Episode 12: Lida Zurabashvili- Mastering AI In Logistics | Freight Agent Insider

This week on Freight Agent Insider, Levi Van Pay welcomes back Colby and Raegan Baskin of Cowtown Logistics for a powerful conversation about freight brokerage, the agent model, recruiting, leadership, culture and building a business through adversity. Colby and Raegan share how Cowtown went from a trucking operation with approximately 60 trucks and 100 flatbed trailers to facing $5 million in debt, selling the trucking assets and refocusing entirely on freight brokerage. Today, Cowtown is running at approximately $72 million, with a goal of reaching $100 million and ultimately building toward $250 million. The episode explores why Colby believes the agent model could have accelerated their growth, how Cowtown attracts and retains freight agents and why genuine relationships often matter more than aggressive recruiting. 🔥 WE ALSO DISCUSS: • From Trucking to Brokerage: Colby and Raegan's journey into freight • The $5K Startup: Building Cowtown from the ground up • Millions in Debt: Lessons from their trucking operation • LinkedIn & Authenticity: Growing through relationships and consistency • Recruiting & Retention: Finding and supporting great agents • Agent vs. Brokerage: Lessons from both sides of the industry • Culture & Leadership: Scaling without losing the personal touch • The $250M Vision: Cowtown's plans for the future• Advice for Young Professionals: Getting started in freight 👇 COMMENT BELOW: What matters most when choosing a freight agency—commission, support, culture or growth opportunities? ⏱️ IMPORTANT MOMENTS: 00:00 – Intro & Freight Agent Expo Announcement 03:21 – Welcome Colby & Raegan Baskin 04:20 – Their Journey Into Freight 06:40 – The $5K Brokerage Startup 07:54 – 60 Trucks, 100 Trailers & Millions in Debt 10:10 – LinkedIn & Building the Cowtown Brand 12:34 – Recruiting Large Agents 15:18 – What Sets Cowtown Apart 19:36 – Agent Retention & Support 23:34 – Advice for the Next Generation 25:03 – Agent vs. Brokerage 28:25 – Growth & Culture 31:15 – $100M Goal & $250M Vision 32:56 – Gratitude & Final Advice34:20 – Outro 🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube & all major podcast platforms. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on freight brokerage, logistics, leadership, sales, entrepreneurship, freight technology, AI and business growth. This episode was brought to you by FreightDeck. It is the all-in-one heavy haul estimating tool that instantly calculates the full cost of any move. Covering permits, pilot cars, police escorts, route surveys, bridge studies, and bucket trucks across every state and Canada. Discover it for yourself at thefreightdeck.com. This episode was brought to you by Freight Scout. The AI platform that runs the whole load for freight brokers, from finding the shipper to getting paid. Check them out at freightscout.ai #freight #logistics #freightbroker #freightagent #freightagentinsider #cowtownlogistics #colbybaskin #raeganbaskin #freightbrokerage #trucking #leadership #sales #recruiting #entrepreneurship

This week on Freight Agent Insider, host Levi Van Pay sat down with Ryan Nolan, freight agent and founder of Flow State, for an insightful and entertaining conversation about the evolution of freight brokerage, the rise of independent agents, AI automation, authenticity and what it really takes to build a lasting career in logistics. Ryan shares his journey from graduating without a clear career path and finding a freight broker job on Craigslist to spending 16 years in the industry, working across carrier sales, operations, customer-facing roles, W-2 brokerages and eventually launching his own agency, Flow State. The conversation dives deep into one of the biggest questions facing freight professionals today: Is the traditional brokerage model becoming less necessary? Ryan explains why he believes technology and automation are giving independent agents more leverage than ever before—and why the idea of a one-person $100M freight agency may not be as crazy as it sounds. Ryan and Levi discuss AI-powered freight tools, rebuilding a book of business, LinkedIn personal branding, sales, recruiting, contracts and the power of authenticity and perseverance. Whether you're a W-2 broker, freight agent, or aspiring logistics professional, this episode offers practical insights on technology, relationships and building your own path. 