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Let's Talk Supply Chain

Let's Talk Supply Chain is not your average supply chain podcast. We feature not just the top of the industry, but also diverse voices from within the community, new innovations and the disrupters making waves in the industry. Don’t listen to the same ol' same ol', be sparked by new ideas and fresh perspectives only on Let's Talk Supply Chain.
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Now displaying: Category: general
Sep 20, 2023

The panel discussed what it means to be a victim; personal experiences; weaponizing and gatekeeping victimhood; bias and discrimination; and pity.

Aug 16, 2023

The panel discusses anxiety; physical and mental triggers and symptoms; how we can support others; and the resources and techniques that worked for them.

Jul 19, 2023

The panel discusses what seniority means to them; how it differs from leadership; the importance of job titles; & their experiences of good and bad leadership.

Jun 21, 2023

The panel discusses emotional recovery; share their experiences & words of advice; and reflects on how we can open up conversations to better support others.

May 22, 2023

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!

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[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.

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

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.

May 17, 2023

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.

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[01.09] Introductions to our Blended panellists.

  • Jennifer – Owner and CEO at The MJW Group
  • Elouise – Partner at Kearney
  • Cathy – Vice president of Women’s Leadership and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at American Bankers Association

[03.48] The group discuss the definitions of introvert and extrovert, and reflect on what the words mean to them.

  • The qualities or personality traits we associate with each
  • Are introverts actually shy?
  • Introverts are impacted, whereas extroverts are activated, by stimuli
  • Combining introvert and extrovert qualities
  • Differing lengths of time you can maintain extroversion
  • Control
  • Small talk
  • Playing the game
  • Exhaustion from social situations

“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.

  • Personalities are a journey
  • Pidgeon-holing people
  • Moving beyond labels
  • Self-discovery
  • People first
  • Bias
  • Time, patience and compromise
  • Safe spaces
  • How Elouise’s transition led her to seeming more extroverted, but in reality it was happiness
  • Empathy
  • Flexibility

“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.

  • Societal celebration of extroversion
  • Feeling self-conscious or ashamed if you don’t speak in a group setting
  • Using note-taking as a safe way to insert your voice
  • Becoming comfortable with not speaking if there’s nothing that needs to be said
  • Putting people on the spot
  • Understanding your own limits

[50.57] The panel reflect on why society values extroversion so highly, and the unseen value of introverts.

  • Not encouraging people to change who they are
  • Acceptance
  • Education
  • Visibility
  • Authenticity
  • Confusing speaking with value
  • Hidden value of introverts
  • Personal energy

“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.

  • Education
  • Strategies for running meetings
  • Time for quiet reflection
  • Balance
  • Encouragement
  • Boundaries
  • Taking help or opportunities that are offered
  • Self-care
  • Self-belief

[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

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

You can connect with JenniferElouise 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.

May 15, 2023

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.

Guest bio:

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.

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[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.”

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

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.

May 7, 2023

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.

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[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.

 

Guest Bio:

 

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.

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

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.

Apr 23, 2023

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!

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[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.

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

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.

Apr 19, 2023

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.

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[00.44] Introductions to our Blended panellists.

  • Rose – CEO and Principal Consultant at The Opening Door
  • Jennifer – Executive Director at TMSA (Transportation Marketing and Sales Association)
  • Stella – Professor at Towson University

“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.

  • Sarah’s experience of ‘only’ gaining a high school diploma; then studying at night school, trying different things, and gaining certifications whilst working, in order to boost her professional career
  • Different types of education, eg. degree vs industry certifications, high school vs. higher education
  • Stella’s experience of switching fields from her degree to her master’s; how a previous employer allowed her flexibility to pursue a PhD; and why she ultimately changed career, from the pharmaceutical industry to academia
  • Stella’s experience of opportunity in America versus in India, and her parents encouragement of higher education
  • Rose’s experience of being raised with the importance of education, and finally coming to terms with the fact that it might not be as important as she was raised to believe
  • The assumption that additional education equals money and success
  • The cost of education
  • Jennifer’s experience of teaching at a community college, and as a parent of a child with ADHD
  • Continued education in the workplace
  • Responsibility

“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

  • Stella’s experience working in academia
  • Differing ranks and salaries within the workplace, even with the same level of education
  • Stereotypes and judgements about different types of PhD, eg ‘they’re just liberal arts’
  • Elitism
  • Ego
  • Affinity bias
  • Importance of diversity

“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.

  • Job descriptions
  • Expectations
  • The importance of not dismissing people if they don’t have the ‘perfect’ educational background
  • Using technology to pre-filter applications
  • Asking the right questions
  • Role of HR – who is hiring/writing job descriptions?
  • Input from the team who will work with new hires
  • The pace of evolving technology – education getting out of date
  • The structure of a resume
  • How many years’ experience equals a degree?
  • What do you actually want out of your career?
  • Self-taught knowledge
  • Power of self-belief

“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.

