• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

If California undid its 'original sin' and matched Texas on taxing property, it would raise more revenue than the billionaire tax, economists say

2

Jeff Bezos once gave Eva Longoria and the admiral behind Osama bin Laden's capture $100 million—but she says you don't need wealth to give back

3

‘It’s only when you see 49-ton trucks in China running on batteries that you realize how serious electrification is’: Octopus Energy CEO Greg Jackson on Europe’s incumbency problem

1

If California undid its 'original sin' and matched Texas on taxing property, it would raise more revenue than the billionaire tax, economists say

2

Jeff Bezos once gave Eva Longoria and the admiral behind Osama bin Laden's capture $100 million—but she says you don't need wealth to give back

3

‘It’s only when you see 49-ton trucks in China running on batteries that you realize how serious electrification is’: Octopus Energy CEO Greg Jackson on Europe’s incumbency problem
LeadershipOn Leading

How to Deal With Doubters, According to One Fortune 500 CEO

By
Susie Gharib
Susie Gharib
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Susie Gharib
Susie Gharib
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 5, 2017, 4:32 PM ET
Google source logo
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Bradley Jacobs considers himself a builder and a dealmaker. That’s what he has been doing since 2011 when he started XPO Logistics (XPO). Jacobs bought a small, struggling trucking company, then made 13 acquisitions over the past six years, building it into a transportation behemoth ranked in the top tier of the Fortune 500 list of America’s largest industrial companies by revenue.

Jacobs tells Fortune that many people questioned his strategy in those early days. For starters, he was new to the transportation industry. He had founded and built other companies in businesses as diverse as construction equipment, trash collection and oil trading—but not trucking.

So what’s the secret to his success? “The success I had was finding something that I really wholeheartedly believed in and could get a bunch of other people to also believe in it and work together to succeed those big visions,” he says, adding, “It’s really about creating a community that’s very energized and focused on accomplishing something big.”

And XPO is big. It has $15 billion in revenues—double the sales from just a year ago. It is a one-stop shipper for companies like Home Depot (HD) and Walmart (WMT). It is a global company with 90,000 employees doing business across North America and in 34 countries.

To hear Jacobs tell it, he’s not finished building. He pictures more acquisitions and XPO getting even bigger. Watch the full interview above to learn more.

About the Author
By Susie Gharib
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Leadership


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Recommended For You

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.