The Ramp Up

In this episode, we explore the impactful work of Move for Hunger, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing food waste and fighting hunger through innovative food recovery programs. Our guests, Stephanie De La Hoz and Kyla Crisp, share insights into their initiatives, challenges, and how partnerships with logistics providers like Hoplite are transforming food rescue efforts. 00:00 - Introduction and Gues...

In this episode, hosts Rich and Bryan open with a little fun (yes, they really ask: “ how cool is Tom Holland? ”) before diving into one of the biggest drivers of startup success — culture. They sit down with Macy Chambers and Neha Soi to discuss their career journeys and what it takes to build a company like BERO from the ground up, including early mistakes, key launch lessons, and the critical r...

AI is reshaping nearly every industry, and freight and logistics are no exception. Among the companies leading this transformation is Augment , a rising force in freight brokerage technology. In this episode, hosts Rich and Bryan sit down with Justin Hall, CCO of Augment , to dive into the company’s mission, capabilities, and vision for the future. Justin shares his unique background, the lessons...

In the seventh episode of The Ramp Up, Rich and Bryan chat with former Borderless Coverage CEO Mark Vickers. Borderless Coverage was acquired by Reliance Partners in 2021, where Mark now works as Head of International Logistics. The trio discuss the state of cross-border freight in Mexico, best practices for shippers moving in and out of Mexico, and what you can do to best negate risk south of the...

In the sixth episode of The Ramp Up, Rich and Bryan chat with Cargado Co-Founder & CEO Matt Silver. Cargado is a freight marketplace focused on cross-border solutions and a strategic partner of Hoplite. Matt's background with Mexico freight in particular has made him an industry expert on the topic, and he shares his deep insight into the tariff situation, how it impacts Mexico cross-border, a...

In the fifth episode of The Ramp Up, Rich and Bryan discuss their thought process when choosing their technology partners, including demo'ing 10 different TMS platforms. They give their high-level thoughts on all 10 and reveal their choice. Lastly, they give their top three choices for emerging tech platforms within the freight brokerage industry. 00:00 – Intro 00:50 – Manifest impressions and tak...

In the fourth episode of The Ramp Up, Rich and Bryan chat with Journey Founder Will Jenkins. Will was previously a Co-Founder of MoLo, an extremely successful third party logistics provider who was acquired by ArcBest in 2021. Will has since founded Journey, a transportation-focused recruiting and training academy that is quickly growing. The three discuss Journey's state-of-the-art AI role-playin...

In the third episode of The Ramp Up, co-hosts Rich and Bryan discuss their goals for the culture at Hoplite and how they approached hiring to accomplish that. They finish the episode ranking the top three qualities each of them look for when interviewing candidates. 00:00 - Intro 01:56 - Defining the company pillars 04:21 - Hiring people with a helpful mindset 07:33 - Building culture from scratch...

In episode 2 of The Ramp Up, co-hosts Rich & Bryan place a Hoplite Spotlite on Greenscreens.ai , a real-time pricing platform in the logistics industry. While their platform is best-in-class, it is their marketing strategy that is discussed as they have curated a phenomenal approach to brand image and culture-building alike. Speaking with Vice President of Marketing Celine Clayton and Vice Pre...

In the first episode of The Ramp Up, co-hosts Rich and Bryan discuss their decision to leave their previous roles and embark on the start-up journey, how difficult that decision and process was, and the origins and branding of Hoplite Logistics. They finish the episode ranking their top three favorite brands in the logistics world right now. 0:00- Intro to the podcast 4:08 - Co-hosts backgrounds 6...