Everything is Logistics

16 episodes scanned. 26% of ad slots promote the show's own products.

Recent Episodes

1. How Slow Carrier Payments Squeeze Mexico Freight Capacity with Jaime Tabachnik

   Oct 27, 2026

   Jaime Tabachnik, co-founder and CEO of Solvento, discusses how slow payments and paperwork requirements strain Mexico's trucking companies, especially small carriers with five or fewer trucks. He explains why cross-border trips require more working capital and how payment disputes can cut off a carrier's cash flow. The conversation covers how Solvento integrates with shippers and brokers to offer quick pay and direct carrier credit, and the company's growth to over 3,000 carriers paid through its platform.

2. Spooky Supply Chain: Pirates, Poisoned Pills and Train Robbers with Grace Sharkey

   Oct 22, 2026

   Grace Sharkey joins Blythe Milligan for a Halloween edition of Freight Friends on Everything is Logistics, retelling five historical cargo crime stories, from a Silk Road merchant dispute and the 1982 Tylenol poisonings to the Ganj-i-Sawai raid and the Reno Gang train robbery. Their discussion ties these cases to modern freight theft, including rail-yard break-ins and strategic cargo crime, and previews upcoming interviews on cargo security. Grace also talks about her ghost-hunting hobby and mentions her work on EDI onboarding at Orderful.

3. Why Mexico Customs Delays Start Before the Truck Moves with José Miñarro

   Oct 20, 2026

   José Miñarro, Managing Director at CustomsNet, discusses the mechanics of cross-border freight between the US and Mexico, including customs onboarding, document ownership, and why shipments stall at the border. He covers recent regulatory changes, including Mexico's penalty increases, shared broker liability for chemical classifications, five-year audit exposure, and the delayed Mexican corporate customs broker certification. The conversation also addresses how importers and carriers should prepare before their first Mexico shipment.

4. Getting CTPAT Certified and Staying Compliant with Joe Hurst

   Oct 15, 2026

   Joe Hurst, co-founder and president of Veroot, explains CTPAT (Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) and TSA certified cargo requirements, including the documentation, roughly 168 questions, and security profile involved in certification. The conversation covers how Veroot's software and consulting handle continuous vetting of freight partners, the benefits of certification such as fast lanes and fewer inspections, and recent changes tied to a 2025 executive order on customs enforcement. Joe also shares examples of security failures, including an inside-job container incident and a tobacco shipment with a vendor-introduced breach, to illustrate why training and ongoing follow-through matter.

5. Where Mexico Cargo Insurance Gaps Leave You Exposed with Mark Vickers

   Oct 13, 2026

   Mark Vickers, Executive Vice President and Head of International Logistics at Reliance Partners and founder of Borderless Coverage, explains how cargo insurance gaps can leave U.S. shippers and brokers exposed on freight moving into Mexico. The conversation covers the difference between carrier liability and cargo coverage, what "self-insured" can mean, how shipper's interest policies and broker-shipper contracts shape claims, and how carrier vetting and tracking fit into risk management. Vickers also discusses cargo theft hot spots, the Confianza carrier-vetting program, and cross-border infrastructure projects such as the Columbia Bridge pilot and the Green Corridors concept.

6. Why WhatsApp Is Still Doing Mexico TMS Work

   Oct 8, 2026

   Matt Silver, co-founder and CEO of Cargado, walks through how Mexico freight crosses the border, including the carrier handoff at the border, the role of C-TPAT security practices in carrier selection, and why cross-border moves need a system of record rather than WhatsApp or LinkedIn. He covers how brokers and shippers can start Mexico freight with existing customers, how Cargado's load and lane postings, bids, rate data, and TMS integrations work, and how carriers and brokers are using AI tools. The conversation also touches on payment, insurance, and entity setup considerations for Mexico freight.

7. Sri Lanka’s Tea, Cinnamon and the Trade Routes Behind Them

   Oct 6, 2026

   The host discusses their recent trip to Sri Lanka, exploring the island's rich history in tea and cinnamon production, its strategic importance in Indian Ocean trade routes, and the Port of Colombo. Grace Sharkey joins to reflect on observations from a July Freight Friends episode about Sri Lanka's role in global logistics, the artisanal tea movement through the Ceylon Artisanal Tea Association, and personal experiences with the country's hospitality and culture.

8. The Antarctic Ice Shelf That Took Seven Containers to Sea

   Oct 1, 2026

   Grace Sharkey discusses a logistics incident at Antarctica's Neumeyer Station 3, a German research facility, where seven containers were lost to sea after an ice shelf broke during a blizzard. The conversation explores the unique challenges of supplying research stations on moving ice, including waste removal, fuel transport, and the extreme operational environment. The episode connects modern Antarctic logistics to historical polar exploration survival stories, particularly Ernest Shackleton's Endurance expedition.

9. The Space Economy Needs a Supply Chain - 5 Companies Who Are Making it Happen

   Sep 29, 2026

   This solo episode explores five companies building critical infrastructure for space supply chains: Rocket Lab's deployable GHOST launch concept for mobile capacity, SpaceX's Moon-base ambitions requiring recurring resupply logistics, Dawn Aerospace's Loop refueling interface for orbital depot operations, Cascade Space's deep-space communications capacity, and Anatar's advanced textiles and material traceability. The host examines how these disconnected nodes must integrate through common interfaces and standards to transform space exploration from one-off heroic missions into a functioning economy with predictable operations, reverse logistics, and maintenance cycles.

10. Why a Japanese Toilet Maker Belongs in the AI Supply Chain

    Sep 24, 2026

    Blythe Milligan and Grace Sharkey discuss their recent trips to Japan, exploring the unexpected connection between TOTO—Japan's famous heated toilet maker—and its critical role in AI chip manufacturing through precision ceramic components called electrostatic chucks. The episode weaves together personal travel experiences, including Japanese school culture, food, Tokyo DisneySea's port-themed design, and the discovery that TOTO's ceramic expertise in toilets directly translates to semiconductor manufacturing, where the company now generates over 40% of its operating profit.