Life and Work with Miranda Bender and Laura Lysacek

Today we’d like to introduce you to Miranda Bender and Laura Lysacek.

Broker Babes is a partnership formed on February 1st, 2018 by two Arizona residents, Miranda Bender and Laura Lysacek. The company is a freight brokerage connecting manufacturers with motor carriers throughout the United States and Canada. Owner Laura, graduating from ASU with a BA in Communication and a minor in journalism, set out on a career in television. It wasn’t until an internship program with a well-known TV network did she realize this line of work wasn’t her passion. A new mom in a crossroads, she expanded her job search to encompass a variety of new industries. During that time, a newly formed 3rd party logistics company was looking for individuals with little to no experience who were open to learning the field. Laura accepted their offer and thus began her career in logistics.

By working in a multitude of departments, she gained vast industry knowledge and flourished within sales. It wasn’t long before Laura’s profit margin brought her into the top 10th percentile within the company. The second half and owner, Miranda, began her professional career working as a director in Hospitality. She quickly rose to VP of operations where she oversaw a multi-million dollar resort. However, even with her rapid success within the industry, she knew to work for someone else wasn’t what she desired. From a young age, she had the dream of starting her own business which ultimately prompted her to leave her position at the resort. Feeling uncertain about her future, she decided to travel the world in search of clarity and inspiration. Upon her return, a need for a sustainable income leads (led) her to search for a career within a new field. She was offered an inside sales position within a 3PL where she happens (happened) to meet Laura. Being some of the only females to work at the company it wasn’t long before they became best friends.

After several years within the industry, both women began to feel as though they could be successful in starting their own venture as a team. The stars aligned! Their unique perspectives as women, passion for success and entrepreneurial mindsets lead them to the creation of Broker Babes.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Having a successful startup takes work and by no means did we expect our first year in 2018 to be easy. At the time we started our brokerage we both had outstanding non-solicit agreements in place from previous 3PLs resulting in building our book of business from the ground up. We hit the phones cold calling right away and slowly started getting new business. Some of our initial customers have faced cash flow issues, freight loss, and damage claims, etc. resulting in invoices not being paid to us in a timely matter or at all. From the very start, we were worried about sustaining our current lifestyles with a mortgage, rent, car payments, student loans, and the daily essentials. After struggling financially for months, we made the decision to become roommates to cut costs and have the ability to continue to expand our brokerage. February 2019 marked our first year in business and we are continuing to grow month over month. We embrace the struggles as much as the successes because ultimately they both make us stronger as business partners and friends.

The best advice we could give other women looking to start their own business is that there is no “right” time to go for it. Taking the leap of faith from corporate America with a salary and benefits to being an entrepreneur is stressful and challenging no matter how prepared you think you are. When it comes to starting your own business, the financial burden can be a lot to bare but being willing to make sacrifices now will hopefully lead you to the future and growth you desire.

“We didn’t have it all figured out then and we don’t have it all figured out now.” -Broker Babes

Please tell us about Broker Babes.
As freight brokers, it is our job to connect manufacturers with motor carriers throughout the United States and Canada. We facilitate the transportation of goods by utilizing our carrier relationships for the demands of our customers. While some people broker houses, we broker truckloads. We specialize in moving industrial and agricultural commodities, but have a hand is some of the most common household goods. Whether we’re delivering goods for the expansion of Disneyland’s Tomorrow Land, clay for the Chicago Cubs Wrigley Field, or the water bottle on your desk we are fascinated by this high-demand, high-dollar, stress-filled industry. We are (Our) unique marketing and social media presence are what set us apart from the competition. By leveraging our social media presence, we are able to build stronger carrier relationships which in turn get better rates and service for our customers.

Who have you been inspired by?
Our biggest inspiration is actually each other. There are a number of amazing women that have paved the way for our generation, but when it comes down to who inspired us to take that leap and start our own business it was each other. Had it not been for each of us encouraging and motivating the other I don’t think we’d be where we are today. Life can be challenging and having someone in your corner that believes in you is sometimes all you need.

Contact Info:

• Phone: 480-653-6302
• Email: brokerbabesaz@gmail.com
• Instagram: @brokerbabes

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.