Everything is Logistics

Drones are doing a lot more than flying packages. They’re quietly transforming how warehouses operate behind the scenes.  In this episode of Freight Friends, Grace Sharkey and Blythe explore how drones are being used in logistics operations both inside and outside the warehouse, what the second half of 2025 might look like for freight, and the freight businesses and marketing tactics that have the...

What happens when the company you helped grow suddenly shuts down? For Mia Mazel, it sparked the launch of a brand new one, Talento.  Recorded live at TMSA Elevate in Austin, this conversation with Mia explores her journey from grad student to logistics leader, how she navigated the closure of Sworkz, and how Talento is redefining nearshore staffing with a tech-first mindset. She shares how advers...

If you're still relying on check calls and spreadsheets to track freight, you're already behind.  In this episode, Chain’s EVP of Sales, Kevin Coomes, joins the show to break down how his team is building AI-powered tools that make life easier for freight brokers, from exception management to proactive customer communication. We also dig into the origin of Chain, how their Autopilot tool...

What if the final frontier isn’t as far away as it seems? In this episode, Kelli Kedis Ogborn, VP of Space Commerce and Entrepreneurship at the Space Foundation, breaks down how space is no longer just about astronauts and satellites. It’s an economic engine already driving trillions in opportunity. From reusable rockets to orbital infrastructure and venture capital gaps, this conversation explore...

What does it take to build trust in freight?  In this episode, recorded live at TMSA Elevate in Austin, Texas, SPI Logistics' CRO Senior Vice President, Mike Mikulik, joins Blythe to share the freight fundamentals that never go out of style, like proving your worth, asking better questions, and why breaking bread still beats fancy tech.  Whether you're a new broker or a seasoned freight...

What happens when freight’s brightest minds in sales, marketing, and entrepreneurship unpack the biggest shifts in logistics?  Recorded live at TMSA Elevate 2025, this episode features Charlie Saffro (CS Recruiting), RJ Finnegan (SPI Logistics), and Anthony Pagnotto (Mohawk Global) as they share the biggest takeaways from the conference, including how freight companies are using AI, rethinking bra...

What does the future of logistics really look like? In this episode, host Blythe Milligan shares details on her recent behind-the-scenes tour of DHL’s Export Facility and Innovation Center in Chicago.  From sorting 10,000 packages an hour with only a dozen employees to integrating robotics and generative AI, the tour demonstrates how tech and transparency are reshaping the supply chain.  This epis...

Is EDI broken or just misunderstood? In this reunion episode of Freight Friends, Blythe Brumleve welcomes Grace Sharkey back to the mic to talk about her new role at Orderful, the state of freight media, and why so many companies are still struggling with EDI integrations.  From customer horror stories to a Christmas Eve miracle involving Walmart, Grace shares why she’s betting big on solving one...

Your brand isn’t just your logo or your tagline. It’s your supply chain.  In this solo episode, Blythe breaks down her recent BBC appearance and expands on a bold new thesis: your supply chain isn’t just a backend function.  It’s the product. From viral TikToks to luxury handbag knockoffs, this episode explores why today’s buyers are more concerned than ever with the “how” behind their favorite st...

We’ve all heard the hype about AI, but what’s actually happening behind the scenes?  In this episode, Blythe breaks down two major studies that reveal how marketers are really using AI tools, where they’re struggling, and what’s coming next. If you're trying to figure out what to adopt (and what to ignore), this episode offers a blueprint for smart AI integration without the slop. Key takeawa...

Most freight tech stacks are a tangled mess of tools that don’t talk to each other. Ezequiel Peralta, VP of Technology at SPI Logistics, is working to fix that.  This episode strips away the hype and digs into what it really takes to build functional, secure, and scalable freight systems. Peralta shares how SPI is moving beyond the TMS-first mindset by introducing a flexible integration layer, lev...

Barges move over 70 percent of U.S. grain and can carry the equivalent of 4,000 truckloads with a single tugboat. Yet this massive freight channel has remained invisible to most supply chains due to outdated systems and zero visibility.  In this episode, OpenTug CEO Jason Aristides shares how his team is digitizing barge and tug operations with GPS tracking, AI-powered automation, and a modern mar...

