With a background in early-stage startups, Audrey Song is no stranger to professional adventure.
Right out of college, Song began her marketing career in the NYC startup scene, landing roles ranging from recruiting software to fintech. The experiences were a marketing crash course in a high-growth environment — where relationship-building and creativity were must-have skills. These same skills brought Song to her role as senior director of marketing and partnerships at MVMNT: a new adventure in the freight industry.
“If you had told me I’d be in trucking, I might have laughed,” admitted Song, “But here I am, in an industry that's more Wild West than Wall Street, and it’s fascinating.”
The six months since Song joined have been busy, to say the least. Alongside a successful $20M Series A in October, the organization has launched a handful of features to its software. The software, a transportation management solution, or TMS, democratizes sophisticated freight brokerage technology by bringing tools typically only useful and affordable for enterprise companies to small and medium-sized brokerages across the country.
For a marketing leader like Song, the task ahead is an opportunity to guide the company into new, market-breaking territory, one that many others might blanch at. But for this startup veteran, the potential impact on MVMNT’s customers is well worth the risk.
“Freight is a massive, $800B backbone of the U.S. economy,” Song remarked. “We’re bringing tools, once exclusive to the big players, into the hands of SMB brokerages.
“I couldn’t be more excited,” she added.
‘Throwing Spaghetti’
Much of the early-stage startup commercial focus is finding an angle in the market. Many startups self-describe as agile or adaptable with their business strategy because, as a new business casting for the right message to land with the right customers, they have to be. MVMNT’s marketing journey toward product-market fit is no exception.
“A lot of what we do at this stage feels like throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks,” said Song. “Sometimes, it's less about traditional marketing and more about being a go-to-market generalist – we're constantly testing hypotheses, aligning the team, and yes, throwing a lot of spaghetti.”
“We’re constantly testing hypotheses, aligning the team, and yes, throwing a lot of spaghetti.”
At the helm of this spaghetti-slinging ship is Song, shaping MVMNT’s commercial strategy to grow and adapt quickly to the demands of the day. As a marketing leader, she rides the highs and lows of every decisive move.
“There’s a real sense of ownership and achievement in seeing the direct results of my work, whether I’m mapping out a go-to-market plan or even just drafting cold emails.” said Song. “But at this stage, you learn to kill your darlings — often.”
Staying Connected, Growing Together
Someone in Song’s position might have the freedom to focus on large-scale strategy, delegating more mundane tasks to her team. But for Song, keeping the team’s momentum moving forward is a labor of love.
Networking and maintaining strong relationships is a foundational tenet of the freight industry, according to Song. For the team at MVMNT, a genuine interest in seeing fellow team members grow and succeed is an extension of the industry mindset.
“In my six months here, I’ve seen how deeply people care and invest in each other’s development, and it’s refreshing to be part of such a supportive environment,” said Song.
Additionally, these connections transform into opportunities for mentorship, positioning Song to grow her career as she grows MVMNT’s customer base. The leadership behind MVMNT is experienced and knowledgeable — a “goldmine for someone eager to learn,” as Song puts it — and they encourage MVMNT employees to build their networks within the industry to support employees’ professional development.
The Road Ahead
The journey of professional development is not always a straightforward ascent, but with the right mindset, every obstacle is a chance to learn something new. When asked to describe what makes her role at MVMNT unique, Song described her experience as “a professional development adventure in itself.”
“It’s like diving into the deep end,” said Song. “The sheer pace and variety of challenges are unparalleled.”
The next great adventure for Song lies in the development of a new go-to-market strategy based on product-led growth, a strategy that allows MVMNT’s customers to try the product free and organically discover what value it brings to the market. By partnering with their users, MVMNT’s team is focused on building the best version of their product that pivots a curious free user into a life-long paying customer.
What makes this approach exciting is its unconventional style, allowing multiple departments of the MVMNT team to have a direct hand in shaping the branding narrative around their product. Spearheading this strategy is Song, leaning into the cross-functional experience and finding new ways to collaborate with her MVMNT peers.
“It’s a big shift for us, but I’m excited about the opportunity to drive this change and work closely with different teams to make it happen.”
