Today Ete sits down with Kyle Moody of MoodyBlu Express.

If you live in the Heber Valley chances are very good you've seen Kyle Moody. In fact, you've probably talked with him or gotten his help at the local Smith's, where he's worked for the past 13 years. Perhaps you've seen his picture on the Smith's shopping carts. Or maybe you're at the self-checkout and you can't figure out why you're not getting the mix & match discount even though you triple-checked that you have the right products, and nothing is working, you're starting to panic, and there's a good chance you just might kick the machine and walk out the door grocery-less. Then, a guy with tattoos and dark, well-coiffed hair (yeah, that guy) comes over, patiently talks you down, and fixes everything with a few keystrokes. (True story.) That's Kyle. Wherever you run into him, he always has a smile, a friendly word, and a willingness to help. This genuine and constant kindness has rightfully earned him trust and goodwill in the community. And that has translated into support and encouragement from the people of the Heber Valley in his new entrepreneurial venture, MoodyBlu Express, a shuttle service that runs out of Heber.

Kyle's childhood was full of stark and confusing contradictions. Kyle, who's home-life was split between time with his mom and time with his biological dad, describes his upbringing as living "two separate lives." At his mother and step-father's home (Kyle considers his step-father to be his dad) things were pretty normal, stable, secure. His needs were met. But when he went to stay with his father, things were quite different. His biological father was often homeless. Kyle remembers being with his bio dad and having to sleep at a bus stop because they had nowhere to go. Kyle suffered abuse. Even as he recounts these dark moments, he gives his dad credit for having a true desire to spend time with him. This is typical of Kyle. He looks for the good in people.

Considering the adversity he's had to deal with, and there has been plenty, it's easy to wonder why he's filled with so much optimism, compassion, and true love for people. He points to one motivation. No description of Kyle could be written without a discussion of his faith. He wears his faith on his sleeve, with absolute sincerity and without apology. "Becoming a believer" in Jesus, he tells us, was a turning point, the turning point, in his life. It is how and why he can accept and love people as they are.

In 2019, Kyle launched his business. MoodyBlu Express (the name is a nod to the nickname he'd been given by a dear friend) is a shuttle service that focuses on transporting people between Heber and the Salt Lake airport, though they provide transportation to other places as well. Kyle got his start with one vehicle, a Hyundai Sonata left to him when his grandfather died. Three weeks later, the car was totaled. Other people would have given up. But Kyle did not. The story of MoodyBlu Express is full of challenges, including some pretty major ones–the sort that leave you crying on the shower floor–that were often overcome when people came to his aid, seemingly out of the blue, and just in the nick of time. While the timing of this help might be a strange coincidence, the fact that people wanted to help him, was not. After years of sowing seeds of kindness and service to others, he was gratefully able to reap some returned kindness–help when he most needed it.

And now there is plenty to show for pushing through those hardships. Business has "exploded," according to Kyle. He's been able to add more vehicles and drivers to his fleet. Online reviews are glowing. COVID has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for MoodyBlu. Kyle is excited about his prospects and looking forward to "seeing how far I can go." Hear Kyle's story in this episode of The Company Next Door.