LOGSA Mil Moves with Isabel Schmitt feature 109 of Together Talks

"Together Talks" feature 109: LOGSA Mil Moves presented by KLS, freight company

Some Background on LOGSA Mil Moves

For today's edition of "Together Talks" campaign, KLS had the opportunity to interview LOGSA Mil Moves and Isabel Schmitt, Co-Founder. LOGSA Mil Moves is focused on solving the problems of Quality and Care when it comes to servicing military households during relocation. They partner with the moving industry to add capacity, build relationships and focus on quality during the busiest and most stressful season of movement for our military members and their families. They help industry partners improve the customer experience and decrease claims. Their greatest assets are their certified packers, Military Spouses, who know and understand the frustrations, stress and need for increased professionalism and communication in the industry. With this force there is innovation, a can-do spirit, where packing is an art forged with the safe handling of every household's story - comprised of their precious items. THIS is why they are pledging to raise the bar and be the BEST in the industry.

Been there done that

In 2020, Co-Founders Isabel and (Enter name please!) created their company. Remarkably they were across the world with one here in the states in Washington DC and the other in South Korea. Both Co-Founders are not only Veterans, but Military Spouses as well. Unfortunately all of traction and momentum they had created came to a screeching halt due to the Pandemic. "We had done all of this training of crews prior to launching and then we couldn't book any business due to everything being shut down.", Isabel explained. They had planned on a huge first year, but during "busy season" for military moves (May 15th-August 15th), they had only 6 jobs.

Instead of that derailing their company, they used the extra available time to continue to train and really get into the weeds as Isabel put it. They became resourceful and trained every contractor over zoom. The work paid off as over the first three years not a single claim was filed against them. That is a remarkable accomplishment in this sector. Isabel also mentioned how they put a huge focus on collecting as much data as possible those first three seasons to propel them forward.

He main reason for creating this company was to add capacity for military household goods moving. Prior to their company they both worked as government contractors. They had the vision to solve a problem in the industry that relates to their community. At the same time they could offer employment opportunities by staffing military members and spouses. To them it was truly a win-win solution. What gave them the belief that they could enter this industry and make an immediate impact, well their experience for one. Between them they had moved a combined 27 times. Their combined experience being on the other side of the equation gave them first hand opportunity to evaluate what went right and what could be improved. Being the faces of the company they can relate to other members with each and every move.

Military customers

The current niche for LOGSA Mil Moves is military members themselves as the customers who would normally move through the government department system. Typically the government handles the move on behalf of the military member. However when military members move through LOGSA Mil Moves it is a completely different move. The move is completed using the Personally Procured Move. They are able to take their budget and take it out to the market amongst their network of contracted options.

Another aspect where this company really is different from the industry standard is their empathy, communication, and quality. Isabel said while most companies say boots on the ground, their motto is "Shoes in the house". "Our community of spouses and members moving have our own language and culture. We come from this environment. Our spouses are still active duty. We get it through and through.", Isabel explained. With so much experience they lean on their commitment to accountability with each move. She mentioned their slogan of "Shoes in the house", which is because their face and reputation is always on the line. LOGSA Mil Moves work with the best teams, drivers, movers, to create policies that are not only easily understood and implementable, but achievable each time. For every single move.

Post-Covid Labor

Coming out of the Pandemic finding labor become harder and harder. Isabel explained that quality labor was rarely available and even less was employable due to not wanting to be a 1099 contract. The moving industry is labor-intense type of work. Being a contract-heavy business means that without properly hiring they cannot fully handle their business obligations. This has forced them to be strategic with their growth to not enter a market without the necessary connections and partnerships to execute moves.

Isabel mentioned that while nationwide the east coast is their strongest region currently. The company's ability to understand that every emotion is tied to a home, gives them the connection to take pride and care with each move. "With how often we move and how little notice we get or choice of where we are going, where we live is a special place we curate to make it ours. The way you dress a home once settled is really important." Isabel explained. She continued, "When you become detached from friends, families, schools, communities, the only thing you have left is your new space you curate. It is what makes it feel like home." LOGSA Mil Moves understands this and the importance they put on protecting those items for a safe move so that a member can feel like they still have their roots in their new living situation is paramount.

Evidence of being claim free for the first three years, the company never compromises on quality which they believe makes them feel empowered. They've had opportunities to partner in ways that weren't in the best interest of their customer base, so they passed. They understand which opportunities support their vision and their goal and supplement their quest for achieving the highest quality possible. Isabel has found that their partnerships with smaller owner-operators have proven to be the most fortuitous. Growing and expanding means there is a larger chance of mistakes happening. But Isabel believes that by growing smartly they can put stopgaps in place to avoid pitfalls and maintain their expected level of quality.

Flexibility to create change

Having the authority to not be weighed down by restrictions and regulations to make company decisions is very appealing. Being outside of the defense system she can do the move how her and the company see fit and what is in the best interest of the military member. Being a military spouse and a Mother, Isabel credited the flexibility as what she appreciates most about leading her company. She is able to shape her schedule to be as efficient as possible and maximize time which she said is the greatest thing being a military spouse. The balance of life she has obtained with this new job is something she is very grateful of.

Isabel explained that they had no trepidation creating this venture, "We were determined to bust out of the door and say 'We are here to do this'. Then the industry said you can't, but we developed the proof of concept." Early on they had to learn what contracted labor looked like and what they were willing to pay. Understanding the process, becoming problem solvers, and creating a reputation that demanded an expected level of performance is the foundation in which they built LOGSA Mil Moves. Once the Pandemic was through the fears shifted from "are we in over our head?" to "are we growing too fast?" Isabel told us. But intelligently they shifted their mindset from fear and morphed it into strategy to handle supply and demand. She still operates with fear, but it is the fear of letting down a customer due to a service failure.

Reflecting on her journey, Isabel shared some hard lessons she had to learn along the way. "Recently I learned you can't trust everyone. A huge national company sent someone to learn what we were doing, but it was done deceitfully. While it is frustrating another company is trying to steal our processes, it is flattering right? It shows what we are doing works and ultimately signals success." Despite the hiccups of running a company and the recent experience Isabel stated how this opportunity brings her so much joy.

Piece of Advice

The conversation with Isabel ended with her sharing her piece of advice:

"Be your authentic self. Even if means you’ll give up too much or hold some cards really close. At the end of the day, that is why people are drawn to me. Time is our most precious resource. People you spend time with regardless of friends, family, or business partners you want to enjoy spending time with them. Attract the right type of people in your environment. There is enough business for all of us out here so do business with people you enjoy being around."

In Closing

KLS wants to thank Isabel Schmitt, Co-Founder of LOGSA Mil Moves for today's "Together Talks" feature. Follow along for their journey with their social handles below!

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Klimson Logistics Solutions - Together Talks with LOGSA Mil Moves feature 109