Each new agent who joins the team at Tallgrass has a different story to tell. Because our agents all independently build their own businesses, everything from their journey before Tallgrass to their success with Tallgrass is totally unique. But what they have in common is the growth and success they find when they pair their ambitious, entrepreneurial attitudes with our strong, supportive culture.
That’s why we love to share each of their stories, giving the inside scoop on what life is really like at TGF. Today, we’re taking a look at long-time Tallgrass freight agent Garett L. Hear Garett’s Tallgrass story, and how he has grown since joining our team.
Where He Was: Career Before Tallgrass
Garett went straight into sales after high school, working in a call center for what would later become Marriott. From hotels to cars, Garett explored the traditional world of cold-call sales — and experienced the headaches that come with grinding until 11:00 pm. He was looking for something different when a friend recommended he make the switch to freight brokering.
After a year at his first freight brokerage, Garett knew he’d found the career path for him! Eventually, he wanted to move closer to family, which would mean leaving his current brokerage. That’s when he first started hearing about Tallgrass!
Making the Move to Join Tallgrass
Living in North Carolina, Garett was excited to join the Tallgrass team as a remote agent. But the reality was harder than Garett expected at first. After leaving his prior organization, Garett was unable to bring any of his existing customers with him when starting his own brokerage at Tallgrass. Starting his book completely over was a daunting task, but Garett found himself scaling very quickly with the support of Tallgrass leadership and other agents.
“In other sales jobs, the attitude is a fear of losing customers, so no one wants to share their ideas or teach their skills,” Garett explained. But he found the opposite to be true at Tallgrass, with agents generously coaching him towards great success. Garett found his fellow agents not only willing, but eager, to share their secrets to success. “Everyone in the TGF community has taught me important lessons, including how to believe in myself,” Garett says.
Where He is Today: Success at Tallgrass
Garett is a huge believer in the importance of continuing to sharpen your skills in your career and in self-development. “That’s what will make you more intelligent in the field of sales,” said Garett, “You have to understand human emotions and know why people do what they do,” he says. “I’ve learned it’s so much more than just pounding out sales calls. It’s about having real, quality conversations and figuring out what the customer’s problem is and how you can be the solution.”
In 2019, Garett took things a step further when he relocated to Kansas City so he could work directly in the Tallgrass office. He knew that to propel his career to new heights, being in person with the Tallgrass leadership and back office support would help him to be a better agent. Having the back office right there to coach him through difficult customer situations has been incredible for helping Garett’s book of business grow!
“Collaboration is the greatest asset we have here at Tallgrass,” Garett reflects when asked what makes Tallgrass so different from other freight brokerages. “At Tallgrass, you’ll find a wonderful group of brokers always working together to help each other get to the next level.” For in-office agents like Garett and remote agents alike, each member of our team has full access to leadership and back office support any time they have a question or need help.
Garett also notes how easy Tallgrass makes it to get set up with customers, and how the excellent credit. And Tallgrass’s top-tier reputation with carriers makes growing a business and booking freight as streamlined as freight can get!
All of this has added up to huge success for Garett, as he has proudly built his freight business. Take a look at his impressive growth stats:
LIFETIME MARGIN GROWTH: 386% increase
LIFETIME LOADS GROWTH: 117% increase
Take the Leap
What started as looking for another freight brokerage that would make it possible for him to live near family turned into the career of his dreams. It’s amazing what a difference it makes having a family of fellow agents who actually have your back, as Garett experienced personally when making the move to Tallgrass.
If you like the idea of running your own business with the support of agents, leadership, and an admin team who all understand exactly what it takes to be successful in the ever-changing world of freight, contact us to learn more about the Tallgrass experience.