Gorgeous Girls In Supply Chain: Blythe (Brumleve) Milligan
Welcome to our series celebrating the incredible women in Supply Chain and Logistics! In a traditionally male-dominated field, it's important to shine a light on the inspiring women who are making a significant impact. Through a mix of insightful and fun questions, we’ll explore their journeys, challenges, and successes. While we acknowledge the contributions of everyone in this industry, this series aims to elevate the voices and stories of women who often get missed. Blythe (Brumleve) Milligan is our next feature.
BLYTHE (BRUMLEVE) MILLIGAN
I haven’t had the chance to meet Blythe in person yet, but we’ve both confessed to being mutual admirers of each other’s work for a while now. So when she asked me to be a guest on her podcast Everything is Logistics, I was thrilled. A few weeks later, we were deep in conversation, covering everything from the structural issues in brokerages that may be holding women back, to our shared love of current reality TV chaos.
Blythe is sharp, insightful, incredibly knowledgeable about the industry, and also so fun to talk to. She knows how to ask the right questions, dig into the real stuff, and still keep things light and engaging. I walked away from our chat feeling energized, heard, and inspired.
I’m grateful to have her in my network and even more grateful to now call her a friend.
What is your current role and company?
Founder at Brumleve Brands--includes Digital Dispatch, CargoRex and Everything is Logistics Podcast
How did you end up in the world of supply chain?
Accidentally, like most of us.
I was working as an executive assistant at a 3PL back in the day, mostly handling emails, scheduling, and whatever else needed doing. But somewhere along the way, I noticed how messy logistics marketing was—and how nobody was telling the story of supply chain in a way that made sense or kept your attention.
So I started doing what any curious (and slightly chaotic) person would do, I began documenting it all. I launched a podcast, Everything is Logistics, originally as a side hustle to support my main business, Digital Dispatch. And now, it's turned into a full-time gig where I get to interview the thinkers in freight for the thinkers in freight.
Turns out, the world of logistics is full of badass people doing complex, fascinating work, and I wanted to make that world a little more fun and accessible. Fast forward to today, I’ve gone from EA to founder, speaker, and host, building content for brands like NASA’s space logistics program, launching guides with SPI Logistics and Tai TMS, and helping freight folks actually enjoy the content they consume.
So yeah, it wasn’t a straight line. But the chaos of the supply chain kinda feels like home now.
What is your favourite part of your work day?
Planning a podcast episode with a really smart person. I love peeling back the layers on this industry and since I came from 3PL world, I use the podcast as an educational journey for me and the audience to continue learning as much as possible about this industry and the historic lessons that help to provide some insight as to what's to come.
What is the least favourite part of your work day?
Dealing with accounting. Finance is a skill set I I never learned growing up. I always thought "My bills are X. My income is X. So let's make that much and have a little extra leftover to vacation." It wasn't until I was asked to be on the finance committee of the TMSA (transportation marketing and sales association) that it was the motivation needed to learn finance skills myself. Because of that, I'm much more in the ears (and emails) of my accounting team. I would love to just hand that part of the business off to someone but to be a good entrepreneur, you have to know finance and continue to get better at it each day. Even if it's super annoying.
What is a systemic issue in your part of the supply chain that concerns you currently?
Honestly? The disconnect between the people doing the work and the people telling the story.
In logistics, there’s no shortage of problems, capacity crunches, Red Sea disruptions, labor shortages, regulatory overkill, you name it. But the systemic issue I see on repeat is how poorly the industry communicates. Internally, externally, and everywhere in between.
We have brilliant people solving real problems every day, but if you ask a shipper what a freight broker actually does, you’ll still get a blank stare. That’s not just a marketing issue, that’s a business risk.
Bad communication leads to bad decisions. It creates inefficiencies, missed opportunities, and unnecessary friction across every mode and node.
And in a world where consumer expectations are through the roof and attention spans are nonexistent, storytelling isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s essential infrastructure.
That’s why I’m so passionate about content, marketing, and education in this space. Because if we want to attract the next generation, build trust with customers, and move freight smarter, we have to get better at telling our damn story.
How would you address it if you had the power, money, or influence?
I'm trying to do it as we speak with CargoRex. It's a platform I launched in February of this year to share insight and learn as much as possible about logistics companies all over the world. It's ambitious and much more complicated than I thought it would be but people who work in this industry are problem solvers by nature, and I hope this platform helps people to to explore, discover and evolve their supply chain knowledge.
What is one piece of advice you have for young women entering your field?
Don't be afraid of asking questions. Asking questions with a genuine curiosity will serve you well all throughout your life, whether it's in a meeting or at a networking session, be a sponge and learn as much as you can. Then when you have the opportunity to speak up, use that knowledge you've learned to speak on what you believe.
What are your top 3 podcasts? (do not have to be industry related)
Who are your top 5 women in supply chain to follow on LinkedIn?
How do you deal with creeps you encounter in your work day?
Ghost them and/or block -- no sense in wasting more time in the day on a loser.
What is your favourite way to unwind?
I'm lucky enough to live near a beach so being able to take a notebook and head to the spot on the beach with no cell service is the perfect way to make sense of my own mind.
If I can't make it to the beach, we have a hammock, surrounded by my plant children, on our porch that I use religiously.
What have you recently changed your mind about?
I used to think most big companies had our best interests at heart. (Sweet summer child, I know.)
But it feels like every day, there’s something new trying to kill me, plastic-filled yoga pants, artificial dyes in cereal, and now my apparently poisonous air fryer.
The constant flow of information we have access to now means I can’t unknow what I used to ignore. These issues aren’t being fixed by companies out of the goodness of their hearts, they’re not changing because they care. They’re changing because we, the consumers, care.
So now I’m on this exhausting scavenger hunt to find brands that actually choose to do the right thing, companies that make things responsibly and ethically because it’s the right thing to do, not just because it’s trendy or profitable. And I just have to hope they keep doing it.
Must haves to get you thru the day?
Coffee
Vanicream
Noise cancelling headphones
Incense
Computer
Social media for Blythe:
