Helping founders scale with precision, not pressure.
July 22, 2025
In the fast-moving world of logistics, many freight forwarders still struggle with outdated systems and slow processes. But Glenn Lai, founder of FR8 Labs from Singapore, saw this as a big opportunity. His story is a great example of how a founder can spot a gap in the market and build a successful solution from scratch.
Before starting FR8 Labs, Glenn had already worked in logistics and business strategy. He knew how things worked in the industry and saw the problems up close. Most freight forwarders were using old tools that didn’t help them grow or manage their work well. Glenn wanted to fix that.
Three years ago, Glenn decided to start FR8 Labs. His goal was clear: build a simple and smart software tool (ERP) for freight forwarders. It would help them manage shipments, customer data, and transactions in one place. The tool had to be easy to use, work for many countries, and be affordable for small to mid-size businesses.
Starting a business in Southeast Asia came with its own set of challenges. The freight industry was old-fashioned, and many companies still believed in cold calls and face-to-face sales. But Glenn had a different plan. He focused on smart, digital outreach using AI and automation to find and win new customers.
He didn’t build a big team. Instead, he handled many parts of the business himself: sales, coding, customer support, and operations. As Glenn says:
“I spend 20% of my time on sales, 30% on customer success, 30% coding, and the
rest on admin.”
Today, FR8 Labs serves over 100 customers in 15 countries. The company uses a smart system to find and talk to potential customers. This includes:
Even though Glenn doesn’t spend much on ads or social media, the business still gets new leads through referrals and word of mouth. “We already have more leads than we can handle,” he shares.
One of Glenn’s biggest strengths is how he uses smart partnerships. Instead of hiring a big in-house team, he works with trusted partners who help with outbound marketing. This lets him focus on closing deals and supporting customers.
“Outsourcing the repetitive parts of outreach helps me focus on strategy and
closing. That’s the founder’s edge.”
He also uses tools like HubSpot to manage his customer pipeline and sales process. Sales cycles range from 1 to 3 months for small clients and 3 to 6 months for larger deals.
When asked what he would tell early-stage founders, Glenn kept it simple:
“Outreach, research, prospecting—it’s time-consuming. Let someone else do it, and
you focus on closing deals and growing your product.”
He also talked about how AI is changing the game. From scraping data to sending smart replies, AI tools can make outreach easier and faster. But you need a partner who understands how to use these tools well.
FR8 Labs makes money from both software subscriptions and transactions that happen through the platform. This two-layer model helps them earn more as their clients grow. Their product is not a basic tool—it’s a full solution built for complex freight operations.
And Glenn’s background helps a lot. With experience in commercial strategy and logistics, he knows what freight businesses really need.
At Exotto, we work with B2B founders like Glenn who want to grow faster without doing everything themselves. We help tech startups set up a client acquisition system that runs on autopilot.
Here’s what we do:
Glenn’s approach is proof that early-stage founders don’t need to hire big teams. With the right strategy and support, they can scale much faster. That’s what we offer at Exotto—done-for-you systems so founders can focus on their product, not just sales.
Helping founders scale with precision, not pressure.
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