Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amy Jah. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Amy, appreciate you joining us today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

I was a terrible employee! Because for every job I had I saw no long-term benefit for myself or my family. There was no motivation for me to dedicate my life to a company I had little vested interest in. So, I did the least! I realize now that I have to be a leader, I am hardwired to be in charge and working towards my own goals. When I am in that zone and my element there is no stopping me. I absolutely must make my own path, I don’t think I could ever go back to working for someone again!

Amy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I began AMH when I was a 23 year old single mom. I managed a storage company and we began doing moves for folks on the side. I lost my main gig and then I was like, oh ok, shit, I really have to give it my all now! Its all or nothing! So I dove in! I got my licensing and bought a couple trucks and took it from there. I knew I had to make it happen because no one was going to take care of me or my daughter. No one gave me the business and I had no experience whatsoever, no mentor, no training! Everything was learn as I went! It was terrifying, but I learned quickly, and put my own systems into place. 18 years later and we still do business our way. I have tried to model after other businesses before and learned the hard way that those ways are just not us. What I would tell someone starting a business, is to figure out who you are, what culture you want, what values you want to uphold and instill and follow through with that being the identity of your company.

We do business the way we want to do business with others. We are upfront on pricing, give realistic expectations, and we communicate thoroughly with our customers. Its typical in blue collar industries, communication is, to say the least, very lacking. We make sure we are always there for our customers and any questions or issues they may have. We don’t run from communication or issues. We are full of grit, determination and we are problem solvers. We truly get the job done and take so much pride in being dependable for our customers going through a tremendously stressful time.

We also allow people to be who they are- that is myself and our employees. We have some of the best, funniest, most fun personalities working for us. We are anti-corporate, and we let people shine, relate and connect with others around them. We have an amazing work atmosphere, that puts our customers at ease and makes a hard job easy.

We are a literal one stop shop for moving- local and long distance, packing and unpacking, storage and auto transport. We did not start offering everything at once, we grew into it. It was a slow growth but we have never went into massive debt with our company. And I am ok with that.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

We have been in business for 18 years. In 2008 is when the housing market crashed. Being a moving company, our business is closely tied to this market. Home values plummeted, foreclosures were happening left and right! I even had to short sale my home to avoid foreclosure. My business almost came to a standstill. It was a very tough time for a lot of folks.

I had to sell two of my trucks, scale down, consolidate, get a regular day job. It was such a painful time, and I was full of a sense of failure, despite having worked so hard!

I was able to keep one of my trucks and keep my licensing up to date. In order to do so, I went on a tremendously scarce budget for myself and my daughter. I couponed and we sat our butts at home!

I was able to secure enough work through the company to supplement my tiny day job salary. I worked both at my day job and kept American Moving and Hauling (barely) afloat. I took calls and emails on my breaks, got up early to do my business tasks- getting crews out, communication with customers, housekeeping and truck maintenance issues. I spent my weekends catching up with customers and planning our path. After almost 3 years of doing both, I was able to get AMH back up on her feet enough to return to her full time as my only source of income. After I was able to leave my other job, I was able to pour everything I had back into her and we have grown exponentially every year since 2013!

There were so many times that I was so close to giving up because it just seemed like the logical choice, but I am so glad I kept going and kept investing in my baby, the business I have worked so hard to grow and keep!

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

We really believe in treating people right. Our tagline is People Focused. Woman Owned. Family Managed. That says alot about who we are. We really care about people, providing a good service, always trying to do the right thing and correct any mistakes we make. We take responsibility for the quality of our work, and our culture is based on good character. I feel as though that sets us apart in this industry, that often times has a shady reputation. We are a true local company that cares about our community, our clients and our employees. We do our best to pour into people. I feel as though this shows! We have so many excellent reviews that confirm this and we are always referred by past clients and people in our community that know and trust us.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.americanmovingandhauling.com
• Instagram: @sugarmamasmovement
• Facebook: American Moving and Hauling Inc

Image Credits
Jodie Brim Creative