Freight can sometimes be a lonely business, especially when you’re running your own show. That’s what prompted the idea behind Tallgrass’s Roundtable events many years ago — and also the heart behind our newest Roundtable iteration. Bob Brown, VP of Growth & Development, and Jordan Brady, Senior Director of Agent Development, decided to take that idea one step further.
Capitalizing on the energy and momentum that comes from our Roundtables, Bob and Jordan started packing their own bags and bringing Mini Roundtables to cities across the country. So far, it’s been a massive success, changing how agents connect with Tallgrass and each other!
Where It Started
Our annual Agent Roundtable is unlike any other professional development opportunity in the freight world! All our agents receive year-round professional development and back office support, 365 days a year. But the annual Roundtable is designed for our most ambitious agents who are ready to take their business to record-breaking levels.
Whether you’re in earlier stages of building your book or you’re running a multi-million-dollar agency, this event meets you where you are and pushes you toward where you want to be. Our Roundtable events, typically held in the fall, feature both opportunities for organic connections with other agents and structured seminar sessions. Past Roundtables have featured sessions about financial and tax planning, company culture, marketing and always our signature panel of experienced agents who have been in your shoes.
These Roundtables have always had a spirit of connection, community and collaboration, Bob shares. “Connection means you’re not out there alone,” he explains. “The community piece speaks to being part of a Tallgrass family. And collaboration is what else can we discuss that could influence your business as an agent.”
When our agents walk away from a Roundtable, there’s one more C that comes to mind that we hope they carry with them, and that’s challenge. We want them to leave feeling empowered and challenged to go forth and grow with excellence. The Mini Roundtables capitalize on this spirit, bringing the Roundtable energy to agents!
The pilot Mini Roundtable took place in Phoenix last November, and since then, Bob and Jordan have taken the concept to Florida, Houston, Portland and Chattanooga, with more planned!
What Makes a Mini Roundtable Different?
Where the Roundtables in Kansas City run on a set agenda, we built our Mini edition with less structure by intention. With a small group of agents in the room, the conversation doesn’t have to stick to a script. Bob and Jordan will bring a topic to the table, and from there, the group has the freedom to focus on what will impact their business the most in that season.
“One question can turn into a 25-minute conversation,” Jordan says. “We’re not locked into a schedule. We let it naturally flow and grow and see where it takes us.”
Sometimes that means the conversation spills into dinner, with agents trading stories, bouncing ideas off each other and working through real problems together. Bob describes the approach as less about teaching and more about coaching. “It’s listening, it’s having empathy and it’s being able to communicate back what might help them in their business.”
Every Mini Roundtable also brings in a seasoned agent to sit down and share what’s actually worked for them and help our people skip a few of the growing pains. The goal is for agents to lift each other up, and work through the hard parts of running a business alongside people who’ve been there too.
What Growth Looks Like
Our Florida Mini Roundtable we held in Florida is a good example of what these gatherings can really do. Florida-based Agent Kyle K. shares what resonated with him most about the Mini Roundtable.
“The team we met with in Tampa has a strong track record of growing their book of business and hiring other people,” Kyle recalls. “Bob and Jordan gave me the opportunity to ask the really hard questions of the other agents. How did you grow your business? How do you get salespeople? How do you structure your pay scale? What do you do for benefits? Do you make your team sign NDAs?” With eight team members at the agency — and Kyle’s ambitions to achieve the same — Kyle walked away with real answers he could go back and apply to his own business.
Since that trip, Kyle’s agency has grown from being in Tallgrass’s top 25 into a consistent top five. He attributes his growth to earnestly listening to what he heard, and then taking action to implement their advice. The experience made such an impact on him that he joined Bob and Jordan in Chattanooga to pay it forward to other agents.
These game-changing conversations are happening at all our Mini Roundtables. In Houston, for instance, a conversation about Club 250 sparked something special between the agents in the room, each one challenging themselves to reach that next tier. That’s not something you can artificially manufacture. It comes from being in a room with people you admire and respect, the kind of people who make you want to push harder just by being around them.
More Than Freight Talk
The Mini Roundtables offer you tips and tactics you just can’t find anywhere else. But for Bob and Jordan, it’s more than that. You’re also getting a level of mentorship and community that can really help you take your business far.
“If you’re sitting out there on an island, you feel like a number,” Bob says. “Here, you matter more than that dollar matters, and that’s the message we want to communicate. Our agents matter to us, and that’s why we’re doing this.”
And if you’re interested in being part of an independent freight agent network that supports you and challenges you? Then it’s time to jump in.
Want In?
If you’re an independent freight agent looking for more than a paycheck and a login, reach out to our recruiting team today to learn what it’s like to have Tallgrass in your corner.