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Helping Drivers Think Like Business Owners with Annique Lesage | Ep 56
What separates surviving from thriving as an owner-operator or broker? It's not luck. It's how you show up.
In this episode of Miles and Mentors: A Trucking Podcast, Annique Lesage of Small World Ventures shares how she went from the shipper side of logistics to building her own brokerage—proving that professionalism, mentorship, and mindset matter more than hype.
Annique unpacks what brokers often overlook, how to filter real guidance from bad advice, and why drivers need to approach freight with business-owner thinking if they want to grow. Whether you're just stepping into your own authority or looking to sharpen your strategy, this episode delivers no-nonsense insight.
If you're serious about turning your trucking experience into a business that lasts, this is a must-listen.
🎧 Episode Timestamps 📍 00:01:13 – From biology degree to logistics: how Annique entered the industry 📍 00:02:06 – Learning customs, LTL, and making the leap to sales 📍 00:03:45 – How transferable skills shape long-term success 📍 00:04:39 – Why most big brokers don't really teach you how to broker 📍 00:05:02 – Mentorship that wasn't soft but changed everything 📍 00:06:38 – Turning a "wasted" degree into entrepreneurial fuel 📍 00:08:22 – Flexibility, relationships, and choosing freight on purpose 📍 00:09:17 – The mindset behind turning unlikely odds into wins 📍 00:12:11 – The difference between mentorship and competition 📍 00:13:00 – Why poor broker training hurts the entire industry 📍 00:14:48 – Training is a perennial, not a one-off 📍 00:16:15 – Use discernment because not everyone wants to see you win 📍 00:18:21 – Look at the whole picture before taking advice 📍 00:19:25 – The biggest misconceptions carriers have about brokers 📍 00:21:31 – Why insulting the shipper's intelligence kills trust 📍 00:22:57 – Entry and exit strategies for new owner-operators 📍 00:24:08 – Drivers must act like business owners, not just show up 📍 00:26:03 – One bad pitch can ruin your company's reputation 📍 00:27:10 – Real prep: attorneys, dispatchers, accountants, and planning 📍 00:30:03 – Specialization beats being a jack of all trades 📍 00:31:15 – Know your lanes, know your profit, and price accordingly 📍 00:32:36 – Reefer, flatbed, and picking the right equipment for your goals 📍 00:35:17 – Why fairness matters more than squeezing the market
🎙 About Our Guest Annique Lesage is the founder and owner of Small World Ventures LLC, a boutique freight brokerage known for combining hands-on service with smart use of technology. With 20 years in the industry, she brings deep experience from both the shipper and broker side. Today, she mentors others in the freight space looking to operate with integrity and strategic focus. 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anniquelesage/
🔗 Follow Miles and Mentors: A Trucking Podcast Website: https://milesandmentorspodcast.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/milesandmentors LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/miles-and-mentors-podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MilesandMentors
🎤 Want to be a guest or sponsor the show? Miles and Mentors is a platform for real stories, practical guidance, and meaningful mentorship across the trucking industry. 📧 Reach out at: [email protected]
View all episodes
By Alex PowersWhat separates surviving from thriving as an owner-operator or broker? It's not luck. It's how you show up.
In this episode of Miles and Mentors: A Trucking Podcast, Annique Lesage of Small World Ventures shares how she went from the shipper side of logistics to building her own brokerage—proving that professionalism, mentorship, and mindset matter more than hype.
Annique unpacks what brokers often overlook, how to filter real guidance from bad advice, and why drivers need to approach freight with business-owner thinking if they want to grow. Whether you're just stepping into your own authority or looking to sharpen your strategy, this episode delivers no-nonsense insight.
If you're serious about turning your trucking experience into a business that lasts, this is a must-listen.
🎧 Episode Timestamps 📍 00:01:13 – From biology degree to logistics: how Annique entered the industry 📍 00:02:06 – Learning customs, LTL, and making the leap to sales 📍 00:03:45 – How transferable skills shape long-term success 📍 00:04:39 – Why most big brokers don't really teach you how to broker 📍 00:05:02 – Mentorship that wasn't soft but changed everything 📍 00:06:38 – Turning a "wasted" degree into entrepreneurial fuel 📍 00:08:22 – Flexibility, relationships, and choosing freight on purpose 📍 00:09:17 – The mindset behind turning unlikely odds into wins 📍 00:12:11 – The difference between mentorship and competition 📍 00:13:00 – Why poor broker training hurts the entire industry 📍 00:14:48 – Training is a perennial, not a one-off 📍 00:16:15 – Use discernment because not everyone wants to see you win 📍 00:18:21 – Look at the whole picture before taking advice 📍 00:19:25 – The biggest misconceptions carriers have about brokers 📍 00:21:31 – Why insulting the shipper's intelligence kills trust 📍 00:22:57 – Entry and exit strategies for new owner-operators 📍 00:24:08 – Drivers must act like business owners, not just show up 📍 00:26:03 – One bad pitch can ruin your company's reputation 📍 00:27:10 – Real prep: attorneys, dispatchers, accountants, and planning 📍 00:30:03 – Specialization beats being a jack of all trades 📍 00:31:15 – Know your lanes, know your profit, and price accordingly 📍 00:32:36 – Reefer, flatbed, and picking the right equipment for your goals 📍 00:35:17 – Why fairness matters more than squeezing the market
🎙 About Our Guest Annique Lesage is the founder and owner of Small World Ventures LLC, a boutique freight brokerage known for combining hands-on service with smart use of technology. With 20 years in the industry, she brings deep experience from both the shipper and broker side. Today, she mentors others in the freight space looking to operate with integrity and strategic focus. 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anniquelesage/
🔗 Follow Miles and Mentors: A Trucking Podcast Website: https://milesandmentorspodcast.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/milesandmentors LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/miles-and-mentors-podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MilesandMentors
🎤 Want to be a guest or sponsor the show? Miles and Mentors is a platform for real stories, practical guidance, and meaningful mentorship across the trucking industry. 📧 Reach out at: [email protected]