The freight market doesn’t work the way most people think it does, and Chris Caplice is here to explain why.  As the Chief Scientist at DAT Freight & Analytics and Executive Director of MIT’s FreightLab, Chris has spent years studying the breakdowns in routing guides, the myth of economies of scale, and why AI isn’t a magic bullet for bad freight strategy.  In this episode, we’re diving deep i...

Business owner, podcast host, and SPI Logistics freight agent Dave Gulas is back on the show to talk about how he uses podcasting to create content for his customers and leads. By using education, he’s able to stay top of mind and earn future opportunities by delivering value long before the sale.  From sharing entrepreneurial stories to building lead pipelines, Dave breaks down why consistency is...

Tariff news changes by the hour, and freight pros can’t afford to fall behind. In this solo episode, Blythe shares how she used AI tools to get smart on global trade policy fast and prep for a talk on tariffs with real confidence.  From building a research system to generating a podcast from her notes, Blythe walks through the AI workflows that helped her synthesize thousands of data points, spot...

From de minimis drama to geopolitical trade shakeups, tariffs are doing more than raising prices, they're forcing a full rewrite of how e-commerce logistics gets done.  Harshida Acharya, Chief Strategy Officer at Fulfillment IQ and host of the eCOM Logistics Podcast, joins the show to explain what these policy changes really mean for brands. If you’re still relying on one warehouse, one fulfi...

AI is being hyped as the magic bullet for supply chains—but what happens when your infrastructure isn’t ready to support it? In this episode, Blythe Brumleve chats with David Bell, CEO of Cloneops.ai , about the cold, hard realities of deploying AI in logistics. From unreliable data pipelines to the complexity of nearshoring, David breaks down what’s broken, what’s fixable, and what’s still wildly...

Many people in logistics shy away from giving their opinions online. But Jennifer Morris founded her company Ship Happens to do the exact opposite–by giving opinions online that help other SMBs from shipping headaches.  Jenn joins the show to talk about her more than 20 years in logistics, how brokerage sales strategies are different for women, and which logistics company would make for a great re...

When AI enters the supply chain, your biggest threat might not be a hacker—it might be a rogue Excel sheet buried deep in your processes.  In this panel from Manifest, Blythe moderates an insightful discussion with data security leaders on what it really takes to secure supply chains in an AI-powered world. From hallucinating large language models to ecosystem-wide vulnerabilities, this episode is...

Why does it feel like U.S. ports are stuck in the past while the rest of the world is fully automated?  This episode with Lauren Beagen—lawyer, founder of The Maritime Professor®, and host of By Land and By Sea—dives into why maritime regulations matter, what tech labor negotiations are really about, and how tariffs are a lot more about vibes than rules.  From dock safety to global competitiveness...

If you've ever asked “Where’s my container?”—this episode is for you.  Rene Alvarenga, Senior Director of Product Management at Kaleris, breaks down why visibility is still one of supply chain's biggest unsolved problems.  Backed by data from a new report with maritime research firm Thetius, this conversation unpacks the massive disconnect between what terminals think they’re delivering...

Cargo thieves aren’t just stealing freight—they’re outpacing traditional security methods with fraudulent carriers, fake BOLs, and even high-speed heists.  Cargo theft has surged 50% year-over-year, leaving shippers and brokers scrambling for protection. But while criminals are getting smarter, so is technology.  On this episode of Everything is Logistics, Jonathan Ryan, CPTO of Overhaul, reveals...

Warehouse robotics is evolving fast, yet 90% of warehouses still don’t use automation. Why?  Despite the rise of AI, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and drone-based inventory tracking, most operations remain stuck in outdated, manual processes. The real challenge isn’t just cost—it’s about knowledge gaps, change management, and finding the right tech fit.  In this episode of Everything is Logisti...

Freight brokers waste hours on missed calls and rate negotiations. What if AI could handle those conversations instantly? Roger Boza, Chief Technology Advisor at CloneOps, explains how AI-powered voice agents are transforming brokerage operations. From real-time rate negotiations to eliminating phone call bottlenecks, Boza breaks down how AI streamlines freight without replacing human brokers. Key...

Freight fraud is escalating at an alarming rate. Cargo theft, double brokering, and identity fraud have increased by 500% year over year​, leaving brokers and carriers struggling to stay ahead.  In this episode of Everything is Logistics, host Blythe Brumleve sits down with Reid Clements of Highway to discuss how identity verification technology is preventing fraud before it happens.  Key Topics: ...