MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: MEET VINCENT CARRANO FROM FENICHEY LLC

TIA loves to celebrate our diverse membership. Meet Vincent Carrano, Certified Transportation Broker at Fenichey LLC in Wallingford, CT.

How did you get involved in the industry? How many years have you been working in the industry?

I was “born into” the industry.  As the third generation of the Carrano family in transportation, it seemed like destiny.  My first job as a teenager was learning LTL customer service and claims. When that company closed, I found myself selling copy machines and plumbing supplies but knew I needed to get back into trucking. John Webber at NEMF gave me my big break, hiring me as the OS&D and Saturday Breakbulk Supervisor at NEMF.  I eventually filled every role in that terminal until the family called and asked me to come back.  We ran a family-owned warehousing company until 2010 when the market forced us to look for other revenue streams, and brokering freight looked like the right direction. I took a sub-agent position with a very large company and worked there for a short time until I realized that the big corporate environment was just not for me.  In 2012, we authorized Fenichey and we’ve enjoyed long, slow growth over the years.

Who has inspired your career?

My father, my grandfather, and my sons. There is a pride and passion that’s hard to describe when your family name is on the line.

What has been the greatest challenge/opportunity in your career?

Embracing the unknown. For a long time, I was paralyzed by not knowing what I didn’t know.  It’s taken many years and some positive circumstances to be more comfortable with my decisions.  Building a freight brokerage is about crafting a legacy.  It’s about perseverance, innovation, and a willingness to learn new things. Challenges are merely steppingstones to success.

What advice would you give to others who want to start working in the industry?

Learn to sell then never stop selling. “Never stop selling” is the advice my dad’s longtime advisor, Jack Jarvy, gave me.  Jack was at the end of his career when I was leaving NEMF to help my dad with the warehouse. What I didn’t know was that “selling” didn’t only mean going out and getting customers. “Selling” is persuading others to embrace your vision whether it’s clients, agents, or carriers.  The tools you learn in sales are broadly relevant to every aspect of life.

Why is it important for you to be a member of TIA?

Being a member of TIA offers credibility.  As a small business, we sometimes operate in a vacuum.  Membership in a diverse organization with the educational & networking opportunities it presents, helps a small to midsize broker like Fenichey display to its clients, agents and carriers that we are serious about our business and about making this industry a better place for small businesses to succeed.