Willingness to work for a 21 year old

It will be tough for you, I am not going to lie. Like you, I have always been entrepreneurial, having started my first real business at 17 years old as an electrical contractor. I owned my own towing company by the time I was 19 and was managing a fleet of salvage haulers at age 23. Now, many years later -actually three decades later, I finally get respect simply due to my grey hair and wrinkles, but back then I had to go out of my way to earn respect from employees and customers alike.

None of it was easy, most of my employees treated me like I had no idea what needed to be done, many wanted to speak to my dad (who had nothing to do with the business except emotional support) or rudely asked for "the real boss". It took me a lot of learning and several spectacular failures as a leader before anyone would respect me personally, not just my position as the man who signed the paycheck.

Even as a CDL third party examiner (age 19) many applicants didn't want "the kid" to give them their road test. They almost always questioned my ability to administer the exam -even though I could out drive most of them any day of the week- and had to be able to do every part of the test with a 100% score just to get certified by Pennsylvania as a third party tester.

Read as much as you can about leadership, learn the principles and apply them to everything you do -it will go a long way towards overcoming the respect issue. I highly suggest you read all you can about the concept of servant leadership, it will make you a better employer and someone that folks would desire to work for.

Listen to this podcast and find a way to go to one of their live events. It is money well spent, you will learn how to be a better leader, a coach and mentor to your team not just a B.O.S.S.
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The Ken Coleman podcast will also help you learn about the employee/employer relationship. He has a great list of books that are must reads, many that will help in your position as a young business owner. He is the host of the Entreleadership podcast as well as his own podcast, and is a Ramsey Personality -linked to the Dave Ramsey Show. Don't let that turn you off, although I don't care for the religious undertones of Dave's show neither the Entreleadership or Ken Coleman podcasts are religious in any way. They do push the debt free growth mantra, although I can agree with that. Debt was the worst thing I ever did, dang near lost my arse because of it and will never go back into debt for anything, ever!

Ken Coleman | Life is too short for a boring 9-5 job.

 

Well there are generally three types of drivers, ones who don't know a thing and act like they do, those who have to be told what to do - the steering wheel holder, and the ones who work and make a crap load of money for the carrier - pretty much the self-starter who you let them loose. The first one who is the worst one will be happy to work for you, the second one may work for you even though you will have to hold their hand but the third one won't because they know what I know you don't have enough experince to fix problems or act like a boss should act.

 

You shouldn’t have a problem just be upfront honest and respectful to drivers during the process. I am 19 and have hired several driver over the years first for the company I worked for and now for my own. Be confident and on top of your stuff and always make Payroll and on time payment to the driver a priority. Be good to your driver and they will return the favor.

 

ElijahJohn, I applaud you. First for the way you posted this and also for even wanting to go in to 'real work' at your age. Most don't. Your replies to the older guys who have responded here says a lot about your maturity, because these are older truckers much like you will be hiring and working with.

I've had a lot of managers over a 25 year run with the same company (not there anymore) and know one ever knew the young one's (usually smart ##### but not always) actual age, we just suspected it. So, here's the question, do you look really young? You don't act or speak like you are as young as you say. At the end of the day first impressions are hard to change. If you look super young and don't command respect when you are dealing with new people (customers, perspective employees, etc.) then that will make it harder.

Good luck

 

It’s only a problem to others IF it’s a problem for you.

I was managing people when I was 20.

Made a lot of mistakes and pissed a lot of people off.

My biggest problem was not understanding people with some miles on them not having the same physical abilities as I. Took a long time to overcome that..... like another 20 years.....

I still talk with several I have worked with and mentoring trough out the years.

Got a lot of stories about the ones I don’t talk to anymore.