Interview with Game Changers Magazine Q & A Team:
1) Who are the Dixons and how did you get started in the logistics business?
We are a blended family from Pensacola, FL and Philadelphia, PA who moved to Henry County with a couple of dollars and a dream. We are two passionate entrepreneurs that have put God first and found success in the logistics space. We started off in entry level logistics jobs as a warehouse clerk and truck driver. We brought our unique skills, strong industry relationships, and combined 30 years of logistics expertise together in order to establish our business, SCALE Logistics.
2) When most people see your story online they say you’re a couple that makes love look good again? How important was it to learn your partner's love language and pour into each other showing value in your spouse?
We always have people tell us we are “couple goals” and they can’t wait to be blessed with a partner. I always tell them that behind the cute videos and photos is lot’s of prayer, tough conversations, and a willingness to be our best selves in our relationship. We have a 13 year age difference and very different personalities so it was critical for us to build a solid foundation of understanding each other's needs, wants, desires etc. Understanding each other's love language helped us to love, support, and pour into each other in the way we individually desired.
3) What is the process like separating home life from the business life or does it all kinda play into one big ball of success?
As busy entrepreneurs who work from home 80% of the time there is no separating home life from business life. Early on in our entrepreneurial journey we struggled with managing our blended family of 6 kids and 5 grandkids. We often felt stretched, overwhelmed, and all over the place. We implemented a new mindset on how we structure our business & home to promote work life inclusion. Work life inclusion essentially is where we structure our days around meals and family activities as much as possible. We are able to be present for each other, available for our kids, and continue to build our business at the same time. We are able to work while on vacation or anywhere, and find a balance that works best for us! We've also invested into new technology and virtual assistants to allow us to reclaim time we used to spend on tedious tasks.
4) What was your journey like getting to where you are today? We all know every relationship goes through its ups and downs, but what are some of the key factors and times that came into play to help you guys work together as a team?
Our journey wasn’t easy but we always understood the assignment. This isn’t either one of our first marriages so when we made the decision to get married, we were clear on our expectations, goals, and non-negotiables. We had major life events happen that really forced us to rely on each other and work together to handle. In a 5 year span our youngest son started having seizures and was diagnosed with epilepsy. We got married and moved to a new state where we knew very few people and had no family support. At the beginning of the pandemic we started our first freight brokerage business that presented its own unique set of lessons and challenges. While we were dissolving the business, our mother had a life threatening emergency and required us to be her caregiver. Last year we restarted our business as sole owners and saw tremendous growth during the first few months that Demetrius ended his driving contract and started working the business full time. We felt like we were on the battlefield for several years but it helped us become a cohesive unit. The adversities we overcame together helped us build a deep trust for each other, increased our faith in God, and united us as a team. Now, when trials come our way we don’t even sweat it because we know if we are on the same page and working together - we could overcome anything.
5) What role do you Shay Lynn play in the business and what role do you play Big D in the business? And how do you go about building onto your team so that staff or employees understand the vision and mission of where you see your business going?
Our titles are CEO and COO but because we are a small business with under 10 employees we both have learned and can operate every process in most areas of the business. We focused on structuring our roles around our skill sets and professional expertise. I come from a corporate logistics background, excel in digital marketing, and business development. I handle new customer acquisition, lead generation through digital channels, managing our marketing team, and new hire training. Demetrius comes from a truck driver background and has built amazing relationships with drivers in this industry. On the day to day, he handles overseeing our Carrier Partners (truck drivers), compliance, dispatch team, and accounting department. Together we established standards for our company culture, vision and mission. SCALE stands for (S)upply (C)hain (A)nd (L)ogistics (E)xcellence. Our core values include being transparent, operating in excellence, holding ourselves & each other accountable, and being proactive in our relationships. We repeat it in team meetings, articulate it to new team members but most importantly exude it in our actions and business dealings.
6) What are 5 tips you would give a couple looking to go into business together?
BE REAL: with each other about your strengths, areas for growth, and then make a plan to develop those areas.
ASSIGN ROLES: and tasks to each person individually. This will allow for you to hold each other accountable and keep the workload from falling on one person.
SET BOUNDARIES: with each other, clients, your family. When you say yes to others, you are sometimes saying no to your business or family.
WEEKLY MEETINGS: will keep you on the same page, allow for feedback, and provide a set time for you to discuss the business.
LEAVE WORK AT WORK: and if you work from home like us, set hours that you will work, and then close that laptop and love each other!
7) As we journey through the publication of understanding the business of marriage, it has been stated that marriage as a whole is a business within itself, what understanding has to be put in place for a couple to thrive first at home before going into a business that serves others together?
Marriage is a partnership that is definitely handled like a business. You have to lay the foundation of your marriage just like you would in your business with bank accounts, ein numbers, and llc’s. Before we built our marriage foundation we understood that God would be right in the center of every decision, conversation, and plan. You move differently in your home and business when you are spiritually in tune with each other. We continued to build our marriage foundation by clear communication, setting shared goals, and building mutual trust. Open and honest communication is crucial for resolving conflicts, making decisions, and ensuring that both of you feel heard and valued. Additionally, setting shared goals allows you to work together towards a common vision, aligning your individual efforts, and maximizing your potential together. Lastly, building trust allows you to feel safe, rely on one another, delegate responsibilities, and support each other's growth in all season’s of life.
8) Live, work, play, sounds like you guys possibly spend 24 hours a day around one another, what are times like in your individual growth development process so that you can be the best individual as a partner or team?
This is a great question, we spend almost every waking moment together. We really are best friends and prefer to be in each other’s company. That doesn’t mean we don’t get on each other’s nerves but we are very intentional on creating space on a day to day basis in our home. We have offices in separate rooms. We do most of our devotional, podcast listening, and professional training separately because we have different areas God is developing. Our friends are amazing so we make sure we spend time with the guys or my ladies without each other although we do a lot of couples dates! This year we started setting aside dedicated time for self-reflection, self-care, and pursuing new hobbies. We are in a season of prioritizing individual growth so that we can have an even healthier and more fulfilling marriage.
9) Last but not least you 2 are huge servers of giving back to your community, why is this a value to the system you've built and how important is it as business owners to be an asset to your community thru giving back?
We are definitely blessed to be a blessing. We know that God didn’t intend for us to keep every dime he’s given us. When we moved to Henry County we saw ways we could contribute to others in our community through scholarships, donations, mentoring, and volunteering. As entrepreneurs investing our time, resources, and expertise, allow us to uplift the community and contribute to its overall development making it a better place to live, work, worship, and raise our families.
10)How can we find out more about your business online and follow you for up to date info on social media?
We would love to connect with all of you on our social media accounts via Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. @scalelogistics @shaylynndixon Our team is always available to assist with any freight management requests, contact us via email at info@shipwithscale.com or visit our website www.shipwithscale.com
Check Out The New Edition of Game Changers Magazine featuring Regi & Pam Myles: Understanding The Business of Marriage
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