Five-Star Driver Malcolm Shares his Earnings Secrets

Atlanta driver Malcolm has given nearly 10,000 rides — and has mastered the art of maximizing income. Also a life insurance broker, he keeps a meticulous record of his earnings on a one-page sheet for every week. For each day, he sets earnings goals and decides on start and finish times. Here’s what he had to say about increasing earnings.

“In order to succeed as a driver, you have to change your mentality. Don’t approach driving like a job. You need to think like a business owner. 

As an entrepreneur, you constantly shift your business strategy to capitalize on the changes in the market. Every week when I’m driving, I set a goal of what I want to make. Then I break down the dollar amount to what are reasonably achievable on a daily basis.

I keep one-page goal sheet for each week, listing what I want to accomplish. I break this large goal down to days. I know Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are the slowest; Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are the busiest. Accordingly, I set the hours I want to work with start and finish times. For each day I have the number of trips I want to complete, and how much I want to make. 

I know this might seem like an overkill, but this is why I usually meet or exceed my goals each week. You can't do that just sitting around waiting to make money. You have to go get it. I look at the different events going on around town and keep that in mind. For every day, I ask myself: How well did I hit those goals? If I did really well, what worked? And if I really crushed it, how can I crush it again? I approach every week from an educated perspective.

Sometimes I get huge cash tips. I’m always grateful but I don’t expect them as part of my goal because tips fluctuate. I just try to do my best every time. 

Like in any other business, you have to stay focused because there are ups and downs. So celebrate short-term victories and keep your eyes on your goal — and that’s what my weekly sheet is all about.”