Tallgrass freight brokers may be independent agents, but that doesn’t mean they do it all alone. Our leadership is dedicated to guiding and supporting agents, investing in their futures just as much as we’re invested in the future of freight! And that’s the heart behind our Agent Roundtable.
Twice a year, our ambitious freight agents from across the country come together in Kansas City for personal and professional development. Our Fall 2023 Roundtable was one for the books!
Celebrating Our Freight Agents
While agents stayed at the beautiful Marriott Hotel in Downtown KC, we traveled all over the city for a roundtable experience like no other! The event officially kicked off at the Tallgrass Freight office with the official “State of the Union” address, sharing all the latest about our company. And it wouldn’t be a Tallgrass State of the Union without a post-SOTU lunch, a perfect time for agents and team members to visit.
After this initial kick-off in our own home office, we all met up at Kansas City’s favorite Chicken n Pickle for a celebratory Happy Hour.
Equipping Our Agents with Financial Planning
After a gourmet breakfast the morning of the Roundtable, we were joined by our partners at Mariner Wealth Advisors for a deep dive into financial planning as a freight agent. After all, when you’re taking home more money than you ever have before, you need to know how to manage it well!
During this empowering session, financial advisors talked to our agents about several financial planning topics, including:
- Estate planning and succession planning
- Defining what “wealth” means to you as well as your financial goals
- How financial planning can help freight agents navigate the ups and downs inherent in the freight market
- Tax strategies as independent agents
- The importance of financial organization
- How to prepare for the unexpected
- Partnerships and other business structures
We so appreciate the wisdom of our friends at Mariner Wealth Advisors, and cannot wait to see our agents become even more financially prepared through our new financial coaching program!
Best Practices for Success with Our Tallgrass Agent Panel
After getting our finances squared away, it was time to welcome our agent panel! Featuring some of our best and brightest Tallgrass freight agents, the panelists shared their experiences with Tallgrass and the valuable lessons they’ve learned along the way. No question was off the table!
Our panelists shared their unique roadmaps to success, including business structures, goal planning strategies and how to structure your days to build momentum. They discussed how to creatively serve customers, and the significance of strong relationship-building. Agents also outlined tips for identifying an ideal target market as a freight broker to set yourself up for success, right from the start. They also gave insight to those agents considering hiring and expanding their team by discussing when and how to hire in addition to how to determine your compensation structure for your team.
When we look at our top-of-the-line freight agents, they all have several qualities in common: they’re disciplined, they’re organized, they’re tenacious, they always have a plan and they’re driven. As Tallgrass President Sean Richardson said, “A lot of people want to be freight brokers when they see how much money they can make. But what they don’t see is the daily grind it takes to get there.” Our panelists revealed their best strategies to reach new heights.
One of the most inspiring parts of the Roundtable is seeing agents on the panel who, not long ago, had been in the audience learning from it. One such agent was Jeff, who joined the panel this year after his experience at a past Agent Roundtable completely changed the game for him. “There’s a real opportunity here to make serious money,” Jeff explained during the panel, “and the Roundtable made me realize I wasn’t taking advantage of it. That’s when it all changed for me.”
Here’s to 2024!
After a celebratory send-off dinner at the Rockhill Grille Saturday night, our agents rested up before heading home to continue building successful freight agencies on their terms. Everyone was pumped up after such an inspiring weekend and couldn’t wait to get back out there to book more freight!
If you’d like to claim a seat at the next Agent Roundtable and see what this is all about, join the Tallgrass Freight family and discover how your career can be completely transformed with the right support and tools at your disposal!