Freight Think was launched in March of this year. So, what have we learned in the first 6 months?
Well, it’s a bit of a story…
We were privileged to have worked with an unbelievably talented and passionate group of retail professionals for so many years, who are now scattered across many other companies. Having had that shared experience, with the incredible ups and downs, we learned a lot.
Armed with that experience and knowledge, our group of former BB&B’ers have moved on, taking those lessons to other organizations across retail and other industries…and even into consulting!
In the 6 months since launching Freight Think, we’ve had the good fortune to work with many companies, large and small, across many industries. Here’s what we’ve seen and learned!
1. Common story... when you work in one business for multiple decades, the “insulation” factor leads you to believe that the headaches you face in your bubble are unique to you. Well, that’s not true.
2. On a roll... virtually everyone we speak with has some significant level of technology or operational process challenge causing their associates and managers frustration. No matter what you hear, it’s not always greener on the other side!
3. Bright side... we’re learning to be grateful for each experience (especially the tough ones)! Every experience can be positive in some way.
4. Our neighbors... relationships build every business. We are incredibly thankful for all the support we’ve received along the way!
5. The pursuit... even in the best run and most profitable organizations we have found opportunities to be more efficient, reduce cost, and drive productivity. Not because we are any smarter (although sometimes we think we are…ha-ha) but because every organization has limits on its most important resources: people, assets, technology, and of course, time.
6. The circle... we have benefited from the loss of jobs to now having a much more expansive work audience to share what we love to do – fix problems and save money!
7. Family... our work family has become our actual family! Beyond words, we say thank you, Becky, Diane, Jana, Lynn, Chris, Alex, Seth, and all our extended families!
8. Managing stress... startups are hard. Everyone involved is on the roller-coaster. Just like any healthy family, a business needs an abundance of grace, patience, love, and thoughtful care to run smoothly and flow out to its customers!
9. Tasks... being responsible for every aspect of the business requires a whole new level of planning and organizational skills. Don’t ignore the things you stink at!
10. Our customer... there are tons of opportunities, but not all are beneficial. To maximize our customers’ success, we have to pay careful attention to which paths we take. Our success is our customers’ success!
Let’s see how these learnings change in another 6 months!
Stay tuned!
Bill and Reid
Co-Founders
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