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Today's episode is a conversation about America's freedom and independence, featuring Robert Bain, the Strongest Man in Logistics, as he reflects on the risks taken by the Founding Fathers, comparable to modern military challenges!
Robert highlights the principle of freedom of speech, having a business philosophy, GLCS' current growth and priorities, his powerlifting career, charitable focus, and the importance of resilience and building a robust content strategy for educational purposes!
About Robert Bain
Robert Bain, more commonly known as "Bain", has been involved with the transportation and logistics industry for nearly 2 decades. He has worked in a variety of operations and sales roles, from seat level all the way to VP of operations. He has worked for Amazing organizations such as CRST, UberFreight, Shipwell, Quad, and currently consults with the team at GLCS. He resides in the Chicagoland area with his wife Nikki, 4 children and granddaughter. When not engaged with family, clients, or in thought leadership within the sector via public appearances, interviews, and podcasts, Bain is typically in the gym maintaining his title of "The Strongest Man in Logistics". He boasts personal bests in competition of a 1063 lb Squat, 610 lb bench, 705 lb deadlift, and 2300 lb total.
Connect with Robert
๐๐ Don't miss out on the latest market trends by subscribing to your TOP Transportation Morning Show! ๐
๐ฌ๐ฏ #TheFreightCoach Morning Show is LIVE every weekday at 10:30 AM CST to break down transportation industry headlines! Mark your calendars!
๐ค Shoutout to my sponsors!๐
๐ Ditch your carrier packet, drive more carrier sales, and get better load coverage with seamless digital onboarding, TMS integration, and smart load coverage by visiting https://brokercarrier.com/.
To donate and contribute to the Have a Heart's purpose, visit https://www.haveaheartinc.org/donate.
๐๐ฅ To sign up for my Newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/iNoHco, get in touch with me through the social media channels below, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!๐
โถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjrL70IEnCfDkNaiYMar3jw
๐ท https://www.instagram.com/thefreightcoach/
๐๏ธ https://twitter.com/thefr8coach
๐ผ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-jolly-a183aa6a/
Today, Melanie Padron of IT ArchiTeks discusses the transportation industry's high risk for cyber attacks due to reliance on technology, with hackers exploiting urgency around high-value freight!
Melanie shares how cybercriminals often target small businesses, cyber-enabled cargo theft, red flags for potential cyber threats, how users must manage their own data security, and the urgent need for regular training, a culture encouraging employees to report suspicious activities, multilayered security measures, and the importance of collaboration within the industry!
About Melanie Padron
Melanie Padron is a risk management expert and cybersecurity speaker who has made it her mission to protect trucking companies from cyber threats. She's been right there in the trenches when ransomware attacks hit, helping pick up the pieces after systems are encrypted and ransom demands arrive. After spending over 20 years in the insurance industry helping businesses recover from disasters, Melanie has shifted her focus to something she's even more passionate about: stopping those disasters from happening in the first place through proactive cybersecurity.
Her connection to trucking is personal. Growing up working in her family's convenience stores, she watched the steady stream of trucks that kept their gas tanks filled and shelves stocked. Her uncle and aunt were owner-operators who crossed the country delivering freight, giving her firsthand insight into the dedication and sacrifice required to build a trucking business.
Working with veteran-owned IT Architeks, Melanie helps trucking leaders secure their fleets and leverage AI to become more efficient and profitable. Her approach is simple: when trucking companies truly understand their risk, real protection begins. One company at a time, she's working to build cyber resilience in the trucking industry.
Connect with Melanie
๐๐ Don't miss out on the latest market trends by subscribing to your TOP Transportation Morning Show! ๐
๐ฌ๐ฏ #TheFreightCoach Morning Show is LIVE every weekday at 10:30 AM CST to break down transportation industry headlines! Mark your calendars!
๐ค Shoutout to my sponsors!๐
๐ Ditch your carrier packet, drive more carrier sales, and get better load coverage with seamless digital onboarding, TMS integration, and smart load coverage by visiting https://brokercarrier.com/.
To donate and contribute to the Have a Heart's purpose, visit https://www.haveaheartinc.org/donate.
