00:00 Over—

00:06 The years I have been in theater. I’ve sang from the time I was little. John, there’s been times that I’ve been a extra on some shows that are actually streamlined on Hulu. And I have done modeling and I was actually featured in a shoot on Wedding Crashers back in 2015. That was pretty cool. Welcome to Six-Figure Trucker, the podcast where we share advice on how to be successful in trucking and have fun while doing so. We’ll share stories, news, and advice on how to earn six figures in trucking. And we’ll speak to guys and gals that are already doing so. Let’s get to the show.

00:56 Hello everyone and welcome to the Six-Figure Trucker brought to you by Norton Transport. And each and every one of you who listens, joins us each week, you know that this is a space where we elevate and celebrate the driver, everything they do for Norton Transport and the industry that we live within. And you know, if you heard us last week, we introduced you to Raphael Hempstead. And we had a special guest come in with him. That was his dispatcher, Kelsey Camp. And they shared with us a lot about the relationship between them, how important it is, what it means to them. And now we want to talk a little bit to Raphael about what he does outside of trucking. Raphael, how are you? Got a loud truck beside you there.

01:38 Oh yeah, we were doing great and Phil a second ago, but hopefully we can get through it.

01:46 That’s life on the road. Makes it gives it a little more realism to it. There’s life on the road and you’re out in West Texas now. Is that right?

01:53 Yes. Yes. You know, and it’s good that that’s happening because it lets drivers know that I’m not just one of those glorified drivers that sit in the office all the time. I’m actually out here working—

02:05 Really hard.

02:06 Well, Kelsey left that impression with us last week that you are a guy that works hard and one of six children and if my memory serves me correctly, you came up in Arkansas. Is that right?

02:18 Yes, sir. I grew, well, I didn’t grow up. I was born in a small town by the name of Magnolia, Arkansas. Home to Southern Arkansas University and we have a couple of celebrities or either one celebrity that is from somewhere near the area. What is his name? Something Anthony. He’s a funny guy. He does movies and stuff. Well, that’s good to be from a town with a celebrity of note there. Now, you’re no stranger to the spotlight.

02:54 No, sir. Not a stranger at all. Actually, I love being in the spotlight nowadays. Somewhat. Somewhat. It depends on what it is.

03:04 Now, we kind of sat on last week what we were talking about. We knew about this, but there’s something big coming up. And you couldn’t really talk about it last week, but you can talk a little more openly about it now. What’s coming up? I understand you’ve got a pretty big audition on stage.

03:19 Yes, I do. So it’s no secret, John, that I have a background in theatrical performance and then also singing and modeling. So, I have an audition for Paramount. I think everyone knows what that is. You know, you got Paramount Plus and there’s like a streaming app and there’s all these movies and TV shows that they produce and they direct and film and you know, they stream them onto those platforms or either they put them into the big screen in the movie theaters. And I have been working on some auditions and things for a couple of shows. That I shall not name right now. And I just wish I broke my leg really good. That’s so I get the parts.

04:11 Gotcha. Now, is it a I know you got to be a little bit vague about it, but is it a primary character, secondary? Can you tell us a little bit about that? So, initially, John, I would be trying to get steamrolled. If anyone knows what steamrolling is in the industry, a lot of us times you might get a cameo walk on, which is like a secondary part. You’re kind of like a primary character, but then kind of not because it might be like for an episode or two or, you know, or it might be for like three episodes. But then just depending on how those views and stuff were for those particular episodes you would get steerrolled maybe or maybe not onto the show as like a primary part—

05:06 Or maybe like the rest of the season.

05:09 I did not know what that that term steamroll mean but now I do. Thank you very much for that Raphael.

05:14 No problem. No problem. I like to provide some type of clarification sometimes.

05:19 I appreciate it. Now, tell us what led you to that part where you’re now in an audition phase with Paramount. I mean, I’m sure there’s some things that you’ve done prior to that.

05:29 Honestly, John, I’m always just being myself. Over the years I have been in theater from the time I was little. I’ve sang from the time I was little. John, there’s been times that I’ve been a extra on in a walk-on roll on some shows that are actually streamlined on Hulu and some platforms like that right now. There was another show that I did like back in 2015, Modernary Black or whatever that’s on a YouTube TV series. That was pretty cool. I have done modeling and I was actually featured in a shoot on Wedding Crashers back in 2015.

06:21 That was pretty cool. Because it just felt so real. When you get in those moments like that, it felt really real. I looked really handsome in my tuxedo and all the things that they picked out for us. I worked with some really great people on that shoot. Mrs. Jessica Lane who was the photographer. Jessica Lynn, I’m so sorry. And that was a really great session as well. I’ve done a cameo with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America. And we did that shoot with Stephanie. What was not Stephanie? It was Danielle Levette. I’m so bad with names, John. People are going to curse me after this podcast.

