Get ready for a freight sales crash course with insights from the best of 2024 packed into one mega-episode. Learn how to master cold calls, build trust with shippers, and use AI tools to create standout content. Join Blythe as she chats with industry leaders like Stephan Mathis and the Freight360 team about adapting sales strategies for the current market. If you want to crush it in freight sales for 2025, this is your must-listen episode! LINKS: A Freight Sales Masterclass with MoLo Co-Founder...
Jan 02, 2025•4 hr 11 min
Looking back at 2024, our goal was to capture some of the most fascinating stories from across the logistics industry. Before rolling into 2025, we've compiled four of our favorite episodes of the year into one. This includes Sal Mercogliano's analysis of how global conflicts impact supply chains, plus a deep dive into the workhorses of waterways - tugboats and barges. The compilation episode also includes an exploration of Great Lakes shipping and Michigan's natural resources, alongside highlig...
Dec 26, 2024•5 hr 3 min
Get a crash course in the tech transforming global supply chains, from warehouse drones to AI-powered optimization, with three can't-miss conversations from industry innovators. Metafora’s Chief Growth Officer Ryan Schreiber dives into the realities of AI implementation, LoadPartner Co-founder Garrett Allen breaks down what AI means for logistics teams, and Gnosis Freight CTO Jake Hoffman reveals how better visibility is reshaping container shipping. Their expert insights cut through the hype to...
Dec 24, 2024•2 hr 27 min
Janet Labuda spent more than 30 years in U.S. Customs before leading up Customs and Trades Issues at Maersk Customs Services. She joins the podcast to talk about how to build a compliance department alongside AI in order to keep your company ahead of regulations, tariffs, and more. It’s a fun conversation for the folks who (like me) only have experience with Customs by watching the TV show To Catch a Smuggler (which is also referenced a lot in this episode). Hope you enjoy the convo as much as I...
Dec 19, 2024•1 hr 11 min
Cargo thieves are making off with an average of $200k per heist these days, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. In this episode of Everything is Logistics, Grace Sharkey is back to discuss how tech is becoming both the weapon and shield in the fight against cargo crime. She and Blythe dive into the crazy world of freight fraud, from Brazilian crime rings recruiting kids to the latest tools brokers are using to fight back. WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoo...
Dec 17, 2024•34 min
The Manifest conference has dominated the logistics industry since its 2022 inception. In this episode, the Preside of Manifest Courtney Muller joins the show to talk about how they strategize their content on a variety of fronts to include a strong influencer strategy. LINKS: Courtney's LinkedIn Manifest The Future of Supply Chain & Logistics Manifest LinkedIn WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know. -----------------------------...
Dec 12, 2024•53 min
SPI Logistics has been helping freight agents for more than 40 years and CEO Mitch Helten joins the show to talk about how they helped to pioneer what a freight agent program SHOULD look like. From the early days of process mapping via spreadsheets, to building their own SaaS, and then the technology hub they have today, Mitch breaks down how SPI builds on their partnerships at every level and continues to see that evolve for 2025. LINKS: Mitch's LinkedIn SPI's Website SPI’s Secrets to Building ...
Dec 10, 2024•57 min
In today's turbulent freight market, finding the right TMS can make or break a brokerage's success. In this episode of Everything is Logistics, Blythe speaks with Tai Software CEO Walter "Mitch" Mitchell about how freight brokers can leverage technology to grow their business in 2025. They cover everything from combating email overload to embracing AI, while emphasizing the importance of taking time to think strategically about business operations. LINKS: Tai Software Website 8 Areas to Improve ...
Dec 05, 2024•49 min
Grace Sharkey is back with Blythe Brumleve for another episode of Freight Friends as we head towards the end of 2024. This episode covers the State of Cargo Crime, South American Logistics, the packaging drama of Wicked dolls, and a Freightwaves F3 recap. LINKS: Grace's Linktree Logistics Girlie LinkedIn Supply Chain Gals LinkedIn Asset Locator v1.0 Release Intent Data and the Future of Logistics Marketing with Kara Brown GenLogs launches initiative to combat theft using counterterrorism methods...
Dec 03, 2024•2 hr 53 min
In a recent episode, we talked about a company trying to build the next shipping container and since y’all liked that episode so much, we got the CEO of Inversion Space to come on and talk about how their company is creating the next supply chain, all in space. LINKS: Inversion Space Website Inversion Space Twitter Inversion Space LinkedIn Justin Fiaschetti LinkedIn WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know. ----------------------------...