  • Need for more authenticity in the workplace
  • Young people building personal brands
  • Exploration of self-employment and entrepreneurship
  • Greater understanding of new technologies
  • Giving people a chance
  • Parents, educational institutions and communities working together

 

[1.04.57] The panel sums up their thoughts from today’s discussion.

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

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.

Apr 17, 2023

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.



 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[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.

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

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.

Apr 10, 2023

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.

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[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.

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

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.

Apr 2, 2023

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.

 

SHOW SPONSOR:

 

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

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[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.

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

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.

Mar 27, 2023

Today I’m joined by Blume Global, a market-leading, sustainability-focused software brand that is removing a huge $1 trillion of waste from the global supply chain, and making logistics processes more agile, dependable, and sustainable with innovative execution and visibility solutions.

Blume Global is a technology provider committed to an ethical, purpose-driven supply chain ecosystem; and to creating a more sustainable environment through providing an open, neutral platform across all trading partners to drive asset optimization, predictive visibility and traceability.

Today Pervinder Johar, CEO at Blume Global, joins me to chat all about the company and what they do; why digitization is now a requirement, not a preference; putting sustainability at the heart of everything they do; and helping businesses to utilize the power of visibility to manage their biggest business impacts in real-time.

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[07.24] Pervinder’s background, the entrepreneurial journey that led him to found Blume, and the importance of bringing innovation and inspiration from other industries together to solve complex problems.

“I’m a computer science graduate, and I wanted to only work on large, complex problems… I started making control systems for nuclear power plants!”

[10.51] An overview of Blume – what they do and how they help their customers.

“Supply chain is a highly distributed environment… how do you connect all of those dots, and then optimize it?”

[11.59] The impact of supply chain on the environment, why Blume puts sustainability at the heart of everything they do, and why businesses need to stop making decisions just based on time and cost and consider modes that are more environmentally friendly.

[18.28] How Blume orchestrates an intermodal supply chain, and works as a competitive advantage for its customers.

“It’s not about visibility alone… it’s about: how do you guarantee that all the stuff is going to show up at the same time?… So having a large number of options, and an understanding of what needs to expedited, and what needs to be slowed down is key. And slowing down is equally as important from an environmental perspective… Speed is bad for the environment!”

[21.52] A closer look at the Blume platform, and how it can help with risk management.

[24.48] Blume’s R&D arm, and the importance of fostering innovation in supply chain.

[27.19] The ideal client for Blume Global.

[28.56] Two case studies showing how Blume services were used to connect small businesses, with no tech infrastructure, to larger ones; and to help shippers ensure quality sourcing and collaboration.

[32.00] The future for Blume.

“We want the ecosystem to continue to evolve in an organic fashion – and that’s what Blume means... a blooming ecosystem.”

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

Head over to Blume Global’s website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Blume and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram or Twitter, or you can connect with Pervinder on LinkedIn or Twitter.

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.

Mar 19, 2023

Today I’m joined by Orderful, a collaborative and forward-thinking software brand that are building the future of EDI. With a pre-connected network, they’re aiming to move the needle from months to trade down to minutes.

Orderful is a complete cloud EDI platform for manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and technology companies. With an API that enables companies to connect once and trade EDI data with their supply chain, Orderful customers are able to consolidate their EDI software integration complexity and quickly enable trading partners as self-service to reduce costs.

Today Erik Kiser, CEO and founder of Orderful, joins me to chat all about the company; the challenges involved with traditional EDI solutions; bringing supply chains together; achieving visibility and addressing risk; and the future of EDI.

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[05.59] A reminder of who Orderful are, and how they help their customers.

“We’re a modern EDI platform focused on making EDI onboarding fast, affordable, and easy.”

[07.14] An overview of EDI, its place in the industry alongside API, and why it’s ‘the plumbing of today’s supply chain.’

“It’s become the standard of trade… so we turned this whole legacy experience into a modern software experience for modern developers and modern teams.”

[10.08] The importance of good data in onboarding, and how Orderful helps to solve some of supply chain’s typical data challenges.

“We’ve been able to make it very simple for a company to start trading with a new partner, because we go right into validation and data. Most providers will only validate the structure of a file, but Orderful… can not only check the structure, but we also validate the data that’s in that transaction, so they can solve problems in real time.”

[14.31] What visibility means to Orderful, why it’s so important, and how visibility services like notifications can help companies solve challenges in real time.

[18.27] How Orderful empowers customers to confidently manage risk, and creates a smoother experience for teams across businesses.

[20.51] The ideal client for Orderful.

“We’re winning with 3PLs, 4PLs and SaaS platforms!”

[22.15] A case study showing how Orderful helped a major client to reduce its onboarding time and proccesses for new carriers from 90 steps and 12 weeks down to 30 steps in nine days, and how Orderful sits apart from its competition

[26.17] The future for Orderful.

