What better way to kick off Women’s History Month than highlighting one of the many women making their mark in the world: Kristy Knichel of Knichel Logistics!
As the President and CEO of Knichel Logistics, Kristy shares her insights on the disciplines of business, powerful lessons in nurturing environments where professionals can shine, and the importance of coaching and accountability. Tuning into how leaders can become the conductors of growth by fostering a familial, yet high-performance culture.
Sponsored by SPI Logistics. If you're looking for back-office support such as admin, finance, IT, and sales as a freight broker - reach out to SPI Logistics today! Learn more about becoming an agent here: https://success.spi3pl.com/
Standing Out is a sales, marketing & leadership podcast powered by BETA Consulting Group, created to highlight best practices from industry leaders with incredible experience and insights! The goal is to entertain, educate & inspire individuals & companies to improve their sales, marketing & leadership development outcomes.
What better way to kick off Women’s History Month than highlighting one of the many women making their mark in the world: Kristy Knichel of Knichel Logistics!
As the President and CEO of Knichel Logistics, Kristy shares her insights on the disciplines of business, powerful lessons in nurturing environments where professionals can shine, and the importance of coaching and accountability. Tuning into how leaders can become the conductors of growth by fostering a familial, yet high-performance culture.
Sponsored by SPI Logistics. If you're looking for back-office support such as admin, finance, IT, and sales as a freight broker - reach out to SPI Logistics today! Learn more about becoming an agent here: https://success.spi3pl.com/
Standing Out is a sales, marketing & leadership podcast powered by BETA Consulting Group, created to highlight best practices from industry leaders with incredible experience and insights! The goal is to entertain, educate & inspire individuals & companies to improve their sales, marketing & leadership development outcomes.
Man. Every time I see my stepdad walking in on a live show, it just makes me laugh. Everybody, welcome to Standing Out. I'm Trey Griggs, your host. This is a show about sales, marketing and leadership. We're so excited that you're joining us today for another episode. We may have to do a new intro video soon, maybe freshen up a little bit with some of the newer content that we have. Either way, we're excited that you are here with us today.
Speaker 1:As we get started today, I always want to give a shout out to our sponsor, spi Logistics. If you're a freight broker or if you're an agent and maybe you're just ready for a new setting, if you're a freight broker, tired of having your own MC and dealing with all that, make sure you check out SPI Logistics. They've got the technology, the systems, the back office to help you stay in your lane working with customers and moving loads. Be sure to check them out at successspi3plcom. Great people over there Love talking to them. Make sure you let them know that you heard about it right here on Standing Out. We've got to get credit for these things, folks. Again, if you're a freight broker, or again, if you're an agent and they'd be looking for a new home or starting to get into the agent model. Be sure to check them out again at successspi3plcom.
Speaker 1:All right, folks Listen. We've got a great show today. We're going to be focusing on leadership today and we have a phenomenal guest. I'm so excited to welcome her onto the show right now. My good friend from Gibsonia, pennsylvania, the president and CEO of Conitial Logistics, give it up for my good friend, christie Conitial. How's that? What a great song. This is totally you. I love it.
Speaker 2:I'm going to hear me.
Speaker 1:That's right. Look at you.
Speaker 2:Having a alarm with it.
Speaker 1:This is your alarm in the morning. This is what you wake up to. I can tell this is what's coming out of the speakers and just getting you out of bed every day. I can tell.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. It's very motivational and inspirational.
Speaker 1:I will say I mean, katy Perry had it. That was a banger, that's for sure. How are you doing, my friend? It's so good to have you on the show.
Speaker 2:Great, I appreciate being back and talking some leadership with you today.
Speaker 1:Well, you know we think about leadership. I mean, you're right at the top of the list of the people that I know in my network and what you've built over at Conitial Logistics. We're going to get into that and talk about that in a little bit, but before we go any further, we are so excited that you're on the show today. We want to give you a little something to say thank you. So would you like a coffee mug or a water bottle? Which one would you like to have?
Speaker 2:Oh no.
Speaker 1:Giving away prizes here on the show.
Speaker 2:I will take a water bottle.
Speaker 1:Water bottle. Now, do you want it in this black, this lovely black, which is my favorite, or do you want it more of a white color? What would you prefer?
Speaker 2:I will take the black. It goes along a little bit with my colors and black and red, so we'll do black and blue.
Speaker 1:We'll get that over to you and again, we appreciate you being on the show today. And speaking of bangers, speaking of great songs, one of the fun facts that I know about you is that you love to attend music festivals. Do you know how many music festivals you've attended over the years? Do you have a count?
