Adam Gapinski, HBA ’17, can still recall how his first job selling newspapers revealed a talent for sales and connecting with people. Gapinski also remembers the job that made him want to be his own boss.
“Working at a restaurant really made me determined that I didn’t want to work for anyone in the future. My end goal wasn’t to be an employee of a firm. I wanted to be a decision maker in guiding the firm,” said Gapinski. It’s a goal he has gotten to earlier than most university students.
Since his first year at Western, Gapinski has been balancing his course work with Vectra Heavy Haulers, a transportation company that specializes in shipping oversized and overweight freight across North America.
Three years in, Gapinski is working on growing the company’s customer base at the Propel Summer Incubator, while preparing for his final year at Ivey. The Propel Summer Incubator is a sales-focused incubator program that provides seed funding, mentorship, programming and co-working space for high-potential entrepreneurs from May to August.
Pulling a heavy haul
Gapinski’s work ethic and entrepreneurial mindset isn’t surprising considering both his parents are entrepreneurs in the transportation industry. It was while helping his mother’s financing and leasing company that Gapinski got his first lead into the industry.
He started working as a load agent for a Minneapolis-based company specializing in shipping oversized loads, connecting shippers and load brokers. A year later, Gapinski had acquired the experience and a number of credible contacts to start his own venture in the industry – thus, Vectra Heavy Haulers was born.
Running a company with access to 1,500 trucks and taking a full course load at Western University can be a daunting challenge. Gapinski gladly admits that time management is the biggest skill he’s honed at university.
The first year of Ivey’s HBA Program is well known for its intense work load. Gapinski’s typical day at HBA started with classes from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., after which he would work on Vectra till 6 p.m. After an hour’s break for dinner and relaxation, he would dive into his homework and class preparation, which on some days would stretch into the early morning hours.
“You can’t waste any time when you’re that busy,” said Gapinski.
Propelling Vectra to new heights
Since entering the Propel Summer Incubator in May, Gapinski has been working on expanding his direct customer base.
A large part of his current business comes from freight brokers that broker out the load to Vectra. Dealing with so many middle men not only affect margins but doesn’t allow for direct communication with customers.
A self-avowed salesman, Gapinski notes his biggest takeaways from the Propel Summer Incubator have been from the Sales Workshops. “Sales is the only driver of revenue in a company. If you don’t have sales, you don’t have a business really.”
There is also a need to diversify the industries Vectra serves. Gapinski’s early strategy of focusing on oil and gas paid off well at the start. Prices were good and the industry was booming. But as the industry began slowing down, projects were cancelled and postponed. Diversifying and spreading Vectra’s customer base will provide options when certain industries are struggling.
Having handled everything within the company for several years, Gapinski is currently training Stefan Kremic to manage his current role, allowing Gapinski to focus on making sales and sourcing customers. A talented graphic designer, Kremic has a history with Vectra – helping design the website and other promotional material.
Advice for Students
Being in the unusual position of running a full time business while at university, Gapinski has some advice for students who want to chart a similar career path. He recommends working for the competition and learning the ins and outs of the industry one is passionate about. “You can look at their processes and see where the inefficiencies are… when you know how it works, you can open your own company and leverage those inefficiencies,” said Gapinski.
As the summer wraps up, Gapinski will be teaming up with a group of HBA2s to work on a venture targeting baby boomers on Ivey’s New Venture Project; a program that allows students to develop new business ideas. With years of experience already under his belt, Gapinski’s looking forward to the courses and opportunities to learn more from Ivey faculty and successful alumni entrepreneurs.
With graduation in 2017 will come a planned expansion for Vectra Heavy Haulers. Gapinski will no longer have to worry about balancing all those courses, just thousands of oversized rigs as they traverse North America.