You also will have a customer service failure and may lose that customer forever because of it too - depending on how you handle things. I can tell you that regardless of how you eventually come out of the fiasco that it will be a painful and unpleasant learning experience. These type things put a lot of hopeful owner operators out of business. Some before they even get started good - and others who have been in business more than long enough to know better in the first place. So make sure you have good systems in place to manage your finances, that you establish and always maintain a good emergency reserve fund at all times - and if you ever use it then immediately start replenishing it and building it back up to its full level. These things may not be flashy or fun but they are critical to your success in business.

What are you doing for a living? Next question - WHY? I don't know about you but many people wind up in jobs that become unintentional careers without intentionally choosing to do so - it just kind of happens. They needed a job to eat and put a roof overhead (same as everybody else) so they took whatever they could find. The first few may not have lasted long and they drifted from one job to the next thing they happened upon that was hiring. Somewhere along the way, they got a little training either on the job and from experience of doing the tasks day in and day our. Other times an employer may have sent them to a school or training program at company expense. Next thing they realized was that they had some specialized skills. That's how it happens for a lot of people anyway. How about you? Others intentionally set out to go into some profession or another and believed at the time it was what they really wanted. But how the hell could they know what they really wanted at 18 to 20 years old? Most kids are HEAVILY influenced by parents, teachers and peers, as well as overall societal conditioning and all this conditioning often leads to false choices being selected. That causes millions to endure four years or six years of programming called college to very often find out afterward that they HATE what they have chosen to do! But they feel trapped... Ringing any bells? Afterall it's too late - all those years, all that money - all that debt. Once you have gone that far you have to keep going in the same direction... or so some believe. To that, I say Bull Shit! You do not have to do anything for a living that you do not want to do - not if you have the guts and the drive to change it that is, regardless of what anyone else may want you to believe. So why keep climbing when you realize your ladder is on the wrong damn building! Climb down - move it and start climbing again on the right one instead. Will people call you a quitter, a loser, and a failure? Maybe and maybe not - but screw them all if they do - because you see - listening to the prodding of others is what leads people down the wrong rabbit hole and into a lifetime of misery to begin with. Listen to the most important voice in your world instead - YOURS! Your life is precious and your work is a huge part of your life. Don't let others set your course for you - instead think about what you want then start working toward making it happen!

You Already Work For Yourself - Whether You Realize That Yet Or Not... The way you go at your vocation, whether that is in trucking or in another industry, and regardless of whether your position is as an employee, independent associate or company owner for that matter - your results are always going to come back to your own mindset again and again. How you see yourself and what you do as a result of that matters. Trucking is ideally situated to be beneficial to people who understand this concept from day one. If you approach trucking like a business and treat it as such (whether you are a company driver or not) you will perform far better than those who just don't get it. You will make more money, drive better equipment, get better loads, get home more predictable and generally have a much more profitable and enjoyable career. While you are doing so the whiners and complainers will be out there saying there is no money in trucking and what a terrible lifestyle it is (notice they stay though) and just saying the same old crap they always have and always will. Never mind them - the best thing you can do is ignore them and stay away from them! People with such attitudes drain your mental energy and waste your time - and time is your most valuable commodity. Try hard to avoid letting others squander it! Instead always be planning and taking action - reviewing your goals and your progress and working to be better every day. Find information and resources that are informing and helpful - learn new things and refine the things you learn so you perform better and get better results. If you want more details on all aspects of professional trucking, then take some of my courses which you can find at http://www.ldsewell.com/udemy/ and join our new facebook group which I will have available before the end of this month (November 2017). This facebook group is going to be a free resource for my current, past and future students and those interested in trucking and looking for more information to help them decide whether to seriously pursue it further or not. So if you really want to know about trucking as a business and as a lifestyle including the good and the bad then this is a good place to get your information and access to other resources. I will also be offering heavily discounted coupons and other benefits available only to group members. Well enjoy the podcast and talk to you again soon!

