Today we’d like to introduce you to Yolanda Whiters.
Hi Yolanda, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
This is about the miraculous journey of my spouse, Lawrence Whiters and I, Yolanda Whiters. We met in 2015 on a dating site and Lawrence immediately told me that God told him I was his wife. What comes from the heart touches the heart, and we started our journey as husband and wife in 2016. We are frequent adventures and on a trip to Atlanta in 2016, we were both amazed and drawn to the culture and opportunities we knew would be present there. It was at that time that we made a firm decision to move to Georgia once our boys graduated from high school in 2019. Lawrence has been in transportation since 1996 and we spoke often about starting our own transportation company. In January 2017, YOWHI Transportation Inc. was formed (affectionally named after me) and it immediately took off. Lawrence used his 20+ years of experience to operate the business while I steered and guided the company in the direction of a corporation. I also continued to work in management for the company in which I was employed.
In 2018, we flew with four of our children to Atlanta to look at potential areas and homes that we were interested in for the intended upcoming move. They saw our Vision and we all were very excited! After the trip, Lawrence and I actively began working with a real estate agent and flew to Georgia regularly to view homes in the decided area of Conyers, GA. As fate would have it, in 2019, my job opened a management position which included housing. I took the opportunity immediately. We had only one month to close down our life in Illinois and relocate to Georgia! Yes! We were realizing our dream!!
Only two weeks after the move to Atlanta, I received news that my father had suffered a stroke in Tampa, FL. We immediately began the process for him to come and live with us. We picked him up in October of 2019 and started the process of his rehabilitation and full recovery.
In December of 2019, we started hearing news of the virus spreading overseas, but gave it no credence. The pandemic struck in March 2020 and changed everything. It was only the three of us, living and bonding in a world essentially shut down, but we kept going. Before we moved, Lawrence was always enamored with the idea of having a dedicated space where commercial vehicles could park when they are on break from work. He had faced many issues with this in the past and wanted to make a difference in this sector of transportation. When he spoke to me about it and I applied a structure to it, we created a plan to move forward with it.
We saw an opportunity for truck parking in December 2020 and jumped at it! While we were preparing the land to be transformed into parking, we were extended a lucrative opportunity to allow specialized parking on the lot!! We had never imagined an opportunity like this would be present and our excitement was tangible! Two days after signing our first contract, I received the news that my mother died and it devastated me. We were ascending into our journey to create generational wealth and, at the same time, the mother of my generation was gone. I had to find the motivation to push forward because she had instilled in me that I could do anything.
After my siblings and I laid my mother to rest, and upon retuning home, the very next day my father awoke with excruciating stomach pains. We rushed him to the hospital, and after testing, we were informed that he had stage 4 cancer. We were taken back but we believed he would be fully healed and restored. Soon after that news, we were informed that the contract on the lot that we had just acquired was being revoked. We had to start the journey for truck parking over again and God’s favor shined on us again. We found another piece of land in Covington GA that was everything we were looking for. We quickly started the process to acquire the land. On Mother’s Day 2021, Lawrence broke his ankle. I had to spend my Mother’s day going between two hospital rooms because my father and husband were both in the hospital. I gave notice to my job to continue to care for my dad, and my dad passed soon thereafter. I had lost both parents within months.
All that was instilled in me was being challenged at this moment. I knew God would not bring me here to leave me here and I was determined to prepare and open even in the midst of losing both parents and having my husband immobile because of a broken ankle. In August 2021, we officially opened, and with hard work and diligence we have been building our brand and our new life in transportation. We have learned so much during this journey with the most important of it all being that no matter what “All things are working for our good”!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
In this journey, I was definitely presented with challenges and tests. I didn’t realize it then, but they were all preparing me for where I am today.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We started YOWHI because of two reasons: the lack of affordable parking for semi-tractors and trailers and the lack of transparency with financials in regards to transporting freight. It is industry standard for companies to pay Owner Operators a wage that will not enable them to grow for fear of competition. We do not see growth as creating competitors, we see it as creating real wealth-building opportunities for hard-working individuals.
YOWHI is not another company that wants your money. We are vested in earning your business, your trust and a continued relationship for years to come. We are here to help you through your lows and celebrate your highs. What excites us is being able to help someone in some way. Playing a part no matter how big or small in someone’s dream is the ultimate goal. Being a vessel where we can help get people from one destination to the next is all we ask of our days. YOWHI will ultimately move into a brand that provides an array of avenues to assist people in achieving their dreams and goals. We are committed to investing into communities, towns, cities, states and America one person at a time.
YOWHI strives to be an extension of the clients we serve and to provide quality customer-focused services that will make a positive difference.
We are proud to help our customers with their parking and transportation needs. We consistently provide unparalleled customer service and secure, convenient and accessible parking facilities.
We are continuing to grow, expand and enhance the best experience for truck drivers. We consistently apply our standards of commitment, integrity, and respect regardless of the situation and strive daily to create a work-friendly environment.. And we recently opened a new truck parking lot in Conyers, GA!
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
That it is owned by an African-American woman.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.yowhitrans.net
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/yowhitrans
Image Credits
Solia media
