It's long been the backbone of construction, but lumber goes beyond its practical uses. It also serves as a key market indicator and an important one for freight particularly. Joining us on the latest InTek Freight & Logistics: The Podcast to discuss its vital role is Kyle Little, COO of Sherwood Lumber. Kyle shares why lumber reflects economic con…

In today's episode we catch up with Eddy Lu, co-founder and CEO of GOAT, the fashion marketplace. GOAT represents one of the most epic pivots in Y Combinator history: they started out organizing group dinners. Founders are often told they should be "scrappy". Eddy and his cofounder Daishin are scrappiness personified, and that's what enabled them t…

As we reach the halfway point of 2024, the latest edition of InTek Freight & Logistics: The Podcast welcomes an expert on the freight market and all the indicators that tell us about its health - or (spoiler alert) lack thereof as summer heats up. Dr. Jason Miller is a tenured Associate Professor of Logistics at the Eli Broad College of Business at…

David Rusenko was a college student when he applied, at the last minute, to Y Combinator in 2006. His startup, Weebly, made a web site builder. At one point they came within days of running out of money, but they survived to be acquired by Square in 2018 for $365 million. Now David runs a fund, Leap Forward Ventures, focused on climate change. He h…

Shipping cross-border with Mexico involves considerations beyond moving freight within the U.S. - with customs being what many consider a primary obstacle. However, the right partner makes things much less daunting. Joining us on this episode of InTek Freight & Logistics: The Podcast to discuss the customs process between or across the borders is A…

In today's episode, we talk with Yin Wu, founder and CEO of Pulley, a cap table management system that YC funded in 2020. Yin has been founding startups since 2011 and she talks about her experiences testing startup ideas, what she's learned about persistence and determination, and why she loves having startup founders as users.…

We sat down with Jenica Jenick (they/thon/he) and Arianna Sieloff (she/her) and discussed the Kent State theatre experience, as well as discussing if theatre-kid stereotypes are true.By act-natural

The traditional vision of intermodal transportation involves what are known as intermodal containers - of the 53 foot variety. But another option is out there in the form of ocean containers. It's known as ocean container repositioning. Joining us to discuss what the process involves and how its beneficial to carriers and shippers alike is returnin…

Ron Conway has been close to the center of things for longer than anyone else in Silicon Valley, from the point when he started his career at National Semiconductor in the early 70s to the AI conference he organized last month. He's the embodiment and the transmitter of Silicon Valley culture. He knows all the stories, usually because he was person…

We sat down with Mosse Ahmad (he/him) and Nicholas DeAngelis (he/him) and got to know how they got into acting, as well as acting from the perspective of someone who does acting as a side-gig.By act-natural

Machine learning - a subset of AI - is a tool that many in the supply chain management field already use for inventory forecasting. But using optimal machine learning - a technique developed by our guest Dr. Naren Agrawal and his co-authors - can unlock a whole new world of decision-making ability for businesses. Dr. Agrawal, the Benjamin and Mae S…

We sat down with Jackson Bivens (he/him) and Kyle Nenadovich (he/him) and discussed funny actor backstories, as well as the importance of being a well-versed actor.By act-natural

Today we catch up with Kyle Vogt, whose self-driving car company, Cruise, was funded by Y Combinator in 2014 and acquired by GM in 2016. Before that he was a co-founder of Twitch and its predecessor, Justin.tv. Learn how his love of building hard things started at a young age, and why he’s nowhere near done building yet.…

We sat down with Heather Bayles (she/her) and Hailey Reinke (she/her) and discussed typecasting, as well as the nuances that go into being an actor.By act-natural

Olives can be a popular snack, drink garnish and ingredient, but as with any product, there's plenty of work that goes into getting them on store shelves and eventually into kitchens. On this edition of the podcast, we explore the process from farm to plate (or glass) with Musco Family Olive Company Senior Director of Supply Chain Michael Lin. Cali…

We sat down with Stella Naymik (she/her) and Collin Geter (he/him) and discussed their experiences acting for both screen and theatre, as well as understanding how actors operate from a director's perspective.By act-natural

Today we are talking to Yuri Sagalov. His company AeroFS, which did enterprise file syncing and sharing, was funded by Y Combinator in summer 2010. Yuri went on to work at Y Combinator before starting his own fund, Wayfinder Ventures.By Jessica Livingston

