The Ramp Up

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 role of supply chain in making a retail brand stand out.From there, the conversation shifts to the carrier side of the business: what makes a carrier credible from a shipper’s perspective, how Hoplite Logistics stays laser-focused on the shipper experience, and where growth is headed next. The group explores how technology and intuition combine to guide both teams’ evolution, while also touching on the importance of in-person relationships and Neha’s transition from freight brokerage to the shipper side.Whether you’re launching a startup, scaling operations, or simply curious about how culture, supply chain, and technology intersect, this episode offers a backstage pass into the making of two different—but closely connected—growth stories. Tune in for an inside look at what’s working, what’s shifting, and what’s ahead for BERO and Hoplite.00:00 – Intro to BERO and how cool is Tom Holland?03:20 – Building culture at a start-up05:49 – Macy and Neha’s career journeys08:42 – Building BERO from the ground up12:41 – Lessons learned from several start-up launches16:08 – Importance of supply chain in retail start-ups17:59 – What makes a carrier credible from their viewpoint?19:50 – How awesome Hoplite Sales Director Rob Conard is21:16 – Hoplite’s growth and focus on the shipper experience23:19 – Pivot points and the role of intuition28:33 – Neha’s quick transition from a freight brokerage to the shipper side31:57 – Importance of in-person visits for relationship-building35:44 – Hoplite and BERO’s approach to technology41:46 – What does the future hold for BERO?44:49 – Working with large retailers

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 that shaped his career, and why Augment is positioning itself as a game-changer for brokers.Looking ahead, what will freight look like in the next 2–3 years as innovation accelerates? Justin offers his insights—and explains how you and your company can start capitalizing on these changes today.00:01 – Intro & Culture Building06:29 – Justin’s Background & Freight Journey16:23 – The Origins of Augment21:37 – Why Hoplite Partnered with Augment23:49 – Augment’s Mission28:32 – The Promise of AI in Freight32:32 – Startup Culture & Work–Life Balance36:30 – Augment’s Commitment to Customers37:47 – Do Shippers Care About AI? The Real Value Add39:34 – Long-Term Applications of AI in Freight44:43 – The Role of Tribal Knowledge in Logistics46:10 – Augment’s Biggest Challenges to Date48:37 – Taking the Leap: Starting Your Own Business50:38 – Why Shippers Choose Hoplite

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 border. Mark's background with Mexico freight in particular has made him an industry expert on the topic. If you are a shipper who is already moving Mexico freight, this is an episode you will not want to miss.00:01 – Status update on Hoplite01:11 – What did we underestimate?03:50 – What are we pleased with?06:08 – Importance of security measures with Mexico Cross-border freight14:00 – Mark Vickers intro and Borderless Coverage background18:00 – Reliance Partners shipper insurance coverage and trends26:14 – Mexico cross-border policy changes in recent years33:31 – What does Mexico need to change to curb rampant cargo theft?38:55 – What do first-time shippers need to know about moving cross-border Mexico?42:38 – What regions in Mexico should shippers invest in?45:31 – 8th Annual Modernization of Cross-Border Trade Event

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, and what he expects to see over the coming months. The trio also discuss the start-up process for both of Matt's ventures (Forager and Cargado) and lessons learned in the process. 00:00 – Intro & Matt’s background with Coyote, Forager, and Cargado03:27 – Finding his Mexico Freight Niche10:54 – Building Forager: The Early Days14:25 – Lessons Learned from Forager: Starting a Brokerage19:49 - Navigating Funding and Investment in Freight22:07 – Starting Cargado: Filling a Hole in the Market25:07 – Future of the Platform28:35 – The Team-building Approach of Cargado31:26 – The Current Tariff Landscape & Trade Dynamics35:17 – Future Mexico & Canada Trade with the Trump Administration38:27 – Forecasting the 2025 US Market41:37 – Matt’s Emerging Tech Platforms in Freight

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 – Intro00:50 – Manifest impressions and takeaways03:14 – HR and Payroll Platforms (Rippling)04:49 – Importance of a PEO for remote workforces06:41 – The TMS decision-making process for Hoplite09:17- Descartes Alijex09:53 – Alvys11:18 – Roserocket13:04 – 3PL Systems14:50 – Revenova17:41 – Turvo19:55 – MVMNT23:03 – WaveTMS26:38 – Tai Software30:00 – What should you look for and what did was learned?33:04 – Pricing Platforms (Greenscreens, SONAR, DAT)37:57 – Compliance and Onboarding Platforms (Highway/RMIS/MyCP)43:20 – GPS Tracking (Macropoint)43:53 – GenLogs44:24 – Phone Systems (Grasshopper, RingCentral)44:50 – Cargado45:52 –Bitfreighter46:09 – Needs versus Wants and mistakes made50:17 – TOP 3 DISCUSSION – Top Emerging Tech50:52 – GoodShip52:52 – GenLogs (continued)54:22 – Cargado (continued)57:02 – AI Agent Platforms1:00:30 - Recap

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-playing bot and how this could be the future of Sales training. They also touch on the importance of culture, how to optimize the interviewing process, and which characteristics matter the most when hiring Salespeople. 0:00 - Intro3:44 - Journey’s AI-based training platform7:40 - Journey’s origins and strategy9:53 - Journey’s marketing14:03 - Journey’s launch versus MoLo’s15:39 - Building a great culture18:11 - Best interviewing practices24:01 - Importance of training24:57 - Training in a remote environment29:36 - Screening for Journey and its customers35:51 - Sales training and strategy 42:34 - ROI timeline for Sales hires 47:02 - Sales-focused interviews48:45 - Top characteristic for a sales person

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 - Intro01:56 - Defining the company pillars04:21 - Hiring people with a helpful mindset07:33 - Building culture from scratch and in a remote environment08:43 - Importance of consistency and transparency14:01 - In-person onboarding and face-to-face importance16:33 - Navigating the hiring process for Sales at Hoplite19:55 – Why Guadalajara for the Mexican entity?22:38 – Hiring from other brokerages26:37 – RANKED – Top candidate attributes

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 President of Customer Success Rachel Backfisch, they dive into many topics that are applicable to business of all sizes and industries.Topics include:00:00 – Intro to Celine and Rachel03:00 – Their approach to marketing05:55 – Effect of good culture on marketing & the brand08:02 – Social media marketing12:42 – LinkedIn’s impact on marketing in logistics14:50 – Partnerships in marketing strategy17:16 – KPIs and analytics to monitor in marketing19:50 – Most effective low-cost marketing channels24:14 – How to hack the LinkedIn algorithm28:03 – Greenscreens branding origin story33:42 – Company pillars tying into marketing38:10 – Rebranding timeline40:48 – Greenscreens almost had a mascot?42:18 – Flexing some creative muscle43:19 – Top logistics brands right now?45:33 – Super Bowl hopefuls

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 podcast4:08 - Co-hosts backgrounds6:29 - The leap of faith12:26 - Doubts creeping in15:13 - Origin of the branding19:44 - Podcast goal20:38 - Bryan’s decision to join23:55 - Our favorite logistics brands right now