The Logistics of Logistics Podcast

The Logistics of Logistics podcast is dedicated to exploring how things get places. Join our host, Joe Lynch, for conversations with the people who get them there. Joe talks with logistics and transportation industry leaders about innovation, technology, trends, and the future of freight.

5 Trends Shaping Logistics with Ben Gordon 04/10/2021

5 Trends Shaping Logistics with Ben Gordon 5 Trends Shaping Logistics with Ben Gordon and discuss 5 trends shaping logistics and supply chain. In the interview, Ben reviews and discussed trends and interesting companies in ecommerce, final mile, cold chain, reverse logistics, and fulfillment. About Ben Gordon is the Founder and Managing Partner of . He draws on a career building, advising, and investing in supply chain companies. Benjamin has led investments in outstanding firms including , , , , and others. As CEO of BGSA Holdings, Benjamin has spent his career investing in and helping to build supply chain and technology companies. Benjamin led the firm’s efforts, advising on over $1 billion worth of supply chain transactions. Benjamin has worked with firms such as UPS, DHL, Kuehne & Nagel, Agility Logistics, NFI Logistics, GENCO, Nations Express, Raytrans, Echo Global, Dixie, Wilpak, and others. Prior to BGSA Holdings, Ben founded 3PLex, the Internet solution enabling third-party logistics companies to automate their business. Benjamin raised $28 million from blue-chip investors including Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, BancBoston Ventures, CNF, and Ionian. 3PLex was then purchased by Maersk. Prior to 3PLex, Benjamin advised transportation and logistics clients at Mercer Management Consulting. Prior to Mercer, Benjamin worked in his family’s transportation business, AMI, where he helped the company expand its logistics operations. Benjamin received a Master’s in Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale College. About Cambridge Capital Cambridge Capital is a private equity firm investing in the applied supply chain. The firm provides private equity to finance the expansion, recapitalization or acquisition of growth companies in our sectors. Our philosophy is to invest in companies where our operating expertise and in-depth supply chain knowledge can help our portfolio companies achieve outstanding value. Cambridge Capital was founded in 2009 as the investment affiliate of BG Strategic Advisors (www.bgsa.com), the advisor of choice for a large, growing number of supply chain CEOs. Cambridge Capital leverages BGSA’s unique approach to strategy-led investment banking for the supply chain. BGSA is known for its work helping companies achieve outsized returns via targeted acquisitions and premium sales processes, and has worked with category leaders such as UPS, DHL, Agility Logistics, New Breed, NFI, Genco, Nations Express, Raytrans, and others. Our relationship with BGSA gives us deep market expertise, access to outstanding deal flow and people flow, transactional capabilities, additional resources, and a powerful core competency in the supply chain sector. The Partners and Advisory Board members of Cambridge Capital have diverse backgrounds with complementary technical, operating and financial expertise. The Cambridge Capital team has spent their careers building, growing, and advising outstanding companies in the supply chain sector. They include former leaders of UPS Logistics, Ryder Logistics, ATC Logistics, APL Logistics, Kuehne + Nagel, and other globally recognized firms. Cambridge Capital’s professionals know what it takes to build great companies. Key Takeaways: 5 Trends Shaping Logistics with Ben Gordon In the podcast, Paige highlighted the following reasons that ecommerce companies fail: Poor understanding of their customer and market. Lack of marketing and product differentiation. Poor performing website. Inability to scale and drive traffic to the website (lack of investment). Poor fulfillment because they chose a fulfillment partner that lacks the DTC expertise and experience required to be successful. Paige’s company, is an ecommerce fulfillment and warehousing company that provides fulfillment, technology, and customer service required by direct-to-consumer brands. Learn More About the 5 Trends Shaping Logistics Related Podcasts The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/18651920

Faster, Better Freight Quotes with Dawn Salvucci-Favier 04/05/2021

Faster, Better Freight Quotes with Dawn Salvucci-Favier Faster, Better Freight Quotes with Dawn Salvucci-Favier and discuss creating faster, better freight quotes. Dawn's company, develops dynamic pricing which enables transportation and logistics companies to deliver faster, better freight quotes. About Dawn Salvucci-Favier is Chief Product Officer & Co-CEO at . She has spent the past 20 years leading Global Product Strategy & Management at major Transportation Management System (TMS) providers. In addition, Dawn was President & Chief Operation Officer at Shippers Commonwealth where she had full P&L management responsibilities for the $6 million, value-added service provider of logistics solutions. In each of these roles, Dawn was able to develop and execute a vision and strategy for delivering industry-leading technology solutions to the Logistics market. She also brings extensive 3PL & Shipper Logistics operations experience having spent time as Director of Logistics Services for NFI Interactive Logistics and starting her career in the inbound transportation management function at Staples, Inc and The TJX Companies. About Greenscreens.ai is a dynamic pricing infrastructure for the truckload spot rate market that delivers buy and sell-side market intelligence and business insights to help companies grow and protect their margins. The company combines the power of aggregated market data and historical data with advanced machine learning techniques to deliver short-term, predictive freight market pricing specific to a company's individual buying and selling behavior. Greenscreens.ai's mission is to be the industry-leading neutral platform for market data aggregation, market intelligence, and dynamic pricing. Greenscreen’s Provide customers with high confidence, predictive buy rate guidance, and differentiated pricing strategies that are powered by the industry's most up-to-date and contextually relevant dataset. Greenscreens.ai is fueled by transactional data from shippers, carriers, brokers, leading market data sources within the Greenscreens network and executed within the context of their existing technology ecosystem and workflow. Key Takeaways: Faster, Better Freight Quotes In the podcast, Dawn highlighted the following challenges facing freight brokers and 3PLs: Competitive pressures as well funded, venture capital-backed 3PLs and big publicly traded companies invest heavily in tech that enables them: Reduce the cost per load. Improve the customer experience. Deliver faster, more accurate freight quotes using dynamic pricing. Market volatility Delivering faster, better quotes is especially difficult when the market is volatile. Customers (shippers) are becoming more sophisticated and demanding. Instantaneous freight quotes are becoming more common. Old, dirty data There is a lot of data available to brokers and 3PLs, but much of the data is market averages that are non-contextual (out of context). Even when the data is good, it is difficult for humans to leverage the data into good quotes – too much to process. If freight margins compress, all the above problems become even more evident. When the margins are high, there is more slop and opportunity for brokers and 3PLs to hide their pricing mistakes. Dawn also discussed dynamic pricing, which is a pricing strategy that enables 3PLs and brokers to change prices based on algorithms that consider competitor pricing, supply and demand, and other external factors in the market. Dawn’s company, provides dynamic pricing to the transportation and logistics industry. Dynamic pricing is used by many industry leaders and in many other industries including ride-sharing, airlines, professional sports, retail, and theme parks. Dynamic pricing utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning that can help 3PLs and brokers deliver freight quotes that both faster and better (more accurate). When companies use dynamic pricing from they win more business because they can deliver faster, better freight quotes. In addition, companies improve their operational productivity and improve margins. Learn More About Faster, Better Freight Quotes The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/18603560

