Friday, 30 May 2008
Past and Present
I have total respect for those who look to start a logistics company in this day and age, especially because according to Dun & Bradstreet and INC. magazine, 33% of all new businesses fail within the first six months. Fifty percent of new businesses fail within their first two years of operation and 75% fail within the first three years.
Over 20 years ago I recall entering the first export shipment for a start up freight forwarder and 12 years ago I started my career at YRC Logistics, all be it the company was in its first year and under private ownership and I was lucky that the owners of the company at that time were sales driven geniuses, and built a formidable organisation in a very short space of time.
My role when I first started was to develop the staff and services to match so that when the company promised to deliver to the moon 'next day' I had to find a way. My hair went grey over the next 5 years, but luckily we had a great group of young talented staff and it was a really unique place to work and I learnt so much.
A lot has changed for me and for the company over the past 12 years, now under YRC Worldwide ownership and part of a 10 billion revenue global logistics company. I am so excited that we can still offer a small company attitude to service for our clients, but we have massive global capabilities, infrastructure and I also think it is important we can offer staff the security and career development that you would expect from this type of organisation.
Over 20 years ago I recall entering the first export shipment for a start up freight forwarder and 12 years ago I started my career at YRC Logistics, all be it the company was in its first year and under private ownership and I was lucky that the owners of the company at that time were sales driven geniuses, and built a formidable organisation in a very short space of time.
My role when I first started was to develop the staff and services to match so that when the company promised to deliver to the moon 'next day' I had to find a way. My hair went grey over the next 5 years, but luckily we had a great group of young talented staff and it was a really unique place to work and I learnt so much.
A lot has changed for me and for the company over the past 12 years, now under YRC Worldwide ownership and part of a 10 billion revenue global logistics company. I am so excited that we can still offer a small company attitude to service for our clients, but we have massive global capabilities, infrastructure and I also think it is important we can offer staff the security and career development that you would expect from this type of organisation.
Going back to start up companies, I can only imagine how much of a challenge it is today. When there were 3,210 liquidations in England and Wales in the first quarter of 2008. This was an increase of 2.0% on the previous quarter and an increase of 4.0% on the same period a year ago with the increasing costs for technology, security, health & safety, legislation, human resources, training, transportation, global services, communication and the pressure on all companies to procure carrier services at lower rates, margins are low and risks are high and I look back in awe at the way our company was built in those early days. If you have just started a new company or have been through a similar journey to me, I would love to hear your experiences and comments.
Labels: Freight, New businesses
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