Freight Unpacked

Sharyn O'Halloran
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Behind every shipment, system, and supply chain is a person who makes it all happen. Freight Unpacked, hosted by Sharyn O’Halloran from People in Focus, shines a light on the people powering freight, while providing insight into the moving parts of the Supply Chain world. We unpack how people enter the logistics world, how career paths evolve, and what’s needed to future proof this fast-moving industry. Because at its core, people are what make freight happen.

  1. Oct 27

    Building a Freight Career Without Sacrificing Life Outside Work

    Twenty years of experience doesn't guarantee a clear path forward. In an industry being reshaped by automation, acquisitions and changing workforce demands, even experienced freight professionals are facing questions about where they fit next. The skills that once provided a foundation for long-term careers are evolving, and the opportunities to develop new ones are becoming less predictable. Lauren Bates spent nearly two decades building her career in freight forwarding, progressing from import operations into leadership and sales support. She challenged traditional workplace expectations by negotiating a remote-working arrangement in 2009, long before it became common. But when a company acquisition removed the customs opportunity she had been working towards, she faced an unexpected decision about her future. Rather than abandon the goal, she committed to completing her customs diploma in her forties. Now, as she prepares to enter customs broking, she faces another uncertainty: AI is increasingly capable of performing the foundational work that new brokers have traditionally relied on to gain experience. Her experience raises questions about career security, professional development and the future of expertise in freight. What happens when the roles people need to learn their profession are the same roles being automated? How can businesses develop skilled professionals without giving them opportunities to practice? And when an industry changes faster than expected, how do you decide which skills are still worth investing in?

  2. Oct 8

    Freight Still Needs Humans When the Plan Falls Apart

    A perfect freight plan can fall apart in minutes: a vessel is oversold, a document is missing, a pallet ends up on the wrong truck, an overseas customer calls at 5am. Even when everything has been done correctly, freight has a way of creating problems that no process could completely anticipate. That unpredictability is exactly why Pascaline believes human judgement still matters as automation becomes more embedded in forwarding. AI can take over repetitive tasks and make information easier to access, but having an answer available instantly is not the same as knowing whether it is the right answer for the customer standing in front of you. Freight still requires people who can assess the situation, think beyond the standard process and find a solution that works in that particular moment. Sometimes the solution comes from experience. Sometimes it comes from a relationship built years earlier. And sometimes it simply comes from being willing to think differently when everyone else is stuck. That same mindset has shaped the way Pascaline leads and hires. She would rather back someone with less experience and the right attitude than choose the perfect CV that does not fit the team. Having managed people across Australia, Jamaica, Indonesia, the Philippines and Kenya, she also learned that good leadership is not about expecting everyone to adapt to you. The message might stay the same, but the way you lead people cannot. Freight keeps changing, but the people who thrive in it still need something difficult to automate: adaptability, judgement and the willingness to solve the problem nobody planned for.

  3. Sep 25

    From Police Work to Protecting Global Freight Networks

    Some of the strongest people for freight and logistics may be sitting completely outside the industry. Sean Haran spent years in policing before moving into security roles across major transport and logistics businesses. What carried across wasn’t knowledge of freight systems or operations. It was the ability to spot when something didn’t look right, question the first answer, assess risk quickly and speak up regardless of who was in the room. Those instincts became especially valuable in freight security. A warehouse door left open for a smoke break might seem insignificant until you understand what could enter the facility and where that freight could eventually end up. For Sean, good security was never just about cameras, access controls or telling people what they weren’t allowed to do. People needed to understand why the rule existed before behaviour genuinely changed. His experience also raises a bigger question about how freight recruits. Former police and first responders can arrive with investigation skills, adaptability, resilience and years of experience operating under pressure, yet still be overlooked because their background doesn’t fit the traditional freight career path. Sean’s own move into logistics became proof of what can happen when someone recognises transferable capability rather than looking only for direct industry experience. Now, through Beyond the Badge, he helps other former first responders make that same transition. For an industry constantly looking for capable people, perhaps the talent shortage isn’t only about finding more candidates. It may also be about recognising the ones freight has historically failed to consider.

  4. Aug 31

    Freight needs different talent for what comes next

    Being good at freight forwarding doesn’t automatically mean you know how to run a freight business. James learned that firsthand after starting his own forwarding company in his twenties. He knew how to bring in clients, retain them and build solutions, but understanding cash flow and the financial side of running a business was a completely different challenge. It became an experience that shaped the way he approaches leadership today. That experience has also influenced how he builds and manages teams. Rather than expecting everyone in the same role to follow the same career path, James looks at where each person actually wants to develop. He hires less for a particular personality type and more for people who want to contribute, care about others and aren’t comfortable simply waiting to be told what to do. Once they’re in the business, the focus is on creating opportunities for them to grow in the direction that suits them, whether that’s sales, management, IT or something else. But the skills freight businesses need are changing too. James sees technology taking over administrative work that once gave people an entry point into forwarding, while business integrations and consultancy-level services become more important. He's even seeing engineers move into logistics as the industry evolves. That raises a bigger question for freight leaders: if the traditional path into forwarding is disappearing, where will the industry's next generation of operators and leaders come from?

