Entrepreneurship: How Buying the Wrong Business Built a Better Founder
Starting a business is rarely as glamorous as social media makes it appear.
Behind every success story are difficult decisions, sleepless nights, financial pressure, and moments where walking away feels like the smartest option.
In this episode of the Rebellious Times Podcast, I sat down with Kelsey Hensley, President of NovEx Supply Chain, to hear one of the most honest founder journeys I’ve recorded.
She bought a logistics company while on maternity leave.
Within months, the business had lost $60,000, its largest customer disappeared, and she found herself trying to save both the company and her family’s future.
Her conclusion?
“I bought the wrong business—and it made me a better entrepreneur.”
Buying a Business Isn’t the Finish Line
Many entrepreneurs dream of buying an established company rather than starting from scratch.
The assumption is simple.
Revenue already exists.
Customers already exist.
Systems already exist.
Reality proved far different.
Although the acquisition appeared financially sound during due diligence, hidden risks quickly surfaced after closing, forcing Kelsey to rethink almost everything she believed about business ownership.
When Growth Is the Only Option
After losing a major customer, there was no easy way to cut costs.
Instead, Kelsey made a simple decision.
Grow.
She joined local logistics organizations, attended networking events, cold-called potential customers and filled empty warehouse space wherever she could.
For two and a half years she paid herself nothing, handling sales, operations, HR, finance, technology, and customer service while slowly rebuilding the company.
Entrepreneurship Affects the Whole Family
One of the most powerful parts of our conversation wasn’t about logistics.
It was about family.
Kelsey had purchased the business while on maternity leave with a newborn and a toddler at home.
Her husband became the family’s only source of income.
Evenings were spent working after putting the children to bed.
Cash flow became a constant concern.
Like many entrepreneurs, the business wasn’t simply part of life.
It became life for a period of time.
A Partnership That Changed Everything
Just as the business approached another financial crossroads, something unexpected happened.
A previous industry contact called.
The timing couldn’t have been better.
That conversation ultimately became Novex Supply Chain, giving the company a new direction, stronger leadership, and a path toward sustainable growth.
Sometimes entrepreneurship isn’t about having the perfect plan.
It’s about staying in the game long enough for the next opportunity to arrive.
Why Communication Became Their Competitive Advantage
Today, Novex Supply Chain operates differently from many large third-party logistics providers.
Rather than hiding founders behind customer support systems, clients have direct access to leadership.
Communication isn’t viewed as customer service.
It’s viewed as culture.
Supported by six company core values—including kindness, accountability, initiative, openness, trustworthiness, and intentionality—the company has built a founder-led approach that prioritizes relationships alongside operational excellence.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Kelsey Hensley
03:35 Buying a logistics business
10:16 Early business challenges
19:10 Building the business through sales
20:04 Family and entrepreneurship
30:24 The evolution of Novex Supply Chain
A Partnership That Changed Everything
Just as the business approached another financial crossroads, something unexpected happened.
A previous industry contact called.
The timing couldn’t have been better.
That conversation ultimately became Novex Supply Chain, giving the company a new direction, stronger leadership, and a path toward sustainable growth.
Sometimes entrepreneurship isn’t about having the perfect plan.
It’s about staying in the game long enough for the next opportunity to arrive.
Why Communication Became Their Competitive Advantage
Today, NovEx Supply Chain operates differently from many large third-party logistics providers.
Rather than hiding founders behind customer support systems, clients have direct access to leadership.
Communication isn’t viewed as customer service.
It’s viewed as culture.
Supported by six company core values—including kindness, accountability, initiative, openness, trustworthiness, and intentionality—the company has built a founder-led approach that prioritizes relationships alongside operational excellence.
Kelsel Hensley links:
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