Blue Collar Business Podcast
Welcome to the Blue Collar Business Podcast with Sy Kirby. Dive deep into the world of hands-on entrepreneurship and the gritty side of making things happen. Join us for actionable tips on scaling your blue-collar business, managing teams, and staying ahead in an ever-evolving market. We'll also discuss the latest industry trends and innovations that could impact your bottom line. If you're passionate about the blue-collar world and eager to learn from those who've thrived in it, this podcast is a must-listen. Stay tuned for engaging conversations and real-world advice that can take your blue-collar business to new heights.
Blue Collar Business Podcast
Ep. 20 - From Work Trucks to Workforce: Buying Smart & Hiring Right
Rusty Alexander, CEO and President of Integrity Automotive, shares his inspiring journey from serving on US Navy submarines to leading a successful automotive business. Discover how his military background shapes his unique strategies for acquiring and maintaining work trucks, and his commitment to high standards. Rusty reveals his insights on purchasing vehicles from leasing companies and his ambitions to expand into truck outfitting, providing valuable lessons for anyone in the blue-collar business world.
Experience the profound impact of giving second chances through Rusty's inclusive hiring practices. His preference for hiring veterans and felons highlights the importance of integrity and reliability in business. Rusty also discusses the challenges and rewards of offering opportunities to disabled veterans with PTSD and felons, reflecting his commitment to building a supportive work environment. Listen as he encourages veterans to explore entrepreneurship as a means to find purpose and direction beyond military service.
The episode further explores the realities and resilience required in starting and growing a blue-collar business. From navigating the complexities of purchasing the right work truck to the balance of financial constraints and business needs, Rusty offers candid reflections and advice. The importance of mentorship, accountability, and learning from industry experts is underscored, alongside the significance of making informed decisions that align with customer needs and business goals. Join us for a compelling conversation that underscores the broader impact of our work on families and communities, emphasizing purpose beyond profit.
Sy-Con is a family-owned civil contractor specializing in water, sewer, storm drains, & earthwork.
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Hey guys, welcome to the Blue Collar Business Podcast, where we discuss the realest, rawest, most relevant stories and strategies behind building every corner of a blue collar business. I'm your host, cy Kirby, and I want to help you in what it took me trial and error and a whole lot of money to learn the information that no one in this industry is willing to share. Whether you're under that shade tree or have your hard hat on, let's expand your toolbox. Welcome back, guys. I appreciate you joining me for another episode of the Blue Collar Business Podcast. We are sponsored on this episode by the one and only Cyclone. Excavation and Utilities Shout out to them. We are looking for some more sponsors to help out with the show and the investment in the blue-collar community, if that's something that may be of interest to you. You have a product or a service or anything of an outreach you'd like? This would be a great source to do that with. You can check us out at bluecollarbusinesspodcastcom for all that information. I am bringing you guys a little bit different episode today.
Speaker 1:A man that is truly special to me and my family. He's helped me. God, dude, I wouldn't don't even know where I'd be honest to God the conversations we've had over the years as businessmen but also friends. We don't we ended up not living far from each other and he's he's always been there and always answers the phone even if I'm in a fire. He's been great to me over the years and he's got such a special story and it needs to be shared. He is a crazy entrepreneur, just like I am, and I've learned some things from him for dang sure, especially in the truck market, and where I bought my first truck was from this gentleman and I end up probably buying double digit trucks over the last nine years, service bodied, not just going to a dealership. But Rusty Alexander is the CEO and president of Integrity Automotive and you guys can find him out on integrityautomotivecom. You can see all the inventory on there and he'll ship to you in the country on there and he'll ship to you in the country. But I have bought probably 10 or 11 trucks, but that first truck I'll never forget for sure, and that's the kind of stories we're going to be sharing today.
Speaker 1:We're also going to be kind of talking about Rusty is. Thank you for your service. He was a tried and true vet with the US Navy. He was a submarine guy and every time I see a sub, I think about him, and he has now obviously transitioned out of the Navy and into the entrepreneur world. We're going to be kind of talking a few on those stories, but he's also, last but not least, stick around because he's adding a venture this year and truly upfitting and outfitting trucks in various different formats. But even for a guy like me, hey, I need a service body. That's always been a thing, but we're going a few extra steps from what I understand. So, rusty, furthermore, thank you so much for being here today.
Speaker 2:Well, man thanks for having me. This is awesome. You're right. We've known each other for many years. Um, I don't even think how you wound up. It could have been your bank that sent you to me.
Speaker 1:I can't remember exactly no, it's honest to god, it was your just driving by 71b. You were the the work truck guy. Yeah, you were I'm going to uh the diesel guy, and not a lot of dealerships, especially back then, would even touch a diesel Very scary.
Speaker 2:Um, you know they're for, for a dealer that doesn't have a lot of experience with with diesels. Uh, they, they usually learn that lesson. It's, it's, it's an extreme risk, you know, as a dealer, buying, buying these, these trucks. So I mitigated that um somewhat by choosing who, where I get the trucks from, and most, I think most work truck dealers around our geography, let's say, from north texas, oklahoma city, wichita, kansas, over to missus or over to Mississippi, fair enough, that area. Most of them don't acquire inventory the way I do, right, the reason why is it's just expensive, pay in the butt, you know, and it is.
Speaker 2:But what I do is I learned early on. I had to learn the lesson, like everybody else. But we bought trucks that seemed to be a good buy and we bought those from from auctions throughout this region. Obviously, don't get too far away to move them. They get expensive. But, uh, in the very beginning I bought some trucks that seemed like they were great deals and we get them back and by the time I get them up to my standards I've got too much in them. I mean I'm not making anything. Oh, I get it, you know, and you got to make some money in business. Everybody knows that um, and so we we've focused on acquisition. Uh, you know, there's two areas. You make money in the car business. It's when you buy. But it's really when you buy. It is the is the most important. Buy low, sell on, buy low, you know, and that way you've got plenty of rooms. Well, that's not what I do. No, you don't no, don't.
Speaker 2:So what we ended up doing is we end up purchasing most of almost all our inventory from leasing companies as they come off lease Kind of learned that lesson early on. There may be some other work truck dealers listening to this. Maybe it's a lesson for them as well. But you know, these trucks have been on a GPS, they've been fleet maintained. When they're leased they are leased with maintenance included, and that maintenance is required so they have to keep up with it. So when I buy the truck it's not for any other reason other than the lease term is expired, and so I've got a little bit better product to begin with, for sure. So I don't buy oil field trucks and stuff. But there is a lot of that going on, a hundred percent, I think. Overall a lot of the areas. There's two different kinds of work truck dealers Basically the people that clean them up, get the check engine light off and just sell it.
Speaker 1:I think we've had, I think I've seen maybe three over the nine, nine or ten years I've been doing this. Uh, come in and leave and you've still been staying the course.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, you know, and there there has been some big competitors that have dropped in the market and I never really worry about it. I think that competition and this is another thing for small businesses, competition high tide raises all ships. So it's important. And there was one of them that was actually going to go in right across the street from me and god bless really, yeah, um, right down, uh, in lowell, but just a less, they gotta throw a rock and hit them. Yeah, and they were. They were gonna open up there and thankfully the city didn't permit that and so they had to move to rogers. But, um, but anyway, they were trying to open up. They were big dogs. They're going to bring in a bunch of inventory and they lasted.
