Inside Sparrow’s Nest: Meet Mike Buchanan

Mike Buchanan is, as he would say, the “sales guy,” but, of course, he’s much more than that. He is an amateur pianist, a devoted father of three children and two golden retrievers, and a diehard fan of the Detroit Lions, Houston Astros, and Chinese buffets. Sparrow works hard to provide the best environment not only for our clients but our team as well. So, we’d like to take some time to peek behind the email signature and further introduce you to Mike.

Can you describe your background and what made you interested in the freight logistics industry?

Actually, as a fresh graduate of the prestigious Dana College, I was planning on a great career in the insurance world! However, after passing my first few tests and failing my last (the series 63), God had a different plan for me. One weekend, I went golfing with my dad and some of his old high school buddies and met a future boss on the golf course. I never knew of the logistics world but fell in love with it immediately after hearing more about it.

What drew you to Sparrow Logistics?

Again, it was a perfect storm of God’s timing to arrive at Sparrow. My past role had changed, and a door opened at Sparrow. The decision was easy; I’d known Sparrow’s founder, Zach Feyerherm, and grown up in the industry with him for the last 15 years. His belief in me from the start was really what sold me. I truly appreciate and respect him.

What does a typical day look like, and what is your favorite part of your job?

I strive to set my team up for success every day. This consists of anything from assisting with pricing to making cold calls and everything in between sales-wise. We are in transportation, so challenges do arise. There is nothing in the industry I haven’t encountered (good and bad), so I am comfortable being between a rock and a hard place. Remaining calm and confident while navigating through these challenges is vital to meeting the customers’ needs.

As a past athlete, I am super competitive! My favorite part of the job is outthinking Sparrow’s competitors.

What do you think makes someone successful on the sales side of freight logistics?

Throughout my career, I have had significant influences at previous companies that have helped me develop the skills needed for this role. The bottom line is that, in this role, you solve problems for the customer; that is what they expect and pay Sparrow to do. Remaining positive, calm, and confident are very important. Another essential quality is being comfortable with taking risks and dealing with failure. Being thick-skinned is a must. In sales, you will fail a lot with the pricing piece and will hear a lot of “no's” from potential customers. Keep going.

How would you describe working in logistics right now?  

In any industry, there will be challenges. Right now, the market is flooded with a lot of carriers/ brokers that don’t care about their customers. This has led to many bad tastes in the mouths of the shipper community and companies who manage freight. The cream always rises to the top! If you are a shipper and it doesn’t feel right or pass the sniff test, call somebody else— like Sparrow.

What do you think makes a team successful in this industry?

Any good relationship requires strong communication and collaboration. Nobody is made the same. We all have different personalities and character traits. Working together for the best possible outcome for the customer will produce the success needed to remain on top of this industry.

Is there anything you think more people should know about working in freight logistics?

This industry is super important! As consumers, we take for granted how our products get to where they need to go. The logistics industry makes the world go round and is one of the most critical and undervalued industries.

Are you looking forward to anything in 2023 (personally and related to Sparrow)?

Coming to Sparrow was a great chance to refocus on what is truly important. I am excited to continually be the man that God has called me to be. I’m also super stoked to keep learning the piano and taking lessons. Sparrow stands for something special and has something unique to offer our customers. We have experienced a ton of growth, and in 2023 we won’t be slowing down. I am excited to keep growing and bringing customers, employees, and our families along for the ride!

Come along for the ride with Sparrow Logistics

Sparrow Logistics is a premiere freight broker out of Omaha, Nebraska, helping ship nationwide. Although freight transportation is our bread and butter, our focus is customer service. There’s much more to this business than numbers—the people behind every step of the transportation industry are valuable, and the Sparrow team never wants to take that for granted.

Contact us today to learn more about Sparrow and how we can elevate your business to the next level!