We sat down with Jacob Gordon, our Director of Analytics, to chat through everything from data science to brunch! Get to know one of the pros helping us build the future of freight in this week’s blog!
What does a typical work day look like for you?
Though any given day may unfold with a particular focus, the ideal week blends time spent brainstorming features for our platform, aligning progress with our roadmap, working through implementation challenges with my team, seeking customer and industry insights from our customer-facing Account and Carrier Teams, and collaborating with Product and Engineering. Sprinkled throughout this mix, I love meeting and connecting with my new colleagues across the company by going to food trucks with them, grabbing coffee, and reserving conference rooms for individual meetups.
What brought you to Shipwell?
The founding team’s integrity, energy, intellect, and vision brought me to Shipwell. Meeting my data science team and the engineers is why I signed up.
What is a problem in freight automation that you are excited about solving?
I love efficiency and optimization. Truck drivers do not have an easy job. They often drive double-digit hours per day multiple days a week on a tight schedule tolerating slim margins. Ideally, once a driver delivers goods from point A to B, the driver picks up another shipment nearby to B and hauls it to a destination close to A so (s)he can get back home. In this ideal model, both legs of the journey–the fronthaul and the backhaul–are monetized by carrying freight. Any time spent driving an unloaded truck represents non-monetized capacity for the driver, the fleet, a 3PL (if involved), and the shipping economy as a whole. Solving this problem of minimizing “deadhead” is a deeply impactful opportunity to change economies.
What is your favorite part of the job?
The most rewarding part of the job is discovering user pain points and crafting features that make an impact for our customers. Improving workflow, alleviating frustration, and unlocking potential for them is deeply motivating. Accomplishing these goals involves getting out to engage with customers and then whiteboarding algorithms and analytics to empower them.
What songs could I find in your latest playlist?
I’m all podcasts all the time. My favorites right now are “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” “30 for 30,” “The Pitch,” “StartUp,” and “Casefile.” If I don’t control the radio, I’d lobby for anything 90s.
What does a typical weekend look like for you?
The most critical weekend decision for me typically revolves around whether to play soccer before or after consuming a comically voluminous brunch.
What fictional character best describes you? Why?
I would say Sherlock Holmes, because I believe in chasing down answers and also being in parlors with curious books. My wife and sisters would say Dennis the Menace, because I believe in having fun along the way.
Want to join Jacob and the rest of the team at Shipwell?