Speaker 2:They opened up in in towards the end of october and by the end of december they were closed. And so it it's. It's a dangerous world, that's why not. You know if, if it was easy, we have little girls doing it all over you, that's not easy and you know. But from the acquisition perspective, I think that's a critical component is buying the truck right for resale, 100% that truck right to begin with, with your customer mind that's where I was.
Speaker 1:I was going to make sure you mentioned that because I've I've watched you definitely not make as much money as you could have. I just did it many times.
Speaker 2:20 minutes before this podcast, you know, I got a repeat customer lives way up and I will line and he drove all the way down here to buy a truck for me again. He he also has a show on Discovery Channel, really, and he does guided hunts and he would not buy a truck from anybody else. Let me just tell you. But I'm not saying that to be braggadocious, no, 100%, I'm just saying that.
Speaker 1:You've built a great clientele over the years.
Speaker 2:Well, that, and people are sick of getting screwed around. You bet you know one of them. I was a car dealer, for you know I worked for a big store and ran. I was a general manager of new car stores for 20 plus years and you know I've been in that world. I understand it. When I opened integrity automotive, I wanted to be completely different from from every aspect, yeah, and I think I've accomplished that, agree, um, you know, I mean there are some things I'd like to change, but, man, that's it overall. We're just trying to take care of the customer and we put the customer first, and and I think that's service industry, right, right, I mean it's getting harder and harder to find any business that puts customer service first, service in general.
Speaker 1:Service in general, just taking care of the customer.
Speaker 2:So where's the responsibility of the deal. I mean there's just it's insane.
Speaker 1:Well, the truck world, the equipment world, like just service after the sale, yeah, and I'm striving to be different. We both are in that regard. But no, you said something just a minute ago that absolutely resonated with me, and it's high tides raise all ships. You have the veteran background.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's right there on your store and it has been the own the entire time and had another gentleman there was a veteran for a long time as well, and everybody that works in the front end of the store and this is important and this may not be the best thing to say, but everything everybody on the front end of the store, customer facing, is United States veteran of some sort. That's so awesome, okay, and why? You know I like working with them because I'm one. That's really the only reason, you know. I think that they've gone through enough in their life to be the kind of person that I need them to be, and and then I've had really good luck with that and we've we've worked with, um, uh well, I've had several that really are fully disabled, that are that have PTSD, that can't really function in society very well, and we have given them new life. Yep, and that's important to me, and so that's why I keep doing it.
Speaker 2:Everybody in the back, everybody in the shop, is a felon. That's every one of them. And, believe me, that side of it it's not, you know, I'm not saying it's a ministry necessarily. I'm always trying to help people and whether it be my customers or my employees and you know, both of them, both segments veterans and felons I've had, you know, I've had my opportunities. There's been people I've had to part ways with or whatever, but overall I have a really good crew that cares about what they care about their custom, the, the customer, it's, it's, everybody's customer.
Speaker 1:We all jump in they care about the core values of integrity. They did not just integrity automotive right, integrity in general, and it's, and it's hard to find and, um, man, truly, that's, that's something special to say so, like literally to have. I've given many felons a chance over the years.
Speaker 2:Um, yeah, sometimes now, sometimes it works out, sometimes sometimes it doesn't, but you keep trying to help, isn't it funny?
Speaker 1:though, how we always and I think that's why we connect so well we're always trying to give, always trying to give while we're getting taken.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, I mean Entrepreneurship, that's all them. We have to continue to do what we can. And so am I a car dealer. Eh, you know, more like a broker maybe, or something in the sense that I try to help businesses if they need my help, make the right purchases, if that makes sense, yeah, you know, and not mess up and buy the wrong truck. Most dealers just take their money and say I'll let them figure it out. That's right, you know. Um, I'll talk people out of buying stuff, probably as much as I talk to me I do buying it. Right, I really don't talk people into buying stuff, you know, yes, I do. It's just like, hey, you know, here it is, it's a good one, or what? Yeah, what's not, or maybe it's si, tell me your needs. Do you see this need staying permanent, or do you see it? Maybe this truck's purpose may be doing something else two years from now, but today it needs to do this job.
Speaker 2:You know, and we try to figure out from an investment standpoint, which buying a vehicle, by the way, is never a good investment. I'm not going to tell you it is. From the investment standpoint it is not, but it's a tool, like you, don't have any problem going and dropping $1,000 on some tools that you got to get them. You got to get them. You got to get there too. Though this tool, tool, it's a tool, and if you think any more about it than that, you're not doing it right. In my opinion. It's a tool. At the end of the day, is shabby dodge forward doesn't matter. No, they all have their issues. Um, and for everybody that says, oh, you, you know, you'll never catch me in a Ford, there's a guy that says I won't drive anything else but a Ford. That's right, I was that guy for a minute. I mean, how many miles on your F-250?
Speaker 1:now, oh, it's over 200. I literally just I think I bought that 250, man, and this is. This is funny. This is like there's got to be some blue collar fellers relate to this, Because when I was stepping up in the world, by God, I came down, Got you new bar stall. Xl rubber floor mat yeah, 250, and by God I was big dog, yeah, but I think it only had like 50 or 60K on it. Yeah, and now, literally, you remember the little halfime that we?
Speaker 1:made in the testing truck and it got wrecked three times and totaled. It was a nightmare, but anyways, it just dropped its second transmission and carried a little too much weight around and so I ended up giving the 250 over to Sam and Sam's driving it for the dirt crew as of right now, but it's still kicking. Before before we get too far in the truck, talk man you're. If you walk into your office and you're speaking on, you know you're a veteran and how is the transition? And maybe some vets that are sitting here thinking about maybe starting their own business and I know we're going a little further off the rails here, but seriously trying to maybe do this thing and they're coming out of the navy or they're coming out of the army and yeah, you only as a veteran or possibly they're young and they're trying to find some direction in their life, 100 and right now they're running an excavator and they're like, is this just my future?
Speaker 2:you know, 40 years it might be, yeah, but, um, you know, and there's nothing wrong with that because I, you know, I will. I come from that background too and I've got a lot of my kin that are equipment operators, crane operators, bulldozers. You know all that stuff and I I'm no stranger to it myself. But I think that the navy, I, I had a unique experience. I was on a fast attack submarine and I was a torpedo man, which is an old name, uh, an old name for some pretty modern stuff. Right, they just didn't change the name. Okay, torpedoes, we, we dealt with torpedoes and they're quite advanced. But I was a Tomahawk cruise missile technician and I worked on harpoon anti-ship missiles and the launching systems and electric, hydraulic, high-pressure air interfaces and stuff like that. So the amount of knowledge that I gathered from that has absolutely been instrumental in what I do now, and it has.
Speaker 2:I think it's just a mechanical understanding, the diagnosis side of it, the diag stuff, um, you know, problem solving in general maybe, yeah, so on a submarine, um, we don't. We don't have the luxury of calling maintenance or something, right? No, so we've got to figure out a way to fix whatever's wrong with what we have, and if we don't, we'll probably all die, oh my God. So it's kind of serious, and so we are very resourceful. You would have to be yeah, and I think that has also helped quite a bit. Just not accepting no for answer, staying persistent in procurement of the right stuff, has been critical. So we understand, you know, hey, you know we've got to have the right tool for the job. If we don't, we still have to get the job done.
Speaker 1:Give me the screwdriver.
Speaker 2:We have to do it, and so, anyway, you know that experience was invaluable. It's a life For anybody else going there, basically for anybody that's considering going in. You're going to come out a better person. You're going to understand where your strengths and weaknesses are, and you're you're going to have patience beyond what you have now, and that those are things that I can't just go boop. You have it. You know you've got to develop that, and how to work with people is a big deal, yeah, and all kinds of people too.