Speaker 2:Oh, my gosh. I don't have a count, but it's probably definitely in the 30 range, if not like from just festivals. That's not counting concerts that are just single out there. But yeah, and the interesting thing you'll probably ask me next is what am I doing this year? Right, I haven't booked anything yet, but Louder Than Life just came out with a huge, interesting lineup in Sonic Temple.
Speaker 2:There's just so many great ones out there, where you can see so many new bands too, so I just I love it. That's like my getaway from the stress of business is like music, and I know you like that too.
Speaker 1:It's so wonderful. I love it. I have not been to many music festivals in my life. I love music, but I just haven't really been in that scene. But I think that at some point we need to make this happen. We need to go to one of these things together. I like to experience the whole thing. That would be a ton of fun.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's definitely an interesting experience and I took a friend of mine and her husband last year to Ink Incarceration and I think the looks on their face were priceless when you see the different people that are there and just going to shout it out now, the nakedness that happens, the outfits. So it's definitely interesting. But you know, music is my soul. I just feel like that's what helps me get through the day or when I have challenges, and it's just my release. I love it.
Speaker 1:I think it's great. I'm very much the same way. I love to sing. I imagine you probably lose your voice at one of these concerts. Maybe that's a good distraction from all the nakedness that's going on. It's just going along losing your voice. Just a little bit. Let's turn our attention to leadership. A little bit. Let's talk about your career. You know what you've done. You know it's interesting. I was just thinking about this the other day. Do you realize that in 2024, this marks 10 years that we have been connected? Do you realize that?
Speaker 2:No, actually I was going to say more. I was thinking like seven or so, but I know, like way back in the day at DAT, I think is maybe when I initially met you. And so, yeah, it's kind of interesting that it's gone by so fast.
Speaker 1:My first trip to Gibsonia, just outside of Pittsburgh. There where headquarters, which I don't. Is it still in Gibsonia now, or did you guys move?
Speaker 2:It is, but we are moving to Cranberry in August.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's right, I knew you were moving. But, yeah, my first trip to Gibsonia outside, just outside of Pittsburgh, was in 2014. And I came by the office. I remember I played golf with JR and with Matt at a golf course there and just fell in love with Connichol logistics, with the company, with people, with everything that you guys are doing. And, again, it was the first time I met you and I know as I was so intimidated the first time that I met you because here's, you know, christie Connichol and she's the owner of the company. Her name's, you know, in the brand, like this is a big deal and you guys could not have been more kind and just more hospitable with me. And so, again, just fell in love with your company, with what you're doing and, being a family owned company, I mean you've been involved for a long time. I mean, how long have you been working at Connichol?
Speaker 2:So Connichol was founded in 2003. So we're in our 21st year, but I'm actually in my 26th year of being in the business, because my dad was an agent for Cornerstone initially, so that's where I got my start in the career before Connichol opened. So it's kind of crazy to think 26 years now.
Speaker 1:It is Time really does fly. It goes by pretty fast and you started pretty much doing every job, just kind of doing everything, and then eventually just kind of rose to the point of now where you're running the company. What was that process like of just learning all the jobs and did you know that? It was like preparing you to take over? Was that the plan or did it just kind of evolve over time?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so it's interesting, you say, was that the plan? I was 19, so, to be quite honest, it was a job for me. But, like I say that in a way that, like I'm a hard worker, I worked two, three jobs. I did what needed to be done. So when I came into the company, all we did was intermodal initially. So I was an intermodal dispatcher and then, as we began to grow in the truckload LTO, like I did pretty much everything within the company. I had no clue that I was really working up that ladder, so to speak, for my dad to say, hey, I'm going to put you in this role. He just put me in that role. We didn't even discuss it, it wasn't even something that was kind of how family works sometimes, right.
Speaker 2:It wasn't even like Katie, you want to do this, or me saying, hey, I'd like to run this company one day. I mean, I just did whatever was needed and whatever he asked me to do, I did and went above and beyond.
Speaker 1:Okay, so looking back real quick. Obviously I know you love the position that you're in now, but looking back, excluding your current position, what was your favorite job that you did in the company growing up?
Speaker 2:I think my favorite job is still the first one I did, which was being an intermodal dispatcher, and I think the challenge of during peak shipping time out in California, when my dad was using one carrier and I'd have a list of like 50 carriers I had to call to find an option or a carrier to truly move the business, and I think it was just rewarding building those relationships and then convincing my dad like hey, we have to like divvy this freight out to other carriers, like we can't just depend on one carrier to handle all that.
Speaker 2:So I still think that that's my true love within the business and you know so it was really hard, I think, moving up and out of that and but I feel like I'm in a good place now, like I've had people work for me for a long time and they know how I wanted things to operate, especially John who runs everything. So it's interesting to watch it from where I am today. Yeah, and you know it's.
