The Logistics of Logistics

In "Smarter Landside Logistics", Joe Lynch and Brian Kobza, Chief Commercial Officer at IMC Logistics, discuss leveraging IMC's asset-based capacity, actionable visibility, and end-to-end services—all underpinned by strong relationships—is essential for achieving greater control and cargo velocity in the critical first and last mile of the supply chain.
About Brian Kobza
Brian Kobza is the Chief Commercial Officer at IMC Logistics, with over 20 years of experience in the transportation and supply chain industry. His expertise covers various aspects of the sector, including positions at marine terminals, ocean carriers, ports, and landside logistics companies. In his current role, he oversees all commercial activities and new initiatives to ensure profitability and market leadership through a focus on customer experience and cargo velocity. Brian firmly believes that relationships are vital in this industry, and that enterprise growth and supply chain efficiency can be attained through fostering deeper customer relationships and partnerships. Prior to his appointment with IMC Logistics, Brian served in operational and commercial roles at Global Container Terminals, The Port of Virginia, CSX, Hyundai Merchant Marine, and Maersk. In addition to professional roles, Brian holds volunteer positions as the 2025 President for the Traffic Club of New York and as an Advisory Board Member at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Brian is a proud alumnus of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, where he earned a BS in Marine Engineering and secured his United States Coast Guard 3rd assistant engineer's license. Further enhancing his business acumen, Brian obtained an MBA in International Business from Amberton University.
About IMC Logistics
IMC Logistics provides smarter landside logistics, giving clients greater control through the first and last mile. Starting as a regional drayage provider with just one truck and one driver, IMC Logistics has grown across the U.S. to be a leading marine drayage operator in the U.S. IMC Logistics provides drayage, container storage, transloading, intermodal rail, chassis provisioning, project logistics, SmartStacks and destination cargo management services. IMC Logistics delivers their clients' supply chains with actionable visibility, asset-based truck capacity, industry leading sustainability, and long-established regional expertise across the nation.
Key Takeaways: Smarter Landside Logistics
In "Smarter Landside Logistics", Joe Lynch and Brian Kobza, Chief Commercial Officer at IMC Logistics, discuss how to achieve greater cargo velocity, supply chain efficiency, and market leadership by leveraging actionable visibility, asset-based capacity, and deeper customer relationships across the first and last mile.
Freight Market Reality: The industry is currently navigating an unprecedented 3.5-year freight recession, emphasizing the critical need for operational discipline and stable partnerships to ensure market survival and cargo velocity.
The IANA Imperative: The Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) and the IANA Expo 2025 in Long Beach are essential for the intermodal industry, serving as the primary platform for crucial collaboration, shared insights, and showcasing future-focused technology.
Relationships Drive Efficiency: Fostering deeper customer and partner relationships is the most vital philosophy for achieving both enterprise growth and significant supply chain efficiency across the first and last mile.
IMC's Asset-Based Leadership: IMC Logistics, the largest drayage provider in the USA, demonstrates that true "smarter landside logistics" means leading with asset-based truck capacity, ensuring reliable service and market stability.
Actionable Visibility: Modern logistics demands more than simple tracking; the key differentiator is providing actionable visibility—data that enables clients and partners to make immediate, informed decisions, thereby improving predictability.
Combating Industry Risks: A major focus must be placed on deploying robust strategies to combat growing threats like freight fraud, cargo theft, and cyber-security vulnerabilities to protect supply chain integrity and valuable assets.
Sustainability Leadership: Integrating industry-leading sustainability is a core requirement; IMC, as a market leader, is driving this by investing in EV and Hydrogen drayage vehicles at the Port of Long Beach to significantly reduce emissions.
Cargo Velocity Mandate: Smarter commercial strategy must be anchored in two non-negotiable goals: rapidly increasing cargo velocity and maintaining a relentless focus on the superior customer experience.
