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Meet Chris Coady of Evolved Logistics International in Mesa

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Coady.

Chris, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started my shipping career working for UPS as a package handler in 2007 and left as a Senior Account Executive. During those years I realized that there was and still is room for improvement in the quality of service and cost of shipping. After leaving UPS in 2014 I established ELI and started working with larger shippers to create a consolidated shipping model that helps to improve the service and lower the cost for small businesses.

After about a year and half of getting the model off the ground, we were ready to open up our first shipping store. We now offer lower cost options for shipping to the public as well as to small businesses. Each day we run pickup routes for our business customers while offering fulfillment and packing/shipping services to our store customers. We operate two shipping stores in Mesa while using each location as a mini-hub for our consolidation services. We have six employees between the two stores and the ELI consolidation business.

In 2018 we are offering package and packaging materials at a lower cost to compliment our shipping model. We have grown our purchasing power and now plan on helping our business and shipping store customers to save even more by lowering the cost of their packaging materials.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has been a roller coaster ride. There have been some very stressful times and then very exciting times. Summer can be a slower time of the year and as we add more stores and tracks the costs of maintaining the business grow.

Increasing the overhead can lead to a lot of pressure but our model is strong and the big picture is our focus. Each month we make new gains, add customers, and grow our revenues. Finding the right people to help grow the business has been challenging but we have a strong dedicated team. We work to give incentives to everyone on the team so they can work to improve their lives while helping others.

We believe in doing the right thing and strive to give everyone on the team the ability to do just that. There are times where we must resolve difficult shipping situations and that can sometimes be a struggle. At the end of the day, it is shipping and we can always do right by our customers. The challenge is to be able to keep everyone happy without having to pay out too much money in the process.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Evolved Logistics International – what should we know?
On the retail side, we are a discounted Shipping Store. We offer lower shipping costs, more affordable packaging and we do not charge to package items up. Our differentiator is value. We provide the better service at a lower cost than you can find anywhere else. Our customers love it and we love hearing that we have made their day. It’s very nice to hear and see the positive feedback from both new and returning customers.

On the business side, we offer small businesses the ability to save between 30-40% off of their current shipping spend. Most small businesses do not have the shipping volume to warrant very good rates which keeps them from being competitive. We help them to compete in the marketplace by lowering the cost to ship each box. As we roll out our box and packaging materials program we plan to help them save even further. We are like the Expedia of shipping and packaging and that is what sets us apart.

Savings the public and small businesses money while providing a better service is what I’m most proud of. Our team makes me proud because each one of them believes in what we are doing and loves to help support the American Dream. It’s great to have a positive impact on so many others by believing that we can make a difference.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My wife deserves the most credit. She is the one who has to experience the whole “entrepreneur” lifestyle. She has to deal with the ups and downs and the good days and the bad ones. During the first year or two, she worked to support us while the business grew slowly. Now she is the mother of our son who was born just a year or so of the business being founded. She currently helps to manage the books while being able to work out of the home office. It is so nice to have such a strong supporter who also believes in me, the business and our future. Without her support, we would not be the success that we are today.

Our team deserves credit as well. They work very hard and are very dedicated to the success of the business. Each one of them has strengths in different areas and brings those strengths to work daily. Our culture at ELI forces all of us to be very involved in both the present state of the business as well as the future. Their belief in the model and the future of ELI deserves a lot of credit. Ranging from running the shipping stores to operating the truck routes they help on multiple levels. The business is complex and is not something one person can manage on their own, without our team believing in what we do we would not be here either.

Our business customers support us and offer great referrals. Even our store customers spread the word about our stores often. It is support from those we see and work with daily that helps us to grow and help others. It’s exciting to know we will grow our customer base which will further grow our network of strong supporters.

Pricing:

  • At our stores, we ship citrus and moving boxes for $1/lb over 20lbs
  • On the business side, we help to cut the cost of shipping by 30-40%
  • We pack for free and beat Ebay and Etsy rates for larger boxes through our Shipping Stores

Contact Info:

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.

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