{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"BLP 367: The $1 Million Bet That Built a Trucking Dynasty","description":"Tom Keller spec'd his first truck at 20 years old to haul watermelons off his family's farm. He'd drive a load to Indianapolis, not like the price, keep driving to Detroit, sell them, and set the cash on the kitchen table \u2014 then do it again the next morning. That hustle became Keller Logistics Group: 350 trucks, four divisions, and $200 million in sales out of Defiance, Ohio. In this episode, Jared Flinn sits down with Bryan Keller and Jonathan Wolfrum to unpack how a melon farmer's instinct for finding the next opportunity built a company that's survived every freight cycle since \u2014 including the recession that just leveled half the dry van market. They get into the speculative warehouse bets, walking away from General Motors, why they moved into bulk and ag freight, and what it actually takes to be named a Best Fleet to Drive For nine years running. If you're a carrier, owner-operator, or fleet owner trying to figure out your next move, this one's full of plays you can run. \u27a1\ufe0f Hauling bulk or looking to grow your freight? Find loads and grow your operation at  https:\/\/bulkloads.com?utm_source=YouTube&amp;amp;utm_medium=Video&amp;amp;utm_campaign=Keller_Podcast \ud83c\udfa5 Want your story featured on the channel? Get featured at https:\/\/bulkloadsmedia.com CHAPTERS 00:00 \u2013 Meeting Tom Keller 00:24 \u2013 The watermelon farm that started it all 01:22 \u2013 The Detroit melon run (cash on the kitchen table) 03:05 \u2013 From farm machinery to five trucks 04:10 \u2013 The thank-you card that landed Bryan the job 05:48 \u2013 &quot;Bryan, we gotta be organized&quot; 07:14 \u2013 Out-engineering the big carriers 08:58 \u2013 Scaling from 20 trucks and the warehouse gamble 12:39 \u2013 The 332,000 sq ft Dallas bet 15:04 \u2013 Walking away from General Motors 16:17 \u2013 The Campbell Soup phone call that changed everything 17:08 \u2013 Jonathan joins \u2014 350 trucks today 20:48 \u2013 Faith, the prayer room, and &quot;give to grow&quot; 21:38 \u2013 Inside the Ignite Academy 25:29 \u2013 Why Keller moved into bulk and ag 29:54 \u2013 Farm roots run deep 32:12 \u2013 Breaking through growth plateaus with EOS 35:36 \u2013 Building a legacy, not a payday 36:39 \u2013 9 years as a Best Fleet to Drive For 38:37 \u2013 The driver advisory board 42:53 \u2013 Closing thoughts ","author_name":"Bulkloads Podcast","author_url":"http:\/\/bulkloads.libsyn.com\/website","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/41584640\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/88AA3C\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/item\/41584640"}