Load Delivered’s 7th Hire Built a $25M Brokerage

Michael Cherney, Co-Founder and CEO of Cooler Logistics, shares how his team grew a food and beverage focused brokerage to a $25 million run rate in three years without posting loads on load boards, how a network built on repeat carriers has kept them free of stolen freight, and why relationships with carriers and shippers still matter more than any tech stack. Michael also breaks down his path from employee number seven at Load Delivered to first-time CEO, the tough first year that led him to rebuild his entire carrier team, how walking industry trade shows without a booth became a pipeline for new shippers, when a small brokerage is ready for enterprise freight, and why long-term carrier relationships matter more than quick fixes. This week's episode is sponsored by Epay Manager, Goodship, Resolve Logistics and TrackFlo. Interested in sponsoring our podcast? Send us an email at pbj@freightcaviar.com (0:00) Intro (6:37) Building Without Load Boards (14:50) Michael’s Journey Intro Freight (20:03) Cooler Logistics' Philosophy (23:14) Growing in a Tough Market (33:27) Winning Shippers Without a Booth (44:48) A Defining Life Lesson (47:44) Michael’s Life Mentors (52:23) AI’s Value in Freight (53:30) Freight’s Future