Choppin' It Up

Kristy Knichel, Building Confidence as a CEO

Episode Summary

In this episode of Choppin' It Up, Will Jenkins interviews Kristy Knichel, President and CEO of Knichel Logistics. Kristy shares her career journey and the growth of her company from a two million dollar business to a hundred million dollar company. She discusses the importance of having a niche and being really good at a few modes and commodities. Kristy also emphasizes the significance of being engaged at the owner and executive level in the sales process. She talks about the challenges she faced in taking on a leadership role early on and the importance of learning every aspect of the business. In this conversation, the guest shares her journey of taking over her family's transportation business at a young age and the challenges she faced. She talks about the process of learning and gaining confidence in her role as a leader. The guest also emphasizes the importance of focusing on a niche market and building a strong team. She highlights her leadership style, which is open, transparent, and focused on taking care of her employees. Additionally, she discusses the importance of supporting and mentoring women entrepreneurs in the industry.

Episode Notes

SUMMARY:

In this episode of Choppin' It Up, Will Jenkins interviews Kristy Knichel, President and CEO of Knichel Logistics. Kristy shares her career journey and the growth of her company from a two million dollar business to a hundred million dollar company. She discusses the importance of having a niche and being really good at a few modes and commodities. Kristy also emphasizes the significance of being engaged at the owner and executive level in the sales process. She talks about the challenges she faced in taking on a leadership role early on and the importance of learning every aspect of the business. In this conversation, the guest shares her journey of taking over her family's transportation business at a young age and the challenges she faced. She talks about the process of learning and gaining confidence in her role as a leader. The guest also emphasizes the importance of focusing on a niche market and building a strong team. She highlights her leadership style, which is open, transparent, and focused on taking care of her employees. Additionally, she discusses the importance of supporting and mentoring women entrepreneurs in the industry.

TAKEAWAYS:

• Having a niche and being really good at a few modes and commodities can help a company stand out in a competitive market.
• Being engaged at the owner and executive level in the sales process is crucial for business growth.
• Taking on a leadership role early on can be challenging, but it is important to learn every aspect of the business.
• Decisions made by leaders can have a significant impact on employees' lives, so it is important to make thoughtful and responsible decisions.
• Taking over a family business at a young age comes with challenges and the need to prove oneself.
• Learning and gaining confidence as a leader takes time and requires reaching out to others for guidance.
• Focusing on a niche market and building a strong team are key to business growth and success.
• Being an open, transparent, and supportive leader fosters a positive work environment and employee loyalty.
• Supporting and mentoring women entrepreneurs is important for creating a more inclusive and diverse industry.

CHAPTERS:

• 00:00 Introduction
• 03:37 Early Life and Career Beginnings
• 04:02 Getting Involved in the Family Business
• 09:32 Scaling the Business
• 12:54 Expanding Services and Customer Base
• 16:12 The Importance of Sales Engagement
• 20:00 Challenges of Leadership
• 23:45 Making Difficult Decisions
• 24:42 Taking Over a Family Business
• 25:41 Learning and Gaining Confidence
• 29:23 Focusing on a Niche Market
• 36:22 Building a Strong Team and Leadership Style
• 42:25 Supporting Women Entrepreneurs