There is no single right answer. It all depends on you and what you intend to accomplish and how you want to spend your time. The choices are infinite. Time isn't though. And that means choices must be made. Either make them yourself intentionally or others will choose for you - but choices will be made. I highly suggest that you take the helm of your own life and steer a new course of your own choosing instead of just going along for the ride. Beyond that what should you do? The real question is what do you really want to do most? How do you want to spend your life? Who do you want to spend it with? Doing what? Life is so much better when you know what you want and when you are actively working to get it. Even better still when you find and surround yourself with other like-minded people on similar life paths. There is a big difference between living with intention and purpose - having and diligently working toward specific goals of your own choosing vs just working some damn job that you aren't even sure how you wound up there in the first place let alone why you stay year after year. Consider this - whichever course in life you choose - it is yours to choose if you want too. So if you don't like what you have, then change it now! Don't wait for somebody else to show up at your front door and save you either - take the initiative and make the commitment right now to getting up and going and finding the solutions and the information and resources you need to change your life. Life is an adventure - start living yours for all it's worth!

There are many reasons to do good inspections but at the heart of them all is SAFETY. Safety of you as a driver, the safety of other peoples property and equipment and most importantly- the safety of those around you that can be hurt or killed in the event some critical part of your equipment fails. Most schools are boring as hell and they do a piss poor job of teaching this stuff. I know - I was on the receiving end of such training on various topics more times than I care to count. Then I got my road trainer and the way he taught his lessons was a lot different - he told stories. The terrifying part of his stories was that they were not fiction but true horror stories from the road and all the years he had been out there doing what he was doing. One of the first such lessons was exiting off-ramps. I apparently had a bit of a habit coming down the ramp too fast and then braking hard at the end of the ramp just before the stop sign. He didn't explain right away - he just simply said "slow down... slow down now! Slow down more ..." until I had the speed where he felt it was acceptable. Later when we stopped for lunch he said he once had a team partner when he first started because that was the company's way of handling things. After their new drivers had completed their initial training and passed everything - they went out for a few weeks with a trainer. Then after they passed another test they were paired up with another new driver who just finished the same thing with another trainer. Then instead of just allowing them to go out on the road alone they had to drive together for a few more weeks before getting their own trucks and finally being allowed to drive solo. The guy he was paired up with went flying down a ramp one day way too fast... it was in Georgia and the asphalt had been rippled up from the crazy heat and the numerous trucks over the years braking as they were going down the ramp. The other driver said " Relax, I know what I'm doing..." and those were his last words on this earth. There was a log truck stopped at the bottom waiting to turn - they were going too fast and when their wheels hit those little dimples on the road they lost just enough traction to make it impossible to get it to a stop in time - but they were close. They only needed about 4 more feet... Sadly they didn't have 4 feet to spare - the logs took out the front of the truck as it slammed into the rear of the log truck - the logs took out the windshield and took the head off the driver. My trainer showed me the scars where another log tore his shoulder apart narrowly missing his head - and though he was badly injured he was happy to be alive. My words here do not do his story in person justice - suffice it to say I have NEVER forgotten his lesson though - and I never went down a ramp too fast again in my entire driving career either. Over the years as I began to get more and more into driver training and began teaching everything related to trucking I started incorporating lessons where I didn't just say do this and don't do that --- I showed graphic pictures of carnage and gave the stories of each unfortunate event. THEN I explained what should and should not be done and why, along with more examples of what happens when people fail to do what they should be doing. I have had many students return YEARS later and say " You know, in all the years I have been driving since I sat through your class I have never forgotten what you taught me about ..." and then they would usually go on to give me some examples of what they had experienced over the years. The point is that there are reasons behind doing inspections properly that go far beyond the school, or company said so or DOT said so or whoever or whatever said so. The true reason is that when you do your inspections right you have an opportunity to save lives. Yours included as well as other people you will encounter in your travels. While there are other reasons too - like preventing breakdowns and lost revenue and avoiding fines and out of service violations along with other risk management and business reasons - SAFETY is reason number 1. Please take your inspections seriously - learn how to do them well and then DO THEM every single time and do them right.

