Here at Tallgrass Freight Co., we embrace the entrepreneurial mindset. While each of our agents has the autonomy and flexibility to build their own books of business, we’ve established a culture rooted in support. When one of us succeeds, we all win. That’s the heart behind our latest addition to our leadership dream team: our Vice President of Growth & Development.
From quick pointers to long-term coaching, we’re dedicated to helping the passionate freight agents on our ever-expanding team thrive. And that’s why Sean Richardson is taking our efforts to support agents to new heights, providing agents with insights and best practices for organizing, managing and helping their business flourish.
Sean brings more than 10 years of experience as a manager, freight broker and agency owner in the logistics industry. Prior to freight and logistics, he worked in the world of financial planning and life insurance. Sean’s transition to the Tallgrass family was driven by his desire for work-life balance, a cohesive family environment and alignment with a company that values support and development. So he’s a unique fit for this role, being a freight agent himself.
“From how freight moves to the different types of trucks in the market, I love every facet of the logistics industry,” Sean says. “I also enjoy working with people in a mentorship capacity and helping them develop professionally. A lot of my background has been in training and managing people in how to organize their day and build a successful book of business for themselves.”
Tallgrass agents will learn from someone who’s been in their shoes before. “This gives me the opportunity to continue working with my customer base, while also serving as an asset for new Tallgrass agents, providing them with the tools and resources to cultivate a successful agency,” Sean says.
At many companies, training stops with onboarding. But here at Tallgrass, onboarding is only the start. In his new role, Sean partners with agents during their first 90 days at TGF. “Our goal is to mitigate obstacles they’re running into, celebrate their wins, help them replicate successful habits and provide the resources needed to thrive,” Sean explains. “This jump-starts their Tallgrass career and ensures they’re headed towards a positive growth trajectory earlier rather than later.”
Sean shares Tallgrass’s passion for relationships, trust and camaraderie. From the first days of the Tallgrass interview process in 2018 through today, Sean has always admired Tallgrass’s open communication, transparent expectations and supportive atmosphere. Being in this environment has inspired Sean to emulate these values and instill these qualities in the new agents he works with.
While some freight agent training programs focus exclusively on metrics, our approach at Tallgrass is more focused on the long game. As Sean explains, “My goal is to not micromanage or count the number of calls they’ve made. Instead, my focus lies in furnishing the team with practices designed for success, so they can organize their day, track client interactions and inventory and confidently grow their business. We’ll delve into all aspects of their business together.”
Adding a new Vice Presiden of Growth & Development augments our thorough team of veteran freight and logistics experts. Our CEO and Founder Damon Anderson loves sharing his expertise with agents. Our back office and operations team members are always on hand for coaching too. Here, it’s about community.
We continuously challenge ourselves to break barriers, reimagine the future, and make today better than yesterday – all while staying true to our core values. Speaking about his experience at Tallgrass, Sean notes, “It really isn’t too good to be true.” He even says, “I wish I had made the decision to join the company much earlier in my career!”
We work hard, play hard and have built a team that shares qualities like integrity, tenacity and ambition. Discover a whole new dimension of success by joining our team today and become an agent.