A Q&A with Antonio Collins, co-founder of Collins Trucking Ltd.

Antonio Collins (BSBA 2022) is pursuing a major in real estate (with a concentration in property development) and a minor in entrepreneurship. He grew up in Aurora, Colorado, where his family owns and operates United Plumbing Services, Collins Development Ltd., and most recently, Collins Trucking Ltd. He co-founded Collins Trucking, a small business dedicated to freight shipping in the West.

We sat down with Collins to discuss his trucking company, COVID-19 challenges and what’s next for the startup.

 

Q: Where did the idea for your company come from?

A: I have experience in family businesses. My dad and grandparents were entrepreneurs. It is in my blood to start a business. My dad and I have always dreamed of owning a real estate company together. We run a local plumbing company here in Denver. Another venture we had discussed was trucking. When an opportunity came about, we said, “why not take the next step toward this venture?” So we bit the bullet.

We purchased the trucks from a company that runs out of California. New emission laws were instated in California, and those laws did not align with the regulations of other states. Suddenly, certain trucks were not allowed to run out there. They could still operate in places like Colorado, where the laws are not so strict. We saw it as a great opportunity to buy these trucks at a good price and start running them somewhere else.

 

Q: You started your company amid the COVID-19 pandemic. What challenges arose in the process?

A: We wanted to start in Nevada because it is close to many distribution centers in the West. It also provided benefits when it came to tax laws. I began the process in winter 2020. I had everything in place … then Covid hit and shut everything down. It was a huge obstacle for us because we lost access to resources and the ability to meet people in person. We realized we needed to shift everything to Colorado, so it was close to home. That way, we could build a solid foundation (given the circumstances), and expand later.

There is a lot of money to be made in the trucking industry. Even before Covid, there was a huge demand in this industry. In the beginning, I did not really know anything about that sort of business. It was overwhelming. I had to figure things out for myself. Google and YouTube became my best friends. I spent a lot of time doing research. In some ways, Covid gave me more time to educate myself.

 

Q: How has Entrepreneurship@DU played a role in your ventures?

A: When I arrived at DU, I immediately declared the entrepreneurship minor. I connected with a lot of like-minded individuals who were passionate about startups—peers who could relate to the hardships and rewards of starting and owning your own business. Connecting with Director of Entrepreneurship@DU Joshua Ross also played a huge role. He really opened my mind to startups, innovation and ways of separating yourself from other companies. Hearing stories about the companies he started gave me a lot of perspective. He laid the educational foundation for my entrepreneurial mindset in college.

Entrepreneurship@DU has connected me with highly qualified faculty members. My professors have been great educators while also creating purposeful bonds and relationships with their students. I feel so fortunate to have been a part of such an amazing community.

Creating a relationship with Entrepreneur in Residence Bill Powell has also left an impact on my work. We met through his one-credit sprint, How to Realistically Fund Your Business (EVM 3435/4435). Since then, he has become a mentor to me. He met with me outside office hours to help me work through my business plan. When I pitched a similar business model to a private investor, he guided me through the process.

 

Q: What entrepreneurs inspire you?

A: One of my greatest role models is my father. Growing up, I watched my dad work hard to create his plumbing company. He taught me unwavering altruism and dedication when it comes to entrepreneurship. When I face an obstacle, I am inspired by the trials and tribulations he overcame. Watching him create a company from nothing has left a huge impression on me.

Another role model of mine is the great Elon Musk. When you see what he went through with PayPal, Tesla and SpaceX … his ability to venture into a new industry and totally start from scratch is inspiring. He approached industries he knew nothing about, and he made a tremendous amount of wealth and influence out of that nothingness. That is crucial for how I try to approach business. I feel like that is a huge reward for being an entrepreneur: the ability to create something out of nothing. You get to look back at what you created and smile.

 

Q: Do you have an end goal for Collins Trucking Ltd.?

A: Our main goal for Collins Trucking Ltd. is to strengthen relationships and lead innovation in the transportation industry. We want to provide 100% green transportation services for the government, as well as for private companies looking to improve their ESG principles. Bigger companies like Amazon, Microsoft and Patagonia are taking strides to reduce their carbon footprint. I want to scale the company we have, and eventually, convert all our vehicles to green energy. In the end, we want a large-scale corporation with an emphasis on the triple bottom line: people, planet and profit.