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

Head over to Orderful’s website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Orderful and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube or Twitter, or you can connect with Erik on LinkedIn.

If enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Orderful, check out episode 281, where Erik talks all about why it’s so important to help the small guys get to market; why existing EDI software infrastructures can’t keep up; and Orderful’s mission to create a world where data trading is not a barrier. Or, you can read their blog A New Cloud EDI Platform: 5 Ways to Simplify EDI, or even watch Erik on a special live episode of Thoughts and Coffee, where Erik and Sarah dive into more issues around EDI and trending industry news.

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.

Mar 15, 2023

It’s episode 30 of Blended: I’m joined by a brand new panel of inspirational professionals and, today, we’re talking about classism.

Now, some people believe that we’ve left classism behind. But, sadly, studies show that it’s alive and well – and its impacts are huge. The bottom 80% of the United States holds only 12% of its wealth; the bottom 60%, is just 3% of its wealth. And despite this huge disparity, little is being done to drive change.

In a world where we’re working hard to tackle issues around gender, race, sexuality, religion and more – why are conversations around socioeconomic groupings still so often missing from the conversation? Surely it’s high time we address class barriers, build bridges and work harder to become a more equitable society.

So today, our guests will be diving into classism and what it means to them; sharing their personal experiences; reflecting on education, privilege and pedigree; and discussing what organizations can do to tackle classism in the workplace and create more truly diverse communities.

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[01.01] Introductions to our Blended panelists.

  • Elise – VP of Customer Experience at Parade
  • Courtney – Co-founder and CEO of Renewal Logistics and ReNew
  • Amanda – Associate Director at Savills
  • Christine – VP of Product Marketing and Go-to-Market at Nulogy

“When I think about classism, it’s really class discrimination. We live in a system where people are valued and treated differently based on their perceived class…. It’s so systemic and it reaches every single part of our system.”  Elise

[05.27] The group discusses classism, the complex issues that feed into it, and what classism means to them.

“It goes beyond how others perceive you – classism is also about how you perceive yourself. You grow up in a particular socio-economic group, and often you can self-limit.”

  • How others see us
  • How we see ourselves
  • Self-sabotage
  • Imposter syndrome and mindset
  • Privilege
  • Access to/relationship with education
  • Etiquette and formality
  • Generational money/mindset/networks
  • Communication between classes
  • Building communities and relationships
  • Meritocracy
  • Criminalization of poverty
  • Entrepreneurship, financial security as a safety net and how money allows you to take more risks
  • Perceptions, and Illusions of social media
  • Power of networks

“We would be so much further along as a society if everyone was comfortable talking to other people with an open mind, more like ‘what can I learn from this conversation’ rather than ‘what am I going to disagree with.’” Courtney

[47.17] The panel shares their experiences of classism in the workplace, and the impact of pedigree and education.

“I didn’t think I was enough, I’m not good enough, I don’t have the pedigree – I never saw myself being someone that could be at an elite level. And it wasn’t because intellectually I wasn’t enough, it was because of that class that I was born in and what I saw all around me.” Christine

  • Christine’s experience of educational hierarchy and her reflections on classism in the Ivy League
  • Elise’s experience of start-ups, the ‘typical’ type of founder, leader and C Suite member, the ‘boys club’ and how she developed her own biases
  • How we can work on ourselves and tackle bias

[58.02] The group share their ideas for how organizations can help to tackle classism in the workplace.

  • Amanda shares how Savills are helping to support young people entering real estate
  • The importance of mentors
  • Stepping out of your comfort zone
  • Celebrating small wins and sharing expectations
  • Creating opportunities for success
  • Creating development plans for staff
  • Respect
  • Thinking about people holistically and making changes
  • Innovative thinking
  • Potential classism in remote work
  • Ensuring class is part of DEI policy
  • Team-building
  • Education and training
  • Translating values into behaviors
  • Tackling classism through supplier diversity

“It’s the subtle shift from looking for culture fit, to looking at culture add… we want someone to both support and challenge.”

[1.22.37] The panel sums up their thoughts from today’s discussion.

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

You can connect with Elise, Courtney, Amanda and Christine over on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more, why not check out 215: Blended – Shining a light on social inequality, or 323: Blended – How to Foster an Inclusive Workplace.

Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Mar 13, 2023

Today I’m joined by Enveyo, an innovative logistics software brand that wants to optimize every aspect of a business’s shipping operations, with solutions that leverage enterprise-level technology and big data experience to empower organizations to make business-transforming shipping decisions.

Enveyo is transforming the way technology drives logistics. As the only parcel TMS provider enabling end-to-end supply chain visibility, from shipping analytics and automation to customer delivery experience management, organizations are optimizing their shipping operations with Enveyo's cloud-based suite of solutions.