Learn More About Smarter Landside Logistics
Brian Kobza | Linkedin
IMC Logistics | Linkedin
IMC Logistics | YouTube
IMC Logistics | Video
IMC Logistics (@imclogistics) | Instagram photos and videos
IMC Logistics | Facebook
Drayage and Landside Logistics | IMC Logistics
Cargo Security | IMC Logistics
The Intermodal Industry's Next Chapter: A Chat with IMC's Donna Lemm
The Logistics of Logistics Podcast
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In "The Dark Funnel Demystified: Unlocking Hidden Sales", Joe Lynch and Jennie Malafarina, the CEO of Virago Marketing, discuss how businesses can drive measurable revenue growth by understanding and leveraging the invisible customer journey.
About Jennie Malafarina
Jennie Malafarina is the CEO of Virago Marketing, a Cleveland-based agency helping transportation and logistics companies turn marketing into a revenue-driving engine. Since taking the lead at Virago in 2020, she has elevated the agency's impact—guiding strategies that deliver measurable results aligned with client growth goals. With over a decade of experience in freight tech and B2B marketing, Jennie has held leadership roles at Trimble Transportation, Banyan Technology, and Transportation Insight, and has taught marketing at The University of Akron. She also co-founded FR8MVMT, a platform for innovation in trucking, and hosts the FR8 Marketing Gurus podcast. Jennie is known for aligning marketing with business strategy to drive scalable growth through demand generation, content, and sales enablement. She holds a master's degree in communication from Cleveland State University.
About Virago Marketing
Virago Marketing is a full-funnel marketing agency specializing in the transportation and logistics industry. We help companies align sales and marketing to drive measurable revenue growth—whether through strategic campaigns, content that converts, or complete marketing department support. Our team combines deep industry knowledge with modern marketing execution to deliver demand generation, brand awareness, and pipeline acceleration. From startups to enterprise providers, our clients rely on us to cut through the noise, clarify their message, and connect with the right audience at the right time. With flexible engagement models—from project-based work to full fractional CMO support—Virago is the partner logistics companies trust to turn marketing into a growth engine.
Key Takeaways: The Dark Funnel Demystified: Unlocking Hidden Sales
In "The Dark Funnel Demystified: Unlocking Hidden Sales", Joe Lynch and Jennie Malafarina, the CEO of Virago Marketing, discuss how businesses can drive measurable revenue growth by understanding and leveraging the invisible customer journey.
The "Dark Funnel" is a Reality, Not a Myth: The episode will explain what the dark funnel is—the invisible customer journey that happens before a lead officially enters the sales process. Listeners will learn how potential buyers are influenced by content, social media, and word-of-mouth without ever directly interacting with a company, and why it's crucial to understand this hidden process.
Aligning Marketing with Business Strategy is Non-Negotiable: Jennie Malafarina, with her extensive experience at Virago Marketing, emphasizes that marketing isn't just about generating leads. It's a revenue-driving engine that must be directly tied to a company's overarching business and growth goals, turning it into a strategic partner rather than a cost center.
Content is the Currency of the Dark Funnel: The podcast will highlight how high-quality, valuable content—from blog posts and whitepapers to podcasts and social media discussions—serves as the primary way to influence buyers in the dark funnel. Jennie will share insights on creating content that answers customer questions and builds trust long before they are ready to buy.
Sales and Marketing Alignment is Key to Unlocking Hidden Sales: A central theme will be the necessity of a seamless partnership between sales and marketing teams. The episode will cover how Virago Marketing helps companies create a unified strategy where marketing generates qualified conversations and sales is equipped with the right tools and information to close deals, ensuring no opportunities from the dark funnel are lost.
Industry Expertise is a Competitive Advantage: Drawing on her background in transportation and logistics, Jennie will explain why deep industry knowledge is essential for effective marketing. Virago Marketing's success lies in its ability to speak the language of its clients and their customers, allowing them to create messaging that truly resonates and cuts through the noise.
Demand Generation > Lead Generation: The episode will likely differentiate between old-school lead generation and modern demand generation. Jennie will discuss how focusing on building market-wide awareness and interest (demand generation) is a more sustainable and effective long-term strategy for filling the sales pipeline, especially when considering the dark funnel.