Speaker 2:You know there were some downsides for me. There's no gray in my life. It's either black or white. I've got to. It's either right or wrong, you know, and and so that that civilians don't have that as much they can. So, um, but for the termination, determination, the fortitude, the, the drive to get up and do it every day, I will. I'll confess in the last week there's been two times that I didn't even want to get up. You bet you know, and so, but you know what I did, and I got up and did it again.
Speaker 2:I think that that fight I was born with it, obviously, but the mechanics of actually going through that, I think the military imprinted that on me Like I don't care what you want to do, you're getting your butt out of bed and you're going to have to. Yeah, I don't feel good today, doesn't matter. You know like there's people that count and small business. We've had this discussion. You know we might want to throw our hands up and just or go to the beach for a week or whatever, but we can't. The reason we can't is we've got a lot of families that depend on us every day, every single. So that's you know what motivates me to get up. But I think the military gave me that fight.
Speaker 2:You know, I think I'm not stoppable. I'm so tenacious I can't. You know, I I have a, I have a saying that um louis pasteur actually said and uh, it's my phone, but it goes. Something like I'm paraphrasing, but something like my success completely lies in my tenacity, perseverance. So I've had to overcome and that's why I'm successful 100%. Because I didn't go to college, man, I didn't go to college. I don't have to college, man, I didn't go to college. I don't have an MBA in business. I don't have any of that.
Speaker 1:And it's funny, the amounts that we work with. We should yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean, I hand millions of dollars and it's just like it's weird, right, it's very imposter syndrome-y. I speak to, I speak, I help other people, and it's amazing how many companies, big companies that are being run around here not just here, anywhere, really and these people really just don't have a good, solid understanding of their employees, which is really critical. So how do you lead people if you don't understand people? That's right, and so you know that that's a big factor in today's corporate environment right, a hundred percent, dude.
Speaker 1:I just went through it myself. I had to. I had a project manager and I thought I had everything figured out and I was the big man and, um, I fell out of tune with my people and I and I had so many. You knew what I was going through. I mean, I, I was the highest employee count, but I failed as a leader, and I had to not that I wasn't concentrating on things that needed concentrated on, and it was on your boots again.
Speaker 1:You bet and I needed to and I I lost touch with my people and I I will. I've swore to myself, I've swore to everything I won't do that ever again. I will not because I know the alternative. And now in six, eight months turns around and it's like the best morale vibe I've ever had and we're jiving and it shows in production and sales and everything. But I gotta go back for just a minute.
Speaker 1:When you just said you know, being a vet in any sort, you don't take no for an answer on your day-to-day job, because you got a lot and I think that transfers over to entrepreneurship, because I literally made a video the other day on on our socials. Basically, um, just going through all the things of this year and the doubts and the hate and everything that I've experienced this year, but not taking no for an answer. I've experienced thousands of no's. At this point it feels like and it's a day-to-day thing, but it's Okay. Why did he say no? Oh, he's probably right in some regard in telling me no, but I need the answer to be yes. So how do I get there? Or at bare minimum.
Speaker 2:I want to understand why and how he made that decision. That's right, so I can move forward. But well, is there something you're not considering? And there's something in this situation situation. Maybe he hasn't come with everything, but at the end of the day, how did that guy run in his company, make that decision? And that's not a decision I would make. That's right. And sometimes you can learn. You know, the definition of wisdom to me is not having to make. You can learn from other people's mistakes. You don't actually have to do them yourself. You don't have to do that. That's right. You don't have to fail. You can watch this guy do it and learn what he did wrong. And that's that brings me back to integrity. That's why I do it. The thing is a way I do is I saw so many other businesses, just you know, going down and I'm like why?
Speaker 2:Well, the reason why is, in our area, product and service, our cut. But yeah, that's exactly what. Okay, but it's like what the consumers demand. So in our area, they demand a work-ready truck. I hand you the keys right now. You go hook it to a trailer. You don't work. That's not how work trucks are sold in certain other areas throughout the US. It's like I just bought a work truck. It's already scheduled with my mechanic. He's going to go through the front end and put brakes on it and do all that. So the amount of money that that guy had in the truck that he sold that guy is a lot less that's right than what I have.
Speaker 2:You know, when I saw mine, mine's work ready depends on the customer. Hey, I want to spend the money and have it work ready. Okay, you know, and it's not. Or put a new bed on it, or put a new bed on that's right. Do whatever you need tommy gate on it, you need a ladder rack and your material handler, you need utility body. Whatever you need we can do and because, at the end of the day, what we're trying to do is give you the right tool for the right money.
Speaker 1:That's always the hardest part, that's that is a hard part, especially, um, before I move to my next point. But make sure, you guys, if you're loving this conversation, um, make sure we're checking out bluecollarbusinesspodcastcom for me, give it a watch, give it a listen. If you're listening on a streaming platform, make sure, and give us a rating and a follow here at the end of this episode, because there's been so many conversations, as a blue collar business owner sitting on this side of the table, that I have ended up at your desk on a random Tuesday thinking, all right, I'm going to go charge this up and I need this truck and I'm going to go do this and resting going. Yeah, you know, I had, I had so-and-so in here the other day and that's not quite what they're doing. And you make me think about things and I can't tell you how many times you've made me think about things and literally talked me out of a truck. But literally I want you to share some stories, because I'll share my first truck story. I'll be flat and honest with you guys.
Speaker 1:I went into business with the wrong guy. You probably don't even remember this, but I bought the truck and he bought the machine and trailer and this was prior to PsyCon and basically I sunk. I sold me and Sarah sold our house and moved into a camper Irony. And I told her we were going to do this thing and I said I need to go buy a truck. And she had all the faith and support I mean still does to this day. I wouldn't be anywhere without her. That's true, no, 100%, shout out. I know her too. So I tell my wife living in a camper on my in-law's land, trying to get pregnant with our firstborn hey, I'm going to go start this business and just set our life up, I've got it all figured out. So I come and sit down with you and I'm literally I'm like this is what I need. He's like well, you say you do, but are you sure you need that? I'm like man got to have that six-speed Dodge man and it was a 2011 Dodge, one Ton, and it hauled way too much weight, just like you, every single day of its life had three or four transmissions through it, clutches beyond belief, um, put many a guy in it to go to work and to help build this company.
Speaker 1:And then I came back to you for truck number two, and then truck number three and man I I can't tell you sitting there, it's taking me back here. Just sitting there, cause I can remember that, I can remember the shape of the desk, the way your office sat, and I'm like, am I really signing and am I really doing this? And then I met my first banker lady. Um, back when you were, I still bank there, but just with a different lady. She obviously doesn't work there anymore. Um, you were like, go see her, tell her. I sent you and, uh, I've got my trucks. My trucks are priced enough that you can head to the stinking bank and you can get, I mean, majority of it. Oh yeah, and I was like this guy's freaking lying to me, he's got to be. And I had a buddy that sent me to you. So and I trusted my car dealers exactly and that's lying and I'm being honest exactly.
