An Optimus original series
BrettDeadhead
A comedy series about a freight broker with plenty of activity and zero outcomes.
dead·head
DED-hed · noun, trucking
A truck running empty. All of the miles, none of the money.
See also: Brett.
House rules
- 1.Brett never wins.
- 2.Brett never learns.
- 3.Brett doesn't use Optimus.
Season 1 episode guide
Every episode runs under a minute and takes on a freight sales habit that wastes real time: unqualified accounts, generic cold calls, spray-and-pray AI email, RFP chasing, conference “networking” and buzzword voicemails. Each one comes with the lesson Brett missed.
0:44S1 · E01 · Aired Jun 9, 2026
The Phantom Shipper
Brett lands a brand-new, freaking huge account and puts the whole floor on the phones. Nobody checks whether the load still exists.
0:44S1 · E02 · Aired Aug 11, 2026
The Cold Call From Hell
Brett cold-calls a manufacturer for Lakefront Freight Solutions. They move stuff. They're great everywhere. He's thinking about it.
- 0:54
S1 · E03 · Aired Aug 18, 2026
Brett Discovers AI
Experts say AI could replace SDRs. Brett fights fire with fire: one chatbot, one “Dear Sir or Madam,” his entire list.
- 0:45
S1 · E04 · Aired Aug 27, 2026
The Road Warrior
Brett tells his boss he's walking a customer's dock. Forklifts everywhere. Gary hears a golf course.
0:35S1 · E05 · Aired Sep 3, 2026
The RFP Trophy Wall
Brett gives a guided tour of his wall of RFPs. Three days on a Fortune 500 bid, zero wins, great vibes.
- 0:47
S1 · E06 · Aired Sep 15, 2026
The Conference Hero
Brett heads to the freight summit to network. Selfies: plenty. Leads: zero. Steakhouse dinner: expensed.
0:37S1 · E07 · Aired Oct 1, 2026
The Cold Call Warmup
Brett locks in for one cold call with a pep talk in the bathroom mirror. The voicemail is mostly the word synergy.
Meet the cast
Brett Deadhead
Account Executive, Lakefront Freight Solutions
- Specialty
- Full truckload. All markets. Great everywhere.
- RFP record
- Zero for a lot.
- Last seen
- “Walking the dock.”
- Go-to close
- “Send over some lanes to quote.”
- Pipeline status
- He's thinking about it.
Gary
Brett's boss. Needs him back in the office by end of day. Knows what a golf course sounds like.
Lakefront Freight Solutions
The brokerage that moves stuff. Full truckload, all markets, below market rates.
Collected Brett-isms
- “But the vibes were great.”
- “Send over some lanes to quote.”
- “He's thinking about it.”
- “That's Shakespeare.”
- “Is anyone working on this?”
- “Sorry, Gary, you're breaking up.”
- “That is called clutch, my friend.”
- “We move stuff.”
- “To networking!”
- “AI works for me now.”
Frequently asked questions
What is Brett Deadhead?
Brett Deadhead is a comedy video series from Optimus about a freight broker sales rep with plenty of activity and zero outcomes. Each episode runs under a minute and pairs the joke with a real lesson for freight brokerage sales teams.
What does deadhead mean in trucking?
In trucking, deadheading means driving a truck with no load. The truck burns fuel and the driver's hours but earns no revenue, which is why carriers and brokers work to keep deadhead miles low.
What freight sales lessons does the series cover?
Qualifying shipper accounts before the team starts dialing, opening a cold call with a lane the shipper actually runs, pointing AI at the right list, giving managers real visibility into rep activity, the limits of chasing RFPs, planning conference meetings in advance and leaving voicemails that earn a callback.
Is Lakefront Freight Solutions a real company?
No. Lakefront Freight Solutions, Brett and Gary are fictional characters created for the series. Any resemblance to a real brokerage or rep is a coincidence, even if every brokerage seems to have a Brett.
Where can I watch new episodes?
New episodes premiere on the Optimus LinkedIn page and are added to this episode guide with a full transcript.
There's a better way.
Brett never checks the lanes. Optimus shows your reps which shippers move freight that fits your network, who to call and why, so every touch has a reason behind it.