Today Coby Nilsson, CEO and co-founder of Enveyo, joins me to chat all about the company and what they do; letting the data tell the story; the importance of predictive analysis to the future of logistics; and finding the balance between cost reduction and customer satisfaction.

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[06.17] Coby’s career journey and his passion for technology.

“I’m a psych major who spent my entire career in technology… I have a passion for solving problems.”

[09.31] How Coby’s experience at Adobe inspired him to found Enveyo, the challenges he saw in the market – and why those challenges haven’t really changed.

“I ran global integrations, so we were measuring all the micro transactions… brands knew everything that was happening prior to purchase, but when you’ve bought it, it goes into the abyss… so brands wanted us to stitch that together.”

[13.10] An overview of Enveyo – what they do and how they help their customers.

“The underlying challenge for all of these organizations is the data.”

[13.51] An introduction to Insights, one of Enveyo’s five core solutions, the role of visibility, and what it means to Enveyo.

“What visibility means to me is bringing the data all together in a consolidated platform, and then allowing you, as a customer, to consume that data in ways that you want.”

[16.06] A closer look at Cloudroute, Enveyo’s innovative TMS software.

“Once you understand what’s happening and you have the data in one place, you can identify areas of opportunity.”

[18.13] Coby’s perspective on the ‘Excel epidemic’ and why businesses should be using technology systems like Enveyo instead.

“Excel is so ubiquitous, it’s a very powerful application but it starts to break down when you hit critical mass of data.”

[22.27] An introduction to Modeling, and the power of predictive analysis and data-driven decision-making.

“You start with Insights, then you see some opportunities. But before you want to pull the trigger on orchestration, test it out. Run a scenario and see if it’s going to have the impact you expect.”

[24.08] A closer look at Enveyo’s Alerting solution, its role as the communication bridge with the customer and how it can help to improve customer experience.

[25.49] The ideal client for Enveyo.

[27.27] A case study showing how Enveyo’s modeling solution helped a key customer to make strategic decisions around their carrier choice and distribution center, ultimately helping them to save 16% on shipping costs and grow by 31%.

[30.59] The future for Enveyo.

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

Head over to Enveyo’s website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Enveyo and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube or Twitter, or you can connect with Coby on LinkedIn.

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.

Mar 6, 2023

In today’s episode of Women In Supply Chain, I’m joined by Paige Wei-Cox: one of Supply Chain Digital’s ‘Top 100 Women in Supply Chain,’ and a 2022 Pro to Know.

Paige Wei-Cox is a global leader with extensive cross-border supply chain experience. Over the course of her 20-year career at SAP, she has held a variety of management positions across the US and Germany. The recipient of Supply Chain and Demand Executives prestigious ‘Women In Supply Chain’ award, Paige is passionate about transforming today’s fragmented supply chains into a unified, collaborative and intelligent network of networks.

Today Paige will be talking to us about her career so far; the importance of industry recognition for women; why there’s more supply chain disruption to come; and moving countries, and continents, to pursue her dream. 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.

 

SHOW SPONSOR:

 

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

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[06.09] How Paige found supply chain, and her varied career journey through the industry.

“My career went from manufacturing to R&D, PLM, logistics, planning, networks – it’s travelled the entire supply chain… it’s been a fun journey!”

[08.11] From a shift to demand driven and embracing a customer-centric approach, Paige reflects on how the industry has changed since the start of her career, and what she’s learned along the way.

“At that time, not many people talked about supply chain, it was more about ‘how do we optimize my enterprise… it was the beginning of digitization.”

[13.15] How and why Paige moved to Europe, her experiences, and the cultural differences she’s observed between Germany and the US.

[20.45] Paige’s current role as senior vice president, chief product officer and global head of SAP Business Network, and the challenges, highs and lows it encompasses.

“The fun part is the creation... the non-fun part is there’s no buffer time… when you don’t have a full calendar, you almost feel lost!”

[25.48] The challenges and changing trends that Paige is observing at an industry level, and from the perspective of SAP and their customers – and how she’s tackling them.

“We’ve gone through this incredible globalization, but I also see a trend of localization… the complexity of supply chain is no longer about finding the cheapest supply, or 100% outsourcing. It’s about how my whole supply and demand chain can connect.”

[30.41] Paige’s experience as a woman, working for 25 years in a male-dominated industry, and whether the landscape for women has changed.

“When I first started, I was the only girl… today if I look at my teams around the world, I see a lot of young women entering with passion… we’re much more diversified.”

[32.34] The importance of mentors, of elevating female voices in the workplace, and of women supporting women.

“To really grow and learn, you need someone to challenge and push you, but also support you and open their network to you.”

[36.23] Paige’s industry awards, and the importance of continuing to celebrate women in supply chain.

“Hopefully more women will find the topic to be interesting, because if you’re a problem-solver, there’s no other field more interesting than supply chain. There are so many challenges that nobody has answered that makes this industry super challenging but very fulfilling.”

