Her Story
About Nilah
I started at TQL in December, and before that I was in equipment financing, which is also kind of in logistics, so I consider that part of it. In between, I took off 2 years and stayed at home with my kids - I had my first daughter and didn't want to go back to work, I really wanted to stay and be with them, and then I had my second daughter as well. I've been in sales and logistics for the past 5 years, but I did take that little break. Day-to-day, I work with a lot of different commodities. I work with vendors, helping them to get freight off their docks and get it covered and to the destination, get it where it needs to go. I deal with carriers, truckers, negotiating rates and having them pick up those commodities to make sure they get there in good shape and on time. I see the value behind the supply chain - I know it's important, it keeps our country going. But I like that I get to talk to different people of different walks of life every day. It's never a dull moment, it's very entertaining here. When I was doing equipment financing, I learned a little bit more about logistics, and it's a very big field as far as the amount of money that's in it, but at the same time, it's very small - everybody knows each other, everybody's very familiar with services that others are offering. I liked the broker aspect, I liked being the person in the middle that made things work. Now I have 3 kids under 3, 3 little girls, and I work full-time. I'm definitely trying to show them how to get it done.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Nilah
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I think that this is a great field for young women. I say that it's something where we can definitely set ourselves apart. Even though most vendors and most carriers are male-dominant, I think that's what sets us apart. I think that we bring a different energy to a field like this. Young women should not just look at this and think, I work in an office full of men. They should bring their talent in. I'm seeing a lot of success, and I do think that a big part of it is due to being a woman. I think it's different. I think people like speaking with women on the phone. I think they like negotiating with a woman, I think that they feel heard. And in a market like this, being heard is everything.
02What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
We're in a very tight market. The economy is definitely going through a lot right now, and that just impacts supply chain so much. It's hard because gas prices are up, truckers want more money, and vendors are already paying so much for the commodities. So it's a lot of back and forth, a lot of just having really good communication and setting the right expectations.
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