In the sixth episode of The Ramp Up, Rich and Bryan chat with Cargado Co-Founder & CEO Matt Silver. Cargado is a freight marketplace focused on cross-border solutions and a strategic partner of Hoplite. Matt's background with Mexico freight in particular has made him an industry expert on the topic, and he shares his deep insight into the tariff situation, how it impacts Mexico cross-border, and what he expects to see over the coming months. The trio also discuss the start-up process for both of Matt's ventures (Forager and Cargado) and lessons learned in the process.

00:00 – Intro & Matt’s background with Coyote, Forager, and Cargado

03:27 – Finding his Mexico Freight Niche

10:54 – Building Forager: The Early Days

14:25 – Lessons Learned from Forager: Starting a Brokerage

19:49 - Navigating Funding and Investment in Freight

22:07 – Starting Cargado: Filling a Hole in the Market

25:07 – Future of the Platform

28:35 – The Team-building Approach of Cargado

31:26 – The Current Tariff Landscape & Trade Dynamics

35:17 – Future Mexico & Canada Trade with the Trump Administration

38:27 – Forecasting the 2025 US Market

41:37 – Matt’s Emerging Tech Platforms in Freight