Meet Julia Macaluso of GR8FR8 Logistics

Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Macaluso.

Hi Julia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a proud Arizona native and grew up in Tucson, AZ. The oldest of five children, I naturally grew up as a leader and have always looked for the good in situations. When we lost our mother suddenly in 1993, I learned at the young age of 14 that life isn’t fair and that resiliency and being able to pivot and stay positive is KEY.

I hold a BA in Early Childhood Education from the University of Arizona and taught second grade and kindergarten for many years. In 2014, after my father passed away from a long battle with H1N1, I decided to explore a new career path in logistics. My husband, Nick, had been in the industry 20+ years and we knew together something GR8 could come from our combined past experiences and strong relationships.

In 2018, when one door closed and another opened- we officially started GR8FR8 Logistics. We knew we wanted to be women-owned and that my Hispanic heritage would be an advantage. We survived our first few years in business where many fail and even thrived during a global pandemic. We were featured in a local documentary (Closed for Covid) and continued to take GR8 care of our employees, customers, and community.

I am an active member of the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and serve as the Chair of the Women Empowered Committee and as an Ambassador and mentor for new members.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I LOVE the quote: “I am thankful for my struggle because, without it, I wouldn’t have stumbled upon my strength.”

It certainly has NOT been a smooth road and I can say with confidence I am a much STRONGER & WISER individual because of it! We knew starting our own business wouldn’t be easy and would require not only financial backing, but also a lot of hard work, dedication, and creativity.

As a new business owner, it is hard to secure loans or funding, so we ended up cashing our retirement/savings and even using a home equity loan to have operating cash flow. One of the many silver linings of COVID was the ability to apply for and received SBA and PPP loans that would not have been available otherwise.

As you know, we’re big fans of GR8FR8 Logistics. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
GR8FR8 Logistics was established in 2018. We are a full-service, worldwide logistics freight forwarder, offering an array of options to get freight from Point A to Point B including less-than-truckload (LTL), Full Truckload (FTL), Flatbeds, Hot Shots/Expedites, Air and Ocean.

After years in the industry… watching the “big guys” disregard endless service failures… lacking communication or relationship, we asked ourselves… is there a company that actually cares? Why can’t WE offer competitive pricing AND take GR8 Care of Their Fr8?! The rest is history.

The thing that makes our business different than any other like us is our Customer Service…we value relationships and strive to go above and beyond what is expected of logistics companies.

We answer our emails and phones 24/7 and take a PARTNERSHIP APPROACH to each and every client. Their success is our success…we are essentially an extension of their team. We want customers to feel APPRECIATED and VALUED. We want them to feel confident referring our services to others. That is the BEST reward. Our customers can rest assured, “We’ll Take GR8 Care of Your FR8!”

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Something surprising that most people who know me or my work/brand might not know about me is that I was a server at a small ice cream shop in high school and then a server/trainer at Chili’s in college. I firmly believe that anyone who has had a job in the restaurant business knows how to deal with stressful situations, people of all demeanors and that customer service is crucial… even when your customers may not be easy.

I know these roles helped mold me into the person I am today. I am relationship-driven and love to “serve” others. I am patient and believe in random acts of kindness and leading by example.

Contact Info:

• Email: serviceteam1@gr8fr8logistics.com
• Website: www.gr8fr8logistics.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GR8FR8Logistics-100556831710598

Image Credits
Christine Lowell Photography