Last2First Podcast

Michael Frankel: Why Most Entrepreneurs Get This Completely Wrong

What does it take to grow a family-run logistics business from just a handful of drivers to nearly 2,000 across the U.S. and Canada? In this episode of Last2First, Jason Burns sits down with Michael Frankel, President of Sir Lancelot Courier & Delivery and COO of PDX, for a conversation packed with real operator insights, lessons learned, and plenty of laughs. Michael shares his journey from working in nursing home administration (yes, really 😅) to helping build one of the most respected delivery operations in the industry. In this episode: ✅ How PDX scaled from 6 drivers to nearly 2,000 ✅ The power of customer service in building long-term growth ✅ Dedicated driver models vs. on-demand delivery ✅ How technology and automation are changing logistics ✅ Why final mile operators should rethink insurance and risk management ✅ Captive insurance explained in plain English ✅ The future of robotics, AI, and delivery automation ✅ How family businesses can compete in a changing industry This episode is equal parts strategy, storytelling, and straight-up operator talk. If you're in logistics, final mile, courier, transportation, or supply chain—this one is for you. Subscribe for more conversations with the leaders moving this industry from LAST to FIRST. #Last2First #Logistics #FinalMile #SupplyChain #Transportation #entrepreneurship  📌 Shoutout to our Sponsors! Dropoff Inc. https://www.dropoff.com/ info@dropoff.com +1 888-376-7633 GigSafe https://www.gigsafe.com/ +1 407-496-9882 Deliver Different https://deliverdifferent.com/ SCI https://sciadmin.com/ CXT https://cxtsoftware.com/

65 Years, 3 Generations & One Accident That Changed Everything

65 years. Three generations. One leader's turn to modernize or get left behind. In this episode of Last of First Podcast, Jason Burns sits down with David Hardy, President & CEO of Bonnie Speed Logistics, one of the longest-running courier companies in Ohio, founded in Cleveland in 1959. David's path was anything but straight. Hampton University. Purdue chicken processing lines. New Jersey food manufacturing. Then home — to take over a legacy business that needed a new culture, new systems, and a bold new vision. We get into: Taking over a 65-year family business and rebuilding the culture from scratch Outsourcing night dispatch AND accounting — what changed immediately Building Cleveland's first DC Level 3 EV fast charging station as a new revenue stream The 2016 accident that rewrote his entire approach to risk & compliance Why routes beat on-demand every time for margin and predictability The medical linen vertical nobody else in the last mile is talking about A real conversation about legacy, leadership, and what it takes to drag a family business into the future. 👉 Subscribe for real last-mile logistics strategy and courier business growth insights 👉 Comment "LEGACY" if you're building or running a family business 👉 Comment "ROUTES" if predictable margin is your focus right now 📌 Shoutout to our Sponsors! Dropoff Inc. https://www.dropoff.com/ info@dropoff.com +1 888-376-7633 GigSafe https://www.gigsafe.com/ +1 407-496-9882 Deliver Different https://deliverdifferent.com/ SCI https://sciadmin.com/ CXT https://cxtsoftware.com/ last mile logistics, courier business, logistics entrepreneur, family business, delivery service business how to grow a courier company, medical courier business, last mile delivery margins, outsourcing dispatch, logistics route vs on demand, how to run a family logistics business entrepreneurship podcast, family business legacy, third generation business owner, founder stories, CEO mindset, Black owned business EV charging stations logistics, medical linen delivery, Bonnie Speed Logistics, Cleveland courier company, outsourcing night dispatch, logistics compliance risk, nuclear verdicts trucking, last mile route business

