Page 28 - ATR 2 2013

their partnership in his office with a
toast of Maker’s Mark bourbon he keeps
for special occasions.
“the way that this iNdustry is goiNg right
Now, customers doN’t waNt a small-time bUILdING a bETTEr bUSINESS
Barr bought into the company.
carrier. they waNt a carrier that’s big Bozeman is CEO, and Barr is president
eNough to serVice them, but small eNough to with an office in Clarksville where he
take care of them.” lives. They have two very distinct roles.
“We’re both kind of like vice presidents,
—James bozemaN, ceo, J.m. bozemaN eNterprises, iNc. really, in that he’s taking care of the
operations and the day to day, and I’m
more on the business development side
of things,” Barr said.
Bozeman announced the partner-
take care of them. They have needs that together in a way that we could be really ship to the staff. With most of the driv-
you’ve just got to meet. And all the cus- effective.” ers present, he said the company would
tomers are that way. Everybody wants Bozeman, in turn reflected on double in size during the next year
their stuff done. They want it done the why he offered Barr the partnership. with customers who would expect the
way they want it done. And I mean, we “Michael could be more effective if best service any carrier could provide.
were to a point where we were going to he had equal ownership and the same He warned them that things would get
have to make a commitment to grow or amount to gain or lose as me,” he tough, but that the move would make
just whither up and die.” recalled. “I thought I was at a place the carrier’s future much brighter.
where I needed some help. That’s the “I don’t want any candy asses,”
bEING roPEd IN reality of it. It’s kind of like when you’re Barr remembers Bozeman saying.
Their conversations continued down there in the hayfield in the mid- “We’ve got to make this happen, so
over a few weeks, back and forth, until dle of August and you’re worn out and if you don’t want to work hard and
Bozeman invited Barr back to his farm, there are too many bales still to load be a team player, go clean your truck
and during the course of a long day and you finally admit you need help. out or your desk, office—whatever the
on the cattle farm, they were walking That’s kind of where I was. I was kind case—and do it today. No hard feelings
around the corrals and barns when, out of like, ‘Hey, I’ve done all I could do.’” because you’ll do both of us a favor.”
of the blue, Bozeman offered Barr a full Barr remembers driving along I-40 The staff and drivers clapped
partnership in his business. Bozeman while he was considering Bozeman’s and cheered. Then they went to work.
grins, “it just sort of rolled out of my offer. “I was hauling some cattle some- According to Barr, “People still call
mouth.” where in Oklahoma and there was one each other ‘candy ass’ around the office
Barr wasn’t sure he heard him of Bozeman’s trucks right in front of when someone wimps out.” Both men
correctly, but Bozeman was offering me,” said Barr. “I followed him, staring say their employees’ hard work has
a 50-50 split. Surprised at Bozeman’s at that logo on the back of the trailer, helped make this transition successful.
offer, Barr asked for some time to think of a cowboy with a rope riding a horse “Everybody has had to really put
about it. Barr’s wife, Liz, pointed out raised up on its hind legs. I thought, ‘if I their big boy pants on and come to
that he had always dreamed of starting start my own company, I’ll need a great work and get their job done,” Bozeman
his own company and that he always logo, but that’s the best logo I could ever said. “We didn’t stack people on top of
said partnerships don’t work. come up with!” people to get the job done. This is like,
But Barr thought this might be the He also took it as a sign. ‘OK, well, this was your job. Now this
better route. He liked the company and “I’m telling you it really pushed is your job.’ And they’ve all stayed here
could see how it could grow into some- me over the edge,” Barr said. “I with us and been supportive to what-
thing special. He also liked Bozeman called James that afternoon and said, ever we want them to try to do.”
and understood how they could help ‘Dammit, the logo’s done it. I just can’t The company has been transformed
each other be successful. “I saw syner- get over it. You’ve got the best logo in since Barr joined in May 2012. He has
gies between us, big time,” Barr said. trucking. Let’s do this.’” helped shift the focus to include doing
“I saw James having a lot of strengths As Barr told that story, Bozeman some less-than-truckload hauls. Among
that were my weaknesses, and I really laughed and said, “Roped you in!” his new accounts is one hauling truck
thought we could figure out a way to They finalized the deal at parts for Paccar. And Bozeman’s former
take what both of us do best and put it Bozeman’s farm and then celebrated company isn’t stuck on 65 trucks; it’s

28 arkansas Trucking rePorT | issue 2 2013