ThinkFreight

In this episode of the ThinkFreight podcast, Thomas Werdine sits down with Eric Williams, co-founder and CEO of Beagl, to explore his unique journey from financial markets to freight brokerage. They dive into the challenges faced by brokers versus shippers, the importance of understanding the shipper’s perspective, and how to optimize freight operations. 

Eric shares valuable insights on the role of contracts and how to foster succe...

In this episode, I sit down with Andrey Yakimchuk, founder and CEO of Hawk Logistics. Andrey shares his inspiring journey from immigrant truck driver to building a successful trucking company. He discusses the early struggles of becoming an owner-operator, how he navigated challenges like high-interest loans and finding good drivers, and the evolution of Hawk Logistics as it grew into a fleet of 70 trucks.

The conversation dives int...

In this episode, Jesse Taylor from Parade returns to the podcast to discuss the rapidly advancing role of AI in the freight brokerage industry. He introduces Parade's new AI-driven tool, Co-Driver, which automates carrier inquiries and enhances communication, helping brokers build stronger relationships with carriers while optimizing operations. 

The conversation also covers the importance of leveraging data intelligence to sta...

Redefining nearshoring in the freight industry, Talento is focused on more than just labor—it’s about building an ecosystem of technology, partnerships, and smarter processes to help companies scale efficiently.

In this episode, Mia Mazal, co-founder of Talento, explains what happened with Sworkz and why she chose to launch her own company, how she’s addressing talent challenges in Latin America, and why a one-size-fits-all staffing...

Nick Klingensmith, founder of Stride Motivation, has faced more adversity than most—four-time cancer survivor, type 1 diabetic, and a survivor of two rollover car accidents. But instead of letting life's challenges define him, he turned them into fuel.

In this episode, Nick shares how he went from a high-stakes sales career in logistics to completing over 100 Spartan races, marathons, and endurance events—proving that the mind ...

In this episode, Zach Meese, Business Development Manager at Airfreight Express Global, unpacks the dynamic world of air freight logistics—from life-or-death medical shipments to navigating complex international cargo moves.

Zach dives into the flexibility of air freight, debunking myths that it's always cost-prohibitive and showing how businesses can use tailored solutions to avoid costly delays. He shares eye-opening stories,...

In this episode, Evan Shelley, CEO of Truck Parking Club, discusses the platform's explosive growth—from just a few hundred locations to over 1,400 across the U.S.—and how it's helping tens of thousands of drivers find safe parking every day. 

Evan breaks down the challenges of a truck parking shortage, the heated debate around transitioning from free to paid parking, and how innovative tech solutions are streamlining the ...

In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, Alex Winston, founder of Reefer Van Network, goes all-in on revolutionizing refrigerated small truckload shipping. Once juggling Expedite All and Reefer Van Network, Alex explains what sparked his shift to focus solely on the reefer niche and how he's tackling the “unicorn” challenge of growing a network of refrigerated Sprinter vans.

Alex details how his team is scaling capacity by ...

In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, I’m joined once again by Pam Simon from Manifest: The Future of Supply Chain and Logistics, an industry-leading event set for February 10–12, 2025, at The Venetian in Las Vegas. Pam reflects on last year’s Manifest, highlighting standout moments and the feedback that has informed an even bigger, bolder 2025 event. 

She gives us a glimpse into how the agenda has evolved, with sessions and ...

In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, I sit down with Jesse Griffin, West Region Sales Manager at Crete Carrier Corporation, to explore his journey through some of the industry’s most well-known players—JB Hunt, Knight Transportation, FreightVana, and now Crete. 

Jesse shares how his diverse background, moving from operations into sales, has shaped his approach to leadership, customer relationships, and team management.

We div...

In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, I sit down with Jason Mansur, CEO of Yellow Diamond Logistics, to trace his journey through the logistics industry. Starting from his early days at FedEx and later at Logistics Planning Services (LPS), Jason shares how these foundational experiences shaped his leadership philosophy and strategic thinking. 

We discuss his move to Evans Transportation as President and COO, where he helped d...

In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, I chat with Tristan Bordallo, founder of IAmFr8, about his journey from freight broker agent to trucking company founder. Tristan shares how he got started, why he ventured out on his own, and how investing in assets like trucks has shaped his business model. 

He emphasizes creating a positive, “go with the flow” culture and explains why he’s chosen to build his company in public for grea...

In this episode of ThinkFreight, we sit down with Cale Pearson, President of B2B Transportation Services, a company that has been a staple in the freight industry for over two decades. 

Cale shares his journey from his early days in freight to leading B2B, offering insight into how the company has thrived with its unique W2 and agent-based model.

Cale also discusses the current challenges facing freight brokers, from market...

In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, I sit down with Oliver Jones, Founder of Manifold Freight, to discuss his journey from the pioneering digital brokerage Convoy to launching his own company focused on spot freight solutions. 

Oliver shares his background in logistics and technology, detailing how his 6.5 years at Convoy shaped his approach to building Manifold Freight. 

During his time at Convoy, he pla...

In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, I sit down with Jake Guso, Co-Founder and CEO of Rig Hut, to explore the critical issue of truck parking and how his company is working to solve it. Truck parking is a growing concern in the industry, and Rig Hut is stepping in to address this challenge by providing innovative solutions for outdoor storage and transportation.

We kick things off by learning about Jake’s background in real ...

In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, I sit down with Carlos Otero-Palencia and Gino Carnevale from efRouting to discuss how their platform is transforming the way owner-operators and small carriers optimize their routes and improve profitability.

Carlos and Gino kick off by sharing their backgrounds and giving us an overview of efRouting, a service designed to provide actionable insights to carriers, enabling them...

In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, I sit down with James Brewer, Co-Founder of ImportYeti, to explore his journey from working in traditional freight roles to becoming a tech entrepreneur. 

James takes us back to his early career, starting as a college senior tasked with moving a full truckload of books, and how this experience set him on a path through brokerage and asset-based logistics with a focus on intermod...

In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, I catch up with Matthew Chapa, Logistics Manager at Crunchyroll, as he returns for his second appearance on the show. 

We start with some personal updates, discussing life in Texas, Matthew’s recent move from Austin to Dallas, and how he’s been adjusting to the new city during this hot summer.

The conversation then shifts to Matthew's new role at Crunchyroll. He shares insig...

In this episode of the ThinkFreight Podcast, I reconnect with Eric Rodriguez, Co-Founder and CEO of Vendorflow, to catch up on the latest developments and dive deeper into how Vendorflow is transforming communication in logistics.

We explore how Vendorflow goes beyond being just a texting solution for drivers, offering a comprehensive communication platform that integrates with various tools like ELDs, Slack, Teams, WhatsApp, and ev...