07:05 Oh, you’re fine. But that shoot was really cool, too. So, there’s just a lot of things that I’ve done in my experience of time over the years that’s kind of like built me up into doing what I’m doing. I’ve been to some America’s Got Talent auditions. I’ve been to American Idol auditions. I’ve been to— The Voice auditions. It has been a whirlwind for me over the last 20 years.

07:29 You’re listening to Raphael Hempstead here on the Six-Figure Trucker brought to you by Norton Transport. And if you’re just joining us, you know there’s a lot more to Raphael than just getting inside of a big rig and going across the country. As you’ve heard him tell, he’s no stranger to the theater to stepping up on the stage. And I wanted to ask you about the modeling. You had told us some other things about it. Obviously you were talking about wedding crashers. There you were with that. But tell us a little bit more about what type of modeling you’ve done. So, the type of modeling I have done over the years, I have done runway modeling. Pretty interesting because I don’t see myself as the runway type of guy. But apparently all you have to do is just walk down on the floor and just look plain fine.

08:21 Just look plain, look the part, and just turn and make sure everyone can see your outfit. And just try not to flip or fall or any of those things. And get back off the stage as quick as possible. So, runway is a little different. I’ve done some abstract body modeling.

08:42 Which is interesting because be, you know, I used to have a somewhat insecurity about myself and my body. And I’ve just always been this really skinny tall guy that used to be kind of frail, you know. And I was insecure about my body. So, like even just doing like those types of shoots, it was nerve-wracking. But it’s something that I still did and I was open to because I know that that would help me with my experience in modeling in case it was a career that I wanted to pursue, you know, long term. Did you hit the weights, work out any kind of beef up a little bit?

09:20 No, John. We don’t do that. We don’t do that. What? I’m a trucker. We go into the truck stops at the gas stations and I eat Twinkies and all of those things. No, but literally on the real note, I try to walk whenever I can. I wouldn’t say that I go to the gym. I mean, there’s been a couple of times I went to the gym and did like cardio, right? I love cardio workouts. You know, you work out all those little areas and that kind of keeps you kind of slimmed down a little bit or trimmed. And that’s literally all I’ve done. Now I’m getting to the age, you know, I told you last week I’m 30. And actually I have a birthday coming up and you know, at the age that I am, I might actually start going to the gym so I can bulk up because I’ve spent all these years trucking and I’ve like muscled up and I’ve gained the muscle mass. But now I kind of maybe I do want to be one of those muscular like bodybuilder type dudes.

10:25 You’re listening to the entertaining and engaging Raphael Hempstead here on the Six-Figure Trucker brought to you by Norton Transport. We appreciate him joining us on the podcast. And speaking of podcast, we kind of hinted at it last week. Raphael, you’re no stranger to a podcast.

10:40 No, no, no, no, no, no stranger at all. Not only do I like listening to podcasts, oh gosh, I listen to all kinds of stuff, inspirational ones, there’s some that are just funny because they’re messy and about drama. But to segue, I have my own podcast that I’m working on. Currently, right now we’re just in some redevelopment stages. I have one that is called the Generations Unfiltered podcast and that’s a podcast where we talk about real life love in conversations and it’s a conversation between three different generations. So that’s a generation under me which is perceived to be alpha me who is a millennial and then we have a baby boomer that is right along in there and it’s just a fun podcast where we talk about real life man you know everyone’s so scared to open up and talk about different things these days of course because we just live in a really scary world right John but we want to have that space you know—

11:47 Now is this one that up and running now or is it in the you were talking about in the developmental stages if somebody wanted to join in and check it out. Is that something they can do now or is it still a work in process?

12:00 It is something that they could probably go and check out now. We do have a Facebook page that the generation unfiltered. We have an email that’s the generations unfilteredgmail.com where you can email in or email stories or email different things or if you want to be a guest on the show or be interviewed or we talk about something or highlight you in your life you can definitely become a guest and join in on the podcast and then like I said it’s in the redevelopmental stage so even people can go ahead and email to that email which is active and we all look at it whatever we get the chance. And we can start sorting out some of those commissions and getting some things booked for and lined up for the future. Yeah.

12:46 Now, who is who are your co-hosts, I guess, as far as I’m sorry, yeah, I forgot about that. You can’t have a show without the co-host, right? So, we have the one and only beloved Isaiah Fortuneberry, who is a college student at a university. I don’t remember what that university is called again because I forgot. I’m sorry, guys. Then you have myself, Ralphie, and then you have Mrs. Tasha Lane Rivers. Now, a good backstory on Miss Tasha Lane Rivers is that Miss Tasha Lane Rivers is also a truck driver who is a mentor with Swift Transportation who has been doing the Walmart dedicated account.

