Writing the story of our journey wasn’t one thing I ever imagined doing, till lately.
Whereas abroad on a piece journey – with a little bit of R&R on the finish – I met a girl who was genuinely inquisitive about MyTrucking. She requested me, “Have you ever ever considered writing a few of this down? Your learnings, your failures, your wins?”
That query caught with me.
So right here it’s: The journey of me, I suppose, – and MyTrucking. Not polished or good, however actual. As a result of typically, probably the most surprising concepts flip into probably the most significant journeys.
Rural roots
It’s been 11 years since we began rising this little tech enterprise.
What started as a easy concept to assist a transport operator handle issues extra simply has grown into one thing far greater than we ever imagined.
We’ve confronted setbacks, celebrated wins, and realized greater than we ever thought we’d – not nearly tech, however about folks, resilience, and what it means to construct one thing that issues.
I’m a rural lady from Mahia Peninsula. I went to the native Te Mahia major college after which headed off to boarding college in Hawkes Bay. After that, I studied a Enterprise Research diploma at Massey College, majoring in Agribusiness, and accomplished a postgraduate diploma in Advertising.
Straight out of college, I landed a graduate position at Richmond Meat Firm. On day one, I used to be handed white overalls, gumboots, and a hairnet – and despatched straight to the slaughter flooring for six weeks. I used to be horrified!
However I caught it out and rotated via each a part of the enterprise – from the freezers and boning room to load-out and at last the workplace. It was a gritty, hands-on begin to my profession, and I wouldn’t change it for something – as a result of it taught me this:
Lesson 1
“Begin on the floor degree. Perceive each a part of the enterprise. It offers you perspective you by no means lose.”
After 12 months, I moved right into a advertising assistant position, then took a leap right into a advertising government position at a worldwide meat firm, Bernard Matthews.
It was an enormous step, and I used to be fortunate to have a supervisor who inspired me to go for it. I ended up managing clients throughout Australia, the UK, and the US – travelling quite a bit, studying much more, and sometimes being the one younger girl in a really male-dominated trade, the meat trade.
Lesson 2
“Maintain saying YES. Even once you don’t know the way to do one thing, you’ll determine it out.”
After 4 years in that position, I needed to do one thing for myself. So I began a advertising consultancy and occasion administration enterprise – and moved to Wairarapa to be with Sam, my husband to be.
I additionally had a business property administration enterprise on the aspect – fairly a various combine, however once more, I learnt quite a bit.
Additionally, collectively with an excellent good friend, we began a girls’s networking occasion known as Bubbles & Inspiration. It ran for 10 years and grew from 20 girls to 200, with occasions each two months. It was an effective way to attach with different girls – enterprise homeowners, mums, and anybody juggling life.
Across the similar time, I began serving to with Sam’s household enterprise: Sharpes Stockfeed, in Advertising and Gross sales. Sam had constructed through the years a easy Microsoft Entry system to streamline the household enterprise operations.
Sarah and Sam have fun 10 years of MyTrucking
Later, some good mates of Sam’s purchased a neighborhood transport firm and requested if he might construct one thing like what he’d achieved for the stockfeed enterprise – one thing to assist them run extra effectively.
So, he did.
He constructed an entry database tailor-made to their transport wants. They used it for years, and phrase began to unfold.
Typically an concept could not eventuate into something … however this one did. We received a quote from a neighborhood tech firm and launched MyTrucking into the cloud.
That was 11 years in the past. Our purpose in 12 months one was 10 clients – we received 25. We labored from the kitchen desk, then a cabin, a portacom, a home, a transformed container, and now, a devoted workplace.
Within the early days, we didn’t have a cellular app – only a internet app. However we had a intestine feeling {that a} driver cellular app was the following step.
After we requested our early clients, most stated: “Nah, we’ll simply ring our drivers or print out the day sheet.”
However we constructed it anyway.
Lesson 3
“That is what innovation is – considering forward and seeing what’s doable earlier than it’s apparent.”
Once you begin a enterprise, you’re concerned in each a part of it. From day one, we had been doing all of it – gross sales, advertising, partnerships, buyer help, and product planning.
We’ve been fortunate. Sam and I are an excellent workforce. Sam has a ardour for product and the tech aspect, and I’ve all the time had a ardour for gross sales and advertising.
We appear to enhance one another, and it has labored properly in our companies.
Typically in tech companies, corporations can begin with a powerful product focus however haven’t received the advertising aspect arrange. I suppose that’s the place we’ve been fortunate – we’ve achieved each, proper from the beginning.
The early days of MyTrucking – Sam & Sara at XeroCon in 2015.
One of many large issues early on was arising with our firm values. It’s one thing that may really feel onerous to outline, nevertheless it’s been one of the crucial necessary issues we’ve labored via. Our values information every thing – from how we construct the product to how we help our clients and develop our workforce.
At MyTrucking, our values are easy: Buyer, Easy, Environment friendly, and Household.
Buyer referrals have all the time been our primary supply of development. After 11 years, it nonetheless stands out as probably the most highly effective means we’ve grown.
We’ve tried and examined all types of selling channels, spent cash on completely different campaigns and instruments, however nothing has ever come near the facility of a contented buyer telling another person, “It’s superior.” That type of belief is gold – and one thing we by no means take as a right.
We initially solely registered the area identify mytrucking.co.nz, considering we’d solely be in New Zealand. However as we expanded, we realised we would have liked the .com area – nevertheless it was already taken by somebody within the US. It was a traditional startup mistake. Fortunately, we managed to trace down the proprietor within the US and negotiated a purchase order for US$1,500. It was an enormous win for our model.
