We had a fabulous kickoff and launch of Scaling Up Philadelphia this past quarter with a dedicated, hardworking and inspiring cohort of 7 black, brown and woman-owned companies looking to grow through the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia’s PAGE Prep program.
In honor of this life changing program, we’re highlighting each of the amazing new members of our CEO Think Tank® community and sharing a little more about their journey to enlightened leadership!
First up? Alpha Transports, a freight shipping and trucking company that serves as an Amazon delivery service provider
Antoine Fain and his wife and business partner, Regina, launched Alpha Transports, LLC, , in April 2020, when they were able to make their lifelong dream a reality.
Antoine, the CEO and COO, a former army officer, brings over 23 years of management experience to the table, including time spent with companies like Texas Instruments, GE Oil & Gas, and Stewart Tubular Products. Regina serves as the company’s CFO and has over 22 years of accounting and auditing experience and over 19 years of management experience of her own.
The Fain’s pursued the opportunity of becoming a provider for Amazon Logistics in 2019. Initially planning to launch their business in Houston, the Philadelphia area had an immediate need for services. After much discussion, Antoine and Regina made the decision to take advantage of the opportunity. They relocated to the Greater Philadelphia area, started up Alpha Transports and so their entrepreneurial journey began.
“While 2020 was a tumultuous time for many, we had a great deal of early success in our business because of Covid,” Antoine shared with us. Given the volume of people ordering from online retailers through Amazon, they got a bump that many startups don’t have resulting in rapid growth – and of course all of the issues associated with that growth, which is why participating in the Scaling Up Philadelphia Cohort came at just the right time.
They started small but have grown to employ over 60 people and are delivering over 1.2 million packages in the past year. They have also launched Fain Logistics, Inc. and are looking to become an independent contractor for other larger companies requiring logistics and delivery services.
“Leadership is my life.”
“Leadership is my life,” Antoine told us. “Much of our success with Alpha Transports is because of our dedication to developing our team and our desire to always be better.” He also shared that their focus currently is efficiency and profitability, with action plans for both being incorporated into their Annual Initiatives for 2023.
“Actually, profitability is first in my book,” Regina says with a smile. “One thing I learned right from the start working with the team from CEO Think Tank® and Scaling Up – if we can’t be profitable and have strong Cash Flow, nothing else matters.”
Ultimately, they would both like to continue to expand their business within logistics and become more than just a delivery company. Most importantly, Antoine and Regina would like to continue to create more opportunities for others to have jobs where they learn, grow and have a chance to contribute.
“Any chance we have to create opportunities for others who might otherwise might not have had that chance, that is incredibly important to us.”
Their experience thus far with the Scaling up Philadelphia program has been tremendous. Antoine credits the program with giving them a different way to look at data and drive action which is essential to growth. “The tools, resources and skill set we both are gaining will help put a strong foundation for growth in place and drive the company forward.”
Antoine’s best piece of advice for other entrepreneurs?
“Understand that entrepreneurship is extremely hard work. You’ll probably be the first employee and you’ll probably be working every day of the week at first. After all, it’s your baby. But, if you are ready to do that, you’ll have a fruitful business.”