Today we’d like to introduce you to Holly Stewart.
Hi Holly, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I like to say God’s timing and a lot of hard work is why I’m here today. I actually never thought about being in moving, much less a business owner. I started out my career in market research but got burnt out in the corporate world. So I planned to go back to school to get a master’s degree & teaching certificate as I love helping people and making a difference. I wanted to be a teacher when I was younger, so I figured now was my chance. I realized I needed a way to not go too far into debt, so I replied to an ad for a Customer Service Representative Position with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK. I figured it was something I could quickly learn and would have my nights and weekends for my studies. And I wouldn’t have tons invested, so could easily quit when it was time to go into the classroom.
As luck (or Devine intervention) would have it, they just lost one of their managers and felt I’d be a better fit for that position, so they offered me the General Manager role at the Decatur franchise. I’d never done anything with moving trucks or even managing groups of blue-collar workers, so I called the school and asked to defer my enrollment a semester while I learned the ropes. A rare snowstorm had actually canceled the first class, so since I hadn’t attended yet, they refunded me and promised I’d have a spot in the spring… which I fully intended to come back to. However, I fell in love with it all! I loved the challenge, the fast pace of it all, the small business family atmosphere, the ability to implement change, etc. And I could see I was really giving back to the community, helping others, and making a difference. I was doing exactly what I wanted to do, just not in a classroom.
I dove in head-first, and I worked really hard. I found every time I gave the company 100%, it returned 110% back to me. Mt franchisee happened to own a few TWO MEN AND A TRUCK franchises, so after a few years after working at two offices, I was brought onto the upper management team, eventually running 10 shops throughout Atlanta. Then in 2015, I began buying him out, and I now have 6 stores myself across Dekalb, Cobb, Paulding, Douglas, and Bartow counties!!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
If any business owner tells you it’s been a completely smooth road, they’re either still on Day 1 or lying! HAHA! Of course, there are struggles; we’d be here all day if I were to go through all of them I’ve come across in the past 15 years. But honestly, I thrive on challenges, and my moxie & grit is probably what’s got me this far… and is required to be a successful entrepreneur.
Some of the biggest challenges that come to mind were when we grew from 1 franchise to 2 franchises. One thing I wasn’t prepared for was the reaction of the staff. Given the way that acquisition played out, we had to be really hush-hush about it until the day we took over. I had tried to drop hints to the current staff and honestly thought they’d be really excited about the growth. And ultimately they were, but at first they were very concerned about bringing a new baby into the family and how it could affect what they had worked so hard to perfect over the years. I liken my businesses to kids- they’re all from for the same place and have the same structure, but they have their own personalities and different needs. And that’s never been more true during stages of growth- you get a little jealousy and some tantrums, but it all smooths over, and we’re one big family.
Speaking of family, I would say another struggle is when you lose key staff members. We really do have a family-style atmosphere and place such value on all of our employees that when a key or long-term employees moves on, we all feel it. It’s not though. It’s also easy to underestimate the value of the systems and culture you’ve put into place at those times. But time has proven, time and time again, our resilience. And of course, finding & training that replacement while keeping everything running is always a juggling act.
I’ve made small and big mistakes. The businesses have had their cycles- sometimes thriving, and other times it can feel like a battle every day. And being a business owner can bring its own ball of challenges that push you to grow- like letting go of the reigns and imposter syndrome. Being a business owner is not for the faint of heart. But if you can rally through the tough times, it really is rewarding.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Headquartered in Michigan, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is a national, full-service franchised moving company with each franchise being independently owned and operated. My specific franchises are based out of offices in Smyrna, Chamblee, and Dallas, but we can serve anyone- so we’re consistently all over the Atlanta metro area. Honk if you see us on the road!! And actually, we travel all over the United States to do local and long-distance residential and commercial moves. We offer packing, moving, and junk haul-away services as well as boxes and other packing supplies. No job is too big, small, far or close for us! Our goal is to exceed expectations, and are really proud that my franchise referral rating is over 98% for the year.
As a franchise system, there are currently more than 430 locations and 3,000 trucks operating in 47 U.S. states in addition to Canada, Ireland, and the UK. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK has performed more than 9.5 million moves since its inception in 1985 and has seen consistent growth dating back to December 2009. In 2023, Franchise Business Review named TWO MEN AND A TRUCK a Top Recession Proof Franchise, a Top 50 Franchise for Women, and a Best in Category. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK also ranked on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list and was named #1 in the Moving/Junk Removal Services. In 2021, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK was acquired by ServiceMaster® Brands, which is a leading franchise provider of needs-based residential and commercial services in the restoration, cleaning, moving, and bioremediation industries. ServiceMaster was founded as one of America’s first franchise businesses and does business under seven brands today across 50 states and nine countries that generate more than $3.5B in system-wide sales.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Good question! I had a good childhood filled with a lot of good memories, so it’s hard to pick just one. Funny, you should ask me that today as it’s my mother’s birthday. So to honor her, I’ll tell you about one of the many times she came to my rescue. I grew up in Columbia, SC and in high school, I was involved in everything – sports, clubs, volunteering, church, etc. So one weekend, I had a math meet in Charleston with the school math team. They rewarded the kids with a weekend trip, but I had some other commitments that Friday, so I had planned to meet up with one other kid and drive down early Saturday morning. I get to the school where we’re supposed to meet (in front of the school), and he’s not there. I wait and wait, but no Chris. This is before cell phones, and I can’t get to the school pay phone because the school gates are locked. So eventually, I used my bagged car phone to call my mom and ask what to do. Those things were like $100 a minute, so I remember talking super fast and then hanging up on her because my parents were very clear with me it was only for dire emergencies. She calls me back, saying she’s found Chris but to stay put- she’s on the way. Chris then jumps over the 10′ gate and tells me he didn’t want to be late, so slept in his car and apparently got locked in.
Since it took a while to get going, my mom came and got us because she didn’t want us driving recklessly in order to make it in time… however as soon as we get in, she says “yall are the math whizzes, how fast do I need to drive to get you there in time?” Chris told her (it was like 115 MPH) and she just said “OK” and then floored it. It was so funny!!! She sped all the way to Charleston. Chris & I jumped out and ran around until we found our classrooms for the math meet skirting in JUST IN TIME (I think we missed the tiebreaker questions or something, but they let us in). After it was over, since my mom drove, we jumped back in the car and came home. I remember my math teacher being like, yall aren’t staying for the rest? We literally just popped in, took a test, and went home. We had a blast in the car telling stories, listening to music, and laughing all the way back. And the funniest part was that Chris and I ended up winning 1st & 2nd place in the whole state-wide competition. Of course, we weren’t there, but the teacher from then out said it was because we sped so fast and had our adrenaline pumping that we did so well… matter of fact, I think they made it a day trip the next year! HAHA!
Contact Info:
- Website: twomenandatrucksmyrna.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tmt_chamblee
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TwoMenAtlanta
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-stewart-54b1072
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@twomenandatruck?si=QLZoKWYYDmnSjsvn
