Freight Famous: Recent Episodes
Rose Rocket
Freight Famous, a Rose Rocket podcast, shines a spotlight on the typically behind-the-scenes trucking industry and brings it to center stage. Host Justin Bailie, Rose Rocket Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, talks with guests on how to build, scale, and automate their trucking business. Tune in to hear insights from people who have been through it all, as they discuss their path to success and freight fame.
Host Justin Bailie, Co-founder of Rose Rocket, sits down with Meghan Meurer, Chief Commercial Officer at Tenney Group, to discuss the world of mergers and acquisitions in the transportation industry. Meghan shares valuable insights on the current M&A market trends, highlights the importance of scalability, free cash flow, and buyer profiles. She emphasizes the need for sellers to prepare for the process by understanding market valuations and structuring deals to de-risk transactions. Meg also discusses the role of investment banks in facilitating successful deals and the significance of educating oneself on succession planning. Overall, the episode provides a comprehensive overview of the factors influencing M&A transactions in the transportation sector.
Are non-competes helping or hindering your trucking business?
In this episode of Freight Famous, host Justin Bailie interviews Matthew Leffler, The Armchair Attorney, to discuss non-competes, non-solicits, and the legal implications in the transportation industry. The conversation delves into the history and evolution of non-competes, shedding light on the predatory nature of these contracts and the challenges they pose for employees. The discussion also touches on the importance of understanding the legal implications of non-solicitation agreements and the need for businesses to focus on creating value rather than relying on legal tactics to retain employees. Additionally, the conversation touches on topics such as autonomous trucks and the most important legal case in transportation today.
From an idea to a $300 million data product in the transportation sector.
In this episode of Freight Famous, host Justin Bailie sits down with Craig Fuller, the founder of FreightWaves, Sonar, and Firecrown, to discuss the evolution of his businesses. Craig shares insights on how he built a successful media company, the role of Sonar in the industry, and the vision for Firecrown. They delve into the challenges and successes of scaling a media business, the importance of infrastructure, and the impact of data in the transportation industry. Join the conversation to learn about the journey from idea to a $300 million data product and the future of media in the transportation sector. Don't miss this insightful discussion with a trailblazer in the industry.
What were you doing at 17 years old?
In this inspiring episode of Freight Famous, we had the pleasure of speaking with Andrew J Gomez, the young, but very wise owner of AJG Transport. Andrew's story is nothing short of remarkable, having started his trucking company at the age of 17. Now, at 26, he oversees a fleet of 106 trucks and has gained a wealth of knowledge and experience that exceeds his years.
Andrew's story is a powerful reminder that with the right mindset, even the most daunting challenges can be overcome. His journey is a source of motivation for anyone in the trucking industry or any entrepreneur looking to make their mark. Andrew is a true embodiment of what it means to be Freight Famous, and his insights are sure to resonate with our listeners.
Are electric vehicles the future of trucking?
In this episode of Freight Famous, host and Co-founder Justin Bailie sits down with Shayna Rector, Co-founder and VP of 7Gen to discuss the age-old question. Shayna shares insights into how their company helps businesses transition to electric vehicles, focusing on medium and heavy-duty fleets. From financing to infrastructure support, Shayna explains the process of integrating electric vehicles into existing fleets.
Tune in to learn more about the future of electrification in the trucking industry and how 7 Gen is leading the way in making this transition easier for businesses. Don't miss out on this insightful discussion on the potential of clean energy in transportation.
How much money did you make your first year out of high school?
In this episode of Freight Famous, host and Co-founder Justin Bailie sits down with Lindsey Trent, Co-founder of Next Generation Trucking Association and highlights truck driving as a potential career for young adults. The association introduces high school students to the industry and provides them with training. Lindsay shares success stories and discusses challenges in changing perceptions. Join them to support the next generation of drivers.
What’s the secret to the success of any business?
In this bonus episode of Freight Famous, host and Co-founder of Rose Rocket, Justin Bailie is interviewed by Winnie Chen, Director of Marketing at Rose Rocket, about what he has learned in business and transportation in the past year. They discuss topics such as why the TMS is dead, Rose Rocket embracing the opportunity to adapt and innovate, ketamine therapy, and the secret to a business’s success. Tune in to gain insights from Justin's experiences and reflections in this candid conversation.
Did you know that human trafficking is one of the fastest growing criminal enterprises in the world, and that it affects millions of people globally?
