In today’s episode of Women In Supply Chain™, I’m joined by Liz Decker, a truly passionate and dynamic leader at one of Inc’s Best Workplaces in America.
Liz has a decade of broad experience across supply chain, having honed her expertise in all modes of logistics, covering international import/export, domestic truckload, drayage, customs brokerage, LTL, and air freight. From leading continuous improvement projects for Fortune 500 companies to leading SMB entrepreneurs through their first-ever international shipment, Liz is as versatile as she is dedicated. And she’s currently bringing her expertise and passion to her role as Director of Client Success at NorthPoint Logistics.
Today Liz will be talking to us about her career so far; her passion for social causes; the importance of putting a focus on client success; and why she’s proud to say that she’s a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to supply chain. Plus, she’ll be sharing her experiences as a woman in supply chain, as well as her words of advice for all of the women following in her footsteps.
Women fuel the success of some of the world’s most successful businesses, yet barriers still exist. SAP is committed to supporting and elevating a new generation of women to profoundly lead and impact global supply chains and are proud to support the Women in Supply Chain™ Series and its efforts.
Supply chains need to evolve from low-cost and optimized to risk-resilient and sustainable and SAP can help.
SAP Digital Supply Chain solutions connect the entire process — design, planning, manufacturing, logistics, maintenance, and service; connecting your supply chains to the rest of your business and all your contextual data; supporting your efforts in alleviating risk in your supply chains.
SAP is the market leader in enterprise application software and for the last 50 years has been helping companies to run better. Find out more at sap.com/scm
[06.45] Liz’s early years: how her first job exposed her to a variety of different people and taught her to be adaptable, and how networking opened the door to supply chain.
“I’m a Mid-West girl – I’m the youngest of three, so I learned quickly that I needed to advocate for myself!”
[09.08] How the pandemic threw Liz into the deep end of supply chain; the highs and lows; and what she learned along the way.
“In 2022, I was having conversations with clients that were ‘I don’t care what it takes. I need my product, and I need it now.’… so it forced me to be creative, and learn the different aspects of our business.”
[14.43] Liz’s current role as Director of Client Success at NorthPoint Logistics; her experience of building a team from the ground up; and why she loves building relationships.
“There’s no playbook of what client success looks like in the logistics industry – an industry that has traditionally been transactional.”
[17.58] The biggest challenges that Liz's client success team face, and the importance of tackling obstacles with strategic thinking.
“My team's role is to advise. Here’s what we’re seeing, here’s what we’re hearing, here’s some data we can provide.”
[23.24] Liz’s thoughts on the cyclical nature of supply chain trends, and what the next few years might bring for the industry.
“It’s a people industry. As technology gets better, and as people adopt technology (because we are lagging), our scope will change… but no matter how much technology we have, someone has to be there.”
[26.22] The importance of good workplace culture, and what Liz has learned working at NorthPoint Logistics - one of Inc’s Best Workplaces in America.
“Culture isn’t something that you just check a box and it’s there. You have to make a conscious effort every single day… but it’s so easy for culture to slip away. Being vulnerable and transparent has been so important for me.”
[30.13] Liz’s passion for volunteering and charity work, and why more organizations should be supporting social causes and local communities.
“We talk about advocating for ourselves as women… and here’s my chance to advocate for someone who maybe can’t for themselves, or has some obstacles that I don’t have.”
[34.20] Why people are Liz’s passion and daily inspiration.
[35.08] Liz’s experience as a woman in supply chain; the power of social media; and her words of advice for women in the industry.
“I never had a mentor, but social media is a great thing.”
[39.30] The future for Liz.
You can connect with Liz over on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from women who are passionate about client success, check out 305: Driving Your Parcel Performance: Check Engine Light, featuring Elle Brown, Senior Client Success Manager at Sifted, or 255: Women In Supply Chain, featuring Mardi Tegmeyer, Customer Success Manager at Emerge.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.
Today I’m shaking things up and sharing one of my favorite recent episodes of Thoughts and Coffee. In this episode, I’m joined by exciting industry writer and former Managing Editor of Payload Space, Ryan Duffy, to talk space logistics. Ryan is passionate about bringing us the scoop on the future of logistics, from emerging tech to the final frontier, and I loved finding out more.
So if you’ve ever wondered about the incredible world of space logistics, then this is the episode for you. We talked all about NASA's plans to start the first Gateway logistics mission later this year; we reflected on the stats that show the market is already expected to generate nearly $20 billion by 2040; and we explored the possible impact on GEO shipping due to the loss of Antonov planes.
