Patrick Lo talks about Trakking; bringing predictability to container management; & the importance of working together to remove waste from supply chains
[07.40] Patrick’s background, and how a long career in #logistics led him to establish Trakking.
[08.51] The current landscape of the industry, and the challenges and bottlenecks that Patrick sees as we head towards the second half of 2023.
[11.34] An overview of Trakking – what they do, how they help their customers, and a look at their three core solutions.
[15.10] The ideal client for Trakking.
[17.03] How Trakking’s ‘Empty Container Release’ product is drastically reducing dead runs and improving #efficiency for clients.
[19.47] From quicker turnarounds to decreased carbon emissions, the benefits of Trakking’s ‘Street Turn’ solution.
[20.50] A closer look at the benefits of Trakking’s ‘Empty Container Return’ product.
[26.15] The impact that Trakking’s services will have on the industry, and how solutions like theirs can solve key challenges and start to reshape the face of the industry.
[29.15] How Trakking is helping to reduce carbon emissions, and how organizations can leverage Trakking #technology to meet their own ESG goals.
[31.40] What onboarding and #integration looks like with Trakking.
[34.38] Patrick and Sarah discuss whether self-driving trucks or even containers, are the future of transportation.
[36.56] The future for Trakking, and the port community in Canada.
Last month, we shared one of my favorite recent episodes of Thoughts and Coffee with you - and we got such great feedback that we decided to do it again!
And in this episode, I’m joined by founder, CEO and author Steve Ferreira. Steve wants to bring vivaciousness to the shipping industry and he’s certainly doing that! Tune in for his take on why students are flocking to supply chain; why FMC offers false hope to shippers; and the big question on everyone’s lips: exactly what is happening in the ocean market?!
There is so much to get your teeth into in this episode so grab a cup of coffee, and enjoy!
[07.00] From the latest episode of Women In Supply Chain to an introduction to the brand new private network, The Secret Society of Supply Chain, an update on the latest at Let’s Talk Supply Chain.
[09.37] An introduction to Steve Ferreira; his vivacious approach to social media; and his business, Ocean Audit.
“My claim to fame is helping importers and exporters recover lost costs from the container get-in period… it only takes 50 containers to produce a $100,000 dollar refund.”
[12.31] Sarah shares the responses to her question of the week: “What characteristics or skills do you admire in a leader?”, and Steve reflects on the importance of a mindset shift towards empathy in the workplace.
[14.30] Steve gives us an update on the ocean market, sharing insights on rates, carrier strategies, and why more deals are getting done.
[16.50] The concept behind the video that won Steve the very first pair of limited edition Let’s Talk Supply Chain custom Air Force Ones in our five-year anniversary contest; and what’s coming up for Steve and his own industry brand.
“I’m a free spirit in the industry.. so I created ocean freight TV… and it’s geared towards bringing some excitement and enthusiasm into the ocean industry!”
[20.53] Sarah and Steve discuss why students are flocking to supply chain; and Steve shares his thoughts on the so-called industry talent shortage, the lack of mentors across the industry, and his words of advice for the next generation.
“Our lives are so different… we never experience the same thing. The cadence, the pace and the opportunities in the supply chain are one of the top areas of opportunity, and that’s why we have so many young people flocking to the industry.”
[26.38] Steve discusses his recent article: Why FMC Offers False Hope To Shippers.
“The problem is that the FMC is not an auditing agency. They’re looking for violations… where they can penalize an ocean vendor. They weren’t set up to repatriate money back to clients.”
[33.06] Sarah and Steve discuss a recent Freight Waves article suggesting that, despite the current turbulent market, the container shipping industry is not behaving like an industry facing an imminent crisis.
You can find out more about Ocean Audit over on their website, or you can connect with Steve on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from ‘the best 30 minutes on a Tuesday, check out Thought’s 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 32, I’m joined by a brand new panel of fantastic professionals and, today, we’re talking about introverts vs extroverts.
Most of us, in our lives and careers, have considered what personality type we are. You might be a self-identifying Type A personality (which I know one or two of my guests today are!) In many workplaces you might even have undergone a personality test, so leadership can get a greater idea of individuals strengths and weaknesses.