๐๐ฅ To sign up for my Newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/iNoHco, get in touch with me through the social media channels below, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!๐
โถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjrL70IEnCfDkNaiYMar3jw
๐ท https://www.instagram.com/thefreightcoach/
๐๏ธ https://twitter.com/thefr8coach
๐ผ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-jolly-a183aa6a/
In this episode, let's talk about the latest trends in the transportation industry and timely freight operations to accommodate peak holiday demands!
Stay tuned to learn more from our trusted sources of information, the importance of verifying holiday hours with shippers and receivers, today's industry challenges, the critical role of shifting towards digitization, and focusing on internal improvements!
Resources / References
๐๐ Don't miss out on the latest market trends by subscribing to your TOP Transportation Morning Show! ๐
๐ฌ๐ฏ #TheFreightCoach Morning Show is LIVE every weekday at 10:30 AM CST to break down transportation industry headlines! Mark your calendars!
๐ค Shoutout to my sponsors!๐
๐ Ditch your carrier packet, drive more carrier sales, and get better load coverage with seamless digital onboarding, TMS integration, and smart load coverage by visiting https://brokercarrier.com/.
To donate and contribute to the Have a Heart's purpose, visit https://www.haveaheartinc.org/donate.
๐๐ฅ To sign up for my Newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/iNoHco, get in touch with me through the social media channels below, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!๐
โถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjrL70IEnCfDkNaiYMar3jw
๐ท https://www.instagram.com/thefreightcoach/
๐๏ธ https://twitter.com/thefr8coach
๐ผ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-jolly-a183aa6a/
We're excited to feature two amazing guests for this week's first episode, Paul Lang and PJ Zarskus of HMD Transport!
Paul and PJ tell us something about the current market dynamics, what it takes for many carriers to maintain market share, the impact of emerging insurance integration with ELD devices, and what The Logistics War Room offers for its community members!
About Paul Lang and PJ Zarskus
Paul is a seasoned logistics and supply chain leader with over 13 years of experience driving growth, operational excellence, and strategic procurement in the freight brokerage space. He currently serves as Director of Procurement at HMD Transport, the brokerage division of HMD Trucking.
Paul is also the Co-Founder of The Logistics War Room, a private, results-driven community for brokers, carriers, shippers, and logistics professionals focused on collaboration, education, and elevating performance across the industry.
He began his career at Command Transportation, which was later acquired by Echo Global Logistics in 2015, where he developed his expertise in carrier sales, network building, and operational leadership.
Paul is passionate about building high-performing teams, developing sustainable carrier strategies, and delivering long-term value to customers and partners.
With 13+ years in logistics, PJ Zarskus has built high-performance sales teams, scaled brokerages past $50M, and launched offshore ops that cut costs and boost output. As GM of HMD Transport, he drives growth through sales strategy, network design, and process execution.
He's also the co-founder of The Logistics War Room, a private, execution-first community for brokers, carriers, and operators who actually move freight.
Connect with Paul and PJ
๐๐ Don't miss out on the latest market trends by subscribing to your TOP Transportation Morning Show! ๐
๐ฌ๐ฏ #TheFreightCoach Morning Show is LIVE every weekday at 10:30 AM CST to break down transportation industry headlines! Mark your calendars!
๐ค Shoutout to my sponsors!๐
๐ Ditch your carrier packet, drive more carrier sales, and get better load coverage with seamless digital onboarding, TMS integration, and smart load coverage by visiting https://brokercarrier.com/.
To donate and contribute to the Have a Heart's purpose, visit https://www.haveaheartinc.org/donate.
๐๐ฅ To sign up for my Newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/iNoHco, get in touch with me through the social media channels below, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!๐
โถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjrL70IEnCfDkNaiYMar3jw
๐ท https://www.instagram.com/thefreightcoach/
๐๏ธ https://twitter.com/thefr8coach
๐ผ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-jolly-a183aa6a/
Welcome to another live discussion, and don't miss out on this week's last episode for more real-world sales and entrepreneurship insights!
Today, you'll learn why a disciplined daily structure is vital for personal success, investing in mindset development and networking, preparing for potential exhaustion when building sustainable businesses, and being resilient during early entrepreneurial stages!
