Tell Me Everything: How Danielle Spinelli Built a Personal Brand with Purpose in Freight
Danielle Spinelli doesn’t have “brand ambassador” in her job title—but she might as well. As an account executive at Descartes, Danielle has organically built a personal brand that’s become a model for others in the freight and logistics industry. In a recent conversation on the Freight Marketing Gurus podcast, Danielle shared her journey from reluctant webinar host to industry personality, podcast creator, and “fraud girl” advocate. Here’s what we learned about building presence, connecting through passion, and staying real in freight.
In a recent episode of the Freight Marketing Gurus podcast, Danielle Spinelli shared how she built a personal brand rooted in curiosity, consistency, and passion for fraud prevention. Her journey—from hesitant webinar host to trusted industry voice—shows how showing up as yourself can open real connections in freight.
From Middle School Misfit to Freight’s Friendly Face
Danielle didn’t always thrive in the spotlight. She openly recalls getting bullied in middle school, listening to Sublime and Spice Girls while wishing she were old enough to experience the 90s as an adult. Her extroverted nature wasn’t always encouraged—but in freight, it’s become her superpower. Today, she’s the go-to presence at logistics conferences and an enthusiastic networker who’s energized by conversations and new faces.
“I love meeting people,” Danielle says. “It’s like a high for me.”
Building a Brand Starts with Showing Up
Danielle’s brand didn’t start with a strategic plan—it started with genuine interest. She credits her early exposure to public speaking to former colleague Meg Boaz, who nudged her into webinars and conferences. Over time, Danielle leaned into her natural enthusiasm for fraud prevention and education, showing up authentically on social media.
Her signature move? End-of-day LinkedIn posts after conferences, often featuring a carousel of selfies, shout-outs, and stories from the show floor. But it’s not about the content volume—it’s about connection.
“I meet so many people, and I want to remember everyone’s names,” she says. “Now I take pictures of badges or business cards with the selfies so I can tag them later.”
Her advice for others starting out? “Be part of the conversation. Take a picture of where you are, share what you’re learning. Be a person—not just a logo.”
The Passion Behind the Post: Freight Fraud and “Tell Me Everything”
Danielle’s love for the industry isn’t surface-level. She spent eight years specializing in freight fraud prevention and has a deep sense of responsibility around education. That passion led her to create Tell Me Everything, a new podcast focused on the people behind the platforms.
“I find myself having these deep, personal conversations at conferences,” she says. “I want the podcast to capture that—learning why someone started their company, what drives them.”
It’s not a sales pitch. It’s storytelling.
Danielle’s approach is simple: curiosity meets consistency. Her catchphrase-turned-podcast-title is a reflection of how she connects with people—whether they’re logistics founders or Uber drivers.
Fraud Girl Fridays: Quick Tips That Pack a Punch
Beyond Tell Me Everything, Danielle is launching “Fraud Girl Fridays”—15 to 30-minute sessions tackling freight fraud from the trenches. With practical tips and occasionally special guests (like California Highway Patrol), these bite-sized updates are part education, part real talk.
She explains, “I have so much knowledge I’ve picked up over the years. If I don’t share it, what’s the point?”
From ride-alongs to webinars, Danielle is committed to making fraud education accessible and memorable—with a little flair, of course. Merch, red Solo cups, and slogans like “Straight Outta Fraud” aren’t just fun—they’re part of a larger strategy: make serious topics approachable.
Using Tech to Build Trust and Fight Theft
One of the core tools Danielle advocates for is VIN verification. Her company’s product, My Carrier Portal, allows brokers to text drivers requesting a live photo of their VIN and location—validating that the person picking up a load is who they say they are.
“This helps prevent the driver switch trick,” Danielle explains. “It’s your best shot at due diligence.”
She emphasizes the need to be proactive—not reactive. Fraudsters are adapting, and the industry has to stay a step ahead. From AI-generated voices to email phishing scams posing as shippers, the tactics are becoming more sophisticated.
“You can’t ride with the truck. But you can make sure the person driving it is the right one,” she says.
Emerging Threats: From Avocados to AI
It’s not just electronics that thieves are targeting anymore. Danielle reports a spike in theft of items like avocados, tires, and copper wiring—goods that are high in resale value and harder to trace. In some cases, entire pallets are manually transferred into U-Haul trucks.
And it’s not always tech-enabled heists. Often, it’s old-school surveillance paired with high-tech cover-ups. Fraudsters might tail a truck, use deepfakes, or exploit vulnerabilities in dispatch platforms to impersonate carriers or shippers.
Danielle’s solution? Talk to your carriers. Build relationships. Be present. Know who you’re working with before something goes wrong.
Prevention Isn’t Optional—It’s Part of the Pitch
For brokers and shippers, prevention isn’t just a security issue—it’s a sales asset.
“You’re not just protecting freight. You’re protecting your reputation,” Danielle says.
She encourages logistics companies to make vetting and fraud prevention part of their value proposition when talking to customers. That means investing in vetting platforms, enforcing processes consistently, and documenting protocols for when something goes wrong.
“The biggest mistake is not having a process—or having one and ignoring it,” she warns.
And it’s not always tech-enabled heists. Often, it’s old-school surveillance paired with high-tech cover-ups. Fraudsters might tail a truck, use deepfakes, or exploit vulnerabilities in dispatch platforms to impersonate carriers or shippers.
Danielle’s solution? Talk to your carriers. Build relationships. Be present. Know who you’re working with before something goes wrong.
Start Small, But Start Smart
Danielle acknowledges that smaller logistics firms may not have the budget for enterprise solutions, but she believes vetting software is a must-have.
“If you’re starting a brokerage, you need a TMS, payment system, and a way to vet carriers. Those three things are non-negotiable.”
Beyond tools, her advice for newcomers is to start with networking. Events hosted by organizations like FreightWaves, TIA, and Women in Logistics offer a soft entry into the industry. Once you know people, content creation and social engagement become natural extensions.
“Meet someone. Shake a hand. Then follow up online,” Danielle says. “That’s how it starts.”
The Human Element: Why It All Works
For all her insights into fraud prevention and logistics tech, Danielle’s real gift is emotional intelligence. She brings humanity to an industry known for hard lines and tight deadlines. She remembers middle school awkwardness, embraces creative expression, and still writes on piles of sticky notes (though she’s eyeing a Remarkable tablet for her next birthday).
She’s not afraid to laugh, be vulnerable, or post without a polished script.
That authenticity is the magic.
Final Thoughts: Everything Happens for a Reason
Asked to share her personal mantra, Danielle doesn’t hesitate: “Everything happens for a reason.”
It’s the mindset that’s helped her weather professional pivots, turn challenges into content, and say yes to new projects—even when she wasn’t sure she was ready.
Whether you’re launching a podcast, vetting a new carrier, or posting your first selfie at a freight show, her advice rings true:
Start with passion. Stay consistent. Be a person, not a pitch.
Because when you lead with curiosity and show up with purpose, people will tell you everything.
Discover Your Marketing Maturity Level
Click the button below to take the assessment.
