ShipSquared Expands Leadership Team and Doubles Down on Robotics, AI, and Automation

ShipSquared adds Senior Advisor Steve Zuckerman, transitions founder Zak Jones to full-time CEO, and accelerates investment in warehouse robotics, AI, and proprietary fulfillment software for high-growth DTC ecommerce brands.

Originally featured in Forbesmrkt, read the full coverage here.

Dallas, TX: ShipSquared, a Texas-based third-party logistics (3PL) and fulfillment provider serving mid-market and enterprise ecommerce brands, today announced a series of strategic milestones marking one of the most pivotal years in the company's history. The announcement includes the addition of a high-profile Senior Advisor, the transition of its founder into a full-time CEO role, and an aggressive multi-year investment in warehouse robotics, automation, and proprietary AI-powered software designed to support the brands ShipSquared serves at every stage of growth.

With two fulfillment centers in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and a third in Shenzhen, China, ShipSquared has rapidly become one of the most talked-about names in the Texas fulfillment landscape. The company has built its reputation as a leading 3PL in Texas for Shopify brands, Amazon sellers, and direct-to-consumer (DTC) ecommerce companies shipping between 5,000 and 60,000+ orders per month.

The timing is deliberate. U.S. retail ecommerce sales are projected to reach $1.62 trillion in 2026, with the U.S. ecommerce fulfillment market growing at roughly 14% annually through 2030. That pace is putting unprecedented pressure on growing brands to find fulfillment partners that can scale with them, rather than become a bottleneck.

Steve Zuckerman Joins ShipSquared as Senior Advisor

ShipSquared has welcomed Steve Zuckerman, Founder of FourX Ventures and Co-Founder of Vatica Health, as a Senior Advisor. Zuckerman is widely respected across the private equity and operator community for his track record of building and scaling category-defining businesses.

At Vatica Health, Zuckerman:

Co-founded the company and scaled it to a $1B+ valuation
Grew the team to 750+ employees with double-digit profitability
Led two successful private equity exits (2018 and 2023)
Returned $250M+ to investors at a greater than 10× return

His role at ShipSquared is focused on helping the company transition from a regional standout into an international enterprise, with an emphasis on executive team-building, operational scaling, and long-term capital strategy.

"Steve's experience scaling operations, building executive teams, and navigating multiple successful exits is exactly the caliber of leadership we want shaping ShipSquared's next chapter," said Zak Jones, CEO and President of ShipSquared. "We're hiring aggressively, expanding our footprint, and building infrastructure designed to support brands well into nine-figure revenue ranges. Steve helps us think bigger and execute sharper."

Zak Jones Steps into Full-Time CEO Role Following Shark Tank Success

Zak Jones has transitioned into the full-time CEO and President role at ShipSquared after stepping down from day-to-day operations at Permaplug, the consumer brand he famously took on ABC's Shark Tank, where he closed an on-air deal with one of the sharks. Jones now serves as an advisor to Permaplug and is dedicating his full attention to ShipSquared's growth alongside Zuckerman and the rest of the leadership team.

Jones brings a perspective to the 3PL industry that few competitors can match: he has lived the brand-owner experience firsthand. His insight into what ecommerce founders actually need from a fulfillment partner shapes every decision at ShipSquared, from pricing structure to client communication to technology investment.

"My experience with 3PLs as a brand owner is honestly what built this company," said Jones. "I had terrible experiences with fulfillment partners back when Permaplug was scaling. Most ecommerce brands have no idea how much they're overpaying for genuinely bad service from a partner that's supposed to be one of the most important relationships in their business. The painful part is, they usually don't find out until they hit their stride and their 3PL can't handle the volume, and that's exactly when you need them the most. Don't wait until Q4 to start switching. If you're doing 5,000 to 25,000+ orders a month, let's talk now."

Brent Raymond Leads Robotics and Automation Strategy as COO

Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer Brent Raymond is leading ShipSquared's investment in warehouse robotics and fulfillment center automation, a strategy specifically designed to drive faster turnaround times, lower per-unit costs, and tighter pick and pack accuracy for client brands.

With more than a decade of full-time ecommerce experience, Raymond brings a rare combination of operator and logistics expertise that ShipSquared clients consistently cite as a deciding factor in their decision to partner with the company.

"Our clients don't just want a warehouse, they want a partner that understands ecommerce as well as they do," said Raymond. "Every automation and robotics decision we make is filtered through one question: does this make life better for the brands we serve? Speed, accuracy, and cost are the three things every DTC brand cares about, and that's exactly where we're investing."

AI and Proprietary Technology Reshape the ShipSquared Client Experience

ShipSquared is also doubling down on AI and proprietary software to simplify what has historically been one of the messiest parts of running an ecommerce business: the supply chain.

The company is actively developing a unified client portal that consolidates inventory forecasting, freight management, FBA prep, fulfillment, and sourcing into a single experience. The goal is to replace the patchwork of disconnected third-party tools most brands cobble together today with one purpose-built platform.

Recent additions to the platform include:

Per-SKU inventory forecasting with configurable lead times and sales velocity modeling
Real-time order visibility across all sales channels and fulfillment centers
Integrated freight management for both inbound and outbound shipments
Automated FBA prep workflows designed for Amazon sellers operating at scale
Sourcing visibility from ShipSquared's Shenzhen operations through delivery

The company's three core service lines, Fulfillment, Freight, and Sourcing, give ecommerce brands an end-to-end logistics partner from factory floor to customer doorstep, with full visibility every step of the way.

A Different Kind of 3PL for the Brands Defining the Next Decade of Ecommerce

As one of the fastest-growing fulfillment centers in Texas, and a leading provider of Shopify 3PL services, FBA prep in Texas, and direct-to-consumer fulfillment, ShipSquared is positioning itself as the antidote to the bloated, impersonal 3PLs that dominate the industry.

Brands across home goods, beauty, supplements, apparel, and consumer electronics are migrating to ShipSquared for one reason that consistently surfaces in client conversations: a partner that actually understands their business.

The combination of operator-led leadership, an aggressive automation roadmap, and proprietary technology positions ShipSquared as one of the most forward-thinking fulfillment companies in the United States, purpose-built for the brands that will define the next decade of ecommerce.

Get in Touch

Ecommerce brands shipping 5,000 to 25,000+ orders per month are invited to start a conversation with the ShipSquared team.

Customers tracking a shipment can visit our package tracking page.

As Featured In

This announcement was featured in Forbesmrkt. Read the full coverage here.

About ShipSquared

ShipSquared (Freedom Products LLC dba ShipSquared) is a Texas-based third-party logistics and fulfillment provider specializing in direct-to-consumer fulfillment, FBA prep, freight forwarding, and sourcing for mid-market and enterprise ecommerce brands. With two fulfillment centers in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and one in Shenzhen, China, ShipSquared combines operator-led ecommerce expertise, proprietary technology, and forward-thinking investments in robotics and AI to deliver a fulfillment experience built around growth, reliability, and partnership.

Learn more at shipsquared.com.

https://www.shipsquared.com/blog/shipsquared-expands-leadership-robotics-ai-automation