LEADERSHIP Conversations with the Captains of Industry
Burning Ships, Embracing Change, and the Power of ‘Who, Not How’
Josh Dunham is co-founder and CEO of Reveel, which provides shipping intelligence technology and has more than $8 billion in parcel spend under management. In this role, he focuses on corporate strategy and growth, as well as client and employee retention. “My role requires addressing questions such as ‘How do we win? Do we have the right offer? How do we create competitive advantage?’” Dunham says. Examining these questions led to a significant change in the company’s business model about five years ago. Dunham and Chad Beville launched Reveel in 2006 as a professional services firm, with a goal of addressing the lack of transparency in the parcel shipping space. At the time, many shippers had no idea how they could use their data to save money. “I saw it as a big opportunity for us to create something meaningful that can help our customers,” Dunham adds. The company grew steadily. Then, extensive interviews with parcel shippers and a market survey project revealed clients were looking for a technology solution that would provide visibility to help them actively manage their parcel shipping expense. In 2019, Reveel acquired a software development company and incorporated its intellectual property within a solution that unlocks insight from shipping data and provides actionable steps shippers can take to control and forecast costs. “The data sets from the carriers are massive,” Dunham says. “This helps unlock the insights from within them.” Reveel launched the solution at the end of 2021 and made several adjustments over the next few years. Here, Dunham reveals the insight he’s gained on leadership, building a thriving company, and continually innovating. IL: What lesson from early in Reveel’s life remains relevant? A relevant lesson is having a ‘burn the ships’ mentality. When you start a business, it’s easy to think that it will be nice if it works out, but you’ll keep other options open just in case. That’s a different mindset than ‘There’s no Plan B; you have to go forward and figure things out.’ Essentially, you burn the ships. I had some advantages—I had emotional and some financial support from my family. I didn’t have the responsibilities of my own family. But I did quit my job and took on some debt. The mentality was, ‘We’ve got to make this work.’
Josh Dunham, Co-founder and CEO, Reveel
By adopting a “burn the ships” mentality, balancing empathy with accountability, and building the right team, Josh Dunham, CEO of Reveel, navigates constant industry changes and fosters a culture of innovation.
by Karen Kroll
10 Inbound Logistics • November 2025
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