Speaker 1:I don't know what it is about the first job, my favorite job that I've ever had to this day was my first job as well, as a high school physics teacher. I don't know if it's just like the newness of it or maybe something you'll always remember, but something about that first job that really stands out. Yeah.
Speaker 2:And maybe it's just because that's the foundation right of that got you started into what you're doing and you know and again, not that I didn't like the other aspects of it, but I think because that's what I did the most as well. Yeah, that, yeah. To this day, I'm still operations at heart.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly, well, you get, you start there. You think that way. I think that's good to be an operator In that regard. You know, what's interesting is I when I think about great leaders, when I think about the people in my circle or just people that maybe you see from a distance, it seems like great leaders. One of their greatest attributes is recruiting great people, having great people around them, and you just mentioned John, who I know John's, I think, as a gem. He's phenomenal. And you know, I've got great people on my team as well Coleman and Talia and Morgan and so many others Like we have, like I'm. So, as a leader, I'm shocked that I have those people on my team, but I think that there's something about that that speaks to like you as a leader, to have some people like John, the quality of people like John and others in your organization that do great work. You know, talk about that from a leadership perspective and how important it is to recruit the right people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean it's extremely important. I think you know everyone talks about this and I don't know that there's a secret sauce to it, to be quite honest, but part of it is truly, you know, the people that you bring on. Is them believing in your mission, your vision and what you're trying to do? And I think, allowing them the space to do what they do well and I think that's something I've always been good at is, hey, this is what my expectations are, but now you take it and run with it and kind of stay out of it, right?
Speaker 2:So that they can continue to learn and do their own piece with that particular job, whether they make some changes. And I think that's the biggest thing that has been helpful, I think, through my leadership with the company is really bringing in those people, treating them like family, like people. You know. We don't yell or argue or scream. We might not just, you know, agree on everything, but very respectful conversations and just respecting each other's opinions about things. And that was not the way it was with my dad growing up through the company, totally different style, but I will say it, definitely you know. That made me, I think, the leader that I am today and why I deal with the people the way I do.
Speaker 1:Was it difficult to step out of the way? I mean again your operations at heart, so you know how to do it and you know how you want it done. Was that difficult to step back and just let other people run the show, obviously with some oversight, but was that was a challenge for you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was a challenge for me. I think the most part of the challenge was just the fact that I would still be copied on emails right when there was an issue or a certain customer or a carrier, because I worked with them direct for so many years. And again, you know I was running the sales team up until this past year too. So again, like I'm seeing things that are going on and but I will say the last probably five years from me has been a lot easier because John and the team does know what my expectations are and I really do stay out of their way. There has been a couple times John's walked into my office and I said you don't even have to tell me, I know what I did, I'll stay out of it.
Speaker 2:Because sometimes it makes it a little messy when I'm asking questions and then meanwhile he's already got a handle on it, you know and I'm just like I should have known that.
Speaker 2:But. But I will say, like I think between our you know, working together for as long as John's been with me I think 18 years now it's one of those things where you know we get each other and I trust him and he knows I trust him and he's not going to do anything that I'm not going to necessarily agree with and I'm always about do what you think is best and if it doesn't work, we'll pivot and we'll change and we'll figure it out Like it's okay to make mistakes and it's going to happen. So, yeah, I mean it definitely was challenging initially, but I would say the last few years in particular, it's, you know, knowing where I need to go with the company, and that's taken a lot of coaching on my side, with leadership coaches telling me what I need to be doing versus this. So I understand it If I want to get to where I want to go, which is a 300 plus million dollar company, top 53 PL, I have to get out of that and and continue to do what I need to do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think that's. One of the biggest lessons I learned in 2023 was that in order for us to grow, I have to get out of the way. It's like I think my theme song right now is Taylor Swift's anti-hero. You know, it's me, I'm the problem. It's me, you know. I mean that's kind of where it is, but I have to. I have to ask about something. I mean, the great Christie Connichel has a coach. You have business coaches. This is so cool. Like talk about that. Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2:So not only like reaching out to other people within the industry that I've mentored and they mentor me back. I think the biggest thing is really getting a coach. I've had a couple of coaches over the years. The last couple of years, I've worked with a woman's leadership coach, and, more intimately this past year, I found myself, though canceling and rescheduling meetings all the time, and at some point I had to say to myself like I need to stop making excuses and just really like work on it.
Speaker 2:So, even as of a month ago, through the WBENC, which is a woman business enterprise for women ownership companies, they had a webinar that I watched about the CEO mentoring company out there called Pinnacle Global Network, and John and I decided to go to LA to check this out, and it's a bunch of CEOs that help mentor you, and it's a true program.
