We recently connected with Courtney And Derrick Copeland and have shared our conversation below.
Courtney and Derrick , appreciate you joining us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?
My husband and I are recovering meth addicts. My husband had 20+ years experience in the moving industry. I had a background in retail and restaurant management. When we first started talking about a moving company we were both unemployed and in active addiction. We weren’t married yet and I remember Derrick always talking about his “moving” days. I could tell he had a passion for moving. I asked him one day why he didn’t start his own moving company. He just kind of laughed it off. Little did we know a few months later we would be starting our own company, Copeable Moving Solutions. We formed our LLC about a month or 2 after getting sober. We started our company with $10 we borrowed from my mom for gas to get to the job. We took a big leap of faith and put our trust in God and we started our journey as entrepreneurs. At that time we were homeless living between a tent, car, and sometimes a uhaul van. We had lost custody of out children a few months before starting our business. Starting our moving company helped us maintain our sobriety by keeping us busy and it gave us something to be proud of. We eventually found a house we could afford to rent and someone who gave us a chance. We had been in addiction for so long neither one of us had a credit score or any previous rental refferances. By getting a house, maintaining our sobriety and having a steady income we got custody of our children back. While renting is fine for some people sometimes the cost of rent is higher than having a mortgage. I decided I wanted to help people on their journey one step further than just on moving day. I got my real estate license in 2024. I want to help people with knowing where to start on their homeownership journey. Especially people like Derrick and I who are coming out of addiction. It takes a few years to get your credit in order to be able to be approved for a mortgage so the sooner you get started with the process the better. My next project is going to be figuring out affordable housing for people coming out of rehab. That’s a big issue in our area is rent is so high it’s hard for people just getting on their feet to find an affordable option to live. Alot of people end up having to go back to the same environment they left from just because there is no where they can afford to help maintain their sobriety. I don’t know how I’m going to do it but I know God has put it on my heart to be a part of it so I am trusting him and going along for the ride. I know it will be a lot of learning along the way but this whole journey has been and continues to be a learning experience. You can never know all there is to your business. Continue learning all you can and just know there is always room for improvement.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Courtney Copeland and my husband’s name is Derrick Copeland. We are the owners\operators of Copeable Moving Solutions. Copeable Moving Solutions is a full-service moving company based in Tupelo, Mississippi, with 20+years in the moving industry we are dedicated to making your move smooth, safe, and stress-free. We offer local and long-distance moving, packing and unpacking services, furniture assembly, and labor-only assistance for loading or unloading trucks, pods, and storage units. Our team is known for being professional, dependable, and careful with every item we handle. Whether you’re moving across town or across the state, we take pride in treating your belongings — and your move — like our own. At Copeable Moving Solutions we believe every move should be cope-able, and we’re here to help you make your next transition simple and worry-free. I am also a licensed Realtor in the state of Mississippi. I’m with Coldwell Banker Southern Real Estate, Owner Jason Scruggs, Broker Gena Nolan. We are located in Saltillo, MS. I help guide clients through their homebuying\selling journey. I offer my clients a level of service that goes far beyond buying or selling a home. With hands-on experience in both real estate and moving, I understand every detail that comes with transitioning from one home to another. My clients benefit from a seamless, stress-free process — from preparing their home for the market to settling comfortably into their new one. Owning a moving company allows me to provide trusted resources, expert coordination, and practical solutions that save time and reduce stress. I take pride in guiding my clients through one of life’s biggest changes with honesty, compassion, and care — making their move not just successful, but smooth from start to finish.
Have you ever had to pivot?
After we started our moving company we also provided painting and cleaning services. We also opened a resell shop. Between all of that and real estate it eventually got to where we were stretching ourselves too thin. We closed our resell shop at the beginning of this year and we also stopped cleaning and painting. I started real estate at one brokerage and after about 6 months decided it wasn’t the right fit for me. I ended up at Coldwell Banker Southern Real Estate and knew at our first sales meeting when they opened up in prayer that i was in the right place. I am somewhere with people that want to see me do good. My broker Gena Nolan and Owner Jason Scruggs are two of the nicest people you will ever meet. I thank God I am somewhere I can thrive and with people that truly care for each other and their clients. Don’t settle for environments you can’t thrive in. Be around people who care for you and your success. Focus on what you are good at, and what you have a passion for. We love what we do and need the time and energy to be able to give it our all while maintaining time with our kids. I like being able to take off for my children when I need to and want to. Whatever you do do it well and keep striving to make it better. The money will follow if you enjoy what you do.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
Derrick and I were at a very different time in our lives. We were both in active addiction. We were both lost and unemployed. I thank God everyday that he allowed me to meet a man that truly loves me, my children and life. He was the one who told me, “things will begin to move in big ways when you start praying.” He couldn’t have been more right. No matter what you are going through in life or business, pray about it and God will do the rest.
Contact Info:
- Website: Copeablemovingsolutions.com.
- Facebook: Copeable Moving solutions and Courtney Copeland
- Yelp: Copeable Moving solutions
Image Credits
Uhaul’s MovingHelp website.