5 Reasons Ecommerce Companies Fail with Paige Fitzgerald 04/04/2021

5 Reasons Ecommerce Companies Fail with Paige Fitzgerald 5 Reasons Ecommerce Companies Fail with Paige Fitzgerald and discuss the 5 reasons ecommerce companies fail. In her role at , Paige works closely with ecommerce companies and she has learned why they fail (and succeed). About Paige Fitzgerald is the sales and marketing coordinator at . Paige studied at Barret, the Honors College, and the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, earning dual degrees in Marketing and Management with a certificate in International Business. Prior to working at Fulfyld, Paige held various roles in events, marketing, and sales in Chicago, Illinois. She loves meeting people from all industries, finding creative solutions, and helping businesses succeed online. Paige currently resides in San Diego, California, where you might find her reading at the beach or birdwatching at the bay in her free time. About Fulfyld is an ecommerce fulfillment and warehousing company based in Huntsville, Alabama. Fulfyld’s unique service offering includes the technology and customer service required by direct-to-consumer brands along with deep expertise in value-added services, product sourcing, and packaging that enables them to become an extension of their customer’s supply chain. Customers range from local to global companies, each with unique e-commerce fulfillment needs. Fulfyld integrates directly with e-commerce marketplaces and shopping carts to simplify your shipping process. Fulfyld ships same-day, every day, for one flat-rate. Key Takeaways: 5 Reasons Ecommerce Companies Fail In the podcast, Paige highlighted the following reasons that ecommerce companies fail: Poor understanding of their customer and market. Lack of marketing and product differentiation. Poor performing website. Inability to scale and drive traffic to the website (lack of investment). Poor fulfillment because they chose a fulfillment partner that lacks the DTC expertise and experience required to be successful. Paige’s company, is an ecommerce fulfillment and warehousing company that provides fulfillment, technology, and customer service required by direct-to-consumer brands. Learn More About the 5 Reasons Ecommerce Companies Fail /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/18596591

Noam Frankel and the FreightFriend Story 04/01/2021

The Increasing Freight Tech Table Stakes with Nick Dangles 03/31/2021

The Increasing Freight Tech Table Stakes with Nick Dangles The Increasing Freight Tech Table Stakes with Nick Dangles and discuss the increasing freight tech table stakes. Nick explains the technologies that 3PLs and brokers need today to be competitive. He also reviews some of the newer technologies that are being utilized by industry leaders. About Nick Dangles is the Co-founder of , a company that helps freight tech companies get their products to market faster and with better adoption. Nick is a tenured veteran of full truckload freight brokerage who has firsthand knowledge of technology’s power in the freight industry. Nick’s operational focus and capacity to find a path forward, no matter the challenge, make his skills indispensable when working on a project, problem, or idea. Nick received his degree in Philosophy from The University of Illinois and received his law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. About Kinetic helps freight tech companies get their products to market faster and with better adoption. It’s not enough to simply build a great product. To succeed, both startups and companies at scale need to make decisions about how to effectively acquire new customers and address their target audience. By leveraging our network and transportation experience, we assess the current market understanding of your product to help find product-market-fit and provide support to your sales and marketing teams. We also partner with your company to build and deliver effective training materials, drive adoption throughout an organization, and provide basic customer support. Key Takeaways: The Increasing Freight Tech Table Stakes In the podcast, Nick shares the technologies that 3PLs and brokers need to use to be competitive today. Automated tracking Workflow automation including Book It Now technology Capacity management tools like Dynamic pricing tools like Learn More About the Increasing Freight Tech Table Stakes The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/18559226

Technology Alone Won't Integrate Your Supply Chain with Paul Jensen 03/30/2021

Technology Alone Won't Integrate Your Supply Chain with Paul Jensen Technology Alone Won't Integrate Your Supply Chain with Paul Jensen and discuss why technology alone won’t integrate your supply chain. Technology is critically important to a connected supply chain, however, there are limitations to what technology can do. To have a truly integrated supply chain companies need to have a supply chain partner that will couple the technology with the people and physical assets (trucks, terminals, warehouses, etc..) required to be effective and efficient. About Paul Jensen is a graduate of Iowa State University earning a Bachelor of Science in Physics. Upon graduation, he joined the United States Navy as a submarine officer and nuclear engineer. Jensen retired from the United States Navy Reserves in 2010 as a Commander (O5). While serving in the Reserves, Jensen began his corporate career in 1999 with Jacobson Companies, where he eventually served as executive vice president. From 2011-2016, he worked for DuPont Pioneer as senior manager of logistics and contracting. Paul joined the Ruan team in 2016 as vice president of logistics, leading our fastest growing service segment and a team of more than 100 employees in managed transportation and brokerage. He now leads the Supply Chain Solutions Division, which additionally includes value-added warehousing operations and dedicated contract transportation. Paul lives in Des Moines, IA with his wife Karla. They have two grown children who also live in the Des Moines metro area. About Ruan Founded in 1932, is a family-owned transportation company providing Dedicated Contract Transportation, Managed Transportation, Value-added Warehousing, and Brokerage Support Services. With 90 years of transportation and logistics experience, Ruan is one of the top 10 privately owned transportation service companies in the country. The company operates from 300 locations nationwide and employs over 5,500 team members. Key Takeaways: Technology Alone Won't Integrate Your Supply Chain In the podcast interview, Paul explains that while technology is a critically important element of the supply chain, the technology must be coupled with people and assets (trucks, terminals, warehouses, etc..) to have a fully integrated supply chain. To ensure that the plan-source-make-deliver process works, companies need a partner who can execute the logistics from beginning to end (order to cash). Many supply chains have unrecognized risks because their logistics function is disconnected with different parties owning the trucks, warehouses, technology platforms, etc. that manage their logistics. Ruan has the technology, people, warehousing, and trucks that enable them to be a true supply chain partner to their customers. Ruan’s suite of services includes , , , and . Learn More About Why Technology Alone Won't Integrate Your Supply Chain The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/18543830

Make Heroes, Make Money with Steve Elwell 03/30/2021

Make Heroes, Make Money with Steve Elwell Make Heroes, Make Money with Steve Elwell and discuss the concept of “make heroes, make money,” which relates to making customers and prospective customers the hero. Many salespeople and companies forget this principle and position themselves as the hero. Customers don’t want to be shown up by an outside company saving the day. They would rather be seen as the hero who picked a great partner to assist them in saving the day. About Steve Elwell is the Founder of , which is a business consultancy focused on turnaround, growth, and Improvement. Steve brings a strategic and practical approach to the challenges of leadership and business profitability. He is an expert in the growth and turnaround of small and medium manufacturing, logistics, and technology businesses. He led the turnaround of 6 troubled companies and started 2 new businesses. He successfully recruited and led 6 sales forces, introduced dozens of new products, and entered 10 new markets. As a retained executive search consultant, he built C-suite leadership teams for clients in a variety of industries. Steve earned a BA in Economics and Management and an MBA. He lives with his family in suburban Detroit. About iDev Partners provides growth and turnaround services to owners and executives of small and medium-sized automotive, industrial, and technology businesses. Areas of focus include new market entry, new product development, sales effectiveness, partnerships and alliances, operational excellence, and financial management. Key Takeaways: Make Heroes, Make Money In the podcast interview, Steve and Joe discuss principles from the book, . StoryBrand is a fantastic resource for sales and marketing professionals. In the book, Donald Miller explains why marketers and salespeople should position the customer as the hero. Principle 1: The customer is the hero, not your brand. Principle 2: Companies tend to sell solutions to external problems, but customers buy solutions to internal problems. Principle 3: Customers aren't looking for another hero; they're looking for a guide. Principle 4: Customers trust a guide who has a plan. Principle 5: Customers do not take action unless they are challenged to take action. Principle 6: Every human being is trying to avoid a tragic ending. Principle 7: Never Assume People Understand how your brand can change their lives – tell them. Learn More About Make Heroes, Make Money The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , , The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/18543821

