Karel Smid knows how to keep things moving in the right direction. It’s a skill the founder and business owner has applied to both his successful East Bay-based company, Commander Moving Inc., and to his personal life.
Born in the Czech Republic, Smid, a former professional soccer player, first visited the Bay Area as a young man while traveling.
Looking back, he mused how, at the time, he had no idea he would one day return to build a life here, launch a thriving moving company, and eventually have his business featured in a movie or television series.
Although he loved his life in the Czech Republic, Smid felt pulled to return to the Bay Area, settling initially in Berkeley and later in Alameda, where he currently resides.
He worked in a variety of hands-on jobs, from custom woodwork to roofing, before finding his niche in the moving business.
He spent eight years learning the trade by working for another moving company, building the skills to start his own business.
Commander Moving, launched in 2011, was named as a nod to Smid’s past military service, where teams operated with structure and efficiency.
This, he believed, was key to running an outstanding business – a company identity that reflected strong organization and leadership.
Today, as a full-service residential and commercial moving and storage company, Commander Moving is considered one of the top moving companies in the San Francisco Bay Area, rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau.
Smid’s later, unexpected brush with Hollywood came when the 2018 Lionsgate movie “Blindspotting” (now a TV series) was filming near his company’s former headquarters in Oakland (Commander Moving has since relocated to Hayward).
The acclaimed film talks about two best friends, Collin and Miles, who work at a moving company. Collin is a parolee nearing the end of his probation and strives to make changes in life, while Miles chooses to live a chaotic life.
Commander Moving’s inclusion was intentional: the filmmakers chose to ground the story in authentic local color—Smid’s facility was conveniently located across the street from the film's production studio.
The producers even borrowed a Commander Moving company slogan, "Excellence in Relocation.”
The movie’s main characters were shown onscreen driving Commander Moving trucks. Following the release of “Blindspotting,” Lionsgate shared a social media post featuring Smid’s company, which included a phone number that played a special message from the actors for callers.
Smid said he was thrilled that his company and trucks were used in the movie and TV series.
“I even taught the actors how to drive our trucks, back up properly, and make everything look real on camera,” he recalled, adding that the producers used the actual Commander Moving name because it was boldly featured on his trucks.
“The characters in the movie wore our uniforms. One character was Commander Miles, while the other was Commander Smiles. People still call asking if we are the same moving company from the film, and are surprised we are a real business! I was invited to the premiere, which was a very cool moment.”
As glamorous as that sounds, Smid is the first to admit that running a moving company isn’t easy. “There are a lot of moving parts … literally!” he said.
But, after nearly 15 years in the industry, he’s learned to manage the pressure and keep his team focused. He credits his girlfriend, Gina Romero, with keeping him balanced. Together, they share a love of travel, diving, sports, music, and fine dining.
The former soccer goalie now enjoys seasonal winter sports such as snowboarding. He also spends time in Walnut Creek for both work and pleasure, considering the city one of his favorites.
He’s involved with area real estate groups, often collaborating with agents across the East Bay.
For Smid, the moving industry is his passion.
“There is a right way to move furniture and care for clients. Attitude is half of success,” said Smid. “Making people happy during the process has always been the most important thing to me.”