Whitman Trailer Sales
Owner: Darrell Whitman
Location: Neosho, Mo.
Products: Horse and livestock trailers, flat beds, enclosed cargo trailers, lawn mowers and trailer rental
Background: Darrell has been a horseman all his life. He has had as many as 88 quarter horses and Palominos. He competed in rodeos and showed horses in his younger days. He also judged horse shows for 30 years. He has a brother that was an auctioneer, and they both traveled a lot and Darrell managed to sell trailers nationwide before the computer made it so easy. It was a matter of handing out business cards.
Darrell said he met a lot of people in his travels that he found it easy to relate to because of his background in horses.
Philosophy: Darrell said he has always tried to hang around people that knew more than he did. He picked up ideas on training horses this way. “I still try to have good people around that can teach me things,” he said.
Forward Thinking: Darrell knew that his location across from Wal-Mart would not have the same traffic when the new Highway 71 was finished. He moved to his current location almost 5 years ago and doesn’t believe he would still be in business had he not done that. Twenty-three hundred cars a day go by his current location.
Mottos for Success: “Take charge of YOUR attitude, it is in fact your attitude,” said Darrell. “Successful people go the extra step. Winners will do what losers won’t.”
Story and Photo By Leta Dunlap