What's Driving the 3PL Industry Consolidation with Spencer Tenney 03/26/2021

What's Driving the 3PL Industry Consolidation with Spencer Tenney What's Driving the 3PL Industry Consolidation with Spencer Tenney and discuss what’s driving the 3PL industry consolidation. Spencer and his team at Tenney Group are mergers and acquisitions advisors who work with business owners in the 3PL, trucking, and bus industry. About Spencer Tenney serves as President & CEO of Tenney Group, where he oversees the firm’s day-to-day effectiveness and long-term vision. Spencer is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and holds the designation of Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor through AM&AA. Prior to Tenney Group, Spencer worked as a Director at Merritt Hawkins, a healthcare recruiting firm in Dallas. He also owned a music publishing company. Spencer and his wife, Lauren, reside outside of Nashville in Franklin, Tennessee and have been married for 13 years. He has three amazing kids – 9,6, & 3. He enjoys writing country music, reading presidential biographies, and F3 (Fitness, Fellowship, Faith). He currently serves on the board of Franktown Open Hearts, a faith-based organization dedicated to equipping inner-city kids to free themselves from generational poverty. About Tenney Group are mergers and acquisitions advisors who work with business owners in the 3PL, trucking, and bus industry. These business owners are hardworking individuals or teams who have created and lead companies that are the backbone of America. Unfortunately, pitfalls unique to the transportation industry can threaten an owner's ability to sell their business for what they deserve or even threaten their ability to sell at all. Luckily, Tenney Group has developed an industry specialized process that enables business owners to navigate these pitfalls and maximize their ability to get a deal done. Ultimately, this allows owners to impact their family, employees, and community in profound ways while also giving them peace of mind that they made the best decision. The Tenney Group’s unique expertise helps transportation business owners build and protect business value, grow through acquisitions, and optimize the sale of their businesses. The Tenney Group was established in 1973 and has completed over 200 transportation deals. Key Takeaways: What's Driving the 3PL Industry Consolidation In the interview, Spencer explains what’s driving the 3PL industry consolidation. The following factors are driving the 3PL industry consolidation: Inexpensive investment dollars are available for funding M&A activity. Large logistics companies acquire businesses for the following reasons: Grow their revenues. Enter new markets. Gain access to talent. Diversify their service offering. Diversify their service area. Owners of logistics and transportation companies are interested in selling their companies for the following reasons: Life changes like retirement, divorce, illness, desire to do something else. Unwilling or unable to invest in the business. Unwilling or unwilling to invest in technology. Diversify their investments. Learn More About What's Driving the 3PL Industry Consolidation The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/18484847

3PL Sales Will Never Be the Same with Ryan Mann 03/26/2021

3PL Sales Will Never Be the Same with Ryan Mann 3PL Sales Will Never Be the Same with Ryan Mann and discuss why 3PL sales will never be the same. 3PL sales are changed forever because of COVID, changing market dynamics, and the introduction of new technologies. About Ryan Mann is the Director of Marketing at . Ryan studied at Texas Tech University, earning a degree in General Studies, and has 3 minors in Psychology, Sociology, and Human Resources Development. A great strategist and experienced marketer that has worked in agencies, freelance, and business marketing. He is driven by using marketing to connect people with their goals, and helping businesses grow. His biggest motivation is his family and turning amazing ideas into reality for businesses. With passion and hard work has led each member of his team, promoting their best qualities, building team confidence, and amazing team collaboration. Ryan is a fervent writer, he delights in blogs, essays, short stories, songs, and Haiku. About Lean Solutions Group provides operational, sales, marketing, and technology support to over 120 leading 3PLs. To succeed in the transportation and logistics business, 3PLs need to be able to hire and retain the very best talent, while keeping a lid on costs. Since the competition for the best talent is fierce companies need an edge that will help them win. Lean Staffing Solutions is that edge. Lean provides a turnkey solution to staffing challenges using a proven process that will improve profits while reducing employee costs. Lean can deliver on this promise because they are the pioneers in helping U.S.-based companies set up satellite offices in Colombia. Since 2014, Lean has worked with over 100 satisfied U.S.-based transportation and logistics providers. Lean ensures that your satellite office in Colombia is staffed with highly educated, English-speaking professionals trained in your company’s processes and systems. The Lean approach is a low cost, low risk, low hassle, and they manage the entire process with their account managers. Lean Staffing Solutions offers a suite of product offerings from traditional staffing to technology, sales, and marketing services. Key Takeaways: 3PL Sales Will Never Be the Same 3PL sales will never be the same because of the following reasons: Video The growth of video usage among sales and marketing people has truly changed the market. Video content views online are growing fast and businesses are using video to engage with customers on LinkedIn, Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Tik Tok, Instagram, etc.. Zoom Zoom has enabled salespeople to have face-to-face meetings with their clients and prospects without traveling, which saves valuable time and money. The use of Zoom has exploded during COVID. Zoom can also be used to conduct webinars and create videos. Growth of SDR / BDR SDR is an abbreviation for sales development representative and BDR is an abbreviation for business development representative, but they are the same job – finding new sales leads via phone, email, and social media. A BDR is a dedicated resource for finding new sales opportunities. By having a dedicated person on prospecting, companies can better develop the sales process and limit multi-tasking. Integration of the sales and marketing functions Traditionally, salespeople communicate one-to-one, while the marketing team communicate one-to-many. The lines between sales and marketing have blurred. Salespeople are creating content and utilizing one-to-many technologies like social media and video. Marketing teams are engaging more with sales and operations people to create better content. Remote and Outsourced Headcount Outsourced headcount to nearshore locations like Columbia is making logistics companies more profitable and more competitive. Many logistics companies have outsourced functions like back-office, tracking & tracking, sales, marketing, and technology to outsourcing companies that are able to provide a quality service at a reduced cost. Learn More About 3PL Sales Will Never Be the Same The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/18481922

Developing a Distribution Strategy with Matt McGregor 03/22/2021

Developing a Distribution Strategy with Matt McGregor Developing a Distribution Strategy with Matt McGregor and discuss developing a distribution strategy. Distribution strategy is one of the areas of focus for Matt and the team. About Matt McGregor is a Global Executive Vice President specializing in industrial commercial real estate portfolios for industrial companies. Matt is a supply chain industrial broker focused on representing firms associated with warehousing, fulfillment, manufacturing, logistics, and distribution facilities. Matt’s brokerage and consulting services are best in class and consist of real estate negotiations, network optimization, supply chain analytics, relocation analysis and negotiations, lease evaluations, consolidations, portfolio consulting, subleases, acquisitions, dispositions, strategic planning, labor analytics, demographics, site consulting, power studies, comparative financial analysis, construction design consulting, post-occupancy services, and state and local incentives negotiations. Matt has an impeccable resume related to large portfolio partnerships. Matt earned a Bachelor of International Business from the University of Washington and a Master of Science in Supply Chain from Michigan State University. Additionally, Matt has earned a Logistics and Transportation certificate from Georgia Tech. About Colliers (NASDAQ, TSX: CIGI) is a leading diversified professional services and investment management company. With operations in 67 countries, our more than 15,000 enterprising professionals work collaboratively to provide expert advice to real estate occupiers, owners, and investors. For more than 25 years, our experienced leadership with significant insider ownership has delivered compound annual investment returns of almost 20% for shareholders. With annualized revenues of $3.0 billion ($3.3 billion including affiliates) and $40 billion of assets under management, we maximize the potential of the property and accelerate the success of our clients and our people. Key Takeaways: Developing a Distribution Strategy In the interview, Matt explains the importance of developing a comprehensive distribution strategy before buying a property. To have a successful distribution strategy, partner with a real estate broker who specializes in logistics and supply chain real estate. A real estate broker who specializes in logistics and supply chain will ensure that you select a distribution center location and building that enables a successful distribution strategy. When selecting a location consider the rent, utility costs, access to expressways, labor availability, labor costs, labor demographics, infrastructure, public safety, building layout including docks, and warehouse vs office space. Elements of a successful distribution strategy Customer locations and shipment frequency Supplier locations and shipment frequency Access to trucking company terminals, ports, railroads, expressways, airports, etc. Learn More About Developing a Distribution Strategy The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/18417875