๐๐ Don't miss out on the latest market trends by subscribing to your TOP Transportation Morning Show! ๐
๐ฌ๐ฏ #TheFreightCoach Morning Show is LIVE every weekday at 10:30 AM CST to break down transportation industry headlines! Mark your calendars!
๐ค Shoutout to my sponsors!๐
๐ Ditch your carrier packet, drive more carrier sales, and get better load coverage with seamless digital onboarding, TMS integration, and smart load coverage by visiting https://brokercarrier.com/.
To donate and contribute to the Have a Heart's purpose, visit https://www.haveaheartinc.org/donate.
๐๐ฅ To sign up for my Newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/iNoHco, get in touch with me through the social media channels below, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!๐
โถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjrL70IEnCfDkNaiYMar3jw
๐ท https://www.instagram.com/thefreightcoach/
๐๏ธ https://twitter.com/thefr8coach
๐ผ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-jolly-a183aa6a/
In this episode, Tristan Bordallo is back on the show to break down more action plans for growing a trucking business!
Tristan shares what small carriers are falling in the current market condition, the crucial role of hiring qualified people for cash flow and business development, how to run a successful freight operation, the impact of customer satisfaction ratings on carrier reputations, and more that you shouldn't miss!
About Tristan Bordallo
Tristan has been in the trucking business for 21 years, started in LTL brokerage Diversified Transportation and became a 1099 rep after 3 months (did it for 5 yrs), co-owned an agency for Covenant Transport for 10 years , and launched his own brokerage Fr8topia and asset-based carrier Iamfr8 (6 years ago). I'm still figuring it out!
Connect with Tristan
๐๐ Don't miss out on the latest market trends by subscribing to your TOP Transportation Morning Show! ๐
๐ฌ๐ฏ #TheFreightCoach Morning Show is LIVE every weekday at 10:30 AM CST to break down transportation industry headlines! Mark your calendars!
๐ค Shoutout to my sponsors!๐
๐ Ditch your carrier packet, drive more carrier sales, and get better load coverage with seamless digital onboarding, TMS integration, and smart load coverage by visiting https://brokercarrier.com/.
To donate and contribute to the Have a Heart's purpose, visit https://www.haveaheartinc.org/donate.
๐๐ฅ To sign up for my Newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/iNoHco, get in touch with me through the social media channels below, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!๐
โถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjrL70IEnCfDkNaiYMar3jw
๐ท https://www.instagram.com/thefreightcoach/
๐๏ธ https://twitter.com/thefr8coach
๐ผ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-jolly-a183aa6a/
Our friend Sean Smith from Denim is back on the show, and today, he shares tons of advice for freight brokers and other industry professionals about what shippers are looking for when choosing freight partners!
Tune in to know shippers' sentiments in the current market condition, what brokers should prioritize to enhance service delivery and relationships, the importance of effective billing and clean back office processes, and why financial responsibility is critical to business success!
About Sean Smith
Sean Smith, VP of Product at Denim, has spent 10 years building and scaling products in the financial services and logistics industries. While leading Product at Denim, he has pioneered new capabilities for the factoring space including risk automation and pricing. Sean has also led work on our client dashboard, job management and collaboration that have revolutionized the process and workflow for broker clients looking to save time on back office operations. He excels at combining his passion for technology with the ability to drive impact on a balance sheet.
Connect with Sean
๐๐ Don't miss out on the latest market trends by subscribing to your TOP Transportation Morning Show! ๐
๐ฌ๐ฏ #TheFreightCoach Morning Show is LIVE every weekday at 10:30 AM CST to break down transportation industry headlines! Mark your calendars!
๐ค Shoutout to my sponsors!๐
๐ Ditch your carrier packet, drive more carrier sales, and get better load coverage with seamless digital onboarding, TMS integration, and smart load coverage by visiting https://brokercarrier.com/.
To donate and contribute to the Have a Heart's purpose, visit https://www.haveaheartinc.org/donate.
