For this month’s Team Member Spotlight, we’re taking you to a part of the office we haven’t visited before – the back office! We’re shining the spotlight on Accounting Manager Sara Huddleston, who also happens to be one of the longest-tenured members of the team.
Her dynamic accounting team keeps Velocity organized and moving forward, and has also found unique efficiencies that have made us easy to partner with for both customers and carriers. We can’t wait to share what she had to say about her team, our culture, and the growth she’s been able to witness.
How long have you been with Velocity Transport and how did you find out about Velocity?
I’ve been a part of the team since January of 2018! It’s crazy how much we’ve grown since then and how much busier we are today. We certainly see that growth up close in accounting!
I don’t recall exactly how Velocity landed on my radar, but once I found out about them I was very excited. The possibility of growing with a start-up was too much to pass up!
What is your role on the team?
I interviewed for the role of Accounting Supervisor and now have the title of Accounting Manager. We have a lean, mean team of 3 and we’re a very tight-knit group!
Day-to-day, I oversee everything in the accounting department, including managing and producing all financial statements, managing deposits, and tracking growth. If any members of my team have questions, I step in to assist as well. It’s our collective responsibility to keep finances running on a daily basis.
We pride ourselves on streamlining processes for our customers, how does our back-office staff contribute to that mission?
One thing that sets us apart from other brokers is our payment terms. We offer same-day pay for a 1% fee, which is pretty out of the ordinary! We’ve also streamlined accounting across the board. No matter what corrections need to be made, our processes make them easy.
Streamlining accounting leads to adept time-management, which ultimately makes it easier and more efficient for customers and carriers to partner with us.
How have you adjusted to working remotely and how do you maintain that important work/life balance from home?
It’s definitely been an adjustment because I’m a people-person! I’m in a bit of a flex role, though, because I have to come into the office to knock out check runs and some other tasks that require me to be in person briefly.
The biggest key I’ve found to navigating remote work is making my remote environment reflective of my office environment. In other words, keeping things professional and calm to focus on the tasks at hand. It’s all about distraction management, which is why my at-home office setup is far away from the tv, the couch, and the kitchen. I have to shut out the world and focus on the numbers!
Which Velocity core value means the most to you and why?
Integrity First. There are so many moving pieces to what we do, especially in accounting. We have to act with integrity at all times and understand our responsibilities or it all falls apart. If there is an issue, we HAVE to fix it promptly and appropriately. We HAVE to be proactive. Integrity leads the way in accounting and with Velocity as a whole.
How would you describe company culture? What do you love about it?
The best thing about our company culture is how familial it is! Everyone is given freedom, but they’re also expected to go above & beyond and pull their weight. It’s earned freedom, for sure.
Micro-management isn’t needed because we all take responsibility. If we do our part, we can work in a much more comfortable work environment than anywhere else in the industry. Management is easy to talk to as well, which isn’t always the case elsewhere!
What do you enjoy doing outside of work, under normal circumstances?
I love to hang out with friends and family at concerts and great restaurants, and go on shopping trips. During COVID, my main hobbies have been binge-watching Netflix. Actually, that’s not much of a change from pre-COVID days!