In our latest episode, host Justin Bailie sits down with Heather Fry, Director of Industry Training at Truckers Against Trafficking. They delved into a critical and sobering topic: human trafficking. Heather enlightened us on the grim realities of human trafficking, a pervasive issue that affects all 50 states and every Canadian province. She shared that over 50 million people are currently enslaved, generating over $150 billion in profits for traffickers. They discuss how truckers can play a vital role in preventing it by being the eyes and ears on the road.
This episode was a powerful reminder that human trafficking is not just an abstract issue—it's happening in our backyards, and we all have a role to play in stopping it. Let's take action and support organizations like Truckers Against Trafficking.
Thank you for tuning in, and please reach out to Heather Frye at h.fry@truckersagainsttrafficking.org to learn more about how you can help. Don't forget to like and subscribe for more episodes.
Happy New Year, everyone! We’re excited to kick off 2024 with another episode of Freight Famous.
In this week’s episode, host Justin Bailie had the honor of hosting Tim Dooner, the voice behind the gold standard of freight podcasts, What The Truck?!?.
Tim's journey is nothing short of inspiring. From his early days in the music industry to his accidental stumble into the world of freight, he has navigated through various roles, including sales and marketing, before finding his true calling in podcasting. Tim's insights on the market and his predictions, drawn from countless conversations with industry experts, are invaluable. His candid discussion about the evolution of personal branding in freight and the power of social media in shaping investment opportunities is a must-listen for anyone in the industry.
That’s a wrap on our second season of Freight Famous 🎧 This season, we dived deeper into topics like resilience in transportation, embracing technology, and adapting to what was a tough year for the freight economy.
Our final episode is our once a year special that recaps all of our episodes. If you missed any, the drive to your family during the holidays may just be the right time to catch up.
Growing a transportation business from $32M to $100M in revenue is no easy feat. CEO Kristy Knichel did it with grace and wants to empower other women to be leaders in the industry.
In this week’s Freight Famous episode, host Justin Bailie sits down with Kristy Knichel, CEO of Knichel Logistics. She shares her story of how she went from working in a pizza shop to taking the reins at her father’s company. After some tough business decisions, Kristy is proud to lead a team that boasts a 70% female workforce. She’s even expanded the business to include LTL & OTR.
Kristy emphasizes the importance of supporting and mentoring women in the transportation industry. Plus, she shares some tips on how men can better support and work alongside other women in the workforce.
Did you know, truck drivers have a life expectancy 16 years less than the average population?
In this week’s Freight Famous episode, host Justin Bailie sits down with Dr. Mark Manera, Founder of Supply Chain Fitness (SCF). They discuss how Mark was inspired to apply his background in physical therapy to helping transportational professionals live healthier lifestyles. The two discuss how businesses can support wellness for their employees in an industry that puts a lot of strain on physical wellbeing.
How do you create a data strategy in order to digitalize your transportation business?
In this week’s Freight Famous episode, host Justin Bailie sits down with Thomas Deakins, Director of the Global Supply Chain Institute at the University of Tennessee. They discuss how to embrace the digital supply chain, refining & applying data to improve your business process, and the rise of the importance of visibility.
Electric vehicle manufacturers have some clear frontrunners leading the way. But, Chace Barber is trying to disrupt the norm – he crowdfunded $1.5M to build his own EV.
In this week’s Freight Famous episode, host Justin Bailie sits down with Chace Barber, CEO of Edison Motors. They discuss Chace’s journey of building an electric truck from scratch, using battery power in logging and how his social media followers crowdfunded $1.5M to make this all possible.
As a CEO, do you know the difference between working on your business vs. in your business?
In this week’s Freight Famous episode, host Justin Bailie sits down with Royce Neubauer, CEO & President of SFL companies & founder of Auto Hauler Exchange. The two discuss knowing when to go from being in the day-to-day operations of the business to getting outside of the business, creating a strategy around technology, and knowing when to ask for help.
What if there was a way to track your tiredness levels as a driver to increase your performance?
In this week’s Freight Famous episode, host Justin Bailie sits down with Steven Kastelic, CEO of BlyncSync Technologies, to discuss a wearable technology that could help drivers regulate their alertness levels. They discuss ways to mitigate driver surveillance while also talking about how data from wearables could be leveraged in a way to empower drivers.
Businesses aren’t just looking for a TMS. They’re looking for a transformation.
