While many freight agents at Tallgrass have a background in sales or commissions-based work, not all of them are in freight from day one. Every agent follows a unique path to Tallgrass and we love how their common thread unites them in their passion for freight!
Cyprian has been in straight commission sales since he was 18 years old, but enjoyed a more hands-on and physical career for many years as well. It took a dirt bike accident to change the trajectory of Cyprian’s career, eventually leading him to the Tallgrass team!
Before Tallgrass
After a few years of selling health insurance in Southern California, Cyprian started to see real money in sales for the residential construction industry. He spent five years “climbing on ladders and driving a truck all day long,” as he recalls — before a run-in with a deer while dirt biking left him partially disabled and unable to do construction work. This ultimately led him to start a career with his first freight brokerage.
“Everything happens for a reason,” reflects Cyprian. “I never would have gotten into freight if I didn’t get partially disabled.” While he didn’t know it then, the career change also helped Cyprian better financially prepare for a future with his now-wife!
Why Tallgrass Freight?
After 11 months with a different freight organization, he knew it was time for another change — this time, a change in freight companies. Cyprian was a top salesman at his prior brokerage and felt the negative impact of management finding ways to take more of his earnings.
Today, Cyprian is celebrating six years as an independent agent at Tallgrass Freight, and he loves the support and transparency he receives here. What’s the biggest difference between Tallgrass and his previous freight experiences? “Without a doubt, it’s the transparency,” Cyprian says. “Rarely is there a commission adjustment but when there is, it’s always transparent and the numbers are always there broken down.”
Cyprian has also appreciated the genuine support and mentorship from fellow agents. At Tallgrass, agents can gain information, build their own agency, and succeed as freight brokers, whether they want to run a solo operation or hire five assistants.
Joining an agency that housed so many big names in freight intimidated Cyprian at first — that is, until he attended his first Agent Roundtable. “I realized the top agents put their pants on the same way I do in the morning,” he smiles. “They’re just human beings and they’re dealing with freight and figuring out a way to systematize it and keep growing.” These relationships have given him the confidence to grow his own company.
Growing at Tallgrass
Tallgrass was the first place where Cyprian moved five to six figures. He feels it took him longer than most people to really see this growth, but consistently showing up and making those cold calls eventually got him where he is today.
Cyprian appreciates how the Tallgrass reputation has made it easy for him to build relationships with carriers and grow his book of business. From paying carriers quickly to maintaining an industry-leading credit rating, Cyprian loves how proud he is to tell his customers that he is backed by the Tallgrass name!
Beyond the glowing reputation, Cyprian has found the ever-improving CRM essential to improving his efficiency and growing his business. One unique feature he loves is the Load History, which allows any agent to view anonymous historical data from every load Tallgrass has moved. This empowers Cyprian and his fellow agents to quote more accurate rates and time frames when booking freight by comparing it to historical loads from city to city. Now that freight agents can post loads directly from the CRM, Cyprian is saving even more time thanks to our innovative freight software!
Make the Leap!
The freight industry isn’t an easy business, as Cyprian will be the first to tell you. But he would rather be here than anywhere else. “I’m grateful to be here,” he shared, “I’ve never worked for a company in straight commission sales that has been so transparent, so honest and as full of integrity as Tallgrass Freight. That makes me sleep a lot better at night.” With a wife and newborn at home, Cyprian is confident that he will be proud to tell his kids one day that he is part of Tallgrass Freight.
If you want to experience the growth and transparency that can only be found at Tallgrass, contact us to take those first steps toward your future!