The March LMI reads like 2022 with prices at a 4-year high.
Plus: warehouse arson in California, Mexico's trucker strike enters day three, and broker margins are still underwater.
Fraud, theft, and rising costs are shaking up the logistics industry. Choosing the right partner for your Freight Agency can make all the difference.
Trinity Logistics has been in business for over 40 years, with a 30+ year Freight Agent program. They’ve built their company debt-free and continued growing year after year, no matter the market conditions.
That’s the kind of stability your Freight Agency can depend on.
Brad Jacobs is a master of scaling businesses, with an unmatched track record:
Transformed XPO Logistics into a $15 billion powerhouse. (Note: XPO was already publicly traded as Express-1 when Brad acquired it—it wasn’t an IPO.)
Created 8 billion-dollar companies through over 500 acquisitions.
Spun off two companies from XPO: GXO in 2021 and RXO in 2022.
David Senra, host of the Founders Podcast, recently explored Brad’s book and even had breakfast with him. Here are the 7 lessons David learned:
7 Key Lessons from Brad Jacobs
Learn from Everyone
Brad is obsessive about learning on any industry he gets into.
He devours everything—articles, podcasts, and conversations with CEOs.
At breakfast with David, he even had a notebook open, jotting down ideas.
Champions act like champions long before they win.
Think Clearly
Clarity is Brad’s superpower.
He believes a founder’s job is to set a clear vision, imagine it deeply, and recruit top talent to make it happen. If you do that—and pair it with strong incentives and smart investments in technology—making money becomes almost inevitable.
People Are Everything
Brad spends most of his time recruiting the best talent.
Brad overpays for top talent because the cost of hiring second-best is much higher. With the right team, even average ideas succeed.
Spot Big Trends
Brad saw logistics as more than moving freight—it’s technology-driven. He treated XPO like a tech company, investing heavily in automation and data analytics.
Spotting trends isn’t enough; acting on them fast is what creates an advantage.
In 2019, Seeking Alpha highlighted the best-performing stocks of the decade, and two of Brad’s companies, XPO Logistics and United Rentals, made the list.
Since 2004, XPO's stock has grown nearly 5,000%. A $10,000 investment back then would now be worth $508,400.
When Brad was 23, his mentor once told him an important business lesson:
"If you want to make money in the business world, you need to get used to problems. Because that's what business is. It's actually about finding problems, embracing and even enjoying them because each problem is an opportunity to remove an obstacle and get closer to success."
Brad doesn’t avoid problems—he sees them as assets. Bigger goals bring bigger challenges, but solving them moves you closer to success.
Having learned a lot from his mentor, he now pays it forward by sharing what he’s learned, like when he invited David to breakfast to pass on his knowledge.
For Brad, problems aren’t obstacles—they’re opportunities. Bigger challenges mean bigger chances to grow.
Be Yourself
Authenticity wins. People want to work with someone real, not perfect.
Being yourself builds trust, and trust builds stronger connections.
Brad doesn’t hide who he is. He’s open about his love for meditation, dedicating all of Chapter 1 in his book to “rearranging your brain.” Meditation, he says, has helped him tackle some of his toughest problems.
Play the Long Game
Reputation matters. Relationships matter. Brad never sacrificed long-term partnerships for short-term wins.
Focus on what lasts, and opportunities will find you. Think decades, not months.
"Lose money for the firm and I will be understanding.Lose a shred of reputation for the firm, and I will be ruthless." - Warren Buffett
Brad Jacobs at F3
At F3 FreightWaves in Chattanooga last year, Brad did a live Q&A, answering any question the audience asked.
Reed Loustalot, CMO of Truck Parking Club, hilariously asked if Brad would sponsor his gong. The room loved it.
Watching Brad on stage, you could feel his energy—smart, positive, and wise. He’s someone we can all learn from.
You can listen to the full podcast here or buy his book here.
The March LMI reads like 2022 with prices at a 4-year high.
Plus: warehouse arson in California, Mexico's trucker strike enters day three, and broker margins are still underwater.
“I used to hate a freight broker. All they're trying to do is take my money. That was the attitude… until you realize that if there's a load of freight, whether it’s intermodal, brokerage, or assets, the load is going to go the way it’s supposed to go. You can fight it, but you’ll go broke.”
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