[38.37] The personal achievement that Paige is most proud of.

[40.34] The future for Paige.

[41.56] Paige’s advice for girls and women looking to follow in her footsteps.

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

You can connect with Paige over on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear from other inspirational women from SAP, check out episode 321 featuring Darcy MacClaren, Senior VP of Digital Supply Chain and Manufacturing for North America or 283: Blended – The Rise of Asian Discrimination featuring Gale, Director of Global Influencer Marketing at the leading brand.

Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Feb 27, 2023

Today I’m joined by Envase Technologies, a game-changing TMS provider that is on a mission to guide the freight industry into a more sustainable and profitable future.

Envase bring together everything you need to gain visibility and control over your operations, expose inefficiency, and de-clutter your system, including industry-leading TMS options to fit your needs, business intelligence, rate management tools, an integrated mobile driver app, and a complete marketplace.

Today Larry Cuddy, CEO of Envase Technologies, joins me to chat all about the company; the power of strategic mergers and acquisitions; putting a focus on optimization, as well as visibility; and the importance of industry-wide collaboration.

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[06.32] An overview of Envase Technologies – what they do and how they help their customers.

“Envase is a digital drayage intermodal platform... and we’re helping optimize terminals.”

[07.25] Larry’s founder journey, and why he decided to tackle a fragmented market by establishing Envase and taking a proactive approach to mergers and acquisitions.

“We all got along as competitors, and now we’re all on the same team!”

[09.00] Why Larry is passionate about ‘getting his hands dirty’ in business, and the importance of collaboration.

“It gets back to culture… so we lead by example. I would never ask anybody to do anything that I haven’t attempted.”

[10.33] Larry announces some breaking news, and explains the impact it will have on the industry, and Envase customers.

“It’s so exciting, because nothing has been attempted like this!”

[12.16] The landscape of the current market, and Larry’s reflections on the key challenges and trends.

“There’s a real big spotlight on visibility and transparency… but ultimately where everyone wants to get to is optimization, and that’s the thing that everybody overlooks.”

[14.47] Larry’s advice for organizations starting their digital transformation journey; how they can identify the available options; and the conversations Envase have with their own clients to discover the best solutions for them.

[17.53] The challenges facing Envase’s customers, and how Envase can help.

“We still fight the fight every day about collaboration… people want to be protective of their data, they don’t want to share, they don’t want to be friends – so we take a very different approach.”

[19.27] From collaboration to data, the future for the industry.

“We’ve got air, we’ve got ocean, we’ve got LTL, we’ve got truckload. We’ve got all these different modes, but nobody shares the same DNA in order to say ‘hey, this is how we do this better!’”

[21.23] The future for Envase Technologies.

“We’re never happy with the status quo!”

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

Head over to Envase Technologies’ website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Envase and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube or Twitter, or you can connect with Larry on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode, and want to hear more from Envase Technologies, check out episode 311 featuring Allen Thomas, Chief Commercial Officer at Envase. Allen told me all about the company and what they do; the importance of digitizing drayage; how simplicity empowers growth; and why the freight industry is vital to the future of the nation.

This episode was filmed at Manifest 2023. If you want to hear another fantastic episode filmed at the event, why not check out episode 322, Innovative Asset Tracking Made Easy, with Blackberry Radar.

Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Feb 19, 2023

Today I’m joined by Makersite, an award-winning, sustainability-driven software-as-a-service provider helping manufacturing enterprises solve complex challenges around their products and supply chains.

Makersite develops next-generation product data management tools for the global manufacturing industry, providing AI, data and apps for sustainable product and supply chain decisions at scale. Founded in 2018, the platform is the only cloud-based platform combining data aggregation and live applications for agile product life cycle management.

Today Neil D'Souza, Founder and CEO at Makersite, joins me to chat all about the brand and what they do; using automation to help achieve Net Zero; the importance of shortening innovation cycles; and transforming visibility into resilience.

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[06.35] Neil’s background, his early interest in sustainability, and why he founded Makersite.

 “I got into the space early.. and it wasn’t so much about carbon… it was more about looking at how much we waste from what we create or extract from the environment, and how we can change it.”

[09.52] How things have changed since Makersite was founded in 2018, why they’re still helping clients to do the same thing, but with vastly different decision-making criteria, and why everyone is looking for the next big thing to drive innovation forward.

“Wherever you look across the globe, there is a race like never before.”

[13.07] An overview of Makersite – what they do and how they help their customers.

“The problem fits squarely in the hands of people that make stuff. Very often, we direct attention to how we use it, but it really isn’t... We shouldn’t direct responsibility away.”

[16.10] The ideal client for Makersite.

[17.58] A case study showing how Makersite helped Microsoft figure out where to invest money to reduce impact, by quickly analyzing component data to allow them to optimize and drive effective change.