13:36 I bet you guys have some fascinating topics given that wide breath of people and the age range and the experiences from each person.

13:46 Oh, yeah. Honestly, we talk all day every day, John. Actually, matter of fact, if I wasn’t on this podcast right now, that’s who I’d be talking to because a few minutes ago, she was calling in. And we talk about so many different things in life and also when it comes to trucking because we just open up our hearts and our homes in our phones for drivers to call us and talk about anything really. It’s a line for help motivation and inspiration. And, you know, we never back down or down on a trucker. You know, we have that proper etiquette.

14:23 I got you. Now, the second podcast you do is called the Ralphie Show.

14:27 The Ralphie Show. Yes. So, The Ralphie Show is starring yours truly, Ralphie Raphael. And with that, I’m going to be talking about a lot of different things. I’m probably even going to start doing some things with driveaway on there. So, there might be some video podcast episodes that are special because I had something to do with my driveaway job. And then there would be some voice podcast and then sometimes some live videos and also live guest that would be interviewed. Now, from the world of driveaway, which we all know is a very dynamic profession there, what kind of things do you take away from driveaway that fit into a podcast?

15:09 Oh, man. Everything that we do honestly from the interactions to how I interact with my fleet and my office to how I interact with the public service people at the truck stops and the way station people and you know other drivers. Honestly, all those things are very valuable to becoming something that is a topic on the podcast. So, I feel like John there become there be content for days if I just truly tried and worked hard at it.

15:48 Now, do you have a favorite between those two podcasts or are they each individual entities? Well, I think I like the one with myself because I can talk the whole time, you know, and I don’t have to worry about like other really opinions other than the person that I’m interviewing, right? And you just get more airtime when you have to share the podium in the stand. It’s kind of like watching the view or the breakfast club or something, you know? And I know we’ve all seen those podcast and those radio shows and you just got to share the table and sometimes it’s like, dang, there’s more I want to say, right? I said, “Darn, I can’t because you know, you got to kind of share that platform.” So, that’s all I can say that— The Ralphie Show is a platform that I think is very near and dear to me and that I actually would enjoy more.

16:35 Where can people check it out? Just Google it up and you’ll find it.

16:38 So, the Ralphie Show, it’s the one that is really being deep dived into and redone. I did not like how a lot of the stuff was. I felt like my low goal was really immature and old and just the way that I was doing things was just so sloppy. So, I wanted to take a break from it and go through and try to renew some things and get some things going. But when they are going my web domain when I open it back up honestly if you guys go to my Facebook page which is Raphael Hempstead under my name or either my Instagram at I’m so Raphael so that’s I am S Raphael R A P H A E L you’ll find my Instagram and I will keep everyone posted there to where we can go and we can view and listen to these podcasts and when things are ready.

17:30 Good deal. Good deal. Now, you had mentioned there a little bit earlier in the conversation. You’re listening to Raphael Hempstead if you’re just joining us here on the Six-Figure Trucker, and we’re talking a little bit about Raphael’s life outside of the cab of a truck. Very interesting life. And you talked about singing. I’m guessing this is only a guess that you learned in church.

17:51 John, you’re not supposed to out me like that. Literally, I am a church boy. I grew up in the church. Southern Baptist. Like I had told you earlier, I’m from a small town by the name of Magnolia, Arkansas. Well, that’s where I was born. But I was raised up in Denver, Colorado, which is a cool fact that if you know, you know, right?

18:16 And so my first initial church honestly was a mega church, John. But it was just so cool because it was non-denominational. But I made that transition from a mega church to a Southern Baptist church when moving back to the state of Arkansas. And I’m a church boy that was in church every Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday nights, and youth camps on Saturdays. Out of the part of the choir. And then I also had my hand in directing the adults choir a little bit. You know, there’s so many celebrities, so many musicians, so many that are very successful that got their start there in the choir, in a church. And how much has it helped you? I mean, at your I’m assuming at the early age you were in that choir, learning to sing, learning to project, learning to be in front of people. How much has that helped you now?

19:08 It was a struggle, John, cuz back then I was very I was not who I am today. I will tell you that much right now. Back then, I was a shy little thing and I would just get shooken up and you would hear the nervousness in my voice and I was also camera shy. I hate the pictures. Every time you would take a picture of me, my hand would be in the way of my face because I didn’t like it. And I just think that doing those things like singing and getting up on stage and doing all of that, it just kind of molded me to just really be this outgoing person in life. Right now—

19:43 You’re listening to Raphael Hempstead here on the Six-Figure Trucker brought to you by Norton Transport. Raphael, you know, we talked about a little off air there about keeping options open. How long do you see yourself continuing to drive?

