Secrets to Scaling a Courier Business with High Margins | Mike Gualtieri Interview

We kick off Season 3 with a legend in the final mile industry — Mike Gualtieri, a Hall of Famer, past CLDA President, and the founder of Pro Courier. From starting out in 1980 as a Sky Courier sales rep to building and exiting Connecticut Courier, to launching Pro Courier, Mike has seen the courier industry evolve from paper-heavy overnight runs to mission-critical cold chain and same-day work. 01:58 Introduction and Guest Welcome 02:27 A Memorable Phone Call 04:00 Pro Courier Overview 05:26 Impact of COVID-19 on Business 10:27 Refrigerated Trucking Services 13:55 Mike's Career Journey 20:47 Starting Connecticut Courier 26:05 Selling to US Delivery Systems 27:29 The Early Days and Initial Challenges 27:58 Role After Selling the Business 28:22 Acquisition and Expansion Challenges 29:52 Working with Former Competitors 31:43 Lessons from US Delivery 32:36 Transition to Pro Courier 35:20 Navigating Non-Compete Clauses 36:40 Involvement in State Economic Development 38:39 Independent Contractor Challenges 41:42 Maintaining Profitability 46:52 Family and Succession Planning 49:18 Final Thoughts and Future of Final Mile 51:44 Onboard Courier Service 📈 This is a masterclass in growth, discipline, and saying “no” to protect the bottom line. 🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe for more leadership insights and behind-the-scenes of the last mile! #LastToFirst #FinalMile #CourierLife #MikeGualtieri #ProCourier #LastMileDelivery #CLDA #LogisticsPodcast ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 👉 Be sure to subscribe to the Las2First Podcast for more game-changing conversations with industry leaders. Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@Last2FirstPodcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3gDS58wo6IWeLl48LHukdP?si=gmhv7Lh8QvyY5xxFS9ZpPA Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/hn/podcast/last2first-podcast/id1778491941 And don’t forget to follow Michael and his team at Pro Courier on social media for more inspiration and updates!🔗🚚 https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelgualtieri1/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/procourier-inc./ https://www.pro-courier.com/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 📲 Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/last2firstpodcast?igsh=amhhMDU1OXpwejZ2 Facebook: facebook.com/last2firstpodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/last2firstpodcast/ 👉 Like, comment, and share to spread the word about the Last2First Podcast! Together, we grow. 🚀 #Las2First #PodcastLaunch #Dropoff #LeadershipJourney #businessgrowth ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shoutout to our sponsors: DFRNT Delivers https://deliverdifferent.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/deliverdfrnt/ Dropoff Inc. https://www.dropoff.com/ [email protected] +1-888-376-7633 GigSafe https://www.gigsafe.com/ +1 407-496-9882 Don't forget to follow them too! 🙌🚀