1. Buy Broken, Not Bad
We targeted businesses with:
- Great customers but poor leadership or systems
- Solid service but no structure or tech
- Founders who needed a way out
Then we did the internal work - getting the right people in the right seats, rebuilding culture, and installing systems that could scale.
2. Structure Deals That De-Risk You
We didn’t have deep pockets, so structure was everything.
We got creative to limit upfront risk and keep cash flow strong:
- Modest cash at close (when needed)
- Seller financing over 3–5 years
- Performance-based earnouts
- Profit-share deals - in some cases, we acquired with no money down and paid the seller out of future profits
We focused on deals where we could protect downside, then grow into upside.
3. Build the Engine Internally
To scale, we built our own in-house operating system:
- Custom logistics & dispatch software
- Centralized KPI tracking across companies
- Playbooks for people, process, and integration
Just as important - we built a team of high-performance, A-player leaders who could execute, adapt, and drive results across every business we brought in.
This became our edge. It let us integrate faster, keep margins strong, and stay lean.
4. Drive Synergy Across Verticals
We layered acquisitions across:
- LTL & full truckload
- Rail & intermodal
- Warehousing & brokerage
Then we cross-sold, centralized ops, and created margin through smarter execution - not bigger marketing budgets.
