David Mullins on Life, Lessons & Legacy

David Mullins shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning David, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
What I’m most proud of building is the foundation behind LiftGateMe—the systems, processes, and shared knowledge that quietly help customers get the right solution without friction. For anyone who isn’t fully sure what a liftgate is, a liftgate (or lift gate) is a hydraulic platform mounted to the back of a truck or trailer that allows heavy cargo to be safely raised and lowered between the vehicle and the ground. You’ll find them on everything from box trucks with lift gates to delivery vehicles and pickup trucks across the country. LiftGateMe exists to make liftgate parts, new liftgates, and expert guidance easier to access for the people who rely on—and repair—them every day.

Behind the scenes, we’ve spent years organizing hard-earned field experience into tools and processes that help customers avoid costly mistakes—like buying the wrong lift gate for a truck, installing a new liftgate that isn’t right for the job, or ordering incorrect parts (one of the most common and frustrating issues in the industry). A lot of companies sell liftgates simply to make a sale; at LiftGateMe, we focus on helping customers get their liftgate working or installed efficiently, with a customer-centric mindset that puts long-term success first. That approach comes directly from our team’s real-world background and a deep commitment to customer support, which has helped us build lasting trust with our customers.

Neil, who leads much of our day-to-day liftgate support, has installed and repaired thousands of liftgates in the field—working on everything from fixing liftgate trucks on the side of the road during rush hour to managing complex truck liftgate installs. That experience is baked into how we spec parts, recommend hydraulic lift gates for trucks, and organize everything on our website. None of this work is flashy, but it’s what allows LiftGateMe to quietly deliver better outcomes—fewer returns, fewer failed installs, and more liftgates staying functional for the customers who depend on them. That unseen work is what I’m most proud of.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
LiftGateMe is a liftgate-focused business built to help fleets, repair shops, and small businesses find the correct liftgate and liftgate parts without the usual friction that comes with sourcing them. I started LiftGateMe after seeing firsthand how difficult it was for customers to identify the correct lift gate for a truck, spec the right solution, or track down reliable OEM lift gate parts—especially when downtime matters. What makes LiftGateMe different is that we combine an easy-to-use online experience with real-world liftgate knowledge, ensuring customers get accurate guidance whether they’re repairing a liftgate truck, outfitting a box truck with lift gate, or planning a new truck liftgate install.

What I’m most proud of today is the team behind LiftGateMe and the trust we’ve built with customers nationwide. Neil leads our day-to-day operations with decades of hands-on liftgate installation and repair experience, while Diane ensures customers are supported clearly and efficiently from the very first interaction. Teammates like Carlos help keep our website content accurate, up to date, and easy to navigate, and others across the team contribute daily to delivering a strong customer experience.

Together, we focus on doing things the right way—helping customers avoid costly mistakes, distributing quality products from trusted manufacturers like Maxon, Waltco, Palfinger, and Thieman, and supporting the people who rely on liftgates every day to keep their businesses moving. LiftGateMe isn’t about selling the most liftgates for the sake of revenue; it’s about helping customers keep their operations running reliably. Simply put, we keep America lifting.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
My dad taught me the most about work, even if my role in his truck and trailer fleet repair business wasn’t always out in the field. From a young age, I helped on the back-office side—paperwork, organization, and supporting the day-to-day operations—but more importantly, I watched what real work looks like up close. I saw the long hours, early mornings, late nights, and the responsibility that comes with keeping other people’s trucks running so their businesses don’t miss a beat. Neil, who now leads liftgate support at LiftGateMe, worked directly alongside my dad in the field, handling liftgate installs and repairs in the heat, cold, rain, and on the side of the road. Through both of them, I learned that this industry is built on grit, pride, and showing up when it’s hard.

That perspective shapes how I see our customers today. Many of the repair shops, fleet managers, and technicians we work with live that same reality—dirty jobs, tight timelines, and real pressure to get trucks back on the road. We understand that a broken liftgate isn’t just a part failure; it’s a missed delivery, a delayed route, or a long night in the shop. That’s why LiftGateMe exists to support them the way we do—with care, accuracy, and respect for the work they put in every day. We know our customers because, in many ways, they’re cut from the same cloth as the people who shaped us.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me patience, humility, and respect for the long game in a way success never could. Building LiftGateMe wasn’t a straight line nor an overnight sensation—there were slow periods, mistakes, and moments where progress felt invisible despite a lot of effort. Those stretches forced me to listen more closely to customers, to slow down decisions, and to focus on getting things right instead of just moving fast. It also deepened my appreciation for the people we serve—business owners, delivery personnel, repair shops, fleet operators, and technicians—who deal with true pressure, long hours, and real consequences when something breaks. That perspective shapes how we operate today: we prioritize accuracy, clarity, and trust because we know what it’s like to work through challenges that don’t show up on a highlight reel. Those lessons are now baked into how LiftGateMe supports customers every day.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would probably say that what matters most to me is doing things the right way and showing up for the people I care about. That means family first, being dependable to my team, and taking pride in work that’s built to last rather than chasing quick wins. They’d also tell you I have a deep respect for people who work hard in demanding environments—especially those in hands-on industries like trucking, repairs, and fleet operations. That value shows up in how I approach LiftGateMe every day: focusing on trust, accuracy, and long-term relationships over shortcuts. At the end of the day, it’s less about recognition and more about knowing we’re helping real people keep their businesses moving.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope the story people tell is that I helped make a difficult, often overlooked industry a little easier to navigate—and that I did it with respect for the people doing the work. That LiftGateMe wasn’t just another place to buy liftgate parts or a lift gate for a truck, but a resource built by people who understood what it means when a box truck with a lift gate is down and a business is at a standstill. My background in software engineering helped bring structure and clarity to how liftgates are sourced online, but the real impact came from combining that with real-world experience from the field. If there’s a legacy, I hope it’s that we helped repair shops, fleet operators, and small businesses find the right hydraulic lift gate for a truck, avoid costly mistakes, and keep their trucks—and livelihoods—moving. More than anything, I hope people say we cared, we listened, and we built something that quietly supported the people who keep America lifting.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://liftgateme.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/liftgateme/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC02xzr9nJVN3G15HYdmGavQ