Speaker 2:It's not even just let's get on a call and talk about your issues and how you do better. It's building out a three year plan. It's making sure that you're held accountable, them being able to help you in different ways and having access to their whole network, which they have like 400 members and then like 80 different CEOs, who are the mentors as well. So we're just starting that as well, and I think that this is going to be a really like good thing for us, because I feel like for me to get to the next level, I have to really take it serious. Not that I didn't before, but like this is where I need to be, get out of operations and all that other stuff. Like this is where I need to be to get the company to where it needs to go.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and what I love about that is, you know, when you think about growing up as a kid playing sports or in music, whatever we always have coaches. We always have teachers that are like helping us get along. For some reason, when we become adults, a lot of people think they don't need a coach anymore. Yeah, I don't know if it's ego or pride or I don't know embarrassment, I don't know what it might be to do that, but I love the fact that you have coaches in your life and you're seeking that out. I can tell you, people like yourself and so many others have helped me as an entrepreneur, to think through that. The ballast group that Nate shoots, as you know, with other entrepreneurs just so helpful to have some of those outside opinions. People are a little further down the road who can look back and help you with the journey. Where you're at, I feel like the best athletes, the best musicians in the world. They all have coaches. They all have people that are coaching them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and, like you said, doing all those other things too with the ballast group or reaching out to other CEOs, and that's all extremely important as well. But I think the biggest thing for me is I needed someone to also help hold me accountable and to get the stuff done that needs to get done. And just reaching out to some people isn't always going to get that done and having something more structured. But I agree with you, to be successful you have to. I even had a speech coach at one point and she was kind of speech coach, slash therapist too.
Speaker 2:But again, like to speak better, to present better, because you know I am who I am and sometimes I look at people and I'm just like, wow, I wish I could speak like that person or present. But I've also recognized I can get better. But I'm never going to be that person. Like they were born with some of these gifts that say I don't have, but I try to be just as authentic as I can be. But having that coach gives you confidence that you can. It's almost like having that cheerleader right, like in sports, pushing you forward. So I recommend it for everyone. If you can afford to do it, it's probably going to be the best money you ever spend.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean I just keep thinking. Like Tiger Woods has a swing coach. Serena Williams obviously is a tennis coach. You know Tom Brady had a throwing coach like he's one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. You know they got helping him throw the ball better Like it just blows me away that the great people like do everything possible to be the greatest. You know includes coaching, getting an outside perspective, which I think is just so, so, so valuable.
Speaker 1:Let me go back to one thing, though, that you said that I think is really important, and it's this idea of like getting out of the way. It's so like it's great to recruit the right people, but it is also so important that you let them run with things and kind of get out of the way. I have the same kind of issue of like if I I remember there are times where I'll ask Coleman, have you, don't forget to do this? He's like I've already done that, and I think a lot of that is is helping them, not only putting them in a position to succeed, but also giving them that sense of ownership Like this is yours to run with. Talk about how you've been able to do that. I mean this is credential logistics. You're Christie Connichell. How have you been able to get people on your team to really kind of buy into like really owning their area of the business, owning what they're doing?
Speaker 2:I think part of it is Everyone wants to do that, and I think part of it was me not realizing that people want that accountability, they want that ownership, they want to be able to show that they can do it in just letting go. I think it's setting the expectations up front so that they know again your mission, vision and how you handle things, and then you just have to release it and let them do it. And honestly, like I said, over time it's been challenging but I've really held myself back because you really see people shine when you do that. And we've had that issue even more recently with our middle management, which we got them all leadership coaching as well and put them through programs, and part of it was us letting go, like even John now too, like I'm letting go to John Now John needs to let go to the management that we have and letting them do it Instead of I need to do it.
Speaker 2:I could get it done faster or whatever it might be, but it's interesting because we saw them level up and step up when we just said this is what we need to do, because the core group of people that are with me in middle management have also been with me. You know eight to maybe 18 plus years as well. So all they know is working with us in a small company growing to the size we are today. But this is what we're doing to get to this size and we're now going to put this in your hands and trust that. You've worked with us long enough. You know how we expect things to be done, but put your little swing on it and how you want to make some changes, and I think that's the biggest thing Like people just blossom when you let go as a leader.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think you're absolutely right about that, you know, and it's difficult, but it's so powerful to do that. It's really really important. Ok, one more topic before we have fun and play a game, all right, so you mentioned the idea of creating a family like environment. This is a controversial topic because some people say, hey, business isn't a family, you'd never fire your family. So some people like team. But some people say, hey, we want to treat you like family. So how do you balance that out in the fact of like you want it to feel like a family In the day? It's also business. People have to perform. If my daughter doesn't necessarily perform tomorrow, she's still in the family.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:How do you balance the idea of like being a family but also being like a well-oiled machine, a championship team?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean it's interesting because I think again, like from the family aspect, it's treating people with respect, you know, because I always sit there and I talk to John sometimes about, well, not every family is like great, Like they have their issues.