19:56 Oh, I don’t know, John. I tell my brother every day. I’m like, I just want to be done with this job. Because I me and Kelsey didn’t go into it last week, but there’s just so many moments where I’m like, Kelsey, I like want to ring my neck out right now. Because there’s just a lot of things about my job that that’s really like frustrating, right, John? Honestly, this is a career that is not for the soft—

20:26 Right? This is a career that’s for someone who is very strong minded and able-minded to do because there’s just so much that comes with it. So, speaking of like how long do I see myself doing this? I don’t know. I think I can see myself doing it for as long as the money looks good, right?

20:47 That’s a powerful—

20:50 Yeah, as long as the money looks good. Very powerful motivator cuz there’s times where I’m like, “Oh, I’m going home.” And I don’t go home because the money is good and it’s like you’re on this high at the end of the day and it’s a money high. It’s a working high. It’s a hard working high. But just on terms of me doing driveaway. It’s something that I’m keeping my options open because I kind of want to segue away from it. Maybe hopefully working with Norton it’ll help me to open up my own driveaway carrier one day soon. It’s also no secret John that I am the owner of a little small trucking company. I’m a three person operated trucking company which is how I operate my contracts through you guys with Norton and it’s Bario and Buuki Trucking and it’s from the small town of Magnolia, Arkansas. My mother is my chief administrating officer and my brother is my chief operational officer.

21:52 I don’t know, sometimes I feel like he doesn’t really do that job, but he does that job well. Because he’s the one who’s trying to keep me in business as a trucker and motivating me every day and coming up with just different things that we could do. Pretty soon we will be following suit on having a DOT number. So, I mean, I’ll still be with Norton and doing my things, but we’re going to try to get Bario and Bookie Trucking up and rolling under some other things in logistics. So—

22:24 Well, good luck to you. Of course, we’d hate to lose you to that. I mean, but we’d like to keep our options open and have a good bit of Ralphie time as well.

22:33 Oh, yeah. No problem. You know, I said that I would probably still do something for Nort for Norton every month just because I just love the team here. And I’m I just I’m just the happiest here. I don’t think I’ve ever been happy at a job.

22:48 But you are here on now. There’s days like must and I’m like I don’t even want to go through this anymore. But when you look at the bigger picture, I’m overall healthy and stressfree. And I just think that that’s what makes Norton so great—

23:04 You know, to be overall happy and to be stress free with as many irons you have in the fire. That says a lot cuz you’re definitely a busy guy.

23:12 Oh yeah. You guys probably wonder when do I find time to sleep. No, I have to find time to sleep, you know, with the regulations and all. Kind of forced to do it. But that just that helps me too because I think if we weren’t forced to do that, I’d probably burn myself out. Well, I’m not going to lie to you.

23:30 Got to get that sleep, man. Gotta get the rest.

23:33 Got to get that rest because there ain’t nothing fun about being fatigued.

23:38 Raphael Hempstead joining us on the Six-Figure Trucker brought to you by Norton Transport. Raphael, I didn’t have anything further, but I really enjoyed diving deep into the world of Raphael and finding about all the passions you have and the things you do and hobbies and things that really make the world go round for you. Yeah, I you know what, John? It’s just been really great. This has been really inspirational for me at the moment and I kind of trying not to cry. Because I didn’t work so hard and you know, you work so hard to try to be seen. And I just feel like being at Norton, I’ve been seen. And I just like to thank my mom, Tasha Smith, and, you know, all of my family and my grandparents who aren’t with, you know, who aren’t with us today. And then also my grandfather, Travis which I hold his names fake, Hempstead. They just all been a light to me in my life. And I just want to highlight Kelsey. Because she’s just been very motivational and it’s just been wonderful.

24:44 And I really thank you for taking the time out to having a chat with me and a discussion on the big bigger trucker here.

24:51 Well, thank you. We’re very honored to have you as one of our drivers out there and you bring a lot to the table and we are truly appreciative of it.

25:00 Yeah. Yes. No problem. No problem. It’s just something that I do. It’s that hard work ethic, John.

25:05 Well, be careful out there and be safe on your way out west.

25:09 All right. Yes, sir. We’ll do.

25:12 All right. Have a good one, man. All right. Yeah, have a good one with it, bro.

25:15 Six-Figure Trucker is brought to you by Norton Transport. Norton Transport is a driveaway trucking company that customers can rely on. It offers excellent independent contract driving opportunities to professional, courteous, and qualified drivers that can provide the kind of service we deliver. If you’re interested in learning more about Norton or just want to subscribe to the show, check out Six-FigureTrucker.com. That’s Six-FigureTrucker.com.