How Todd Berger fought skepticism to innovate Transportation Solutions Enterprises

Todd Berger, president and CEO, Transportation Solutions Enterprises
Todd Berger, president and CEO, Transportation Solutions Enterprises

Industrial and Distribution
FINALIST
Todd Berger first got a taste for the transportation and logistics industry as an intern for American Backhaulers — and it didn’t go well. He vowed to never work in that industry again.
After all, it was a time when pioneer companies like Google and Apple were the leaders of innovation, and in Berger’s words, the transportation and logistics industry “just wasn’t ‘sexy’ and lacked innovation, and I wanted to change that.”
Fortunately, Berger thought it over and came up with a different goal. He re-entered the industry in 2001, working as a dispatcher at Transportation Solutions Group. Berger recognized the need to anti-commoditize the business and proposed opening a trucking company to ensure TSG’s competitive position in the industry.
While management was skeptical of his venture with Berger being only 26, he created and began to operate Freight Exchange, a full truckload carrier that subsequently turned a profit in its first year of operations.
From that point on, a curious situation occurred. The more initial pushback he received from management, the better the final outcome. In 2009, Berger proposed his idea of 3PLogic, a contract logistics management provider that included customized software.  He again received criticism from management because 3PLogic required a significant capital investment for software to be developed and key personnel to be hired.
Berger was unfazed. He presented the idea to a current client — and the customer decided to fund a significant portion of the venture. 3PLogic now provides logistics services, technology solutions and consulting services, and is considered the strongest arm of the group.
Berger’s style is a trial-by-fire leadership philosophy that he applied early in his career and still follows today, believing that a leader can learn something new the same day that it is put into practice.
He also is always cognizant of demonstrating a strong sense of humility not only within his demeanor but throughout the operation of the business.
How to reach: Transportation Solutions Enterprise, www.tse-llc.com