In today’s competitive business landscape, companies are constantly searching for ways to tighten margins, improve profitability, and unlock new efficiencies. Yet there’s one area that often remains surprisingly underleveraged, and that is: shipping and logistics cost savings. According to James Manning, founder of STS Now, logistics is often a silent profit center waiting to be tapped, but many businesses simply don’t know what they’re missing.
Manning, a seasoned logistics and transportation advisor, brings decades of experience and credibility to the table. His first venture, MCG Logistics, an enterprise he built over 24 years before selling it in a successful acquisition, helped him to forge the business acumen and professional relationships that today stand as the key differentiator in the industry with STS Now (Solutions-to-Savings Now).
Through STS Now, he helps companies reduce parcel carrier, less-than-truckload, and truckload costs by comparing their current pricing against a critical database in shipping spend. He argues that while most companies believe they’re already getting the best deal, that confidence is often built on incomplete information. “Companies usually rely on mid-level managers who have long-standing relationships with carrier reps,” Manning explains. “Those reps are telling them they have good pricing, but they have no true basis for comparison.”
This reliance on internal assurances rather than industry-wide benchmarks could often lead to blind spots. Manning says it’s not uncommon for STS Now to uncover savings in the hundreds of thousands, or even millions, for clients who regard their rates as competitive.
Despite the potential for substantial impact, many businesses hesitate to explore logistics cost reductions due to misconceptions about the time involved. Manning pushes back firmly on that hesitation. “Most projects require no more than five hours of the client’s time spread over 4-6 weeks,” Manning states. “It’s a couple of meetings, a handoff of data, and updates along the way. For a million-dollar return, that’s an investment anyone should be willing to make.”
For private equity firms and company executives, the appeal of such rapid and measurable impact should be apparent. Manning’s work directly supports the private equity model, rooted in the process of buying, optimizing, and exiting with increased profitability.
As a seasoned veteran advisor, his ability to walk into an organization and deliver cost-reduction strategies from day one makes him a valuable asset in any post-acquisition optimization strategy. “We’re going to be able to come into any kind of organization and drive savings and profits right out of the gate,” Manning states. “With our networks and knowledge base of what’s available and possible from a pricing perspective, we’re efficiently aligning with their long-term vision and cost-cutting objectives.”
While many lower-level managers often feel strong-armed by the presence of an outside expert, Manning emphasizes that the point of this collaboration isn’t to undermine internal teams but to empower and strengthen them by providing insight they may not have access to. For this reason, STS Now collaborates with executives who understand the value of informed strategy and are willing to prioritize expertise for cost-effectiveness.
Manning’s established credibility comes not only from his track record of cost-cutting success but also from the way he built his previous company. Using what he refers to as a “bucket approach,” he focused on measuring through distinct phases, which he calls “crawl, walk, jog, run, and sprint.” It was this incremental strategy, rooted in discipline, that enabled him to scale efficiency while maintaining control of his business. “I didn’t want to grow fast at the expense of ownership,” he explains. “I didn’t want to be in a position where I had to ask permission to make decisions.”
While many chase monetary value, Manning’s decision to sell MCG had very little to do with the financial rewards. It was a decision to move on from people management and pursue other passions. With STS Now, he saw an opportunity to build something new, leveraging the relationships, insights, and strategic intuition
developed over a long career in logistics, and today, with millions in saved costs, he is actively challenging the internal complacency within companies while providing logistical excellence.
STS Now is already helping companies across industries, from medical supply firms to golf goods brands, drive quick, measurable results with minimal disruption. In the face of organizations continuing to navigate complex supply chains and rising operational costs, the value of having an advisor like Manning who can uncover obscure cost-cutting opportunities has never been more pertinent.
For companies seeking a smarter strategy, stronger margins, and a competitive advantage grounded in hard numbers, logistics savings shouldn’t be an afterthought, but one of the first calls a strategic leader makes.
