In an industry often dominated by venture-backed startups and high-risk entrepreneurship, Blake Collins - Founder of Armada - offers an alternative perspective on building a business the thoughtful way. As the co-founder and managing director of Armada, a specialized recruiting firm focused on supply chain talent, Blake shares his journey from CH Robinson executive to entrepreneur without sacrificing financial stability or family priorities.

Rather than following the conventional "quit your job and risk everything" startup approach, Blake and his co-founder John created a strategic partnership with longtime friends who had already built a successful staffing business. This alliance allowed them to pursue entrepreneurial ambitions while maintaining financial security—especially important as both founders were building homes and starting families.

The conversation explores how personal experiences shaped Blake's business philosophy, from overcoming health challenges to learning leadership lessons on the golf course. "How do you handle adversity?" Blake asks, drawing parallels between golf and business management. "Are you throwing your club when you hit it out of bounds, or can you maintain your composure and focus on the next shot?"

Demonstrating remarkable self-awareness about leadership development and drawing a thoughtful distinction between leadership ("building the boats") and management ("driving the boats"), his approach to surrounding himself with challenging, positive influences is a clear contributor to his early success as an entrepreneur.

Ready to rethink how you approach entrepreneurship? Listen to Blake's story and discover how building strategic partnerships might be your path to business ownership without unnecessary risk. 

Brought to you by Rapido and Bitfreighter.

This week on the show we hear an update from Andy Shiels, Founder of SiLo two years after we shared his original episode. Listen in as he shares how running a 'boring' business can lead to ongoing success and how he would encourage others to focus on the fundamentals.

Brought to you by Rapido and Bitfreighter.

This week we hear an update from Brad Forester who first shared his story with us in 2022. In this update he shares what he has learned as a leader and entrepreneur over the last 2 years including his most difficult challenge yet - leaving the country (and his business) for over a month. 

Brought to you by Rapido and Bitfreighter.

This week we hear an update from Charlie Saffro on the time warp that the last 2 years have been in the supply chain talent industry. Charlie opens up about one of the biggest challenges she has faced yet...burnout. Listen in as she shares what she's learned about business and herself.  

Brought to you by Rapido and Bitfreighter.

Two and half years have passed since Kara Smith Brown first shared her Founder journey. This week we get to hear what she has been up to since then and how she has grown as an entrepreneur (and as an author!), including her advice for first-time supply chain founders. 

Brought to you by Rapido and Bitfreighter.

This week on The Bootstrapper's Guide to Logistics we hear from Michael Malakhov, Founder of Carpool Logistics on what he has learned about his business and himself since airing his original story in 2022. Listen in as he discusses the importance of having the right team and how constantly reaching for new milestones is essential to driving progress.

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This week on The Bootstrapper's Guide to Logistics we hear Tristan Bordallo's backstory on how he started iamFr8 and Freightopia; two companies making it happen in transportation. Listen in to his personal journey of why he does it and how he shows up with good vibes wherever he goes.

Brought to you by Rapido and Bitfreighter.

This week on The Bootstrapper's Guide to Logistics we explore the background of Manifest: The Future of Supply chain with Courtney Muller who was there at the beginning. Listen in as we discuss community-building and supply chain entrepreneurship for the fastest-growing industry event. 

Brought to you by Rapido and Bitfreighter.

This week on the show we hear from Tate Mason, Founder & CEO of Pallet. Tate shares his approach to why building with Legos or software have a lot in common and how not following the instructions can lead to innovation. Listen in as he shares the origin story of his company while offering a masterclass on technology strategy.

Brought to you by Rapido and Bitfreighter.

This week we hear the backstory of Ship Smarter LLC with Founder, Cody Branham. From discovering the joys of solving puzzles and building things as a child to overcoming ADHD and buckling down, Cody shares how his personal experiences have shaped him into an entrepreneur that doesn't follow anyone else's mold. 

Brought to you by Rapido and Bitfreighter.