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Recent Posts
When Marketing Blindsides Logistics — For Better or Worse
In a perfect world, marketing and logistics work hand-in-hand. The hype machine drums up interest, and the supply chain quietly delivers the goods, literally.
In reality? Companies often operate in silos, and marketing regularly make moves that can take the logistics team completely by surprise. Sometimes that surprise is a PR disaster. Other times it’s a tidal wave of demand. Either way, if your operations are not informed, they won’t be ready, and then you’re in trouble.
Let’s look at two beauty industry examples: one where marketing is likely to hurt demand and one where it blew it through the roof.
Why Over-Engineered Tech Is Quietly Wrecking Your Supply Chain
In supply chain, just like in day to day life, tech is supposed to make life easier. Instead, a lot of companies are slowly drowning in all the “solutions” they have been sold.
Every year, a shiny new platform promises to revolutionize your operations or optimize scalability or maximize profits. A dashboard here, a tracking widget there, maybe a warehouse robot that looks like it rolled straight out of a sci-fi movie. And before you know it, your team has six logins, a 40-step procedure for booking a truck, and no one can agree which report has the “real” numbers.
If that sounds familiar then your tech stack isn’t helping you. It’s got you working for it.
Your Brand Is Only as Strong as Your Operations
There’s been an explosion of content in the logistics and supply chain world. LinkedIn is full of polished videos, witty hot takes, and carefully curated brand stories. People, and companies, are learning that building a voice, sharing values, and connecting through storytelling can drive engagement, loyalty, and even sales.
That’s a good thing. But let’s not get carried away.
Because in logistics, your story is only as strong as your execution and service. It doesn’t matter how clever your content is if the trucks don’t show up, the freight goes missing, or no one answers the phone or emails.
What Good Brokers Are Doing (That Maybe You’re Not)
Everyone loves to talk ship about bad brokers. The ghosters. The lowballers. The margin-chasers who disappear the second things go sideways.
But what about the ones who are trying, and still missing the mark?
Let’s be honest: a lot of people come into this industry and get handed a phone, a list of leads, and not much else. If they’re lucky, they get an afternoon shadowing Chad, who might be a top earner, but also happens to have a mountain of bad habits (and possibly a superiority complex).
How Shippers, Brokers, Carriers, and Drivers Can Fight Freight Fraud (And Why They Need To)
Transportation fraud isn’t just a nuisance, it’s a growing, multi-million-dollar problem in North American logistics. From double brokering to stolen loads and hijacked payments, fraudsters are getting bolder and smarter.
And no one is immune.
Whether you’re a shipper, broker, carrier, or driver, the only way to stay ahead is to stay informed, and be proactive. Below, we break down exactly what each party can do to reduce risk and keep freight flowing safely.
The Real Cost of Doing It All: A Hard Look at Cradle-to-Grave in Logistics
The cradle-to-grave model has been a staple business model in logistics brokerage for years. And with the rise of the agent model across North America, it’s seeing a bit of a glow-up.
Everywhere you turn, there’s another post selling the dream: Be your own boss. Work from anywhere. Build your own book. Keep more of your commission.
Sounds great, right? And to be fair, it can be, it’s how I started my entrepreneur journey. Cradle-to-grave can offer freedom, autonomy, and a chance to build something of your own. But let’s not romanticize it. Because when you’re the one selling the freight, booking the truck, tracking the shipment, handling the fallout, chasing paperwork, and invoicing the customer… that’s not freedom. That’s a one-person logistics department. And it burns people out.
After Delivery: The Dispatcher’s Post-Delivery Checklist
The freight’s delivered, the truck’s empty, and the driver’s already asking about their next load.
You’re done, right?
Not even close.
This is where a lot of dispatchers coast, but this stage can make or break your margin, customer relationships, and ability to get paid. It’s not glamorous, but post-delivery is where the smart teams pull ahead. Tie off the loose ends now, or deal with the fallout later (usually in the form of disputes, denied accessorials, or annoyed billing staff).
Here’s your checklist for after delivery.
While It’s Moving: In-Transit and Pre-Delivery Checks for Dispatchers
You’ve made it past the pickup, congrats. But now the load’s rolling, and the clock is ticking. This is the part where a lot of dispatchers mentally check out.
Don’t.
Because in-transit is when things can start to fall apart quietly, and if you’re not watching closely, you’ll only hear about it when it becomes a problem at delivery. Or worse, in a claim. Here’s what you need to be checking while the load is moving and before that trailer door gets cracked open on the other end.
How to Know If a Supply Chain Trend Is Worth Paying Attention To
We all know how much I hate hype when it comes to new businesses in logistics, unfortunately it can feel like there’s a shiny new “must-have” trend every week.
AI-powered TMS. Drones in warehouses. Blockchain for pallets. Digital freight marketplaces promising to “Uber-ize” trucking. Not to mention every LinkedIn guru yelling about “resilience,” “visibility,” or “hyper-automation” (whatever the F that means).
The FOMO is real, and so is the fatigue. Because when you're running a brokerage, managing a fleet, or trying to keep products moving smoothly through a supply chain, you don’t have time (or budget) to chase every trend that pops up.
Before You Book That Truck: Dispatcher Checklist for New Shippers
Booking a truck on a load from a brand-new customer? Take a breath. Before you hit confirm, run through this checklist, because nothing kills a day faster than realizing too late that you’re missing a crucial detail and you can’t back out now.
