Great American – Women Trudy Jacobson
Trudy Jacobson Chats About Her Personal and Professional Life
JTP: So how did you end up in the trucking industry?
Trudy: I came by it naturally because my husband was in a family business. It was, and still is a predominantly male industry. There were very few women at the time accepting clerical positions.
I was a young bride, and the issue was I married a workaholic. I could have either developed my own career or be a part of the family business and have that in common with my husband. Part of the decision was that I could spend more time with him.
JTP: Once you entered the trucking industry, what did you learn? Was there anything surprising about it?
Trudy: I loved it. Frankly, I loved working with men because I had a keen ability to understand the difference between men and women and their egos, and the value of me being a female.
I enjoyed it immensely and I loved working with truck drivers, and I loved being with the people who did all the work to make us successful. I was surprised at how much I loved it.
Another thing that surprised me about it was it was like getting a master’s degree in business. While I was sitting at the table for lunch with company leaders – for lunch – not for the meetings, and I sat quiet, listening to them. I grasped all that I could, I learned how a successful business worked together and what’s necessary in the organization. I absorbed it so well I became like a sponge.
JTP: The trucking industry is male dominated. Did you run into any resistance or discrimination?
Trudy: Yes. When I started in the industry, there were no laws to protect women from sexual harassment. Every other minute there was some off-color joke, and that was their energy that was spent. It was a high anxiety environment.
JTP: So how did you end up in the trucking industry?
Trudy: I came by it naturally because my husband was in a family business. It was, and still is a predominantly male industry. There were very few women at the time accepting clerical positions.
I was a young bride, and the issue was I married a workaholic. I could have either developed my own career or be a part of the family business and have that in common with my husband. Part of the decision was that I could spend more time with him.
JTP: Once you entered the trucking industry, what did you learn? Was there anything surprising about it?
Trudy: I loved it. Frankly, I loved working with men because I had a keen ability to understand the difference between men and women and their egos, and the value of me being a female.
I enjoyed it immensely and I loved working with truck drivers, and I loved being with the people who did all the work to make us successful. I was surprised at how much I loved it.
Another thing that surprised me about it was it was like getting a master’s degree in business. While I was sitting at the table for lunch with company leaders – for lunch – not for the meetings, and I sat quiet, listening to them. I grasped all that I could, I learned how a successful business worked together and what’s necessary in the organization. I absorbed it so well I became like a sponge.
JTP: The trucking industry is male dominated. Did you run into any resistance or discrimination?
Trudy: Yes. When I started in the industry, there were no laws to protect women from sexual harassment. Every other minute there was some off-color joke, and that was their energy that was spent. It was a high anxiety environment.
JTP: How did you overcome it?
Trudy: I just laughed when it was appropriate, or didn’t pay attention to it because frankly, it got boring, they weren’t funny anymore. To me… it wasn’t that offensive to me individually. Was it disrespectful? Of course. Was it objectifying women? Of course. I just looked past that, no one ever treated me with disrespect.
Trudy’s experience taught her a lot about life, business, and womanhood. From a small-town girl to an influential businesswoman enjoying the fruits of her labor, she brings a lot of life’s lessons, proven leadership, and inspirational words to the next generation of women.
Trudy earned everything she has today and worked hard for it. Furthermore, she also understands that women everywhere can achieve things well beyond what they believe is possible.
Her goal is to help them understand it and, more importantly, believe it.
We will sit down with her regularly in our Trudy Jacobson Chats series to discuss whatever else that will bring value and hope to women everywhere.
That’s why Trudy wants nothing more than to empower, encourage and inspire women to break down their barriers and build something special. And it all starts here with Trudy Jacobson.
Follow Trudy on Instagram to stay in touch.