And one factor that’s at the core of many personality assessments is whether you are introverted or extroverted. But the introverts vs extroverts question is pretty complex – it’s about way more than if you’re quiet or chatty. And since understanding introversion and extroversion can help you understand yourself and others better, we thought it was a really interesting topic to discuss here on Blended.
So today, our guests will be diving into what these words actually mean and the qualities we associate with them; sharing their own experiences; reflecting on why society values extroversion so highly; and sharing their words of advice for how organizations can better support all personality types in the workplace.
[01.09] Introductions to our Blended panellists.
[03.48] The group discuss the definitions of introvert and extrovert, and reflect on what the words mean to them.
“I’m an introvert… but I’m a public speaker and I love it! But there’s a difference, because it’s a situation that I control… and it’s one-directional.” Elouise
[16.05] The panel talk about labels, and whether there is still value in personality testing in the workplace.
“Education around how different people communicate in different ways is important. We make assumptions about people based upon how we communicate, our world vision, and we may be inaccurately assessing someone’s confidence, competence or leadership skills because they’re communicating in a different way and we’re interpreting that incorrectly.” Cathy
[38.21] The group share their personal experiences of introversion and extroversion, and how those experiences have impacted them professionally and personally.
[50.57] The panel reflect on why society values extroversion so highly, and the unseen value of introverts.
“It comes down to politics… he who speaks the loudest gets heard, and that’s encouraged.” Jennifer
[01.01.54] The group share advice for managing introverts and extroverts in the workplace, and being a better colleague.
[01.08.09] The panel sum-up their thoughts from today’s discussion.
“Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, find the person that you vibe with.” Jennifer
You can connect with Jennifer, Elouise and Cathy and over on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode, why not check out 247: Blended – The Difference Between Culture and Community: What Can We Learn? or 210: Blended – Don’t forget the ‘T’: Talking Trans.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.
Today I’m joined by Flexport, an exciting and innovative software brand that is on a mission to make global trade easy for everyone.
Flexport is building the platform for global logistics, empowering buyers, sellers and their logistics partners with the technology and services to grow and innovate. Companies of all sizes – from emerging brands to Fortune 500s – use Flexport technology to move more than $10B worth of merchandise across 112 countries every year.
Today Will Urban, Chief Revenue Officer at Flexport, joins me to chat all about the company and what they do; making sustainability a priority; the importance of providing visibility and control in a fragmented industry; and why global trade is a force for good.
Will Urban is Chief Revenue Officer at Flexport, where he’s responsible for driving go-to-market strategy and maximizing the value Flexport delivers to clients. Will is a 25+ year freight forwarding and logistics industry veteran; prior to Flexport, Will was the Regional Vice President of Northwest USA, Expeditors, one of the largest territories for the company. He oversaw all sales and operations, sponsored Fortune 500 global accounts and led an organization with nearly 1,000 full time employees under his leadership. Will is a licensed U.S. Customs Broker and holds an IATA/FIATA certificate.
[06.55] The current landscape, and challenges, of global trade; how Flexport are helping their customers to tackle those challenges; and their vision to create a seamless experience in a fragmented industry.
“The last 6 months… has shown two things: that our infrastructure in the US is over-taxed, and that visibility is not where it needs to be, when that system is taxed.”
[10.19] Flexport’s recent leadership changes; and what they mean for the company, and for the industry.
“Dave [Clark] is all about scale and using technology to enhance what we’re doing, so he’s making the bridge between traditional freight forwarder and digital supply chain company.”
[14.43] An overview of Flexport, what they do and how they help their customers; their mission to improve the supply chain industry; and what sets them apart.
“What’s really different is that we think about our competitors as our partners… we want to give our customers the very best experience, visibility and tools to help optimize their supply chain, end-to-end.”
[19.00] Flexport’s commitment to collaboration; and why harnessing the power of third-party partnerships is the way to better serve customers.
“It’s invisible to our clients, they don’t have to worry about looking at a different system, receiving different reporting or updates in a different manner – it’s that consistency that really drives the value.”
[23.04] Why Flexport.org was established; how it's making a difference with sustainability and humanitarian work; and why global trade is a force for good.
“We can be a very profitable business, and at the same time make a really great impact on the world.”
[25.50] Teresa Carlson’s appointment as head of Flexport.org, and exactly how her role will increase its positive global impact.
