Every mile we drive and every acre we tend is part of the life we’re building — independent, intentional, and meaningful.
Independence isn’t something that happens overnight. It’s built through hard work, careful choices, lessons learned, and the willingness to keep showing up through different seasons of life.
Some people think independence looks like fancy offices, big paychecks, or a picture-perfect lifestyle. For us, it has become something much quieter, slower, and more deliberate.
It’s choosing work that has purpose. It’s building a business we believe in. It’s caring for land we appreciate. It’s creating days that reflect what matters most — not just what keeps us busy.
When Wayne and I started Durrett Recovery, we weren’t thinking about creating a brand or sharing our story one day. We were simply trying to build a business and create a life that worked.
One load at a time.
One decision at a time.
One season at a time.
What we didn’t realize then was how much the road, the business, and the land would teach us along the way.
This is our journey — one acre and one mile at a time — and the lessons we’ve learned don’t only apply to towing or business. They apply to anyone trying to build a life with more purpose, responsibility, and meaning.
What Independence Means to Us
Independence isn’t just financial freedom.
It’s the ability to make thoughtful decisions, shape your life around your values, and accept responsibility for both the successes and the challenges that come along the way.
On the road, independence means learning how to make decisions every day — managing schedules, choosing opportunities, solving problems, and understanding that not everything will go according to plan.
On the land, independence looks different. It’s learning, growing, taking care of what you have, and appreciating the slower progress that happens over time.
We’ve learned that independence requires both discipline and flexibility.
There are days when everything works out exactly how you planned.
And there are days when life reminds you that you were never fully in control to begin with.
True independence is learning how to handle both.
Lesson: Freedom is built slowly, not given. Every decision, every load, every acre, and every small step contributes to the life you’re creating.
Lessons From Business
Running a small auto transport business has been one of our greatest teachers.
Over the years, we’ve transported thousands of vehicles, worked through busy seasons, slow seasons, unexpected challenges, and plenty of moments where we had to adjust and figure things out.
The towing and transport industry teaches you quickly that there will always be things outside of your control.
Weather changes.
Traffic happens.
Loads cancel.
Equipment breaks.
Plans change.
That’s part of the business.
But one of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is this:
The things you can control matter even more.
You can control how prepared you are.
How organized you stay.
How you communicate.
How you treat people.
How you respond when things don’t go your way.
Small business isn’t just about making money. It’s about learning, adapting, taking responsibility, and continuing to improve through every season.
Over the years, we’ve learned many lessons the hard way while building Durrett Recovery and working in the towing and auto transport industry. For those interested in starting their own journey, we’ve put together beginner resources sharing some of the practical lessons we’ve learned along the way.
🚚 Beginner Towing & Auto Transport Guides
Not theory — just real experience from the road, one load at a time.
Lesson: Independence grows when you focus less on what you can’t control and put your energy into what you can.
Lessons From the Land
Our acres teach lessons that complement the road.
Caring for land is slow, steady work.
Seeds don’t grow overnight.
Projects don’t finish themselves.
The weather doesn’t always cooperate.
And just like business, you learn patience.
The land reminds us that growth takes time.
After long days of trucks, schedules, paperwork, and responsibilities, simple moments outside have a way of bringing everything back into perspective.
A walk down the driveway.
Working with your hands.
Watching something grow.
Enjoying the quiet.
Those small things matter more than we sometimes realize.
Lesson: True independence blends effort with patience. You can’t rush growth — whether it’s in business, the land, or yourself.
Daily Choices That Build Independence
Over time, we’ve learned that building a meaningful life isn’t usually about one big decision.
It’s the small choices repeated every day.
Planning ahead.
Showing up.
Taking care of what you have.
Learning from mistakes.
Being willing to start again.
Celebrating small victories.
Every load delivered safely.
Every problem solved.
Every lesson learned.
Every quiet moment appreciated.
Those things build something.
One Acre & One Mile at a Time
Independence doesn’t mean having everything figured out.
It doesn’t mean life is easy.
And it definitely doesn’t mean doing everything alone.
For us, it means continuing to build a life rooted in hard work, faith, family, responsibility, and appreciation for the journey.
We’re still learning.
Still growing.
Still figuring things out as we go.
But maybe that’s the point.
Because meaningful things are rarely built overnight.
They’re built slowly.
One decision.
One season.
One acre.
One mile at a time.
— Brenda
🌾 Stories of soil & steel, building independence one acre & one mile at a time.
🌾 Continue Building
One of the reasons we created Axles & Acres is because we believe real experience should become practical help for someone else.
We're taking what years on the road have taught us and turning it into guides, tools, systems, and resources that may help someone else start a little smarter, avoid a few expensive mistakes, and build something that can last.
If you're building your own towing or auto transport business, these are a few good places to continue:
📘 Beginner's Guide to Non-CDL Towing — Trucks, equipment, licensing, setup, and some of the things worth understanding before you get too far down the road.
📙 From Setup to First Load — Finding work, building relationships, getting organized, understanding the business side, and preparing for those first loads.
📊 Profit & Loss Spreadsheet — The same simple type of spreadsheet I've used for years to understand where the money is really going, both in business and during my real estate career.
🛠 Helpful Resources — Equipment, systems, software, guides, and other things we've used, learned from, or found helpful along the way.
🚚 Tow Equipment & Reviews — Real-life looks at tools and equipment we actually use on the road and in the business.
💻 Behind the Scenes — The spreadsheets, systems, software, and everyday workflows that help us keep Durrett Recovery and Axles & Acres moving.
Take what helps.
Leave what doesn't.
Along the Way
If you'd like to see a little more of the life behind the work:
🚚 Life on the Axles — Real work, real roads, and lessons from towing, auto transport, and small business.
🌾 Life on the Acres — Real stories from home, the land, projects, marriage, and ordinary life on our little piece of land.
☀️ Brenda's Beacons — Personal reflections, recommendations, and the little lights I'm finding along the way.
🛒 Amazon Storefront — Browse the tools, books, road gear, acreage finds, and everyday things we actually use and recommend.
🎬 Along the Way — Watch the everyday pieces of Axles & Acres as they happen, from the road to the acres and everywhere in between.
If something here helped make the road ahead a little clearer, you're always welcome to subscribe to Axles & Acres or share this with someone else building their own towing or transport business.
Disclosure: Some links may be affiliate links, which help support Axles & Acres at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products, tools, and resources that have genuinely earned a place in our business and our lives. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