Speaker 1:And so I'm sitting here going, um, oh well, let's go see her, I guess. I mean I get up there and she sings your freaking praises and all, and not only from the money side of it, but all the guys that you're putting work trucks in in their first truck. And I was sitting there, I signed those papers with her and I came back down and, uh, I got in that truck and you're like, go drive and make sure it's the one you want. And there was like 62 miles till empty. I'm like, yeah, I didn't even notice. You know, I was just going around, put fuel on this. And so I pull up to the diesel pub and I'm like, all right, 20, I was 22 years old. I'm like I'll throw, I'll throw 40 bucks in. There's just two, 20 bills. And 10 years ago anyways, but I had a quarter of a tank of fuel. And I got a quarter of tank and I'm like, right then, at that gas pump, at that diesel pump, I'm like, what am I doing? I ain't got the money to put freaking fuel in this truck.
Speaker 1:Insurance, I found out, was sky high. And I'm like, am I doing? And I just thought, I doubted and I doubted. And well then, my first go around. I don't think I've ever shared this on this show. I don't think I've ever shared this on this show, but the first go-round I had, I dumped my house equity in and didn't see a paycheck for 12 weeks and I didn't see the bank account. And I just took the machine back to the gentleman and drove out of his driveway and I knew I was going to go start my own thing and, with absolutely not a red cent to my name, didn't even have 10 bucks bucks put in a fuel tank to get home to the camper I was living in. Come on, and I knew from there that the tenacity and that perseverance just started, and that was. I had bought that truck from you, and I just want to finish my story. We were, um, trying to get pregnant with Cole. I had started PsyCon after being, uh, separating ways with that gentleman being as nice as possible here.
Speaker 2:Oh, my God.
Speaker 1:So then Monday I start out. I've got these rental machines and I'm going to work. My God, I feel like happy as a camper, made a little money that week. And that Wednesday Sarah looked at me and she goes I'm pregnant and I said I couldn't say anything. I was speechless. We've been trying for three and a half years.
Speaker 1:That was our plan before this business venture, and I'm like I still, to this day, I deal with a lot of pressure nowadays. There's no doubt about it. That moment was the moment in my life. That was the kachoo. Yeah, you got it. I mean, you got to look fresher up in the dictionary. That was. That was a picture he used to. That was it, dude, I had sold my house. I convinced her to sell her house because the market I think I bought that house in the middle of peerage for like 80 grand, 79 grand, uh, something like that, and I it could, I could get 100 grand for it. And I was like, oh my god, we're gonna make 25 000 dollars and, um, I cashed out. Alice is worth a lot more anyways.
Speaker 1:So I, and now I'd convinced my wife go buy this truck that we couldn't afford, and now I'm gonna go start piling up in rental debt and everything else. So Rusty was monumental. He didn't just sign them papers and go here you go, dingle nuts, go freaking, spend your money. You sat there, but share some stories.
Speaker 2:So for me, I mean, you do this and you're going to meet a lot of blue collar. You know just All every trade. Yeah, you know just just all every trade. Yeah, and so, uh, for, from doing as long as I have, I've, I think I've got a handle on it. You got a pretty good understanding. I do, and I, you know it's. Your story isn't that unique. It's really not. There's, there's, the people that do this kind of stuff aren't right in the head, man, man.
Speaker 2:No, we're not, not, and you know I'm here with you. We're just crazy people and we take risks that should not be taken. It's not for the weak-minded man, it's not, it's not for the faint of heart. And you know, I see people all the time, whether they're I'm a master electrician and I've been working for this guy, making him money hand over fist for all this time. I mean, I'm sick of it. I can build $200 an hour or whatever, and that's what I'm going to do. And maybe I've got a client or something that I've done a lot of work for. That's maybe given me a little stepping stone, but overall I'm taking a big leap.
Speaker 2:I'm coming out of my company truck. My wife is looking at me like I'm crazy. I've got two kids, but I am convinced this is what I need to do. And uh, and sometimes they're right or they're not, or they're not. And the reason why is people think because I'm a good electrician. Then you know, and I'm well-liked in the community and people know me as an electrician and I'm a great master electrician, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Speaker 2:Or a plumber or whatever you want to say that they can just go start a business, running a business. It's like I'm talking to you about work trucks. I'm not talking to you too much about selling them, right, right, the reason why is that's not the hard part, no, sir, it's the rest of the business that's difficult, and my ability to sell a car or not sell a car doesn't have anything to do with the business side of it. So, a lot of trades, it's hot, I will say. I will say it's more popular, failure is more popular. And the plumbing trade, for some reason. Okay, these guys, good news for you. These guys like to go out on their own and they don't realize. You know they're carrying around, and that company, provided they in the company, around about twenty five thousand dollars worth of supplies that they need day one.
Speaker 1:Oh, and that fuel card and the insurance and the oil changes and the tires and the service and the alternator and the batteries. You don't even think what goes into that truck.
Speaker 2:You don't care, I mean, you don't even think about it.
Speaker 1:You don't care, you're right At that moment, you don't. You're not even thinking straight, right?
Speaker 2:So two things, two reasons for failure. There's only two Either don't know or you don't care. That's right. It comes down to that. The reason this podcast is here and somebody's watching it right now is because they don't have the DK part. They don't have the don't know part. That's right. They need to know more about whatever they're doing and they're being smart by researching, researching, researching and listening to a lot of people that are boots on the ground, you bet, but no story-wise man.
Speaker 2:I've got a ton of them. I mean, they're almost daily. So I've got people that come to me because, why? Because I'm a good guy. They don't even really know me yet. So they're coming to me because I have a tool that is cheaper than somebody else's tool. That's really talk about it, that's really it.
Speaker 2:So they show up and they say, hey, you know, it's online, it's truck now. Now I have an opportunity to consult and and help them, guide them, not based on my experience, remember back to wisdom. But I was saying the difference. Wisdom is when you can learn from somebody else's mistake and you don't actually have to commit it yourself. So I try to impart um to my customers that um just say hey, man, I'm not sure you know I'd buy one tundually to plumb out of, unless you're. I know you want one, but what I try to do and that the other part, I'm it.
Speaker 2:It actually happens pretty easy because all I carry is oxford white trucks. That's right, baby, with base interiors and power locks, windows till cruise, right, that's it. Backup camera maybe? Hey, right, hey, this one's got a backup camera, you know. But, um, so there's no emotion involved. Yeah, take your wife to the acura store and I'll show you. I'll tell you what emotion is right. So this is an emotional purchase. This is, this is I'm trying and got to get them unplugged from their emotions. I really like the way that one looks right. Look, man, this truck here fits your budget and it's going to do the job you need to do. I'll take your money on either one, but you're going to know what you're doing before before we ink anything.
Speaker 1:And I'm just going to jump in real quick, man, because this is the whole purpose of this show and the whole design and the investment that I'm putting into the community is that you're talking about gentlemen that are masters of their craft, that they don't even have to think about what they do every day, making $35 or $25 or $40 an hour or whatever They've pinnacled that, or $40 an hour or whatever they've pinnacled at, but they. It takes three things to be successful at business in the blue collar world. From my experience, you got to be a master of your craft, you got to be a businessman and you got to be a leader, and I can tell you Rusty moments of my life where I was a crappy businessman. I was trying to be the best leader. I knew how to be and I've got the craft thing figured out.
Speaker 1:Now I'm not saying I can't learn, and I learn every single day and my team pushes me. I'm not trying to be that way, but I can do things on a machine that most can't Right, and I did it at your house. You were like you did one now, anyways, but I wanted to hit to you guys that are listening here going well, dude, a one-ton's my dream and, I'm hoping, in my business. I did the same freaking thing, I promise you. Yes, I did need a one-ton, I did need a six-speed. I could have went a different route and I could have done a little less money truck starting out and, honestly, that dodge, that dodge paid for itself and I don't know.