[22.06] Sustainability and the goal of Net Zero, the struggle with translating big ESG ambitions into practical action and how Makersite are helping businesses to ‘automate their way to net zero.’

“Net Zero is almost theoretical. Practically, there’s no way to get to net zero, unless you look at off-setting as one component… But you cannot just continue to operate as you do today, and just buy credits somewhere else, that doesn’t work.”

[29.26] How Makersite are empowering manufacturers to accelerate product design, and the importance of shortening innovation cycles to design better products faster.

“We want to get to Net Zero by 2050, and lots of countries and companies have pledged for this. That’s 30 years. But the average go-to-market for an innovation cycle for technology today is five to seven years. So if you’re a car designer you have five iterations, at most, to make your car net zero.”

[33.44] Supply chain risk, the importance of resilience and how Makersite are helping to transform visibility into resilience.

“Resilience is the reaction to disruption.”

[39.40] What integration and onboarding looks like with Makersite.

[41.35] The future for Makersite.

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

Head over to Makersite’s website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Makersite and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn or Twitter, or you can connect with Neil on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear from more brands talking about sustainability and a Net Zero goal, check out episode 312, featuring Mark Ang, Co-founder and CEO at GoBolt, where he talked all about bringing sustainability to an industry notorious for its heavy impact on the environment, and his organization's goal to reach carbon-negative deliveries by the end of 2023.

Or why not check out my blog, Combating Climate Change with Supply Chain Solutions, for a quick read on going green.

Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Feb 15, 2023

It’s episode 29 of Blended: I’m joined by a new panel of incredible guests and, today, we’re talking about fostering an inclusive workplace.

Creating an inclusive workplace doesn’t just benefit your employees, it can pay off in dividends for your business. Companies with a strong culture of inclusion—one that encourages innovation and collaboration among staff—are increasingly seen as more attractive to potential employees, clients, and investors. From revising hiring practices to restructuring internal policies, embracing diversity can be an invaluable asset to any organization.

Today, we’ll discuss how you can foster a positive atmosphere at work where everyone feels accepted and respected no matter their gender identity or cultural background.

 

 

 

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[00.58] Introductions to our Blended panelists.

  • Desiree Booker – Founder/CEO of ColorVizion Lab
  • Jonathan Townsley – Senior Business Partner at Sterling
  • Brian Glick – Founder/CEO of Chain.io

[04.10] The group shares their definitions of what being an inclusive workplace means, and which groups we may be talking about.

“It means figuring out how we can create a level playing field so that everyone has an opportunity to thrive in their respective roles.” Desiree

  • Understanding the individual needs of these groups
  • Understanding the challenges and inequities they face
  • Creating safe spaces in the workplace
  • Giving individuals the platforms they need to be successful
  • Intentionality
  • Listening & understanding the challenges people face
  • Figuring out how individuals would like to be supported

[11.26] The panel discusses the challenges of creating an inclusive workplace.

“To get it into our DNA you have to get past that tokenism, right? Its the intentionality.” Anonmyous

  • Mistakes are going to be made
  • Getting all levels of leadership on board
  • Accountability
  • DEI leader burnout
  • Lack of resources and support
  • Fear around language
  • How we change communication
  • Treating people as individuals
  • Setting boundaries

“Your actions need to speak louder than just the words.” Sarah

[25.30] The group discusses the role that bias plays in inclusive workplaces, how to get over it, how to make it a part of communication, and how to normalize it.

“We have to build up in our cultures and our workplaces that you shouldn't be afraid to make that mistake. Be mindful of it, but don't be afraid.” Johnathan

  • Being open to receiving feedback without bias
  • To not be afraid of making a mistake
  • Letting actions speak louder than words
  • Embracing change
  • Self-reflection
  • Approaching teams without bias
  • Becoming more vocal about sharing points of view
  • HR's role in removing bias in the workplace
  • Solutions to getting over the bias
  • Bridging skills and talent gaps
  • Hiring based on values alignment
  • Industry expectations
  • Individual Responsibility
  • Being Vulnerable

“We're all human beings so bias is going to creep up at some point, you just have to be able to recognize it and check it.” Desiree

[1.06] The panel sums up their thoughts from today’s discussion.

“Be who you are, love it, be fabulous. Be the world you want to live in and the rest will usually take care of itself.” Brian

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

Encouraging an inclusive work environment is essential for an organization’s success, as it can help foster communication between teams, promote respect among different cultures and perspectives and lead to better emotional well-being for employees. We hope this article has helped to demystify the term “inclusive workplace” and offered practical steps for cultivating one. Everyone has a role to play in fostering inclusivity at work; from tackling our own biases to helping create an open dialogue about diversity, we can all work together to make sure everyone feels safe and accepted. If you found this post informative and would like to stay connected with us, please follow us on social media where we offer regular tips and tricks related to creating an inclusive workplace. Together we can take steps toward creating a workplace culture where everyone feels respected and valued.

