The freight industry has begun to attract a high number of freight broker agents in the market. This increase can attributed to the benefits that come with this role. These include but are not limited to: unlimited earning potential, flexibility to create your own schedule, and low overhead.
1. Unlimited Earning Potential
When you become a freight broker agent, you are committing to getting compensated strictly based off the commission you make from booking and moving a load.
This position is for someone that is a motivated self-starter, rather than someone looking for a consistent paycheck or a 9-5.
Because your income is determined based off your production, you will have the ability to make as much money as you want, as long as you’re willing to work for it.
Don’t think there isn’t a lot of money to be made. The top percentile of income earners for freight broker agents are making over $150,000 a year. The best part is, there is no cap on how much you can continue to add to that number!
2. Flexible Scheduling
Being an independent freight agent means that you are not being compensated for your time, rather how much revenue you can generate for the company.
Because you’re not compensated based off your time, you are free to work however and whenever you please. Now, this doesn’t mean you only need to work an hour a day to be successful.
Super successful agents will work from sunrise until sunset, if that’s what it takes maximize earnings potential. However, agents do not need to request time off or call in sick to their boss.
If an independent agent needs to take time off, then they have the freedom to do so. To prevent connections with shippers being lost during the absence, agents can hire dispatchers.
While you're away from the office, they can move the loads from your customers. In most cases, brokers offer a web-based Transportation Management System (TMS) that allows agents to login to load boards from their home computer or laptop.
A large majority of agents can find and move shipments while at home, sitting in their pajamas.
3. Low Start-Up Costs
In most scenarios of start-ups, there is a large amount of upfront costs associated with opening a business. There’s licenses, insurance, software, office space, and payroll.
As an freight agent, you can avoid these outstanding costs by working with an already established freight broker. You represent their company but operate with your own customers and work for yourself, through their business.
They cover the finances, accounting, insurance, licenses, and extend credit to your customers. To provide these services to your business, brokers will either share some of your profits or illicit a fee to ensure some profits off your book of business.
A small price to pay to avoid having to expend a large sum of capital into upfront costs. It is one of the only businesses where you can start making money with little to no overhead.
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4. Minimal Monthly Overhead
For the majority of independent freight broker agents, the overhead to run your business relatively low, especially when you consider the cost comparison to other types of businesses, and the amount of expenses they must rack up every month.
Realistically, an independent agent is only responsible for a few key expenses: internet, TMS (if your broker doesn’t already provide it for you), and cell phone.
The independent agent position does not require very much to get set up, unless you are looking to open an agency in an office building.
5. No Territory Restrictions
The services of a freight broker agent can be offered across the country, or globe in some cases.
Domestic shipping is a much simpler operation and is more common amongst freight agents. Essentially, there are no boundaries as to how large you can scale your business.
This provides great opportunities for those who seek to make their mark in business and scale their brand to best of their abilities.
6. No Education Required
Becoming a freight broker agent is one of the career paths that disregards the old school belief that obtaining a college degree or “getting an education” is the only method of obtaining true financial security/success.
In the logistics business, success is simple, but not easy. Just like with any other career or job, it all starts from the bottom. Learning the industry in lower/entry level positions (i.e. freight dispatcher, freight sales agent).
Once industry knowledge is obtained, and you are able to start speaking the language, it is time to begin formulating long-term business relationships.
More often than not, shipping companies become accustomed to dealing with the agent, rather than the actual broker itself. The loyalty lies with the individual, which they can leverage when they decide to venture out into an independent agent role.
Building a reputation in the industry simply takes hard work combined with patience. The education process is incorporated along the way. Making $150,000 + per year while working from home is not too shabby.
7. Increase Your Earnings
The freight industry continues to experience growth, with the number of loads being booked through brokers and agents reaching an all time high.
An agent’s opportunity to capitalize on this massive expansion is unlimited. All that is necessary is to never settle for what you currently have; always be looking for who else needs shipments moved.
The quantity of trucks you can get into motion will have direct impact on your earnings as an independent agent. In addition, you will want to retain enough profit in each load to where the majority of shipments are profitable.
It is not to say you won’t have to give away a load every now and again, but push for the highest possible margins. Leverage the tools you have at your disposal, and watch your income grow exponentially!
8. No Commute! Work from Home
One of the great benefits to being an independent agent is the fact that you can conduct essentially all of your business from the comfort of your own home.
A lot of TMS is web-based so you can access all of the load boards from your PC or laptop.
All you need besides that is a cell phone to handle call-ins on your shipments and you’re good to go. Making money while you’re in your pajamas is not a bad gig.
It provides flexibility in case you ever want to move elsewhere, because you’re not tied down to a specific work location.
9. Work-Life Balance
One of the most talked about attributes of modern society in the workforce is work-life balance. When you’re working a 9-5, you are given the same two-week paid vacation every year, three sick days, medical leave, maternity leave, etc.
You are essentially allotted a specific amount of time to undergo the events in your life, determined by the employer you work for. Your work-life balance is in the hands of someone else.
As an independent freight agent, you are free to take vacations, get married, have kids, and take sick days whenever you please. You are not compensated for your time; therefore, you have a good work-life balance.
10. Create a Legacy
Being a business owner has the unique ability to elevate individuals above the norm of society.
“97% of people who gave up on their dreams work for the 3% that never did.”
Working for yourself provides a sense of meaning and value like no other. There is complete transparency in your successes, as well as your failures. Each serves a purpose in making you better than you were the day before. Friends, family, associates will remember you as a leader, and an influencer in their lives.
11. Keep it in the Family
An agency is an extremely valuable gift that can be extended or passed down to family. It is a chance to position not just yourself, but your family in a place where they can be successful.
An agency is a functioning asset that can provide value in many different fashions: creating jobs, giving back to the community, and providing a valuable service that supports growth of other businesses.
Your loved ones will be very appreciative of the hard work and sacrifice that went into providing them with such vast opportunities.
12. Don’t Answer to a Boss
How many times have you been working a job and you just don’t get a long with your boss?
They’re demeaning, micromanage your every move, or maybe they just don’t value the effort you put in to your job. Let that never cross your mind ever again!
Working independently as a freight agent is surely a difficult task, but it’s a lot easier to accomplish when you’re not butting heads with management.
It gives you a clear mind and reduced stress environment, so you can produce your best work without any distractions. The only person you answer to is yourself!