Speaker 2:Yeah times but you know, if you're a few, if you would have bought that truck and you know, I remember the conversation I'm sure I had with you right, don't buy a six-speed manual on a startup truck. Why is it? Because you're going to pass that truck to somebody. Well, no, I don't even know if I need it. Listen, you're going to pass it on to somebody else and they won't be able to drive the truck or they'll rear in somebody or back into somebody or whatever on a hill, and just don't do it. You know. You know. Well, transmissions, I understand, just save up for transmissions. I'm saying it's a tool, you've got it, you've got, you know, and so that's really, um, where people make mistakes. If they'll listen to me a little bit, um, then at least I can plant the seed. Hey man, you're making an emotional purchase here, you're not making a logical purchase I'm assuming that's probably rubbed a few people wrong.
Speaker 2:It has All over the years it has. But you know they come back for truck two and they're like I should have listened to you. Yeah, that's right, this truck's good, we use it, but we can't really use it for what we need, that's right. So I know, if you're an excavation company, if you're a plumbing company, if you're a concrete company, if you're a framing company, if you're a roofing company, if you're whatever you are plumbing, electrical, pick a trade. Underground utilities I know all about that, right. So I've got, like you and 30 other underground utility customers, so I have a good idea of how much your machines weigh. What you're gonna do oh, you gotta pull it up out of a ditch. You know you've gotta try this. And they don't even think about that stuff because they haven't had the experience. They haven't had the experience yet, you know. And so, uh, I remember uh sold the company.
Speaker 2:You know the guy really well. Actually he does underwater lines and stuff and I wish he was here. He'd be a good guy Because he had a really successful utilities company and he went to branch out. He decided because they were doing a lot of pours and they were waiting on people to come pour the panels and stuff the boxes. And he got frustrated and realized that there was a lot of need for this in the area. So he started a concrete company. You know what I'm talking about. Yeah, I do, good guy, great guy, and you know he's gone now pretty much.
Speaker 2:But I do remember when I was trying to keep him focused on his water company, you know. And when he said concrete, yeah, we sold him some trucks for his concrete company and you know we sat and talked about it. But I remember one case where he brought, you know, come in and I'm sure he needs a utility truck. It needs to be a one ton, it needs to be a diesel. I had one sitting there that had a crane on it and he was like I don't have any need for a crane, I don't want a crane, right? Uh, long story short, the next three trucks he bought had cranes on.
Speaker 2:That's right. I talked. I said yes, you do. Why is that? You're sending two guys out to move a valve, to pull something, to do whatever? You send a good tech out, one, that's right. The the labor that you're going to save doing this job is substantial and it will. It will compound over time. And, uh, he called me about a year later. He goes you couldn't have been more right more right, you know that that truck was actually on.
Speaker 1:I saw job, any job that I know. The waterline popped and tapped. It was there for a lot of years and anyhow he's still going. He's just not quite in the area anymore.
Speaker 2:No, he used to be huge. Oh yeah, he's down now where he. So again, for you guys listening, he spread out so fast and he had to have like four foreman, great guy, good businessman overall, um, you know. But he had to have all these foremen running, running these, uh, different divisions of his company and they were reporting back to him. And you know, it's really back where we first started. Cy figured out he's got to get his boots muddy again, right, and so these guys did too, but it was too late, they'd lost, they'd hemorrhaged, and you know, and you guys probably know this, but one of the biggest mistakes you guys make is estimations 100%.
Speaker 1:We only have two areas that we screw up in. You have estimation or production. I just went through that, yeah, yeah and it's two.
Speaker 2:Like simple things like those are the two things you've got to keep your thumb on at all times. They, they, just it doesn't happen, and so they. Plumbing concrete's terrible about it any kind of underwater utility utilities, because around here and other places in the country have you, don't have any idea, you're going to get into rock and it's going to.
Speaker 1:You're going to sit there and hammer and hammer and the spec here in northwest arkansas is nothing like our neighboring states. By any you can drive 40 miles. Yeah, it's like digging in sand and the spec is wild, wild west out there. You know what I mean, yeah.
Speaker 2:But understanding the customer's needs, I think, is such a critical part of it 100%. And then what's even better is when they actually have their stuff together. Yep, better is when they actually have their stuff together, yep, and you know they come and say, um, you know, I know what I want, this is why I want it, this is why I want, and it's an easy transaction yep, because they know what they're buying. And you know when was the last time somebody called and asked me what a axle ratio was on a truck? It it's been like six or eight months. That would be one of your biggest questions if you're towing right. It took me years to figure it out, but you don't understand. I'll just point and buy a 550. Well, what rear?
Speaker 2:end does it have in it? It doesn't matter or not. If it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. But overall, that's the thing that we we specialize in and I've had.
Speaker 1:I've bought several, good, several diesels that I still own, still run today, put over a hundred thousand miles on, I mean. But you're right going back to what you first initially started the show with, you start off with much better product, and where I'm going with that is you've also just mentioned that yeah, you kind of figure it out, guys. I've been telling you all the time is, you know, education's expensive but experience is priceless. And I have figured out, looking on my profit and loss and my balance sheet, and here I get to the maintenance section of my P&L and here's this truck costing me almost as much as it's worth in the year just to keep it running. And I'm like, what truck is that? Yeah, what are we doing? Yeah, and so then I started 50 000, I know and but.
Speaker 1:But you're in the world of, you're over here in the marketing, you're you're working with your sales team, you're over here and you're all busy and you start looking at this stuff. And I started looking at my excavators and we got some getting some higher hours and I'm like this is only three or four old gear, you know. Um, but on the truck side of things, I'm starting to figure out. I've told you about a year or two ago I'm like I'll phase the diesels out now that I got a semi does pretty much all my pull in in the low boy regard. I want six o's and I caught a couple of six o's off super, oh, my god, dude.
Speaker 2:Uh, when he says six o's, he's talking about chevy gas engines and I I've got 25 years experience with those things, probably through the day overall my favorite motor, can't? I mean they just go and, go and go and they'll pull a little bit? Yeah, they will. They've got some torque and you can tune them to even run better. And but as far as dependability, it's there. The transmissions behind some of those weren't great, but they're not terrible and they're not. They're not junk by any means. The reins are good, the frames are good. I would, you know, stick with them 11 and up, but they changed their frame in 11, and it's a lot stronger than before. That. But you can expect, with good maintenance, 300,000 and 400,000 is definitely obtainable out of those trucks.
Speaker 2:I've got a couple trucks that I'm going to push to the limit and they'll go and then, when they are done, you're just like, hey, we need a good spare parking behind the shop and you know it's got a little life in it, but we need chop truck. You know, and that's the thing, I just got off the phone with a plumbing company that buys a lot from me and a truck. I sold them four years ago. I had a cp4 failure and it's a 6-7 power stroke and it's a $9,000 job. And it's not only $9,000, but it's down for you know, now they they're down. And then on the little bit of weather we had, I guess we're in fayetteville and wrecked one of them they're down two trucks now and was trying to poke a check through the phone, like trying to buy something like right now, and I said, look, you're great customer, just come by get a truck. That's right, we'll figure it out later.
Speaker 1:I've done that. Yeah, I was gonna say I was gonna jump in. I can't tell you the amount of times I've called you over the years and that's the service after the sale. Hey, I'm not trying to hurt you in any way. Like I, downtime is the number one expense for any excavation and utility contractor, whether it's a machine, whether it's guys and a truck. In that tool regard, if your people ain't going to the job, they ain't even going. Yeah, you're backing up on your schedule. You can't take it.
