Behind The Freight · 2026-07-09 · 28 min
Marina Ivanov shares her journey from being the daughter of an owner-operator to leading a successful asset-based carrier. She admits that starting Apex Transit Solutions in 2012 was about survival rather than a grand vision. The focus changed in 2016 when she saw how steady paychecks and respect helped a driver get out of bankruptcy and buy a home. This moment turned her business into a mission-driven organization focused on people. Marina talks about the challenges of being a woman in the trucking industry and how she overcame her own limiting beliefs. She explains the importance of visibility and why seeing other female leaders is vital for growth. A key part of her success is a "mini-ownership" model where fleet managers handle their own P&L. This makes them feel like entrepreneurs who are directly responsible for driver retention and freight quality. We talk about the tension between providing excellent service and maintaining operational efficiency. Marina shares a story about how her team had to tell her it was okay to let a customer down to protect the company.
Stop Buying Trucking Tech Emotionally: The Better Way to Choose Software with Nate Johnson86 / 100
Freight Tech That Solves Real Carrier Problems with Don Everhart62 / 100
The Real Cost of Truck Downtime and Reactive Maintenance with Trent Broberg64 / 100
Freight Fraud, Double Brokering, and Protecting Your Carrier Authority with Dale Prax75 / 100
Why the Business of Trucking is Harder Than the Driving with Adam Wingfield74 / 100