Jesse Gaddis: D & L Service, Inc

Jesse Gaddis, sole owner of a highly successful yellow cab company, is 72 years old and has finally gotten his work hours down to 40 a week.

"I came to Ft. Lauderdale in 1960 and started my first taxi business," says Gaddis. "I started with 10 taxis and for that first 10 years, I worked a minimum of 80 hours a week."

Today, Gaddis' company, D & L Service, Inc., operates in Broward County, Florida, with 200 employees and 850 independent drivers.

"We answer, on average, 150,000 phone calls a month," says Gaddis. "That does not include pickup at the airport, the seaport, the hotels and off the street."

Gaddis attributes hard work and luck as the key to a flourishing business. He says he has been highly successful over the years, but he also is quick to say he didn't get there all by himself.

"I attribute my success to being able to attract good people and see that they are well rewarded for their efforts," explains Gaddis, "I can't claim that my success is something I've done on my own because that is just not true. You have to deal through other people and you have to have people around you that have integrity. That is the most important thing you can have."

Gaddis also states that one of the smartest things he did over the years was to subscribe to every trade magazine that affects his business.

"I read these trade magazines and I get ideas from them. I get an idea where things are going so I'll be a little ahead of the curve. If you know what's going on around you, you can anticipate what is going to happen and so you can get there first."

The taxi tycoon also says you have to change with the times. Forty years ago, most of his drivers were Anglo-Saxon protestant men but, today, the majority of his drivers are Haitian immigrants. Gaddis sees cab driving as a positive step for these refugees as they strive to make a better life for themselves.

"Cab drivers are a lot smarter than most people give them credit for. They have to learn the city, how to operate a computerized dispatch system, how to deal with the public and be able to drive under various road conditions. This job prepares these people for bigger and better things."

Gaddis believes in helping others help themselves. One of the learning tools he encourages his independent taxi owners to utilize is The Business Owner's sage advice.

"The Business Owner gives small business owners information about do's and don'ts that I probably learned over the years, but, if I'd had The Business Owner around, I probably wouldn't have made so many mistakes. It does steer the reader in the right direction," says Gaddis.

As for the future, the cab mogul remains extremely positive.

"If I had life over again, I would choose the taxi business. It is my favorite business and I'm very optimistic about the future. We are in the position to grow because of several things: the price of gasoline; the elderly need transportation; the cost of rental cars; the cost of airport parking; and the laws against drinking and driving. All of these things will keep the taxi industry thriving."