And the beat goes on...

The project is proceeding apace, although I've hit a snag. Customers continue to call or e-mail with very little advertising on my part, so that means word-of-mouth is working well. A journalist buddy of mine is going to get a masters in business journalism in New York, and he wants to do his master's thesis on my company. I've also been in contact with the franchising guy who stopped me at 7/Eleven a few months ago. While nothing has been proposed and certainly nothing has been finalized, he's proving to be a good person to bounce ideas off of.

However, one thing threatens to abort the whole thing: insurance.

Meeting the State of Virginia's burdensome liability requirement ($750,000) taken care of was relatively easy. But cargo ($50,000) is another story. I've been turned down by several of the very few cargo insurance providers because of the potentially costly claims that may come from carrying household goods. One thing keeps coming up: Say I haul somebody's office somewhere. But that nice landscape picture on the wall isn't just some print knock-off from Staples, but an actual Monet. Then let's say I drive through a thunderstorm and the tarp blows off my truck. (Highly unlikely, I try to tell the insurance companies through the agents, as I'm wrap my jobs so thoroughly it would make the Trojan corporation jealous). Then the Monet turns into a Henry: Age 6, Mrs. Johnson's kindergarten class.

To be completely legal, I need this insurance. I need it to cover my own butt, too, obviously. And if I can't get it for one truck, then how's this going to work when I try to go national?

It's becoming clear that what I need is a special kind of insurance company that's willing to get creative, and that recognizes a great opportunity when it comes along. I also have to finally get my business plan together and make a good, strong case for WHY this is such a great opportunity.

That's pretty much where things are at right now. I'm also working on marketing plans, various admin stuff that doesn't need to be blogged about, and trying to keep my head above water at my day job. That's a whole 'nother story...