You need to stay updated on the rapidly evolving space logistics sector, so – get ready to launch!
[07.12] An introduction to Ryan Duffy and leading publication Payload Space, and an overview of space logistics.
“Behind the scenes there’s a lot of logistics, manufacturing, testing, integrating… there’s a lot more than meets the eye when you see a shiny rocket launch!”
[10.15] Sarah shares the responses to her question of the week, “what is the best supply chain management software,” and Ryan reflects on the software that’s essential to space logistics right now.
“Surprisingly, with space there’s groundbreaking technology in science, but for a lot of missions it’s still managed in a very analogue fashion, with pen and paper or Excel!”
[13.03] Ryan explains GEO satellites and discusses a recent news article that details how a loss of Antonov planes may impact GEO shipping.
[19.09] Sarah and Ryan discuss the news that NASA plans to start work on the first Gateway logistics mission this year.
“The space industry loves to make logistical analogies – they’re called orbital transfer vehicles… but it’s tough to beat space trash truck!”
[24.42] Ryan answers an audience question: “What innovative solutions are in space logistics right now?” and explains the current opportunities within the industry.
[26.31] Ryan and Sarah discuss the research that indicates the space logistics market will generate $19.8 billion by 2040, and Ryan explains last-mile space logistics.
[28.38] An update on what’s coming up on Let’s Talk Supply Chain.
You can find out more about Payload Space over on their website, or you can connect with Ryan on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from ‘the best 30 minutes on a Tuesday,' check out Thoughts and Coffee – where the best industry players discuss breaking supply chain news over a good old cup of Joe!
Check out our other podcasts HERE.
Welcome back to Blended! It’s episode 31, I’m joined by a brand new panel of inspirational professionals and, today, we’re talking about education and bias.
It’s a topic that’s close to my heart, with my own educational and career journey. And, it’s a topic that has increasingly come under the spotlight recently in light of the labor shortages and trending workplace changes we’ve seen industry-wide. So now is the perfect time to really explore what’s going wrong, or right, with the way we think about education in the workplace.
Today, our guests will be diving into education and sharing their own experiences; exploring the hiring practices that often continue to support bias; reflecting on what the next generation are doing and thinking about when it comes to education and their careers; and sharing their words of advice for how organizations can tackle education bias and create more diverse workplaces.
[00.44] Introductions to our Blended panellists.
“Education bias is somebody being treated differently, or unfavorably, based on their educational background, where they went to school and what level of education they have.” Rose
[02.32] The group give an overview of education bias, and what it means to them.
“It was instilled in me from the second I was born: education, education, education… When I finished my degree, I felt that if I wanted to make more money, if I wanted to really excel in the corporate world, I had to have an MBA. And it took me a long time to think deeper about why I felt that way, and if I really needed it to be successful. ” Rose
[05.09] The panel share their personal experiences, their level of education and how important it has been to their professional career.
“Companies say ‘we want to retain more employees, what can we do?’ Well, help develop them! Develop them, make them want to stay with you. Sometimes simple questions have simple answers, we just have to take the time.” Jennifer
[23.14] The group discuss education bias within industry, and the age-old debate of experience vs education.
“To be on a tenure track, you typically have to have a PhD. And then once you get into your field, then it becomes rank – are you an assistant professor, associate professor or professor – so you still have a PhD, but rank becomes an issue.” Stella
“It’s hard to acknowledge and recognize your ego… but if we build more self-awareness, we can start to realise when our ego is leading things in the wrong direction, and the more we address that, we would see less bias.” Rose
[38.57] The panel reflect on what they’re seeing in the market around education bias and hiring practices.
“I think we put too much emphasis on education and not experience, but there is a catch 22. Because the requirement for an entry level job is 5 years – that doesn’t make sense!” Jennifer
[54.13] The group put the spotlight on the next generation, and what they’re thinking about when it comes to education and ongoing learning.
[1.04.57] The panel sums up their thoughts from today’s discussion.
You can connect with Rose, Jennifer and Stella over on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more, why not check out 328: Blended – Breaking the Class Ceiling, or 265: Blended – DEI in the Workplace – Not Just The Smart Thing To Do, But The Right Thing To Do.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.
Today I’m joined by GateHouse Maritime, a market-leading ocean tech brand that is using its expertise and deep industry knowledge to make ocean visibility simple.
