“Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain’t going away.”  Elvis Presley “The money is in the routes,” my wife Carol emphatically declares in a corporate training session for a new group of managers in our transportation company. This assertion is one that Carol and I have confidently repeated to our team members throughout our journey at Hackbarth Delivery Service. There is no sophistication in this simple six-word statement. Not much high-level thinking.  And yet, … [Read more...]

“Your story is the gold in your goldmine.” Rob Hackbarth “It’s my story and I’m sticking to it,” she says as I question her previous statement. The ‘she’ is my mom and the phrase is one she regularly uses.  Whenever her expression to me or one of my three sisters seems less than accurate, her defense is to magically summon this old saying.  It is convenient because no evidence of support is required. Mom often spins this pet phrase in a comical situation. Rather than defend the indefensible, … [Read more...]

“Spread love everywhere you go.”  Mother Teresa of Calcutta After dropping off some blueberries at our corporate office, I drive a few miles to McAllister’s Deli on Government Boulevard.  After ordering my food at the counter, I sit down at a small table and take out my iPhone to review emails and other messages. That’s when I notice that a dear friend, whose name I will reveal later, has called two days ago. I have been pretty busy for a few days, so it is now time to catch up on phone … [Read more...]

“The wisdom of the wise and the experience of the ages is preserved in perpetuity by a nation’s proverbs, fables, folk sayings and quotations.”  William Feather Are you familiar with these acronyms? F.A.I.L First Attempt In learning E.N.D. Effort Never Dies N.O.    Next Opportunity Do you have an acronym that best represents your philosophy in life? Did your grandmother pass on a saying that you frequently repeat? Is there something that you regularly say to others that reflects … [Read more...]