🔥 KEY TAKEAWAYS: • From Craigslist to Freight: How Ryan Nolan went from valeting cars and bartending to building a 16-year career in freight brokerage. • W-2 to Agent: Why Ryan spent years believing in the traditional W-2 brokerage model before eventually becoming an independent freight agent himself. • The One-Man $100M Agency: Why Ryan believes advancing technology could eventually allow a single person to build an incredibly large freight operation. • AI Is Changing the Economics of Freight: How automation can handle more of the operational work surrounding customer relationships, rate negotiations and load building. • Relationships Still Matter: Why AI may make freight operations more efficient, but cannot replace the value of owning and strengthening customer relationships. • Always Be Building: Why relying too heavily on existing customers can be dangerous—and why freight professionals should continually develop their pipeline. • Push vs. Pull Sales: How LinkedIn, personal branding and authentic content can help freight brokers attract opportunities instead of constantly chasing them. • Stay in Your Lane: Why specialization and understanding your strengths can be more valuable than competing in highly commoditized freight markets. • The Right Way to Recruit Agents: Why aggressive, pushy recruiting can damage your reputation and why authenticity and genuine relationships create stronger long-term results. • Don't Trust a Handshake: Ryan shares an important lesson about business partnerships and why entrepreneurs should invest in properly reviewed contracts. • Authenticity + Self-Development: Why being yourself doesn't mean staying the same—and how leaning into your strengths while continuously improving can create long-term success. • Perseverance Is Underrated: Ryan's advice for younger professionals on grit, gratitude, empathy and continuing to move forward through difficult times. Next Week on Freight Agent Insider 🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube & all major podcast platforms. 🔔 Follow Freight Agent Insider for weekly conversations with freight agents, brokerage owners, recruiters, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders covering freight brokerage, logistics, AI, freight technology, sales, leadership, entrepreneurship, recruiting and business growth. #freight #logistics #freightbroker #freightagent #freightagentinsider #ryannolan #flowstate #resolvelogistics #freighttech #AI #artificialintelligence #leadgeneration #sales #entrepreneurship #leadership #personalbranding #remotework #supplychain

This week on Freight Agent Insider, host Levi Van Pay sat down with Lauren Sharpe, Freight Agent Recruiter at HD Ships, for an insightful and entertaining deep dive into the world of agent recruitment, overcoming industry gatekeeping and scaling multi-million dollar freight accounts! Lauren breaks down her transition from corporate W-2 recruitment into agent sourcing, sharing how she overcame imposter syndrome to close $10M+ agency accounts without a traditional freight brokerage background. Lauren pulls back the curtain on what actually works in agent recruiting—from ditching transactional "pitch slaps" on LinkedIn to building long-game trust, leveraging peer alliances with competitors and navigating remote work autonomy. She and Levi address common industry misconceptions, including the myth that agent programs are network marketing schemes and why in-house recruiters provide far greater long-term alignment than third-party agencies. Whether you're a freight agent, aspiring recruiter, or brokerage leader, this episode offers practical insights on relationships, personal branding and career growth. 🔥 KEY TAKEAWAYS: • From Corporate to Agent Sourcing: How Lauren transitioned from W-2 corporate recruiting to high-stakes agent recruitment at HD Ships. • Closing Enterprise Accounts: Strategies behind landing a $10M+ freight agency without a prior background in moving loads. • Overcoming Gatekeeping & Imposter Syndrome: Why relationship-building, transparency and continuous learning beat textbook operational experience. • Playing the Long Game: Replacing upfront "pitch slapping" with authentic introductions, patient follow-ups and relationship equity. • In-House vs. Third-Party Recruiting: Why in-house recruiters offer true alignment and long-term support compared to commission-driven external agencies. • Ditching Traditional KPIs: How outcome-based autonomy and flexibility drive top-tier performance in remote recruiting. • The Power of Competitor Alliances: Collaborating with competing recruiters to share insights, candidate referrals and industry best practices. ⏱️ IMPORTANT MOMENTS: 00:00 – Intro & Freight Agent Expo Announcement (FAX27) 02:27 – Welcome Lauren Sharpe: Nicknames & TIA Phoenix Recap 03:37 – Lauren’s Background: Transitioning from W-2 Sourcing to Agent Recruiting 05:17 – Friendships & Competitor Dynamic: Levi’s Playful Attempt to "Hire" Matt Dahl 06:03 – Why Competitors Help Each Other: Industry Alliances vs. Survivor Strategy 08:19 – Social Proof & Sourcing Styles: Building Exposure on LinkedIn vs. Cold Outreach 10:43 – Landing a $10M+ Agency: Trial, Error and Ditching the Pitch Slap 12:25 – The Female Perspective in Sales: Navigating Outreach & Building Clean Relationships 14:41 – Do You Need Freight Brokering Experience to Succeed in Agent Sourcing? 