Recently, a viral video out of Minnesota has been making the rounds for its display of true horsepower. In the video, a trucker, stuck with a semi-trailer at the bottom of an icy, snow-lined driveway, commissions the help of two Belgian draft horses named Molly and Prince. Amazingly, these beautiful beasts work their way up the hill, slowly but surely dragging the semi behind them and rescuing the trucker from an impossible (and dangerous) drive. When we talk trucks, trains, and even lawn mowers, we talk “horsepower.” While horsepower typically brings to mind the jolt of
Read more →Archive for the Fuel for Thought Category
As Mary has shared, jobs seekers hungry for success will do anything to create the most eye-catching applications, from providing potential employers with goodie bags to taking to the streets with a handwritten poster and handful of resumes. But it’s not just job seekers who have to be creative, presentable, and polite to snag a great job; if they’re looking to attract the right candidates, employers also have to put in their fair share of work. Indeed, attracting and retaining great talent is often cited as the biggest challenge for many employers. Thanks to our rigorous
Read more →With a family skiing trip over the Christmas holidays, and my re-entry into the hockey world, I’ve begun to notice one thing popping up all over the place. Or, more specifically, atop lots of heads: the GoPro camera. While there are other wearable camera companies attempting to topple GoPro, GoPro continues to top the list. It’s the Kleenex of wearable tech – and with its branding, it’s no wonder it beats the lowly Yi and TomTom. As GoPro CEO Nick Woodman notes, no one’s going to say “Check out my wild Apple videos!” The GoPro’s got that covered. GoPro got its start
Read more →An article by Erik Orten that was featured in the Washington Post, and a Ted talk by Matt Cutts that we viewed at our annual company retreat inspired me to try something new this year. Erik Orton and his wife Emily are co-authors of “Seven at Sea: Why a New York City Family Cast Off Convention for a Life-Changing Year on a Sailboat.” Each year, they celebrate their wedding anniversary (January 2nd) with a New Year’s first – trying a new restaurant or doing something they’ve never done before, like shopping for a boat, which eventually inspired them
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This weekend, at our annual company meeting, we talked about excellence as a habit. Excellence doesn’t just greet you at the end of a finish line; it’s an ongoing process, a daily commitment to shedding bad habits and forging new, better habits. While it’s easy to jot down “exercise more” on a list of New Year’s resolutions, the much harder part is actually doing it when you’d rather sink into the couch after a long day. New goals are exciting, but then there’s the discomfort that comes with actually swapping your nightly Netflix routine for
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The holidays are, by definition, joyous occasions. We adorn our homes with Christmas wreaths, magically untangle yards of blinking holiday lights, and gather together to celebrate the season with our loved ones. But sometimes, in all of our merriment, we don’t realize that others are struggling with loss, grief, or depression. Last year, five days before Christmas, my mother passed away. She was the picture of vivaciousness, even at age 90, and she was masterful at connecting with people. This year, and I suppose every year henceforth, the holidays will be a little bittersweet. While I love being with
Read more →This Monday was Veteran’s Day, so to all of our former and present servicemen and women, thank you for your service. It was heartwarming for me to see so many Facebook posts from friends and family honoring the many veterans in our community. In the trucking industry, we are doubly thankful for our veterans – not only for the service that they provide our country, but also because many veterans go on to work in our industry upon their return to civilian life. In fact, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration provided a $2.3
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Small miracles, safer homes. That’s the motto for WARM (Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry), a local nonprofit that organizes volunteers, building materials and funds to complete urgent home repairs for low-income homeowners. In the wake of Hurricane Florence, they’ve been busy– and in need of some miracles. Here’s one story of how small miracle after small miracle – from New Jersey down to the Carolinas – brought Matchmaker Logistics an opportunity to serve. It all started with Juicy Fruit Party Dragon, a uniquely-named charity located in Ocean County, NJ, with a fun mascot (right). The nonprofit, started by three friends,
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Inspiration can come from some of the most unexpected places – like a viral video on Facebook. In this clip (which already has nearly 300,000 views!), little Jake Boone, an adorable toddler with an endearing southern drawl, helps his mom put together an impressive grocery list. Strawberries, milk and cheese, sketti, taco stuff, ‘nanas, ‘tatoes, and so much more! All it takes is asking one simple question, over and over again: “What else?” As entertaining and cute as this video is, little Jake Boone has some wisdom to pass on. He’s a natural when it
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“Bad things do happen in the world, like war, natural disasters, disease. But out of those situations always arise stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.” ~ Daryn Kagan Tragedy and disaster come in many forms, bringing with them unexpected opportunities for ordinary people to step up and do extraordinary things. On the anniversary of 9/11, one of our nation’s greatest tragedies, I reflected on those who carve good works from tragic events. Today, I want to reflect on those who are helping us recover and rebuild in the wake of one of the
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