Final Mile Masterclass: Distribution, Medical, IC Model & Margins
In this episode, Jason sits down with Jim Bernecker, President & Chief Sales Officer of Relay Express, to unpack how a regional courier scaled across Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Louisville—and how they balance on-demand, medical/pharma routes, and a large-vehicle distribution arm. You’ll hear how Relay built density with cross-dock operations, why they’ve supported the independent contractor (IC) model for 39 years, how they vet master contractors, and the playbook Jim uses to bid, price, and protect margins—even as gig platforms push prices down. We also get into ECA/CLDA marketplace strategy, compliance/chain of custody, and developing young talent for 24/7 operations. Direct quotes from Jim: “They handed me a pager, an atlas, and a Chamber of Commerce directory.” “First success was… a cross dock… sweep at 3:00 PM → sort → next-day by noon.” What you’ll learn ✅Building a hybrid carrier: on-demand, medical/pharma, and truck distribution Cross-dock economics: sorting, next-day by noon, returns & pallet (skid) costs ✅IC vs. gig: compliance, chain of custody, quality and margin impact ✅Master contractors: when they work, how to vet, and backups/overage ✅Route design & pricing: contribution margin by account, daily/weekly reviews ✅Enterprise expansion: how one customer pulls you into new markets (the right way) ✅ECA marketplace & CLDA advocacy: turning conferences into real revenue ✅Talent: hiring for curiosity/work ethic, college recruiting, 24/7 expectations 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: Spotify 🎧 https://open.spotify.com/show/3gDS58wo6IWeLl48LHukdP?si=gmhv7Lh8QvyY5xxFS9ZpPA Apple Podcasts 🍎 https://podcasts.apple.com/hn/podcast/last2first-podcast/id1778491941 YouTube ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@Last2FirstPodcast 💼 Connect with our guest: 🔗 Jim Bernecker —https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-bernecker-20932213/ 📌 Shoutout to our Sponsors! Dropoff Inc. https://www.dropoff.com/ [email protected] +1 888-376-7633 GigSafe https://www.gigsafe.com/ +1 407-496-9882 Deliver Different https://deliverdifferent.com/