Grit Flexport’s Third Act: Winning in a Broken Global Trade System
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Apr 14, 2025 
Ryan Petersen, CEO and founder of Flexport, returns to discuss his company's journey through the tumultuous landscape of global trade. After stepping aside during challenging times, he outlines his strategies for rebuilding while cutting $300M in costs. Petersen emphasizes the importance of promoting from within rather than seeking outside talent and shares insights on how rising tariffs impact U.S. businesses. He also reflects on balancing extensive business travel with family life, highlighting the need for passion over purely financial motives.
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Petersen's Return to Flexport
- Ryan Petersen hired an Amazon executive as co-CEO, then CEO, before stepping back.
- After three months, board members and Flexport employees alerted Petersen to issues, leading to his return.
Balancing Efficiency and Quality
- Flexport prioritized efficiency over quality, leading to a decline in customer satisfaction and unit economics.
- Reorganizing around customers, cutting costs, and improving unit economics were key to the turnaround.
Hiring for Logistics
- Hire insecure overachievers instead of those with extreme confidence.
- Logistics is full of people who think they know everything, but true expertise comes from continuous curiosity.
