Starting a business with a close friend can be a leap of faith. For Juston Ramirez and Josh Waggle, two Landstar freight agents and co-owners of Mind Right Logistics, it's been the foundation of an independent agency that's grown from two people to 16 across two locations in just over a decade. 

From day one, the two set a simple standard for how they'd work together: full agreement before moving forward on any decision.  

That approach, along with a diversified freight mix and access to Landstar support teams, has supported the Hindsville, Arkansas-based agency as it expanded to handle a wide range of freight, from dry van and flatbed to heavy haul, refrigerated, expedited, intermodal and air charter. 

In this Landstar agent profile, you'll learn: 

• Why a diversified freight mix may help agencies reduce reliance on a single customer or market segment 
• What specifically drew Ramirez to the Landstar model 
• How Landstar's network and teams help them support complex, multimodal projects 
• What a 50-load, multi-country shipment can teach agents about coordination and communication

What Supported Mind Right Logistics’ Expansion 

Mind Right Logistics began with Ramirez and Waggle. Today, the independent Landstar agency has 16 employees across two locations, including a Georgia agency it recently acquired. Ramirez credits that growth in part to the support the agency receives at every level of Landstar, from corporate leadership to the teams they work with day-to-day. 

Ramirez and Waggle have worked side by side for more than a decade. Ramirez attributes their working relationship to one rule: If they do not both agree on a decision, they do not make it.

Earlier in his career, Ramirez worked at a company where leadership regularly pointed to Landstar as a benchmark. What stuck with him specifically was Landstar's owner-operator model and the way it supported business owners. That approach shaped his decision to pursue becoming a Landstar agent himself.

Building a diversified business: why freight mix matters 

Ramirez views customer and freight diversification as one way his agency manages the industry's inevitable ups and downs, which is why the agency handles dry van, flatbed, refrigerated, expedited, heavy haul, intermodal and air charter freight. 

He's also found that direct customer relationships help his team better understand customers’ transportation needs and support ongoing communication. 

When Ramirez talks with customers about Landstar's capacity, he points to the network itself as one of the company's biggest strengths. Rather than depending on a single fixed fleet, Landstar agents can draw on a wide network of independent owner-operators and third-party carriers across North America. That gives Ramirez the flexibility to match the right equipment and carrier to each shipment, from standard truckload to heavy haul, expedited or cross-border freight. 

"This network helps us adapt to changing market conditions and seasonal demand while providing customers with capacity and personalized service," he says. 

A complex move, start to finish: pipe from Arkansas to the Amazon 

One project stands out as an example of what Landstar's network helped support involved more than 50 loads of pipe transported from Siloam Springs, Arkansas, to the Port of Houston. From there, the cargo traveled by ocean vessel to Peru and then by barge on the Amazon River for a mining project. 

The shipment required coordinating multiple modes of transportation and precise timing to stay on schedule. According to Ramirez, the customer continues working with Mind Right Logistics. "The ability to coordinate truck, ocean and inland barge transportation while maintaining clear communication with the customer demonstrated the value of Landstar's network," he says. 

For quoting and executing specialized freight, Ramirez doesn’t shy away from reaching out to Landstar's Heavy Haul team. Having those teams available, he says, helps the agency support quoting, planning and execution across a range of shipment requirements.  

Beyond Heavy Haul, Ramirez also regularly works with credit, billing and compliance.  

Think like an owner: what Ramirez tells agents considering Landstar 

One of the things Ramirez believes is often overlooked about being an independent Landstar agent is the strength of the relationships behind the network, not just the network itself.  

"What really makes Landstar different is the access to knowledgeable people who support the agency as it operates and develops its business," he says. It's a mindset that runs through his advice for other agents considering the move: 

• Build a diversified customer base. Ramirez says distributing freight across multiple modes and segments may help an agency reduce its reliance on a single customer or market segment. 
• Prioritize direct customer relationships. Develop a deeper understanding of customers' transportation needs and support ongoing communication 
• Use support teams. Heavy Haul, credit, billing and compliance can help you respond, plan and arrange transportation solutions. 
• Think beyond your starting size. Mind Right Logistics grew from two people to 16, including an acquisition — growth built one decision at a time. 

FAQ: Becoming a Landstar Freight Agent 

What does a Landstar freight agent do? 

A Landstar freight agent is an independent business owner who builds customer relationships and arranges transportation solutions by drawing on the Landstar network of systems and operational support. 

How does Landstar support agents as they grow? 

Agents can lean on Landstar teams, including Heavy Haul, credit, billing and compliance, for support with quoting, planning and executing complex shipments.  

Why does freight and customer diversification matter for an agency? 

Diversification of customer and freight may help agencies weather the inevitable ups and downs of the transportation industry. 

What's one thing about being a Landstar agent that's often overlooked? 

For Ramirez, it's the depth of relationships behind the network. Beyond carrier capacity or the ability to operate independently, he points to the value of having knowledgeable people at Landstar who support the agency as it operates and develops its business.