Pierre Laguerre, Fleeting

What was your inspiration behind Fleeting?

After spending almost two decades in transportation as a truck driver & fleet owner, I became aware of so many pain points in the industry on a micro level. Trucking companies are spending between $5-10K to hire great talent, with a 73% probability that they’ll quit within 90 days. That’s billions of dollars being wasted on driver recruitment each year. At the same time, truck drivers are overworked. They have no flexibility, no social life, and no family time. To make matters worse, their food options on the road are limited—leading to poor health. Ultimately, they are not properly compensated for the work they put in. 

I saw tech companies like Convoy, Uberfreight, Transfix who were optimizing technology to help shippers move freight more efficiently at a much lower cost. However, none of those solutions were solving problems for the trucking companies and truck drivers who are spinning their wheels spending billions of dollars annually to hire and retain great drivers. 

That inspired me to build Fleeting, a marketplace that gives trucking companies access to vetted CDL drivers to operate their trucks 24/7. We work to help eliminate driver churn, improve the bottom line for shippers, motor carriers and drivers, and create a more equitable industry for everyone.

Did you always work in this industry? What brought you here?

Yes, I started as a truck driver. I worked as a company driver for about a year and half. Then, I went on to become an owner operator and bought my own truck. After learning the owner operator business and understanding how to run my truck efficiently, I built a trucking staffing agency and my own trucking company. I grew to $4M in revenue in three years.

Pierre driving one of his trucks.

When did you know it was time to launch Fleeting?

Once I understood the pain from a driver and a trucking company’s point of view, I knew it was time to introduce a solution.

What was your experience like as part of the Quake Capital Cohort? Any key takeaways, great stories, or lessons learned?

Quake Capital was a great experience for an entrepreneur like me. Although I was good at building successful businesses, the reality is I’ve spent my life in the “low-tech” trucking industry. As a result, I wasn't initially sure about how to scale my solution using technology. Quake helped with that in a major way. I learned the importance of having a great team, of mastering fundraising to build fast and scale, and of making sure you're building something customers really want. 

What’s been the biggest surprise while launching this company?

Our biggest surprise was the way drivers reacted to our business model. They loved the fact that there was a company out there fighting to give them their life back.

Pierre presenting at the Black New Venture competition.

Biggest challenge?

Growing up in what is considered to be a very rough neighborhood with no positive role models was a huge challenge for me. A role model should inspire you in a positive way. That wasn’t an option for me. 

We have two options in life: become a product of your environment or define a level of strength everyone deserves to have. 

I pursued my passion, despite having all odds against me. In the midst of noise, I chose to silence everything that didn’t help me grow. I put all of my focus into my faith, children, and business without ever giving up.  

What’s the #1 skill you think entrepreneurs need to succeed?

I think one of the most important skills any entrepreneur should have is the ability to see their ideas through, regardless of what the outside world thinks or throws at them. It’s also important to connect with your audiences.

What’s your team culture like? 

Purpose and results driven. We are also solution conscious.

Pierre and team accepting the Grand Prize Aware at the Black New Venture competition.

What is your superpower?

Being a resilient trucker.

What’s your kryptonite?

My three beautiful children.

Pierre and his children.Do you have any unusual routines or habits? 

I wake up at 6am and walk about 5 miles, have coffee, and breakfast. Then, all hell breaks loose. I’m building a startup, so there isn’t much of a routine. It's all about focusing on the vision and seeing what we can do now to get us to our destination.

Do you have any other hobbies/things you like to do? What do you geek out about? 

Spending quality time with my children is my favorite thing to do when I am not working. That time is extremely limited, which plays a huge role in my mission.  I also geek out about my tractor trailer and often take it on an open road and drive for hours.  It’s therapeutic for me.  

If you could give yourself one piece of advice 5 years ago, what would it be?

I have five tips:

1. Believe in yourself.
2. Don't settle for less.
3. Treat others as you want to be treated.
4. Understand the difference between defeat and temporary defeat.
5. Drink water and mind your business.