Measuring the Unmeasurable: Tracking Dark Funnel Impact: The podcast will provide practical advice on how to measure the impact of marketing efforts that don't result in immediate, trackable leads. Listeners will learn about alternative metrics and signals that indicate success in the dark funnel, such as brand mentions, website traffic trends, and engagement with un-gated content, proving the ROI of these "unseen" activities.
Learn More About The Dark Funnel Demystified: Unlocking Hidden Sales
Jennie Malafarina | Linkedin
Virago Marketing
Virago Marketing | Linkedin
FR8MVMT | Linkedin
FR8MVMT
FR8 Marketing Gurus Podcast
The Logistics of Logistics Podcast
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In "Is Your Freight Secure: The 3 Key Vulnerabilities in Freight Operations", Joe Lynch and Mike Hane, Director of Product Marketing for Transportation Management at Descartes Systems Group, discuss how to protect global supply chains from fragmented technology, carrier identity theft, and increasingly sophisticated cargo fraud.
About Michael Hane
Mike Hane is the Director of Product Marketing for Transportation Management at Descartes Systems Group. With more than 30 years of experience in transportation, logistics technology, and supply chain consulting, Mike helps organizations understand emerging freight trends and apply technology to build more resilient and efficient transportation operations. Prior to joining Descartes, Mike held leadership roles at DAT, Optilogic, CHAINalytics, and CAPS Logistics, where he focused on transportation strategy, network optimization, and freight market intelligence. At Descartes, he works closely with shippers, brokers, and logistics service providers to translate industry challenges into practical technology solutions across transportation management, real-time visibility, carrier connectivity, and logistics security. Mike frequently shares insights on transportation technology trends, digital transformation in freight, and the evolving role of logistics networks in global supply chains.
About Descartes Systems Group
Descartes powers more responsive, efficient, secure and sustainable international and domestic supply chains by uniting logistics-intensive businesses on its Global Logistics Network (GLN). Shippers, carriers, and logistics service providers connect and collaborate on the GLN leveraging technology, data and AI to manage last mile deliveries, domestic and international shipments, transportation rating and payment, global trade research, customs compliance and a variety of regulatory processes.
Key Takeaways: Is Your Freight Secure: The 3 Key Vulnerabilities in Freight Operations
In "Is Your Freight Secure: The 3 Key Vulnerabilities in Freight Operations", Joe Lynch and Mike Hane, Director of Product Marketing for Transportation Management at Descartes Systems Group, discuss how to protect global supply chains from fragmented technology, carrier identity theft, and increasingly sophisticated cargo fraud. 
The 3 Key Vulnerabilities discussed are listed below:
Vulnerability 1 – Outdated, Clunky Freight Tech Stack. The modern logistics tech stack is a prime target for sophisticated bad actors who are now using AI to scale their attacks. This vulnerability focuses on the integrity of the TMS suite and broader tech stack, requiring companies to have the scale and advanced defenses necessary to stay ahead of automated threats.
Vulnerability 2 – Carrier Identity Theft & Freight Hijacking. Freight fraud—including double brokering and fraudulent load pickups—is a direct result of failing to verify identity at the point of transaction. This vulnerability highlights the operational risk of giving freight to an unverified actor, proving that basic vetting is no longer enough to prevent cargo loss.
Vulnerability 3 – Data Exposure & Unsecured Partner Connectivity. Modern freight operations are at risk due to the fragmentation of data and automation. This vulnerability focuses on the danger of shipment data and AI tools operating outside of a trusted environment. When partners connect to technology platforms without rigorous security, the entire network becomes a target for leaks and external manipulation.

Modernizing the Tech Stack: Fragmented or legacy systems create security gaps. Freight operations must move toward integrated, secure platforms rather than a patchwork of disconnected software to ensure data integrity and vendor stability.
The "Verify Then Trust" Model: To combat identity theft and "chameleon carriers," logistics providers should use automated vetting to verify not just the carrier's authority, but also the specific driver and equipment via VIN and geolocation.
Neutralizing Sophisticated Fraud: Cargo theft has evolved into organized corporate scams involving double brokering and fake insurance. Real-time monitoring for suspicious tracking pings or IP addresses is now essential to identify bad actors before a load is picked up.
