How far can mentorship, grit, and people-first leadership really take you in the logistics industry? Matt West proves it can take you all the way to the top.
In this episode of Miles and Mentors: A Trucking Podcast, host Alex talks with Matt West, CEO of Route Consultant, about his journey from entry-level roles to leading one of the most dynamic consultancy firms in the route-based logistics space. With over 20 years in the automotive sector before jumping headfirst into logistics, Matt shares what it took to start over, scale fast, and lead with vision.
Listeners will get real insights on how Route Consultant helps buyers, sellers, and operators build successful delivery businesses — whether it’s FedEx, Amazon, bread routes, or waste and medical logistics. This is a masterclass in mentorship, smart scaling, and navigating logistics without burning out.
Episode Highlights:
📍 00:00:00 – Meet Matt West, CEO of Route Consultant
📍 00:01:05 – From automotive to logistics: Matt’s career pivot
📍 00:02:54 – Starting at the bottom and climbing to the top
📍 00:03:20 – Route Consultant's origin: By contractors, for contractors
📍 00:04:57 – Key mentors who shaped Matt’s leadership
📍 00:06:00 – Why how you treat people defines your success
📍 00:07:40 – Clients, verticals, and how Route Consultant diversifies
📍 00:08:51 – Why it all starts with education and training
📍 00:10:06 – Helping new business owners lay the right foundation
📍 00:12:09 – Free resources, real value: Why mentorship matters
📍 00:15:14 – Burnout to breakthrough: Making a career feel right
📍 00:16:00 – Why logistics is a stable industry worth betting on
📍 00:17:02 – Bringing people-first leadership into logistics
📍 00:18:22 – When (and how) to know you’re ready to scale
📍 00:21:53 – Common pitfalls when growing too fast
📍 00:25:13 – The best time to bring in a consultant? Before you start
📍 00:30:18 – Autonomous trucks and drones: Hype vs. reality
📍 00:34:41 – Why contractors will always be essential
📍 00:36:23 – How to get started with Route Consultant
🎙 About Our Guest:
Matt West is the Chief Executive Officer of Route Consultant, a leading consultancy and brokerage firm specializing in logistics businesses. With a background in automotive and a passion for leadership, Matt rose through the ranks at Route Consultant from broker to CEO. His focus today is on helping owners scale sustainably, stay compliant, and lead with intention across FedEx, Amazon, bread, medical, and waste logistics verticals.
📍 Website: https://routeconsultant.com
📍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-west-a88961129/
Follow Miles and Mentors: A Trucking Podcast for More Episodes!
🌐 Podcast Website – https://milesandmentorspodcast.com
📘 Facebook – https://facebook.com/milesandmentors
🔗 LinkedIn – https://linkedin.com/company/miles-and-mentors-podcast
📢 Enjoying this trucking podcast? Hit LIKE & SUBSCRIBE for more real-world insights from trucking & logistics mentors!
🎤 Want to Be Featured? Got a story or mentorship lesson to share? Reach out at milesandmentors@gmail.com
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Ridiculous History
History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.