[28.20] The importance of sustainability; what Flexport customers are doing, and asking for, when it comes to ESG goals; and how Flexport supports them.
[33.19] Flexport Capital: how it has helped to keep small and medium-sized businesses afloat; and the importance of offering a holistic suite of solutions, all under one roof.
[38.01] A case study detailing how Flexport helped a client analyze their supply chain to identify key areas to optimize, diversify and reduce cost.
[41.15] The future for Flexport.
“We’re doubling down on technology… to make the platform the most meaningful, easy to use customer-centric supply chain tool.”
Head over to Flexport’s website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Flexport and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook, or you can connect with Will on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode, and want to hear more about the recent changes at Flexport, check out episode 320: Going Inside The Mind of Anthony Miller.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.
Today I’m joined by Esker, a long-standing software brand that is on a mission to build a foundation that promotes positive-sum growth, increased productivity, improved employee engagement, and greater trust between organizations.
Esker is a global cloud platform built to unlock strategic value for finance and customer service professionals and strengthen collaboration between companies by automating the cash conversion cycle. By developing AI-driven technologies and automating the order-to-cash and procure-to-pay cycles, Esker frees up finance and customer service professionals from time-consuming tasks, helps them be more efficient, and enables them to develop new skills.
Today Daniel Reeve, US Director of Sales and Business Development at Esker, joins me to chat all about the company and what they do; the power of positive-sum growth; bringing people and technology together in harmony; and why not all cloud platforms are created equal.
[07.02] An introduction to Esker – who they are, what they do and how they help their customers.
“Folks are turning to us when they’re trying to free up their staff to be rockstars!”
[08.17] Esker’s mission, what sets them apart from the competition and why they’re ‘more than just another cloud platform.’
“We’ve often been seen as best-of-breed… but, increasingly, companies are realizing “wow, you guys are best of suite”… Companies are looking to put technology in place that leverages and enhances their ERP and improves the experience for the customers, suppliers and staff.”
[10.47] Esker’s commitment to ‘positive-sum growth,’ and what that means for brands, their employees, customers, suppliers – and for the planet.
“The concept is 'how do I put technology in, that brings efficiency and automation within my enterprise, without making it painful for my customers and suppliers?'”
[15.14] Why digital transformation projects are often unsuccessful, and Esker’s refreshing approach to providing close and ongoing customer support and training.
“Technology promises great outcomes, great efficiencies, great savings, great visibility – but there’s work involved to make that happen.”
[16.53] A closer look at Esker’s Procure-To-Pay solution, named in the 2022 Gartner Magic Quadrant report for P2P suites.
[19.29] Esker’s Order-to-Cash solution, and how their technology facilitates collaboration and optimization to bring people and processes together and enhance customer experience.
[26.54] What integration looks like with Esker.
[29.24] Why Esker’s range of technology includes robotic process automation, AI and mobile functionality, but also supports traditional tech like fax and Excel; and the importance of finding the balance between helping to drive innovation and digitization in the industry, and meeting customers where they are.
“Quite often, when you put technology in, there’s a dip… I don’t think people are resistant to technology just because they’re resistant. A lot of the time, they’re so busy and everything is so pressured… you need to hold their hand and guide them and make it super easy for them to adapt that technology.”
[31.36] The ideal client for Esker.
“If folks care about a user experience and a workflow that's easy... they will often choose Esker over others.”
[36.04] A case study detailing how Esker’s technology helped a key client to reduce order entry time from 10 minutes to 10 seconds, which allowed them to free up their people to better serve customers and ultimately achieve high levels of growth.
[39.04] The future for Esker.
Dan Reeve is a Sales Director, approaching 22 years with Esker. Dan works to help companies free up front-line troops to be finance and customer service rockstars through the application of machine learning and AI.
Dan was fortunate to serve 10 years as a Combat Engineer in the British Army, then was attached to the Wisconsin Army National Guard. He traveled the world, served alongside Americans and many others, and learned everyone has a good idea, every Army unit thinks they are better, and what can you learn and apply so that you are indeed better prepared and more professional next time.
Head over to Esker’s website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Esker and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or YouTube, or you can connect with Dan on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode, why not listen to 257: Creating Supply Chain Stability with Dual Sourcing and S&OP or read The Three Biggest Challenges For Procurement – And What To Do About Them.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.