Anthony Vaccarello

Put your whole heart into whatever you do.

 

Anthony Vaccarello is the President of BuyCoachBus.Com. Anthony has extensive experience in vehicle sales and procurement of business, charter sales, management, problem solving, technology development, raising capital, federal grants development, brand development, and relationship development. He has been in the industry for nearly twenty years.

Anthony’s experience lies within his technology development approach within the motorcoach industry. He is also a very good problem solver and ensures all of his customers receive the best value. BuyCoachBus is a certified pre-owned dealership that sells DOT Ready Motorcoaches to a network of limousines companies, bus companies, transit companies, and private buyers.

Where did the idea for BuyCoachBus.com come from?

I kind of just fell into it; In the early 2000’s I joined a brokerage firm and then after ten years moved into another aspect of the industry, handling grant writing. I later built software for the bus industry and has been in the industry for so long that I eventually just started selling buses on my own. It all came full circle after working my way through the industry and learning that this is really what I like to do!

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

My day starts at 6am with emails, then driving to the office and talking with my team over coffee. Mornings are important to utilize to go over what happened over night, since the transportation industry never sleeps. I always try to have lunch with someone different everyday — whether it’s a client or someone on my team, this helps to build up relationships in and outside of work.

In the afternoon I spend most of my time reaching out to people I’ve made connections with in the past, I always like to close the day strong. I’ll be home by 7 or 8 and try to do something active everyday, but the key is turning everything off from the time I leave to the time I wake up. I believe this makes the time that you are connected and in business mode way more productive.

How do you bring ideas to life?

When talking about ideas, I always ask people what their biggest challenge is. Even though it’s a bit cliche, a simple question like that can bring forward a great solution. Once the idea is there, I always turn to people I trust who can tell me if the idea is worth it and how we can go about executing it. I always have a partner with any idea that I want to bring to life; partnerships help you stay accountable.

What’s one trend that excites you?

People’s openness to technology. When I first started out in 2000 I had to teach people how to simply start their computer and check their emails. These days I feel like people are much more open to opting into digital trends. People pay bills online, make orders online, and even submit things for work via the Internet, which makes everything much easier.

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

I’m always building connections; it doesn’t matter where it is. When I meet someone, no matter who it is, I try to figure out if there’s any synergy. In most instances, you can find a connection and expand on it.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Spend more time understanding & reporting financials. When I first got started I didn’t understand how the cash flow game works. I learned about EBITA in school but didn’t actually know what that meant, so I would tell myself to pay more attention to it. I messed up a lot in the beginning and had to learn from my mistakes, and I would warn myself that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

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

Pay people! There is currently a bus driver shortage but people aren’t willing to pay them what they are worth. If you want good employees, you need to invest in them.

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

If you make any kind of promise, make sure you do everything in your power to make sure it gets done. Beyond this, I also recommend that everyone should go out of their way to make sure the client is happy! Building a relationship with your client is only going to lead to positive things.

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

Having an online presence and getting in front of more people. That’s what took my business to the next level; how are people supposed to know you if you’re not putting yourself out there?

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

Not doing my due diligence to provide the best work and work with the best clients. I overcame it because now I do full background checks on all potential clients and really learn about them and how we can work together.

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

I used to work in water conservation, and I know a great business idea would be to create a proper tool or specialized showerhead that softens hard water.

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

I recently gave someone I worked with a thank you card with some money in it. It was to acknowledge their willingness to help me with a situation and show them that I really appreciate the professional relationship we have. Again, everything is about the connections you make with people.

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

Salesforce and Quickbooks. They help me run my business smoothly and effectively.

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

The Little Engine That Could!

What is your favorite quote?

“La bella vita”

Key Learnings:

• Building relationships is everything
• Pay close attention to detail
• Put your whole heart into whatever you do

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