This isn’t just a CYA move (although yes, it's that too). It's about protecting your time, your team, your drivers, and your profit. Putting in extra effort on the front end helps you avoid the possibility of an absolute dumpster fire later on. Skipping these questions is how you end up with equipment mismatches, rejected freight, or worse safety violations.
Adapt to Connect: The Logistics Skill You Didn’t Know You Needed
If you’ve worked in logistics for longer than five minutes, you know this industry is all about relationships, and relationships are all about trust. Building that trust doesn’t always mean being the loudest, smartest, or most experienced person in the room. Sometimes, it means reading the room and meeting people where they are.
That doesn’t mean being fake. It means being flexible.
Adapting your communication style, your behavior, and yes, even your attire, is one of the most underrated skills in logistics. Whether you’re pitching a new client, troubleshooting a warehouse delay, or talking drivers through a reroute, success often comes down to your ability to connect. And connections start with how you show up.
Your Products Deserve Better: 8 Questions to Choose the Best Warehouse Partner
For small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), choosing the right warehousing partner isn’t just about finding a place to store your products, it’s about finding a reliable extension of your business. The wrong partner can cost you time, money, customer satisfaction, and frankly, your sanity. The right partner, on the other hand, can help you grow, scale, and operate smoothly.
Before signing any contracts or moving any inventory, here are 8 key questions SMEs should ask when deciding on potential warehousing partners.
A CEO’s Personal Brand Is Not The Company Brand
Every time I turn on industry news, scroll through LinkedIn, or attend a conference, it’s the same faces (typically white males ones). The same CEOs running from appearance to appearance spouting the same talking points, occasionally calling each other out.
Look, I get it. You’re the face of the company. But if you’re the only face, that’s a problem, not just for you, but for your business and the entire industry.
9 Soft Skills for a Standout Career in Supply Chain
Let’s be honest, most logistics and supply chain knowledge can be taught. Understanding different transportation modes, hours of service regulations, pricing structures, and operational processes are all things you can learn through training, documentation, and shadowing others on the job. Good companies have procedures in place, and most of the day-to-day work can be handled by almost anyone willing to learn.
Why Smart Supply Chain Professionals Focus on Agility, Not Trends
Every year, industry experts churn out predictions about where logistics and supply chains are headed. In 2025, AI will revolutionize the industry! The trucking market will stabilize! More visibility and transparency! Collaboration! Resilient supply chains!
Sound familiar? That’s because these so-called trends are often just recycled buzzwords—opinions dressed up as insights. Just like in fashion, trends come and go. Instead of chasing every flashy new idea, why not stick to classic, proven strategies while selectively investing in trends that show real staying power?
Reputation Matters: Why Reducing Wait-Times Makes Good Business Sense
“It is what it is.” That was the response from a large retailer when I pointed out their distribution center’s terrible reputation for driver wait-times. And it wasn’t just hearsay—clear data showed they averaged 7–9 hours for unloading, with some wait-times stretching over 12 hours. The person even admitted, “We have so much freight that carriers and drivers have to work with us, so fixing our wait-time issue isn’t really a priority.” On top of that, their procedure for paying detention fees was so riddled with bureaucracy, I wouldn’t have been surprised if they’d asked for a DNA sample from the driver.
Reputation in this industry is critical. Shippers with this “not-my-problem” attitude risk alienating reliable carriers and drivers, leaving themselves stuck with subpar options.
Driver Inc: What’s Being Done, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do
As discussed in the last two posts in this series the Driver Inc. model is a hot-button topic in Canada’s trucking industry. It blurs the lines between employment and independent contracting, often at the expense of employees’ rights, government tax revenues, and fair competition. While this practice continues to generate debate, these questions remain: What is the Canadian government doing to address the issue? How are industry associations and stakeholders responding? And most importantly, how can shippers and brokers identify and avoid Driver Inc. companies?
Driver Inc: How It Exploits Newcomers to Canada and Vulnerable Drivers
In part two of this series on Driver Inc, we are going to look at how this scheme takes advantage of newcomers to Canada, and vulnerable drivers (eg. financial difficulties, under-educated)
Driver Inc. doesn’t just hurt compliance-minded companies or muddy labor laws—it disproportionately affects the most vulnerable drivers in the Canadian trucking industry, including newcomers to Canada and the financially disadvantaged. These drivers are often the least equipped to navigate the complexities of employment classification, making them prime targets for exploitation under the Driver Inc. model.
Driver Inc. Explained – What It Is, Who Uses It, and the Legal Implications
Driver Inc. is a business model in the Canadian trucking industry where commercial drivers, who do not own their vehicles, are classified as independent contractors rather than employees. This setup requires drivers to establish their own corporations, allowing them to invoice the trucking company for services rather than receiving traditional wages with benefits. Under this model, drivers avoid standard deductions like taxes and CPP (Canada Pension Plan), while carriers sidestep obligations such as overtime pay, Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) contributions, and other employee protections.
Understanding Tariffs: What They Are, Who Pays, and Why They Matter
A tariff is essentially a tax placed on goods brought into a country from another country. For example, when a company in the United States imports sneakers from Vietnam, a tariff might be applied to the price of those sneakers when they enter the country. This extra charge makes imported goods more expensive and can encourage buyers to choose similar products made domestically instead.