You can connect with Desiree, Johnathan, and Brian over on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and would like to hear more from our guests, check out:

Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Feb 13, 2023

Today I’m joined by BlackBerry Radar, a logistics technology brand that delivers asset monitoring, engineered for intelligence, and designed to solve for your most common transportation challenges.

Launched in 2016, BlackBerry Radar is an intelligent, secure and user-friendly asset tracking and monitoring solution. It provides reliable industry-leading visibility into a range of fleet assets, including trailers, flatbeds, chassis and intermodal containers, utilizing device hardware, a secure communications network, and a dynamic cloud platform.

Today Shannon Hamilton, Vice President of Blackberry Radar Sales, joins me to chat all about the brand and what they do; pioneering the future of hyperconnectivity; making the complex simple; and leveraging real-time insights to deliver better, and faster, customer service.

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[06.03] How the transportation industry’s challenges have evolved, the landscape of the industry in a post-pandemic environment, and the key focus areas for logistics businesses.

“Coming out of the pandemic we’ve seen a bit of a slowdown, so now it’s really about assessing and right-sizing your fleet, and making better financial decisions about where you’re investing in those assets.”

[07.36] An overview of Blackberry Radar – what they do and how they help their customers.

“Everybody knew Blackberry, back when it was their favorite handset, but most people don’t know what we’re doing today… We’ve been using all of our Intellectual Property, and including all of the design capabilities of building handset software, but now we’re building devices for the transportation industry.”

[09.21] A closer look at the Radar device itself, what it does, and how and where it can be installed.

“Marrying both the physical location with the inside of that piece of equipment is really enabling next-level efficiency.”

[12.12] From helping to reduce empty miles to improved maintenance efficiency, the benefits of installing BlackBerry Radar in your trailers.

[16.49] The most efficient ways to mitigate risk, the importance of good data, and how Blackberry Radar can help.

“Mitigating risk is really about having the information in a usable way, that can improve the way you make decisions. The quality of your decisions is really based on the data that you have – if you have good data, you make good decisions.”

[18.59] The challenges within intermodal and how Blackberry Radar can help with a range of issues from displacement and theft to next-level visibility.

[23.43] A closer look at what reporting, data and customization looks like with Blackberry Radar.

“Every business has different business rules and different logic that they’re working towards. So all of those events can be customized so you’re making use of that information in the best possible way.”

[25.42] The ideal client for Blackberry Radar.

[26.19] A case study showing how Blackberry Radar helped a key client to better utilize existing equipment instead of regularly invest in new assets, ultimately resulting in a vast reduction of capital investment, reduction in maintenance, creation of new revenue streams and enhanced customer experience.

[30.11] The future for BlackBerry Raday.

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

Head over to Blackberry Radar’s website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Blackberry Radar and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, or you can connect with Shannon on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Shannon, check out her blog for our Women In Supply Chain series, where she shares more about her career journey, who inspires her and her experience as a woman in a historically male-dominated industry.

This episode was filmed onsite at Manifest. Look out for more incredible content from the show - coming soon!

Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Feb 5, 2023

In today’s episode of Women In Supply Chain, I’m joined by multi-award-winning supply chain leader Darcy MacClaren.

Darcy MacClaren is a strategic global leader who has spent 30 years growing, differentiating, and improving businesses through technology transformation with a focus on supply chain. She has held various leadership roles at SAP over the last ten years and currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Digital Supply Chain and Industry 4.0 for SAP North America. Darcy is passionate about collaboration, and committed to guiding organizations in their digital transformation journey through innovative technology and next-generation business processes.

Today Darcy will be talking to us about her career so far; the role of sponsors, as well as mentors; building a support network for women; and putting a focus on helping companies build resilient, agile, and sustainable supply chains. 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.

 

SHOW SPONSOR:

 

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

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[06.53] Darcy’s ambition as a young person, and how a role at Hewlett Packard in the early days of her career set Darcy on a path to success.

“Right from a young age, I knew I wanted to be successful, I knew I wanted to be powerful – but I didn’t know what that meant.”

[09.18] How Darcy found supply chain, why her strengths were such a good match, and why she really fell in love with the industry.

[13.02] Why Darcy found her voice early on in her career, and how she came to appreciate the magnitude of supply chain and the impact it had on people’s lives.

“I do a lot of mentoring for folks entering the field and I always let them know: 'you know more than you think you know. You just don’t have the confidence yet.'”

[16.59] Why Darcy joined SAP, her journey at the brand over the past 11 years and why she’s so passionate about it.

“When you work at a smaller niche company, many times you look around the room and you’re the most experienced person there. I wanted to learn from senior executives, the best in the world, and really grow myself as a leader.”

