06/08/2024
Yesterday was my birthday, and a work day. I feel so grateful for that.
I had opportunities to drink the night before, and decided I didn’t want to wake up on my 34th birthday with a hangover or anything other than clarity. I took the day off work at my regular job and spent the night at a friend’s house.
Around 8:30 am, I got a call from my only employee, who is also a friend and former coworker. He was trying to drop off a trailer that we had been hired to transport at the ship yard it was going to, and the Spanish-speaking employees seemed to have no idea whose trailer it was or why he was there with it.
I called our customer in Puerto Rico, who had arranged both the transportation by truck and by ship. It turned out that the Puerto Rico office of the ocean freight company, which was not open, hadn’t relayed information to the Delaware office, which was not answering the customer’s calls. I felt pretty Baller as I worked through the entire situation only in Spanish, except when relaying to Gabriel, and within 20 minutes everything was resolved and the trailer dropped off. 
I spoke with Gabriel again later in the day when he picked up 11 boxes of records from Washington DC, and again after he picked up an enclosed race car trailer from Virginia.
This morning, the day after my birthday, Gabriel dropped off the boxes in Indiana, and about an hour ago he dropped off the trailer in Wisconsin.
Both customers with trailers sent very kind messages commenting on the quality of the service that we provided. One was in Spanish and the other in English, but both said that we did business the way it should be done.
This time six months ago, my business was a disaster on the verge of shutting down.
What changed in six months was refocusing on simplicity and integrity, fulfilling commitments for no other reason than because I had made them, a *lot* of letting go, an increase in repeat customers, a good deal of luck or blessings, the support of friends and family, and one employee who came on board truly intending to be a team player; his willingness to take a risk on my business and my willingness to take a risk on him.
In the past three days, we made three very happy customers, $800 for Gabriel, and $400 that will be reinvested in the business (vehicle maintenance and payments).
I did not put money in my pocket, but I am no longer taking money out of my own pocket to subsidize my business operations. My business is sustaining itself while paying the hired help well, and, soon, should generate a surplus from which I can pay myself. I could pay myself $400 today just for being on the phone a few times on my birthday, but I am making the decision to set revenue aside in my business account to cover unexpected business costs until we reach a significant savings.
I feel very grateful to be able to say this the day after my birthday. I am grateful to have been able to be on the phone with my employee yesterday, being a supportive, helpful, and knowledgeable employer. I believe that that ability results both from a lot of hard work and intention on my own part and a good deal of love, luck, privilege and support that I have received in my life.
I will do my best to keep this energy, build a values driven and honest small business, maintain clarity and enjoy year 34. Thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes. It was a great day!