The real bottleneck in freight technology isn’t innovation — it’s adoption, misaligned incentives, and the absence of ownership over cultural change. Jeff Dangelo has lived every side of that problem: early at TQL, helping scale MegaCorp Logistics, founding the freight collaboration platform Turvo, and now leading Fura as CEO.
In this episode, Jeff breaks down what really makes brokerages scale (and where common models break), why most “digital transformation” initiatives stall, and how Fura’s acquisition strategy targets underperforming brokerages and gets them from manual to digital in a matter of months. We dig into the trust-building required to integrate teams, how to decide whether to build vs buy software, and why AI can shrink the adoption gap by running “in parallel” with people — not forcing everyone to change overnight.
What you’ll learn
- How freight brokerages actually scale: Why TQL “played the percentages,” built a culture engine, and used hiring + activity math to compound growth.
- Cradle-to-grave vs team-based brokerage models: What breaks in the classic spin-out approach, and how MegaCorp kept teams intact to protect continuity and service.
- Why most digital transformations fail: The real blocker isn’t software — it’s behavior change, incentives, and lack of discovery/business-case selling.
- Fura’s M&A thesis in a down cycle: The three seller buckets, why “losing money or break-even” firms can be ideal, and how Fura modernizes fast.
- How to integrate culture without breaking it: The “earn trust” approach — engagement loops, surveys, all-hands, and executive sponsorship.
- Build vs buy decision-making: The matrix Fura uses (speed, business case, differentiation/IP) to decide what to own vs partner for.
- Network-based selling in freight: How Fura maps nodes (vendors/customers/suppliers), uses proof of impact, and links sales + ops to drive adoption.
- AI as an adoption accelerator: Why AI can run in parallel with people to reduce friction — and how that reshapes brokerage into a more strategic model.
Time-stamped highlights
- (00:00) Tech Adoption and the Manual-to-Digital Gap
- (01:00) Jeff Dangelo’s Freight and Tech Background
- (04:00) Early TQL and Boiler Room Culture
- (07:00) TQL’s Hiring and Scaling Engine
- (10:00) Data-Driven Growth and Hurricane Interns
- (14:00) The Cradle-to-Grave Churn Problem
- (18:00) MegaCorp’s Team-Based Fix
- (23:00) Selling Freight vs Selling Software
- (28:00) Turvo and the Adoption Challenge
- (33:00) Fura’s Consolidation Strategy
- (37:00) The Three Seller Buckets
- (41:00) Structuring Turnaround Deals
- (45:00) The Integration Trust Playbook
- (48:30) Standardizing Systems at Scale
- (50:30) Build vs Buy Decisions
- (51:30) The Future of Brokerage With AI
- (52:04) Closing Thoughts on Execution Over Vision
Guest
Jeff Dangelo — Co-Founder and CEO, Fura
Jeff is a freight industry veteran with 20+ years across brokerage, technology, and M&A. He helped scale TQL and MegaCorp Logistics, founded Turvo, and now leads Fura, where the team acquires and modernizes brokerages by combining automation, execution, and disciplined integration.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-dangelo-8a7107a/Links & references
- Fura: Brokerage + modernization platform focused on acquiring and digitizing underperforming brokerages — https://fura.com/
- Turvo: Freight collaboration platform Jeff founded focused on shared workflows across shippers, brokers, and carriers — https://turvo.com/
- TQL: High-output brokerage known for systems-driven hiring, training, and culture — https://www.tql.com/
- MegaCorp Logistics: Brokerage scaled with a more team-based operating model and continuity focus — https://www.megacorplogistics.com/
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What is The Freight Show?
The Freight Show brings stories of freight and logistics leaders who’ve shaped the industry. Through in-depth conversations, we explore their journeys, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the insights that have driven their success. Each episode uncovers the lessons, strategies, and wisdom of these freight leaders.