Small deliveries, big impact: How this KC entrepreneur started her own moving company

Editor’s Note: This interview is part of Voices of Kansas City, a project created in collaboration with KKFI Community Radio and Kansas City GIFT, a nonprofit supporting Black-owned small businesses, to highlight the experiences of Kansas Citians making an impact on the community. Hear the interviews on KKFI 90.1 FM, Fridays at noon, or at KKFI.org. Do you know someone who should be featured in a future “Voices of Kansas City” season? Tell us about them using this form.

Damesha Cook is a woman on the move.

Her slim build, long braids and pedicured toes might suggest a job in office work or sales. But there is more to Cook than meets the eye: Her days are often spent packing boxes, wrapping huge furniture pieces and driving moving vans for her company, Dash Delivery.

Cook is a pioneer in Kansas City’s male-dominated logistics industry. Two years after starting her business with no prior experience, she has two branded vans, four part-time employees and contracts with the likes of Mac Properties and AAA Party Rental.

She was also awarded a grant by Kansas City GIFT., a local nonprofit supporting Black-owned startups, in September 2021.

Cook sat down for an interview with Star reporter Natalie Wallington to discuss her entrepreneurial journey. Their conversation, edited for length and clarity, is presented in a question and answer format to share Cook’s story in her own words.

Meet Damesha Cook.

The Star: Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your background?

Damesha Cook: My name is Damesha Cook. I’m 30 years old and I come from — born and raised — Kansas City, Missouri. I graduated from Raytown High School, which is not too far from the inner city. After I graduated, I visited a couple community colleges and then ventured off to some trades that could get me straight into a decent paying job, which ended up with me going into phlebotomy. I got a certificate in 2017 at St. Luke’s Hospital, and just became a part of their team.

What inspired you to start a business?

What inspired me to start a business was actually COVID, and just realizing that a lot of jobs that were not necessities at the time were taken away.

It kind of gave you the feeling of, what is a second option if you had to come up with a business of your own?

And after looking around on my social media and the internet, I noticed that delivery was big at the time. Everything was being taken to people or picked up.

So where did you learn how to run a business?

I would say online. I did a lot of research, I did a lot of reading books. A guy that’s really big on social media, Tony Robbins, explained that even if you’re not a million-dollar business, the basic fundamentals are just showing up, finding something that you want to do and staying dedicated.

Can you share where the name of your business came from?

I’m a mother of three young men: a set of twins that are 8, and I have a 9-year-old. His name is Dash.

Eventually in 10 or 15 years, they’ll be the helpers. So I was like, I’m going to go with Dash. It was catchy, it was short and it wasn’t hard to remember.

Out of all the different types of businesses that you could have started, why did you choose to go into delivery specifically?

I would say delivery keeps me on the go. I love being outside. I’ve always been a walker, I love being in nature and it keeps me meeting people, shaking hands.

Online you might have a continuous customer, but you’ve never met them face to face. So it gives me that go-ahead to (say) “Hey, OK, I know I want business. Put your tennis shoes on, and get out there.”

That kind of leads me into, what do you think is your personal superpower that sets you apart, and that has contributed to the success of your business so far?

I think it’s consistency (and) having an open mind, because of course, this is a very different business for a woman. It’s people’s number one question: “Why would she choose delivery, especially when there are these other businesses that seem so much easier?”

But to me it’s the fact that I came up with the idea, I’ve seen a vision in it, and it wasn’t a passion, but I turned it into something that I could put myself into. I believed that I could create a delivery company by showing my standards, my beliefs and my values.

What are some of those beliefs and values that have helped your business grow over time?

I would say my number one thing is clients. It’s a lot of one-on-one, being polite and understandable. Delivery is a need, but it sometimes comes with stress, it comes with pressure. It could be last minute, it could be (that) they don’t know what to do. And sometimes people are moving and they don’t want to.

So it’s being very understanding, very open-minded, and just giving detailed and correct information. If I can’t do the job, I just recommend another delivery company or another option.

