Never Give Up

By: Ricardo Zaky

I’m always amazed at how working on yourself never ends. You keep getting better, then BOOM…a new level unlocks, and you start working on yourself again.

That’s actually a significant KEY to success: getting used to the constant pursuit of growth and never giving up on yourself.

I don’t work for Nussbaum; I work with Nussbaum. I’m not just an employee; I’m an employee-owner. The culture at Nussbaum allows this title to feel true. When I started back in June of 2020, we were three months into the Covid-19 pandemic, and I was stir-crazy from the lack of work and income. I had to do something, so I thought, “There must be a professional company out there that can benefit from my years of experience – not only in driving, but customer service, attention to detail, team mentality, and being purpose-driven.”

When I found Nussbaum Transportation – all the way out there near Chicago, Illinois – I thought, “Wow, that’s kind of far from Elkridge, Maryland.” But I put those thoughts aside and looked no further because I believed this company would honor my “never give up” attitude. I have found this to be true, and in turn, my admiration for Nussbaum has flourished.

Once hired, I thought, “How can I best serve this faith-based company in the midwestern United States?” I thought I was good when I started, but make no mistake: every day you work with Nussbaum Transportation, there is room for improvement. The first opportunity for improvement I saw was joining the Certified Red Program. I felt as though I’d reached a plateau in my driving career, and there was nothing else to learn – even with my State Police experience under my belt. Well, let’s just say I was wrong. If you pay strict attention to the analytics you get every week, you realize there is always room for improvement. I’ve committed myself never to give up. My goal is to score a perfect 10.0 in each category. I started at about 5.6 and am now scoring 9.0 or better. I may never reach 10.0, but I will never give up. I will always try to improve.

There is nothing like the satisfaction of a job well done, whether recognized or not. The self-satisfaction is overwhelming, and with our dedicated staff, from driver managers to our service technicians to Brent Nussbaum himself, you can’t lose with a winning team like that.

Always be true to yourself, always be honest. Always think positively, take care of your body with diet and exercise, and rest well. Treat others as you want to be treated, and success is yours for the taking.

I’m not saying every day will be Shangri-La, but if you carry this attitude, most days will be the days you find what you’re made of. Will you quit or never give up? Will you improve, or are you part of the status quo? How will you define yourself? As for me, I will improve. I will be myself. I will never tap out. I will always do what is necessary for the greater good. Never give up.