Nov 26, 2024•56 min
Struggling with sales goals and questioning your marketing strategy? The latest TMSA benchmarking study shows an alarming shift in freight marketing, with companies failing to retain customers not because of pricing but because they can't grow alongside their clients' needs. In this episode of Everything is Logistics, Blythe and Grace Sharkey discuss how freight marketers are totally sleeping on direct mail, which produces way better engagement rates than digital channels - we're talking 80-90% ...
Nov 21, 2024•1 hr 15 min
The Arctic is melting, and a new shipping superhighway is emerging. In this episode, Blythe and Grace Sharkey explore how the melting Arctic and the Northwest Passage could revolutionize global trade by providing a faster route than the Panama Canal. They also examine the geopolitical dynamics, with Russia dominating the icebreaker race with 41 ships, including nuclear-powered ones, while the U.S. lags behind with just two. WATCH THE FULL EPISODE Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a ...
Nov 19, 2024•34 min
Need a fresh take on freight sales that actually works? In this episode of Everything is Logistics, Blythe digs through Reddit's freight broker community to uncover some surprisingly effective tips - from showing up at manufacturers' doors to building a killer social media presence. She shares real stories from pros in the field who are ditching the spray-and-pray approach and finding success by getting personal with their prospects. LINKS: Reddit Sub for Freight Brokers WATCH THE FULL EPISODE H...
Nov 14, 2024•42 min
The future of American manufacturing isn't about bringing back old factories – it's about building smarter ones. In this episode of Everything is Logistics, Blythe shares how Hadrian, an innovative automation company, is revolutionizing American manufacturing by bridging generations of expertise. By focusing on high-precision aerospace parts (think rockets and satellites), they're not just bringing manufacturing back to the US – they're making it faster, cheaper, and more advanced than ever befo...
Nov 12, 2024•33 min
On this podcast, we're used to hearing the broker's or the carrier's point of view. But in this episode, we're showcasing a conversation held at the ECC Conference with two shippers, one in restaurant equipment and the other in electrical systems, who share their experience in trying to solve their supply chain challenges since 2020. The ECC Conference was held in Colorado Springs at the Broadmoor and I was honored to participate in the panel alongside Phil Stephenson of Avail Infrastructure Sol...
Nov 07, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Ever wonder how cargo ships navigate through the Arctic ice or why some companies keep losing their best customers? Grace Sharkey is back with her monthly appearance on EiL, and in this episode, she and Blythe tackle everything from nuclear-powered icebreaker ships breaking through the Arctic to why freight companies might be totally missing the mark on keeping their best customers happy. The pair discuss fresh marketing data that shows how the industry is evolving and wrap things up with a stor...
Nov 05, 2024•1 hr 56 min
Your expertise in a field is often earned through years of trial and error. But for Jennifer Lynn Harris, she has used this experience to take her career from answering phones at a freight forwarding company to managing her team of drivers and becoming a freight agent for SPI Logistics. In this episode, Jennifer shares her journey in hopes it can help others realize the value of experience, pushing through tough times, and ultimately finding success in your work. LINKS: Jennifer's LinkedIn Freig...
Oct 31, 2024•38 min
Companies waste a staggering $37 billion every year on pointless meetings. In this episode of Everything is Logistics, Blythe tackles why this happens and shares how companies like Shopify are fighting back. She breaks down the science behind why we waste so much time in meetings and offers practical tips for declining invites without burning bridges. Based on her own experience, she shares her no-meetings-Monday rule and other strategies to take back control of your calendar. LINKS: Meetings Ar...
Oct 29, 2024•32 min
More than 90 percent of US warehouses use no form of robotics technology and with that, a lot of manual labor is dependent on a workforce and roles that are tough to consistently fill… But GatherAI and their CEO Sankalp Arora hope to change that with his software approach to combining drones to help as a companion to the warehouse worker. In this episode, we chat with Sankalp on how he and his team developed this software to use alongside drones to help warehouse managers, and its workers accura...
Oct 15, 2024•38 min
Ever wonder why your favorite snacks are getting harder to find? In this episode, we explore the movie theater popcorn buckets hype and the global chocolate crisis that's shaking up your candy aisle. From Dune-inspired containers that went viral to skyrocketing cocoa prices, we discuss the surprising logistics behind your snacks and how they're adapting to a changing market. LINKS: ERP Failure Case Study – Hershey’s WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a tex...
