The Women-Owned Business Initiative

00:00 - 00:10Aaron Craddock: Welcome to the Hire Truckers podcast, where we interview experts in driver recruiting. We provide industry insights, marketing trends, and motivation to help you level up your recruiting game.

00:10 - 00:22Aaron Craddock: Welcome to the Hire Truckers podcast. I'm your host, Aaron Craddock. And today, I'm super excited. It's been a long time coming, but we have my friend, Bobbie Leach, on with Expediter Services. Thanks for joining us today, Bobbi.

00:23 - 00:24Bobbi Leach: Hi there. Happy to be here.

00:25 - 00:59Aaron Craddock: And so a little bit of background. I had fun, you know, doing some research going into this. Bobby's been in the industry 14 years and done everything from advertising to driver appreciation and retention documentation, ATS implementation, leading a team of over 25 recruiters early in her career and has really, you know, spent her entire entire career in the transportation industry. And we've been we actually been at it almost exactly the same time. And, just super excited to jump on here today.

00:59 - 01:35Aaron Craddock: So currently, what Bobbi is doing and why you should listen to her is she's the director of branding and communications at Expeditors Services. And she's been in that role for 3 months, but it's a little misleading because she was consulting there for a couple of years prior to going on full time. So excited to dive in dive into some stuff today. There's kind of some exciting things. The reason we wanted to record this today was coming off of women in trucking and just everything Expediter Services has done to create business ownership opportunities for women in the industry.

01:35 - 02:02Aaron Craddock: So which I actually wanna start there. And so I believe you guys are about to eclipse 300 women business owners, since starting the initiative to to get to 150 back in 2017. And so so tell me a little bit about just the origin of that kind of initiative internally and how, you know, how do you help create 300 businesses, for women?

02:03 - 03:03Bobbi Leach: Yeah. So back in 2017, Jason Williams, our president and CEO at Expediter Services, he was on the board for Women in Trucking, you know, helping make decisions on how they were gonna move forward. And he met Ellen Voya, and they hit it off, and they thought that it would be a great opportunity for ES to, really put Women in Trucking's goals and reason for existence, into action and help women, create their own businesses. And so originally in 2017, it started as the 150 Business Challenge and they had the goal of helping 150 women create their own business. And so what they did and what they meant by that is that they would help them with financing, help them, support them as they learn the business, help them, run their operations, and help them with discounts and make sure, that they did everything possible to ensure their success, whenever they got out there on the road.

03:03 - 03:40Bobbi Leach: So in August of 2022, we finally hit the goal of a 150, women owned businesses created with the support of ES and Women in Trucking. And, you know, we celebrated that. And then we thought, well, what do we do next? You know, we've met this goal and women in the trucking industry is still an important thing that we need to be thinking about. And so, we the name has evolved to the Women Owned Business Initiative, and we're continuing to help women create their own businesses in trucking and really help them create generational wealth for them and their family.

03:40 - 04:15Bobbi Leach: A lot of these women come in here looking for their next step in their life, and it turns into a family affair. We have some stories where people have started out where they were running with their spouse, and then their kids got involved either by driving or helping them run their operations. So it really goes beyond the women that are in the program that have the grit and determination to get it started and and can go beyond that to help their family as well. So, we're continuing to grow. And, actually, as of this call, I believe we have helped, 291, women start their own business.

04:15 - 04:16Aaron Craddock: Wow.

04:16 - 04:19Bobbi Leach: So it's an an amazing feat and really cool to see.

04:19 - 04:32Aaron Craddock: Yeah. Well, it's like the video I was watching where I saw the the 250 number, I think, was the promo video you guys just did at women in trucking accelerate conference. And so it's like, that's not even up to date. 291.

04:32 - 04:40Bobbi Leach: Yeah. We're at 291 now. So we're super excited to continue it, and I'm sure that we will make a big celebration out of it once we hit what 300.

