Hey there, fellow adventurers! I’m Brad, an Outside Sales Rep for Lightspeed. My wife, Michelle, and I have been on this wild ride together since 1992, surviving the rollercoaster of life with our five kids, a granddaughter, and another grandchild on the way. It’s been 32 years of joys, struggles, and a whole lot of love that brought us to where we are today – a well-oiled TEAM!
Now, let me take you on a trip down memory lane. I’ve been with Lightspeed since 2004 (almost 20 years!), specializing in the RV Industry throughout the Southern Midwest region. My career journey reads like a roadmap of adventures – from Powersports Dealers to Marine, Trailer, and now, the grand world of RV Dealers. It’s been a blast, my friends, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Fast forward to 2017, when I decided to step into the world of Outside Sales. It became my mission to not only understand what RV dealers need from a DMS (that’s a Dealer Management System for the uninitiated) but to dig deeper. What makes RVing tick for our dealers? How did they fall in love with it? What keeps them hooked, and why do their customers swear by it?
To answer the burning question of why people dive into RV life and stay there, Michelle and I decided to embark on our own RV adventure. Two years of research later, we realized it was time to make our move. Our eyes were opened to all the immense possibilities that RV life can afford a couple with a nest that was about to empty out. We weren’t just dipping our toes in for the weekends or occasional joyrides; we were ready to LIVE THE RV LIFE.
Cue 2020 and the infamous year of masks and Zoom calls – COVID-19. Remote work became the norm, and suddenly, the dream of living in an RV while successfully working full time wasn’t just a daydream; it was a reality. In February 2023, we sealed the deal on a 2022 Shadow Cruiser 257MKS from the awesome folks at Parris RV in Murray, UT. Shout out to Brett, his son Ryan, and their entire team for hooking us up with a killer deal and providing great service! We would still maintain our “home base” in Salt Lake City but planned to live for a month or so at a time traveling in our RV.
There’s so Much More to the Story
And so, this blog begins. I’m here to share the wild, crazy, and downright incredible experiences of not just enjoying my career but LIVING IT! Buckle up for the ride as I spill the beans on the good, the bad, and the head-bashing moments of RV ownership. I hope that those of you diving into this blog will find inspiration and, in the end, manage to turn your dreams into reality while embracing your career!
Day 1 – “Baptism by Fire”
Picture this: It’s February 2023, and we’re picking up our new Travel Trailer from Parris RV. Did I mention it was a record-breaking year for snow in Salt Lake City? Two feet of the white stuff had fallen the day before, and another 12 inches were on the way. Our window to get the trailer was opening and closing fast!
We picked up the rig after a very thorough walkthrough by the Parris Team and hooked it up to our Ram 1500 pickup at about 5:00pm. I had never towed anything close to the size of this trailer (30ft. & 5800 lbs dry weight). With no place to park or store our new rig and fueled mostly by excitement, we hit the road headed south…. hopefully to less snow and some warmer temperatures. White-knuckle driving, a 300-mile journey, and a 1:30am arrival at Willow Wind RV Park in Hurricane, UT – it was an adventure from the get-go.
Exhausted and cold, we mustered the energy to watch our walkthrough video, detach the trailer, lower the stabilizer jacks, and successfully connect to power, water, and sewer. Good news – I only bashed my head on the awning three times (oops!). Finally, at 5am, we got everything ready for our first week of “Living My Career” and crashed on the RV’s dreadful stock mattress. Honestly, we were so excited to be able to start this new journey together that the mattress felt pretty good. At 10am the next morning, we were in for a reality check…
So, stick around! I’ll be sharing more tales from the road, insider tips, and maybe a few embarrassing mishaps as I navigate this crazy blend of work and play. Let’s live our dreams while rocking our careers!
Brad Loyd
Sales Account Executive – RV Division
I’ve been with Lightspeed for over 20 years, and in my role as Sales Account Executive in the RV Division, I get the opportunity to show recreational industry dealerships how Lightspeed can transform their business. I work with hundreds of RV, Trailer, Powersports, and Marine Dealers across the country, guiding them through the process of upgrading to a DMS. It's a complex process, but I find it incredibly rewarding.
An added bonus to my current role, is that I get to travel all over the country. I recently purchased a new 2022 Shadow Cruiser travel trailer, so now I spend most of my time on the road, experiencing the lifestyle that I promote.
Fun facts about me: I'm a US Army Veteran and served for 23 years in the Utah Army National Guard as an Army Musician specializing in Saxophone and Clarinet performance. Music is a huge part of my life, and I even took over my dad's Swing Band after his passing in 2020. When I'm not working or playing music, I love spending time with my five adult kids and one granddaughter, with another one on the way.