Strengthening Operational Hygiene: Security relies on strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). This includes "zeroing out" inactive carriers every few months to force re-vetting and immediately revoking system access for former employees.
Strategic AI Integration: AI should be used to automate high-volume manual tasks—like chasing tracking updates or proof of delivery—within a secure logistics environment to prevent sensitive financial data from being exposed to unvetted models.
Global Multimodal Connectivity: Leveraging a Global Logistics Network (GLN) allows shippers and brokers to collaborate across air, ocean, and truck modes while maintaining high standards for customs and regulatory compliance.
Visibility as a Risk Deterrent: Real-time visibility is a critical security layer. Monitoring for location spoofing or unauthorized stops allows for immediate intervention if a shipment is being diverted to a fraudulent location.
Learn More About Is Your Freight Secure: The 3 Key Vulnerabilities in Freight Operations
Mike Hane | Linkedin
Descartes Systems Group | Linkedin
Descartes Systems Group
Your OpsForce AI Team: Meet the Future of Intelligent Visibility
Transportation Management Form
Vesta Freight Strengthens Customer Service and Freight Security with Descartes 3G TMS™, Descartes MacroPoint™, and Descartes MyCarrierPortal™
Scaling Logistics Innovation at Descartes Systems Group with Dan Cicerchi
Unpacking Cargo Theft: Trends and Solutions with Danielle Spinelli
The Logistics of Logistics Podcast
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In "UPS at the Crossroads: Finding Profit in a Disrupted Landscape with Bloomberg's Devin Leonard", Joe Lynch and Devin Leonard, Senior Writer on the global business team at Bloomberg News, discuss how the logistics giant is navigating shifting markets, intense competition, and rising labor costs. 
About Devin Leonard
Devin Leonard is a senior writer on the global business team at Bloomberg News. His work appears regularly in Bloomberg Businessweek where he has written periodically about the logistics industry. His 2011 cover story, "The End of Mail," about the existential crisis at the U.S. Postal Service was a finalist for the Gerald Loeb award for explanatory writing, In May 2016, Grove Press published Leonard's book, Neither Snow Nor Rain: A History of the United States Postal Service, which the New York Times called "sweeping and entertaining.
About Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News is a global news agency and a primary division of Bloomberg L.P., a privately held financial, software, data, and media company. Founded in 1990 by Michael Bloomberg and Matthew Winkler, the news service was originally created to provide real-time financial news to subscribers of the Bloomberg Terminal (the Bloomberg Professional® service). Today, it is one of the largest news organizations in the world, producing over 5,000 stories daily.
Key Takeaways: UPS at the Crossroads: Finding Profit in a Disrupted Landscape

In "UPS at the Crossroads: Finding Profit in a Disrupted Landscape with Bloomberg's Devin Leonard", Joe Lynch and Devin Leonard, Senior Writer on the global business team at Bloomberg News, discuss how the logistics giant is navigating shifting markets, intense competition, and rising labor costs. 
Historic Leadership Shift: Carol Tomé is the first woman and first outsider to lead UPS in its 118-year history, breaking a century-long tradition of promoting exclusively from within the "brown" culture.
"Better, Not Bigger": UPS has pivoted from chasing high volume to prioritizing high-yield profitability. This means intentionally reducing reliance on low-margin ecommerce (like Amazon) to focus on more lucrative accounts.
The Amazon Evolution: Amazon has transformed from UPS's biggest customer into its most formidable competitor, now delivering nearly as many packages as the USPS and utilizing its own massive logistics network.
Teamsters Contract Impact: The 2023 negotiations led by Sean O'Brien resulted in a historic contract with top driver compensation reaching $170,000 (wages + benefits), significantly increasing UPS's fixed costs in a cooling market.
Market Fragmentation: The industry is no longer a duopoly. UPS now competes against regional carriers using advanced tech to "stitch together" national services, as well as gig-economy players like DoorDash.
Strategic Repositioning: To differentiate, UPS is doubling down on specialized sectors like Healthcare (cold-chain) and international logistics—complex services that simple gig-drivers or regional startups cannot easily replicate.
