Shannon’s Spotlight

February 12, 2010

My latest interview was conducted with Tim Petty of Pettyco Express. This was an interesting interview, and I hope after watching the video, that you will think so too.  

Mr. Petty decided he wanted to start his own business in 1988 after working at Benton Express, where his father was president. At the time, Jacksonville had no courier companies. He bought three Astro Vans on a credit card, and Pettyco Express was founded!  Starting with small packages, it has grown to rush, regular, and same day packages & freight with 85 drivers.  

Pettyco Express delivered a tractor trailer full of balloons for the Jacksonville area “Dreams Come True” for a child whose last wish was balloons at her funeral. Mr. Petty spoke of how all of the family got a bouquet of balloons and they released them at the same time. He says they can deliver a tractor trailer of 48,000 pounds. 

Mr. Petty works 10 hour days, but he stresses the importance of God & family. He is the head deacon at his church, and volunteers in his community. Sometimes, he points out, you do not get paid for what you do, but making a difference is what you will remember fondly.  I asked him what he liked best about his work. He cites that “it is different everyday.” He enjoys problem solving, working with people, and that “people only remember you for your last delivery.” 

His LEAST favorite thing is collecting money. He cautions that if you do not call people who owe money, you will be the last to be paid.  

What does he look for in employees? He wants longevity most of all. Gone are the days (or so it seems) when people only had one job. Right now, he has 6 people who have been with the company 20 or more years.  

He has had to deal with difficult people from time to time. For instance, someone wanted a package delivered to New York very quickly. Normally, they can do this in 16 hours; because of the heavy snow and grounded planes, it was not possible to do. This person did not accept this fact and yelled at Mr. Petty. He knows that you can’t please everyone, and if this delivery were attempted, this person would have been even angrier when the package did not arrive within the time frame desired. 

What is Mr. Petty’s advice to those considering starting a business? Stay away from banks as much as you can and try to grow your company with your own money. Stay out of debt. Pay yourself first. Sometimes, it is not always possible, but if you are unable to pay yourself continuously, the business may not be viable for you.

Thank you, Mr. Petty, for entering the “Spotlight.”