Hurdles to 3PL Growth with Trey Griggs and Isaac Moreno 03/17/2021

Hurdles to 3PL Growth with Trey Griggs and Isaac Moreno Hurdles to 3PL Growth with Trey Griggs and Isaac Moreno discusses hurdles to 3PL growth with and . Trey and Isaac work at , where they work with 3PLs to solve a variety of sales and marketing problems. About Trey Griggs is the Vice President of Sales at . After graduating from William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, Trey began his career as a high school physics teacher and coach. In 2010, he transitioned to a career in sales, cutting his teeth in door-to-door office supply sales for 15 months before accepting an opportunity with a leading technology and data provider in the transportation industry. During the past nine years Trey has gained experience in several sectors within technology, including load boards, rate analytics, TMS systems, visibility solutions, digital freight-matching platforms, and Robotic Process Automation (RPA). Trey enjoys coaching teams to be great, as well as speaking on sales and marketing strategies, leadership, organizational structure, and technology. When he is not building world-class sales organizations, you can find Trey spending time with his family, traveling, renovating his home, playing golf, working out, reading & playing music. About Isaac Moreno is the Director of Carrier Sales for , currently working out of the Barranquilla, Colombia office. He graduated from the University of Tampa in 2011 and has worked in the freight brokerage industry for over 8 years. He has worn many hats in the industry, but primarily has extensive experience in the Carrier Sales role. His main duty is to help grow the carrier sales division by providing exceptional training and expertise in providing quality carrier sales candidates to logistics companies in the United States. Isaac earned a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Tampa. About Lean Solutions Group provides operational, sales, marketing, and technology support to over 120 leading 3PLs. To succeed in the transportation and logistics business, 3PLs need to be able to hire and retain the very best talent, while keeping a lid on costs. Since the competition for the best talent is fierce companies need an edge that will help them win. Lean Staffing Solutions is that edge. Lean provides a turnkey solution to staffing challenges using a proven process that will improve profits while reducing employee costs. Lean can deliver on this promise because they are the pioneers in helping U.S. based companies set up satellite offices in Colombia. Since 2014, Lean has worked with over 100 satisfied U.S. based transportation and logistics providers. Lean ensures that your satellite office in Colombia is staffed with highly educated, English speaking professionals trained in your company’s processes and systems. The Lean approach is a low cost, low risk, low hassle, and they manage the entire process with their account managers. Lean Staffing Solutions offers a suite of product offerings from traditional staffing to technology, sales, and marketing services. Key Takeaways: Hurdles to 3PL Growth According to Trey and Isaac, the hurdles to growth in the 3PL business are typically: Developing good sales leads – lack of lead generation and sales muscle. Recruiting the right people, especially drivers. Creating a connected, capable, carrier network that reduces the need for load boards (carriers sales). Some Logistics companies struggle to grow their sales because they don’t put the proper focus on the sales function – they don’t recruit, train, and retain the right people for the job. They also don’t develop the proper structure, process, and systems to support the sales group. Lean Solutions Group helps 3PLs grow their sales by managing the recruiting, hiring, training, and placement of sales professionals that will make a positive impact. Many 3PLs are suffering to find the right carriers to move their freight. When 3PLs lack the right carrier relationships, they become transactional and develop an over-reliance on load boards. One of Lean’s specialties is carrier sales – they are the matchmaker who will will help their client connect with top quality carriers who are a great fit. Recruiting is a big problem in the logistics business. 3PLs are always looking for good people, but they don’t always excel at recruiting. Today, one of the hardest segments to recruit is drivers. Among drivers, the turnover is very high, and a good driver has her pick of top carriers and lanes. Lean Solutions Group assists many of their clients on recruiting. With their roots in the staffing business, Lean has deep expertise and experience in recruiting for the 3PL space. Learn More About Hurdles to 3PL Growth The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/18366620

Matt Vogrich and the MoLo Story 03/17/2021

Hospital in the Home with Ben Fornell 03/14/2021

Hospital in the Home with Ben Fornell Hospital in the Home with Ben Fornell and discuss hospital in the home (HITH) and the logistics required to make it successful. Healthcare traditionally delivered at hospitals is increasingly happening at the home of the patient and the trend is sometimes called “hospital in the home” or “hospital at home.” About Ben Fornell is the Founder and CEO of , the first logistics platform built for home healthcare. From its roots in the final mile parcel logistics business, the company has grown into a leading SaaS platform for managing hospital-at-home and in-home healthcare. Prior to taking the leap into entrepreneurship, Ben was a newspaper reporter with bylines in such publications as The Cedar Rapids Gazette, The New York Daily News, and The Des Moines Register. His former editors would be mortified to read his daily emails. Ben earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Iowa. About Shurpa is the first SaaS platform built from the ground-up to manage compliance, scheduling, and logistics for the hospital-at-home and home healthcare markets. Shurpa leverage patented artificial intelligence (AI) to take the guesswork out of managing mandatory recurring appointments while driving maximum efficiency from clinician workforces in the field. Shurpa is currently working with major national payers and providers, supporting a variety of healthcare use cases within the home. Shurpa can connect to a variety of leading electronic health records systems and work with healthcare providers to to tailor a workflow to their unique organizational needs. Connect with the Shurpa team online at or email for more information. Key Takeaways: Hospital in the Home Hospital in the home (HITH) or hospital at home (HAH) refers to hospital-level care provided in the home environment. HITH will continue to grow because it is less expensive and often provides the same or even better healthcare outcomes for the patient. One of the challenges in HITH is logistics – getting the right people (nurses, doctors, techs) and equipment to the right place, the patient’s home. When healthcare professionals are stuck in traffic, lost, or taking the long way to the patient’s home, you get burn-out and a lot of extra costs. Shurpa is bringing home healthcare into the digital era. They equip healthcare companies professionals with the tools they need to optimize routes and appointments and reduce windshield time for healthcare professionals. Shurpa’s routing and optimization software enable healthcare professionals to keep their time commitments, reduce drive time, and realize efficiency gains of 30% or more. Learn More The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/18316748

Understanding the Rise and Fall of Truckload Rates with Chris Pickett 03/14/2021

Understanding the Rise and Fall of Truckload Rates with Chris Pickett Understanding the Rise and Fall of Truckload Rates with Chris Pickett and discuss the rise and fall of truckload rates. In the podcast interview, Chris explains the predictable patterns and causes behind the rise and fall of truckload rates. About Chris Pickett Bio is the Lead Market Analyst and Founder of Pickett Research, LLC – an independent market research firm focused exclusively on the dynamics that drive US truckload freight rates. From 2006 to 2020, Chris played key leadership roles (including Chief Strategy Officer from 2010-2020) at Coyote Logistics (a UPS Company), a leading provider of non-asset based 3PL solutions across North America and Europe. Over various periods along the way, he held operational responsibility for all activities related to North American Sales, Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain Engineering, and Pricing Strategy. Chris’ passion for understanding US Truckload Freight Market dynamics and predicting the direction of spot and contract rates stems from his work at Coyote over this period where long-term contract commitments were often made based on an expected long-term cost of capacity in the spot market. It has since become a borderline obsession, where his fascination in these market phenomena continues to drive the evolution of the market cycle framework and the predictive value it delivers. Before joining Coyote in 2006, Chris spent his early career in supply chain software development, network design, and consulting. He earned a B.S. in Industrial & Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech, an M.Eng. in Logistics from MIT, and an MBA from Georgia Tech. About Pickett Research (PR) was established in 2020 to fill a void in the US Truckload Freight Marketplace for analysis, forecasting, and market guidance that is both objective and credible. The mission at Pickett Research is to fill that void by leveraging a unique market philosophy, framework, and forecasting methodology that was developed and refined over more than a decade of commercial market experience scaling one of the largest and fastest-growing truckload freight brokers and 3PLs in North America from scratch. PR’s flagship research product, The Pickett Line, launched January 2021 as a monthly publication available via paid annual subscription, provides an overview of current and expected future market conditions and a rolling forecast for national spot and contract truckload linehaul rates on a quarterly year-over-year basis for up to five years out. To learn more or to subscribe to the 2021-22 series, visit or connect via email at . Key Takeaways: Understanding the Rise and Fall of Truckload Rates Chris’s website shares his philosophy about the rise and fall of truckload rates. The next 3 bullet points are cut and pasted from the Picket Research website While it remains exceedingly difficult to predict the behavior of any individual buyer or seller in the US Truckload Freight Market, the behavior of the herd has proven to be quite consistent over the past 15 years – through recessions, energy crises, natural disasters, and even a global pandemic. When demand exceeds supply, rates move higher. As rates move higher, net Class 8 tractor orders spike, and incremental capacity enters. And in a market governed by human beings making financial decisions, we always overshoot. We always overdo it. Too much capacity enters relative to demand, rates hit a peak then collapse – along with Class 8 tractor orders – towards a deflationary trough. From there, the cycle reverses, unprofitable capacity exits, everyone forgets about the last cycle, and history repeats itself. And as long as the market remains structured in the same way, with fragmented supply making decisions in silos based on individual best interests, the cycle is doomed to repeat itself in perpetuity. While each cycle unfolds a little bit differently than the last as influenced by the nuances of the times, the pattern remains the same. Learn more about the rise and fall of truckload rates here: Learn More About Understanding the Rise and Fall of Truckload Rates The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/18315746

