In this episode, Blythe and Yikun Shao, Head of North America Supply Chain at Alibaba.com, discuss how the platform helps small and medium businesses with global sourcing and logistics. Shao highlights Alibaba's AI tools like language translation, image generation for product design, and logistics marketplace. He also details educational resources on trade compliance, managing cross-border shipping challenges, and navigating customs regulations.

LINKS:

• Yikun's LinkedIn
• Alibaba.com

QUOTES:

• "Nearly two thirds of businesses they plan on increasing their reliance on online sourcing, and including those bigger and more established businesses." - Yikun Shao
• "Using AI capability can also handle real time inquiries from multiple areas and provide even in some instances provide some industry insights, so that our business buyers and sellers can make more informed decisions." - Yikun Shao
• "We recently launched a smart assistant tool to help facilitate RFQ transaction and communication aspects on our platform. One of the functions is real-time language translation when buyers and sellers are communicating through a video chat, it helps provide translation services in real-time to at least 17 different languages. Since this new RFQ feature has been introduced, it has driven a 29% increase in quotes from suppliers for small businesses." - Yikun Shao

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

In this episode, Blythe and Jennifer Karpus-Romain, the Executive Director of the Transportation Marketing & Sales Association (TMSA), discuss the organization's 100-year history, digital transformation, and the upcoming ELEVATE 2024 conference in New Orleans from June 9-11, 2024. Jennifer also shares insights into TMSA's marketing strategies, award programs, and educational content designed to help logistics professionals enhance their marketing and sales skills. 

LINKS:

• Jennifer's LinkedIn
• TMSA Timeline
• TMSA ELEVATE Conference
  (Use code Blythe24 so we score bonus points with the crew)

QUOTES:

"We have a benchmarking study. That's a sales and marketing survey that we do to our members and people in the industry. It tells you what is going on and sales marketing today what people are spending their budgets on. How many sales and marketing people do they have at their companies? That's always a question I get all the time. What are people outsourcing like? What are people keeping in house? What software's are they? What types of software are they using? Are they integrating their software's all that kind of stuff lives in that benchmarking study, and that's accessible only to members so it all lives inside the member portal." - Jennifer Karpus-Romain 

"Like when people are always like when you're starting new things like what what's your advice? And I'm like, well, like anytime you're starting new things you need to evaluate its actual purpose. And like half the people, especially as the marketing person, like you get thrown so many things and you're like what is the what is the point of this? Like, what how does this serve our business purpose?" - Jennifer Karpus-Romain

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

In this episode, Mike Mikulik, VP of Marketing and Sales at SPI Logistics, offers an insider's perspective on the freight agent model. He and Blythe discuss topics like commission structures, technology tools, carrier vetting, and effective sales strategies. Whether you're considering becoming a freight agent or want to improve your current operations, this episode provides the information needed to navigate and thrive in the competitive logistics industry.

LINKS:

• Mike's LinkedIn
• Email Mike
• SPI Freight Agent Program
• From Intern to Freight Agent: Tynan Guthrie's Journey to Building His Book of Business

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

Join Grace Sharkey and Blythe for the latest installment of Freight Friends, where they unpack the current state of the freight market and its economic drivers. Discover cutting-edge business ideas like using drones to streamline warehouse inventory, leveraging digital twin technology for optimizing manufacturing, and implementing AI-driven phone systems for smoother logistics operations. Plus, don't miss their exploration of the logistics behind the diverse flavors in the booming snack industry and the hype surrounding themed movie theater popcorn buckets.

LINKS:

• Grace’s Linktree
• JB Hunt Q1 Report
• GatherAI
• Freightwaves Future of Supply Chain
• TMSA’s ELEVATE Conference (Use code Blythe24)

QUOTES:

• "A lot of brokers have been telling me produce season hasn't been picking up like it should. Again, I always like to kind of look at those around me whenever I want to kind of make a prediction of what's happening with the freight market or even more so what's happening possibly down the line." - Grace Sharkey
• "We have a broker that I inherited, and I swear each week, I get another email or call from a different rep. They're DMs, we are already a customer and he says it's very annoying." - Matt (quoted by Blythe)
• "What I think is really cool is this is a company that uses drones, computer vision from those drones to offer inventory management solutions for warehouses. So again, taking a giant warehouse and being able to send a drone out to read every item, take inventory, take all that data, bring it back to managers and figure out where they only want that they can." - Grace Sharkey (on Gather AI)
• "If you're buying a specialty flavor, Lay's chips it likely came from a factory that's two hours away and has been in business for 50 years with a local supply chain." - Ryan Harlan (quoted by Blythe)
• "Companies like Nestle think that this model of novelty is the future as they come back things like Ozempic Taking over where people are eating less." - Blythe Brumleve
• "Last summer AMC chief Adam Aaron predicted that 25,000 Special Edition B