GateHouse Maritime delivers next-generation data insights for end-to-end ocean visibility. Founded in 1992, they help global supply chains, offshore industries, maritime providers and surveillance companies gain easy access to ocean data insights for resilient operations, value to end-customers and efficient, safe navigation for a profitable business.
Today Morten Bols, Market Development Director at GateHouse Maritime, joins me to chat all about the company; the power of good data; using technology to support sustainability; and their vision to optimize supply chains, and change the working lives of freight forwarders and visibility providers.
[06.53] An overview of the challenges for Gatehouse in the current climate, and for the maritime industry.
[08.04] An introduction to GateHouse Maritime – who they are, what they do and how they help their customers.
“We’ve been tracking vessels for more than 20 years, we have a lot of history and a lot of data.”
[08.44] How Gatehouse helps to keep freight moving and tackle disruption; how technology is rapidly changing, as organizations try to keep up; and Morten’s vision for optimizing supply chains and changing the lives of freight forwarders and visibility providers.
“What’s important is that you try to plan better! The industry hasn’t done that, and is still struggling to do it. The industry is struggling to work with technology and optimize the options they have available.”
[10.56] Gatehouse’s tracking product OceanIO, its benefits, and how clients use it.
“If you don’t have any tracking, you trust the carriers. And it’s not to say that all carriers are bad, but many are missing key components and key milestones to do this.”
[12.19] A closer look at Gatehouse’s port intelligence solution, why it’s so unique in the market, and the 20 years’ worth of data and detailed port surveillance that sits behind the product.
[15.24] The wide breadth of industries that can work with Gatehouse Maritime.
“There’s so many people to work with, and that’s so exciting!”
[16.20] Why Gatehouse doesn’t offer user platforms, and focus on what they’re good at – the data.
[17.26] The ideal client for Gatehouse Maritime.
[18.56] A closer look at onboarding and integration with Gatehouse.
[20.18] Why sustainability is a key pillar at Gatehouse, and how they’re helping the industry meet key ESG goals.
[21.34] Why Morten enjoys surprising industry brands with Gatehouse’s robust solutions.
[23.53] The future for Gatehouse Maritime.
Head over to Gatehouse Maritime’s website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Gatehouse Maritime and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or Vimeo, or you can connect with Morten on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode, and want to hear from some amazing women in the maritime industry, why not read Lauren Beagen on Protecting and Empowering Women in the Maritime Industry, or listen to episode 185: Chart a Course for Shipping Success, where Alison Cusack chats all about her business Cusack and Co, her career as a lawyer in the maritime industry, the importance of empowering shippers, and of driving better business.
This episode was filmed at Manifest 2023. If you enjoyed it, and want to explore some of the other great content filmed at the event, why not check out episodes:
Check out our other podcasts HERE.
Today I’m joined by Renewal Logistics, a high-volume, high-throughput, collaborative and sustainability-focused woman-owned logistics company.
Renewal Logistics are an e-commerce fulfillment and third party logistics company with a specialty in apparel and consumer goods, partnering with eco-friendly brands that have outgrown in-house fulfillment and require flexible and scalable, on-demand solutions.
Today Courtney Folk, CEO and co-founder of Renewal Logistics, joins me to chat all about the company; how fulfillment and logistics are changing; creating exceptional brand experiences; and how they are leading the circular movement, through processing returns from your favorite national retailers.
[08.01] Courtney’s background, how her husband’s family dry cleaning business led her to co-found Renewal logistics and an overview of the company’s growth.
“As women… you have to be careful not to turn down opportunities, and not turn down people that are willing to help.”
[16.12] How the landscape of e-commerce, fulfillment, logistics and sustainability has changed, and the current industry challenges.
“The thing that’s different now is returns. Returns is what most e-commerce brands are struggling with. If you don’t have a solid sustainability and reverse logistics program in place, you end up ditching a lot of product, and not receiving the value out of it.”
[18.55] A closer look at Renewal’s services, and how they’re helping customers tackle key industry challenges.
“A lot of companies just never really think about how much agility they could have in the marketplace, if they had a really good option when it comes to that repackaging piece.”
[24.30] The ideal client for Renewal Logistics.
[27.40] How Renewal manages the popular trend of subscription boxes.
[31.34] The importance of building circular supply chains, and how a focus on returns and sustainability can give businesses a competitive advantage.
“It’s amazing how much money companies are leaving on the table!”