Study Those Who Have Done What You Want To Do... Then go do it. Even the Wright brothers used models - and I'm not just talking about model airplanes either. I mean they studied everyone they could who had any notable experience with flight - then they tried to replicate what worked for others and take it even further - they tried to improve upon it and put their own ideas into it. It's funny how many people seem to think Orville and Wilbur invented manned flight - they did NOT. There were many people flying gliders long before the Wrights brothers ever had a foot off the ground. They get the credit for powered flight - and that comes in part on the shoulders of many that came long before them - without whom they may never have been successful at all. As interesting as the history of flight is - including the arguments about who was first at what - that is not the main point here. The point is that regardless of what you may want to accomplish the chances are there have already been many people who have done it - and probably many more doing that very thing this very moment - or at least something in part and close enough to benefit you. If you study them and their work you can learn enough about how they accomplished what they did and how those doing it do what they do that you can replicate a large part of it yourself. You can also save years - maybe even decades - of trial and error of learning the long hard way by modeling them. Their success has an added benefit too - one of motivation. If they did it, then maybe you can too! We all need a little encouragement sometimes. We all need instruction, help, and guidance too. Some of that we can get through attending training courses and classes, seminars and webinars. Some we can get from books and videos. Some from direct observation when possible. Some through research and study using multiple sources, methods, and platforms. So what is it that YOU want to do? Figure out what that is first - then see if you can search for and find 10 people who are doing that very same thing right now... Go look at their blogs, websites and facebook pages - buy their books or take their courses or go to their events if you can. If not look up as much as you can about their work and how they go about it and see what you can learn and model.Remember them anytime you start to get tired and frustrated and maybe feel like quitting - go back and look at their accomplishments and then get right back in the arena. That's a wonderful thing about all the technology at our fingertips these days - a world of information is just a few clicks away...

So many times over the years I have seen driving careers end before the driver was ready. Usually when a driver fails a physical, and other times for other reasons. But in such cases when people are not prepared and ready their lives become chaos immediately. Everything is now in complete crisis. It happens. In other cases many times a driver just tires of being gone after decades on the road and would like to be able to be home with the family more - but they still need income and have no other marketable skills that can pay as well as trucking. So they feel trapped. Don't let any of this happen to you. Instead, start learning and developing another skill outside of driving a truck - It may or may not even be related to trucking. But it needs to be something you could continue to do even if you lost your physical. There are many things that fit that purpose - but none of them will do you a bit of good if you fail to learn them before you really need to be able to use such skills. NOW is the time! Pick something then study it. Take some courses, read books and get some training. Then start doing it and get some real-world practice and experience and be ready.

There are always critics - and not a damn one of them matters... What matters is that you are the one in the arena and slugging it out toward achieving what you set forth to achieve. Figure out what you want to do. Figure out how to do it - then go do it! There are plenty of classes and training. Plenty of books too. Then there is the mighty internet itself, so there is no shortage at all of information for you. Will you fall down? Absolutely. Will you fail sometimes - yes you will. But you will win too - if you try hard enough and often enough and learn from all your experiences - good bad and otherwise. So when it comes to choosing a business do some research and choose one. Then figure out where you can get some help and training and support and go get it as you need it and as you can afford it. You can afford it too, just reprioritize some of the other junk in your life and you will find the little bit of money you need to improve your life if you want to. So invest in yourself and start building a better life NOW! Don't let fear of failure and fear of what you think others may think stop you from ever even trying...

Trucking offers massive opportunities for some people and bitter disappointment for others. The question is what would it mean to YOU right now? With decent jobs still hard to come by for millions - trucking may be the perfect solution if you are looking for a new opportunity - if you can handle it and if you want to once you figure out what it really is. Trucking is much more than just any job. Trucking is a Lifestyle, and for some, it is wonderful - while at the same time others find it to be a miserable and frustrating way to attempt to make a living. Like so many things in life, you will do far better at it if you love it, or at least really like it. But if you hate it and hate being out on the road and away from where ever it is you call home then it's simply not worth doing for you. You would be far better off doing something else entirely. So which is it? If you think it may be something you are seriously interested in then take the time and effort to do some homework. Read some books and do some research. Take some online courses and attend a workshop or webinar. Talk to anyone else in your life that the decision may affect and make sure as best you can that all sides are willing to accept what will be coming if you become a driver. Especially two things. You will be gone and starting pay will be low and slow until you are through training and have some experience and skills. In some cases - if you are single it can be great. If you are only currently involved with one other person, and they are willing and able to go on the road with you - then that can be even better! Look into your options. Then make a decision and then pull the trigger. Your life is already underway - so do SOMETHING about at least trying to make it better! Want more information? Check out http://www.ldsewell.com From the Books tab you can follow the link to Amazon to get my books and from the courses page, you can access my current courses on Udemy.