18:11 – The HD Ships Advantage: Tech Infrastructure, Back-Office & Leadership Alignment 20:20 – The Referral Loop: How Time and Agent Support Generate Inbound Growth 23:14 – Addressing Outside Misconceptions: "Is Freight Agent Recruiting a Pyramid Scheme?" 24:57 – The State of the Freight Market & Why Owner-Led Recruiting Fails 27:03 – In-House Recruiters vs. Third-Party Brokers: Accountability & Long-Term Fit 29:47 – Remote Work Autonomy: Moving Beyond Corporate KPIs & 8-to-5 Clock-Ins 33:33 – Advice for Gen-Z & Young Professionals Breaking Into Logistics 36:14 – Navigating the Early-Career Runway & Advice for Junior Recruiters 37:54 – Outro & Closing Thoughts 🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube & all major podcast platforms. 🔔 Follow for weekly conversations on freight brokerage, logistics, leadership, sales, entrepreneurship, freight technology and business growth. #freight #logistics #freightbroker #freightagent #freightagentinsider #laurensharpe #hdships #agentrecruiting #freighttech #leadership #entrepreneurship #sales #supplychain #remotework

This week on Freight Agent Insider, Levi Van Pay sat down with Mia Mazal, co-owner and founder of Talento, bringing her high-energy perspective on near-shoring, scaling back-office operations and breaking down barriers as a young leader! In this engaging and insightful conversation, Mia shares her journey from Delaware to Miami, navigating a male-gatekept industry and building a near-shore team of over 200 people. Mia pulls back the curtain on when freight agents should near-shore versus hire in-office, detailing how specialized overseas talent can handle complex roles like drayage, LTL and engineering. She addresses common agent hesitation—from tech infrastructure readiness to English proficiency and accents—and breaks down how human talent and AI will integrate to handle operational escalations. Additionally, Mia discusses overcoming imposter syndrome, standing up to industry stereotypes and why an abundance mindset and strong alliances are key to long-term success. Whether you're a freight agent looking to delegate operations, a brokerage leader evaluating offshore talent or a young entrepreneur navigating a gatekept industry, this episode is packed with practical strategies on staffing, team culture and business growth. 🔥 KEY TAKEAWAYS: • The Delaware to Miami Journey: How Mia transitioned into logistics and co-founded a 200+ person company. • Near-Shoring vs. In-Office Hiring: Key frameworks for freight agents deciding when and how to delegate operations. • Prerequisites for Overseas Staffing: Why tech infrastructure like VPNs, domain emails and telecom systems must come first. • Specialized Freight Knowledge: Vetting near-shore talent for nuanced roles across LTL, FTL, drayage and TMS engineering. • Overcoming Industry Gatekeeping: How Mia built confidence, stood up to age/gender bias and earned respect in freight. • The Power of "Conference Uncles": Leveraging strong industry allies and mentors to build authority and trust. • AI Integration vs. Human Action: How AI agents will handle entry-level tracking while human operators manage high-level escalations. • Vetting Language & Culture: Assessing written, verbal and listening English proficiency beyond paper certifications. • Identifying Hiring Red Flags: Spotting poor attitudes and job-hoppers early to build a low-turnover remote culture. ⏱️ IMPORTANT MOMENTS: 00:00 – Intro & Freight Agent Expo Announcement (FAX27) 02:21 – Welcome Mia Mazal: Pronunciations & Miami Life 04:33 – From Delaware to Colombia: Mia’s Path to Founding Talento 06:54 – What Is Talento? Niche Staffing & HR for Logistics 08:11 – Learning Freight from Scratch: Hallway Conversations & Curiosity 11:22 – Abundance Mindset: Why Competitors & Shippers Are Potential Mentors 12:01 – Beyond Back-Office: Near-Shoring TMS Engineers & Carrier Roles 14:26 – Male-Dominated vs. Male-Gatekept: Standing Up to Industry Bias 16:08 – Building "Conference Uncles": The Importance of Industry Allies 18:11 – Near-Shoring Panel Preview & When Agents Should Hire 20:02 – Evaluating Overseas Staffing: Tech Infrastructure & Career Paths 23:30 – Addressing Language Barriers, Accents and Vetting Standards 25:21 – Is AI a Threat? Integrating Automation with Human Operations 28:01 – Voice Cloning, Accent Removers and Building Genuine Trust 29:55 – Red Flags in Hiring: Spotting Wrong Motivators & Job Hoppers 31:35 – Closing Advice for Young Entrepreneurs: Finding Passion & Taking Risks 33:33 – Outro & Closing Thoughts 🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube & all major podcast platforms. