{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Freight Show","title":"Jordan Strawn (Werner) on Building a $400M Brokerage and What Actually Matters in M&A","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2880,"description":"Most freight M&A deals look great on paper—but execution is where they succeed or fall apart. So what actually matters when you’re integrating teams, systems, culture, and operations while the market is turning against you? Jordan Strawn has lived every phase of that journey. He joined Reed Transport Services in 2015 when it was a $70M Tampa-based brokerage and helped scale it to $400M before Werner acquired the business in 2022. As COO through the growth years and now Senior Vice President of Logistics at Werner, Jordan has seen the full arc firsthand: scaling the company, navigating buyer interest, managing diligence, and leading integration on the other side of the deal. In this conversation, Jordan shares what made Reed an attractive acquisition target, how they built with discipline instead of chasing growth for growth’s sake, and what it really takes to make M&A work after the deal closes. He also breaks down the operational mindset behind successful integration, why process matters more than buzzwords, how Werner structured the business post-acquisition, and why power-only and refrigerated logistics are strategic parts of the company’s broader offering. What you’ll learn: - Why Reed became an attractive acquisition target: how service quality, repeatable execution, and strength in food & beverage and produce helped make the company stand out - What actually matters in M&A: how leadership teams think through diligence, cultural fit, employee continuity, and post-close execution - How to scale without losing focus: why Reed prioritized lane density, operational discipline, and core competencies over chasing every growth opportunity - What changes after an acquisition: the shift from operating a private business to leading inside a public company environment - Why process is a competitive advantage: how documented workflows, training, accountability, and tech-enabled visibility create operational consistency - How Werner approached integration: aligning...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/f0lw4441guZC8PqbG1LeEKiz-6dFl98YZjNUQNRMTjU/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS80M2Vl/NThjZmRkZTYyNWU2/YzkyNGYyZmNiZjU2/ZWIyOC5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}