04:40 - 04:55Aaron Craddock: Yeah. That's that's good. Next thing I was gonna do, like, what kind of celebration are we gonna do at 300? That's so awesome. So speaking of that, you know, I wasn't able to go to the Accelerate conference this year, but Ginger on our team was.

04:55 - 05:04Aaron Craddock: And, you know, I saw lots of posts and, I just wanted to ask, like, what was the what was the energy kinda like this year at the at the conference?

05:04 - 05:47Bobbi Leach: Sure. Being at the women in trucking, Accelerate conference is always, really fun, first of all, but also inspiring because in an industry that's obviously male dominated, you don't always get to see a whole lot of women, in your position immediately around you just because of the nature of the trucking industry. So it's really cool for women and, you know, men that support women in their roles, to show up and talk about issues for women in the industry and helping each other grow, sharing ideas, and really inspiring each other to take that back and, help make their team better. So it's always inspiring and great to see other people's passion for the industry, like I have.

05:48 - 05:54Aaron Craddock: Mhmm. Yeah. It's just so cool. I believe they were close to, like, 2,000 women there this year.

05:54 - 06:00Bobbi Leach: Yeah. I from what I heard, I believe they said it was their biggest ever, which is so amazing, and it was very cool to be a part of it.

06:01 - 06:29Aaron Craddock: And that's just cool, with mostly, it's kinda being in a a tougher situation in the last couple years with the market. That's just cool to see that enthusiasm and this number of people. And just and just what you mentioned, like, the fun, which that's one thing, Tracy Garrison Tracy with rushing with Ari Garrison, mentioned when I when I interviewed her, she's like, is this gonna be fun, Erin? Like, I'm not gonna do a podcast. It's not gonna be fun.

06:29 - 06:30Bobbi Leach: That's right.

06:30 - 06:53Aaron Craddock: And just having joy and fun in the process. And that's an area I'm growing in because, like I just tend to be just like business, growth, mindset, like almost never content in a lot of ways. Yeah. But I've honestly, it's just like Tracy's rubbed off on me a little bit and and some other people like my mom, Ginger, who also works in the business. Yeah.

06:53 - 07:01Aaron Craddock: Just having joy and, like and and for me, the way I can have that is being in the present. Mhmm. And, yeah, just enjoying.

07:02 - 07:28Bobbi Leach: I totally agree. And I'm kind of like you where I'm very, like, heads down working all of the time. And so it's good to get back out there and remember that, like, it's more than just work. Like, you're making connections with people and those connections can help you with your work. But also, it's just good to be able to have people that are in the same position you are and, peers that you can really connect with and, you know, take the industry even into the next, generation.

07:28 - 07:29Bobbi Leach: So it's really cool.

07:30 - 07:46Aaron Craddock: Yeah. It was so funny going into it because, you know, we were, like, we're trying to be smart with our with our finances in the business. And so we look at every event, like, we're gonna send people to. And and I gave the green light, like, for, like, as Ginger and I talked through it and the potential ROI. I was like, okay.

07:46 - 07:55Aaron Craddock: Like, yes. We'll do women trucking again this year. Yep. And she, like, the day she was going to the event was like, okay. I'm gonna meet with all these people.

07:55 - 08:11Aaron Craddock: I have my plan. And I was like, look, like, just be you and like have fun. Like the, you know, the business will come. Like, just have fun, build relationships. I mean, I appreciate that about everybody on our team that they're just super intentional with what they do.

08:11 - 08:28Aaron Craddock: And, and she kinda got to the end of it. She was like, this is the first event I've been to and just had fun. And, yeah. So it's just, it's just cool. So the next thing, like, just pivot pivoting a little bit.

08:28 - 08:37Aaron Craddock: What do you do, like, as director of branding communications at Expediter Services? Your new your new role that you started 3 months ago.

08:37 - 09:16Bobbi Leach: Yep. So I work with my team. I actually work with a team of contractors to put out all of the communications, and any branding, that we need to do. So I not only work, with expediter services, but I also work with their discount program, ES Advantage, to help, manage the communications that go out, not only internally, but also externally. So I'm looking at anything that needs to be communicated to our internal fleet and then also looking for anybody that we need to get in front of, and help them, start that journey to building their own trucking business.

