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AURORA, Colo. — Our Colorado is full of pioneers, and a Colorado woman is paving a new path in the warehouse delivery business.
Megan Smith is the CEO of Symbia Logistics, which, according to her, is a third-party distribution warehouse company.
“We’re definitely servicing local clients here in Denver that are a little mom-and-pop shop as well,” Smith said. “With that being said, retail has changed in the last five years, and we’re capable of hitting coast-to-coast in two days for our customers.”
In January, Symbia opened up an e-fulfillment center in Aurora, and it’s more of a ‘mom and pop’ version of Amazon.
“I think we are more of a complement to Amazon," Smith said. “We consider ourselves more of a white glove service. Obviously, Amazon is the world’s largest logistics company at this point. We’re offering a lot of the same services as Amazon, just to a more higher-end white glove clientele. They might need more customization in their packaging, or they've got a specialized customer that’s looking for something that Amazon can’t put in their basic box.”
Smith said the company stores its clients’ inventory and fills orders as they come in online, and that it offers a touch of customization that has disappeared in the current market, in order to increase efficiency.
However, not only is Symbia a pioneer in this type of warehouse distribution, but Smith is also a pioneer in the industry.
“The unique thing about my story is that I’m a woman in a male-dominated industry,” Smith said. “I've got over 1,300 associates from coast to coast, which is a pretty big number to lead, especially as a woman in this space.”
“The fact that we have a female CEO, I just thought that’s history in the making,” said Hilliard McAlpin, who works in the warehouse. “It’s one of the biggest reasons I came here, actually.”
“Actually, I went to the University of Denver, so I consider myself a pioneer anyway,” Smith said. “And I think that Denver has an opportunity for more pioneering in women.”