Robert McGowan (right) seen with his banker in the early years
Roadrunner Moving & Storage is among the elite of transportation companies in the United States. Celebrating 35 years of operation, Roadrunner takes time to reflect on its success in an interview with the founder and CEO, Robert McGowen.
Q: What does Roadrunner do? Describe the current services you offer:
A: Roadrunner Moving & Storage is a highly diversified relocation and storage company. We offer residential and commercial moving and storage, commercial installation, dedicated services / logistics, international packing, wrapping, and forwarding, and record storage solutions.
Q: What makes this company special or unique?
A: That’s easy – the people. From the movers, packers, and drivers to the administrative and sales staff, we have a great appreciation for each and every person that makes the Roadrunner experience unique and a cut above. It’s what keeps our customers coming back to us for their every relocation need.
Q: Take us back to the time you started your company and describe the series of events or circumstances which led you to start the business.
Original Move Team, 1976
A: At the time, I wanted to get out of going to college. Starting my own business was the solution. I had experience in the transportation industry through working at a neighbor’s moving company. So … I bought my first truck, which my mother painted herself (at no charge). Then we put out some fliers, and the rest is history. We ended that first year in business with four trucks!
Robert's Mom seen painting the fleet
Q: Did you have a vision for the company when you started?
A: Truthfully, my only vision was making a living for myself and my family. While that vision really hasn’t changed much over the years, I still feel good about helping our customers as they reach new milestones in their lives and businesses.
Q: Tell us some of the greatest successes for the business over the years.
A: Well, quadrupling our business that first year was a great success. The company has never grown quite that quickly since then. Other memorable successes include getting our first account, numerous expansions, building our current location, and later remodeling to expand it to its current size.
Q: What are some of the major challenges in your business growth over the years?
A: Over the years, we have and continue to face two major challenges. Trying to keep up with the regulatory climate and the constant changes in regulations is a huge hurdle. We spend a lot of time and effort trying to stay ahead of the curve and exceed expectations in that area. The other challenge is finding and retaining good quality people. As a service business, we realize that our people are our best asset. Making sure we have the right person in the right position at all levels of the organization is the key to serving our customers well.
Q: When you face (faced) set-backs and challenges, give us some insight as to how you were able to draw inspiration and refocus to meet challenges.
A: I never really focus on the “set-back” aspect of a new challenge. I view it as more of a decision that needs to be made. So, meeting challenges becomes more a matter of looking for the right skill set to meet a need.
Q: What are some of the most interesting and unique moments?
A: One that really stands out was having a prominent local business person hire Roadrunner to purchase a large amount of various items for his new business venture, order an aircraft, and ship a fully loaded plane to a Caribbean island. That was a fun, once in a lifetime project!
Q: Give insights as to milestones throughout the growth of the company.
The Early Years - Van Lines Agent
A: The big milestones include getting our first big account in 1976 – our first year in business, originally building our current location back in 1984, and doubling the size of the business in 1998. We also remodeled and moved into a new, larger location in 1996 and then remodeled and expanded our current location to its present size and moved back in 2007. It’s been a great journey!
Q: Where do you see Roadrunner 10 years from now?
Roadrunner Dispatch Office
A: I see us bigger, better, and stronger than ever – still exceeding our customers’ expectations!
