Tariffs, Tugs, & Icebreakers: Surviving the Maritime Mess

In the finale of our Best of 2025 series, we’re highlighting the modes and legalities that usually stay "out of sight, out of mind." We start with Jason Aristides of Open Tug, who is bringing tech to the 12,000 miles of US inland waterways. Then, maritime law expert Lauren Beagen joins us to break down the residual effects of the 2025 port labor strikes and the new Office of Shipbuilding. We wrap up with Grace Sharkey, diving into the "Icebreaker Race" in the Arctic and the shady reality of celebrity private label brands.Key Takeaways:  Why barges are 85% greener than trucks (and 70% cheaper). The truth about the "Hub and Spoke" model in carrier alliances. How the US is falling behind in Arctic "chess" with only two functional icebreakers. Timestamps:03:50 – Open Tug: Standardizing the River System 39:51 – Port Strikes & Automation 1:39:51 – The Polar Silk Road & Arctic Shipping 2:09:49 – The Private Label ParadoxFeedback? 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 manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

It’s birthday week at Everything is Logistics! To celebrate, we’re digging into the vault to cover the heavy hitters: Janet Labuta explains why "importing is not for cowards," Kevin Lawton drops a truth bomb on why 90% of warehouses are still manual, Grace Sharkey helps us navigate the hype of delivery drones, and we take a deep dive into the booming infrastructure of South America.Key Takeaways: Why AI is the only way to stay ahead of Customs and Border Protection.The psychological and financial barriers to warehouse automation.The "Great Rerouting": How China is bypassing global choke points.Timestamps:04:09 – Janet Labuta on Customs & Compliance1:10:29 – Kevin Lawton on Robotics Hype vs. Reality1:36:30 – Grace Sharkey on Drone Logistics2:06:17 – South American Mega Ports & InfrastructureWatch the video versions of these episodes:Importing Is Not for Cowards with Maersk's Janet LabudaWhy 90% of Warehouses Are Still Manual with Kevin Lawton of New Warehouse PodcastWarehouse and Delivery Drones  South American Logistics 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 manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

Ready to adjust your messaging to earn new business and better business? In this special 'best of' edition, we're cutting through the noise to bring you your favorite, most impactful marketing and sales-themed episodes. No fluff, no fakery—just what's working right now for the thinkers in freight.You can binge this one over the holidays for ideas and inspiration to refine your strategy for the new year.In this episode, we revisit five key conversations:The Supply Chain is the Product: A solo episode on how to stop selling shipments and start selling your entire supply chain journey as a competitive advantage. Starts at 5:35-minute mark.TMSA Study Deep Dive: Grace Sharkey joins the show to unpack the surprising data from the Transportation Marketing & Sales Association on what's really happening in our industry—from budgets and sales quotas to the tools marketers are actually using. Starts at 36-minute mark.The Best Reddit Freight Sales Tips: We scoured the freight broker subreddit for years to find the most valuable, unconventional, and effective sales tactics that are getting people in the door. Starts at 1:47:24-minute mark.How Marketers Are Actually Using AI: Moving past the hype to discuss the smart AI tools that work when you put them into practice right now. Starts at 2:25:44-minute mark.A Modern Marketer's Guide to SEO: A masterclass on navigating SEO, AEO, and GEO in the age of AI, finding low-hanging fruit, and answering the question: "should you even be blogging anymore?" Starts at 2:56:15-minute mark.Whether you're looking for high-tech digital strategies or fundamental tactics that are making a comeback, this episode is packed with useful takeaways to fuel your 2025 planning. Watch the video versions of these episodes on YouTube: The Supply Chain Is the ProductTMSA Study Unveils Winning Freight Marketing StrategiesBest Reddit Freight Sales TipsHow Marketers Are Actually Using AI: New Data + Smart Tools That Work Logistics SEOFeedback? 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 manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

2025 has been a massive year for the final frontier, and it honestly feels like the new Wild West of freight. We’re recapping the biggest milestones—from Jared Isaacman being named NASA Administrator to the historic month where we had more launches than days in the month.In this episode, we’re diving into the inspiration behind the American space industry with two of my favorite conversations:Building The New Silk Road in Space with CisLunar Joe Pawelski from Cis Lunar Industries joins me to talk about the "space train"—using plasma propulsion and recycling space debris into metal propellant to build a persistent supply chain between Earth and the Moon.How to Do Business in Space with Kelli Kedis Ogborn from the Space Foundation breaks down the $570 billion space economy and why the real money isn't just in rockets, but in the "picks and shovels" like in-orbit refueling and modular satellites.If you’ve ever thought space was just for astronauts, this episode is for you. We’re moving past the "mythos" and looking at the very real logistics of building an off-world economy.More links from the episode: New NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman is the only administrator ever to go into spaceFirefly Aeropace's BlueGhostIn April of this year, we got our first view of Earth's polar regions via SpaceX's Dragon Capsule In May of this year, SpaceX released updated renderings of humanoid robots working on MarsIn November, we had 31 launches in 30 days--the first month in history with more launches than daysWhere to see a rocket launchCheck Out More Space Logistics EpisodesFeedback? 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 manages and maximizes 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:The Vision: How the agent model was invented to solve a specific problem.The Engine: How technology must enable—not replace—human process.The Execution: How successful agents actually win business in a tough market.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 manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