In terms of the types of jobs that you do, what would you say is your niche in the delivery industry in Kansas City?

I would say my niche is small jobs: when people are switching out new furniture, (or) they want to change their basement, or they have a salon that maybe needs a new chair, it’s that on-demand delivery. They walk into a furniture store, they had no idea that this couch was going to get their attention, they’re driving, say, a two-door Jeep and there’s no way it’s getting in there.

That’s when they come to me.

Can you tell us a little bit about some of the partnerships that you’ve made and how your business has grown?

A partnership that I got when I first started the business in June of 2021 was an event space called AAA. They are a warehouse in Lenexa, Kansas, that rents out party supplies for people that are either throwing graduation parties, need chairs for weddings or tables just for an outside event. That is where the bulk of my business started, (and) how I was able to get out in the community and do different big events.

Tell me a little bit about the people that you employ.

I have four guys right now and they are part time. Once we get a job and I get a schedule, I reach out to them and they communicate very well.

What I look for, number one, is you want to work. Also, you’re willing to learn. I believe that it can be a stepping stone. And respect, I’m really big on that: taking care of people’s items. It’s not just something quick and you’re just getting it done — you have the customer top tier, number one.

What sort of process do you go through with customers when you’re setting up a delivery job?

The process that I go through is pretty simple. After I get their information, I will come up with a time to chat on the phone and I kind of get a feel of what (the job) is. For move-outs, if it’s an apartment or a studio, I’m big on consultations. We’ll set up a time that I do a 10-15 minute walk through (and) we decide what is really their goal at the end of this move.

As a woman in the small business space, have you found any advantages?

Yes, I feel like people are excited to see a woman try something different. It’s not like you come to me and I don’t know anything or I’m just looking around and just asking you questions.

I’ve learned it. I didn’t grow up with it. (But) I just think an advantage is that I’m willing to learn. It’s another lesson every time a customer comes to me.

What sort of role do you play in the moving job? Are you actually lifting the furniture?

The majority of the time I have two guys, three if needed, but I am there to oversee it. I am there to wrap furniture, I stack boxes. I’ll put some pink tape on the boxes to signify that it’s mine. I want everything neat.

Sometimes customers have a china cabinet that is personal to them, and I try to come in and treat those as (though) they’re mine so they’ll know that, “OK, she does care. We weren’t sure that we could take this with us. But because she’s here, she’s making sure that it gets on her car and is safe.”

Tell me about some of your future goals for Dash Delivery expanding in Kansas City.

I would love to see me with a 16 foot box truck because it does give me other chances to expand my opportunities. I would love to see me with a solid employee list of five to 10 people. I would love to see me with a container office so that I am able to have supplies there.

And I think it (that growth) would take me off the job. I wouldn’t have to show up if people could come to my office and maybe chat with me and we write down what’s needed. So I’m looking for more stability and a base (of operations).

How do you hope to get the word out about Dash Delivery?

I don’t think that people don’t support the business — I (just) don’t think enough people know. So I would like to see myself interact with more people so that they can get a piece of my story (and) just getting more exposure, maybe sitting down in the beginning and figuring out a way to get me through the door. So I think it’s a lot of on-foot networking.

What advice would you give to other aspiring business owners who might be listening to the segment?

Some honest and simple advice I would give is, do not doubt what comes to your mind that you think can be done. Find the need that’s in the city (or) the community and go for that. I have found the pleasure in just realizing that I fixed a need of mine. So go for what you want, don’t give up, research, ask questions and ask more questions.

Dash Delivery can be found online at dashdeliveryservices.com. You can contact the company by emailing courier@dashdeliveryinfo.com or by calling (816) 287-2092. Dash Delivery is also on Instagram at @dashdeliveryllc.

This story was originally published September 17, 2023 at 5:30 AM.

Natalie Wallington

The Kansas City Star

Natalie Wallington was a reporter on The Star’s service journalism team with a focus on policy, labor, sustainability and local utilities from fall 2021 until early 2025. Her coverage of the region’s recycling system won a 2024 Feature Writing award from the Kansas Press Association.