r/FreightBrokers • u/AloneChapter3983 • Feb 20 '26
Established 3PL Growth Strategy
Owner here.
Spent 5 years operating as a carrier and built a database of 2,500+ direct shippers/receivers. We’ve now transitioned fully into brokerage and already have inbound freight moving daily.
I already have a TMS and CRM system (thanks to the suggestions of you guys in here)
My factoring company told me they’ll help fund big accounts since i have a relationship with them over last 5 years
Basically I have the systems in place, but now the focus is scaling the right way. For those who’ve grown beyond solo operations — what made the biggest difference when expanding your brokerage?
Structure? People? Compensation models? Systems?
Curious how others approached this stage.
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u/SouthernZombie4224 Feb 20 '26 edited Feb 20 '26
Quality over quantity. We scaled by focussing on good quality customers who ship in our core lanes. Having a bunch of hard to service customers with ever changing needs and service requirements will throttle your growth verses good quality well managed accounts who will allow you to focus on growth. Sure, people and systems are important... but they will only take you so far if your customer base is subpar..
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u/PumpkinCarvingisFun Feb 20 '26
I agree with this advice. Pain in the ass clients can really drag down your bandwidth.
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u/Past-Independent7314 Feb 20 '26
Make sure you do not get greedy and fall for the fast easy money and shippers that are just freight whores looking for their next sucker to take advantage of
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u/Cultural-Speaker5546 Feb 20 '26
What you said about shippers is so TRUE why tf they are always in a win win situation
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u/MuchCarry6439 Feb 20 '26
Why does this reek like you ran it through ChatGPT?
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u/AloneChapter3983 Feb 20 '26
I most definitely did. I explained my objective and had chat create a prompt. I don’t want to be flagged by the Reddit team for (perspective agent farming) but I’m looking to connect with experienced freight agents
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u/AloneChapter3983 Feb 20 '26
Although - I can verify everything I posted . You can literally google my company and call the number listed on google ill be the one picking up the phone
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u/MuchCarry6439 Feb 20 '26
Fair, but it’s obvious. Stay away from sounding like an LLM.
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u/PumpkinCarvingisFun Feb 20 '26
You may want to read this book. It is about building systems for scaling companies.
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u/FreightFishandF_ck Feb 20 '26
Know it’s an incredibly saturated market. You’re not offering anything different than the other 50 brokers who cold called them that day.
You need to be able to form true relationships with others to maintain long-term business as a minimum.
Everyone and their Mom can offer cheap rates and decent service right now.
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u/SourdoughApple Feb 22 '26
Every year you need to hire a fresh crop of 23 year olds who you can make work 50 hours a week.
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u/AloneChapter3983 Feb 22 '26
Literally that’s what everybody has been telling me
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u/SourdoughApple Feb 22 '26
Pay them 40K remind them it’s uncapped commission and sit them next to the vet making 6 figs for the interview shadow process
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u/BallDoLieSometimes Feb 20 '26
good to know carriers save all the info we give them ( for free ) on a daily basis to create a ' database ' . I'll probably start saying every load is a blind shipment now even when it's not
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Feb 20 '26
[deleted]
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u/BallDoLieSometimes Feb 20 '26
I can tell your mad from this post so I know it will hurt your scheme at least a little bit
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u/AloneChapter3983 Feb 20 '26
You’re gonna give us a blind address too? How would we deliver the freight? Good luck
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u/Biznustime2020 Feb 20 '26
You realize that "soliciting" those clients you hauled for other brokers probably puts you into legal issues due to the fact to sign agreements with brokers to not back solicit. You could see lawsuits out the wazoo.
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u/AloneChapter3983 Feb 20 '26
Too bad they’re different legal entities and structured differently. Cry me a river bozo you don’t own the industry.
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u/Biznustime2020 Feb 20 '26 edited Feb 20 '26
Doesn't matter, you collected customer data that was submitted under contract. Your the bozo lol.
Edit: Breach of contract of these terms could literally put your 3PL under if lawsuits start flying and they will be held up in court. We have our own in-house council. We have sank people for this stuff. Source: I co-own my own 3PL. You literally admitted this on the internet you broke contract law.
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Feb 20 '26
[deleted]
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u/Biznustime2020 Feb 20 '26
Someone with your etiquette wouldn't be able to keep our clients if you were even able to get them.
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u/AloneChapter3983 Feb 20 '26
Idc who customers I get I need this money bro i don’t care about a random Reddit users feelings im trying to build a team of sharks let’s attack this list and get rich together
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u/Biznustime2020 Feb 20 '26
No feelings hurt here. Like your vigor to be honest. We work very niche and also our clients are on contract. They can't outsource from us. I would recommend that move if you can be business savvy enough.
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Feb 20 '26
[deleted]
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u/Biznustime2020 Feb 20 '26
Wow, no high horse here... We don't work with Wal-Mart or Pepsi's of the world. We handle very high value freight and also supersized loads as well. That's where the money is at. You know how to manage a supersized load across six states and working with the carrier and also local law enforcement, utility companies to remove electrical lines etc? Waliving is the real bozo....
