Each year during the month of March in the United States, we celebrate Women's History Month to acknowledge and show appreciation for the vital contributions made by women in this country. In the logistics and supply chain industry, women continue to make a huge impact and are increasingly making their presence known. In fact, according to a Gartner survey, women accounted for 41 percent of the logistics and supply chain workforce in 2023, up from 39 percent the year before.
At GlobalTranz, we are proud of the women who have helped shape our company and made it the success that it is today. That's why we're spotlighting two of our female freight agents — Brandie Millis of EGM Transportation and Sara Diamond from Diamond Global Logistics. Both have found great success at GlobalTranz as logistics sales professionals and business owners. Here they answer questions about why they chose GlobalTranz, what the company means to them and how its culture helped them develop their freight agency.
First, can you tell us a little bit about yourselves?
Brandie Millis: My company's name is EGM Transportation. I've been with GlobalTranz as an agent for three years now, and I've been in logistics for 22 years. I've actually been on every side of the business. I've been with 3PLs. I also worked for a family-owned trucking company where we pretty much sold almost every mode of transportation.
Sarah Diamond: My agency name is Diamond Global Logistics, and I have been a GlobalTranz agent since 2014. I've always been an entrepreneur, and I've been self-employed since my early twenties. I owned a call center for about 15 years and then finally decided to change my career path and got into wholesale distribution. I really enjoyed logistics and transportation management, so I chose to take my career in that direction and GlobalTranz was a perfect fit.
How did you find out about GlobalTranz and why did you join the company?
Brandie Millis: I was ready to take my success into my own hands and just have all the control to be able to make the future that I wanted. I did research on other companies, and honestly, it was just a feeling I had with GlobalTranz. I think sometimes you just have to go with your gut, and I got a great feeling from the people that I was dealing with, especially my recruiter. He was very patient with me and answered all my questions and helped me really decide if this was the right fit for me.
Sarah Diamond: I picked up the phone and made a phone call to GlobalTranz and decided that it was the right one for me. In the end, I chose GlobalTranz because I feel like they are very supportive and really embrace the entrepreneurial spirit. And it feels like family.
What do you enjoy the most about your partnership with GlobalTranz?
Brandie Millis: There are a lot of things that I enjoy. But I would probably say the environment and the people and the fact that we can service every shipping mode. I like offering my customers a variety of options. I like to go to my customers and be able to sell everything and come up with the complete solution for all of their logistics needs. And I'm able to do that here at GlobalTranz with all the different modes that we're able to sell.
Sarah Diamond: I would say my favorite part of working with GlobalTranz is the family atmosphere and the supportive people. I think it's a partnership, and I find that it's very important to treat everyone like I want to be treated. I know that we all have stressful days and chaos to deal with and it's really important to always be supporting each other, and I get the same feeling from the people that I work with at GlobalTranz.
How has your life (personally or professionally) changed since you became an agency owner?
Brandie Millis: I'm much busier than I was before, but you have to always look at the end goal. Working with GlobalTranz has giving me a different sense of freedom, and it's allowing me to control my own path. Before, when I was working for other people, I would see things that maybe I didn't necessarily agree with or it wasn't the way that I would've handled those situations. Now I'm able to take all of that control and create the success I want to have.
Sarah Diamond: I really like the freedom. It's up to me how big I want to build my business and when it's the right time for me to really focus on growth and different opportunities. The freedom of being able to choose how and when I want to build my business is really important.
How do you think GlobalTranz has enabled your business growth?
Brandie Millis: They definitely give me the back-office support that I need when I need it. With my knowledge, I can manage most situations, but there come times where you just need that corporate support and say "Hey, I need help and what can we do about it?" And they definitely have been there to step in and resolve issues when we need to resolve issues and make sure that we're always taking care of the customer.
Sarah Diamond: When I'm talking to prospective customers, I feel like they get the attention and the support from a small business owner, but I have the backing of a multi-billion-dollar third-party logistics (3PL) company. So, really, they get the best of both worlds, and I absolutely think there's value in that. My success is based on my customer's success. If they grow, then consequently I can grow. We really do get the support that we need from GlobalTranz to enable our customers to grow, which is really the key. I also think the technology offering that we give to our customers provides visibility for all and is such a major benefit and it enables us to stay on top of everything that we need to stay on top of. The TMS has really been beneficial for us and for our customers.
What is one word that you would use to describe your experience as a GlobalTranz agent?
Brandie Millis: Success. They are setting us up for success and helping us as agents be the best that we can be and grow our business to the best of our ability.
Sarah Diamond: I would say it's the combination of opportunity and family. I feel like a lot of the people at GlobalTranz are like my family. It's a really good fit for me. I'm a single mom and the freedom to be able to work from home if I need to or just adjust my schedule as needed is a perfect fit for me.
What is the one piece of advice you'd give to other people who are considering becoming an agent?
Brandie Millis: If you're thinking about it and you're really at that point where you're just not sure, just don't wait. Take that leap of faith because you'll be glad you did!
Sarah Diamond: I would say embrace the opportunity. Work really hard and remember, even when things are difficult or you're frustrated, it's so important to treat everyone around you like you want to be treated. That's how you grow partnerships, relationships and your business.
Are you interested in becoming an independent freight agent with GlobalTranz?
The GlobalTranz freight agency program provides access to a full suite of transportation services and logistics solutions. Our independent freight agents are also backed by sales, marketing and back-office support, along with industry-leading technology.
Our freight agents enjoy highly competitive commission splits, paid upon invoiced shipments, plus sign-on and transition bonus opportunities. With no territory or boundary restrictions, your income potential is in your hands. Many agents can make up to $100K within the first 12 months.
GlobalTranz is also part of WWEX Group, alongside Worldwide Express and Unishippers. Combined, these three companies make up one of the largest and most diverse 3PLs in the industry, providing freight agents with top shipping solutions and the financial stability that helps them succeed.
If you are interested in a career in logistics and are ready speak to a freight agent expert, contact GlobalTranz today.