What will I be doing?

It's magic. Products made in far-off countries appear in retail stores even in the smallest communities. How do these products get from point A to point B? By ship, train and truck, of course. But there's another part of this process that many people aren't aware of: those who make sure that the products are transported efficiently and economically. These are the freight brokers. There are about 10,000 full-time freight brokers, consolidators and forwarder services in the U.S. They offer related services that requires managing the contacts and the paperwork to move things from where they are to where they should be.

What will I need to start?

This isn't a business for everyone. It's best started by someone with ex-
perience in the transportation industry. One freight broker is a line-haul truck driver who wanted to get off the road. He now coordinates thousands of truckloads each year from his home office.

To start a freight brokerage, forwarding or consolidating service you'll need to know the industry and its players. Depending on your experience, you may decide to specialize in LTL (less than a truckload), containerized or shipload freight services. You can learn about this business in books, but practical experience and contacts in the industry are vital.

Who will my customers be?

In most cases, you will work with manufacturers or wholesalers who want to move products to market. An equipment manufacturer may need to move large factory machinery to a buyer. A wholesaler may need a shipment of socks moved from Taiwan to the distribution center in Cincinnati. A company may need their exhibit equipment moved to a trade show in Dallas and back.

How will you reach these customers? Once identified, you can reach them through mailing lists, ads in trade publications and through referrals.