Meet Colin Brady, Director of Business Development

Meet Our People - Colin Brady

At Mercury, the people who deliver results for clients are the ones who understand what it actually takes to move a shipment from one end of a complex supply chain to the other. Colin Brady, Director of Business Development, is one of those people. He began his logistics career in operations at a global freight forwarder, building a foundation of hands-on knowledge before transitioning into sales, where he has spent more than 15 years developing deep expertise in healthcare and life sciences logistics. That dual background gives Colin an unusually clear view of what clients need from a partner and what it actually takes for an operations team to deliver on those commitments. He joins Mercury with a direct understanding of where specialty logistics often falls short and a genuine conviction that Mercury's model, built around dedicated Squads and measurable accountability, is the right answer.

You spent the early part of your career in operational roles before moving into sales. How did that foundation shape the way you approach business development today?

I started my logistics career at BDP International, a global freight forwarder based here in Philly. Getting the operations experience gave me a good foundation of knowledge in the logistics industry, which I was able to build on when I decided to go into sales. It was also the beginning of building a network in logistics, and there are people from BDP and other previous companies that I still keep in touch with.

You have worked in healthcare and life sciences logistics for a significant part of your career. What did that experience teach you about what these clients actually need from a logistics partner?

I worked at World Courier for about four and a half years starting in 2020 which was an interesting time especially in healthcare logistics. Our volumes during the “COVID” years were literally unmanageable, and so I quickly came to realize what customers value in the specialty space. More than anything they were looking for a dedicated point of contact that they could reach out to when some thing went wrong, they needed help tracking a package, or an update on their customs pre-approval process, etc. We were not able to offer that at WC which is why I’m happy my customers will have their own Squad to handle their shipments.

What stood out about Mercury that made this the right next move?

Jessica! It was obvious with her energy that she was highly optimistic on the trajectory of the company and she sold me on the opportunity, as well as Josh and Jim. I saw on the website that Mercury had a 99.6% on time delivery for cold chain shipments which I know is unheard of in the industry, and in speaking with Josh and Jim and knowing they had a military background it was easy to see why. This company is more “plugged in” technologically and operationally than any company I’ve worked for previously.

After more than 15 years in logistics sales, what is the one question you always ask a new client before proposing anything?

After having a discovery call with a customer and uncovering the value adds that we can offer with our portal and our squad, during the Solutions call I would reiterate those value adds to the client and ask, “If we can offer a, b, and c (value adds) and mitigate d, e and f (pain points) as discussed, and of course be there from a pricing standpoint, is there any reason you wouldn’t move forward with Mercury?”

What is the biggest misconception clients have when they first start evaluating a new logistics partner?

You have held both operational and commercial roles throughout your career. Does that dual perspective create tension, or does it mostly help? No, I’ve never felt that it created any tension, but it did gave me a greater appreciation for the Operations teams that I’ve worked with. As opposed to some salespeople who may take for granted the work of their Ops teams, I know first hand the work that goes into each and every shipment. Mad respect for Ops, but I am happy to be in sales!

Outside of logistics, you serve on the Board of Directors for USA Boxing. That is not a combination most people would expect. How did that role come about, and what has it taught you that you bring into your professional work?

I discovered the “Boxer’s workout” while a member of a fancy white collar gym here in Philly while I was working in a very stressful outside sales environment. I’ll never forget that first workout, it was the best workout of my life. I started doing it regularly and after a break up I saw a sign for “Fight Night 7” – I decided to sign up and got in the best shape of my life and my family came to watch and I won – I was hooked! My first official USA Boxing match was a fundraiser called “A Lift for a Vet” to raise money to buy stair lifts for disabled Veterans. I soon realized that amateur boxing is not only safe, but demands a very healthy lifestyle. I became passionate about nutrition and wellness and in 2020 became a Certified Health Coach. In 2022, at age 37 I became the oldest PA Golden gloves Champion in history. While I agree that amateur boxing is unique for a logistics salesman, I believe we need more amateur boxing and martial arts in our cities and our suburbs, so that it isn’t so unique anymore!

I now serve on the Board of Directors at the Veteran Boxers’ Association and the legendary Front St. Gym (if you’ve ever seen the movie “Creed” you know the Front St. Gym) here in Philly. Last year I was selected to the Board at USA Boxing which was very exciting. USAB is one of the 50 National Governing Bodies for the USOPC and our mission is to promote and grow Olympic Style amateur boxing and win gold medals at the Olympics. As you can probably tell I’m a passionate advocate for amateur boxing (and all the martial arts) as a safe and healthy outlet for men, women and children of all ages and especially those battling depression, anxiety, alcoholism, addiction, PTSD, obesity, and ADHD among others. Competition is optional, discipline is mandatory!

To answer the second part of your question, they say boxing is a metaphor for life, and that can be applied to sales as well. I remember my first sales job, the CEO told me he was looking for people who were competitive, coachable, hard-working, and intelligent, and everything else they could teach us. I used those attributes to become the leading salesperson ever in the Philly office, and it’s interesting because those are the same attributes that allowed me to excel in boxing. Also, Josh and Jim will appreciate this from Extreme Ownership – Discipline is Freedom!

Lastly, I’m a Penn Stater, and I know many of the companies are Buckeyes – who wants to see a PSU vs OSU boxing show? Mercury branded, of course!

What does a strong first 90 days look like to you when you join a new company?

More than anything, learning – about Mercury’s service offerings, our people, our mission and culture, our systems, our sales process and how they all sync together. The first 90 days is about building the foundation and the pipeline to set myself and the company up for success – and taking the low hanging fruit while I’m at it!

What has changed the most about how companies think about shipping over the course of your career?

Technology. I remember when I started in sales in 2012, we offered a website for LTL shipping with a rate aggregator so that companies could enter their shipment specs and get quotes from a multitude of different LTL carriers. This was State of the Art! Now with the increasing dependence on technology and the internet and now AI, companies looking for technology integration/automation are much more the status quo.

What is something people would not know about you from a first conversation?

My politics : )

If you could give one piece of advice to someone just starting out in logistics, what would it be?

I went to Notre Dame basketball camp after my ninth grade year and I remember the coach John McLeod constantly saying, “The harder I work the luckier I get, it is amazing”. For the most part that has rang true in my career and in my life. That…and find a punching bag!

Join Our Team: Discover Career Opportunities at Mercury

Colin brings to Mercury more than a strong track record in healthcare logistics sales. He brings a perspective shaped by both sides of the operation, a philosophy forged through years of competitive amateur boxing, and a standard he applies to everything he takes on: competition is optional, discipline is mandatory. If his story resonates with you, visit our Careers page to learn about open roles and what it looks like to be part of a team at Mercury.