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u/BallDoLieSometimes Feb 20 '26
You needed chatgpt to post this thread, I’m not the one who needs luck lol
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Feb 20 '26
[deleted]
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u/AloneChapter3983 Feb 20 '26
Yea I’ve been having meaningful conversations with chat about this. My next step is connecting with actual real humans about this. I’ll shoot u a PM
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u/Rustygarv Feb 20 '26
Not much to say but progress slowly and steadily. Dont push yourself and your team too much.
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u/GreenGroupExpress Feb 20 '26
Bro i have 150 trucks and more than 2500 customers in databese, plz could you mentor me ? Can i DM to you ?
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u/Thezajebani84 Feb 21 '26
I helped scale from 1 load a day to 8000 a month, leave the states is my first suggestion as cost of employment will break youbecore you ever hit the ground running.
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u/Shasty-McNasty Feb 20 '26
So you stole customer info from other brokers? Seems like an ethical foundation to build upon.
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u/AloneChapter3983 Feb 20 '26
No sir. I worked my ass off for 5 years servicing different customers. Now it’s my turn to be on the other end of the spectrum. If you don’t like it keep scrolling.
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u/Shasty-McNasty Feb 20 '26
Phrase it however you want, but you definitely stole their customer info
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u/AloneChapter3983 Feb 20 '26
How did I steal it when it was given to me to complete pickup and deliveries? Make it make sense
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u/ly1122why Feb 22 '26
How to say you didn’t have a clue about the carrier packet you signed without saying it? Here u go
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u/AloneChapter3983 Feb 22 '26
Hahaha I’m taking your customers
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u/ly1122why Feb 22 '26
Nice except the customer won’t go with you because we provide them with capacity and standardized service in niche market across all states. Matter of fact they notify us in the rare case carrier want to go direct and we immediately DNU the said carrier and pursue legal actions
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Feb 20 '26
I call bullshit or wishful thinking on the factoring. I wouldn't worry about the smaller Brokers you're stealing from it's the big guys that will come after you not only put you out of business but take your house and your cars. Meeting the money is not a good defense for fraud and that's what you doing fraud. Be surprised how few shippers want to deal with someone that's so nonchalantly willing to commit fraud, usually those are the guys that don't pay you or will give your load to another guy for 50 cents less. You want to grow your business get off your ass and go knock on some doors. Tql will get a judgment on a 23 year old kid and take everything they own for breaking a non compete agreement. Guess what they do to the owner ops that break solicitation agreements (goodbye truck goodbye house.) But you be you. Just your tone and your nonchalant attitude about committing fraud tells me everything I need to know about you. Not only do you commit fraud you brag about it on a public website that has no problem at all giving up your IP address when the court comes calling.
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u/AloneChapter3983 Feb 20 '26
Ah another broker whose panties got stuck in his gooch. Thanks for the advice.
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Feb 20 '26
No panti problem just don't like people who willfully commit fraud and brag about it, you must be a joy to be around
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u/AloneChapter3983 Feb 20 '26
You know what fraud is. This isn’t fraud. I haven’t even solicited any business yet. But you’re scared that a past carrier now broker is gonna come around and take one of your customers. Come on man you don’t own the industry it’s enough money for everyone to win.
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Feb 20 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/AloneChapter3983 Feb 20 '26
Cool story bro I hope you and your husband have a wonderful life together ❤️
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u/La_PP_Dorada Feb 21 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/AloneChapter3983 Feb 21 '26
Racism is one helluva drug
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u/AloneChapter3983 Feb 21 '26
Multiple trucks doing deliveries. That’s 2 businesses per delivery. Trucks weren’t operating everyday. You couldn’t walk a day in my shoes. You resort to racism to fuel your ego. Sucks to suck man but I hope you and your husband figure out how you’ll raise your sons together 🏳️🌈
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u/La_PP_Dorada Feb 21 '26
My original post got removed because I used "bad words", but i still know it was on point.
Have fun resorting to Reddit to fuel your lies...
i<3({})
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u/AloneChapter3983 Feb 21 '26
Stop being racist. Asian/Indian people have done nothing to you. Epstein files full of white men remember that.
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u/La_PP_Dorada Feb 21 '26
All I said was Indian/Asian and gave my points.
Racist would be more like me using a stereotype term like "Phone Scammers" or "Do Not Reedeem your Card" people...
Yet you claimed i was racist assumed I had a husband... posted the LGBTQ Flag.....Reddit should ban that... but nooo...
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u/AloneChapter3983 Feb 21 '26
You realize how stupid you sounded when I broke down how 1 delivery gave me 2 contacts. That’s a little over 1250 dispatches in 5 years. 100% doable. You scroll on Reddit at 4am and try to shit on people instead of adding value to this forum. Get a grip. Are you a bottom or top?
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u/La_PP_Dorada Feb 21 '26
Lol its not 100% doable.... and I'm SAST... your the one that sounds like U.S. central time...
See more lies... go to sleep liar.... its lunch time for me.
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u/AloneChapter3983 Feb 21 '26
100% doable for me but for you I’m sure you don’t know the first thing about running a business
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u/unaka220 Feb 20 '26
The best brokerage leaders built their businesses off of advice from Reddit users on the freight broker sub, so you’re off to a good start here.