Company Stats

Guest: Josh Asbury, Founder of BrokerPro

Industry: Freight Tech / SaaS / AI Automation

Company: BrokerPro

Focus: TMS & workflow solutions for freight brokers and carriers

Tech Stack: AI, TMS platforms, automation tools, email triage, PDF parsing, content optimization

Episode Highlights

✅ Josh shares a powerful story of a small business owner moved to tears after finally gaining visibility into his own analytics, showcasing how tech can change lives.

✅ Learn why Josh believes AI should augment, not replace, teams—freeing people to do higher-value work rather than cutting headcount.

✅ Discover how freight brokers are leveraging automation to deal with high email volume, quote comparison, and quote response prioritization.

✅ Hear why Josh encourages his team to experiment with AI tools—but emphasizes thoughtful judgment, editing, and content quality.

✅ Josh and Darnell explore the “brain drain” risk in younger generations over-relying on AI without learning foundational skills.

✅ Explore how remote work, the pandemic, and generational shifts are shaping workplace culture—and how older professionals can help guide younger ones.

✅ Tech nostalgia meets future-thinking: from iPods and CDs to streaming and AI-powered development, this episode brings both heart and innovation.

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Innovators Impact, host Darnell Perkins welcomes freight tech founder Josh Asbury for a deeply thoughtful conversation on AI, automation, leadership, and the human impact of technology. Josh, the founder of BrokerPro, blends hard-earned SaaS wisdom with personal stories—like the small business owner who got choked up seeing his Google Analytics for the first time.

Josh walks us through his belief that AI is a tool to empower—not replace—people. From back-office automation to quote filtering in the freight world, he explains how smart tools can help teams get to better decisions faster. But he also shares his concern about the long-term risks of over-reliance on AI, especially among younger professionals who may miss out on critical development in writing, coding, and communication.

This isn’t your average “tech will save us” chat. Josh opens up about how he leads his team to use AI with integrity, why judgment and editing still matter, and how his own tech journey—spanning multiple decades—shapes his perspective. Together with Darnell, they reflect on the responsibility of seasoned professionals to mentor the next wave of talent in an age where remote work, AI, and automation dominate the landscape.

Whether you’re building SaaS, working in logistics, or just trying to navigate the future of work, this episode will leave you with practical tools, real stories, and a renewed sense of what tech should really be about: people.

Notable Questions We Asked

Q: Should AI help companies cut staff—or help them grow smarter?

A: Let AI handle the scut work. Reassign people to value-adding roles like business development or carrier relationship management.

Q: How do you prevent AI from becoming a crutch?

A: Expect your team to explore tools, but coach them to use judgment. AI helps, but editing and clarity still matter.

Q: What worries you about the next generation’s use of AI?

A: Brain drain. When kids rely too much on AI, they miss out on foundational skills—and the human mentorship that shapes real growth.

Q: What’s your company culture around AI adoption?

A: Full support—as long as it makes you better. Don’t use it to avoid thinking. Use it to elevate your work.

Q: Will we lose quality for convenience with tech?

A: Maybe. But we can still scratch the itch—whether it’s high-fidelity music on vinyl or better insights with smart data.

Chapters

00:00 – Meet Josh Asbury & the Mission Behind BrokerPro

02:00 – The Emotional Impact of Empowering Small Businesses

05:30 – What AI Gets Right—and What It Shouldn’t Replace

08:15 – AI in Freight Tech: Quote Response, Email Parsing, PDF Matching

12:20 – Redefining Productivity: Faster, Smarter, Not Just Cheaper

15:00 – Building Culture: Encouraging Smart AI Use Without Dependency

20:00 – The Brain Drain: Over-Reliance and Foundational Skill Loss

25:10 – Leadership Lessons from a Tech Veteran

30:00 – Nostalgia Meets Innovation: From iPods to Worker OS

36:00 – Mentoring the Next Generation in the AI Era

40:00 – Where to Find Josh & How to Connect

Connect with Josh Asbury:

🔗 LinkedIn

🌐 BrokerPro Website

📧 [email protected]

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