Speaker 1:True, some are pretty dislikeful.
Speaker 2:Yes, Sometimes it's like you talk about that. It's this great thing being around family, but we all have our challenges and issues, and I think it's creating that environment that it's OK that we're not going to always agree. We're going to have differences and talk through it respectively to each other when those things come up and I think that that's at the end of the day they know what the expectations are, but if things go wrong or if they go right, we celebrate it, we talk about it, we get through it together as a team, and I think that that's probably the biggest thing that we've been able to create within the company and having that open door policy, so to speak. Like, yes, I'm very busy, but if people want to talk to me, they have access to me.
Speaker 2:Or John, just being able to speak and say what you need to say. Like, even if we make a decision and they don't agree with it, well, tell me why you don't. Like, for example, we're moving to the new building here in August and John sent out an email to the group like, hey, we've got to pick out furniture, but we're not going to be sitting in it, so we want your opinions on what you guys all want to use, so including them. Inclusivity is huge, I think, within a company, including them in decision making when it comes to things that affect them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, it's really important too. It takes so much effort. I think this is where I think the crux of the matter is. It takes so much effort to be a high-functioning team but also care about people enough that they feel like their family, and kind of balancing both of those is really really difficult. But you're right, when you give choices, when you give, allow them to have input into certain things, I think it also increases that level of ownership.
Speaker 1:We just rebranded beta consulting group, which is really a fun process, but it was the team that initiated that, that did all of that, and I think at first they were a little reluctant. They're like this is Trey's brand. Is he going to be offended by us wanting to rebrand? And I totally could have been.
Speaker 1:But we've been talking about how I got to get out of the business a little bit, how I have to kind of step back a little bit, those types of things, and so it was almost like the first test of that philosophy. Well, I just get out of the way and let this happen. I'm so glad that I did, because the logo that they came up with is just awesome. I mean I love it. It's just so much fun to have on there and that gave them a sense of ownership, a greater level of ownership, by doing that. So I was able to see this firsthand. But I just think it takes a lot of effort to have the high-performance team aspect but also care about people enough that, at the end of the day, the people, their family would care about them. We want them to be healthy and happy and successful in all those things.
Speaker 2:I agree, and I think the other point to add to that too is when you have your core group of people having that instilled in them at a young point in the company as you continue to grow, I think the problem's always how do you continue to have that environment? And I feel to do that you have to have that core group of people that are still with you. Hopefully that can continue that on, and even me as a leader, obviously, and John as a leader in the company, but you have to continue to always show up, be there on our monthly meetings. I talk about the values all the time. So again, it is work. It's always going to be work. It's never said it and forget it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's true. There's no said it and forget it in business. I'm learning that pretty rapidly, pretty quickly. All right, listen, we've got to pause and play a game. When we come back we're going to talk a little bit about what you're doing for women in the industry, which I think is so powerful, but we've got to have a little fun. So we're going to play a game today that is called what's Song?
Speaker 1:Ok, christy, here's how the game is going to play. Ok, we've got some 90s rock music queued up, all right, and we got five seconds queued up. But here's the deal. So we're going to play a little name that tune kind of a little challenge. So we're going to start at five seconds. We'll let you start. So if you think you can name the song in five seconds, you're going to say name the song, I can name it five seconds. If I think I can do it in four, I'll say I think I can do it in four. At some point one of us has to say OK, go for it, good luck, and we'll see who can name the most tunes. All right. So again, we got five seconds max and then it's going to go down and we'll see who can name. So let's start with you. Do you think you can name the first song in five seconds?
Speaker 2:Sure, why not?
Speaker 1:OK, I think I can do it in four seconds. I don't know what it is, by the way, I don't know what the song is going to be, just so you know.
Speaker 2:All right.
Speaker 1:You want me to go for it? Do you think you can do it in three?
Speaker 2:I'll do it in three.
Speaker 1:All right name that tune. Let's go. What song? What song is it? Let's go, Christy, Can I try? I want to see this. Here we go Three seconds.
Speaker 2:Was it Green Day.
Speaker 1:Ooh, you know that is Green Day. You're right about that. Yes, look at that it is Green Day, nice, look at that.
Speaker 2:I'm not always good with the song names, but knowing in the actual bands is probably better.
