Almost Three Months In - What We’ve Learned So Far

Back at the beginning of March, Michelle and I took the leap and started something new.

To be honest, neither of us really knew exactly what the first few months would look like. You can prepare all you like, but in freight forwarding there’s no such thing as a “typical” week.

What has surprised us most is just how quickly the variety has kicked in.

Since opening the doors, we’ve handled everything from large scale airfreight movements through to smaller urgent shipments, LCL cargo and full container loads.  One day it’s a few cartons needing importing, the next it’s coordinating containerised cargo across multiple ports and time zones.

And perhaps the part we’ve enjoyed the most? Seeing cargo move from almost every corner of the world.

Over the past few months, we’ve had freight move from the majority of the continents.  It’s a reminder of just how connected global trade really is, and how no two customers, shipments or supply chains are ever quite the same.

What we’ve also learnt very quickly is that relationships still matter enormously in this industry. We’ve worked our way through customs holds, quarantine issues and urgent deliveries, and in every situation it’s the communication, trust and willingness of people to work together that makes the real difference.

Behind every shipment is a customer trying to keep stock moving, meet a deadline, support a project or simply keep business operating smoothly. The human side of logistics is easy to overlook from the outside, but it’s often the most important part.

The market itself certainly hasn’t made things boring either. Tight space, changing carrier schedules, fluctuating rates and ongoing global disruptions have kept everyone on their toes. But in many ways, that’s also where experience counts.

After years in the industry, both Michelle and I understand that freight forwarding is rarely about things going perfectly. It’s about communication, adaptability and finding solutions when conditions change, because they always do.

We’re still very much at the beginning of this journey, but the support we’ve received so far from customers, suppliers, agents and industry peers has genuinely meant a lot to us.

So, three months in… we’re busy, grateful, slightly sleep deprived at times.. and more excited than ever.