Find sustainable partnerships through the ECA Marketplace

The Express Carriers Association (ECA) Marketplace is fast becoming an important event for the logistics and transportation industries.

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

Both Olmsted and Holland have developed lasting relationships through the ECA marketplace.

“ECA is a conference I leave with real friendships,” Holland said. “Every real partner we work with in the industry comes out of ECA.”

Olmsted, similarly, states that the structured format of the conference facilitates the exchange of meaning.

“You’re locked in with whoever you’re sitting across the table from for twelve minutes, nonstop,” Olmsted said. This arrangement, he says, maximizes the possibilities of connecting related businesses and helps reduce the noise of traditional networking environments.

The conference uses a unique strategy by using surveys to pre-schedule meetings. In this way, each participant makes the most of their time.

“The survey is a big part of that process,” Olmsted said. Detailed surveys allow participants to rate upcoming meetings based on various factors, such as location and service requirements. “There’s a lot going on in this survey,” Olmsted said. “It really helps you prioritize your opportunities. You rank who you want to meet from one to five, one is probably not interested, five is, yes, I need to meet these people.”

The same goes for the seller side, creating a matchup system that matches the interests of both parties.

The time limit, according to Holland, encourages participants to get straight to the point, which helps determine whether 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. Holland said. “Usually, within a minute, you’ll be able to tell if you’re good.”

Beyond the market event, ECA offers many other benefits. Olmstead frequently uses an online platform, which allows members to search for shippers, carriers and dealers. She also participates in the Women’s Group within ECA, which hosts webinars and discussions aimed at promoting leadership among women in logistics.

“The women’s group is not just for women, but it brings people up the ladder who need extra help or resources,” Olmsted said.

Holland says ECA’s online resources play a role in operations and help the company adapt to changing business needs. “We use the website to find vendors who can help support our last-mile delivery to our stores,” he said.

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

Holland’s follow-up strategy involves providing each participant with a comprehensive package about the Five Below business and ensuring they have all the information they need to consider future partnerships.

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

Olmsted says that first-time attendees shouldn’t be overwhelmed by the volume of networking opportunities, because there will be time to connect with everyone. “Take your breaks, because otherwise you’re going to be tired at the end of the day,” she said.

Networking is now more important than ever, especially with challenges such as shipping fraud and changing business regulations impacting the industry. Both Olmsted and Holland are optimistic about the future of ECA Marketplace. They both agree that it has had a transformative effect on their business.

“ECA Marketplace is the conference you never knew you needed,” said Olmsted.

The Netherlands also expressed this sentiment. “What you get out of this conference, it lasts a lifetime,” he said.

As logistics and transportation continue to evolve, platforms like the ECA Marketplace will play an important role in fostering industry-wide innovation and growth.

Click here for more information about the Express Carriers Association and the ECA Marketplace.

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