From Factory to Front Door: The Realities of Freight & Logistics for Product Businesses

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If you’ve ever felt like freight is a dark art shrouded in mystery, you’re not alone.
In this episode of thelotco Business Podcast, I sit down with Christine Kanin from Pivot Freight Solutions to unpack (pun intended) the real world of freight and logistics and why getting it right can save your product business thousands of dollars (and a whole lot of headaches).

Christine has over a decade in the freight forwarding industry, helping small and medium-sized businesses confidently navigate the messy, unpredictable world of importing and exporting. She’s here to pull back the curtain on what really happens between “my product is ready” and “it’s on my doorstep.”

We cover:

• The biggest misconceptions product-based businesses have about freight
• Why relying solely on your supplier’s shipping quote can be an expensive mistake
• The acronyms and terms (like Inco terms and HS codes) every founder must know before signing anything
• The real process your goods go through — from packing at the factory to clearing customs and quarantine in Australia
• How to decide between sea freight, air freight, and couriers (and the hidden cost traps in each)
• Landed costs: what they are, how to calculate them, and why they should guide your pricing from day one
• Seasonal and global events that can blow your shipping timelines out of the water (literally)
• Christine’s unique “She Freights” tours to India, helping women find manufacturers and products while learning the freight side from the ground up

Whether you’re placing your very first order with an overseas supplier or managing multiple containers a year, this episode is packed with practical tips to help you stay in control, protect your margins, and avoid costly surprises.

📦 Listen in to finally get freight and logistics off your “too hard” list — and onto your “nailed it” list.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• Pivot Freight Solutions → find here
• She Freights Tours → here
• Austrade Go Global Toolkit → here
• BICON (Biosecurity Import Conditions System) → here

If freight has been one of those “I’ll deal with it later” areas in your business, now’s the time.

Hit play, take notes, and share this with another product founder who’s ever had

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I'm Mel Robbins! from @thelotco
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Find more details at https://www.thelotco.com.au/
Business Coach for product-based businesses. Teaching creative business women how to build a scalable and profitable million-dollar product business whether a physical Retail store or Brand.
Over 25 years as a Retail and Wholesale Strategist (Sales and Marketing for Brands).
Grab my 8 step checklist on building a profitable product business.