I remember sitting in the Chicken Coop in Daly City, California. It was just another lunch date. My now-husband had some free time, so we stopped at the small rotisserie restaurant for lunch.
As we sat in the back talking about our day, I looked toward the entrance and saw Mr. Paul Hogan, the president of the community bank where I worked, walk in with several other executives. We all stood in the same cafeteria-style serving line, ordered the same lunch, carried the same trays, and found seats just a few tables apart.
I was a bank teller making close to minimum wage. He was the bank’s president.
That moment has stayed with me for decades.
I remember thinking, only in America.
In my home country of El Salvador, that scene simply wouldn’t have happened. It wasn’t about whether I could afford the lunch. It was about access. Social and economic circles rarely overlapped that way. Yet here I was, sharing the same restaurant, the same menu, and the same ordinary Tuesday afternoon as the CEO of the bank.
It may seem like a small thing, but sometimes the simplest moments remind us of the opportunities we have without even realizing it.
Recently, I had another “only in America” moment.
Only in America can you almost make a regulator cry.
During CMSA’s Legislative Action Day in Sacramento, several members met with representatives from a state regulatory agency whose name happens to sound more like a food group than a regulator. We spoke openly about increasing diesel costs, rising insurance premiums, labor shortages, and the ever-growing list of regulations affecting our businesses.
Only in America do business owners have the opportunity to sit across the table from regulators, respectfully challenge their thinking, share their experiences, and know that their voices have the potential to influence future decisions.
No, not because anyone was disrespectful or confrontational. Quite the opposite. The conversation was honest, respectful, and candid. Business owners simply shared the reality of what it costs to operate in California and how the cumulative weight of regulations affects our ability to serve customers, employ people, and remain competitive. You could see that our lived experiences were landing differently than perhaps they had before. It wasn’t about winning an argument; it was about making sure the people who write and enforce the rules understand how those decisions affect the people living with them every day.
That same opportunity exists beyond Sacramento.
At a recent Personal Property Program (PPA) Industry Day meeting, CMSA President Steve Weitekamp exercised that same right. He raised concerns about a Department of Defense policy limiting warehouse approvals based on their proximity to active railroad tracks. After reviewing Steve’s comments, the PPA changed its position. Warehouses located 50 feet or more from active railroad tracks are now eligible for approval.
One conversation. One industry representative willing to speak up.
One policy improvement that benefits moving companies across the country.
That is advocacy in action.
I know we are in the middle of peak summer season. Trucks are rolling, phones are ringing, crews are working long hours, and everyone is trying to keep up with demand.
So why am I asking you to become more engaged now?
Because it is during the busiest moments that we feel the weight of regulation the most.
It’s when you have to pull a truck out of your fleet for another compliance test. It’s when another regulation increases your operating costs or creates one more administrative hurdle. Those moments remind us that the rules affecting our businesses don’t exist in a vacuum. They are written by people, and those people need to hear from the businesses they regulate.
Paying your association dues is important. Reading this newsletter is important. Displaying the CMSA logo on your website is great.
But membership is more than a logo.
Attend a chapter meeting this fall. Join a committee. Participate in Legislative Action Day. Consider serving in chapter leadership when the opportunity arises. You don’t have to become chapter president to make a difference. Simply showing up matters.
I’ve heard people say, “I don’t get business from CMSA.”
I understand that perspective because I once thought the same thing.
Over time, I realized that associations are built on relationships before transactions. Sometimes those relationships lead directly to business. Other times they lead to referrals, partnerships, mentorship, or simply a trusted colleague willing to answer the phone when you need advice.
Not every member competes for the same work, and that’s one of our greatest strengths. Whether you represent a van line, specialize in office moving, household goods, logistics, installation, or storage, we all bring different experiences that make the association stronger.
We often say we’re fortunate to live and work in America. That freedom comes with more than opportunity. It comes with responsibility.
The responsibility to participate. The responsibility to speak up.
The responsibility to leave our industry better than we found it.
And one final “only in America” thought.
According to the National Park Service, the United States has 63 national parks, preserving more than 84 million acres of some of the most breathtaking landscapes on Earth. Like our businesses, these places didn’t remain protected by accident. They exist because people chose to become involved, speak up, and leave something better for the next generation.
Only in America.