09:16 - 09:47Bobbi Leach: So it's about getting the message out there and that we feel that if you have the right support and the right mindset, that if you want to own a truck, you can absolutely own a truck. So, you know, my goal is to put out the message that, with ES, you never stand alone. Everything we do is to support the driver at the truck level, and then everything else falls in place. And that our success is definitely, based on the contract driver, owner operator, fleet owner that we're working with. And so so their success is definitely our success.

09:48 - 10:07Aaron Craddock: Mhmm. So, yeah, I've just I've been really impressed just with the content you guys have been putting out just the last couple of years since you you've been involved with that. And, yeah, just the people and authenticity and, just absolutely love love the video Jason did for, Women in Trucking.

10:07 - 10:51Bobbi Leach: Yeah. That's one thing that we found is really powerful, especially, when you're telling people that they can own and operate their own equipment. You know, storytelling is very powerful. And I think sometimes people don't realize that there's an opportunity to do something until they've seen someone else do it that's like them. And so a lot of our marketing and a lot of our communications are about telling a story and about telling people, how people just like them one day decided that they wanted to do something new, either that they were coming from a different job and felt like they had skills that applied to it, I'm completely outside of transportation, or people that have been in the industry and always had that dream, but didn't know where to get started.

10:51 - 11:12Bobbi Leach: ES basically, you know, works with them to start their business from the ground up. We help them create LLCs. We help them do all the paperwork. We help them with financing. And, you know, we just take a different approach and believe that as long as people have the motivation and they know their why, that they'll make the right decisions and, run a profitable and stable business.

11:12 - 11:31Aaron Craddock: Mhmm. Yeah. And and I think that's so key because, like, when I because running a business in general is hard. Now you set these people up for success in that you give the framework. I had a mentor in my 1st year of starting this business, which I I started about five and a half years ago.

11:32 - 11:41Aaron Craddock: And they were like, what's your why? And I'm like, oh, just hit this number, like grow to this point. And they're like, no. No. You have to have, like, a why.

11:41 - 11:58Aaron Craddock: They they really pushed me hard. And I had I had 3 different people tell me that, and, like, around the same time because I shared I shared my goals and it was all, you know, with where I saw the company going financially. Mhmm. And they were like, no. Like like, tie it tie it to something else.

11:58 - 12:26Aaron Craddock: And and they kind of explained to me that, like, motivation wanes when things get hard because they do in any business and you're focused you're not focused on, like, outward, like, other people. Right. And so and they encourage you know, then initially, they're like, just try your why in general, and then they're like, now tie your why to your family or Mhmm. Whatever your goals are. And, and that's honestly because I thought it was gonna be way easier building a business than it has.

12:26 - 12:34Aaron Craddock: Yep. And that I just thought, I'm like, yeah. I have a a track record. It's gonna be easy. And, It takes work.

12:34 - 12:35Aaron Craddock: And you can't be

12:35 - 12:36Bobbi Leach: rude to everything.

12:37 - 12:49Aaron Craddock: Yeah. And and that's the thing. Golly. Like, I've had to put every hat on. I had done almost everything on the operational side, but I hadn't done anything on the the sales side and building relationships.

12:49 - 13:15Aaron Craddock: And so, yeah, it's, it's crazy, but it's good. And, so the next thing, we kinda mentioned Jason being in that that video that you guys put out at Women in Trucking. Mhmm. And so what is it like to work with Jason Williams and Jeff Chacker? And the reason I ask that is Jason and Jeff, like, I met them at a charity event.

13:15 - 13:31Aaron Craddock: It was 3 years or so ago. And they just encouraged me. Like, I didn't even really know who they were. Like, I was just like, oh, industry peers. I didn't know they were, you know, president and, different heads and executives at a large and thriving company.

