This Entrepreneur Is Defying The Odds With Her Million-Dollar Trucking Business And Mentoring Other Women To Follow Suit

Lady Logistix is a byproduct of mentorship, investing in higher education, and perseverance.

Since launching in 2016, the company has scaled to a seven-figure business. However, the initial climb to the top presented its challenges.

Less than three years after launching her first trucking company alongside her husband, they went out of business because they did not have the proper education or resources. Although discouraging, the pair shifted their focus toward another business venture.

During this time, Simmons spent countless hours researching how she could become a freight broker. The pathway opened the door to a six-figure salary, working only part-time. From there, she knew there was much more she could accomplish within the industry.

“I was able to connect with an owner of a large third-party logistics company who hired me as a freight agent. In 5 and a half months, I was able to earn six figures working part-time. At that point, I knew I wanted to go all the way.” Simmons told AfroTech in an email interview.

Simmons is also a mother with a son who has cerebral palsy.

With greater financial freedom, the potential to make her own decisions, and create her schedule, she could create a better life to take care of her child.

She eventually left her federal position and became a full-time entrepreneur with the launch of Lady Logistix in 2016.

“From that moment, I went back to what mattered the most to me and that was taking care of my son and having flexibility. My son was the motivational push I needed to provide a better quality of life for him. I knew entrepreneurship was the lane for me so I could be able to create my own hours. My husband and I got back into trucking and now we were able to take the losses of the first time and put our full attention into building the business again,” Simmons said.

The third-party logistics provider and consulting firm uses the latest technology and different methods to provide customers services such as “finding the most cost-efficient transportation solutions, best routing, and best transit time for your cargo,” per the company’s website. In addition, it offers the Freight Broker Mentorship program to prepare women entrepreneurs looking to create a similar pathway.

“Women began to reach out to me inquiring about how they too could start a business in trucking or logistics. The more they reached out to me, the more I wanted to help. I then founded the Leading Ladies of Logistix, an organization that connects women in the industry with training and resources to help them start or grow their businesses,” Simmons told AfroTech.

Participants can access live weekly mastermind discussions and meetings, early access training courses, and more. In addition, entrepreneurs will have a chance to work directly with Simmons.

As Simmons looks ahead, she plans to open the Lady Logistix Learning Center in Charleston, SC. The new facility, projected to open this fall, will empower the community through education and make the transportation industry more accessible.

“The goal of the learning center is to focus on building a narrative that will provide resources and education in my community. Leading Ladies of Logistix is the organization I created in 2018 to connect women in all aspects of the transportation industry. Our goal is to work more with the youth and host upcoming events and additional training in the organization,” she said.