Anthony Helton

Be more patient about plans. Clearly lay them out before jumping in, this will avoid having to back track on things and losing time and money.

 

Anthony Helton is originally from Chicago, Illinois and moved to Beckley, West Virginia at a very young age. He is a graduate of Greater Beckley Christian School and graduated with B+ grade point average. While there, Anthony Helton was a standout athlete and received recognition as an All-Star player for his Basketball Team and was selected as Team Captain. During his high school years, Anthony Helton raised money for missions and participated in trips to the Philippines and the Dominican Republic. While there, Anthony worked in the poverty-stricken areas and assisted with those in need. In summer, he continued to stay busy and worked in construction while taking college courses online.

Anthony has always been ambitions and wanted to reach his goals. He had the idea of one day owning his own company with a long-term goal of starting his business after college, however, he was able to achieve this earlier then he expected. He is currently a full-time student attending West Virginia University and residing in Morgantown, West Virginia, while doing so, he also founded Anthony Thomas Trucking LLC and current is the managing member of the company.

In his spare time, with what little he does have, Anthony likes to make sure the he stays fit. He thinks the key to success is a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Any moment he can, he will be outdoors or in the gym.

Where did the idea for your company come from?

The idea for Anthony Thomas Trucking LLC started as I learned of the various opportunities within the trucking industry. There are many opportunities in the current market to become successful. After I conducted market research, this business stood out to me. I quickly obtained contacts within the industry and started to book clients right away. I had always dreamed of owning a business and this is something that interest me, a lot.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

I am always full speed ahead with my life. For right now, I am a full-time college student at West Virginia University and any free time I have, you can usually find more working on ways to grow my business to be more successful. This can be challenging sometimes, however, I have already made an initial capital investment and hired truck drivers.

How do you bring ideas to life?

One thing that has made me so successful was being very goal orientated. I am go-getter and usually will not stop until I am satisfied and reach my goal. I take ideas and make them into a step by step of actionable items. Making these steps allowed for the business to stay focus and have continuous progress. With my busy schedule, planning and time management are key.

What’s one trend that excites you?

The trend of the trucking industry is what excites me the most and is a key reason as to why I started my company. The industry continues to move up and my company is moving upward at a rapid rate. Currently, the demand exceeds supply which will allow my company to take advantage of the current market place.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

I read a lot of articles and blogs that can help with success in my company. One thing that people don’t realize is your employees help drive your business to success. I put the needs of my employees ahead of my own and ensure the company is run as a team.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I think some key advice would be to be more patient about plans. Clearly lay them out before jumping in, this will avoid having to back track on things and losing time and money. I would also have liked to take more time to learn about how businesses work, this would of given me more of a head start then where I am today.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

I think one thing that I strongly believe in is you have the drive and passion to start a business, you don’t always need the education to back yourself. There are so many opportunities to teach yourself with today’s digital resources, but what truly drives success is the passion.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

I am continuously researching the industry and trends that I’m working with. As long as you do the proper due diligence on how realistic the business model is, you can continue to find ways to improve.

What is one failure you’ve had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

I think one failure was not planning for unexpected circumstances that could happen and require more money. I was very optimistic with the success of my business without realizing the hiccups that could occur. I now analyze very closely and plan for those speed bumps. Usually with my more detailed plans, we don’t incur those issues anymore.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

Once strategy that has helped my business grow is establishing the contacts and maintaining an ongoing communication so that opportunities are continuously being monitored. I have already created a strategy for hiring, finances etc… By having this, I am able to move very quickly to make my business successful.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

I think one business idea that would be great is the have a ‘starter set’ for truck drivers. Before they start their journey, whether it be short or long, they would have everything they need from planned stops to refuel, snacks, comfortable clothes and so on. This could be a subscription service that they apply for and each package would be unique for the driver.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

The most recent $100 I spent was equipment for my business. I had already set aside this money and really didn’t plan on spending it until after college, however, I have been blessed with the opportunity now and decided to go for it.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

The internet offers so many opportunities nowadays to help you stay productive. My favourite tool at the moment is using indeed.com to hire employees for my company. This has allowed me to find those that I think would work best. I also love the opportunity there is to create websites which will help drive more traffic to my company.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

One book that has helped me think for strategically and plan is Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey. It helps set clear cut goals and gave me an idea on how to take the right steps to move forward successfully.

What is your favorite quote?

“Be quick but not in a hurry” – John Wooden

Key Learnings:

• Setting realistic goals and planning around those
• Should always plan for the worst but expect the best
• Always look for a better way to do things

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