In this best-of episode of Everything is Logistics, we’re building the business case for healthy paranoia in freight. I’m pulling together clips from past conversations with Jonathan Ryan (Overhaul), Reid Clements (Highway), and Mark Funk & Shivrani Narayan (SPI Logistics), plus a breakdown with Grace Sharkey (Orderful) on the current state of cargo crime. From fake carriers and spoofed identities to food-and-beverage loads that “disappear” into the market, this is the stuff that quietly nukes margins while everyone argues over rates.This episode walks through how fraud actually happens on the ground, what the red flags look like inside your TMS and inbox, and what the best teams are doing to shut it down before a load ever hits the road.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why identity is the real battleground in freight fraud—and how a $300 fake MC can wreck your quarter.How shippers, brokers, and carriers are using data from telematics, ELDs, and IoT devices to spot sketchy activity in real time.What cargo crime looks like at the agent level: carrier vetting, distress loads, and “oh no” moments that could’ve been prevented.Why thieves are shifting hard into food, beverage, and other “easily consumed” loads—and what that means for your contracts and processes.Practical steps to tighten carrier selection, build better response playbooks, and protect both freight and drivers.If you touch freight in any way—shipper, broker, carrier, 3PL, agent—this is your reminder that trust is not a strategy. Paranoia, on the other hand, might just save your freight budget.Watch the video version of these episodes over 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 manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

Our sister company CargoRex has been monitoring the keywords users are anonymously searching for on the site so in this episode, we’re breaking down what those phrases are.  What You’ll LearnThis episode breaks down five months of anonymized CargoRex search data to show what logistics buyers actually look for — and where companies are failing to show up.Key PointsThe top search terms on CargoRex (visibility tools, TMS, freight audit, CDL schools, and company-specific queries).Where searches get zero clicks and what that reveals about missing listings, bad keywords, or weak profiles.How profile completeness, verification, categories, and tags determine your ranking in the directory.Why CargoRex is becoming a research destination with lists and CSV exports to use for AI-powered analysis.How this data gives companies market intelligence and a clearer path to showing up for real buyer intent.Watch this episode on YouTubeFeedback? 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 manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

In today's show, we’re bringing back some of the best interviews from industry thought leaders to create a mashup you can listen to over time. That way, if you want a crash course in what shippers want out of their 3PL partnership, you can listen to one long-form episode instead of having to dig through our library. Guests are from these episodes: 00:58 What a Shipper Wants with The Produce Industry Podcast19:49 Study Reveals Marketing Ideas That Shippers Won’t Hate37:36 Shipper Explains What He Wished He Knew Before Working With a 3PL43:53 The Logistics of Calypso LemonadeFeedback? 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 manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

Building a logistics search engine sounded cute… right up until I was elbows-deep in dev tickets, spam signups, and 2,000+ business listings.In this behind-the-scenes episode of Everything is Logistics, I’m breaking down what we’ve actually shipped on CargoRex over the last six months, why the site has been such a giant pain in the ass (in a good way), and what Plus and Premium members get for their money.What we cover:What CargoRex actually is: a search engine for logistics associations, tech, creators, services, and events so you stop guessing on what tools and communities deserve your time.  How the new listing manager works so your CargoRex profile can act like a one-page website for your company.  Verification badges, quarterly update reminders, and a rebuilt search engine that finally doesn’t suck.  Why we added categories like tariffs tools, CDL schools, and space logistics--and how they’re curated from drivers, practitioners, and the freight nerds already in this community.  The not-so-fun part: spam and fraud protection, email/domain verification, and keeping the data clean enough to actually trust.  A breakdown of the Free, Plus, and Premium plans, including page-level analytics, lead-gen forms, promo campaigns across Everything is Logistics, and upcoming panel spots for Premium members.  Why I kept CargoRex bootstrapped, how I’m funding it through the podcast and Digital Dispatch, and how your feedback is shaping the roadmap.Who this episode is for:Freight tech founders and marketing teams who want another distribution channel that isn’t just “yet another website rebuild.”  Associations, media, and creators who want their work found by the right logistics audience.  Buyers and operators who are tired of random LinkedIn DMs and just want a clean place to research vendors, events, and content.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 manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

SPI Logistics CFO James Lemon joins to cut through the noise on agent and brokerage finances in a tough market. We cover the real signals your brokerage is in trouble, what healthy margins look like now, how to set up your money from day one as an agent, and where AI is actually paying off (hint: 42% of SPI invoices now auto-approve without a human).You’ll learn: — The first red flag: carriers calling about late pay—what it really means for your book of business — How slipping “days to pay” crushes carrier trust on DAT/Truckstop and pushes you back to the spot market — Today’s margin reality (8–30%), why 15–18% is harder, and what to target — W2 vs. agent life: taxes, cash-flow risk, and the simple system to avoid the “surprise” tax bill — The overlooked first-year expenses (and the bare-minimum tech setup that won’t choke under load) — Why a 30–60 day cash cushion matters when customers and vendor onboarding drag — AI that’s worth it: document imaging, scheduling, and keeping a human in the loop — What shippers now expect: real-time visibility, API/EDI ties, and proof you’re fighting fraud — Conferences and ROI: how one five-minute tool can pay for the trip — 2026 outlook: why disruption favors prepared agents who keep relationships tight and processes sharpFeedback? 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 manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.