Speaker 2:That's catastrophic, it's terrible and don't put yourself in that situation. Yeah, and you've been in that situation as I was, and I would say I could. I could pick 10 customers of mine and nine of them have done the same thing. You know and we're if we're talking about mistakes, to kind of head off, that's right, that's one of them have done the same thing. You know and we're if we're talking about mistakes, to kind of head off, that's right, that's one of them. If you don't need a diesel, don't buy diesel it's the maintenance.
Speaker 1:Guys like, yeah, don't get me wrong. The purchase price. Yes, if you're not pulling a mini x skid steer every single day, do not do it. I wouldn't either. I would not. And just from the maintenance side of it and just trying to keep it on the road because that sucker is going to go down right when you don't need it to, yeah.
Speaker 1:So question if you're saying recommend a guy sitting there, been sitting in an excavator for 10 years, he's got a Mini-X, maybe sitting at home in a trailer, but he drives a car every day and he really needs to go buy his first truck. It's not a big mini x, say a little 35 or a 27 or something like that.
Speaker 2:It's a 6500 pound machine right, yeah and so so you're thinking a thousand truck six, it'd be great.
Speaker 2:Where you? The first question is where are you going with this truck? And? And so, if, if we're in, if, oh well, I live in torrey, hawaii, indiana, okay, well, it's flat. Or I live in kansas, or whatever. There's no terrain you, you don't have to deal with. Oh, I'm a local guy, okay, wait, what are you doing? Work, a bella vista, fayetteville okay, well, you're in hills and corners and curves all day, you know. And does this trailer and miniacs stay hooked to this truck? That's right. So I sold one to a plumbing company. They dig yard lines with this guy digs all the yard lines. It's hooked all the time. Okay, that's. That's a different situation.
Speaker 2:Twice a week I gotta move a miniacs from one job to the other, or a skid steer, and I'm a construction guy or I'm whatever, I'm going to dang near assist that you buy a gas three-quarter ton truck percent and there's people out there going you're crazy. No, I'm not. No, but. And this is why because before you can buy the truck, I had to buy the truck, that's right, and I've got to make it ready for you. So what I have that you don't have unless you have a massive fleet for years and years and years. I have data. I have data on how much it cost me to get a Dodge ready, how much it cost me to get a Ford ready, how much it cost me to get a Chevy ready, gas diesel. That's right. And so I know, you know, like, don't buy that truck, and the bad part about it is guys, bad part. Um, do I stay away from f-250s? No, that's a real broad brush, right. Okay, which f-250s don't I want? That's right, because if you say, well, I just need to go buy an f-250, I found a real cheap, oh yeah, heebie-jeebies, everybody, yeah. So what I can tell you is it may be the best truck ever, but historically it's not. No, sir.
Speaker 2:And was that the twin turbo, six hours, oh my god. Or their gas engine was a five four. Oh, the tr. Oh, the Triton, the Triton 5.4 that had 240 horsepower, that couldn't get an episode away. Is it a 250? Yes, but you know, and I encourage everybody seriously, my heart is to help. So I don't care if you're in Massachusetts, wherever you're at. If you need some guidance, guidance, reach out to me.
Speaker 2:Integrity automotivecom correct, integrity automotive, nwacom. It's got to add the nwa. Apparently there's a bunch of integrity automotives out there, so ours is nwa or just go to integrity work. Truckscom takes you to the same place, okay, but I'm not. I'm not here to pitch that. I'm just saying seriously, if, if you need my advice for whatever reason, reach out. I'm happy to help you wherever it at. You know, at the end of the day, I'm trying to help these people because I am one of these people and I know exactly. You know, I know a lot about what you're going to get into. I don't know everything, but I'm just saying, uh, on a truck, it would be good to hear my advice on something probably no, I, I'm nine.
Speaker 2:Nine years of testament of that yeah, and that's just all I do. So if you need a camry, I can't help you. If you need a uconn for your wife, yeah, I can find one for, but that's not what I do. Matter of fact, right now I've got about 60 trucks in stock, 50, 60 trucks. One of them is silver, you know, that's it. I mean, all of them are just work trucks, you know, and it's not a big deal, it's just.
Speaker 2:I think that it fills a gap, major gap, a major gap In what we need. And you know, going to your local Chevy store, I think whether you end up buying a truck from me or not, probably not. You're all over the world, I understand, but I think it's important to depart at least some information on you, find somebody that knows what the heck they're doing. Yeah, if you pull on like mcclarty's lot and you know I'm not bashing anybody, but I'm just saying get out this guy walks up to you. I'm looking for a used work truck or a new work truck or whatever. Not the best. That's not probably going to work out too well for you unless you already know exactly what you want. That's right, you know. And then, talking about new and used, I don't know, it's a financing game.
Speaker 2:It is. You know it really is. It depends on what you expect out of the return turn. Um, I can tell you this uh, especially since 22, I would say before you do make that decision um, you know, don't listen to me, don't listen to anybody. Just get in your own vehicle, drive up to the local whatever chevy, dodge, whatever. Drive right through the front of the dealership. You're going to see a bunch of cars parked up front. You're going to see a sales office. Behind all of it is a metal, sheet metal building and it's going to be the service department. And I want you to look and see how many 24s and 23s are sitting there. That's right and 23s are sitting there. That's right, and so it from from my standpoint. I'm taking a higher miles recent truck, so we're selling 22s are coming off lease right now. So these are 22 models, 70, 120 000 mile trucks.
Speaker 2:Um, covid was brutal. So when that truck hit the ground, the guy that is in the truck couldn't even fly anywhere. So they have to drive everywhere they're going. So they hung 50 000 miles a car a year on the on the thing. But the engine hours, that's another thing you don't consider. You do because you look at equipment all day, that's right.
Speaker 2:But most people plumber wouldn't. Very few people say how many hours on this. That's right. It's 80 000 miles, but it could have 17 000 hours on this, you know. Or it could have, you know, 2500 hours, that's right. So there's, there's a big difference in equipment like that. And consider it equipment why? Well, because its job has been a. When it's not running down the highway, it's sitting idling, that's right. So things like this need to be taken into consideration. So you know, reach out to me and I'll let you know what to look for on whatever year model. I was going to try to say don't stay away from this year model, stay with. No, just let me know what you guys are looking at and I'll tell you hey, these are the risks with that unit, because there's not one that's perfect.
Speaker 1:No, there's not, You've got to take. Are you going to deal with turbos? Are you going to deal with transmissions? Exactly.
Speaker 2:Are you going to?
Speaker 1:deal with rear ends. Are you going to deal with?
Speaker 2:electrical issues. How many AC compressors am I going to put on this thing? Will it hold a water pump for for more than a year? That's right. How the upper ball joints, and he's you know because I get them ready every day, all day. Yeah, then I, I can answer those questions, that's right. And so more than the mccarty salesman could, or whatever the mccarty salesman is, he don't really even know where they're drawn. He's got to figure out where they're at. You know, and I'm not saying, if you're buying a tahoe or something for your wife, okay, but if it's a work truck, just like every other tool that you use in your industry, whatever it is, um, you consult somebody before you spend that kind of money. Yeah, I mean if it's a lasering setup or whatever you're going to talk to whoever Research, research, research.
