The Express Carriers Association (ECA) MarketPlace is fast becoming a pivotal event for the logistics and transportation industries.

In the November 12 episode of FreightWaves’ What the Truck?!?, Sarah Olmstead, the president and owner of Rebel Logistics, and Mike Holland, the director of domestic logistics for Five Below, sat down with host Malcolm Harris to share their experiences and insights into what makes this event unique and beneficial for industry professionals.

Both Olmstead and Holland have forged lasting relationships through ECA Marketplace.

“ECA is the conference that I leave with true partnerships,” Holland said. “Every true partner that we work with in the industry came out of ECA.”

Olmstead, likewise, says that the structured format of the conference facilitates meaningful exchanges.

“You’re locked in for twelve minutes with the person you’re sitting across the table from, uninterrupted,” Olmstead said. This setup, she says, maximizes the potential for connecting with relevant businesses and helps cut through the noise of conventional networking environments.

The conference employs a unique strategy by using a survey to pre-schedule meetings. That way, each participant makes the most of their time.

“The survey is a huge piece to this process,” Olmstead said. The detailed survey allows participants to rank prospective meetings based on a variety of factors, such as location and service needs. “So much goes into this survey,” Olmstead said. “It really helps prioritize your opportunities. You rank who you want to meet on a one through five, one being maybe not interested, five being, yes, I need to meet these people.”

The same goes for the vendor side, creating a matchup system that aligns with the interests of both parties.

The time constraint, according to Holland, pushes participants to get straight to the point, which helps determine if a potential partnership is worthwhile.

“I have six minutes to tell them what I’m looking for, and they have six minutes to tell me who they are,” Holland said. “Usually, within a minute, you’ll be able to tell if you’re a good fit.”

Beyond the Marketplace event, the ECA offers numerous other benefits. Olmstead frequently utilizes the online platform, which allows members to search for shippers, carriers, and vendors. She also participates in the women’s group within ECA, which hosts webinars and discussions aimed at fostering leadership among women in logistics.

“The women’s group isn’t just for women per se, but it draws in people climbing the ladder who need additional help or resources,” Olmstead said.

Holland says that the ECA’s online resources play a role in operations and help his company adapt to changing business needs. “We utilize the website to find vendors that can help us support our final mile deliveries to our stores,” he said.

Post-conference follow-up is just as important as networking conversations, say Olmstead and Holland. With 48 meetings over two days, not every potential partnership can be explored fully at the event.

Holland’s follow-up strategy involves providing each attendee with a comprehensive packet about Five Below’s business and making sure they have all the information needed to consider future partnerships.

“We ask them to reach out once they get back home,” Holland said. “There’s a huge investment for carriers to come to this conference, so as a shipper it’s important for us to follow-up with them and make sure that we made the most of that twelve minutes. We really want to know, are they a true partner that makes sense for us to work with?”

Olmstead says that first-time attendees shouldn’t be overwhelmed by the volume of networking opportunities, since there will be time to get in touch with everyone. “Take your breaks, because otherwise, you’ll exhaust yourself by the end of the day,” she said.

Networking is now more important than ever, especially with challenges like freight fraud and changing trade regulations continuing to have an impact on the industry. Both Olmstead and Holland are optimistic about the future of the ECA MarketPlace. They both agree that it’s had a transformative impact on their businesses.

“The ECA MarketPlace is the conference you never knew you always needed,” Olmstead said.

Holland echoed this sentiment. “What you get out of this conference, it lasts a lifetime,” he said.

While logistics and transportation evolve, platforms like the ECA MarketPlace will continue to play a critical role in fostering innovation and growth industry-wide.

Click here to learn more about the Express Carriers Association and the ECA MarketPlace.

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