Empowering Safety: How She's Birdie Revolutionized Personal Security with Flexport's Digital Logistics Platform

Introduction: A Mission-Driven Start-up Tackling a Crucial Issue

In a world where one in three women in the U.S. faces assault in her lifetime, She's Birdie emerged as a beacon of hope. Founded in 2019 by sisters Amy Ferber and Ali Ferber Peters, this innovative start-up has made it its mission to empower women—and men—to navigate the world with greater confidence through modern, tech-enabled personal safety alarms.

She's Birdie's commitment extends beyond product sales. For every purchase, they contribute a percentage of profits to partner organizations supporting women's safety, shelter, and health. This dedication to social impact, coupled with their innovative approach to personal security, has catapulted She's Birdie from a fledgling start-up to a seven-figure revenue company in just six months.

The Challenge: Scaling Operations to Meet Explosive Growth

She's Birdie's remarkable success brought with it a new set of challenges. With monthly revenue skyrocketing from $1,200 to seven figures in half a year, the company quickly outgrew its initial operational setup of Excel spreadsheets and garage-based shipping. The three-person team, consisting of the co-founders and their head of growth, Richie Mashiko, found themselves at a critical juncture. They needed a logistics partner that could not only keep pace with their rapid sales growth but also provide the sophisticated tools and support necessary for a scaling business.

Enter Flexport: A Digital Logistics Solution for the Modern Era

When She's Birdie approached Flexport, they brought over 20 years of experience in product manufacturing and operations. However, upon discovering the capabilities of the Flexport Platform, they realized the potential for a paradigm shift in their logistics management. The platform's promise of end-to-end tracking and seamless collaboration opened up new possibilities for optimizing their supply chain.

Over the two and a half years since partnering with Flexport, She's Birdie has achieved remarkable milestones:

• Shipped close to a million Birdies
• Reduced shipping costs
• Improved collaboration with global teams
• Accelerated shipping times
• Gained comprehensive visibility into their entire supply chain

Real-Time Decision Making: The Power of Visibility

As demand for She's Birdie products surged, the increased visibility provided by the Flexport Platform became a game-changer. The team could now access previously unavailable information, such as SKU-level location data, enabling them to stay ahead of demand spikes without expanding their workforce.

This enhanced visibility empowered She's Birdie to make informed, real-time decisions. For instance, they could track shipments mid-journey, whether crossing oceans, in flight, or safely in port. This level of detail even allowed them to re-route a shipment to Chicago mid-transit, all while maintaining clear communication with the relevant Flexport team members worldwide.

Ali Ferber Peters, Co-Founder of She's Birdie, emphasized the value of this visibility: "With Flexport, we know exactly when our goods are at the warehouse in Asia, when they're on the boat or in flight. We know which airport they'll land at before being transported to Chicago. We're aware of the mode of transportation used at each stage and the estimated delivery date. Plus, we can communicate with anyone at Flexport involved in this process, every step of the way."

Transparent Quoting: Unprecedented Insight into Pricing

Beyond operational visibility, She's Birdie found immense value in Flexport's transparent quoting process. The platform provided multiple quotes with clear pricing information, a level of transparency that was previously challenging to obtain in the logistics industry.

Ali explains, "Our product is small, which allows us to ship by air, and with Flexport, I can easily get quotes for different speeds of air. Simply knowing what options are available, and having a voice in the process is unusual for this industry. Flexport has cut down our shipping costs beyond what we could have imagined."

This unprecedented level of visibility in both the quoting process and supply chain management has resulted in significant cost savings for She's Birdie, cementing their loyalty to Flexport's services.

Navigating Critical Decisions with 24/7 Expert Support

The Flexport platform's real-time tracking and tracing capabilities, coupled with its centralized communication system, have been instrumental in She's Birdie's ability to navigate complex decision points. The 24/7 support from Flexport's expert teams has further enhanced this capability, providing She's Birdie with dependable in-house expertise whenever needed.

Ali praises the accessibility and responsiveness of the Flexport team: "With Flexport, all the information is at my fingertips. I love your platform. I love the ability to correspond at any time of day and get an answer from somebody. Particularly during the pandemic, I get information from Flexport in China and turn it around to our team in Europe. It sped up our response time and made us more nimble."

Beyond Logistics: Facilitating Business Growth

She's Birdie's partnership with Flexport has yielded benefits beyond efficient logistics management. The Flexport team's proactivity and willingness to engage in last-minute consultations have made a significant difference in how She's Birdie manages both their supply chain and overall business operations.

One notable success was Flexport's assistance in finding the right trucking partner, which resulted in faster delivery times. This improvement is particularly crucial in today's congested supply chain environment, where delays are commonplace. Ali notes, "I will definitely say that we got our product faster than people I know who have not had the pleasure of working with Flexport."

The Future of Digital Logistics: Lessons from She's Birdie's Success

The story of She's Birdie's partnership with Flexport offers valuable insights into the future of digital logistics, particularly for rapidly growing eCommerce businesses. Here are some key takeaways:

1. Real-time visibility is crucial: The ability to track shipments at a granular level and make real-time decisions can significantly improve supply chain efficiency and responsiveness.
2. Transparent pricing matters: Access to clear, multiple quotes allows businesses to make informed decisions and optimize their shipping costs.
3. Expert support is invaluable: Having access to 24/7 expert support can help businesses navigate complex logistics challenges and make critical decisions with confidence.
4. Integration is key: A platform that integrates all aspects of logistics management—from quoting to tracking to communication—can streamline operations and improve overall efficiency.
5. Adaptability drives success: The ability to quickly adapt to changing circumstances, such as re-routing shipments or finding new partners, is crucial in today's dynamic business environment.

Conclusion: Empowering Growth Through Digital Logistics

She's Birdie's journey with Flexport demonstrates the transformative power of digital logistics platforms in enabling rapid business growth. By leveraging real-time visibility, transparent pricing, expert support, and adaptable solutions, She's Birdie was able to scale its operations efficiently, meeting explosive demand without compromising on their mission to enhance personal safety.

As eCommerce continues to evolve and supply chains become increasingly complex, the role of digital logistics platforms like Flexport in facilitating business growth cannot be overstated. For companies looking to replicate She's Birdie's success, embracing these digital solutions may well be the key to navigating the challenges of rapid scaling and global expansion.

The future of logistics is digital, and as She's Birdie's story shows, those who embrace this future are well-positioned to thrive in the ever-changing landscape of global commerce.