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on freight brokerage, logistics, leadership, sales, entrepreneurship, freight technology and business growth. #freight #logistics #freightbroker #freightagent #freightagentinsider #miamazal #talento #nearshoring #freighttech #leadership #entrepreneurship #sales #supplychain #remotework

This week on Freight Agent Insider, Levi Van Pay sat down with "Big Sassy" Zach Davis, high-margin freight agent and multi-six-figure profit producer, making his 3rd appearance on the show! In this raw, transparent and insight-packed conversation, Zach shares his journey of relentless hard work, protecting his time to scale and doing whatever it takes to out-execute the competition in enterprise freight. Zach pulls back the curtain on winning and retaining high-volume outbound shippers, breaking down how custom-built SOPs and deep industry preparation can win over 40-year logistics veterans. He breaks down his strategy for targeting Walmart suppliers by mastering On-Time In-Full (OTIF) fine structures, reveals how to disqualify bad prospects early and shares why authentic personality beats generic sales scripts every time. Additionally, Zach dives into using AI to buy back operational time, modernizing agent recruiting tactics and navigating industry legal shifts like nuclear verdicts. Whether you're a freight broker, agent, recruiter or logistics entrepreneur looking to master high-margin enterprise accounts, leverage operational tech or build long-term client trust, this episode is packed with tactical advice on execution, sales mindset and time management. 🔥 KEY TAKEAWAYS: • The 3-Time Guest Perspective: Zach returns to share what’s changed, how he's scaling and why protecting his time is critical. • The SOP Strategy: How creating a custom operational SOP in his back pocket landed a major enterprise shipper. • Protecting Your Time: Learning to manage relationships and protect your schedule to scale a multi-six-figure agency. • Mastering OTIF & Walmart Metrics: Aligning sales pitches with shipper bonus structures and late-fee fine structures. • Re-Engaging Lost Accounts: The exact blueprint Zach used to land a high-volume outbound account twice after leadership changes. • Disqualifying Bad Prospects Early: Asking the right questions up front to save time and focus on high-margin fits. • Rethinking Agent Recruiting: Why traditional "pitch slapping" fails and how recruiters can actually get an elite agent's attention. • Leveraging Operational AI: Using automation and back-end systems to buy back time for high-touch relationship building. • Navigating Legal Risks: How elite agents view broker liability, C.H. Robinson rulings and nuclear verdicts. ⏱️ IMPORTANT MOMENTS: 00:00 – Intro & Freight Agent Expo Announcement (FAX27) 01:38 – Welcome 3-Time Guest Zach Davis: Protecting Time & Staying Locked In 02:49 – Teamwork with Drew Bertner: Sun-Up to Sun-Down Execution 03:54 – The Best Beard in Freight & Adding Wisdom Through Gray Hair 05:51 – The Low Bar in Freight: Why Extra Effort Out-Executes Competitors 06:45 – What Recruiters Get Wrong: How to Stand Out to Top-Producing Agents 11:42 – Modernizing Sales: Why Legacy Cold Calling Is Failing in 2026 15:16 – Winning a Major Shipper Twice: The Back-Pocket SOP Strategy 18:12 – Pitching Enterprise Shippers: Leveraging OTIF Fines & Bonus Metrics 21:10 – Live Mileage Challenge with Ryan Nolan 26:17 – Sales Advice for Junior Agents: Disqualifying Poor Fits Fast 27:04 – Operations Tech & AI: Buying Back Time for High-Touch Relationships 28:29 – Nuclear Verdicts & Legal Frameworks: Navigating Industry Risks 30:20 – Outro & Closing Thoughts 🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube & all major podcast platforms. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on freight brokerage, logistics, leadership, sales, entrepreneurship, freight technology and business growth.