Trucking is the backbone of global commerce, serving as the primary mode of transportation for goods across the globe. It is a demanding profession and presents its unique share of challenges when it comes to maintaining physical and mental well-being. Truck drivers work longer weeks and irregular hours which makes it difficult for them to sleep well and eat healthy. They are highly stressed, hardly ever exercise, and are always eating junk food. Navigating the challenges, Truckers Health Network provides services and promotes initiatives to build a health and wellness hub for the trucking community.
Established under the leadership of Brian Hazelgren, Truckers Health Network drives innovation in health & wellness through valued partnerships of medical and wellness professionals, and innovative companies, building an ecosystem of health and wellness products, services, and healthcare plans.
Brian Hazelgren, CEO of Truckers Health Network, is a dynamic leader in the realm of healthcare and entrepreneurship, bringing over three decades of experience to the board. He was CEO of a medical services company that was awarded the prestigious “Top 50 Companies in Healthcare Award” by the International Forum on Advancements in Healthcare; named to the “Top 100 Game Changers in Franchising;” and was also awarded the “Top 10 Disruptive Franchises of 2020.” Brian has been awarded the “101 Most Influential Executives in Healthcare” by the World Health & Wellness Congress.
Since 2003, Brian has been in developing new income streams for physicians and hospitals and has designed, implemented, and led the programs that have generated over $1.3 billion in new revenue. He is an award-winning author, and keynote speaker. He is also a globally recognized expert in startups, sales & marketing, business systems, and leadership training, and is the architect of The Entrepreneur’s Game Plan system for business mentoring and raising capital.
With a rich tapestry of experience in the professional world, Brian has been pushing boundaries and redefining possibilities in the realm of business. We are delighted to have an interaction with Brian Hazelgren, to delve deeper into his business and its unique value propositions.
What was the story behind the ideation of Truckers Health Network? What was your initial mission?
Through a personal experience of having a panic attack going down the freeway at 75 mph, I was boxed in by several semi-trucks in front of me, to the side of me, and very close behind me, I almost passed out. After breathing my way through that incident, I pulled over to the side of the road to get my bearings and catch my breath. I realized that truck drivers might also experience a similar incident because of their high stress, lack of sleep, poor eating habits, and a severe lack of exercise. I began researching the trucking industry and was shocked by the results. I was seeing terrible health and wellness conditions that the truck drivers were living with, and really no one was doing anything about it. So, we launched Truckers Health Network to be a voice of reason and a supplier of products and services that will help truck drivers regain better health and well-being.
What approach do you take to provide health and wellness options to truck drivers and trucking companies worldwide?
We offer deep discounts on health and wellness products and services that are not available in the industry. We also have created a cost savings model that helps the executive team understand the importance of investing into a wellness strategy for their employees and drivers. We now prove that for every $1.00 they invest into a wellness strategy, it can turn into $6.00 in healthcare savings. Through a long list of services and products that they can utilize, we can also cut down sick days for the truck drivers, which is typically 15 days a year versus the typical eight days per year per employee outside of the trucking community. As a company that may have 25 drivers, could save over $360,000 as an example. We utilize this cost savings model with the executive team and let them put in their own numbers and see how the model calculates what their potential savings would look like.
As an entrepreneur, what do you consider to be your biggest struggle in this field?
The biggest struggle is convincing the truck drivers to start taking their health and wellness more seriously. The average life expectancy of a truck driver is the age 61 – that is literally 16 years less than the rest of the population! That is also why many truck drivers are obese and have multiple chronic illnesses that they simply just have to live with because they don’t take the time, or make the investment in their own health and wellness.
In what ways do you drive innovation in health and wellness?
We have products and services that help drive innovation in health and wellness, but we also have a national network of doctors who are available through our app, 24/7. A driver can speak with one of our doctors at any time of the day while they are on the road, and they can also utilize our Robo RITA (Remote Intelligent Telemedicine Assistant) device in convenient locations, which allows them to reach a physician in a matter of minutes, not in the average 26 days like the rest of the healthcare system allows.
In what ways has the company adjusted to the dynamic demands, changing preferences, and unique needs of the industry?
We have created an ecosystem that is literally turning into its own health and wellness system, that no other associations, or organizations offer their members, and their employees. So many of our clients, members, and their employees have helped us understand how we need to create better services and products to provide better employee/patient outcomes. We provide services, products, events, training, and education, and a national network of medical and wellness professionals all under the convenient umbrella of an ecosystem of health and wellness.
Looking ahead, how does your company plan to further innovate in the industry? What future vision do you have for your company?
The introduction of our Robo RITA devices at locations that are convenient for truck drivers, as well as any employee, or family that is on the road, is creating an innovative way for travelers, employees, and people who live in remote communities to access healthcare at a fraction of the cost. It is our hope that more people will support what we are doing so that we can get healthcare options to people faster through our Robo RITA devices, and our app.
Would you like to give any advice to the young and emerging entrepreneurs who are about to embark on their business journey?
Work with other leaders who have been there, done that, and learned from their experiences so that they don’t have to make the same mistakes. Always remember the positive “C’s”: clarity, commitment, confidence; and forget about the negative “C’s”: compare, complain, criticize.
We offer deep discounts on health and wellness products and services that are not available in the industry.
