In times when the logistics industry is struggling to keep up, Moro Logistics is a breath of fresh air
Although polygamy is still legal today in many parts of the world, recent studies have shown that it can have devastating effects on family happiness and stability. Add to the ongoing Anglophone Crisis (also known as the Cameroonian Civil War) and it is not surprising that, in many ways, Valerie felt that he was on his own in this world. While these could have defeated him, his unwavering spirit kept him going and he fought hard – and continues to fight hard – for the life that he wanted.
Gaining valuable experience
In his homeland of Cameroon, in 2010, Valerie began his entrepreneurship as a businessman. He was responsible for finding buyers internationally for local products and negotiating with them for specific suppliers. He had to deal with huge international companies. He also gained experience in management, as he would bring terms and conditions of the proposed contract to parties involved and act as a supervisor to maintain quality and ensure customer satisfaction. Valerie had the opportunity to travel around Africa and Asia, and it was during his travels that he first became excited about big trucks and large-scale transportation.
Through 2018-2019, Valerie started to invest even more in his skills. He completed the three-fold Scale Agile certification process: Safe Advanced Scrum Master, Leading SAFe and Release Train Engineer. He was then fortunate to work as a Scale Agile Scrum Master with MasGlobal SAS. He was responsible for coordinating activities of multiple Scrum teams to develop deliverables and facilitate software development. Beyond that, he continuously challenged the teams to improve their performance in quality, predictability, flow, and velocity. It was important to him that his teams had a safe and transparent environment for members to feel comfortable voicing their opinions, eliminating fear of judgment and retribution. From his perspective, employee and customer happiness hold just as much value as profit and production. This was a period of immense growth for Valerie.
New beginnings
In 2017 Valerie made the difficult decision to leave conflict-ridden Cameroon and moved to the US. Although he was excited about this next chapter, he knew that it would not be easy. With minimal funds, he would have to move forward extremely mindfully.
He recalls: “When I moved to the USA, I wanted to do something that would impact my life, the American communities and ease livelihood somehow. Then, I saw the transport and logistics industry as something which would not only benefit me in the long run, but would help to create jobs, supply food to the American people and make them happy. Of course, he who gives you food makes you happy.”
With this inspiration, Valerie purchased his first refrigerated transportation tractor trailer in May 2019 – using almost all his savings for the investment. This was a huge first step in establishing his transportation business, and as a successful and confident businessman, he soon found an experienced driver, with almost 20 years of experience in his belt to drive his first truck.
The business
The company deals with freight services for a variety of businesses, managing logistics and negotiating contracts. The tractor trailers contain refrigerators - allowing loads, such as food, to be under temperature control. Moro Logistics is committed to safe driving, providing timely deliveries, and has developed a strong reputation for outstanding customer service.
During their first year of operations, the business made almost $60K in revenue with only a single truck. Although he had a strong start, Valerie’s business faced unprecedented challenges when the Covid-19 pandemic hit and literally derailed transportation and logistics systems around the world. He credits his grit, resilience, and goal-driven nature for pushing him through those difficult times.
Now, Moro Logistics is in its third year of business. In this short while, Valerie has added three more tractor trailers and three more drivers. His first-ever contracted driver is still part of the Moro Logistics team – a testament to Valerie’s management style. The company’s annual revenue is over $1m and, with a recent investment of another $145k in equipment, this figure is sure to increase. The company is known for being affordable, clean, and reliable. In the transportation and logistics industry, nothing speaks louder than timely deliveries.
When reflecting upon his success, Valerie shares that “in less than three years, the result has been a highly trusted and affordable company with high customer satisfaction. We are growing exponentially and have gained the trust of our communities and industry giants.”
Moro Logistics is in business with over 100 clients, including industry kingpins like JB Hunt, Landstar Rangers, Bozel Transport and Total Quality Logistics. Over the next two years, Valerie hopes to increase his fleet to a total of 10 trucks and increase customer reach by at least 100%. He is eager to help the American population with their transportation needs, as well as to provide jobs in a time when the economy is struggling.