13:31 - 13:43Aaron Craddock: And and but they just, you know, just poured into me and Mhmm. Shared their story about like like, oh, Aaron, it's so cool. You're you're building your business. Like, let me tell you this hard story from this time. And Yep.

13:43 - 13:44Bobbi Leach: That's So

13:44 - 13:46Aaron Craddock: what what's it like to work with those guys?

13:46 - 14:12Bobbi Leach: Yeah. That's exactly your experience is my experience. I feel like Jason and Jeff, not only are they some of the smartest guys I know, but they are so accessible when it comes to thinking through ideas, talking through things, and so generous. And I would say thoughtful, all of these ideas about helping people build their business. You know, I kind of have a personal story tied to that as well.

14:12 - 14:34Bobbi Leach: So I actually met Jason and Jeff through a company that I worked for previously. They were my client. And so I got to see them as a client first and see how they thought about things. And they are very thoughtful people. And I just enjoyed working with them so much that when I told them that I was leaving that company, they said, we want to work with you.

14:34 - 14:59Bobbi Leach: We don't know how we want to work with you, but we want to work with you. And I wasn't really ready to commit to being a full time employee again yet. And so, I started my own business and, I worked with them for 2 years before I became a full time employee. And so, you know, they gave me the flexibility that I needed. They gave me, you know, they offered me help in setting up my business if I needed it.

14:59 - 15:28Bobbi Leach: They were just there to help build me up. And I feel like that's really the position that they take with anybody that comes into the expediter services community is they want to build them up. So seeing that firsthand has really been, very cool. So whenever I told them or I approached them about being employee, they were like, well, it's about time, like, what's taken you so long? So it was really good to feel like I was always part of a family even from the get go, even when I wasn't a full time employee for them.

15:28 - 15:36Bobbi Leach: So that's really been my personal experience, and I think it applies to, you know, the contract drivers and owner operators they work with as well.

15:37 - 15:54Aaron Craddock: Yeah. I think that's that's exactly what I was thinking as you're talking through it. Just the intentionality Mhmm. That I experienced the first time I met them and and every conversation I've had with Jeff and Jason just over the years, Just that yeah. Just that intentionality, you know, a little bit of humor Yeah.

15:54 - 16:01Aaron Craddock: From Jeff thrown in there. And but yeah. But just even in that, like, the intentionality to brighten people's day

16:01 - 16:01Bobbi Leach: Mhmm.

16:01 - 16:15Aaron Craddock: And and lighten the load. And then and then I see that going all the way through your organization to the message you're communicating to the contractors and owner operators and, that that you guys work with and serve.

16:15 - 16:15Bobbi Leach: Yeah.

16:15 - 16:24Aaron Craddock: And, but you don't really get that, like, in a company unless it's from the top levels of leadership. Absolutely. And it's, so And,

16:24 - 16:52Bobbi Leach: you know, so many people, at least in previous days, have had a difficult time with lease purchase programs and programs like that where they can become a little leery. So it's a lot for us to overcome some of those things that people may presume are still happening. But I've never really seen a company help people like ES helps people. And I think what's really cool about it is they it's kind of a pick your own way. What do you want your business to look like?

16:52 - 17:07Bobbi Leach: We're not forcing them to do anything any certain way. It's what are their goals? How do you plan on achieving them and how can we support you in it? So, it's very you know, we're there to help you and guide you in making important decisions for your business, but it is your business.

17:08 - 17:09Aaron Craddock: That's so cool.

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17:41 - 18:00Aaron Craddock: today. So next question, like, pivoting into back to so one of the things you did, is work with a large group of recruiters. Mhmm. And that's some of our audience. You know, we have it anywhere, Like, of this show, it's anywhere from fleet executives to directors recruiting to recruiters.

18:01 - 18:07Aaron Craddock: Right. And, but, specifically, what's your best advice to coaching recruiters?