[41.43] The future for Renewal Logistics.
Head over to Renewal Logistics website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Renewal Logistics and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube or Instagram, or you can connect with Courtney on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode, and want to hear more from Courtney, check out 328: Blended – Breaking the Class Ceiling, where Courtney joins a panel of industry leaders to discuss the sometimes controversial subject of classism.
And if you're interested in hearing more about the fashion and apparel industries, why not listen to 223: Women in Supply Chain, Tara St James, featuring Tara St James: fashion designer, sustainable design strategist and responsible supply chain consultant, or 239: Women in Supply Chain, Joanna MacDonald, featuring entrepreneur, fashion designer, communications and training specialist and philanthropist, Joanna MacDonald.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.
In today’s episode of Women In Supply Chain, I’m joined by the multi-talented Sylena Urbanoski: veteran, business founder, supply chain leader and start-up advisor.
Sylena Urbanoski is a strategic and dynamic operations leader with over seven years’ experience at the chief executive level, where she built profitable start-up divisions, grew business lines, managed deals, and streamlined operations. A veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, Sylena also co-founded a company that sold at 10 times valuation within 24 month to Flexport.
Today Sylena will be talking to us about her career so far; her entrepreneurial success; her long-time business partnership; and why she’s so passionate about scaling start-ups. Plus, she’ll be sharing her experiences as a woman in supply chain, as well as her words of advice for all of the women following in her footsteps.
Women fuel the success of some of the world’s most successful businesses, yet barriers still exist. SAP is committed to supporting and elevating a new generation of women to profoundly lead and impact global supply chains and are proud to support the Women in Supply Chain Series and its efforts.
Supply chains need to evolve from low-cost and optimized to risk-resilient and sustainable and SAP can help.
SAP Digital Supply Chain solutions connect the entire process — design, planning, manufacturing, logistics, maintenance, and service; connecting your supply chains to the rest of your business and all your contextual data; supporting your efforts in alleviating risk in your supply chains.
SAP is the market leader in enterprise application software and for the last 50 years has been helping companies to run better. Find out more at sap.com/scm
[10.16] Sylena’s career journey and how a road trip with a friend led to a life-changing business and lifelong partnership.
“We went on a road trip and by the end of the trip we had the whole business plan sorted, and a vision about what we wanted to build. We found some investment backing, and jumped into it!”
[13.26] The vision behind Sylena’s first business, and its successful sale to Flexport.
“Customs in Canada are so far behind, and we went through the journey of what would it take to start digitizing and creating an environment where we could re-employ amazing women who weren’t staying in the industry, because it didn’t support their family and work/life balance.”
[17.46] Sylena’s experience working with Flexport, the next steps in her career journey, and her long-time business partnership with Cindy Christensen.
“I love building start-ups, I’m passionate about scaling them.”
[19.59] How and why supply chain has changed for women in the last decade, and the work that still needs to be done.
“Women in the supply chain industry spend so much of our careers fighting for any breath in the room… and it used to be that there were so few women in that room that it was so hard to partner up with other women because there was so little air to take.”
[22.26] From finance to the military to supply chain, Sylena’s experience across multiple male-dominated environments, and her experience of strong, supportive women.
“Every room I’ve ever been in as an adult has been male-dominated… it’s better now, but it’s nowhere near as good as it needs to be.”
[25.15] The industry areas that Sylena would like to see changed for women.
“The industry doesn’t create opportunities… there is no unifying place where continued education and promotion opportunities exist.”
“We spent so long finding any available space in that room, we really haven’t, as women in this industry, embraced the opportunity to step in and take the space we deserve.”
[30.40] What the future holds for Sylena.
“If you look at everybody else that’s trying to solve supply chain from a tech perspective, they’re all looking at it from a freight perspective. But the only one unifying factor about supply chain… is that every shipment touches a customs broker.”
[32.49] Sylena’s words of advice for leadership, and women in the industry.
“Find community first, and lean into it.”
[35.35] What excites Sylena the most about the future of supply chain, and her advice for jumping in.
[38.11] Sylena’s biggest top tip for women in supply chain.
You can connect with Sylena over on LinkedIn.
If you'd like to hear more from Sylena, check out episode 26 of Blended – Veterans Voices: Inspiring Stories from Those Who Serve. And if you want to hear even more veteran voices, listen to episode 14 of Blended – Veterans and Civil life: Winning the Battle of Workplace Discrimination.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.