From Miami Courier to 13,500 Members: The Steve Howard Story

33 years. One partner who went bankrupt. Millions left on the table. And zero regrets. In this episode of Last of First Podcast, Jason Burns sits down with Steve Howard — 2026 CLDA Hall of Fame inductee, former owner of Esquire Express in Miami, and current Director of eCommerce Solutions at WCA, the world's largest freight forwarder network with 13,500 members across 197 countries. Steve built his courier business from scratch at 23 years old with nothing to lose — legal courier work, medical runs during Hurricane Andrew, air cartage, big & bulky e-commerce — and watched margins get gutted by three PLs, commoditization and Chinese-backed competitors willing to lose money just to grab market share. He's seen it all. And he's not holding back. We get into: ✅Why he walked away from a 33-year business and never looked back ✅How Hurricane Andrew turned a cargo van into his biggest account overnight ✅The three PL model that squeezed his margins from 24% down to 4% ✅What Chinese-backed delivery companies are doing to last mile pricing right now ✅Why volume without value will eventually destroy your business ✅How WCA connects last mile carriers directly to freight forwarders — and why the margin difference is massive ✅The partner who went bankrupt and left him holding millions in SBA loans ✅A masterclass in survival, reinvention and knowing exactly when to walk away. 👉 Subscribe for real last mile logistics strategy and courier business growth insights 👉 Comment "MARGINS" if the race to the bottom is hitting your business right now 👉 Comment "WCA" if you want to learn more about unlocking international freight opportunities CHAPTER MARKERS 00:00 - Introduction & CLDA Hall of Fame Moment 03:30 - His Dad Surprises Him at the Ceremony 07:00 - What Is WCA? 13,500 Members, 197 Countries 12:00 - World Parcel Alliance: Cutting Out the Brokers 18:30 - Starting Esquire Express at 23 in Miami 24:00 - Hurricane Andrew and the Diesel Run to South Miami Hospital 29:30 - First eCommerce Client: IKEA in 1999 34:00 - How 3PLs Crushed Final-Mile Margins 40:30 - Chinese Competitors Charging $2.20 Per Delivery 46:00 - The Business Partner Collapse That Cost Him Everything 54:00 - Why He Finally Sold Esquire Express After 33 Years 60:30 - Every Account Must Stand on Its Own 65:00 - His "Last to First" Moment 📌 Shoutout to our Sponsors! Dropoff Inc. https://www.dropoff.com/ info@dropoff.com +1 888-376-7633 GigSafe https://www.gigsafe.com/ +1 407-496-9882 Deliver Different https://deliverdifferent.com/ SCI https://sciadmin.com/ CXT https://cxtsoftware.com/ Primary last mile logistics, courier business, logistics entrepreneur, delivery service business, freight forwarder network High-Intent Search how to sell a logistics business, last mile delivery margins, courier business exit strategy, freight forwarder last mile, WCA logistics network, how to grow a courier company, logistics gross margin benchmarks Discovery / Viral entrepreneurship podcast, business exit story, founder stories, CEO mindset, how I built this, logistics Hall of Fame, built from scratch Episode-Specific race to the bottom logistics, three PL margin squeeze, Chinese delivery companies US market, CLDA Hall of Fame, WCA World Cargo Alliance, Hurricane Andrew Miami, air cartage logistics, SBA loan business failure

Why Every Logistics Company Gets Stuck at $10M (And How to Break Through)

Zero experience. Zero contacts. Zero clue how to run a courier business. He bought a $1M last mile logistics company anyway , and 14 years later walked away with a private equity exit. In this episode of Last of First Podcast, Jason Burns sits down with Walker Allen, founder of A3 Holdings and former owner of Specialty Freight & Courier — a logistics entrepreneur who built a medical courier network from scratch, survived a recession, fought an independent contractor misclassification lawsuit, and managed 1,500 drivers inside a PE-backed last-mile platform. We get into: -Why $10M is the danger zone for every courier business -The gross margin benchmarks every logistics operator needs to know -What private equity REALLY looks like inside a last mile company -The misclassification lawsuit that changed everything -Why you can NOT save your way to profitability in last mile delivery -Where AI and consolidation are taking the courier industry 👉 Subscribe for real last mile logistics strategy and courier business growth insights 👉 Comment "EXIT" if you're building toward a sale 👉 Comment "MARGINS" if profitability is your focus right now 📌 Shoutout to our Sponsors! Dropoff Inc. https://www.dropoff.com/ info@dropoff.com +1 888-376-7633 GigSafe https://www.gigsafe.com/ +1 407-496-9882 Deliver Different https://deliverdifferent.com/ SCI https://sciadmin.com/ CXT https://cxtsoftware.com/

She Left Wall Street & Built a Medical Courier Empire

What if you could build a profitable business from scratch—without experience, tech skills, or a huge investment? In this episode, Rebecca Massicotte, founder of Red Fox Medical Courier, shares how she went from Wall Street burnout to building a multi-city healthcare logistics company—serving critical patient care operations across the U.S. You’ll discover: * How she started with just a website and one client * The truth about the medical courier industry (and why it’s booming) * How she scaled to 25+ cities and 100+ drivers * The mindset shift that took her from “delivery service” to patient care business * Hidden opportunities in last-mile logistics most people overlook This isn’t just a business story—it’s a masterclass in thinking bigger, moving faster, and building something that actually matters. 👉 Whether you're an entrepreneur, looking for a new income stream, or curious about the logistics industry… this episode will open your eyes. KEYWORDS Primary last mile logistics, medical courier business, courier company, delivery service business, logistics entrepreneur, healthcare logistics High-Intent Search how to start a medical courier business, how to scale a courier company, courier business tips, logistics company growth strategy, how to grow a delivery business, operations management small business Discovery / Viral entrepreneurship podcast, business success stories, founder stories, startup to scale, CEO mindset, real business talk, woman entrepreneur, Wall Street to entrepreneur