Join President of Tallgrass Freight Sean Richardson as he shares quarterly insights and key updates on the freight market and on our company. This quarter, Sean discusses the current state of freight, planning for the holiday season and what you can expect for 2025.
The fourth quarter of the year is an ideal time for goal setting, both in the freight industry and beyond. But as we look forward to 2025, it’s important to remember all the potential today holds. Don’t hit the brakes on having those crucial conversations and prospecting new customers. No matter the season, today is always the best time to bring on new business. There’s always somebody out there who needs what you have to offer. And if you’re not thinking about how to continue to build and expand your business then somebody else is going to come along and take it from you.
With that in mind, let’s get into some of the major updates freight agents should be thinking about as we get into the final quarter of 2024.
The Non-compete Ban That Never Was
In my last update, I talked about the potential ban on noncompete agreements. While that didn’t end up happening, we still frequently talk to agents and potential agent candidates who are convinced that the ban went through.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of big brokerages out there who will bring people in for their first job out of college and have them sign all kinds of paperwork — agreements they don’t entirely understand or know what they’re signing. And then later, when the agent is looking to advance their career, they discover they’ve handcuffed themselves with a non-compete agreement. If it’s happened to you, you’re not alone. I myself fell victim to that at my first brokerage.
My advice, both for Q4 and beyond: If anyone is asking you to sign anything, do your due diligence. Ensure you understand what you’re signing. Understand the risk of violating your noncompete, even if your legal support claims it is “not enforceable.”
Here at Tallgrass, we’ve never had a noncompete agreement. And we never will. We always want to make sure our agents know exactly what they’re getting when they join Tallgrass. We provide agents with the support and tools they need to amplify their career — and that means you’re always in the driver’s seat.
The Freight Recession: On the Mend?
Reflecting back on this time last year, the level of uncertainty is significantly lower. While there is still some unease surrounding where we are in the marketplace, there’s a general consensus that we are getting closer to a more favorable freight market in which supply and demand become more aligned with where they’ve traditionally been.
That being said, we don’t have a crystal ball. No one can say with certainty that we’re close to having this freight recession flip. No one can perfectly predict a pandemic or a major geopolitical event that has a major impact on freight, of course. But having survived similar crises in recent years, our industry has a greater understanding of how to move through a tighter market. It’s all about getting back to fundamentals, keeping that conversation rate high and moving forward in separating yourself from the competition. Truly great freight agents can find success even in the tightest of markets.
Uncertainty in the Air: How to Navigate the National Climate
A lot of what you have to navigate as a broker is the market-driven ebbs and flows, but it’s also important to be aware of the current political climate and how local and national events may impact your business.
Election years can bring a lot of uncertainty, and a lot of people do not want to show their hand until they know which political direction the country’s going to be heading in. Once November comes and passes and we have a clear direction of where we’re going, I think you’re going to see some momentum in freight.
Another precarious situation right now is the East and Gulf Coast Port Strike. Negotiations are at a standstill, and with a deadline of September 30, this could have far-reaching ramifications for the freight industry.
When considering these unknowns, it’s important to think about your plan of attack to thrive as a freight agent. There’s never a time to take your foot off the gas. In fact, tougher market cycles call for even more intentional connections. Having quality conversations is one of the most important things you can do to own your success as a business owner and as a freight agent. During tight markets, your potential customers need a trusted partner more than ever.
While we can’t predict every market shift, we can control how we respond. Download our free ebook for expert insights on how to capitalize on today’s freight market.
Ramping Up for the Holidays: Staying on Top of the Rush
We’re going into one of the heaviest shipping months of the year in October as the ramp-up to the holiday season continues. This means a higher sense of urgency as growing volumes of commodities are getting shipped.
Communication, visibility and transparency are critical during peak seasons like we’re in right now. When you have more moving parts, you need to have a clear idea of where things stand and how all aspects work together — so you can effectively communicate that with the customer and help them clearly understand what’s going on.
As a freight broker, you never want to receive a phone call from a customer asking for an update or concerned about what’s going on with their freight. If you’re receiving those phone calls, alarms should be going off in your head that you may be doing something wrong. Our job is to check all the boxes for the customer so they know Tallgrass has it taken care of.
What’s Around the Corner at Tallgrass?
As we look forward to our 13th year in business at Tallgrass, there’s plenty of excitement on the horizon. We’re excited about our inaugural Roundtable 2.0 in October 2024. This exciting mastermind-style event will unite past roundtable attendees and panel members — our top agents at Tallgrass — to strategize about how they can take their businesses to new heights. All of these brokers have grown successful businesses, and at this professional development event, they’ll build a plan to define their next steps. At Tallgrass, we’re constantly pushing ourselves to give our agents more tools and more resources they need to maximize their growth, and that means providing new tiers of support.
We’re also getting closer and closer to our Club 250 sales reward trip in early 2025. For our next trip, we’re taking the celebration to Mexico! We look forward to bringing all of our qualifying agents and their plus-ones to the stunning Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya for a fiesta worthy of their outstanding accomplishments!
The Best Time to Join Tallgrass is Now!
Tallgrass has seen the ups and downs over multiple freight cycles and we still continue to grow. Is there a demand for freight brokers in 2024? YES — without any hesitation. I’m very proud of the fact that despite the freight industry’s obstacles, those in our freight agent network still have had record-setting months regarding volume. That’s something not every brokerage can say. And it all comes down to the talented people we have at Tallgrass, from agents to the back office and executive team who have done a tremendous job helping support the agents.
Everyone has a busy life, and there’s always a reason to not do something. But the one thing that’s common among all Tallgrass agents is that they wish they would have taken the leap sooner. Eliminate the excuses and focus on why you’re considering a career with Tallgrass.
If you’re waiting for the perfect time, stop waiting. The best time to bet on yourself is always now. Enough excuses. As we move into Q4, define your why and get in touch. Talk to us today about joining Tallgrass.
