The $5K Bet That Built a $300M 3PL

Dan Manshaem, Co-Founder/CEO of Ally Logistics and Founder of Resolve Logistics, shares how he started a freight brokerage in 2012 with $5K in the bank, a two-year office lease and no customers, and grew it to a $300M+ run rate with more than 200 people. Dan also breaks down why he began as an agent with the end goal already in mind, the "humble, hungry, smart" hiring approach behind the team, how the company grew 10x since 2019, why Ally and Resolve run as two separate businesses, his views on non-competes and the FMCSA, why he believes there are no secrets left in freight, and what brokerage will look like in 10 to 20 years. This week's episode is sponsored by Epay Manager, Highway, Goodship and Chain. Interested in sponsoring our podcast? Send us an email at pbj@freightcaviar.com Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:52 Meet Dan Manshaem 1:49 Ally and Resolve at a $300M Run Rate 3:53 From Edward Jones to Freight Brokerage 8:44 Yo-Yo Oil, Beanie Babies and Early Hustles 10:06 His Grandfather's Influence 14:14 Starting as an Agent With the End in Mind 17:28 Knowing Your Weaknesses 20:50 Year One: A $400 Office and Burning the Boats 25:56 Hiring: Humble, Hungry, Smart 28:34 From $30M to $300M Since 2019 32:04 Handling Stress and His Obsession With Tech 35:04 Why Ally and Resolve Are Separate Companies 38:02 Non-Competes vs. Non-Solicits 40:31 What the FMCSA Needs to Fix 42:50 What He Loves and Hates About Brokerage 47:26 Why There Are No Secrets in Freight 50:23 100 Things an Inch Better 52:48 Freight Brokerage in 10 to 20 Years 54:11 PenGate 56:11 What Comes Next for Ally and Resolve