We sat down with actor Lanier Karpeh (he/him) to learn about his background on getting into acting and his experiences working on larger-scale projects.By act-natural

We sat down with actors Bella Perrotta (she/her), Steven Livingston (he/him), and Katie Boissoneault (she/her) to discuss the actor-director relationship, as well as how they learn to embody a character.By act-natural

Supply chain pros come in many forms, with career opportunities spanning just about any skill one can think of. But how does one get started in a freight or logistics job? And has the situation improved for women and diverse populations? For those answers - and more - we welcome Michelle Livingstone, a decorated supply chain leader who has worked i…

We sat down with Julianna Marilyn (she/her) and Shannon Metelko (she/her) and discussed our experiences with acting in horror, as well as how special talents can benefit you as an actor.By act-natural

We sat down with Alex Funk (he/him) and John Capocci (he/him) and discussed the differences in screen versus stage acting, along with Shakespeare works and the challenges that come along with them.By act-natural

With shipping between the U.S. and Mexico continuing to be a hot topic, we turn to an authority on how to move freight via rail between the two countries - Union Pacific. On this episode of InTek Freight & Logistics: The Podcast, we're joined by Beto Vargas, UP Vice President of Sales & Marketing - Mexico. He discusses Union Pacific's 30-year histo…

We sat down with Stephen Knight (he/him) and Kurt Telzrow (he/him) and discussed the importance of playing characters that fit your aura, how the Meisner technique is important in acting, and why actors sometimes stop working on films.By act-natural

Intermodal transportation offers a consistent advantage in savings over its over-the-road trucking counterpart mode, but a lingering question for many shippers is intermodal service. As in, how consistent is both the rail service and the service a company can expect from an IMC - intermodal marketing company? Ari Ashe with the Journal of Commerce j…

A TMS - transportation management system - is a key part of modern logistics operations, and the right one can help a business succeed. On this episode, we talk with Rexing Companies Director of Operations Rachel Johnson about their TMS, and how it has streamlined and optimized many of PFL Logistics' (a Rexing Company) shipping and coordination pro…

Artificial intelligence - better known and faster said as AI - is a tool that has applications across every day life. And one area that both already uses it and can use it more is the supply chain space. Joining us to discuss AI in supply chain & logistics is supply chain expert and strategic advisor Bart De Muynck. We discuss Bart's recent article…

Announcing Season 3 of The Social Radars!By Jessica Livingston

As the year begins, join us in first looking back at how the freight market behaved in 2023, then offering a freight outlook for 2024. Kevin and Rick discuss a variety of areas, including the recovery that wasn't last year, why this year probably won't be gangbusters either, where the supply and demand balance stands in shipping, and when a bounceb…

Today we chat with Adora Cheung, Co-founder of Homejoy (YC summer 2010) and now InstaLab, an at-home blood testing service that helps you optimize your health by measuring over 60 biomarkers. Our conversation is wide-ranging: from how to clean homes efficiently to how she helped defeat Trump in 2020 by getting hundreds of thousands of votes in swin…

Today we have another insider episode: we're talking to Trevor Blackwell, who was my cofounder at Y Combinator. But that's not all he's done. He was also the founder of Anybots, where he created the first dynamically balancing biped robot, and also worked on Viaweb with Paul Graham and Robert Morris.…

California's AB5 (Assembly Bill 5) has been in effect for some time now, but appeals persist and enforcement continues to be cloudy. That cloud is hanging over independent truck drivers and the freight industry as a whole. Joining us to discuss the law, its implications both in California and across the country, and the latest on the legal appeals …

When it comes to intermodal and rail in general, the more things change, the more things stay the same. Analyst Tony Hatch - co-founder of the RailTrends conference, past president of the Motor Carrier Analysts Association, 2019 North American Rail Shippers Association Person of the Year and independent consultant - tells us many of the issues faci…

Today we're talking with Parker Conrad, who founded two startups that went on to become unicorns: Zenefits in 2013, and Rippling in 2016. Parker’s story is one the more dramatic ones you’ll hear on this podcast. In fact this episode is two stories: his misadventures at Zenefits, and the ambitious ideas he has implemented at Rippling.…

Sustainability is - or at least should be - a focus of modern businesses, and a new technology platform called The Eighth Notch aims at reducing the carbon footprint of final-mile delivery by reducing stops without reducing products reaching homes. Mike Robinson, Head of Retail Solutions and Founding Member of The Eighth Notch joins us to discuss t…

