Drones are doing a lot more than flying packages. They’re quietly transforming how warehouses operate behind the scenes.

In this episode of Freight Friends, Grace Sharkey and Blythe explore how drones are being used in logistics operations both inside and outside the warehouse, what the second half of 2025 might look like for freight, and the freight businesses and marketing tactics that have their attention. The episode wraps with a few source-to-porch stories that highlight what really moves this industry.

Key takeaways:

• Indoor drones are helping warehouses reduce injuries and boost productivity without major infrastructure changes
• The second half of 2025 may bring more rate instability and seasonal chaos, especially for Q4 retail
• Some of the most effective freight marketing right now is low-budget and high-authenticity
• Source-to-porch visibility is improving, but expectations and execution still pose challenges

LINKS:

• Grace's Linktree
• Grace's work at Orderful
• ImportYeti
• DexaDrone
• Gaetano DiNardi on SEO
• Triumph & Loadpay’s Mike Rowe commercial
• Screwworm in cows
• Mustard history
• The Dupe Economy: Why Today's Consumers Are Smarter Than Ever
• Inside the Shadowy, Lucrative Business of ‘Superfake’ Luxury Handbags

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

Are you experienced in freight sales or already an independent freight agent? Listen to our Freight Agent Trenches interviews powered by SPI Logistics to hear from the company's agents on how they took the entrepreneurial leap.

Shipium is the ML-powered shipping platform built by the executives that created Amazon's supply chain technology. They help 3PL & retail leaders like Stord, Ryder, and Saks Off 5th to reduce shipping costs by an average of 12% while improving on-time delivery.

CargoRex is the logistics industry’s go-to search platform—connecting you with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

What happens when the company you helped grow suddenly shuts down? For Mia Mazel, it sparked the launch of a brand new one, Talento.

Recorded live at TMSA Elevate in Austin, this conversation with Mia explores her journey from grad student to logistics leader, how she navigated the closure of Sworkz, and how Talento is redefining nearshore staffing with a tech-first mindset. She shares how adversity turned into opportunity, why supply chain pricing teams are ripe for transformation, and how blending AI with human expertise creates smarter operations, not job replacements.

Key takeaways:

• Mia launched Talento just 72 hours after her former company shut down, retaining customers and building new processes on the fly.
• Talento provides talent management solutions and AI-powered tools for supply chain companies with a focus on operational simplicity.
• Nearshore teams can do far more than customer service, especially in pricing, sales, and data.
• Mia aims to act as a partner, not just a service provider, offering guidance even when clients aren’t sure where to start.
• Building brand trust means creating a business that can thrive without being dependent on one person.

LINKS:

• Mia's LinkedIn
• Talento Website

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

Are you experienced in freight sales or already an independent freight agent? Listen to our Freight Agent Trenches interviews powered by SPI Logistics to hear from the company's agents on how they took the entrepreneurial leap.

Shipium is the ML-powered shipping platform built by the executives that created Amazon's supply chain technology. They help 3PL & retail leaders like Stord, Ryder, and Saks Off 5th to reduce shipping costs by an average of 12% while improving on-time delivery.

CargoRex is the logistics industry’s go-to search platform—connecting you with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

If you're still relying on check calls and spreadsheets to track freight, you're already behind.

In this episode, Chain’s EVP of Sales, Kevin Coomes, joins the show to break down how his team is building AI-powered tools that make life easier for freight brokers, from exception management to proactive customer communication. We also dig into the origin of Chain, how their Autopilot tool works inside your TMS, and why eliminating noise is the real key to broker productivity.

Key takeaways:

• Most freight brokers still rely on outdated, reactive methods like manual check calls.
• Chain uses AI to centralize communication and automate exception management directly inside the TMS.
• Autopilot is designed to work in the background, taking care of low-value tasks so brokers can focus on what matters.
• Visibility doesn’t just mean tracking freight—it means proactively alerting stakeholders before problems arise.
• The freight future is about cleaner data, less busywork, and platforms that help you grow.

LINKS:

• Kevin's LinkedIn
• Chain's Website

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

-----------------------------------------

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

Are you experienced in freight sales or already an independent freight agent? Listen to our Freight Agent Trenches interviews powered by SPI Logistics to hear from the company's agents on how they took the entrepreneurial leap.

Shipium is the ML-powered shipping platform built by the executives that created Amazon's supply chain technology. They help 3PL & retail leaders like Stord, Ryder, and Saks Off 5th to reduce shipping costs by an average of 12% while improving on-time delivery.

CargoRex is the logistics industry’s go-to search platform—connecting you with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.

Digital Dispatch manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.