Speaker 1:Hey, listen, we're going to give it to you. That was impressive, Isn't it amazing? How you can just hear like the first note I heard, I was like that's Green Day, all right, ok, I've got the next one. I'm going to start the next one. I can definitely name the next song in five seconds.
Speaker 2:All right, I'll let you have it Okay.
Speaker 1:Creep, that is creep. Is that Radiohead? It is. Look at that. Oh, come on. Although that was definitely not five seconds, I only got like two seconds on that song.
Speaker 2:No, and I knew it was creep, but Radiohead, I wouldn't have gotten right away.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I got lucky on that one. That one just kind of popped into my head Okay, all right, it's one to one. Christy Connicholl, you get the next one. You got five. Can you do it in five seconds? I'll try, I'll try.
Speaker 2:All right here we go.
Speaker 1:Three seconds, here you go. Ooh, that's a tough one. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:That's a tough one.
Speaker 1:I mean like poison or warrant.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's oh man, I don't know that.
Speaker 1:I could steal it. I don't even know if I can. I can steal that one. I feel like, as soon as they, as soon as they say it, we're going to know what it is. I don't know. Let's hear the full five seconds. Let's go five seconds. Let's see. Here we go. Let's see Jessie's girl.
Speaker 2:Daradaradaradaradarada, oh gosh no that's not Jessie's girl.
Speaker 1:Daradaradaradaradarada. Oh, it's killing me. Okay, what?
Speaker 2:is it? We can't get it.
Speaker 1:We don't know this one. What is it? What's that? What's that? What's that? Oh, I don't know. What is it? What's the title? No, just give us, just give us the. There we go. Oh, it's Green Day again. That doesn't sound like it. It is. Yeah, it's Baskin Case. Yeah, I know that one. It's on the CD Longview. It's a great album. Oh man, that's a bummer. All right, we missed that one, okay, all right. Okay, let's go ahead and turn that song off, all right. So I get to start the next one here. So I think I can do the next one in five. I'm doubting myself now after that one, but I think I can do the next one in five seconds, can?
Speaker 2:you hear it.
Speaker 1:All right, here we go. Five seconds, here we go. Oh yeah, this is Weezer baby. This is Weezer Buddy Holly. Weezer Buddy Holly. Come on, okay, so can I share with you a funny story Yep.
Speaker 1:My freshman year college. This album was huge. This is the blue album All right, the Weezer blue album. And my buddy had some 12 inch speakers in the back of his car when we got to school. He's my roommate, so we got to school and got into our room, we took him out of the car, put him in the room, hooked him up and we were cranking this and sublime, and you know 311. I mean as loud as possible, like you know.
Speaker 1:You know just as loud as possible doing like my calculus homework, my physics homework, so like I was, that kid down the hall that was just cranking Weezer doing homework, like there was no headphones back then it was just. I mean, it was loud, it was fun. It's not that cool. I'll never forget that. Okay, all right.
Speaker 2:So I'm at two year one.
Speaker 1:I would need to see a company. I'm at two year one. I would need to see a comeback here.
Speaker 2:Christy Can you do the next one in five seconds.
Speaker 1:I don't know. I'll try. I'm giving it to you. Let's go, let's see it, it's a good one. Yes, yes, I'm just horrible with the name.
Speaker 2:Like I know, I think I know the name.
Speaker 1:Let me, let me guess before, before the banner comes up. You got it. I know the words to the song and everything.
Speaker 2:I know the words to the song and everything Sometimes.
Speaker 1:I feel like I don't have a partner. That's right, all right. So I think it's under the bridge.
Speaker 2:Yep, I usually get one or the other, I'm probably never going to get both.
Speaker 1:It's impressive though. I mean it's impressive, I mean it's like it's amazing. Okay, so that. So you got that one. So it was two to two. Now how many more rounds do we have? Can we get an update on how many rounds we have on this thing, because I think I got the next one, but we're going to, we're going to, we're going to have to wait for a few seconds, for sure. All right, so can you do it?
Speaker 2:in four we have eight rounds.
Speaker 1:Let me go. All right, here we go, my turn, here we go. What's the next song? Music, music, music Music. I think that's Pearl Jam. It is Pearl Jam, pearl Jam. Now is that.
Speaker 2:Jeremy.
Speaker 1:No, it's Pearl Jam. It's Pearl Jam. It's Pearl Jam for sure. What is the name of this song? It's on the 10 album.
Speaker 2:I know it's on 10. Yeah, I will never probably get both, but I knew that was Pearl Jam.
