Freight Agent Spotlight: PrimeTime Global Logistics

Robert Williams and Chris Kavanagh were teammates long before they became business partners. The former athletes met as college roommates and fraternity brothers, forming a friendship that would eventually lead them to build PrimeTime Global Logistics together.

After Robert found his way into logistics, the longtime friends saw an opportunity to combine their entrepreneurial drive and competitive mindset in a business of their own. What began as a GlobalTranz freight agency operating from Robert’s Florida garage has since grown into a team built around structure, preparation and a shared commitment to customer service.

Today, that competitive, team-first mentality influences nearly every aspect of PrimeTime Global Logistics, from its sales and operations playbooks to employee training and the way the agency approaches customers.

We spoke with Robert and Chris about growing PrimeTime Global Logistics, what sets their freight agency apart and how their competitive mindset continues to shape the business.

PrimeTime Global Logistics is a great name! How did you get started?

Robert: Chris and I met at Florida Gulf Coast University. We were roommates and fraternity brothers, so our friendship goes back a long way. I got into logistics first and kept trying to convince Chris that it was an industry he needed to be in. Shortly after I opened the agency, he came down to Florida to see what we could do together.

At the time, I was working from a pop-up desk in my garage. Chris took some PTO and basically said, "If I can close some deals, let's do it." He started closing business, and we realized we could do this. He eventually went back north, put in his notice and came back to Florida.

Chris: Rob had been talking to me about logistics and the opportunity he saw while I was working in medical sales. When I finally came down and worked with him, I saw it for myself.

We were both athletes, so we had that mentality of being willing to grind and build a team. Over the years, we've taken that same mindset and used it to build a strong team and structure around the business.

What attracted you to the logistics industry?

Chris: My previous work in distribution gave me some exposure to logistics. I was visiting hospitals and seeing the number of deliveries they received, and I remember doing a ride along with a driver and finding the process interesting.

But what really attracted me was realizing how much of everyday life depends on logistics. Look around at the things on your desk. Most of them have probably been on a truck. We're moving the goods and services people need. I saw the ongoing need for that and the longevity of the industry, and that really pulled me in.

Robert: I've always had an entrepreneurial mindset. I studied business management and marketing in college with a concentration in entrepreneurship, and I'd owned businesses before entering logistics.

When I first got into this industry, though, I didn't know much about it. A recruiter contacted me about an opportunity that was supposed to involve auto transport. I almost didn't take the interview.

I went, they hired me, and I learned by jumping into the business. I worked six days a week and 12-hour days building a book of business. That experience ultimately put me on the path toward opening my own freight agency.

What has helped PrimeTime Global Logistics succeed in a competitive industry?

Chris: Structure is a major part of what we do. We focus heavily on SOPs, playbooks and training. We want our employees to have a clear framework for how we operate.

Communication is just as important. Our team works closely together, and people aren't afraid to raise their hand and say they need help. We encourage that because this isn't about ego or proving you can handle everything yourself.

The goal is to solve the customer's problem. Their freight is important because it's part of what moves their business.

Robert: We developed both sales and operations playbooks and put the people we train through them. Being organized and prepared is important because logistics doesn't always follow the plan. You need to know your responsibilities while also being ready for something unexpected to happen. Having that structure gives our team a foundation to work from when things change.

As part of your training methodology, you developed the "triple play" how does this help you win business?

Robert: The Triple Play starts with getting to know the customer fast. We want to understand their lanes, length of haul, equipment requirements and how they're currently managing transportation.

Then we look at the bigger picture. Are they using a TMS? Are they booking LTL online? Are they handling things manually through emails and phone calls?

We want to understand what they're doing today and determine whether there's a more efficient way to operate. Depending on what they need, that could include online tools, training or deeper technology integrations.

What role does GlobalTranz logistics technology play in your business?

Robert: The technology is a major advantage of the GlobalTranz model. We don't have to worry about paying for and managing a transportation management system (TMS) ourselves. GlobalTranz provides that technology, which allows us to spend more time focusing on operations, sales and customers.

