The backbone of a thriving economy lies in the seamless flow of goods. Few industries play a more important role in this process than trucking. With over a million trucking companies in operation and a staggering worth of $800 billion in the US alone, the trucking industry is a vital cog in the economic machine. However, the industry has long been plagued by fragmentation and has been slow to adopt new technologies. Enter Dan Lewis, the visionary co-founder and CEO of Convoy, a digital freight network that is revolutionizing the industry by connecting shippers with trucking companies, optimizing routes, and improving the experience for truckers and shippers. Before Convoy, Dan held product leadership positions at Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. Dan knew there were problems that technology could solve in the trucking industry, but he didn’t know much about truckers. So, he hit the road. He spent countless hours at truck stops and fueling stations to immerse himself in the world of truckers, learn their problems, and get insights into how to make their jobs, and the industry, run better. Dan joins us on the podcast to share how he’s disrupting the status quo in trucking. He delves into the challenges facing the industry and how Convoy’s digital freight network addresses them, from reducing carbon emissions and enhancing the quality of life for truck drivers, to boosting the efficiency and productivity of the economy.

Listen to this episode to learn:• How Convoy overcame early challenges in the trucking industry by leveraging the widespread availability and affordability of smartphones to connect and streamline communication• How, with persistent effort and research, Dan was able to find the key value proposition for the early adoption of Convoy’s mobile app among truck drivers • How to maintain a culture of understanding by being deliberate in bringing customers into the company and constantly evolving around changing their needs and behaviors• What Jeff Bezos told Dan about creating a company value system, how Convoy embeds values across all aspects of the business, and evolves its values to reflect changes in society, the economy, the environment, and the company itself• Why cutting “empty miles” is the most effective route to sustainability in the freight industry• The potential of trucking’s semi-autonomous future, where humans and robots will join forces in “team driving” • Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs on surrounding yourself with supportive, long-term-minded people