In this Business Blast Podcast episode, host Tyler Wagner interviews Jerry Richmond, founder and COO of AP Logistics. Richmond opens with a childhood story about a World War I pilot who taught him that a single quarter represents a life that can be spent only once, framing his perspective on decision‑making. He then explains AP Logistics’ core offering—operational continuity—delivered through a contractual “Triple S” program (Safe, Service, Success) that ensures reliable, high‑quality logistics services. Richmond shares concise business wisdom: (1) "Own it" – leaders must take responsibility for their decisions; (2) "Stay the course" – entrepreneurs should remain committed to their plans despite challenges; (3) Faithfulness – honesty to self, family, and business is the key to happiness. He discusses his philosophical influences, citing William James and Ouspensky on critical thinking, and shares his favorite quote from Dylan Thomas, interpreting it as a call to live each day fully and create opportunities. The interview concludes with his preferred contact method—LinkedIn—since AP Logistics does not maintain a public website. The episode blends personal anecdotes, operational philosophy, and actionable leadership advice.
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Alright everyone, welcome back to the Business Blast Podcast. Today I have Jerry Richman with us. He's the founder and COO of AP Logistics, and the first question I have for you, Jerry, is what's the best story from your life that has an underlying valuable message?
The best story? Well, thank you, Tyler, for having me on. The best story goes back to where I was a child, and a gentleman was— I just refer to him as Old Man Brady. He was actually a World War I fighter pilot. He got on his knees one morning at church when I was just a kid and asked me for my 25 cents, my allowance, and I gave him that quarter. Mr. Brady held that quarter up and looked at me and explained that that was my life. I could spend it any way I wanted to, but I could only spend it once. And as a child, that stuck.
Hmm, I love that. Okay. And next question is, what's the most valuable piece of information we should that's within your expertise or industry?
Operational continuity is what I call it. So many businesses today trip over themselves moving from A to B, B to A, A to B, B to A, or they don't realize their valuations because of handicaps for whatever reason or retardation in their processes. So operational continuity is what AP Logistics does. We never promise anything that we can't deliver. And through our operational continuity programs, when we commit AP, we commit all her resources, and all her resources come to bear due to our contractual agreements with our customers, our clients. And we make sure that our staff is highly trained, our office staff is second to none, our drivers and operators are the most professional. Courteous on the road and the most safe. They every day operate under what we call our Triple S program, which is part of our operational continuity, is safe, service, and success. This allows AP to be a foundation for our customers to build on. So our operational continuity is a core value to us. It's not just a program, it's our core, and that's what we believe in, and that's how we deliver our services to our customer.
And what's your best piece of overall business advice?
Own it. Too many, too often, leaders don't own their decisions or their actions. Right or wrong, our actions, our decisions is ours to own. If we blame circumstance or people for our failures, then as leaders, we actually relinquish all ownership of future decisions. Of operational failures will occur because it fractures the faith in the leader when we don't own what we do. And it just makes it almost impossible to accomplish future plans for the organization. At this point, once we no longer own it, we're no longer a team focused with the one resolve. We become a group of people working on an idea with each individual trying to protect themselves from the fallout. Of that leader, not owning their actions and their decisions. So, own it is my suggestion.
And if you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Stay the course. Too many times entrepreneurs will vary off course. They start making excuses or they just convince themselves that something can't be accomplished regardless of how hard it is. Stay the course. And that's what I would tell myself if I could go back is stay the course. Once it's a plan, stay the course.
And in your opinion, what's the key to happiness?
The key to happiness? Faithfulness. Faithfulness to yourself, family, and to the business. Being honest with yourself. And being— if you're honest with yourself, if you're honest with your family, if you're honest with your business, honest to the customers, that's where contentment comes into, is the honesty that you have with everyone.
And what's the best book you've read and what was the number one thing you learned from it?
Oh God, okay, this is very difficult. I'm an avid reader. I'm extremely avid reader. I love philosophy. I love critical thinking methods. Two of my favorite: William James, one of the best, greatest philosophers to me that ever lived on critical thinking methods, action, aligning your actions with your aims. Einstein made the comment that the true definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Critical thinking methods through William James explains why that comment was made, why you can't. So it's Yeah, I learned from all different from William James. Ouspensky is another great philosopher that I read. So I could say one book. I can't, I can't because I feed from all these different individuals and their life experiences.
Totally.
I understand.
I'm a big reader as well. That is a tough question.
Okay.
And the next one is, what's your favorite quote and why?
Do not go gently into the night. Rage, rage, rage to the dying of the light. That to me is one of the greatest sayings from Dylan Thomas. Live every day as if it truly is your last day. Floyd Winchester III taught me to always run the company on a shoestring budget, never have pork in it to begin with. Live your life as if that's the last day with your family, with your business, with your customers. Go after life. Don't sit back and wait for opportunity. Opportunity doesn't knock. You create opportunity and live your life as if that day is the last day. And that's what I try to do.
Well, thank you very much for coming on, Jerry. The last question I have for you is, where's the best people— or where's the best place for people to find you online?
LinkedIn. We don't have a website, AP Logistics. What we do have is just— we don't— we're not for hire. We deal with LafargeHolcim. So for me, it's my LinkedIn. That's where I am. That's the easiest way to get to me. Just Jerry Richmond at LinkedIn, JPR on LinkedIn.
Perfect, man. Thank you again for coming on.
We appreciate it. Thank you, sir. Thank you for having me. My honor.
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