We can also use the technology to help customers become more efficient. If a customer is spending 25 minutes manually requesting an LTL quote and waiting for documents, for example, we can show them how to handle that online. We can provide a demo and train them on the technology.

From there, the conversation can go further depending on what the customer needs, including deeper technology integrations. The goal is to understand how they're operating today and determine how technology can improve that process.

How has GlobalTranz training supported your freight agency?

Robert: We participate in pretty much all of the freight agent training because there's always the possibility of learning something new. Technology changes, new information comes up, and we want to hear what's happening.

The training also takes work off our plates. If there's a GlobalTranz training one of our team members needs, we can have them participate instead of recreating that training ourselves.

Chris: We've also sent our sales representatives to GlobalTranz headquarters for sales training because we see a lot of value in it.

Then we reinforce what we're learning internally. Every day at 9:00, we have a morning coffee meeting where we can discuss different activities and best practices. It's easy to develop good habits and then gradually start cutting corners. Continuing to reinforce those practices helps keep everybody sharp.

How has your background as athletes influenced the way you run the agency?

Robert: Being steady under pressure is one of the biggest things athletics taught me. I'm also a baseball coach, and I think about logistics in some of the same ways.

Imagine you're at bat. The bases are loaded, you have two strikes and there's a good pitcher on the mound. You have to understand the situation and stay calm.

Logistics can put you in similar situations. A truck can break down when you have an urgent load that still needs to get picked up. The customer is counting on you, so you have to stay calm and figure out what comes next.

Preparation matters, too. Just like preparing for a game, you need a plan for the day, but you also need to be ready for something that changes that plan in a split second.

Chris: That's also why we like people with an athlete mentality. They know how to grind, handle stress and work as part of a team. Logistics can change quickly. You can have a great day and suddenly something happens that completely changes it. You have to adjust.

What has your experience been with the GlobalTranz freight agent community?

Robert: The GlobalTranz culture and camaraderie has been great. We went through training with several other agents who are still with GlobalTranz today, and we've developed strong relationships over the years. We talk at quarterly meetings and GlobalTranz conferences, text each other and help each other out.

There's competition because we're all trying to grow our businesses, but it's friendly competition. There's enough opportunity out there for people who provide good service to build successful companies.

We really enjoy the camaraderie with the other freight agents, and it's one of the reasons we've never seriously looked at going outside GlobalTranz and doing everything ourselves.

What kind of work-life balance does owning a freight agency provide?

Robert: Flexibility is the first thing that comes to mind. I can work in the office one day, drive to meet customers another day or spend time taking my kids to sports camps. I can also work from almost anywhere. I was recently in Curaçao and could still send emails to customers and stay connected when I wanted to.

You still have to put the work in. But I'm not tied to one geographic location. I can be somewhere else in the world and still get my job done. That flexibility has been a blessing.

Chris: Before this, I spent an enormous amount of time driving for medical sales. In one year, I had to get my oil changed 12 times because I was putting so many miles on my car traveling between nursing homes and hospitals.

Now the opportunity isn't limited to one local territory. I serve customers in California, Washington, New York, New Jersey, Georgia and Florida.

That flexibility extends to family, too. I recently got to take my three-and-a-half-year-old daughter to Disney World for the first time. When you've built a good foundation and a strong team and have the support of GlobalTranz, you have that flexibility.

What's next for PrimeTime Global Logistics?

Robert: Our original goal was to become a $100 million company, and that's still what we're working toward. Getting there has been more difficult than we originally anticipated, especially with economic changes and other forces outside our control. But those aren't excuses. We're going to keep working through those challenges.

It may take a little longer than we originally thought, but we're going to keep growing the business and working toward that $100 million goal.

Chris: I see us reaching $100 million and becoming the number one agency. As you get bigger, you face different challenges, but our goal and our grind haven't changed.

That goes back to the athlete mentality. We're going to keep competing and working toward being number one.