r/FreightBrokerStartup

Been brokering for 5 months. I'm with a startup so we've got our hands completely full, and I'll be the first to say I've been pretty lucky on a few of these wins. Looking for an honest gut check from people who've been in it longer.

•    62 calls/day on average
•    120 unique email addresses to specific logistics managers, freight handlers, and warehouse managers (not generic inboxes)
•    ~25 follow-up emails a day
•    2-4 quotes/week to brand new customers
Book of business so far:
•    About 10 companies I've moved freight for. Mostly small shippers, mostly rough freight, tbh.
•    One steady customer averaging $3,318/week gross margin for the last 2 months. Their consignee is totally packed out so shipments are paused, but the shipper is still very communicative and feeding me quotes. I don't think I've lost them — feel like I handled the relationship well.
•    Just landed a major multi-regional company. Starting with one store but they want all their freight through me. They got attracted to our system over lunch — honestly a lucky fit.
•    Ran one 4,400 mile load Alaska → Florida. Same customer has a big summer project lined up on similar lanes.
•    Quoted some international freight — numbers were good but the order got fully canceled.

Know I've still got a ton to learn. Where should a 5-month broker actually be at this point, and what would you be doing differently if you were me?

I recently started a dedicated freight tracking company — we handle check calls, TMS updates, and overnight coverage for brokers and dispatch companies so their teams can focus on moving freight instead of sitting on the phones all day.

We have a solid team with hands-on US freight experience and we are already set up to go live with new clients within 24 hours. The operation is ready — now I am trying to figure out the best way to reach the right people.

For those of you who have sold B2B services into the freight brokerage space — what actually worked for you when it came to getting in front of owners and operations managers? Cold email, LinkedIn, industry groups, referrals? Would appreciate any honest feedback from people who have been through it.

When offered some brokers said they are happy getting 30% of the split rather then 50% from a new broker MC authority.
What can be the reason?

I’ve been researching freight brokering a lot lately and honestly can’t tell if it’s still a legit business in 2026 or if social media just oversold the dream. Every guru makes it sound like you can work from home, find a few shippers, and make crazy money fast, but real brokers keep talking about nonstop cold calls, cheap rates, double brokering, load fraud, and insane competition. Is freight brokering still profitable for brand new brokers trying to build shipper relationships and survive their first year… or is the industry getting way too saturated now?

I live in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, in northern Mexico, and I completed a $2,500 Freight Broker Agent Program at the University of Texas at El Paso.

Is it possible to find a broker to work with as an international agent?

Juárez is a very large industrial city. In my area, there are more than 700 manufacturing companies that move goods between Mexico and the United States.

I also have knowledge of Mexican customs regulations.

Thanks in advance

Freight brokers and ops managers - genuine research question. What part of your day do you dread the most operationally? Specifically curious about anything related to email volume, load confirmations, or manual data entry. Not selling anything, just trying to understand where the real friction is.