Speaker 1:I'm going to look and see if there's a podcast who's talking about what. Find. You know an expert? See what their opinions are. Yes, there's maybe some negatives, but let's hear about it from somebody that's done it a few times.
Speaker 2:Praise to you for bringing this subject to these people, because there is nothing that we haven't talked about today. We have talked about today that they don't need to know. That's um. I mean this, this is this information is really critical. The vehicle side of your business and I don't care what it is is really really important especially for the one man starting out.
Speaker 1:The truck is everything.
Speaker 2:And see when you started and it hadn't been a long time ago Right 2016. I can't remember how much that truck was. It was a sub-100,000 miles.
Speaker 1:27,147 miles, the truck could be 47,000.
Speaker 2:And that's a. That's a diesel. It came to get a six speed. That's a base truck. You know had 70,000 miles on it. Yeah, it's in the mid forties, man.
Speaker 1:Oh my Lord. And you know I ain't bought. I ain't bought nothing. I've done a little bit of rental here and there for when I need them, but I've been trying to be a lot smarter as I've learned things over the year. I used to be calling Rusty every six months, every three months. We're going to try this off. Do this, move this around, because I've got this and I'm like. Now I'm like, just take a breath. Yeah, take a breath, it's all going to be okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and another thing that you've done which has significantly improved yourself is you've found the right tool for the right job, and what I mean by that is you've got gas chevys doing gas chevy work. You're not. You're not. They're not asking them to do stuff they can't do, because you've got enough trucks in your fleet, that you've got 550s, you've got big trucks to move stuff and you don't have to be so. You know well, the only way we can get that excavator to that job is that truck. No, that's how it was. I know it, and that's a lot of people when they start. That's where it is. But I think the unique thing that I bring to it is I know what they're going to look like in five years. I sat there and told you exactly and I remember the look in your eyes like this guy's crazy you know, and I'm like I think half the audience would probably agree, yeah you're gonna need.
Speaker 2:You're gonna need this truck and then, about 18 months from now, you're gonna need one of these because you're gonna be putting a guy on the road, because this.
Speaker 1:I'll be real with you. Do you know how many people tell me I'm crazy for doing this podcast right here?
Speaker 2:you know how many people have told me you're crazy for doing this podcast and where am I at? Yeah, I, I believe in this and and and the reason why I believe in them. Guys, I know these people are my customers. That's right. These people come and see me every day. I deal with them every day. So to tell me the need isn't there, that's deaf ears, man. There's all kinds of people that are out there that are in a situation right now that they need to know something about trucks or they need to know whatever other things that you guys are talking about, but nobody else is doing that. No, I mean, I'm sure there is somebody.
Speaker 1:Oh, there's some oh, there's, there's some good podcasts out there. I I've been, uh, invited to a few here as of recent, as of late, but you know the real and the rawness and the hey, let's discuss failures and inadequacies. No, I don't think there's another guy out there that's willing to be vulnerable enough to put himself out there, and I haven't tried to sit here and go, oh, look what I've done and this is how I'm. But no, I am trying to help folks in my own way in this investment through all the digital marketing space, whether it be our YouTube channel at Sycon or, you know, bluecollarbusinesspodcastcom.
Speaker 1:I went looking for this stuff. That's why I'm doing it. Yeah, and I almost failed trying to find it, and it's not like I just flipped a switch or nothing. Every single time I come to this table, go ahead, yeah, and every time I come to this table, I learn I it's a school and if I can add value to the blue collar men and women that are trying to go, come and see you and buy that first truck to hopefully be an hvac company in 10 years holding 30, 40, 50, 60, 80 employees, right, like I never thought when I was sitting across from the table I would be who I am today and what I'm doing that wasn't.
Speaker 2:Why would you exactly? It was none of us do that, none of this was even. I mean the whole, the way sycon is taking off, I mean it's incredible, thank you, it's incredible. You've done a fabulous job. Don't let anybody tell you any different, right, but the biggest thing that you're doing is, uh, I mean, you're you moving dirt, making money, doing that? Okay, but the families, the families, the families that you touch, that you support, I don't know. For me, it makes me feel good, it makes me feel good to do that. That's my. You know we talked about the veterans and felons thing and you know that's important to me.
Speaker 2:That's not the purpose of my business, but that is Some of your business is allowing to help along the way, like if we're doing this effort For a quick Can we, can we use the energy from that to improve other things, or are we just focused on ourselves?
Speaker 1:You know you're not gonna make almighty dollar, you can't, well, some people do.
Speaker 2:That's your sources, the world, all you know I'm saying there are people out there that that do that very thing. Just, I'm the most self-centered person in the world and I am gonna, I screw everybody else and I'm gonna. And you're like, how in the world are they the ceo of this or own all this or have this money or whatever? It's not all about money either. You, you're starting to learn that, but it's it's about helping people. I, I think so, I think so and I'm going to stick to it and I'm old enough to the filming I get, I can do that I can stick to it now.
Speaker 2:However, if I just you know, and this last year has been pretty rough, little brother, I mean it's been rough. I don't mind sharing. Yeah, it has been rough. Reason why is I could have been a lot less rough, I could have gone a lot better Talk about 24. If I would have wavered.
Speaker 2:My first lesson I learned is during COVID, I had 93 units on the ground. I had it was $2.6 million worth of inventory and they started closing all the businesses Meantime. I've never seen rapid depreciation like this. So my trucks that I barely just got on the ground, that I had, let's say, 30 grand in, are now worth 18 and it was a big panic and everybody was selling everything and I said no, you know why. This is my customer, that's right. They have to go back to work. We work every. They have a family to support, that's right. They have to go back to work. We'll work every family to support, that's right. They have to do it. I don't care if it's rain, it's some covid, they have to go in. Essential yeah, um, yeah, and so I, I never.
Speaker 2:I worked straight through it, and you both, and so when the summer was really rough, in march, april, scary. I had, you know, everybody like, oh my gosh, what are you gonna do? Blah, blah, blah. And I said I don't know, I don't know what I'm gonna do. No, I didn't either. But I went from selling 35, 40 trucks a month like I'm not a huge dealership right, we're, we're specialized, yeah, and we went down to selling hardly anything and you know, everybody else was closing and I just almost just closed it. Just put a sign on the door, call me if you need me, I'm at home. Yeah, because nobody was coming in, the phone wasn't ringing, nothing was happening. All of a sudden, boom, it was like a switch. And May came, and all of a sudden. So everybody panicked, they went and dumped all their inventory. So everybody panicked, they went and dumped all their inventory, they lost their whole life's work and I just sat there, looked at them for two months and then I had the trucks and nobody else had them. That's right. But you know, and I sold them all and the rest is history.
Speaker 2:Now we're in a different economy and you know it's pretty bad. Everybody's holding their money on their truck. They're making money, they're just holding on to it. And then the cost of going and borrowing money. Interest rates are a big factor. They're coming to me because they are, but the, the manufacturers know it, so they have civilian rates on on different. You go in, buy a new f-350, maybe you can get four or nine money or something like that. On 16 months could be, maybe not, but you know where normally you go. Buy a used truck, you know it's eight percent, something like that, maybe nine, and so it. When you start cost factoring everything, then people totally miss it. It's like they're 18 years old and they're making vehicle purchasing decisions based on what.
Speaker 1:My payment is Right, what does that matter, you know, not in the business game.
Speaker 2:I mean it does. I've got to depreciate this out, that's right. I've got you know, and that's the thing, how much depreciation can I get off of it versus how much use I can get out of it. You know, and really they approach things, not the guys that have it with. You know, I'm not saying all your listeners are going to.
