Everything is Logistics – Details, episodes & analysis

Blythe and Grace Sharkey (Orderful; formerly FreightWaves) break down what everyone’s been talking about coming out of Manifest: agentic AI moving into real workflows, drones/computer vision becoming more practical, freight fraud getting more coordinated, and why “end-to-end visibility” still isn’t end-to-end (spoiler: carrier adoption and execution still run the show).

The gist (what we cover):

• Agentic AI: not just demos—people are pushing it into rate negotiation and booking workflows
• The uncomfortable question: what happens to brokerage models when humans aren’t the bottleneck?
• Drones + computer vision: still early, but moving from “cool tech” to real use cases
• Freight fraud: it’s coordinated—and most companies still fail at the basics
• Visibility: we keep selling the dream, but execution (and carrier adoption) keeps punching it in the face
• Quick time-capsule: what 2016 taught us, what 2026 is repeating, and why insurance keeps winning

Timestamps / chapters (approx):

• 00:00 – Intro + Grace joins
• 04:35 – Agentic AI: what’s real vs what’s marketing
• 10:10 – What this changes for brokers and carriers
• 15:25 – Drones + computer vision
• 17:30 – Fraud: why basic controls still matter
• 25:40 – Visibility + ocean integrity
• 31:40 – 2016 vs 2026: the industry memory test
• 39:50 – Wrap-up + Manifest Europe note

Watch this episode on YouTube

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch maximizes and manages your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

CargoRex.io 2.0 is live and this isn’t a paint job. It’s a rebuild around how people actually research logistics tech when they don’t know what to search for yet.

In this episode, I break down what changed, why it changed, and how to use CargoRex to move from “I think we have a problem” to “here’s the shortlist and the questions we need to ask.”

What’s inside:

-- A redesigned site built for faster discovery (not endless scrolling)

-- A revamped search model: broad-match exploration + tighter category paths

-- 3 live Buying Guides (with more coming): LogTech Implementation, Buying a TMS, and Visibility

-- A stronger company listing page: integrations, associations, awards, news, white papers, case studies, and more

-- Save-and-export Lists (CSV) so your research isn’t trapped in browser tabs

-- Logged-in dashboards that separate your activity from what’s trending site-wide

-- New contributor submissions so operators, consultants, and creators can add real-world lessons to the guides

If you’ve got a logistics-adjacent business, claim your listing (free), fill it out, and make it easier for the right buyers to find you. And if you’re researching tools, use the lead form on listings so companies can see the signal that CargoRex is driving the conversation.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch maximizes and manages your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

In this special "Best-Of" compilation,  I’ve mashed up four powerhouse conversations into one episode to give you the ultimate blueprint for building a successful freight agency.

We aren't just talking theory; we are connecting the dots between the vision, the tech, the sales strategy, and the culture required to win in this market.

In this episode, we break down:

1. The Vision: How the agent model was invented to solve a specific problem.
2. The Engine: How technology must enable—not replace—human process.
3. The Execution: How successful agents actually win business in a tough market.
4. The Culture: Why relationships and "soft skills" still trump automation.

Whether you are thinking about making the jump from W2 to 1099, or you just want to scale your current book of business, this is the masterclass you need.

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch maximizes and manages your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

Business types will be the first ones to tell you that there are always opportunities in a down market. This is why I'm pumped to share this conversation with SPI Freight Agent, Michael Gray.

After spending years on the carrier and technology side of things, Michael made the jump to becoming a freight agent and earning business in a down market. If you're looking for positive inspiration in this current freight market, Michael is a good one to get that advice from.

LINKS:

• Michael's LinkedIn
• SPI Freight Agent Guide

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch maximizes and manages your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

In part one of our NASA series, Blythe speaks with Matt Wittal about the challenges of resupplying spacecraft beyond Earth orbit, including autonomous docking, lunar dust mitigation, and radiation protection. They also discuss how NASA is adapting air cargo techniques for space and establishing new supply chains to the Moon and beyond.

This is just a glimpse into the complex logistics of space exploration and the innovative solutions being developed. More deep space logistics topics will be covered in future NASA series episodes!

LINKS:

• Growing Beyond Earth Program
• GEOS-U Road to Launch

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch maximizes and manages your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

In this episode of Everything is Logistics, Blythe speaks with Holly LaBoda from Logistics Luminaries Live! They explore the challenges of implementing CRM systems in logistics companies and strategies for encouraging adoption among seasoned salespeople.

Holly offers advice on creating a balanced sales team with both "hunters" and "farmers," and discusses the importance of aligning commercial strategy with team structure. She also shares tips on crafting effective cold calls and the underutilized power of phone communication in modern sales.

LINKS:

• Holly’s LinkedIn
• Logistics Luminaries, Live! with Blythe Brumleve
• Luminaries Consulting’s website

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch maximizes and manages your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

Grace Sharkey is back with her monthly appearance on EiL, and in this episode, she and Blythe are talking about space logistics, NASA, and food fraud, as well as Grace's experience attending a recent Samsara conference where asset tracking was the highlight of the event.

LINKS: 

• Grace’s Linktree
• Cracking the Code: Intent Data and the Future of Logistics Marketing with Kara Brown
• Archimedes and a Boat Lift: the Falkirk Wheel
• The Rise of the Building Material Distributors

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch maximizes and manages your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

In this episode of Everything is Logistics, Blythe speaks with Chris Jolly, aka The Freight Coach. They discuss Jolly's motivation to become an entrepreneur after feeling unfulfilled in the corporate world. He shares his mindset shift from chasing vanity metrics to focusing on creating genuine impact. Jolly also reflects on the challenges of changing people's negative perceptions of freight brokers.

LINKS:

• Chris' LinkedIn

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch maximizes and manages your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

In this episode of Everything is Logistics, Blythe speaks with Kara Brown, CEO of Lead Coverage. They discuss the importance of intent data in modern marketing strategies for supply chain companies. 

Kara explains how her company helps clients identify and act on buying signals, emphasizing the need for persistent follow-up and targeted messaging. 

She shares insights on measuring marketing success through volume, velocity, and value metrics, and stresses the importance of marketers understanding these numbers to secure a seat at the executive table.

LINKS:

• Kara's LinkedIn
• LeadCoverage's Website

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch maximizes and manages your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

In this episode of Everything is Logistics, we're recapping takeaways from TMSA in New Orleans, held from June 5-7, 2024. Recorded live, this roundtable discussion features insights from an in-house marketer, a marketing agency leader, and a company founder, offering valuable perspectives on marketing and sales strategy.

• Aaron Dunn: Director of Sales & Marketing, PDQ America, and Co-Host of  Trucking for Millennials podcast
• Leigh Sauter: Director of Operations & Strategy, Virago Marketing
• Kameel Gaines: Founder, CEO, and Director of Recruitment, Rig On Wheels Broker & Recruitment Services

• Transportation Marketing and Sales Association Website

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.

CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch maximizes and manages your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.