"Shrink to Grow" Strategy: To maintain margins, UPS is closing distribution centers, automating facilities, and offering buyouts to senior staff. The challenge remains: can they grow the stock price while shrinking the physical footprint?
Learn More About UPS at the Crossroads: Finding Profit in a Disrupted Landscape
Devin Leonard | Linkedin
Devin Leonard Website
Bloomberg News | Linkedin
Bloomberg News
The Logistics of Logistics Podcast
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In "Real-World Supply Chain AI Applications with Gather AI's Sankalp Arora", Joe Lynch and Sankalp Arora, CEO and Co-founder at Gather AI, discuss how Gather AI's combination of drone-collected visual data, AI analysis, and WMS integration is revolutionizing warehouse inventory management.
About Sankalp Arora
Sankalp Arora is the CEO & Co-Founder of Gather AI. With 14 years of experience, Sankalp developed safety and sensor planning for the world's first safe autonomous helicopter, funded by DARPA, a project that won the Howard Hughes award, AUVSI Xcellence award and was nominated for the Collier Trophy. He is a recipient of the Qualcomm Innovation fellowship and Swartz Innovation fellowship and has a PhD in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon University. Gather AI and Sankalp have received several awards, including CB Insights' AI 100, SupplyChainBrain's Great Supply Chain Partner Awards, Peerless Media's NextGen Supply Chain Awards, Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive Top Tech Startup Awards, and the Pittsburgh Inno Fire Awards.
About Gather AI
Gather AI is an intralogistics AI company which collects visual data from drones, forklifts, and connected machines, integrates it with warehouse management systems (WMS) and cloud platforms, and uses AI to identify issues and suggest next steps.
Key Takeaways: Real-World Supply Chain AI Applications
In "Real-World Supply Chain AI Applications with Gather AI's Sankalp Arora", Joe Lynch and Sankalp Arora, CEO and Co-founder at Gather AI, discuss how Gather AI's combination of drone-collected visual data, AI analysis, and WMS integration is revolutionizing warehouse inventory management.
Bridging Robotics Expertise to Logistics: Sankalp Arora's foundational work in safety and sensor planning for autonomous helicopters (a DARPA-funded project) highlights how sophisticated robotics and computer vision expertise is now being directly applied to create reliable, "real-world" AI solutions for the supply chain.
Visual Data is the New Inventory Input: Gather AI utilizes hardware like drones, forklifts, and connected machines to collect vast amounts of visual data within a warehouse, moving beyond manual counts and traditional scanning methods to capture inventory status comprehensively and automatically.
Intralogistics Focus: The primary application of this AI is in intralogistics (operations inside the warehouse), specifically tackling challenges like inventory inaccuracy, cycle counting, and labor efficiency—common pain points for WMS (Warehouse Management Systems) users.
From Data to Actionable Insights: The platform doesn't just collect data; its core value is using AI to identify specific issues (e.g., misplaced items, damaged inventory, out-of-stock locations) and then suggesting next steps, making the data immediately actionable for warehouse staff.
Critical System Integration: For successful real-world adoption, the AI platform must integrate seamlessly with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and cloud platforms, ensuring the visual intelligence updates the enterprise system of record effectively.
AI for Operational Efficiency: By automating data collection and analysis, the technology shifts labor away from tedious inventory tasks, allowing personnel to focus on high-value activities, leading to significant gains in operational efficiency and inventory accuracy.
Industry Validation of Innovation: Recognition through awards like CB Insights' AI 100 and various Supply Chain Partner awards validates that Gather AI's approach is recognized as a leading, commercially viable, and impactful NextGen Supply Chain technology.
Learn More About Real-World Supply Chain AI Applications
Sankalp Arora
Gather AI
Gather AI | Linkedin
Gather AI | YouTube
Case Studies
Gather AI Capabilities 2025
AI Literacy in Logistics with Gather AI's Andrew Hoffman
Gathering Inventory Data with Sankalp Arora
Autonomous Data: Gather AI's Warehouse Vision
The Logistics of Logistics Podcast
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