Influential Woman · Freight Brokering

Kimberly Gray

Freight Broker, Freight Tec

Marmaduke, AR

Her Story

About Kimberly

I started in freight brokering a little over 8 years ago after spending over 9 years in medical billing and Medicaid credentialing. When my previous employer downsized and outsourced to India in 2017, my husband, who had started our office back in 2015, suggested I run the brokerage while he reactivated his carrier authority to drive. I didn't know anything about trucking at first, and it was a total crash course learning everything from basic terminology to the intricacies of the industry. Now, my job is to work with customers who have semi-trailers that need to be moved and find reputable carriers to haul them from point A to point B as seamlessly as possible. I assist with any issues while drivers are on the road and basically stay quick on my feet. I'm the intermediary, trying to keep both the customer and the carrier happy while being fair to both. Sometimes it feels like I'm on a seesaw, but maintaining relationships is really important. Some of my newer customers were actually referrals from other customers, and that referral business is always the best business.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Kimberly

01What do you attribute your success to?

Really, it's like family, you know? Just planning for the future and making sure that we are going to be secure when it's time to retire. It's really about me and my husband. We work hard so that we can have that security and be able to retire well someday.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

What I suggest is to start out with an entry-level position and learn from the people that have more experience and knowledge. Companies like TQL have broker assistant positions where you can get your feet wet at an established brokerage. You can learn that way before moving on on your own, because on your own, unless you're going to lease onto somebody's authority, you are going to need a book of business, or you're going to make zero for a while. Learn as much as you can from them, but also be careful of non-competes. Some brokerages have strict non-compete clauses that can come after you even a year after you leave, even if you're an Uber driver in transportation. So read the non-compete terms carefully before you decide to work with a broker. I also have to say, at the beginning, it is very tough. The market's very flooded with brokers right now, so we're really stepping on each other's toes. It's really important to maintain your relationships, because honestly, some of my newer customers were referrals from other customers, and that referral business is always the best business.

03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

Right now, the market is very flooded with brokers, so we're really stepping on each other's toes and in each other's backyard. When I try to call people, it's a lot of 'we'll get back to you next quarter' or 'we're just not interested in more brokers.' I think it probably blew up even more since 2020 because it's a remote job. Most places allow you to work from home as long as you have a home office set up, and if it's a place that doesn't require a pre-existing book or experience, it's easy to get into without interacting with people in person. That's when a lot of jobs switched that way in 2020. AI is also something I'm a little concerned about, but it may be more beneficial than it would be hurting our businesses. Some carriers have already started using AI assistants that call, but I'm old school and I like speaking to a live person. One thing AI can't do is build relationships, and maintaining those relationships is really important.

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