In this week’s Freight Famous episode, host Justin Bailie sits down with TIm Hopkins, VP of Enterprise at Rose Rocket to discuss tackling the beast of replacing a TMS. Tim shares his insights on when exactly a new TMS makes sense for your business, how to justify a change to stakeholders, and what realistic timelines look like for the entire process.
What happens if your transportation business gets hacked?
In this week’s Freight Famous episode, host Justin Bailie sits down with Ian Penney, IT & security leader to discuss cybersecurity. With over 22 years of experience, Ian breaks down the things that make your business a real target for a security attack. He shares what to do if your business gets hacked and tips for how to improve your company’s security – from having an IT policy to training your staff in best practices.
If you’re looking to start your own brokerage, there are five golden rules you need to follow
In this week’s Freight Famous episode, host Justin Bailie sits down with Mike Riccio of More than Miles Consulting. With over 35 years of experience in the industry, Mike discusses the five rules you need to follow if you’re looking to open your own brokerage. From a strategic business plan to investing in technology, both Justin and Mike share their insights for what steps can help you towards success.
The average trucker takes about 15 minutes to find a parking spot. The truck parking crisis is evident, and one company has taken their shot at solving it.
In this week’s Freight Famous episode, host Justin Bailie sits down with Evan Shelley, CEO of Truck Parking Club – a network of instantly reservable parking spots for trucks across the country. Evan talks about how truck parking came to be such a problem in the industry and why he mainly hires drivers to be a part of his support staff. Evan shares the logistics behind his business model and how product management has been a big role for him to play in the business. Both Justin and Evan get honest about the embarrassment that comes with trying your first business and how investors can play a role in your success.
Being a successful entrepreneur in the trucking industry starts with one key step – an entrepreneurial mindset.
This week, Freight Famous host Justin Bailie sits down with Rahmel Wattley, CEO & founder of well-known media company Truck n’ Hustle. Rahmel shares his story on being inspired to educate people in transportation & logistics and the growth of his company. Justin & Rahmel speak candidly on being vulnerable about failure as an entrepreneur and why your mindset towards success is holding you back.
What could be the solution for the trucking mental health epidemic? Movement.
This week, Freight Famous host Justin Bailie sits down with Hope Zvara, CEO & founder of Mother Trucker Yoga. Hope talks about how she went from yoga to teaching trucking fitness and using her business to connect with drivers on the road. She shares her toolkit to encourage moving more as well as the 1% rule to help you elevate your lifestyle on the road.
The secret to breaking market cycles during a recession? Investing in technology.
This week, Freight Famous host Justin Bailie sits down with Chief Growth Officer at Metafora, Ryan Schreiber, to discuss why companies are investing in technology at a time like now. They discuss why tools like a TMS are a continual investment as well as what investing looks like for trucking companies trying to start a brokerage. As the conversation continues, Justin and Ryan share their understandings on what it means for transportation businesses to achieve operational success as well as how to maximize enterprise level outcomes.
Do you have a set of values that govern your life, yet alone, your company’s?
This week, Freight Famous host Justin Bailie sits down with executive coach, Elizabeth Kurfess to discuss the secret to creating a company culture, even with limited resources. They discuss what exactly it means to have values and why it’s important to define these, both on a personal level and for your company. As their conversation continues, both Justin and Elizabeth share insights on rallying your entire team towards a common vision and why more than a strategy is needed to achieve success in your business.
From two day delivery to two hour delivery, has our industry been set-up with impossible standards?
This week, Freight Famous host Justin Bailie sits down with PhD Ann Campbell, Business Analytics Executive Officer at the University of Iowa. Ann starts by breaking down the barriers and adjustments that come with the integration of autonomous trucks. As their conversation continues, both Ann & Justin discuss how the freight logistics industry has found itself in the plight of delivery times against rising costs. Ann shares insights on the importance of accessibility of goods and how the industry needs to work towards building equity into shipping models.
How does a single lawsuit cost companies millions of dollars? Nuclear verdict.
This week, Freight Famous host Justin Bailie sits down with Eric Zalud, Partner & Associate Chairman at Benesch Law. They take a deep dive into how transportation companies are finding themselves in hot water over nuclear verdicts. As someone who works on the defense side, Eric shares his insights on the top five things companies should start thinking about now to prepare themselves and why building your brand around safety is key to staying resilient in transportation litigation cases.
How are carrier & broker marketplaces regulated efficiently yet ethically?
In this special episode of Freight Famous, we’re bringing you to the 2023 Mid-America Trucking show where host Justin Bailie talks with Brent Hutto, Chief Relationship officer at Truckstop. Brent talks about the art of learning how to treat people right in the industry, with an emphasis on knowing your audience to succeed. He also shares how Truckstop plays a big role in managing the carrier & broker marketplaces.
