ThinkFreight

In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, I sit down with Ricky Gonzalez, CEO and Co-Founder of HubTek, to dive into his entrepreneurial journey in the freight industry and how his passion for technology and logistics has shaped his career. 

Ricky shares his background, starting from his early days in Miami’s freight forwarding sector, where he worked his way up to second in command before venturing into the world of brokerage. After growing his brokerage to the point of merging with another company, Ricky realized the potential of remote talent, which eventually led to the creation of HubTek.

Ricky explains how HubTek was formed to combine staffing solutions with cutting-edge technology, driven by his love for tech. 

We explore Ricky’s entrepreneurial spirit, what inspired him to take the leap into starting his own business, and how his experiences in freight forwarding and brokerage have fueled his drive to innovate. Ricky shares insights into the current freight market, identifying key trends, challenges, and opportunities in the industry.

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📍Massive thanks to our sponsor:

⚫️ Salesdash CRM is built specifically for freight brokers & 3PLs. Organize your sales outreach, notes, follow-ups, and lane profiles for your shippers and carriers. All for an affordable price. Try Salesdash free for 14 days with no credit card required.

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Ricky

HubTek

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In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, I sit down with Ben Bar-Lev, National Sales at Echo Global Logistics, to discuss his extensive experience in the logistics industry and the strategies he uses to drive success. Ben has been with Echo for over 11 years, and during that time, he has cultivated a deep understanding of the industry, building strong relationships with shippers and mastering the art of persistence in sales.

We kick things off by exploring Ben’s background and how he initially got started in logistics with Echo. Ben shares the story of his journey within the company, discussing what has kept him engaged and motivated in the fast-paced logistics space for over a decade.

One of the highlights of our conversation is Ben's approach to prospecting, where he shares a story about staying in contact with a prospect for 500 days before closing the deal. We dive into how he maintains that level of persistence while continuously adding value to potential clients, emphasizing the importance of being intentional and following up consistently.

Ben also shares his insights on leveraging existing shipper relationships to secure referrals, a powerful tool for growing a client base. He offers advice on how to approach clients for referrals and make the most of your network to drive business growth.

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📍Massive thanks to our sponsor:

⚫️ Salesdash CRM is built specifically for freight brokers & 3PLs. Organize your sales outreach, notes, follow-ups, and lane profiles for your shippers and carriers. All for an affordable price. Try Salesdash free for 14 days with no credit card required.

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🌎 Find Ben  online:

LinkedIn

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In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, I sit down with Michael Schember, CEO of FreightClaims.com, to explore how he’s transforming the freight claims process through innovation and technology. 

Michael shares his journey into the logistics industry, detailing how his background led him to recognize the pain points in managing freight claims. We break down the core aspects of freight claims—what they are, how insurance factors in, determining fault, and the best ways to handle claims effectively.

We also dive into the story behind FreightClaims.com, from the inception of the idea to Michael’s motivation for simplifying this traditionally complex part of the industry.

FreightClaims.com is revolutionizing the way businesses handle claims by eliminating tedious paperwork, reducing manual errors, and automating the entire process.

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📍Massive thanks to our sponsor:

⚫️ Salesdash CRM is built specifically for freight brokers & 3PLs. Organize your sales outreach, notes, follow-ups, and lane profiles for your shippers and carriers. All for an affordable price. Try Salesdash free for 14 days with no credit card required.

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🌎 Find Michael and FreightClaims.com online:

Michael - LinkedIn

FreightClaims.com

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In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, we host a roundtable discussion with industry experts Cale Pearson, Jason Putney, and Dan Artaev on the topic of freight guards and their significant impact on motor carriers. 

We discuss the challenges freight guards present, share strategies for handling them, and highlight their overall influence on the trucking industry. The conversation brings attention to the pressing issue of fictitious freight guards being used retaliatory against carriers, shedding light on how these false reports can harm businesses.

Our guests share their experiences and expertise in navigating the complexities of freight guards, providing practical advice for carriers facing these challenges. This episode is a must-listen for anyone involved in freight transportation, offering valuable insights into protecting your operations and reputation in an industry where freight guards can have profound consequences.

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Cale Pearson

Jason Putney

Dan Artaev

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In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Heather Hoover-Salomon, CEO of uShip, to discuss her inspiring career journey, from starting as a PR intern to leading the company as CEO. Heather shares valuable insights from her time at uShip, detailing the lessons she’s learned along the way.

We explored the fundamentals of uShip, its role as a two-sided marketplace, and the unique challenges and opportunities this business model presents. Heather also spoke about the pressing issue of freight fraud and the proactive steps uShip is taking to combat it. We rounded out the conversation by discussing the broader economic environment, specifically how rising interest rates affect companies like uShip and the logistics marketplace as a whole.