  5. Aug 13

    Women in Freight: Turning difference into an advantage

    Leadership does not remove self-doubt. Sometimes it magnifies it. Rachel admits there are still moments when she wonders whether she has the skill set for the role, whether freight is worth the stress, and whether the sacrifices required to keep moving are sustainable. She has felt like the “diversity tick” in a male-dominated industry, walked into rooms where she expected not to belong, and learned that reaching senior leadership does not mean finally feeling ready. The cost follows her beyond the office. There were periods when the stress felt like too much while raising a six-month-old on almost no sleep. Today, leadership still competes with family time, weekends and the mental load that doesn't disappear when the working day ends. Professionally, the stakes remain equally unforgiving: people leave, hiring decisions fail, strategies don't work as intended and leaders still have to make the call. Her answer isn't perfection. It's deciding, learning and being prepared to pivot. But underneath that pressure is a challenge to how freight itself thinks. Why give digitally capable young people data-entry jobs when technology can free them to solve problems? Why talk about company values if they aren't used to make decisions? Why complain about an industry without stepping forward to change it? And what happens when being different in the room stops being something to overcome and becomes something you deliberately use? Rachel's answer is not to imitate somebody else's version of leadership. It's harder than that: “I have to lead my way.”

  6. Jul 29

    Keeping Australia's Freight Community Alive

    Freight doesn't just rely on ships, trucks and customs clearances. It relies on an entire network of people working behind the scenes to keep the industry connected, informed and moving forward. Yet much of that work goes unnoticed. In this episode, Jodie Murray shares what it really takes to support Australia's freight forwarders and customs brokers beyond day-to-day operations. From advocating with the government and responding to rising costs, to building professional development pathways, industry events and networking opportunities, she explains why strong industry connections matter more than ever. The conversation also explores one of freight's biggest long-term challenges: attracting and retaining the next generation. With fewer young people entering the industry, growing skills shortages and rapid changes driven by technology and AI, the future depends on businesses investing in people as much as processes. This episode offers a rare look inside the work that keeps the freight and logistics industry connected. Whether you're already in freight, considering a career in the industry, or leading a business through change, you'll gain insight into the challenges, opportunities and community that continue to shape Australian freight for the future.

  7. Jul 15

    The Mental Load of Modern Freight

    Freight is becoming faster, more automated and more connected but Sean Hunter believes the businesses that succeed won't be the ones chasing technology alone. In this episode, Sean explains why customer service remains freight forwarding's biggest competitive advantage, why leaders should never lose touch with operations, and how treating a business like it's your own changes every decision you make. He shares his experience moving from traditional freight forwarding into a wholesale freight model, discusses where AI will genuinely transform the industry and where it probably won't, and explains why some of freight's biggest challenges have nothing to do with moving cargo. The conversation also explores the hidden pressures most people outside the industry never see: managing hundreds of emails every day, supporting teams before burnout sets in, hiring people who can thrive under pressure, and building systems that keep freight moving when everything feels chaotic. Whether you're leading a forwarding business, building a logistics career or trying to understand where the industry is heading, this episode offers practical insights into the leadership, mindset and operational discipline that create long-term success in freight.

  8. Jul 2

    What Does It Take to Thrive in Freight?

    Not every career is meant to be forever. Sometimes the greatest lesson a job can teach you is that you're meant to be somewhere else. Starting a career in freight with no industry experience, Sharkie Raslan expected to learn a profession. Instead, she found herself navigating overwhelming complexity, constant pressure and an industry where newcomers are often expected to figure things out as they go. She speaks candidly about the confidence that comes from being trusted with responsibility, but also the emotional toll of feeling unsupported, questioning whether she was the right fit and carrying the weight of work long after the day had ended. This conversation explores the realities that many people entering freight experience but rarely discuss. The steep learning curve. The challenge of moving between companies that all operate differently. The pressure to perform before you're fully equipped. It also raises important questions for leaders: Are we doing enough to train, support and retain the next generation? And are we asking the right people to thrive in environments that may not suit how they're wired? But this isn't simply a conversation about leaving an industry. It's about discovering what gives your work meaning. Sharkie shares how her experience in freight ultimately gave her something unexpected: the confidence to pursue a career aligned with her values and her passion for helping others. It's an honest reminder that success isn't always staying the course. Sometimes it's having the courage to recognise when your strengths belong somewhere else.

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About

Behind every shipment, system, and supply chain is a person who makes it all happen. Freight Unpacked, hosted by Sharyn O’Halloran from People in Focus, shines a light on the people powering freight, while providing insight into the moving parts of the Supply Chain world. We unpack how people enter the logistics world, how career paths evolve, and what’s needed to future proof this fast-moving industry. Because at its core, people are what make freight happen.

Information

  • Creator
    Sharyn O'Halloran
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Sharyn O'Halloran
  • Show Website
    Freight Unpacked