Supply chain resiliency and agility – two terms that are somewhat mystified, yet super relevant to the survival of companies in today’s economic landscape.
In this episode, host Justin Bailie is joined by Ryan Ernst, a Canadian Partner at Deloitte, and leader of Canada’s Planning & Fulfillment practice, to go through today’s supply chain trends, and what companies can expect when undergoing a digital transformation of their business to become more resilient.
What pushed driver Dee Sova to become a mentor for other women in trucking? The sudden death of her daughter in a drunk driving accident. In this episode, host Justin Bailie talks with Dee Sova, founder of Trucking Diva’s Rock and CDL Instructor at Prime Inc. They discuss Dee’s personal journey to becoming a positive role model for women in trucking & how she turned her grief into becoming a spokesperson for change. As a driver herself, Dee also shares her knowledge for best practices when it comes to keeping your drivers happy and treating them like your own customers to retain them over time.
How can fleets manage their data better and reduce losses?
In this episode, host Justin Bailie talks with Hayden Cardiff, founder and Chief Innovations Officer at Idelic. Hayden shares insights on the gap he identified in the trucking industry, insurance and assessing risk associated with fleets, and nuclear verdicts within the American legal system.
In this episode, host Justin Bailie talks with Jason Miller (PhD The Ohio State University), Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management and interim department chair for the Department of Supply Chain Management at Michigan State University’s Eli Broad College of Business. Jason shares insights on what’s been happening in the spot market, what’s going to happen in 2023, freight cycles, reshoring, and global activities that will have an effect on freight.
In this episode, host Winnie Chen takes us back to 2022 to revisit some of our favourite snippets from each episode we produced in the last year. Think of this as your cheatsheet to some of our most important moments. Thank you to all our insightful guests and to you, the listener!
In this episode, host Justin Bailie talks with Benjamin Gordon, Founder and Managing Partner of Cambridge Capital. They discuss Benjamin’s current thoughts about the merger & acquisition space in the supply chain, what a transportation company needs to think about if they want to sell or acquire a business, and lessons from Benjamin’s entrepreneurship journey, as well as his philanthropic work.
How can you use TikTok and other social media for your business? In this episode, host Justin Bailie talks with Kevin Huang, Co-founder of TruckingUp. They discuss Kevin’s journey into the trucking industry and how he’s learned about the industry through visiting truck stops and documenting his learnings on social media. Kevin also shares insights on utilizing social media, such as TikTok, for business, and current hot topics in trucking like AB5.
How can carrier identity strengthen the connection and relationship between brokers and carriers? In this episode of Freight Famous, host Justin Bailie talks with Jordan Graft, Founder & CEO of Highway about how he got into the trucking industry, his experience starting a business with his wife and tips on working with your partner, and how Highway is helping to build relationships between carriers and brokers through carrier identity.
Should you join your family’s trucking business? In this episode, host Justin Bailie talks with Jacquie Meyers, Managing Partner of Mosaic Logistics Inc. about joining and leading a family trucking business, the obstacles she faced, her transition from the LTL family business to 3PL, and her experience being a woman in the industry and balancing motherhood. This episode is packed with great advice around being a part of a family trucking business and leading a transportation company.
What do you need to think about if you’re scaling a 3PL? In this episode, host Justin Bailie talks with Michael Caney, Founder of GrowthNexus about growing a 3PL and how to overcome hurdles during growth, Michael’s three part framework to leading a business, freight tech, buying SaaS, and advice on how to be a better leader.
Hosted in front of a live audience at the Rose Rocket office, tune into this unique episode where host Justin Bailie talks with Aditi Verasamy, Group Product Manager, Connected Driver at Samsara and Kyle Humphries, Pre-Sales Consultant at Rose Rocket. They discuss how the driver workforce has changed, what pain points fleets are looking to solve, and how fleets can leverage technology like Samsara and Rose Rocket. This episode also features two special guests — Eric Carusi of Go Smooth Transport Ltd. and Albert Renaud of Minimax Global Solutions.
What attracts women to the trucking industry? What does the data show about the impact of hiring women? In this episode, host Justin Bailie talks with Ellen Voie, President & CEO of the Women In Trucking Association, about her experience being a woman in the industry and why she started Women In Trucking, attracting and retaining female team members, and the data behind why women make great employees.