18:08 - 18:46Bobbi Leach: So I started out in recruiting. It is my first love, and recruiters have an extremely difficult job, especially when you're getting told no all day, and it can seem like, you know, things are just kind of you just want to get to the next yes. So, it can always be a difficult position and I, sympathize and empathize with every recruiter out there. One of my favorite things as far as coaching a recruiter is to let them evaluate themselves first. I think that as long as you're most people are self aware enough to hear when they didn't have a stellar call or when they had an amazing call.

18:46 - 19:12Bobbi Leach: And so I think if you, you know, pick out a call, send it to the recruiter, and ask them, you know, what did you like about this call? What do you think you could do better? And let them evaluate themselves. And then you also evaluate alongside of them when you guys discuss it. That has been, I would say, one of the more powerful things that I learned was to let people, listen to themselves first.

19:12 - 19:18Bobbi Leach: And and they'll recognize and, recognize when they're doing things good and not so good in the future.

19:19 - 19:33Aaron Craddock: That's so good. And just, yeah, asking them to self diagnose rather than just per prescribing and Mhmm. You know, like, do this better. That's great. So back to kinda how you got into the industry because Uh-huh.

19:34 - 19:56Aaron Craddock: I I was looking when I was looking reading through your LinkedIn, I was like, golly, she did a ton of different things just early in her career. Mhmm. Like, you know, early on, like, back in 2010 being new to the industry and developing a recruiting process and procedures for a large fleet. Like, what was that like, and how did you get into that?

19:56 - 20:20Bobbi Leach: Yeah. So, I graduated college in 2010, and I was looking for a position, and somebody referred me to Milton and I interviewed. They didn't feel like I would be a good fit for the first job I interviewed for, and I went in not knowing what it was for. But, after they had interviewed me, they actually called me back the same day and said, hey, can you come in and interview? We think that you'd be a good fit for this position in recruiting.

20:21 - 20:44Bobbi Leach: So I went back, and interviewed with Angie Buchanan and got started as a processor. So I was, you know, working on DQF files and also a lead generator. So I was doing both processing and generating leads, out there, pound and pavement, calling 100 of people a day. And just trying to get them, on with our fleet. So, that's really where I started.

20:44 - 21:26Bobbi Leach: And I think every time that I made a move in my career was really because I love learning and I love making people's jobs easier. It's just something that I like doing. And, so when it comes to like, you know, I came in and there was really no cohesive handbook to get a recruiter started. And so I sat down and I put everything down on paper and helped throughout my career to develop processes to make people's jobs more streamlined so that they could really focus on the things that made them feel fulfilled in their own job, but also made us more efficient, more effective. I just loved seeing productivity go up.

21:26 - 21:53Bobbi Leach: And so everything I did, I think, was in an effort to learn the next thing. And I just always I like to know the big picture and the little details. So, you know, getting out there and experiencing and doing those jobs really helped me every step along the way. My recruiting helped with understanding advertising and how our recruiters are following up with our advertising efforts. And even my recruiting helped when I was in driver relations.

21:53 - 22:15Bobbi Leach: You know, I know what they're being told in recruiting. And so when you get somebody on the phone, you can speak to what you know is accurate and then also help guide them and provide them resources on how they can get an issue fixed or, you know, whatever they may need. So I feel like every step along the way, I never lost anything that I had done. I just gained more knowledge and built on that, and expanded everything I did.

22:16 - 22:31Aaron Craddock: Mhmm. That's it's just so funny, like, how many parallels, like, because I graduated in 2010 as well Mhmm. And then got into the transportation industry pretty quickly. And it was in an entry level, not on the recruiting side, but on the marketing side. Uh-huh.

22:31 - 22:37Aaron Craddock: And, they had just similarly just enjoyed you know, at first, I was like, I don't think I can do this.

22:37 - 22:37Bobbi Leach: Right?

22:38 - 22:49Aaron Craddock: Like like, what the heck is a cookie? What did I do? How was it tracking people and what's a owner operator? Like, just so much to learn. Like, what am I getting myself into?

22:50 - 22:58Aaron Craddock: But then kinda caught the bug. And it is an industry where if you enjoy learning and growing, like like, first of all, it's kind of a requirement.