Why Cold Callers Fail with Chris Jolly 03/13/2021

Why Cold Callers Fail with Chris Jolly Why Cold Callers Fail with Chris Jolly and discuss why cold callers fail. In the discussion, Chris shares the most common reasons cold callers fail and some tips for making the cold calling process more effective. About Chris Jolly is the founder of and the host of . Chris has over 14 years of experience in transportation with the bulk of his experience in freight brokerage. His experience within freight brokerage includes operations, sales, and leadership ranging from start-ups to one of the largest brokerages in the transportation industry. His passion is the training and development of sales and operations professionals in the brokerage business. Chris earned his bachelor’s degree in Management from the University of Wisconsin- Stout located in Menomonie, WI and holds an associate in Management from Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire, WI. About The Freight Coach partners with growth stage transportation companies ranging from traditional freight brokerages, asset-based trucking companies looking to expand into brokerage, as well as technology companies looking to implement their product into the industry. Our main objective is to utilize niche-specific transportation training methods to improve efficiencies within the sales process and use our experience to enhance your operations team to execute your freight mix at a higher level. The Freight Coach provides one on one training with leadership as well as carrier and customer sales representatives to ensure that they overcome the barriers they are facing now to pave the way for greater success. Key Takeaways: Why Cold Callers Fail In the podcast interview, Chris reviews the reasons why cold callers fail: A lack of substance, poor messaging. To be successful, cold callers need to have something interesting to say. No specialization or niche. When cold callers develop a specialization, they are more valuable, useful, and therefore interesting to prospects. Remember, . Inward looking – they talk about their product rather than the prospect’s business or problem. Good cold callers focus on the customer’s problems. Lack of confidence, which may be caused by lack of success and or not engaging properly. Lack of follow-up. Chris encourages cold callers to be persistent when pursuing prospects and to always keep calling until they reach the prospect. Over-reliance on one method for connecting with prospects. In addition to cold calling, Chris recommends using emails, text messages, LinkedIn, webinars, podcasts – any way to gain favorable attention with the prospect. Learn More About Why Cold Callers Fail The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/18311885

Sourcing Strategy: Effective vs Efficient with Ron Crabtree 03/12/2021

Sourcing Strategy: Effective vs Efficient with Ron Crabtree Sourcing Strategy: Effective vs Efficient with Ron Crabtree and discuss sourcing strategy: effective vs efficient. When developing a sourcing strategy, the focus can be effectiveness (gaining desired results) or on efficiency (reducing cost, labor, and resources used). About Ron Crabtree , CPIM, CIRM, CSCP, MLSSBB, SCOR-P is the founder and CEO (2002) of MetaOps™, Inc. he is an internationally recognized expert in leading-edge business process improvement methodologies. Mr. Crabtree is a Master Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, a Certified Supply Chain Transformation Architect and an expert in effective change management, facilitation, and communications. He has spent more than 20,000 hours providing consulting, training, and facilitation for large and small groups for hundreds of organizations internationally on a wide range of topics. He draws on more than 30 years’ experience in implementing Lean, Six Sigma, Supply Chain and other “best practice” methodologies as both an insider and as a consultant in many international industries including insurance & financial services, state/local government, medical/healthcare, automotive assembly plants, complex manufacturing, process manufacturing, repair operations, printing, injection molding, consumer goods, distribution/retailing, and software and more. Ron is the author and architect of the TOP Facilitator© Program that provides the skills needed for change agents and leaders charged with facilitating organizational transformation. About MetaOps and MetaExperts MetaExperts™ are talent operational excellence (OpEx) hands-on-deck, training, and get-it-done partners. MetaExperts™ is not a consulting company, but a global network of OpEx deployment experts and resources for flexible, on-demand short-term contract, or contract-to-hire needs. MetaExperts™ align with your industry and OpEx initiatives (i.e., successes in Lean, business process improvement, change management, etc.) and are vetted through our unique 300+ Screening and Evaluation Process that thoroughly vets each contender's skill set, toolkits, and experience. Based in Mattawan, MI, the company was founded in 2002. Key Takeaways - Sourcing Strategy: Effective vs Efficient In the podcast interview, Ron explains the difference between sourcing strategies that focus on effectiveness and those that focus on efficiency. Effective refers to “producing a desired or intended result.” Efficiency refers to “achieving maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense.” Attributes of sourcing strategies with an over-emphasis on efficiency: Off-shoring to low wage countries or sourcing near the raw material supply points Single sourcing to drive price and increase influence (to a point) Low bidder mentality Focus on price vs. fully understanding the total cost of ownership and factoring in the cost of major disruption risks. Just-in-time inventory policies, driving suppliers to carry all the burden of just-in-case inventory. Since the suppliers are likely making a low margin, there is less of a relationship and probably little or no loyalty. The upshot of all this is the result of now we very brittle supply chains, now inherently susceptible to massive disruption – even by a single event – such as the tsunami event in Japan. Attributes of sourcing strategies that focus effectiveness: High Adaptability High Responsiveness Up-side and down-side flexibility of 25% or more Response to node failures is robust. Perfect fulfillment capable Getting into buying consortiums to increase influence and minimize service disruptions. Sourcing strategies that focus on effectiveness can withstand disruptions. A sourcing strategy’s focus on effectiveness or efficiency is determined on the company’s unique needs. Example: A surgery center or aviation company will focus more on effectiveness, while a company selling high-volume novelty items will focus on efficiency. Learn More About Sourcing Strategy: Effective vs Efficient Previous Interview with Ron Crabtree The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/18301631

The Emerge Story with Andrew Leto 03/11/2021

The Psychology of Solving Big Problems with Ann Holm 03/07/2021

The Psychology of Solving Big Problems with Ann Holm The Psychology of Solving Big Problems with Ann Holm and discuss the psychology of solving big problems. Ann provides a step-by-step process for solving big problems based on the teachings of , who is the best-selling author of the book, . About Ann Holm , is a Professional Certified Coach specializing in executive, career, and sales coaching. In addition to being a certified Master practitioner of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, she offers the Type Coach online assessment, with a focus on personality as it relates to the process of generating leads, closing, and maintaining sales accounts. She also has 25 years of experience in applied brain science, using her hands-on experiences to help her coaching clients understand how to stay focused, be engaged, and energized given the demands of the 21st-century workplace. Ann has both a BA and an MS from the University of Michigan which focuses on psychology, brain science, and language. About Ann Holm’s Coaching Practice helps individuals position themselves for success by increasing their self-awareness, which is a must-have skill in the 21st century. Through coaching and proven assessment tools, Ann helps people become aware of their personality, emotional intelligence, and how they manage their brain energy. She also helps her client to better understand their value proposition or personal brand. Areas of expertise include: personal self-awareness, sales coaching for logistics professionals, emotional intelligence, communication and influence, team building, MBTI Master Practitioner, extensive experience with the MBTI Step III, 360 Reach/Personal Branding, and applied brain science. Connect with Ann at . Key Takeaways: The Psychology of Solving Big Problems In the podcast interview, Ann explains the psychology of solving big problems with the following 5 steps. Empathy – avoid blaming and judging yourself and others. Try to understand and share the feelings of others. Explore – Begin researching and analyzing information. Attempt to be open, objective, and scientific in your exploration. Innovate – Brainstorm possible solutions without judging the ideas. Ann says the goal is “to move the energy forward.” Navigate – Consider the potential actions and determine which ones align to your values and goals. Activate – Identify the best solutions (be bold) that you are willing and able to implement. Learn More About the Psychology of Solving Big Problems Other Interviews with Ann Holm The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/18220646