Today we talk with Emmett Shear, who was in the very first YC batch in 2005 with a startup called Kiko. But you know him better as the co-founder of Twitch, which YC funded in 2007. Learn how Twitch grew from one guy walking around with a camera on his head to one of the biggest communities on the internet. It's a crazy story even by startup standa…

A week away from Black Friday, holiday shopping season is in full swing, with retailers offering sales throughout November (and even prior) to entice consumers to buy gifts for loved ones - and occasionally themselves. But what is the holiday shopping outlook? Jon Gold, Vice President of Supply Chain and Customs Policy with the National Retail Fede…

In this episode we catch up with Patrick and John Collison, two brothers from Ireland who founded Stripe in 2009. Since then we've watched Stripe grow from a two-man show to one of the great powers of the tech worldBy Jessica Livingston

There is plenty of action in the Mexican freight market, and plenty of uncertainty - particularly in trucking thanks to driver shortages and, relatedly, security concerns. Meanwhile, intermodal is gaining a foothold in Mexico, with steadier capacity, safer freight movement and smoother border crossings via rail to the U.S. To learn more, we welcome…

Freight transportation between the U.S. and Mexico continues to grow - with potentially explosive growth in the near future thanks to a nearshoring boom. But there are challenges for shippers, challenges that the New Border solution is potentially well-positioned to address. Joining us to discuss is Richard Miller, CEO of Spearpoint Logistics - the…

Today we're talking with Bill Clerico, co-founder of WePay which Y Combinator funded in 2009. WePay was one of the first of what are now called "FinTech" startups. In 2017, J.P. Morgan acquired WePay for $400M. Listen in to the adventures of an early fintech pioneer.By Jessica Livingston

With Halloween fast approaching, candy in many forms is top of mind for kids and adults alike. So we choose to focus on the treats - not tricks - of trick or treating as well, with Carly Schildhaus, Director of Public Affairs and Communications for the National Confectioners Association. Carly discusses the excitement around Halloween in 2023, cand…

Ransomware and other cyber attacks are a danger for any business, and those in the freight & logistics industry are no exception. Joining us this Cybersecurity Awareness Month to discuss what's out there in the cyber threat landscape, and how to prepare your company, is SonicWall Senior Solutions Engineer Jeremiah Vanderneut. Jeremiah offers exampl…

Today we're talking with Dimitri Dadiomov of Modern Treasury, a startup Y Combinator funded in 2018. Dimitri works in a very important world whose existence is hidden from most people: the movement of money into and out of companies. Listen in as we follow the money!By Jessica Livingston

Today we're talking with Brian Armstrong of Coinbase, a startup YC funded in 2012 and is now a publicly traded company. Coinbase is truly in the middle of the exciting new world of cryptocurrency. It's particularly interesting to explore this world with Brian, who was unusually candid, even for Silicon Valley.…

Cross border shipping between the U.S. and Mexico is clearly a growth opportunity of late, with nearshoring a buzzword along with more transportation options including truckload and intermodal. But some American companies are still hesitant due to different customs requirements, the language barrier and other questions they may have. Joining us to …

In today's episode, we're talking once again with Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of Airbnb. YC funded Airbnb in 2009, when the company was at death's door. During YC we watched the founders work frantically to get growth started and turn Airbnb into the rocketship that it is today. Today we pick up where we left off in Brian's incredible story of…

The word - and job - of coach is generally associated with sports. And with football season getting going, coaching gets plenty of spotlight. But Business Coach Tim Campsall with TBC ActionCOACH joins us to extoll the virtues of private coaching in an office setting, primarily for leadership positions. Tim discusses the value of a coach for a varie…

The month of September brings two major events on the transportation calendar: IANA's Intermodal EXPO and the Journal of Commerce (JOC) Inland Distribution Conference. On this episode, we learn about each of these gatherings, with IANA Chief Operating Officer Rob Cannizzaro taking us through the programming at the Intermodal EXPO in Long Beach and …

Earlier this year, a merger between Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern railways formed the Class I railroad now known as CPKC. Of particular note about this combined company is a first that it's created: single line service connecting all of North America - as in, Canada, the United States and Mexico. CPKC Director of Business Development fo…