What happens when a social worker takes the leap into the logistics tech world?

Deme Yuan, co-founder and COO of Freight Relay, shares her unlikely path from nonprofit leadership to revolutionizing long-haul trucking. In this episode of the TrustBuilt Podcast, host Alan Bennett explores how Deme's passion for social equity fuels innovation in an industry ripe for disruption.

This is a story of mission-driven entrepreneurship, family partnership, and grit.

⏱️ Chapters:

00:00 – Why Not All Feedback Is Equal

01:00 – Meet Deme Yuan & the Freight Relay Mission

03:00 – From Social Work to Startups: Deme’s Unexpected Journey

05:45 – A Book That Sparked a Business Idea

08:00 – Angel Funding, India, and Building a Dev Team from Scratch

10:00 – Startup Accelerator Life & First Traction

12:00 – Bentonville, AR: A Logistics Hub in Disguise

13:00 – Pivoting During the Pandemic

14:00 – Winning Federal Grants (SBIR, DOE, USDA, NSF)

16:00 – How a Nonprofit Background Prepared Her for Startup Life

17:00 – Starting a Business with Your Spouse: The Real Talk

20:00 – Changing Her Mindset Around Business & Impact

21:00 – The Role of Mentorship & Discernment

25:00 – Serving Truckers, Communities & a Bigger Mission

31:00 – Work-Life Balance for Drivers: What Equity Looks Like

34:00 – Busting the Myths of Small Business Ownership

37:00 – The Cost of “Letting Off the Gas” as a Founder

39:00 – Sustainability vs. Hustle: Building for the Long Game

40:30 – A Letter to Her Younger Self (Wise Words!)

42:40 – Where to Find Deme & Freight Relay Online

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🔗 Connect with Deme Yuan

🌐 https://freightrelay.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/demeyuan/

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Are you a business owner who is ready to break free from the day-to-day grind & build a self-sustaining company?

👉 Set up a time to talk to Alan

🔗 https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/contact