Oct 08, 2024•28 min
Ever wonder what happens to cargo lost at sea? In this episode, we discuss the wild world of floating freight, from 28,000 rubber duckies teaching us about ocean currents to Garfield phones mysteriously washing up on French beaches for decades. Blythe and Grace explore bizarre incidents like Lego pieces still appearing on English coasts and a British pilot's emergency landing on a Spanish cargo ship, touching on salvage rights and environmental impacts. WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE Feedback? Idea...
Oct 03, 2024•22 min
Ever wondered about the journey your favorite makeup product takes before it lands in your makeup bag? In this episode, we're pulling back the curtain on the global and complex supply chain of makeup. From overseas manufacturing to the challenges of quality assurance, customs clearance, and the race against expiration dates, we'll explore how your beauty essentials make it from the factory to your front door. In our first segment, we'll navigate the world of makeup production and distribution, u...
Oct 01, 2024•35 min
In this episode of Everything is Logistics, we're discussing an innovative new startup that wants to turn space into the next big shipping lane. Grace Sharkey and Blythe explore Inversion Space, a company planning to drop packages from orbit in under an hour - yeah, you heard that right! They talk about their plans for space warehouses, debate the challenges of space logistics, and wonder if one-hour delivery from orbit could actually become a thing. LINKS: Grace’s Linktree Space Logistics Episo...
Sep 26, 2024•38 min
In this episode of Everything is Logistics, discuss one of the biggest decisions a freight broker can make: becoming a freight agent. But hold on, the next crucial choice? Figuring out which company to join. We’re bringing you a special compilation of conversations with the leadership team at SPI Logistics, our long-time sponsor, covering everything a potential freight agent needs to know—from accounts payable to marketing and tech support. TIME STAMPS: 01:29 - Mike Mikulik, VP, Marketing and Sa...
Sep 24, 2024•3 hr 5 min
Ever wondered how that giant TV made its way to your living room? Spoiler alert: it might've hitched a ride on a barge! In this episode of "Everything is Logistics," Blythe dives into the unsung heroes of shipping: tugboats, barges, and canals. Teaming up with Grace Sharkey, they're exploring the ins and outs of these often-overlooked workhorses of the waterways, revealing their crucial role in global transportation. Links: Grace’s Linktree Tugboat mug on Everything is Logistics Freight Friends:...
Sep 19, 2024•1 hr 19 min
Grace Sharkey is back with her monthly appearance on EiL, and in this episode, she and Blythe tackle holiday retail trends and Nike's marketing missteps. They explore the addictive nature of Temu shopping and debate the value of creative versus data-driven strategies. They also discuss Inversion Space's ambitious plan to create orbital warehouses, raising questions about the future of global logistics and space regulations. LINKS: Grace’s Linktree Nike: An Epic Saga of Value Destruction Space Lo...
Sep 17, 2024•2 hr 20 min
In this episode of Everything is Logistics, we discuss the fascinating and often unexpected challenges in shipping succulents, sand, and magnets. We're talking plant smuggling, sand stealing, and magnet mayhem - yeah, you read that right. Learn how millennials are driving a black market for succulents, how beach sand is vanishing for concrete, and why your package of magnets might end up stuck to the side of a UPS truck. LINKS: Succulent Smuggling and The Logistics Behind It Logistics of Sand an...
Sep 12, 2024•18 min
In this episode of Everything is Logistics, we dig into the e-commerce scene and why SHEIN is at the center of the conversation, with SHEIN and Temu making up a whopping 30% of all e-commerce shipments coming through the West Coast. Grace Sharkey and I also chat about the flood of these tax-free shipments and how customs and border folks are scrambling to keep up. Plus, we’ll take a closer look at SHEIN's business practices on the retail and influencer side. LINKS: Freight Friends: Surviving Con...
Sep 10, 2024•45 min
Many of us take for granted the ability to pull up a map app and it tells us the quickest route from Point A to B. Now imagine you’re a truck driver and you have to factor in weather conditions, dock loading locations, available hours at shipping facilities, the dimensions of your truck, etc… All of these factors and more can impact the efficiency of a driver and their deliveries. This is why we have Trimble Transportation’s Director of Strategic Accounts, Dwanye Lazarre, on the show to talk abo...
Sep 05, 2024•48 min
Did you know that Jacksonville’s status as a trade hub played a big role in landing the city an NFL team? Trade in Northeast Florida dates back to the 1500s, which eventually led to the establishment of JAXPORT and the NFL awarding a franchise to Jacksonville. In this episode, we’re exploring the logistics behind getting a team and what it takes to manage game day, the season, and even the aftermath of a championship win or loss. We’re pulling together segments from past episodes so you can kick...
Sep 03, 2024•43 min