The CPG Supply Chain with Mike Neme 03/04/2021

The CPG Supply Chain with Mike Neme The CPG Supply Chain with Mike Neme and discuss the CPG supply chain and Mike’s approach to winning and managing business with emerging consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies. About Mike Neme is a Franchise/Agent owner with and VP of Supply Chain Solutions at , where he can give our customers a one-stop-shop for all and everything supply chain/ops and tech. Head down—all gas. No brakes are Mike's motto, whether it is in his personal life or professional life. Mike has been in the industry for eight years and has worked for some top asset and non-asset-based 3PLs, allowing him to see how both asset and brokerage works. In a traditionally transactional sales industry, he has never sold a transactional deal. He's always looked at customers' business as the way he would look at his own. Let's set this up for the long game and make strategic decisions like playing chess, not checkers. Mike's goal is to enhance efficiencies and increase customer profitability Year-over-year. Mike earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Communications from Central Michigan University. About Hook Logistics is a 3rd Party logistics (3PL) firm that provides quality fulfillment services at transparent, fair rates. Hook Logistics utilizes a simple and intuitive platform to manage past orders, check inventory, and monitor/change current orders. Hook integrates with all the leading ecommerce platforms. Hook has fulfillment facilities in Ridgefield, NJ, and will announce the opening of a West Coast facility soon. About Globaltranz is a technology-driven freight brokerage company specializing in LTL, full truckload, expedited, and managed transportation solutions. GlobalTranz is leading the market in innovative logistics technology that optimizes the efficiency of freight movement and matches shipper demand and carrier capacity in near real-time. Leveraging its extensive freight agent network, GlobalTranz has emerged as a fast-growing market leader with a customer base of over 25,000 shippers. GlobalTranz was recently recognized as the 8th largest Brokerage Company in Transport Topics’ Top Freight Brokerage Firms of 2019. Key Takeaways: The CPG Supply Chain CPG is an abbreviation for consumer-packaged goods, which is an industry term for merchandise that customers use up and replace on a frequent basis. Examples of consumer-packaged goods include food, beverages, cosmetics, and cleaning products. Mike Neme’s niche is emerging package goods (CPG) companies with sales between $20 million and $500 million dollars. In the podcast interview, Mike shared his approach to working with emerging CPG companies. Mike’s approach: Pick a niche and become an expert in that market segment. Engage as a consultant, not someone who just sells logistics services. Develop a customized solution that includes technology, people, processes, and any other resources required for the client to be successful. Analyze shipments to understand the total cost to serve by each product line, customer, and location. Learn More About the CPG Supply Chain The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/18187976

Charlie Saffro and the CS Recruiting Stor‪y‬ 03/03/2021

Charlie Saffro and the CS Recruiting Stor‪y‬ Charlie Saffro and the CS Recruiting Story‬ hosts a podcast about and the CS Recruiting story. Charlie is the Founder and President of CS Recruiting a firm that specializes in logistics and supply chain recruiting. About Charlie Saffro is the President and Founder of . Charlie has over 14 years of direct recruiting experience within the Logistics, Transportation, and Supply Chain space. She has worked with many small to medium-sized businesses, as well as with Fortune 50 companies to help them identify the right talent for their organizational needs. Clients have included Third Party Logistics providers (3PL’s), Asset-Based providers, Shippers (Manufacturers and Distributors), and Vendors to the industry (transportation technology/fleet solutions). Charlie’s team of dedicated recruiters has experience filling positions of all levels; including C Level and Executive positions, Management roles, and Independent Contributor seats. Their network of talent spans across all functions (sales/operations/analytics/leadership) and the CS team pride themselves on knowing how to identify and evaluate talent for key positions. About CS Recruiting focuses on recruitment within the Logistics, Transportation, and Supply chain Industry. We partner with clients across North America to help them identify the most qualified candidates for their niche hiring needs. Our client base consists of 3PLs, Asset Providers, Shippers (Manufacturers/Distributors), and companies that offer a technology platform, equipment solution, or consulting services. We pride ourselves on our industry expertise, competitive market knowledge, and network of talent to support searches for positions of all levels and functions that influence the Supply Chain. CS Recruiting’s goal is to partner with clients and candidates to develop long-lasting relationships and make appropriate and time-sensitive career matches. Learn More About Charlie Saffro and the CS Recruiting Stor‪y‬ Other Inside the Founders Studio Interviews The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/18176792

Will Chu and the Vector Story 02/26/2021

Nicole Glenn and the Candor Expedite Story 02/22/2021

The Freight Marketplace with Brent Hutto 02/21/2021

The Freight Marketplace with Brent Hutto The Freight Marketplace with Brent Hutto and discuss the freight marketplace and its importance, dynamics, and huge impact on the U.S. economy. Brent works at , a company that provides the technology, data, trust, and relationships that make the freight marketplace so efficient. About Brent Hutto joined seven years ago and currently serves as the Chief Relationship Officer for which includes ensuring the health of all of Truckstop.com’s external relationships with hundreds of transportation technology companies. In his 23 years in the transportation and logistics industry, he has developed extensive experience covering the market including positions of leadership in sales, marketing, media, and communications. Hutto has specific experience with carriers, brokers, shippers, industry suppliers, technology leaders, media companies, and financial firms. Presently, he serves on the boards, committees, and has membership with the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), National Strategic Shippers Transportation Council (NASSTRAC), Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA), Women In Trucking (WIT), American Trucking Association (ATA), Truckload Carriers Association, National Private Truck Council (NPTC), Intermodal Association of North America (IANA), and National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) and proudly serves on the board of the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN). Brent earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and Marketing from Auburn University. He has been happily married to his wife Teresa for 24 years, and they have six children. About Truckstop is a leader in transportation technology and freight matching solutions. Founded in 1995 as the first load board on the internet, Truckstop.com offers logistics solutions for transportation professionals through load planning, transportation management, real-time rates, and negotiation tools, as well as the largest industry credit reporting entity helping industry professionals find trusted freight partners. With Truckstop.com, brokers can post loads and carriers can search for available loads in real-time. For over 20 years, Truckstop.com has helped carriers and brokers successfully run their businesses and find a better way to move freight. Key Takeaways: The Freight Marketplace The freight marketplace is huge and makes up approximately 10% of the annual U.S. . The freight marketplace consists of approximately 400K carriers, 18K 3PLs and brokers, and 4 million shippers (and growing). There are over 750 million shipments per year and approximately 100 million of those shipments are on the spot market. The freight marketplace, especially the spot market, is the leading indicator for the economy. Because the economy and the needs of the shippers are so dynamic so too is the freight marketplace. The marketplace is constantly evolving and adapting to better serve the shippers and the public at large. Until recently, the freight business was largely manual with lots of emails and phone calls. Communication, data, technology, and marketplace platforms like Truckstop have greatly improved the efficiency of the marketplace. Both shippers and logistics companies are now armed with the latest and greatest data, which enables them to make better business decisions – fast. Truckstop partners with over 75,000 companies and the vast majority are small and mid-size companies. Carriers, brokers, and 3PLs all benefit from working with Truckstop. Truckstop’s community, load boards, data, innovation, and technology make them the perfect partner. The Truckstop team is proud to serve the freight community and drive the efficiency of the freight marketplace. Learn More About the Freight Marketplace Related Podcasts The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/18032075

