Episode #57
Episode 57: Mia Mazal- Building a 200+ Person Logistics Staffing Powerhouse | Freight Agent Insider
This week on Freight Agent Insider, Levi Van Pay sat down with Mia Mazal, co-owner and founder of Talento, bringing her high-energy perspective on near-shoring, scaling back-office operations and breaking down barriers as a young leader! In this engaging and insightful conversation, Mia shares her journey from Delaware to Miami, navigating a male-gatekept industry and building a near-shore team of over 200 people. Mia pulls back the curtain on when freight agents should near-shore versus hire in-office, detailing how specialized overseas talent can handle complex roles like drayage, LTL and engineering. She addresses common agent hesitation—from tech infrastructure readiness to English proficiency and accents—and breaks down how human talent and AI will integrate to handle operational escalations. Additionally, Mia discusses overcoming imposter syndrome, standing up to industry stereotypes and why an abundance mindset and strong alliances are key to long-term success. Whether you're a freight agent looking to delegate operations, a brokerage leader evaluating offshore talent or a young entrepreneur navigating a gatekept industry, this episode is packed with practical strategies on staffing, team culture and business growth. KEY TAKEAWAYS: • The Delaware to Miami Journey: How Mia transitioned into logistics and co-founded a 200+ person company. • Near-Shoring vs. In-Office Hiring: Key frameworks for freight agents deciding when and how to delegate operations. • Prerequisites for Overseas Staffing: Why tech infrastructure like VPNs, domain emails and telecom systems must come first. • Specialized Freight Knowledge: Vetting near-shore talent for nuanced roles across LTL, FTL, drayage and TMS engineering. • Overcoming Industry Gatekeeping: How Mia built confidence, stood up to age/gender bias and earned respect in freight. • The Power of "Conference Uncles": Leveraging strong industry allies and mentors to build authority and trust. • AI Integration vs. Human Action: How AI agents will handle entry-level tracking while human operators manage high-level escalations. • Vetting Language & Culture: Assessing written, verbal and listening English proficiency beyond paper certifications. • Identifying Hiring Red Flags: Spotting poor attitudes and job-hoppers early to build a low-turnover remote culture. ⏱️ IMPORTANT MOMENTS: 00:00 – Intro & Freight Agent Expo Announcement (FAX27) 02:21 – Welcome Mia Mazal: Pronunciations & Miami Life 04:33 – From Delaware to Colombia: Mia’s Path to Founding Talento 06:54 – What Is Talento? Niche Staffing & HR for Logistics 08:11 – Learning Freight from Scratch: Hallway Conversations & Curiosity 11:22 – Abundance Mindset: Why Competitors & Shippers Are Potential Mentors 12:01 – Beyond Back-Office: Near-Shoring TMS Engineers & Carrier Roles 14:26 – Male-Dominated vs. Male-Gatekept: Standing Up to Industry Bias 16:08 – Building "Conference Uncles": The Importance of Industry Allies 18:11 – Near-Shoring Panel Preview & When Agents Should Hire 20:02 – Evaluating Overseas Staffing: Tech Infrastructure & Career Paths 23:30 – Addressing Language Barriers, Accents and Vetting Standards 25:21 – Is AI a Threat? Integrating Automation with Human Operations 28:01 – Voice Cloning, Accent Removers and Building Genuine Trust 29:55 – Red Flags in Hiring: Spotting Wrong Motivators & Job Hoppers 31:35 – Closing Advice for Young Entrepreneurs: Finding Passion & Taking Risks 33:33 – Outro & Closing Thoughts Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube & all major podcast platforms. Subscribe for weekly conversations on freight brokerage, logistics, leadership, sales, entrepreneurship, freight technology and business growth. #freight #logistics #freightbroker #freightagent #freightagentinsider #miamazal #talento #nearshoring #freighttech #leadership #entrepreneurship #sales #supplychain #remotework
