Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrianne Conway.
Hi Adrianne, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As a young girl growing up in the Mississippi delta with limited resources and opportunities, I always enjoyed traveling and my mother/biggest supporter made it possible. Although I grew up also saying I wanted to get paid to travel in the company vehicle. Like I saw the people on TV doing, driving a semi was not what I had in mind. My best friend is who introduced me to trucking. At the time, I was in college doing Paralegal Studies at Southwest, because I also had a passion for the law and becoming a supreme court judge.
But, my best friend would call me telling me about all the places she had been and seen. Also, the money she was making. So, I was like I can do that. Why not? I love to travel and drive. After all, I had been driving since the fifth or sixth grade. My mom had to teach me early so someone could drive my granny around due to her eyesight being not too good. So… a lady trucker I became. I dropped out of college for a while to pursue trucking (later going back to finish a Master’s in Psychology which I still plan to use) and began to like it.
There are about maybe 6 states I have not at least traveled to or through. I never was quite happy though. There were countless days I would talk to my mom or my aunt Pooh (and she could talk, lol) when the road got weary. Maybe it was the fierce leader in me or maybe it was something else. I felt like I had more in me, so I went under the wings of a good friend to learn about being an owner-operator. Heck of a teacher and to this day he is always in my corner. Good help like his is so hard to find. After close to a year, I leased a truck from a company and began as an owner-operator.
A little over a year later, I started Affinity Transport Services. A year after that I got a business partner. Owning a business is not easy. Even though it is very rewarding but nothing brings me great pleasure than looking back knowing that my family is more proud of me than I am of myself. No matter what, they have always been by my side. No matter what. I even have trailers that are dedicated to them. So, I started with one truck and one old trailer.
When I met my business partner we obtained another semi and a flatbed trailer. Within less than two years later we have 12 trucks and 12 trailers (this does not include the owner-operators leased on to Affinity) and two dispatchers.
This will be my legacy to leave to my children and they can leave to theirs. It was also a must that I break that cycle of nothing being passed down to the next generation of Conway’s, other than good work ethic. People ask me what makes me happy and I tell them “Knowing that I am living the dream(s) my ancestors fought so hard for”. I am determined to be what that “Phenomenal Woman” Maya Angelou wrote about! So far so good.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has its ups and downs. Obtaining business credit as a new venture, and trying to run the business while driving at the same time was the hardest. Also, have to remember, we started right before Covid.
Prices on just about any piece of equipment were very low and could find them just about anywhere before Covid hit. Then when it was at its peak, freight prices plummeted. Yes, you could still move some but it was almost to where you would rather your truck sit than to move it for that cheap.
It was not until the economy opened back up did freight prices go back up and boy did they!!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Affinity is a small, people-oriented, southern company that focuses on the driver’s needs. Our drivers are home most weekends unless they request otherwise. I run all the day-to-day operations and if I have to I will drive as well. So, I do literally everything from billing, dispatcher, collections, HR, dispatch training, recruiting, drive, and I may occasionally fix an item or two (haha).
The best thing that sets me apart from others is that I know every single person’s name and they have my cell phone to reach anytime should they need to. Also, I don’t just sit behind a desk and look pretty. Most days I am dressed to handle whatever may possibly come up.
I offer regional, local, and our driving positions with competitive pay and late model semis. I also semi-truck parking to other companies at a reasonable price.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
It is small and quiet for the most part. I cannot think of anything honestly.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.affinitytsl.com