๐๐ฅ To sign up for my Newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/iNoHco, get in touch with me through the social media channels below, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!๐
โถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjrL70IEnCfDkNaiYMar3jw
๐ท https://www.instagram.com/thefreightcoach/
๐๏ธ https://twitter.com/thefr8coach
๐ผ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-jolly-a183aa6a/
Get the latest equipment financing and industry updates from today's returning guest, James Currier of Finloc!
James shares what Ontario is facing that affects freight volumes, the impact of frequent tariff announcements and geopolitical tensions, the overall market volatility, and the importance of preparing for cyclical economic changes!
About James Currier
James Currier is the Chief Revenue Officer at Finloc USA, where James leads the sales team across the country in a relentless pursuit for increased market share in the equipment finance field. After starting his professional career as a Business Analyst in the healthcare field, James came to realize that his passions were best suited to dealing with people and organizations aiming for growth. After a two year contract was completed with Fraser & Interior Health Authorities in British Columbia, a career change ensued and James has not looked back since. Combining the analytical fundamentals learned in healthcare and a natural gravitation towards people and business development, James has thrived in a sales career since 2012, leading, managing, and training dozens of people over the past several years.
Subsequent to the completion of a >$400MM acquisition at his previous company, James made the jump to Finloc where he was first tasked with hiring and redeveloping the Ontario, Canada market. James was then assigned to manage the US division for Finloc as a player/coach, originating new asset-based financing opportunities and finding, attracting, and training new talent.
James has worked in an exceptionally diverse range of roles since the age of 15, starting as a minor hockey league referee. His openness to new experience has allowed James to experience positions as a head of high-profile security, high-adventure whitewater rafter guide, Corporal in the Canadian Armed Forces Infantry Reserve, business analyst, VIP/Private security operative, personal support worker, guitar teacher, and sales leader.
As a well-versed hobbyist who enjoys learning and new experiences, James enjoys coaching/playing/watching hockey, swimming, guitar, hunting, fly fishing, boating/canoeing, cycling, hiking, woodworking, motorcycling, reading, DIY projects, and evening walks with his wife, 2 boys, and golden retriever.
Connect with James
๐๐ Don't miss out on the latest market trends by subscribing to your TOP Transportation Morning Show! ๐
๐ฌ๐ฏ #TheFreightCoach Morning Show is LIVE every weekday at 10:30 AM CST to break down transportation industry headlines! Mark your calendars!
๐ค Shoutout to my sponsors!๐
๐ Ditch your carrier packet, drive more carrier sales, and get better load coverage with seamless digital onboarding, TMS integration, and smart load coverage by visiting https://brokercarrier.com/.
To donate and contribute to the Have a Heart's purpose, visit https://www.haveaheartinc.org/donate.
๐๐ฅ To sign up for my Newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/iNoHco, get in touch with me through the social media channels below, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!๐
โถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjrL70IEnCfDkNaiYMar3jw
๐ท https://www.instagram.com/thefreightcoach/
๐๏ธ https://twitter.com/thefr8coach
๐ผ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-jolly-a183aa6a/
Today, our first guest for the week, Garrett Bowers of Bowers Trucking, explains the significance of face-to-face networking and its role in building relationships within the transportation industry!
Garrett highlights how crucial it is to create a personal connection with potential clients, build systems for business development, prospect consistently, enhance transparency, and operate teams efficiently for scalability and profitability!
About Garrett Bowers
Born and raised in Ponca City, Garrett is a proud alumni of PO-HI where he played football, wrestled, and was highly involved in 4H and FFA. Garrett earned a scholarship to attend Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College for livestock judging and his success there led to scholarship opportunities to join the Oklahoma State University judging team. At OSU, Garrett served as a Senator for the College of Agriculture. His livestock judging team members won several national contests including the coveted national collegiate championship in 2006. He graduated OSU with a bachelor's degree in May of 2007.
Although Garrett grew up working alongside his father, Ranond, and grandfather, Glen (who was the founder of Bowers Trucking) โ he was no stranger to entrepreneurial ventures. Before the age of 10, he had as many as 20 bottle-fed calves and even sold watermelon and corn in front of the truck yard alongside Highway 60. Later on, at age 16 he started his own custom hay business, which earned him the National FFA Degree recognition in 2004.