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

In this episode, Justin Cramer, co-founder of ProShip, and Blythe discuss what it's like managing thousands of parcel shipments daily. He explains his transition from the Navy to logistics software, handling peak seasons across industries, and integrating carrier compliance updates. The episode also explores separating systems of record, the onboarding process for enterprise shippers, and how AI could enhance predictive transit time estimates based on weather, events, and other data.

LINKS:

• Justin's LinkedIn
• ProShip's Website

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

In this episode, Blythe speaks with Pablo Palafox, CEO of Happyrobot, about using AI-powered voice assistants to automate repetitive tasks in freight operations. They discuss Pablo's background in industrial engineering and computer science, and how Happy Robot's technology can free up logistics teams to focus on higher-value work, improving efficiency and customer service.

LINKS:

• Pablo's LinkedIn
• Happyrobot's website
• Email Happyrobot

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

In this episode of Everything is Logistics, Blythe speaks with Jack Zwart, the shipping manager at GatorBar, a manufacturer of composite rebar in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. He shares information on the history and importance of the Rust Belt, the role of the Great Lakes in raw material shipping, and the value of building personal relationships with carriers. Jack also explains how he stumbled into his manufacturing role, the unique transportation challenges faced by rural Midwest shippers, and insights into the future of American manufacturing.

LINKS:

• Jack's LinkedIn
• The Great Lakes aggregate industry is rather quiet but massively important
• GatorBar Website
• Heartland Revival Podcast by Jack

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

Grace Sharkey and Blythe are back with another episode of Freight Friends! This time the duo addresses the evolving retail landscape, including Shein's supply chain services and Amazon's "Just Walk Out" technology halt. They also discuss the Baltimore bridge collapse and the rise of online misinformation, covering a range of timely logistics and supply chain topics.

LINKS:

• Grace's Linktree 
• FightingForTruckers.com
• How to reverse image search
• Formula1 chief appalled to find his team manages 20k parts via Excel
• Kyla Scanlon's Shein post on X
• ERP Failure Case Study - Hershey’s

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

In this episode, Blythe speaks with Greenscreens CEO and Chief Product Officer Dawn Salvucci-Favier about her transition from administrative assistant to freight tech innovator. Dawn discusses the evolution of freight brokerages, TMS systems, and the power of predictive pricing using AI and machine learning. She also shares insights into the changing freight landscape and strategies driving successful freight tech companies.

LINKS: 

• Dawn's Email: [email protected]
•  Dawn's LinkedIn
• Greenscreens' Website
• Kevin Hill's LinkedIn Post

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

In this episode, we're going to examine the maritime sector's impact on global trade after the Baltimore Bridge collapse. 

In this roundup, we're featuring conversations with a TikTok-famous merchant mariner Gabby Salazar, who defies industry norms; Chris Cook, who uses data to track grain shipments through Ukraine; maritime attorney Lauren Beagan, explaining the complexities of maritime law; and Nick Chubb, showcasing how technology streamlines ancient shipping practices.


Whether you're intrigued by the legalities, the data, the technology, or the human stories behind the scenes, this maritime-focused episode is for you.

GUEST TIME STAMPS: 

• Gabby Salazar- 03:44
• Chris Cook- 21:18
• Lauren Beagen - 01:15:52
• Nick Chubb- 02:08:07

QUOTABLES:

Lauren Beagen: "90% of all goods are shipped via the big cargo ships, there are many issues that pop up all the time.  Navigating through the legal straits that every cargo ship must cross underscores the monumental stakes of maritime law."

Gabby Salazar: "Working in a male-dominated field, it's like just another day in the office... our office just floats and is 1,000 feet long."

Chris Cook: "The invasion of Ukraine... opened up a series of enormously important stories."

Nick Chubb: "Streamlining this ancient industry is about more than just integrating new technology; it's about changing the way we think about shipping and logistics."

LISTEN NEXT: 

• How War Affects Shipping with Sal Mercogliano
• More podcast episodes from Maritime Means by Spire

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.