22:59 - 22:59Bobbi Leach: Yes.

23:00 - 23:02Aaron Craddock: Because it changes so quickly. And so

23:02 - 23:03Bobbi Leach: For sure.

23:03 - 23:25Aaron Craddock: But if you enjoy it, you can thrive. Because I I'm the type of person that if I do the same thing exactly for a year, like I just get bored. And and so I'm looking to shake things up and change things. Yep. And, and while I was at this this that initial company for 7 or 8 years, I I think yeah.

23:25 - 23:34Aaron Craddock: I mean, essentially had 10 different roles. Like, it was, I think, 4 or 5 titles. But just with the way the business grew and, you know, it was just an ever evolving

23:35 - 23:35Bobbi Leach: Yeah.

23:36 - 23:47Aaron Craddock: Series of, of new things. So, yeah, we share that. I think I think you have to have, like, a love for the industry Yes. And a love for learning, like, to really to really thrive in this space.

23:47 - 23:57Bobbi Leach: Yeah. Most definitely. I feel like for as old school as some people perceive it to be, it's certainly fast moving and ever changing. We both know that very well.

23:57 - 24:07Aaron Craddock: Mhmm. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's it's so interesting because there's, like, the perception of old school. Mhmm.

24:07 - 24:50Aaron Craddock: But then and and, like, errors and processes, like, there's a perception of the industry. But then I remember, you know, being in meetings, like, with Google, like, when we first got in the Google Partner Program and with Facebook and and their technology would break and their things would and I'm so I'm like, wow, even Google, you know, isn't perfect. And even like like just business is messy and yeah. And I just love it because it's just ripe for disruption and improvement and and yeah. And you just really can get ahead if you put just all the things we've talked about, put the people first because that's everything I've heard what you've said about Expedia Services.

24:51 - 24:57Aaron Craddock: Yes. And just in your career. Mhmm. And then, yeah, just being willing to to change.

24:57 - 25:01Bobbi Leach: Yep. Be flexible and willing to learn and try new things all the time.

25:02 - 25:10Aaron Craddock: Alright. So my next question for you, Bobby, is what what trends are you seeing in marketing and what are you excited about around marketing?

25:13 - 25:42Bobbi Leach: So something that we've, at ES have always found success with, our podcasts. We have a great podcast called the Success in Trucking Podcast, where we talk about issues that would be important to owner operators or fleet owners, or really anybody interested in entering the trucking industry. So that's been a very successful tool for us. Drivers are behind the wheel, so, they have the opportunity to listen. We're also moving towards doing more short form video content.

25:42 - 26:24Bobbi Leach: Video is king right now, and any way that we can get in front of somebody to look at what we have to offer, we'll take that path. So we're working on some more short form video content. Like I talked about earlier, telling stories, about successes. We have a series called Spotlight on Success, where we talk to owner operators, and contract drivers that are a part of our fleet. And we talk with them about how they got into trucking, why they decided to become an owner operator, and really just, see where they came from and how they've evolved since they've been a part of the ES community and just highlight how we help people differently.

26:24 - 26:49Bobbi Leach: You know, everybody has a unique story and always really fun to learn about where drivers come from in their lives. They all have so many interesting stories to tell themselves. So that has been really successful for us as far as getting in front of people that, you know, might be interested in starting their own business. So those those three things, I would say, have been our our top focus recently.

26:50 - 26:54Aaron Craddock: That's awesome. And how long have you guys been doing the Success in Trucking podcast?

26:55 - 27:09Bobbi Leach: So we made an an official podcast. Goodness. I wanna say it was a year, year and a half ago now. So it's pretty new still, but we do produce several episodes a month. Some of the latest ones that we've done have talked about, the truck market.

27:10 - 27:25Bobbi Leach: And with some of the regulations coming, I think, you know, owner operators and even some fleets might be interested in going and listening to that. Just some thoughts specifically from dealerships that partner with ES, on what to expect with the upcoming 20 27 EPA regulation changes.