When Garrett joined the family business after graduation in 2007, Bowers Trucking operated a dozen trucks within a 150-mile radius concentrated on end dump, aggregate, and construction material hauling. By 2010, Garrett diversified operations by redirecting focus to service the vast manufacturing industries located in Ponca City. By 2013, Bowers Trucking was operating in all 48 states and expanded into Canada and Mexico. Increased customer demand ultimately led to Garrett starting his own logistics company to help coordinate customer overflow. In 2016, Bowers Logistics was formed and the first agent was hired to meet the growing customer base with partner trucking companies looking for freight. By 2018, Bowers Trucking and Bowers Logistics became Department of Defense certified โ the first trucking company based in Oklahoma to do so. Today, Bowers Trucking and Bowers Logistics employs 58 full-time employees. Together, the companies operate 50 trucks, and 108 trailers and service 5,000+ carrier partners while still retaining their core customer base from over a decade ago.
Garrett met his wife Melissa in Athens, Georgia when the Oklahoma State Cowboys played their season opener against the University of Georgia. With some irresistible charm and a truckload of luck, Garrett convinced Melissa to relocate to Ponca City in 2009. Garrett and Melissa have been married for 13+ years, and they have a son, HB, who graduated PO-HI in 2021 and attended Oklahoma State University. Garrett coached HB's elementary year football teams and served on Osage County's Livestock Board, the FFA Booster Club, and the Quarterback Club. He is a graduate of Ponca City Leadership. He currently serves as seat # 3 commissioner for the City of Ponca City and has been an appointed trustee with the Ponca City Development Authority since 2018 and was chosen to serve two terms on U.S. Senator Inhofe's Service Academy Selection Committee.
Connect with Garrett
๐๐ Don't miss out on the latest market trends by subscribing to your TOP Transportation Morning Show! ๐
๐ฌ๐ฏ #TheFreightCoach Morning Show is LIVE every weekday at 10:30 AM CST to break down transportation industry headlines! Mark your calendars!
๐ค Shoutout to my sponsors!๐
๐ Ditch your carrier packet, drive more carrier sales, and get better load coverage with seamless digital onboarding, TMS integration, and smart load coverage by visiting https://brokercarrier.com/.
To donate and contribute to the Have a Heart's purpose, visit https://www.haveaheartinc.org/donate.
๐๐ฅ To sign up for my Newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/iNoHco, get in touch with me through the social media channels below, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!๐
โถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjrL70IEnCfDkNaiYMar3jw
๐ท https://www.instagram.com/thefreightcoach/
๐๏ธ https://twitter.com/thefr8coach
๐ผ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-jolly-a183aa6a/
Dive into our last guest this week, Ed Burns from Burns Logistics, discussing the latest trends in freight and the impact of tariffs and politics on the industry!
Ed shares the importance of operational resilience and effective cost management in the current market downturn, a platform to improve contract freight opportunities for shippers and carriers, the current market instability and tariff uncertainty, and what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur in freight!
Resources / References
About Ed Burns
Ed is the Chief Executive Optimist at Burns Logistics. He recently joined the family business to help widen and deepen their relationships with both shippers and carriers. He brings a background in marketing, which he uses to improve their company's digital presence.
When not working, Ed enjoys going for walks, reading, and meeting new people.
Connect with Ed
๐๐ Don't miss out on the latest market trends by subscribing to your TOP Transportation Morning Show! ๐
๐ฌ๐ฏ #TheFreightCoach Morning Show is LIVE every weekday at 10:30 AM CST to break down transportation industry headlines! Mark your calendars!
๐ค Shoutout to my sponsors!๐
๐ Ditch your carrier packet, drive more carrier sales, and get better load coverage with seamless digital onboarding, TMS integration, and smart load coverage by visiting https://brokercarrier.com/.
To donate and contribute to the Have a Heart's purpose, visit https://www.haveaheartinc.org/donate.
๐๐ฅ To sign up for my Newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/iNoHco, get in touch with me through the social media channels below, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!๐
โถ๏ธ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjrL70IEnCfDkNaiYMar3jw
๐ท https://www.instagram.com/thefreightcoach/
๐๏ธ https://twitter.com/thefr8coach
๐ผ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-jolly-a183aa6a/
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