Speaker 2:Right, but there's going to be some people going. I think I need to change my perspective on that. You know, instead of going to pay the 9% interest Because, buy the used truck, because it's going to hold your money together, yeah, first of all, I mean, the depreciation on yours, on the new one, is going to be catastrophic and it just goes especially over the last couple of years. We can do a whole nother podcast on outfitting and stuff, but, um, you know it's, it's a, it's an interesting business and I think that that, um, I don't think people put the thought into buying that right truck, especially the first one, as much as they need to. Like, you were one of those guys. You know I can pick something now.
Speaker 2:And you know you're like I shouldn't have bought a six-speed Cummins. I mean, why did I do that for you? The truck's still running Yep, I'm sure it is, I see it all the time, dude but you know it's on its fifth transmission and 17th clutch, and you know and so. But the thing is is it's not that I can't find somebody to drive, you know, when they go down, they're down, they're down, you know, and it costs you a lot of money and that's why I say just kind of take the path of least resistance on work trucks and then on upfitting. You know that's a whole different thing.
Speaker 2:But, um, do I, do I buy a used truck and put a new utility body on it, or what do I do there because I can't find exactly what I need? The answer is yes, yeah. The answer is yes, uh, is it more expensive to do that than buy one on it? That, yeah, kind of. But when you get one that's that's been through a lease pool and you're purchasing it from a new car store, it's going to have the absolute cheapest stuff on it, 100%. If that works for you, that works. But chances are it won't. Long term, it all works great new. When you finally put three years of work into it and your doors are falling off your utility, well, maybe it wasn't that good of a deal, you know. But what we're doing for kester, uh, it's a plumbing company, but we I sold them a really good bed. The truck's blown up. They're gonna move that bed to the next truck. They don't need to start over, right, right, like we don't even have to unload it, we're just going to put it on the other truck.
Speaker 1:So that works out Well. I uh, dude, it has been such a fun. We're fixing to run out of time here, guys, don't forget about blue collar business podcastcom. You can stream and listen from there. Don't have to have any type of subscription. But if you're listening on a subscription, guys, I really appreciate you drop a rating or a follow If this helps you with your first-time purchase of your tool, your asset. That's going to help you move people. And I got one final question for you. I ask every single body what's the takeaway for that blue-collar worker who is sick and tired of being stuck in the mud? And that may be physical You've seen me come into your shop pretty muddy before but also mentally, emotionally. You, you know you, you were vulnerable there a minute ago.
Speaker 2:I'm the I'm the same way. Um, it's hard some days to just get up and do it. I tell you, the first thing is is, uh, have a mentor that you can reach out to, and I mean somebody that's going to be a mentor for you, probably their whole life, yeah, their whole life, not yours, their whole life, yeah, and your goal is to not need them. And you know, but you need to be able to reach out to somebody and say, and it could be a friend, it could be a relative, but somebody that doesn't have really any skin in the game, that can impart with you the best advice based on experience. And some people have somebody like that and some people don't. If you don't which, honestly, I never really did Right like that, some people don't. If you don't which, honestly, I never really did right, you know and, um, a similar situation like my dad. He's kind of, you know, he's not a guy I could call up and talk about.
Speaker 2:So, anyway, I think that, overall, uh, that that's the most important thing is have a mentor, a friend, somebody that knows you, that likes you, that trusts you and call you on your crap. It calls you on your crap. They'll say, no, dude, that's not you. You've got yourself going down a hole.
Speaker 2:You don't even need to be around on low end, and that's helped me make better decisions over time, because, uh, if you're like me at all and you are that you if somebody needs your help, you just do it, and you know it's just like I gotta talk myself out of this or that, or I don't need to be doing this, or if it's even I kind of stopped buying stinking diesels, I don't even need it. Whatever it is. You know, yeah, whether it's a maturity thing, and when I say maturity I mean experience. You know, like a football coach, well, there may be somebody really good, but if he doesn't have a lot of experience coaching people and bringing them up, I'm not going to be the right hire. So that's the same thing with you. You need to hold yourself accountable.
Speaker 1:Dude, you know that's been my big 24 word was accountability.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you know, lead by example on every aspect of your life. So you have to be that leader for everybody, and lots of times you just don't want to bear the weight, but you have to. True, you have to get up and do it again, you have to do it and, uh, well, you don't have to, but if you don't, you have no chance at all being successful. There's no chance, man. The only people I know that are successful by not working very hard are people like you, like podcast guys. Yeah, I'm just kidding. No, I know. No, he actually works for a living. This is, this is, uh, something that he does. But I, I, this is needed out there. You guys share it with people that that might need help. Um, uh, if, if I can help you any of you guys at all, just let me know. But, um, hopefully, through my words today, I've at least, and there's something that you can grab out of this that you can go, you know, um, and and.
Speaker 2:But we've had as many conversations over the last about personal stuff, yeah, and that that's the thing you. You know when I say personal, I don't know a lot about your business, but I could run it. Why? Because leadership, experience, entrepreneurship and I I'd make some mistakes, but I could do it. So so, the tools that you, that you gain by going through this painful process that can sometimes take 10, 15 years, the tools that you come out with the other end well, you can do anything you freaking want to do at that point. That's right. You're not scared of anything, and that's really where that's me. I just opened another business and they talked about it like you're crazy, dude, you're 56 years old, what are you doing? And but it's another opportunity to help people, that's right and you're covering a gap in the market.
Speaker 1:Well, big gap, big gap. He says. Well, maybe we'll get you back on the show and talk about that once we.
Speaker 2:Yeah, most of these customers are going to want to hear about that too. Yeah, when I say customers, I mean your listeners. No, 100%. I know a lot of people. Yeah, I'm starting more and more, you know, helping people build out the right truck for what they need it for or whatever. Most of the time when they're starting to build a service truck, they already know what they need 100 you know. But we get down to the products. That's where you know there's a lot changed in the product world, or whether this product used to be like it's awesome and it's not anymore and they got sold out three years ago or whatever. And so that kind of stuff what compressors should I run what? What kind of crane do I need on this thing? What brand of crane should I get? Utility bodies they all look shiny and new and they're pretty.
Speaker 1:There's a big difference of them.
Speaker 2:How the doors still work. So my other business allows me to see that stuff after three to five years of use, Use and abuse and abuse and how it's held up and stuff like that. Cause, again, like I said, they all look great when they're sitting there. You know, brand new, a hundred percent. How are they going to make it through what I'm going to put them through? Well, I can tell you those things. It just you know. There's things like, by the way, yeah, exactly, yeah, Just call me Um.
Speaker 1:I guess that's it. You know you're the man. Thank you so much for joining me today. Guys, I truly hope you found some value in mr rusty's vulnerable sharing today. I really appreciate you opening up and being real with these guys, because they need it they do need it.
Speaker 2:They need the candy coatings. Gotta stop we to rip the Band-Aid off and say, okay, we've got to cut here, let's deal with it. And that's really what I'm here for. It's motivating.
Speaker 1:Helping folks man. Well, I appreciate you. You guys be safe. Be kind. Check out another episode. Be good. If you've enjoyed this episode, be sure to give it a like. Share it with the fellers. Check episode. Be sure to give it a like. Share it with the fellers. Check out our website to send us any questions and comments about your experience in the blue collar business. Who do you want to hear from? Send them our way. We'll do our best to answer any questions you may have. Till next time, guys.