Amazon vs Target vs Walmart with Rick Watson 02/17/2021

Amazon vs Target vs Walmart with Rick Watson Amazon vs Target vs Walmart with Rick Watson and discuss Amazon vs Target vs Walmart and their strengths and weaknesses in the areas of ecommerce, fulfillment, distribution, and logistics. About Rick Watson founded after spending 20+ years as a technology entrepreneur and operator exclusively in the ecommerce industry with companies like ChannelAdvisor, , Merchantry, and Pitney Bowes. Watson was one of the first employees at ChannelAdvisor, spending 10 years there in various executive capacities and launching many of the company’s flagship offerings. He was then recruited to launch the third-party marketplace at , expanding the company’s product catalog by over 1 million items. After the successful marketplace launch, he served as CEO of Merchantry and led the company to a $30M acquisition by Tradeshift. Upon fulfilling the transition obligations of Merchantry to Tradeshift, Watson directed the cross-border product strategy of Pitney Bowes, a $450M business, comprised of Borderfree and the eBay Global Shipping Program. Watson’s work today is centered on supporting investors and management teams incubating and growing direct-to-consumer businesses. Most recently, in partnership with WHP Global, Rick was a critical resource in architecting the WHP+ platform, a new turnkey direct-to-consumer digital ecommerce platform that powers and . About RMW Commerce Consulting supports investors and management teams incubating and growing digital businesses online – both direct-to-consumer and B2B. RMW was founded by Rick Watson after his more than 20 years as a technology entrepreneur and operator exclusively in the eCommerce industry with companies like ChannelAdvisor, , Merchantry, and Pitney Bowes. Key Takeaways: Amazon vs Target vs Walmart The lines have blurred when it comes to retail and ecommerce. In the past, consumers either bought online or bought from their local retailers. Today, consumer expectations have risen in large part because companies like Amazon, Target, and Walmart have created such a wonderful customer experience. During the discussion, Rick talked about each company’s business model, along with their relative strengths and weaknesses in the areas of customer experience, fulfillment, and delivery. Amazon Amazon is a pioneer in the ecommerce space, but to ensure that the customer experience, delivery, and fulfillment is world-class, Amazon has invested heavily in fulfillment centers close to consumers. The fulfillment centers enable Amazon to store inventory close to consumers which allows for fast delivery and even same-day / next-day delivery. Amazon has raised the bar on digital communication with customers and their accurate, on-time home deliveries set the benchmark for the rest of the industry. To further cement their position as the leader in-home delivery, Amazon has started an asset-based logistics company to keep the packages moving. Amazon is first and foremost a technology company and they will use their superior tech capability to stay a leader in the business. Target Target started as an old-school retailer with virtually no technology or online presence. In terms of selling online, Target had a very late start. Target was not equipped to manage an online store and they even had Amazon manage their online sales for a short time. As a traditional retailer, Target couldn’t just copy Amazon’s strategy. Target ultimately decided to invest in their stores. They made each store a fulfillment center and today, 90% of Target’s online orders are fulfilled by their stores. Additionally, Target has pioneered several purchasing/fulfillment options including BOPAC (Buy online and pick up at curb) BOPIS (Buy online and pick up in store), and same-day / next-day deliveries via Shipt (an independent subsidiary of Target). Shipt facilitates same-day delivery from various retailers to its members through either phone apps or via their website. Shipt has over 200,000 personal shoppers delivering products to homes. Walmart Walmart is the world's largest company by revenue, with over $524 billion USD in 2020. Walmart is also the also the biggest food retailer in the USA. Walmart is a juggernaut when comes to sales and operational excellence. Walmart’s inventory management, distribution, and logistics are arguably the best in the retail world. Obviously, the company understands retailing, but they struggled with their transition to online sales. Walmart was late to the online party and they had a few missteps. In recent years, Walmart has made major investments that enable their stores to be fulfillment centers. With over 11,500 stores worldwide, Walmart has locations close to the world’s population centers. In addition to their store and fulfillment center investment, Walmart purchased Jet.com to gain the experience and resources of a web-native ecommerce company. Learn More About Amazon vs Target vs Walmart with Rick Watson The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/17988593

Greg Price and the Shipwell Story 02/17/2021

Greg Price and the Shipwell Story Greg Price and the Shipwell Story and discuss Greg’s entrepreneurial journey and the story. Greg is the Co-founder of Shipwell, a cloud-based transportation management software company. About Greg Price is the CEO and Co-founder of , a cloud based TMS solution based in Austin, TX. Shipwell is transforming the supply chain industry by replacing opaque and manual processes through a tech-enabled, fully connected logistics ecosystem with more than 500,000 carrier partners. Greg Price co-founded Shipwell to apply his engineering and machine learning background to the transportation market and bring automation, visibility, and artificial intelligence to the supply chain space. While a consultant at McKinsey & Co, Greg leveraged advanced analytics and machine learning to solve crucial challenges facing Fortune 100 supply chains across CPG, Retail, Oil & Gas, and Manufacturing, resulting $500M+ in realized savings and earnings. Previously, he spent 7 years working at MIT’s Lincoln Labs creating hardware, software, and algorithms for the US Department of Defense and holds master’s degrees in Engineering and Business from MIT. About Shipwell is transforming the supply chain industry with a cloud-based shipping solution that grows with your business. Their connected SaaS platform combines the features and functionality of a TMS with advanced visibility and an integrated partner network in a simple solution that uses data analytics and workflow automation to maximize efficiencies and reduce total cost of ownership. Shipwell’s innovative architecture delivers actionable, data-driven insights so customers can focus on high priority tasks, identify and resolve transportation issues, and quickly access capacity. From order management to financial reconciliation, Shipwell’s platform saves time, reduces cost, and optimizes the shipping experience throughout the entire supply chain. Shipwell is proud to be recognized as a notable vendor in the , as well as a . Learn More About Greg Price and the Shipwell Story /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/17977466

What I Learned from Working at 6 Fulfillment Companies in 3 Months with Channa Ranatunga 02/15/2021

What I Learned from Working at 6 Fulfillment Companies in 3 Months with Channa Ranatunga What I Learned from Working at 6 Fulfillment Companies in 3 Months with Channa Ranatunga and discuss what Channna learned from working at 6 fulfillment companies in 3 months. Channa’s company, provides tools that enable improved worker efficiency in fulfillment warehouses, so he wanted to gain firsthand experience working in fulfillment. About Channa Ranatunga is the Co-founder and CEO of , a technology company dedicated to building smart tools that reduce repetitive work and improve worker efficiency in warehouses. Channa is an experienced entrepreneur in the logistics and supply chain space. He enjoys learning about new technologies and current challenges faced within the warehousing and fulfillment space and is always looking to connect with logistics professionals. Prior to starting Rabot, Channa was a Senior Applications Specialist at a machine vision company. Earlier in his career, Channa owned a pack and ship store and also founded a wireless device company focused on smart farms. About Rabot builds smart tools to reduce repetitive work and improve worker efficiency in warehouses. Due to the growth of e-commerce in the global economy, e-commerce fulfillment and logistics companies are struggling to maintain profit margins as their customers expect shorter and error-free fulfillment cycles. This is prompting the need for smarter technology solutions to help with the rapid growth. At Rabot, we are building smart tools to reduce inefficient, inaccurate, and repetitive manual work and improve warehouse operations' traceability. Rabot is based in Arlington, Texas. Key Takeaways: What I Learned from Working at 6 Fulfillment Companies in 3 Months learned the following from working at 6 fulfillment companies in 3 months: People The workers are generally very hard working. Diverse workforces, usually a family environment. Many workers are fearful of robotics because they see it as a potential threat to their jobs. Many workers are struggling financially, some sad stories, people living in cars. High turnover, repetitive work, demanding physically, no sick days. Workers often work in the gig economy, very interested in Uber, Lyft, etc. as alternative sources of income. Management was typically very kind, treated people well. Everybody, management, and workers are trying to do the right things. Process The work is repetitive, sometimes difficult to stay focused, which leads to quality issues. Some processes work well, easy to manage, and do a good job, other processes are very hard because there is no technology or the tech is mismatched or inadequate In general, too many manual processes, writing out barcode numbers on to paper, etc. Management often don’t have visibility into the process – only the output Management’s lack of visibility into the process, means there are errors, bad orders Process variability based on the operator (experience, effort, training, size/strength) Technology Many fulfillment companies are not using technology properly. Some warehousing and fulfillment company not utilizing any technology at all. WMS not used in two of the six fulfillment companies – manual processes, no scan guns. Learn More About What I Learned from Working at 6 Fulfillment Companies in 3 Months Other Podcasts about Fulfillment /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/17956415