Speaker 1:All right, what's the song name? That's such a good song. Even Flo, even Flo, yeah, yeah, that's a good one. Okay, all right. So it's three to two and we've got, I think we have two more rounds, so two more rounds, so you got to get this one to keep it going, all right. So can you name this one in five seconds Music? I'll bet you can.
Speaker 2:Let's try.
Speaker 1:Let's try, here we go. You got it, cheers.
Speaker 2:The cake.
Speaker 1:Ooh, do you know that one?
Speaker 2:I want to say it sounds like cake.
Speaker 1:It does sound a little like cake. I could also go a different route, but it does have kind of got a cake sound to it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, is that your final?
Speaker 1:answer there's your one. Yeah, there's no way All right, let's see what is it? What do we got? Oh, it's a Weezer song. Another Weezer song I did not get that one.
Speaker 2:You're tricking us. You're tricking us because it's so different.
Speaker 1:I know that was definitely a different Weezer song the Weezer was one of my favorites back in the day.
Speaker 1:I know I feel bad that we didn't know that one. All right, well, let's do this Final. I think this is the final round, or do we have two more rounds? Let me know. Final round, here we go. We're going to make this one worth two points. Whoever can get it first. Okay, so we're both going to go. So it's anybody's game. Still, here we go. All right, let's go. We're both going to go at the same time. Here we go.
Speaker 2:Bring our Blink 182. Rock show.
Speaker 1:Is that Blink 182? Is that right I?
Speaker 2:don't know if it's Rock Show, but I know it's Blink 182.
Speaker 1:Okay is that correct?
Speaker 2:Yeah, what's my?
Speaker 1:Okay, congratulations, christy Kinnichel, you have won this episode of what Song? You know the 90s song is a little bit better than I do. That's a nice little throwback, isn't it? I mean, the 90s rock music was some of the best.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, absolutely. You don't hear much of it.
Speaker 1:you know anymore on the radio, so I think there were more one hit wonders in the 90s than almost any era, it seems like, because everybody at that point was able to kind of form their own band and start recording their own music, I think more than previously. So you had all these bands that would form and do one album and probably break up. I don't know, they only had one good song, made the radio and that was it. You know there's a ton of those out there. There were a lot of really good ones with that, but anyways, that was a fun game. Thanks for playing along.
Speaker 2:I appreciate it.
Speaker 1:All right, let's talk a little bit about what you're doing for women in the industry. These are my favorite parts of you as a human being, my friends, because you know, not only are you helping just anybody who really reaches out and asks you for help, but you're really focused on helping women in the industry Because, let's just be honest, it's been a tougher road for women in our industry, and so talk about where that kind of passion came from to help out and some of the things that you're doing. I know there's a lot that's going on. Let's talk about all the things you're doing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think the biggest part is, you know, being a woman in a male-dominated industry. When I started at a young age, it was very challenging for me, so I didn't have a whole lot of support, a whole lot of help, and I think you know that help came a lot longer or a lot further in my career. And now I think, with social media out there COVID kind of, I think, put a lot more people out there on the podcast and whatnot, where there's a lot more visibility to it, and I think my passion for it really comes from the fact of not having that help early on. And I want to be able to help those other people out there, whether they're men or women, to continue to evolve in their career, maybe not make the same mistakes that I made. So you know, and that's why it's so important to me and just the struggles that I went through too, and I don't want to see people go through struggles if they don't have to.
Speaker 1:Yeah right, my daddy's stories tell me there's two ways to learn in life. You can learn from your own mistakes or from others, and one is less painful. So you know, learning from other people's experiences I think is really, really important to do that. You know I've gotten involved with women in trucking, been to that conference a couple of times and as a girl dad I mean I got two daughters. Like I really feel. Like you know, I wish that I would have had a different perspective earlier in my career.
Speaker 1:But certainly, as I see my daughters growing up, I realized that people like yourself and Nicole Glenn and, you know, shelly Simpson and so many others are really paving the way for my kids, for the opportunities that they're going to have someday, whether it's in this industry or in other industries, and so I'm so thankful and so grateful for people like yourself who are the pioneers, but also not just looking out for your own interests but also trying to help as many women as you can. To make it a more standard thing. I mean, obviously truck driving is a little bit more challenging for women. I get that from a safety perspective, for sure, and parking and all those kind of issues but there's so many great opportunities in this industry, that women do awesome work, and so it's like just exposing them to that, letting them know they can do that, putting them in positions to succeed. I think those things are just really important in our industry to let women know this is an industry for them. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely, and I think that's the biggest message, because there's so many different opportunities and jobs out there that they can excel in and these companies need to invite more women into those positions, because I know there's statistics out there and I don't have them in front of me, but where women in C-suite as well can help bring a lot more profitability to the bottom line.
