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Oakland-based Mitchells Transport, which transports goods intrastate, offers a 100% guarantee that the cargo will reach each and every destination at or before the time allotted. Safety and reliability are their number one priority, and they live up to the high standards. We recently enjoyed getting to better know the business’ President of Operational Affairs, Catherean Mitchell, whose emails end with a mantra that reveals her team’s strong work ethic: “For tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”

GGBA: Please tell us more about Mitchells Transport, including its mission and values. 

Catherean Mitchell: Mitchells Transport is a full-service transportation company, offering hauling services. Over the 

last three years, we have grown our industry footprint based upon our relationships and capabilities. We have dedicated team 

members who are experts in managing; executing, directing, and coordinating each run to ensure a safe and expedited transition 

from origin to the destination. We are a small, but efficient, trucking company and we hold several certificates—to name a few: DBE, MBE, WBE, LBE, and LGBTBE. We are a firm that is more than capable of fulfilling your hauling needs.

We haul freight all across California. We specialize in demolition removal, excavation removal, and transporting finished materials. We believe everyone deserves an opportunity to receive A1 service. It is our desire to ensure our clients feel confident in their cargo being delivered efficiently so we offer satellite tracking and can give you an exact location of where your freight is at real time. We are insured and backed by an A-rated company that has our best interest in mind as we do yours.

We aim to exceed the expectations of our existing customers so that they can refer us to new customers.

GGBA: Are you one of the founders of Mitchells Transport? 

Catherean Mitchell: Yes. Mitchells Transport was started in 2018 when my husband and I were being pulled in two different directions and barely had any face-to-face time because of our jobs. Taishawn worked swing shift at his job; I worked early mornings at mine. We had a rotation and schedule for me dropping off the kids and him picking them up and going to work before I made it home. At one point we got tired of not seeing each other or having enough family time because of our demanding opposite schedules. We decided to create Mitchells Transport as a way to bring our family closer and enhance and enrich our core family values, which include togetherness.  

GGBA: Who are some of your role models, and especially those who helped to influence your business? 

Catherean Mitchell: Role models include Eric Thomas, Les Brown, Lisa Nichols, and Tony Robinns. Well before I started my first company, I had ambitions to be a self-employed entrepreneur. I longed for the days that I would formulate an idea, create the product or service, and serve my community. I listened to podcasts daily from all of my top role models and acted as if they were talking to me directly. At that time, I didn’t have a lot of money to personally hire them, so when they spoke, I tuned in and took notes as if I spent my last dollar on their seminar and couldn’t afford to waste a moment.  

GGBA: Why did you decide to join the GGBA, and how long have you been a member? 

Catherean Mitchell: I decided to join the GGBA because I wanted to join a community of likeminded business professionals. I joined because I enjoy learning from others and feel my experience and knowledge can be helpful and resourceful to others. I’ve been a member for two months, and I look forward to a lasting membership with the GGBA. 

Being a member of GGBA will help my business to grow and foster relationships with potential partners, as well as foster joint venture prospects. It will allow me the opportunity to collaborate with other members.  

I would recommend that all businesses join an organization such as the GGBA. There is a plethora of helpful resources, facilitating connections that are critical in growing and scaling your business. Attending organizational networking events creates an environment for business owners to jointly venture and collaborate with companies that they would have not had the opportunity to meet if not for an organization like GGBA. 

Catherean Mitchell: The advice I would give to someone who is considering starting their own business is to have a “why?”—meaning not just an idea, but a why behind their idea. That “why” will be the reason you never give up when things get hard and you momentarily decide quitting could be easier. Having a strong why will be the reason you wake up early in the morning to chase your goal, and go to sleep late at night fulfilling your task checklist for the day. I would recommend having a “why” and sticking to it.  

GGBA: Is there anything else that you would like to share?   

Catherean Mitchell: We are a family-owned business, and our competitive advantage is I’m always seeking new ways to pivot our business and elevate the level of service we provide to our customers. We go above and beyond for our clients and treat each and every one of them like a member of our very own family. 

For more information: https://mitchellstrans.com/