Trey Runyon

Louisville, KY

INDUSTRY: TRANSPORTATION
BUSINESS: MAIN LINE XPRESS LLC
YEAR FOUNDED: 2011
PROGRAM: 2016 EMERGING LEADERS LOUISVILLE

“No matter what the business is, there are a ton of similarities in what needs to be done when it comes to managing people. All the same problems, hiccups, or growth issues happen to everybody.”

BUSINESS OVERVIEW
Main Line Xpress is a straight truck/liftgate business based out of Louisville, Kentucky. In the beginning, the business took contracts that only served the local Louisville area, but after winning contracts with the likes of Yum! Brands (owners of KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell) Main Line Xpress has expanded its services across the country. Today, Main Line Xpress’ fleet of box trucks has grown from 2 to 9, with 7 full-time drivers and 2 full-time office staff.

MAKING THE NECESSARY CHANGES
With a background in sales, Trey Runyon never had to worry about getting business. Right out of the gates, Main Line Xpress grew over 40 percent annually over the first four years. With growth tapering off after the fourth year (20 percent between year four and year five), Trey decided to enroll in the Emerging Leaders program, which is powered by Interise’s StreetWise ‘MBA’.

“I always want to learn as much as I can,” Trey explains. “I saw [the Emerging Leaders program] as an opportunity to be around other business owners in the same situation that I’m in.”

During the program, Trey started to reevaluate his business: “I had systems to hold my employees accountable before, but they just weren’t adhered to.” After realizing this, he discovered that his office manager was not right for his business. He made the decision to let her go. For Trey, understanding when to fire is just as important as understanding when to hire.

“Do I feel pretty confident that I’ll be able to successfully return to a positive trajectory?” Trey reflects. “No doubt!” Recently winning contracts with Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, and Dollar General, the future looks bright for his business.