So you want to start a freight brokerage — Put That Coffee Down

What it takes to launch one and stay successful

Put That Coffee Down is sponsored by Surge Transportation.

PTCD is sponsored by Surge Transportation. Surge Transportation is the fastest growing 3PL in the logistics space today.  Based in Chicago and Jacksonville, they offer unrestricted access to almost all accounts, limitless territory, and a chance to be a key player in a growing company.  To find out more email jobs@surgetransportation.com.

Entrepreneurship isn’t easy and it definitely doesn’t bear fruit quickly. On this episode of Put That Coffee Down, Kevin HIll and co-host Richie Daigle explain why it is so hard to get a new business off the ground. 

They welcome Shay Dixon, co-founder and CEO of Allegiant Logistics, to discuss what it is like to start a brokerage from scratch. 

Dixon explains her reasoning behind founding Allegiant and some of the struggles she has encountered along her journey. She also talks about what it takes to be a business entrepreneur and her favorite and least favorite parts of owning Allegiant. 

You can find more Put That Coffee Down episodes and recaps for all our live podcasts here.

Upcoming FreightWaves Events
AI

Supply Chain AI Symposium

Past the hype. Join operators, founders, and enterprise leaders figuring out how to deploy AI in supply chain.

July 15, 2026
The Old Post • Chicago, IL
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F3: Future of Freight Festival

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

October 27, 2026 – October 28, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
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AI Supply Chain AI Symposium Jul 15 • The Old Post • Chicago, IL

Past the hype. Join operators, founders, and enterprise leaders figuring out how to deploy AI in supply chain.

The Old Post • Chicago, IL Register Now
FreightTech F3: Future of Freight Festival Oct 27 – Oct 28 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now

Kaylee Nix

Kaylee Nix is a meteorologist and reporter for FreightWaves. She joined the company in November of 2020 after spending two years as a broadcast meteorologist for a local television channel in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Kaylee graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2018 and immediately made the Tennessee Valley her home. Kaylee creates written summaries of FreightWaves live podcasts and cultivates the social media for FreightWaves TV.