If They Are All In Somebody Else's Basket Then You Best Beware! The reality of life these days is that companies don't really give a damn about their employees. Not the vast majority anyway. In fact, employees are seen as little more than a necessary evil and as just a means to an end toward reaching company objectives. When it comes right down to it you are replaceable and expendable. When the day comes where the company decides that you are no longer in its best interest you will find yourself suddenly unemployed. That is what has already happened to thousands upon thousands of people - and is going to happen to a great many more regardless of whether they have any idea it is coming or not. Others will lose their jobs not because the company decided to cut them loose but rather because the company itself will go under, fail and close its doors. Bye bye employees! Think it can't happen to you too? Better think again. That's what many of those who lost their jobs already thought too. When you work for a company you are putting your eggs in a basket that you do not own and can't control. There is a ton of risk with doing that, especially if that is your only source of income. Consider Starting A Side Business Now that you are fully aware of this - just in case you weren't already - then why not be proactive and do something now to protect yourself? Start your own business and grow it slowly as you learn and develop your knowledge and skills. Keep growing it at least to the point that it can easily provide you with enough income on its own - after all expenses - to comfortably live on and maintain your current lifestyle. When you do that you take half of your eggs away from your employer and put them in your own basket. One you control instead of one controlled by anyone else. That alone will give you more security, and a lot more peace of mind. Since you do not need any of that income so long as you keep working the job and it keeps being available for you to work - you can build a sizable emergency reserve fund very quickly and very easily. After that you can eliminate your debt if you choose to - and I highly suggest you do. The less debt you have the less indentured you are, and the more freedom and independence you have. The less you owe the more money you have to continue doing things that constantly improve your situation and your life more and more with each passing month. So what kind of business could you start? Here are a few for you to look into and consider. All of these are what I would call microbusinesses and could be started for very little money, then slowly grown over a period of time. Beyond that many of them have opportunities to grow them into a substantial business if that is your goal - or you can keep them as small as you like and just big enough to meet your own requirements.

1. Online Retail Business - Start selling products on Amazon and using their Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA) Program.
2. Driver Recruiting Firm - Truck drivers are in high demand and most trucking companies have numerous trucks empty they are desperate to fill. That's where your services as an independent driver recruiter come in.
3. Become An Instructor - What skills and specialized knowledge have you already accumulated? Chances are that you have information, knowledge, skills, and experience that students are ready willing and able to pay you to learn more about what you know. Look at Udemy or one of the other numerous platforms where you can become an instructor and start sharing what you know.
4. Write A Book - The same things we just mentioned above can be covered in a nonfiction book and or eBook and you can publish your work directly through Amazon yourself. Take a look at Createspace and Kindle for starters. Keep in mind you will probably need to write a few books to begin to earn decent recurring income from - but if you like to write and have something to share this might be a great opportunity for you to look at further.
5. Furniture Business - There are several ways you can do this. One is to find old furniture people are willing to sell cheap and in many cases will give it away just to get rid of it. Take it and clean it up, repair and or repurpose it and then sell it through Craigslist, yard sales etc. Another way is to get some basic plans for farm tables, benches or Adirondack furniture and make it yourself then sell it the same way.
6. Soap Business - Make soap and sell it online and at craft fares and whatever other ways works for you.
7. Candles Business - Candle making is fun and can be relaxing. Try it out as a hobby and if you like it then start a candle making business.
8. Freight Broker - Chances are you may have never even heard of freight brokers or if you have you probably don't have much of an idea what they really do or how they do it. This is a multi-billion dollar industry and one you can enter with little more than a computer, phone, good internet connection, some software - a little specialized information and a few hundred dollars in fees to uncle same and to a surety bond company. Then learn and grow slowly until you become comfortable and then just increase the number of loads you handle per day. As a freight broker, you act as an intermediary between shippers and motor carriers arranging transportation of loads all over the country.
9. Custom Decorative Signs - With little more than a few inexpensive woodworking tools, a good router, a few board and some patience you can learn how to make and sell wooden signs. Lots of people love these things for their homes, garages, workshops and even for campers and boats.
10. Trucking Business - OK... This one will be better pursued on a full time basis instead of part time. But if you really want to change your life completely and change it fast then become a truck driver and then once you have a little time and experience under your belt there are NUMEROUS part time business opportunities for you while you are out there on the road.

All these things, of course, will require research and study on your part if you want to pursue any of them. But anyone of them can help you build a more secure and better life for yourself and your family.