The Perfect Partner for the Owner-Operator with Mandy Morrow 02/11/2021

Predict and Prevent Freight Damage with Ilya Preston 02/07/2021

Predict and Prevent Freight Damage with Ilya Preston Predict and Prevent Freight Damage with Ilya Preston and discuss ways to predict and prevent freight damage. Freight damage is not only expensive and upsetting to customers, but it is also ridiculously hard to figure out where, when, and how it occurred. Ilya’s company, Paxafe creates sensors that enable companies to determine when, where, and how shipments were damaged. About Ilya Preston is the Co-founder and CEO of . Ilya was formerly a strategy and operations management consultant within the Big 4 with both PwC and KPMG, advising Fortune 1000 clients across healthcare, technology, and private equity verticals. Prior to his time in consulting, Ilya was a Supply Chain Strategy Manager at Cummins Inc, where he oversaw $100M in spend and was responsible for developing the commodity strategy for sheet metal fabrication and raw metal purchases. Ilya earned a Bachelor of Science in International Business from the University of Indianapolis. About PAXAFE predicts adverse events through the supply chain to de-risk B2B shipments and enable intelligent cargo insurance. By building machine learning models that properly diagnose and label excursions, PAXAFE is uniquely positioned to leverage more granular, contextual data to accurately identify when, where and under which conditions future adverse events are likely to occur. PAXAFE has developed an intelligence platform – CONTXT - that leverages near real-time telematics, third-party and ERP data to provide a digital twin to the physical supply chain capable of answering who, what, when, where, how, and why. CONTXT enables shippers, 3PLs / carriers and insurance providers the ability to intercept at-risk shipments, automate claim diagnosis and root cause analysis, and improve loss ratios via improved underwriting. PAXAFE’s platform decreases cargo loss while improving operational efficiencies. PAXAFE - a venture-backed C-Corp - is a graduate of Accelerator, was a 2019 Accelerate Michigan startup competition finalist and a 2020 ACORD InsurTech Challenge finalist, and is a to watch in 2020 and 2021. PAXAFE is currently a part of the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) - Risk stream. Key Takeaways: Predict and Prevent Freight Damage Freight damage and loss are extremely upsetting to shippers, transportation providers, and end customers. Additionally, freight damage and loss are very expensive. Every time a shipment is damaged or lost and freight claim is created, somebody must determine when, where, and how it happened. The company or person who was responsible is sometimes very hard to determine, and let’s face it most people will not want to take responsibility for the screw-up. In the interview, Ilya explains how his company has created small, affordable sensors that can be added to the shipment and precisely determine when and where the shipment was damaged, assuming the shipment is damaged. Additionally, the sensors can provide additional insights into the damage like whether the shipment was dropped or if it accelerated quickly during a truck spike stop. This additional context that the sensors provide enables shippers and transportation providers to analyze damaged shipment and then improve the process to prevent future damage. Lost shipments with the included sensors are usually easily found. In addition, PAXAFE has created temperature sensors that can prevent temperature excursions that lead to food damage. Learn More About How to Predict and Prevent Freight Damage Recent Podcasts About Trucking The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/17854025

Top Trends in Supply Chain Tech with Charley Dehoney 02/05/2021

Top Trends in Supply Chain Tech with Charley Dehoney Top Trends in Supply Chain Tech with Charley Dehoney and discuss the top trends in supply chain tech. Charley is an entrepreneur, executive, and investor in companies that are transforming the logistics and supply chain with technology. About Charley Dehoney is a growth-focused executive, board member, and investor, with more than 17 years of experience at the intersection of transportation and technology. He has helped launch, build, and scale companies that have supported hundreds of millions of dollars in growth. Charley is currently working on a number of freight-related projects including a stealth startup focusing on automating global trade and acquiring logistics business. Recently, Dehoney served as CEO of Manning’s Truck Brokerage, a 50-year-old, logistics company acquired in 2020 by Fitzmark, Inc. Dehoney has also held executive roles in several high growth and venture capital-backed logistics businesses. Charley earned a BS in Sociology from the San Jose State University where he also played on the varsity football team. He lives in Omaha, Nebraska with his beautiful wife and three strapping young sons. Key Takeaways: Top Trends in Supply Chain Tech The podcast interview was based on an article Charley recently wrote called: Trend number 1 - Transportation Marketplaces — We’re Never Going Back. Trend number 2 - Overlap between Digital Freight Brokers and Digital Freight Marketplaces. Trend number 3 - International Ocean Freight Data and Visibility. Trend number 4 - Freight FinTech. Charley highlighted companies that are leading these trends: , , , , , , , , , , , , Learn More About Top Trends in Supply Chain Tech The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: , , , , , , , , , /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/17836679

Kevin Nolan and the Nolan Transportation Group Story 02/04/2021

Kevin Nolan and the Nolan Transportation Group Story and discuss Kevin's entrepreneurial journey and the Nolan Transportation Group Story. Kevin is the Founder of . About Kevin Nolan is the Founder and Chief Rhino at . Kevin founded NTG in 2005 with a small office, a box of cash, and two employees. NTG was built on a service promise and Kevin’s open communication style quickly earned the trust of both carriers and shippers. After five years in operation, NTG opened additional offices and began to take off, adding nine more offices between 2011 and 2016. Today, NTG has 13 offices nationwide. Kevin received his B.S. in Business Administration from Presbyterian College while playing college football, developing the competitive spirit he runs the business with today. After finding early success as a freight broker for C.H. Robinson, Kevin left the industry and went on to manage multiple Waffle House stores. He finished his career as the top sales manager across the company, honored with the Top Waffle Award. Kevin went on to earn his MBA at Mercer and completed the degree with a business model focused on the freight brokerage industry. With experience and education under his belt, Kevin was able to form the foundation for NTG. About Nolan Transportation Group (NTG) is a full-service, third-party Logistics Company dedicated to delivering the highest level of service in the transportation industry. NTG’s carrier base consists of over 30,000 independent transportation/trucking companies that facilitate the movement of our customers’ product. Whether you’re a carrier that needs to get loaded or a shipper that deserves the best possible service in the industry, our team is eager and ready to fulfill your needs and keep you charging forward. Visit our website to learn more about our capabilities and service at www.ntgfreight.com. NTG has been ranked a 2020 Top Freight Brokerage Firm by Transport Topics and has appeared on the Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing, private companies for six consecutive years (2015-2019). NTG offers excellent career growth potential with an immediate opportunity to learn from our industry-experienced team members. NTG is headquartered in Atlanta, GA with 13 other locations throughout the U.S. Learn More About Kevin Nolan and the Nolan Transportation Group Story /episode/index/show/thelolpodcast/id/17819930

The Logistics of Logistics Podcast

TOPICS