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Heather Hoover-Salomon

uShip

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In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, I sit down with Krystina Booker, the Founder of Booker Transport Solutions. Krystina shares her compelling journey into the logistics industry, detailing the various stages of her career—from working in established brokerages to making the bold move of launching her own brokerage earlier this year.

Krystina provides an in-depth look at the challenges starting a brokerage. She offers valuable insights into the hurdles that new brokers face. Additionally, she discusses the current state of the market and identifies unique opportunities that exist even in downturns, by finding riches in niches and being as creative as possible.

Throughout our conversation, we explore the nuances that distinguish different brokerages and how these differences can impact business operations and growth. Krystina also shares practical tips for those aspiring to enter the brokerage business, emphasizing the importance of perseverance, strategic planning, and customer service.

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📍Massive thanks to our sponsor:

⚫️ Salesdash CRM is built specifically for freight brokers & 3PLs. Organize your sales outreach, notes, follow-ups, and lane profiles for your shippers and carriers. All for an affordable price. Try Salesdash free for 14 days with no credit card required.

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🌎 Find Krystina Booker and Booker Transport Solutions online:

Krystina Booker - LinkedIn

Booker Transport Solutions

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In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, I'm joined by Rob Light, Co-Founder and CEO of CarrierSource. CarrierSource is revolutionizing the trucking industry with its innovative carrier review website, which not only allows trucking companies to build a fair online reputation but also provides brokers and shippers with crucial peer reviews to aid their vetting processes.

Rob and I discuss the significant uptick in shippers actively searching for carrier capacity, a trend underscored by CarrierSource's revealing intent data. This data shows a massive spike in shippers directly seeking out carriers and their reviews, highlighting a shift in how capacity is sourced and vetted in the industry. Rob explains how CarrierSource harnesses this data to help carriers generate leads, leveraging their online presence to connect with potential business partners.

We also explore the critical importance of having a strong online presence in today’s digital-first world, where being visible online can make or break the ability to attract new business. We discuss what this digital visibility means for carriers and how it can significantly impact their operations and growth.

Additionally, Rob introduces us to CarrierSource's newly announced Brokerage Profiles. This new feature allows brokers to be reviewed by both carriers and shippers, fostering a more transparent and accountable industry environment.

Key Highlights

• CarrierSource's Mission: Building fair reputations for trucking companies and providing a reliable review system for the freight industry.
• Trends in Shipper Behavior: Insights into the increase in shippers directly searching for carrier capacity and reviews.
• Data-Driven Lead Generation: How CarrierSource uses intent data to help carriers find leads and grow their business.
• Importance of Online Presence: The critical role of digital visibility for carriers in attracting business.
• Brokerage Profiles: The new feature allowing brokers to receive reviews, enhancing transparency in the industry.

Tune in for a detailed look into how CarrierSource is shaping the future of carrier vetting and reputation management, and what these developments mean for the broader logistics industry.

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📍Massive thanks to our sponsor:

⚫️ Salesdash CRM is built specifically for freight brokers & 3PLs. Organize your sales outreach, notes, follow-ups, and lane profiles for your shippers and carriers. All for an affordable price. Try Salesdash free for 14 days with no credit card required.

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🌎 Find Rob Light & CarrierSource online:

Rob Light

CarrierSource
CarrierSource LinkedIn

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In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Luis Ramirez, Account Manager of Trucking and Distribution at Greenmile Logistics. Luis and I first connected at the Texas Trucking Show in July, and I knew right away that his story was one worth sharing with the ThinkFreight audience. 

With a solid background in brokerage, Luis recently made the leap into the asset-based side of the industry, focusing on drayage—a move that has opened his eyes to the stark differences between these two facets of logistics.

Luis takes us through the nuances of prospecting on the asset side versus brokerage, offering insights into how his approach has evolved with his new role at Greenmile Logistics. He reflects on his transition from brokerage to drayage, sharing the lessons he's carried over and how they’re shaping his current work.

We also dive deep into Greenmile Logistics, a key player in drayage and warehousing just outside of Port Houston. With a fleet of 30 assets, Greenmile is making significant strides in the industry, and Luis provides an inside look at their operations and the critical role they play in the supply chain.

Our conversation rounds out with a discussion on AI and its growing influence in logistics. Luis shares his thoughts on where AI fits into the industry and what he's most optimistic about as we head into the latter half of 2024.