Speaker 2:And I think a lot of it too is about, like you said, on the truck driving side in particular. But making sure women feel comfortable, because the way that the industry has been over the years, even within some of the brokerages where it's kind of a fraternity type set up, so to speak, making sure you have enough women within the organization and understanding that everyone within the organization how they need to act towards each other, not just the women but like everyone as a whole and the whole respect part of it, just because I've seen all different things happen throughout my career where some women you know they leave the industry and they're kind of like I don't want to come back because of some experiences they've had.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think that's really important, and so let's talk about some of the things that you're doing. So you're part of the Ladies Leadership Coalition podcast with Nicole Glenn and some others as well, and then you're also doing a few other things as well. So talk about some of the things that you're a part of and how you're really trying to be, take the initiative to help other women in the industry.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I do a lot of mentoring and I think initially it started off doing mentoring Monday a long time ago with in the Pittsburgh area, and then obviously other women reaching out to me being a mentor. And then obviously the Ladies Leadership Coalition started with Nicole Glenn, and that's really about giving back and helping women and making sure they understand we're here to support them, ask questions, whatever they need from us, which I think is huge. And then recently I just started a podcast, or a co-host with Jeff Dickinson he has a daughter as well and same thing in empowering women in logistics. And it's not even just about the women, it's how can the men step in and help, how can they be a part of this process as well, and what can we do, or what our company is doing, what more needs to be done? And I think there's a lot of change that's going on. It just needs to continue to change and we need to continue just to get better at it.
Speaker 2:And then, alongside that too, I also work with local address for success, chatham's University Women in Entrepreneurship. We work with Carnegie Mellon University's Women in Business group. I'm actually the keynote speaker to their whole conference on Saturday. Wow, yeah, thank you. So a lot of it is really just paving that way, like you said, and showing women like you can do this, like there's support out there for you as well and kind of reach out to us and we're welcoming to have those conversations and things you need to work on to maybe get to that next level. So it's a lot of exciting stuff to me, because I didn't have any of that for myself.
Speaker 2:So, the fact that I can give back and do that I think is important, and then encouraging other women to do the same thing. That I'm positions as myself.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think that's actually a really great experience. To help you become a great leader is to understand what you didn't have and to really think through that in terms of providing that for the people behind you, and how can you provide leadership and support and encouragement that you didn't have when you're going through just to help them along. That's great. So very proud of you for all the things that you're doing and I just love the initiatives that you're taking in the industry to help women out and really can pave the way for all the girls that are growing up right now that are going to someday be looking for opportunities, and I think there's going to be a lot of great ones in our industry because of people like you. So thank you so much for what you're doing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely Appreciate that.
Speaker 1:Are we going to see you on the road anywhere coming up? Are you going to TIA? Are you going to broker carry summit? Where are we going to see you? We got to get a picture together.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So the next event, though, is actually the big WBENC event in Denver, which I know most people probably won't be at, because that's a woman owned organization, but there's usually 4,000, 5,000 people that are attending that's big. Yes, supplier diversity, whatnot, but after that I will be at the TIA. I'm on the Intermodal Committee still on the panel, we have the Intermodal Lunch but also working with the women. They have a women lunch as well and a women's committee.
Speaker 1:Which is the best lunch at TIA?
Speaker 2:It's phenomenal, I go to that every year.
Speaker 1:It's been incredible.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's great to see all the men that are supporting the women as well in those areas.
Speaker 1:So yeah, we're part of the Girl Dad gang. We got to make it happen.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly. So that's where I will be next Broker Carrier Summit. I won't be there, but my brother will be there, so if you're there, Beautiful.
Speaker 1:Yes, you haven't seen him in a while.
Speaker 1:We got to get Jared in the golf tournament. We got a new golf tournament that post-emprey classic. It's going to be a blast, so it'll be fun. I'll have to talk to him about that. Well, Christy. Hey, thank you so much for again, for all you're doing and thanks for jumping on the show to talk about leadership and share your experiences. So excited to always have you on the program. I want to get you back on here real soon. Can't wait to see you on the road, my friend.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thank you, I appreciate it.
Speaker 1:All right, we'll talk to you real soon.
Speaker 2:Sure.
Speaker 1:All right, everybody. Hey, make sure you come back again every Tuesday for another episode of Standing Out with people just like Christy, just amazing guests talking about their experiences on the show and really on how you can stand out in your respective field Every Tuesday on YouTube, if you're all of our content, be sure to subscribe to our channel, the Beta Podcast Network Beta Unusual Podcast Network. Subscribe to that for all of our content and remember, stop standing still or standing out. We'll see you then.