Very few things in life are linear — especially starting a business. In this episode, host Justin Bailie talks with Craig Fuller, CEO and Founder of FreightWaves. Craig shares stories about his background in trucking, building FreightWaves, and how his role as a founder and leader has evolved as the business has grown. This episode is filled with informational gems about founding a company, the challenges a founder faces, and insights around the future of the trucking industry.
Is freight a commodity? In this episode, host Justin Bailie and guest Kyle Lintner, take a deep dive into the current state of the freight industry and the ways organizations can collaborate to solve shared problems. They discuss topics like freight futures, whether freight is a commodity, solving for industry pain points, and what organizations can do to better future-proof themselves.
“The ones who make it are the ones who last.” You just have to keep going. With a few Hail Mary moments, perseverance, and maybe a little bit of good timing and luck, the road to what Rose Rocket is today wasn’t always easy. In this bonus episode, Freight Famous host Justin Bailie chats with Winnie Chen, Rose Rocket’s Director of Marketing, about how he got into transportation, his experience at Y-Combinator with the other co-founders, building the Rose Rocket team, and the personal and mental health challenges he’s had to navigate while building this product and raising a family.
How do you go from 0 - 1 when building a business in the freight industry? In this episode, host Justin Bailie talks with Charley Dehoney of ZEBOX America. Charley shares how ZEBOX America works with supply chain focused startups to solve pain points in the industry, his experience being employee 1 at Cargomatic and the early days of building that business, and what it takes to be an entrepreneur in transportation.
What’s involved in bootstrapping a freight brokerage business? In this episode, host Justin Bailie, talks with Nicholas Reasoner of TransLoop about the early days of building a freight brokerage and they cover topics like working with co-founders, financing, hiring, and leveraging technology to improve customer experience.
How can data help predict rates? In this episode, host Justin Bailie, talks with Dawn Salvucci-Favier of Greenscreens.ai about the power of analyzing historical load data and market activity to predict rates, the democratization of data, parenting as a female leader, what’s happening in the market right now, and how we can learn from the past to prepare for the future.
What does it mean to get paid fast? In this episode, host Justin Bailie, talks with Bharath Krishnamoorthy of Axle Payments about the payment process for brokers, how technology can help improve that process, building Axle Payments with his co-founder, and the effects of changing interest rates.
How does a venture capital firm help solve pain points in the logistics industry? In this information-packed conversation, host Justin Bailie, and episode guest, Justin Young from Prologis Ventures talk about the role of venture capital in the logistics industry, what venture capital is, and current and future trends you need to know as a logistics or transportation business.
What is public relations? How should a trucking company think about PR? In this episode, host Justin Bailie, talks with Susan Fall of LaunchIt PR about how trucking companies should integrate PR into their business strategy, what they should do to improve their PR, and how to think about the ROI of PR.
How can technology help you hire drivers? Why is there a driver shortage? What can you do to retain drivers? In this episode, host Justin Bailie, talks with Jeremy Reymer of DriverReach about hiring drivers, recruiting more drivers to the industry, the role autonomous technology might play in the future, and retaining drivers.
What does a recruiter look for when hiring a salesperson? When should you start hiring salespeople to join your business? In this episode, host Justin Bailie talks with Mark Gooderham, a sales talent recruiter, about growing your sales team. Mark shares lessons from hiring tech sales people and how you can apply those insights to your transportation business.
Adopting a new technology can be daunting. What are the benefits of adopting new technology? What do you need to consider when purchasing new tech? In this episode, host Justin Bailie talks with Michael Melwicks from Moto Transportation Services about buying new technology, change management, and working with startups.
What are future trends in the trucking industry? How does Trimac think about the market and rates? Has trucking become more collaborative? In this episode, host Justin Bailie talks with Ryan Collinge, Chief Revenue Officer of Trimac about how Trimac works with their customers, trucking trends, the market and rates, and selling to Fortune 500 companies.
How does company culture impact the success of a transportation company? What role will technology play in the future of transportation? How did Gulf Relay grow a brokerage inside their trucking company? Justin Bailie and Scott Auslund chat about company culture, the future of technology in transportation, and how Gulf Relay balances the needs of the brokerage and asset side of the business to ensure success.
What makes a great sales person in trucking and logistics? What are the nuances of starting your own business within this industry? In a thoughtful and honest conversation, Justin Bailie and Ed Stockman share their experiences being an entrepreneur, balancing performance with mental health, and building effective sales organizations.