This fireside chat recap is from FreightWaves’ Sales & Marketing Summit.
FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC: Becoming an agent or operating under your own authority.
DETAILS: A discussion on launching a freight brokerage.
INTERVIEWER AND SPEAKER: Kevin Hill, executive publisher at FreightWaves, and Michael Fullam, managing partner and co-founder at SandTable, an agent-based third-party logistics provider.
BIO: Fullam has held roles in all primary functions of freight brokerage including sales, operations, solution design and executive leadership during his 16 years in the transportation industry. In 2021, he stepped out on his own, launching freight brokerage SandTable.
KEY QUOTES FROM FULLAM:
On making the leap: “It was a harder decision on the front end. Do we want to be part of the agent model and build our own brand that way? Or do we want to go all-in and do the back office as well?”
The importance of focusing on operating the business versus the structure chosen: “If you’re spending your time worrying about a percentage point instead of getting the business off of the ground, it’s not only an operational cost, it’s a major risk to your brand.”
On overcoming size when launching as a smaller provider: “I was still very concerned with the perception of our size and scope. It’s not as big of a factor as I thought it was. I think being direct and honest about what you intend to be but also what you are now and what you can do for a partner now, whether it be the biggest shipper in the world or the smallest shipper in the world, seems to hit home. I wish I had more confidence in that in the beginning.”
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