Increasing into Australia was scary. There have been weeks of chilly calling, lengthy highway journeys, late nights, and early mornings.
We drove hundreds of kilometres, assembly folks, listening, studying. It was exhausting – nevertheless it helped us perceive the market, refine the product, and see simply how in another way each enterprise operates.
That have formed how we constructed MyTrucking and the way we help our clients right this moment. The help of NZTE (New Zealand Commerce and Enterprise) was massively useful on this section — serving to us navigate and construct connections.
One other key think about our journey has been the numbers. It’s all the time necessary to crunch the numbers. Sam was beforehand a farm marketing consultant for 10+ years, and we’ve been very fortunate to have his abilities on the monetary aspect of issues.
Over time, loads of folks have inspired us to contemplate capital funding. We’ve by no means been eager—and positive, we most likely might have grown sooner—however we’re happy with the trail we’ve taken.
We’ve grown steadily, added nice folks, constructed higher programs, and stayed true to our values.
As we speak, we’re a workforce of 25. However for us, it’s by no means been about headcount – it’s about constructing good programs, working effectively, and placing folks and clients on the coronary heart of every thing we do.
Lesson 4
“Progress isn’t nearly pace – it’s about route, self-discipline, and staying true to what issues.”
Over time, I’ve learnt by staying curious and giving issues a go. I do wish to experiment, attempt new issues, and I’m all the time in search of higher methods to do issues.
Whether or not it’s via chatting to others, podcasts, blogs, or studying on LinkedIn, I’m always looking for these small golden nuggets, and nonetheless studying each single day!
One of many greatest challenges of being a founder is, you’ve touched each a part of constructing it from the bottom up, made the important thing choices, and know the story behind each system and course of. That depth of involvement makes it onerous to step again – nevertheless it’s a essential a part of the journey.
With an ideal workforce round us, I’ve been capable of shift my focus extra towards advertising and development, whereas nonetheless staying linked to the center of the enterprise.
Apps have additionally helped. Loads.
Within the early days, we did all our help by telephone and electronic mail. Then we got here throughout Intercom – a buyer help instrument, and it’s been a sport changer for us.
We’ve all the time beloved Intercom, and I get genuinely excited each time they launch one thing new. It has enabled us to develop and ship the wonderful help we pleasure ourselves on. I’m not so concerned within the day-to-day of Intercom anymore, however I nonetheless tune into each podcast and launch—they proceed to encourage me.
Proper now, my go-to app is Copilot AI. I take advantage of it always – typically as a substitute of bugging Sam, or the workforce, I simply plug my questions into Copilot. It helps me suppose issues via and offers me the inspiration to maintain going. In case you haven’t embraced AI but, otherwise you’re nonetheless sitting on the fence—simply do it. It’s a sport changer.
We use quite a lot of apps: PipeDrive, Slack, Xero, Figured, GoCardless, Stripe, Jira, Confluence, Office365, Semrush, Ahrefs, Yoast, Zapier – and extra.
One Christmas break, I performed round with a tremendous app, Zapier, after listening to about it on a podcast. That little experiment changed into one thing we now use every day to attach our programs. It’s been an actual sport changer app, as it may possibly just about join something!
Lesson 5
“Progress doesn’t come from figuring out every thing—it comes from being keen to attempt, study, and adapt.”
About six years into the journey, we did a model refresh—not a full rebrand, however a visible and messaging replace. It gave us a contemporary enhance and helped modernise our appear and feel whereas staying true to our roots.
One of many greatest studying moments on the advertising aspect got here when our Fb web page was hacked. Seven years of constructing a powerful following throughout New Zealand and Australia – gone in a single day. A hacker took over, bought underwear on it, and ran adverts utilizing my bank card.
I attempted every thing to get it again. No luck. We needed to rebuild from scratch. It was an enormous setback, however we did it. And we learnt quite a bit.
Lesson 6
“You don’t realise how sturdy your model is till it’s important to rebuild – and your group pulls collectively to assist.”
We now have clients throughout New Zealand, Australia, and the UK – and we’re nonetheless rising month by month. We’re about to discover the UK market even additional, and it’s thrilling to see what’s forward.
Sara together with her good friend Carissa, cofounder of Bubbles & Inspiration, and Trelise Cooper.
Alongside all this, Sam and I’ve three children – now youngsters – and we’re additionally juggling two different companies within the rural sector.
The teachings we’ve learnt throughout every enterprise typically overlap. Whether or not it’s programs, folks, or problem-solving, we discover ourselves making use of these learnings throughout the board – and even into on a regular basis household life. It’s all linked.
In case you’re beginning a enterprise, already in a single, or simply occupied with it – know this: it’s onerous work. Actually onerous. However the rewards? They’re so value it!
As an proprietor, you carry the burden of every thing. It’s not an eight to 5 job. You’re occupied with the numbers, coping with buyer calls (typically grumpy ones), stepping in when workforce members are away, dealing with payroll, paying payments, networking, and fielding concepts from all instructions.
There’s quite a bit that goes on behind the scenes that folks don’t all the time see.
Lesson 7
“You don’t have to have all of it found out. You simply want to start – and be keen to maintain going.”
From area identify hiccups to social media disasters, increasing into new nations, and constructing a tech enterprise from a rural city in the course of a paddock – the MyTrucking journey has taught us a lot.
In case you’re constructing one thing of your individual, I hope these classes assist you keep away from just a few potholes alongside the way in which. And keep in mind:
“Simply say sure. You’ll determine it out!”
- Sara Orsborn is cofounder of MyTrucking, a transport administration software program firm primarily based in rural New Zealand.
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