Forward Thinking - The Freight Forwarding & Logistics Podcast

#11 - Nick Gavos: Breaking the Stigma That Age Equals Knowledge

Nick Gavos turned 21 the day we recorded this episode. He's already a national award winner, an IFCBAA Young Professionals panellist, and an aspiring licensed customs broker at his family business, Gavos Freight Solutions. Nick grew up in the industry, learning from his father while competing as a national karate athlete through high school. In this episode, he shares how he went from sweeping up around the office to handling complex customs scenarios, including clearing 13 returned air containers of meat from the UAE during the Middle East conflict. We cover: * Working in a family business and why the clashes are worth it * Why young customs professionals need to get dirty in the books before relying on technology * His take on remote work and why he believes young people should be in the office * How martial arts discipline translates into freight forwarding * Winning the IFCBAA Young Professional Award in 2025 Nick's message to the next generation: age and experience don't always equal knowledge. Put in the work, aim high, and give it a crack.

#10 - Why "Good Enough" Is Costing Businesses Millions

In this episode of Forward Thinking, Sam Smeaton sits down with Chris Roe, Principal Advisor at FR8 Advice, to unpack the hidden cost of “good enough” in supply chain and logistics. With more than 25 years across freight forwarding, operations, sales, leadership, and advisory, Chris shares practical insights on where businesses are losing money without realising it and why comfortable inefficiency is one of the biggest risks in logistics today. The conversation covers: • Why so many importers and exporters operate with outdated processes• The common gaps between people, process, and providers• How medium-sized businesses can outperform larger competitors• The role AI is actually playing in freight and logistics right now• Why volatility is now the “new normal” in global supply chains• What great freight forwarders do differently• Advice for younger people entering the logistics industry• Why niche expertise matters more than ever Chris also shares the story behind FR8 Advice and why he launched the business after decades inside freight forwarding and supply chain leadership. A practical conversation for anyone working in freight forwarding, logistics, transport, supply chain, importing, exporting, or operations leadership.

#09 - What it takes to build a modern logistics business

Hannah Hurckes is the Founder & CEO of Boss Lady Logistics and author of The Leadership Reset. In this episode, we get into what it actually takes to build a logistics brand that stands out. Not just moving freight, but building something people recognise and trust. Hannah breaks down her move from operator to founder, how she’s approached growth, and what most people in logistics miss when it comes to brand and positioning. We also talk about building in a traditionally male-dominated industry, hiring, and the realities of scaling without losing your edge.

#08 - Why Most Salespeople Fail in Logistics

Sam sits down with Michael Altamore, National Sales Manager at Civic Transport Services — a same-day carrier doing over 150,000 deliveries per month. They get into what actually makes a great salesperson in transport, why moving into management isn't always the right call, how the industry shifted post-COVID, and the one piece of advice Michael would give anyone starting out today. In this episode: * Why the best sales reps often make the worst managers * How to sell on value when everyone's competing on price * The post-COVID shift in customer expectations * Building a career in transport and logistics from the ground up * On wealth, mindset and playing the long game

#07 - How LinkedIn Is Changing Logistics Sales

In this episode of Forward Thinking, I sit down with Jose Coronel from Miami to talk about what’s really happening inside freight forwarding right now. We cover: – Growing up in a family freight business – Why most forwarders are still selling the wrong way – The biggest mistakes sales teams make – How LinkedIn and cold outreach can actually drive real conversations – Consolidation, tariffs and where the market is heading – Why specialising beats trying to be everything to everyone Jose also shares how consistently posting content changed his business and opened doors globally. If you’re in freight, logistics or B2B sales, this is a practical conversation with real takeaways you can apply immediately.