Key Highlights

• Luis’s Industry Transition: Moving from brokerage to asset-based drayage and the lessons learned along the way.
• Prospecting Differences: The contrasting approaches to prospecting on the asset side vs. brokerage.
• Greenmile Logistics: An inside look at a 30-asset drayage and warehousing provider near Port Houston.
• AI in Logistics: Luis’s perspective on AI’s role in the industry and its potential impact.
• Looking Forward: What Luis is most bullish on for the rest of 2024 in the logistics sector.

Join us for an engaging conversation with Luis Ramirez as we explore the evolving landscape of logistics and the innovative approaches driving the industry forward.

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📍Massive thanks to our sponsor:

⚫️ Salesdash CRM is built specifically for freight brokers & 3PLs. Organize your sales outreach, notes, follow-ups, and lane profiles for your shippers and carriers. All for an affordable price. Try Salesdash free for 14 days with no credit card required.

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🌎 Find Luis Ramirez and Greenmile Logistics online:

Luis Ramirez

Greenmile Logistics

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In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, we sit down with Dan Lindsey, Founder of Broker-Carrier Summit, to discuss his journey from a TQL broker to a visionary leader in the freight industry. Dan’s path is one that many in the logistics world can relate to—starting out at a large brokerage, discovering his true passion, and then finding his own way. 

After leaving TQL, Dan ventured into consulting before founding his own brokerage, Linkage Logistics, which he ran from 2020 until 2024. Recently, Dan decided to divest from Linkage to focus full-time on something he launched in 2023: the Broker-Carrier Summit.

Dan created Broker-Carrier Summit to address a growing issue in the industry—a disconnect between freight brokers and the carriers they rely on. He saw firsthand how strained these relationships could be and wanted to change the conversation, fostering collaboration and trust between brokers and carriers. 

Dan and I dive into how this summit is bridging the gap and offering actionable solutions for building lasting relationships that can transform the freight industry.

Key Highlights:

• Dan’s Career Journey: From TQL broker to founding Linkage Logistics and ultimately focusing on Broker-Carrier Summit.
• Identifying the Problem: The disconnect between brokers and carriers that Dan set out to address.
• Building Relationships: How the Broker-Carrier Summit is changing the conversation to foster better collaboration.
• Industry Impact: The challenges Dan faced and how his vision is transforming the dynamics of freight relationships.
• Looking Ahead: The future of Broker-Carrier Summit and its potential to reshape broker-carrier interactions.

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📍Massive thanks to our sponsor:

⚫️ Salesdash CRM is built specifically for freight brokers & 3PLs. Organize your sales outreach, notes, follow-ups, and lane profiles for your shippers and carriers. All for an affordable price. Try Salesdash free for 14 days with no credit card required.

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🌎 Find Dan Lindsey and Broker-Carrier Summit online:

Dan Lindsey LinkedIn

BCS LinkedIn

Broker-Carrer Summit Website

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In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, I sit down with Nick Dangles, Co-Founder of Sync Logistics Training, to explore his fascinating journey from practicing law to becoming a leader in freight broker training. Nick's transition from the legal world to logistics is as intriguing as it is insightful, shedding light on the unique perspectives he brings to the freight industry.

We dive deep into the critical role of training in the success of brokers and brokerages. Nick shares why training often gets overlooked in the fast-paced world of logistics, and even when it's prioritized, why so many companies struggle to do it effectively. He unpacks the common pitfalls that brokerages face and offers strategies to overcome them.

Our conversation also highlights the essential skills every freight broker needs to succeed in this competitive industry. Nick emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and upskilling, providing practical advice on how brokers can stay ahead of the curve. Whether you're new to the industry or a seasoned veteran, this episode offers valuable insights into the power of effective training and skill development in freight brokering.

Key Highlights:

• Nick’s Career Transition: From law to logistics, Nick Dangles' unique journey to becoming a leader in broker training.
• Importance of Training: Why training is crucial for brokers and brokerages, yet often overlooked or poorly executed.
• Common Pitfalls: The challenges brokerages face in implementing effective training programs and how to overcome them.
• Essential Broker Skills: The key skills every freight broker should master to thrive in the industry.
• Continuous Learning: Strategies for brokers to continually upskill and stay competitive in the ever-evolving freight landscape.

Join us for an enlightening discussion that uncovers the often-overlooked aspect of training in the freight industry and how it can be a game-changer for brokers and brokerages alike!

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📍Massive thanks to our sponsor:

⚫️ Salesdash CRM is built specifically for freight brokers & 3PLs. Organize your sales outreach, notes, follow-ups, and lane profiles for your shippers and carriers. All for an affordable price. Try Salesdash free for 14 days with no credit card required.

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🌎 Find Nick Dangles and Sync Logistics Training online:

Nick Dangles LinkedIn

Sync Logistics Training Website
Sync LinkedIn

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