I live in what my family jokingly calls the Republic of Davis, California, where summer temperatures regularly reach 107 degrees. And yet, without fail, at least once a week one of my two children asks for chicken soup.
Our version starts with fresh ginger, garlic, green cardamom, onion, cilantro, oregano, carrots, celery, and, of course, chicken. Depending on the day, they’ll ask for ramen, udon, or traditional pasta noodles.
They’ve had chicken soup in restaurants. They’ve had it at friends’ homes. They’ve tasted recipes from family and neighbors. But this is the one they call “Mom’s chicken soup.”
It made me think about our industry.
If you gathered fifty moving companies from across California and asked each one how they operate, you’d probably get fifty different answers.
Some companies insist every estimate must be completed in person. Others have embraced virtual surveys. Some invest heavily in technology and digital paperwork. Others still prefer a handshake, a clipboard, and a printed Bill of Lading. Some focus exclusively on household goods while others specialize in office relocations, laboratories, military moves, storage, or logistics.
None of those approaches is automatically right or wrong.
They’re simply different recipes.
When I first entered the moving industry, I spent a lot of time looking around wondering who had the “right” recipe. I wanted to know how successful companies answered the phone, quoted jobs, hired employees, managed claims, marketed themselves, priced storage, and built relationships with customers.
What I eventually learned was something much more valuable.
Successful companies don’t all use the same recipe.
They understand the ingredients that matter and then create something that reflects their values, their customers, their market, and their community.
That is one of the greatest benefits of belonging to CMSA.
We have the opportunity to peek into someone else’s kitchen.
Of course, those conversations happen within the framework of our Code of Ethics and antitrust guidelines. We don’t exchange competitively sensitive information. What we do share is something just as valuable: experience.
Within CMSA you’ll find community, networking, mentorship, and a genuine willingness to help one another become better operators.
You may be familiar with organizations like Vistage, EOS, or Mastermind groups, where business leaders intentionally learn from one another. The good news is that many of us already have access to something similar through our association.
Maybe you’re a little shy. (Or as my kids would say, a “shy Ronnie.”)
Ask Steve or me for a warm introduction to another mover you’ve always been professionally curious about.
Have you built a successful residential moving company but wonder what everyone is talking about during military peak season? Get your feet wet. Reach out to one of our Transportation Service Providers. Ask questions. Learn the process. Yes, military work comes with additional paperwork and requirements, and while some shipments may even take you onto NASA or Space Force facilities…
Moving is not rocket science.
Perhaps you’ve been turning away international opportunities because they seem intimidating. I understand. But there are several outstanding international forwarders within our CMSA network that I would happily introduce you to.
Maybe your curiosity is commercial moving, office installations, warehouse operations, records management, storage, or expanding into a new market. Chances are someone in our association has already walked that path and would gladly share what they’ve learned. If you’re in a different part of the state, you’ll probably find people especially willing to open up because you’re not competing for the same customers. But don’t let geography stop you. I’ve reached out to movers in my own region and have been met with generosity, practical advice, and recommendations for resources more times than I can count. That’s the kind of culture we have at CMSA, and it’s something worth protecting.
You don’t have to copy someone else’s entire recipe.
Maybe you borrow one ingredient. Maybe you add two.
Maybe you realize the way you’ve always done something is exactly right for your customers.
That’s the beauty of learning from one another.
Every chapter meeting, convention session, committee meeting, warehouse tour, webinar, or conversation over coffee is another opportunity to improve your own recipe. The knowledge is already in the room. Sometimes all it takes is introducing yourself and asking a question.
Heck, just last week I called another mover to ask about…Christmas trees. That’s how rich and valuable this network is. Sometimes the conversation is about military peak season. Sometimes it’s about warehouse operations. And sometimes it’s about something completely unexpected. You never know who has the answer you’re looking for until you ask.
So what’s stopping you from reaching out?
If you’d like an introduction to another member, I’d be happy to help. Email works best, but you can always text me.
After all, my children have tasted plenty of chicken soups over the years.
They still ask for mine. Not because it’s the only good recipe. Simply because it’s ours.
Will your chicken soup ever taste exactly like mine? Probably not.
And that’s exactly the point. Borrow an ingredient. Share one of your own.
Keep improving your recipe. That’s how we all get better.