Joe Joseph started out as an accountant at Ernst & Young and spent 20 years in consumer goods before walking out of the boardroom and into the cab of a truck. Fourteen years on, JD Refrigerated Transport runs more than 120 drivers across Southeast Queensland.

Joe joins Sam to talk through how he built the business from a single 14-pallet truck, why cold chain comes down to people and process rather than equipment, and how he holds a tight culture together as the company scales.

In this episode:

• Leaving a 20-year corporate career to drive the truck and invoice at night
• The one-truck, replicated-50-times growth model
• Winning early contracts by time-slotting deliveries when no one else would
• Why JD runs a support office, not a head office
• Training 120+ drivers and protecting the cold chain end to end
• Recruiting through driver referrals in a tight market
• Moving off Freight 2020 and building a new software and AI stack
• Getting a team over the fear of AI adoption
• Personal branding, LinkedIn, and the breaching whale that gets the harpoon
• Why he would not change a thing about the journey

Nick Gavos turned 21 the day we recorded this episode.

He's already a national award winner, an IFCBAA Young Professionals panellist, and an aspiring licensed customs broker at his family business, Gavos Freight Solutions.

Nick grew up in the industry, learning from his father while competing as a national karate athlete through high school. In

this episode, he shares how he went from sweeping up around the office to handling complex customs scenarios, including clearing 13 returned air containers of meat from the UAE during the Middle East conflict.

We cover:

• Working in a family business and why the clashes are worth it
• Why young customs professionals need to get dirty in the books before relying on technology
• His take on remote work and why he believes young people should be in the office
• How martial arts discipline translates into freight forwarding
• Winning the IFCBAA Young Professional Award in 2025

Nick's message to the next generation: age and experience don't always equal knowledge. Put in the work, aim high, and give it a crack.

In this episode of Forward Thinking, Sam Smeaton sits down with Chris Roe, Principal Advisor at FR8 Advice, to unpack the hidden cost of “good enough” in supply chain and logistics.

With more than 25 years across freight forwarding, operations, sales, leadership, and advisory, Chris shares practical insights on where businesses are losing money without realising it and why comfortable inefficiency is one of the biggest risks in logistics today.

The conversation covers:

• Why so many importers and exporters operate with outdated processes• The common gaps between people, process, and providers• How medium-sized businesses can outperform larger competitors• The role AI is actually playing in freight and logistics right now• Why volatility is now the “new normal” in global supply chains• What great freight forwarders do differently• Advice for younger people entering the logistics industry• Why niche expertise matters more than ever

Chris also shares the story behind FR8 Advice and why he launched the business after decades inside freight forwarding and supply chain leadership.

A practical conversation for anyone working in freight forwarding, logistics, transport, supply chain, importing, exporting, or operations leadership.

Hannah Hurckes is the Founder & CEO of Boss Lady Logistics and author of The Leadership Reset.

In this episode, we get into what it actually takes to build a logistics brand that stands out. Not just moving freight, but building something people recognise and trust.

Hannah breaks down her move from operator to founder, how she’s approached growth, and what most people in logistics miss when it comes to brand and positioning.

We also talk about building in a traditionally male-dominated industry, hiring, and the realities of scaling without losing your edge.

Sam sits down with Michael Altamore, National Sales Manager at Civic Transport Services — a same-day carrier doing over 150,000 deliveries per month.

They get into what actually makes a great salesperson in transport, why moving into management isn't always the right call, how the industry shifted post-COVID, and the one piece of advice Michael would give anyone starting out today.

In this episode:

• Why the best sales reps often make the worst managers
• How to sell on value when everyone's competing on price
• The post-COVID shift in customer expectations
• Building a career in transport and logistics from the ground up
• On wealth, mindset and playing the long game

In this episode of Forward Thinking, I sit down with Jose Coronel from Miami to talk about what’s really happening inside freight forwarding right now.

We cover:

– Growing up in a family freight business

– Why most forwarders are still selling the wrong way

– The biggest mistakes sales teams make

– How LinkedIn and cold outreach can actually drive real conversations

– Consolidation, tariffs and where the market is heading

– Why specialising beats trying to be everything to everyone

Jose also shares how consistently posting content changed his business and opened doors globally.

If you’re in freight, logistics or B2B sales, this is a practical conversation with real takeaways you can apply immediately.

This episode, I’m joined by Amanda Bradfield, Head of International Freight & Logistics at FTA.

Amanda has spent nearly three decades in freight forwarding and global trade, and brings a sharp, no-nonsense view of what’s really happening across shipping, ports, and supply chains right now.

We cover:

• How Amanda fell into logistics at 17 and never looked back

• What actually changed in shipping post-COVID

• Port congestion, blank sailings, and who really wears the cost

• Shipping lines vs freight forwarders and why relationships matter

• Suez Canal disruption, vessel oversupply, and what’s ahead

• Why logistics is an underrated career path for the next generation

If you work in freight, logistics, supply chain, or global trade, this one’s for you.

In this episode, I sit down with Pete Lynagh, founder of Haul Agency, a marketing firm that specialises in logistics and freight.

Pete shares how he went from being an electrician to running a full-service digital agency focused exclusively on the logistics sector, and why most companies are still stuck posting “truck pics” instead of building real online brands.

If you work in freight forwarding, transport, or logistics and want to understand how marketing can actually grow your business and attract better talent, this episode is for you.

Price and service still matter in freight forwarding, but they no longer win on their own.

Sam talks with Sean Crook, Co-Founder and Director of Neolink, about why logistics decisions now hinge on visibility, technology, and data-driven insight.

Sean shares how a beer marketing mishap led him into freight, the early grind of building Neolink, and why the old “price and service” pitch falls short.

They cover:

• How COVID flipped customer priorities toward transparency and tech

• Using AI and automation to scale without adding headcount

• Lessons from Neolink’s first acquisition and culture-first growth

• How roles in forwarding will change as AI takes over routine tasks

  
  

For anyone moving freight or selling logistics services, this conversation shows what creates real value beyond a sharp rate and a smile.

In this episode, Sam speaks with Johann Psaila, sales leader and founder of Blueprint Coaching, about how freight professionals can future-proof their careers.

With over 20 years’ experience across shipping lines and freight forwarders, Johann shares what sets top performers apart – from hunger and discipline to building a strong personal brand.

They dive into:

• Why most sales teams rush to hire and fire, and how to fix it.

• The power of personal branding on LinkedIn (and why only 10% of people post).

• How smaller forwarders can compete against the multinationals.

• The role of AI in sales and why communication will always be your edge.

• Actionable tips salespeople can implement today to lift results.

A must-listen for anyone in freight forwarding, shipping, or sales who wants to stay relevant and thrive