"Auto transporting with patience and love" has a lot to do with success in business.

When I first became an auto transporting broker it was very intense. Focused on making my home based business a success all I did was work. From the professionally developed website to the auto transport quotes, everything had to be just so.

The day started around 5 AM and ended when I couldn't see any longer. By doubling my daily vitamin regimen I stayed healthy. The fear of not having enough orders to pay the bills pushed me daily. A whole year and a half went by before I knew what happened. The first year was indeed a success; but, at what cost?

It was a good thing that my kids were grown. My husband worked long shifts at the mill on the night shift. It wouldn't have mattered if I worked at the bank or home, we never saw each other anyway. Sunday was the one day we slept in, did housework and went to church. 

Loving the "auto transport home based business" I had built had a downside. It was becoming a looming monster. From sun up to around midnight I worked trying to keep up with the demand. The money was good, but we had no time to enjoy what we were building. There had to be a balance somewhere, somehow. 

Balance found me by mistake…

With the natural disaster, Hurricane Katrina, hitting the Gulf coast; balance found me. The "auto transport home based business" shifted and slowed down. I learned to enjoy the lull between phone calls. I was able to clean my office for the first time in two years. The downside of this type of balance – the checkbook was getting low.

I had never experienced this type of down turn in auto transport before. I had no idea how to adjust the way the quotes were done or the client served. Has that ever happened to you in your niche? It was quite the lesson to learn. I continued to quote the transport requests the same as I had before the hurricane. Not one order was taken for weeks. It was a very scary time in our broker business.

Then, out of the blue, my husband said, "It's nice that you are watching out for your truckers needs. But, if you have to close your doors because of your unyielding principles, what good will it do them then"?

Wow! That really took me back. He didn't know too much about the auto transport broker business, but he sure hit the nail on the head with that statement.

And so the transport quotes were adjusted to current market prices. The orders started flowing again and "auto transporting with patience and love" continued.

"Auto transporting with patience and love" birthed lessons learned…

 The first two years of building my "auto transport home based business" was full of lessons. One of the first lessons I learned was to be flexible. The marketplace will teach you what prices it can bear. Customers will share the other quotes they've received with you; letting you know if you are in the ballpark. Your preferred truckers will also let you know when you've hit a home run or struck out.

Another lesson learned early on was it's alright to stand firm on your principles. You must be honest and treat people the way you would want to be treated. But, you can not be so firm and unyielding that you shoot yourself in the foot. If you are not willing to learn, change and grow…then you and your "auto transport home based business" will eventually die. That too was a difficult lesson to learn, but one I learned well and will never forget.

So, if you are a home based business owner like me, or want to be and find it hard to find the right balance; take a tip from our story…you only live once. Relax, go with the flow and work your business like we do in our "auto transporting with patience and love".

Here to Serve,

Carla J Gardiner

P.S. Be sure to watch for our next article. The second part of "auto transporting with patience and love" is what inspired the "patience and love" part of our business.

P.S.S. Love to hear your thoughts, remember caring is sharing….leave your comments below.