Community Highlights: Meet Herman Blacksmith of Heat Trucking

Today we’d like to introduce you to Herman Blacksmith.

Herman, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always had to make sacrifices my whole life. I grew up in a rough area of East Nashville, Tennessee. My mother was a single mother, working two jobs, with five children. We lived in a three-bedroom home and often wondered if ends would be met. Life felt very hard for us.

At thirteen years old I had the opportunity to move in with my best friend, who I now consider my brother, Eli. Living with his family provided me with different opportunities, which led to me furthering my education at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Shortly after moving to Chattanooga, I found out that I was to be expecting a daughter. My daughter motivated me to be a better man and pushed me to provide a life for her that I never had. After my daughter, Harmoni was born; the distance from Nashville to Chattanooga was becoming a burden, I made the decision to transfer to Middle Tennessee State University, where I later received my bachelor’s in Health Science with a major in Exercise Science.

Shortly after graduation, the world was locked down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Finding a job within my educational field was hard because everything was closed. I started to research different ways to bring in an income to support my family, and after thorough research, I learned that trucking was a multi-billion  dollar industry. I told myself, “I just need one!”.

While searching for a truck, I met a man, Eric Jordan, the owner of “The Connect”. He not only allowed me to purchase his truck but to shadow and work under him. This was an opportunity for me to learn about the business that I wanted to be in. Within a couple of months, I began my own company, Heat Trucking, and received a Class A Certified Driver’s License (CDLs). We are now operating five trucks under my company, and have multiple contracts within the Nashville area; which keep my trucks moving daily.

Through multiple sacrifices, I am grateful to have the opportunity to be able to be in the position to provide for my family and assist with providing income for my employees. The little boy with the rough life would’ve never imagined I’d be where I am today. I hope to expand my company by purchasing different types of trucks which can provide more opportunities for me and others around me.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I believe nothing is a smooth road when you have a passion for something.

As you grow there will be a few that sees your vision and you will start to fill lonely at the top. I’ve had many challenges. I have failed multiple times to get where I am today.

I have noticed I lost a lot of relationships due to the fact of not having time. The effort and the energy take a lot of sacrifices which have to be made to be successful.

Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Probably the biggest risk I have taken was with a recent project where I was in the process of getting my CDL to operate the semis.

It was just a very stressful time managing going to school for 12 hours a day and also running a company. I’ve had multiple days without going to sleep.

I was dealing with financial risk and also credibility decisions making. I just knew the risk that I was taking will pay off and the end.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @heattrucking