27:28 - 27:36Aaron Craddock: Mhmm. That's great. So where are you where are you planning on, like, going into 2025? We see short form video as a trend. That's that's what you had just mentioned.

27:36 - 27:40Aaron Craddock: So where where do you guys plan on, like, distributing that short form video?

27:40 - 28:02Bobbi Leach: Sure. So our main focus is likely going to be YouTube, also any social media platforms. So Facebook and Instagram, I believe most of them will be there. We have not gotten into the world of TikTok, and I think there are some things to come with the upcoming administration changes. So I'm not sure where it'll be, in the near future, but that's where we're currently going to release that content.

28:03 - 28:03Bobbi Leach: Awesome.

28:04 - 28:08Aaron Craddock: Yeah. It's so funny. Like like, short form video and stuff. You know, I feel like it was

28:09 - 28:11Aaron Craddock: starting to be talked about 2

28:11 - 28:36Aaron Craddock: or 3 years ago, really as we got back into trucking after, like, after I left my previous company. Like, there were 2 years we were in another market, and then we got back into trucking, and it was, like, everything's short form video. Yep. I still think today there is more opportunity in short form video going forward than even then. Like, I think it's a bigger opportunity because you kinda see how the opportunities shake out.

28:37 - 29:16Aaron Craddock: One thing one of one of the people I follow on LinkedIn Mhmm. Is an expert, like, in growing audience on LinkedIn, which, you know, most of most of my clients are on on LinkedIn as directors and fleet executives. And he was saying that the the the average video has 5 times more impressions right now on LinkedIn. Wow. Which is just mind blowing because you say, I still think of LinkedIn as a text, and and, you know, sometimes image platform, but just even on a traditional platform, short form video is crushing most other things.

29:16 - 29:37Aaron Craddock: So I think I was just kinda curious where you guys are putting it, but I think where wherever you put it, it's gonna resonate. And then I also love just the audio form because to your point, people have so much time, especially, you know, contractors and and drivers to just to just listen. Mhmm. And, yeah, just I love where it's headed. I'm kind of excited.

29:37 - 29:42Aaron Craddock: I'm like, oh, I need to be doing more short form video too. I think you inspired me. I'm like, okay. We need to do more.

29:42 - 29:45Bobbi Leach: I'm happy to be an inspiration for that.

29:45 - 29:54Aaron Craddock: Yeah. And we will have some shorts from you know, we we usually get 10 shorts from each episode. So Oh, awesome. We'll be we'll be putting some out, and we'll send those to you. Perfect.

29:54 - 29:59Aaron Craddock: Well, is there anything else, Bobbie, that I should have asked today that I have not?

30:00 - 30:23Bobbi Leach: I don't think that there's anything else that I have on my mind specifically. I would just say to people, don't be afraid to learn or try new things, and always remember to be flexible. You know? We demand a lot of our, professional drivers, contractors, owner operators, anybody there out on the road. And so I think that we owe it to them to be flexible and deliver the best experience for them as well.

30:23 - 30:32Bobbi Leach: They have difficult jobs than we do too, and we've got to balance and support each other. So I love the trucking industry and all. I'm sure I won't leave anytime soon.

30:33 - 30:37Aaron Craddock: Mhmm. Yep. I think I'm a lifer as well. Alright. Cool.

30:37 - 30:45Aaron Craddock: Well, thank you so much, Bobby, for your time today. I really appreciate you doing this, especially last minute. I think we contacted you a couple days ago.

30:45 - 30:45Bobbi Leach: No worries.

30:45 - 30:52Aaron Craddock: Just just super appreciate you getting on on short notice, and I've really enjoyed this conversation. So I'll talk to you later.

30:52 - 30:54Bobbi Leach: Thank you for having me. Bye bye.

30:54 - 31:06Aaron Craddock: Thank you for joining us today. Our goal with the Hire Truckers podcast is to provide industry insights, marketing trends, and motivation to level up your recruiting game. If we added value, take a few seconds to share this with your network. Have a great week.