[20.33] Darcy’s current role as Senior VP of Digital Supply Chain and Manufacturing for North America, the increasing importance of digital transformation, and what she sees from her perspective at SAP.

“It’s a journey. But the good news is that digital transformation is finally starting… you don’t transform overnight but you have to have a plan, and you have to start now.”

[25.34] The importance of tackling sustainability in supply chain, alongside risk, agility and resilience.

“We all know it’s the right thing to do… but if you want the best people, they want to work for sustainable companies; if you want customers, they want to buy from sustainable companies – so it makes good business sense.”

[29.06] Darcy’s experience as a woman in a male-dominated industry across her 30-year career.

“It has changed, but not to the extent that I thought it would have, by the time my daughter came into the industry.”

[34.23] Why Darcy established the award-winning Women in Supply Chain Network, and the impact it’s having on the community.

“It’s great for the career path if you have aspirations to be in the C Suite – supply chain is a great background to have, because of the visibility you get across different industries.”

[36.43] The difference between mentors and sponsors, and Darcy’s advice for making the most of both of them.

[40.25] Darcy’s reflections on why women should dive into supply chain, and why they’re so well-suited to the industry.

“There was a study that actually said, statistically, women are better suited to supply chain – and it had to do with empathy.”

[43.12] Darcy’s advice for girls and women looking to follow in her footsteps.

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

You can connect with Darcy over on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear from another incredible woman from SAP, check out 283: Blended – The Rise of Asian Discrimination featuring Gale, Director of Global Influencer Marketing at the leading brand.

Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Jan 30, 2023

Today we’re putting the spotlight on one of our incredible live shows, LogTech Live With Eric Johnson.

Eric is Senior Editor of Technology at the Journal Of Commerce and a long-time friend of the show, and he brings us his unrivaled industry insights – and Dad jokes! – on the first and third Friday of every month at 10am EST.

In this episode, Eric is joined by special guest Anthony Miller, SaaS, Tech, Logistics and Supply Chain Consultant, to talk about the hottest news from the biggest brands in logistics right now.

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[08.22] From C.H. Robinson CEO Bob Biesterfeld’s shock exit to a new collaboration between an early-stage tech provider and freight forwarders, Eric explores the news of the week.

[15.01] An introduction to Eric’s guest, Anthony Miller, his experience at WiseTech, and his love for logistics.

“Logistics is so exciting and ever-changing… some people would say it's still stuck in the past, but I don’t see that. It’s a mixture of both – you have the great people and the processes, and then you have the tech, and they’re all just trying to come together.”

[19.56] How and why Anthony became a provocative logistics voice on LinkedIn.

“I want people to read something and think about it, go and do some research, talk to people and form your own opinions.”

[27.53] Anthony and Eric discuss CargoWise - its position in the market, why the organization has come under recent scrutiny, how businesses like GoFreight are breaking through to serve the SMB market, and the downside of aggressive acquisition strategies.

[41.20] Anthony’s thoughts on the future for CH Robinson and Flexport.

“Our industry is about consolidation. And as soon as you show some weakness, that’s it – sharks are circling.”

[47.51] Eric ends with his favorite question: ‘what’s your favorite band and why?’

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

Discover more breaking news over on Journal of Commerce, and connect with Anthony on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed the show, there are plenty more episodes of LogTech Live to explore. And if you want to hear even more from the super-knowledgeable Eric Johnson, you can also catch him on episode 238 and episode 300.

Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Jan 23, 2023

Today I’m joined by Nipendo, a forward-thinking software brand that is on a mission to improve how buyers and suppliers work together to combat Source-to-Pay inefficiencies and costs.

The Nipendo platform is an intelligent intermediator between buyers and suppliers, using technologies like Robotic Process Automation, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, to streamline interactions and benefit all trading partners. The Nipendo platform is used by cross-vertical medium-sized and large companies across the globe, helping them reduce costs and improve procurement and supply chain efficiencies, as well as supporting their competitive strength.

Today Paul Noel, Chief Revenue Officer at Nipendo, joins me to chat all about the company and what they do; their recent acquisition by Amex; changing the game in a flooded SaaS market; helping brands to embrace digital transformation processes; and the importance of bringing buyers and suppliers together in mutually beneficial partnerships.

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[06.38] How and why Nipendo was founded, and what attracted Paul to the brand.

“It was that approach – much more additive than disruptive – that really intrigued me as the new age of spend management.”

[10.34] An overview of Nipendo – what they do and how they help their customers.

[12.55] Buyers: their key challenges, how the Nipendo platform works for them, and the benefits it delivers.

[15.02] Suppliers: their unique set of obstacles, and what the Nipendo platform looks like from a seller's perspective.

“As buyers get their act together more, it forces more requirements on the suppliers… the big saving for suppliers is having one place where they can work with multiple customers.”

[17.45] The impact of facilitating buyers and suppliers to work more successfully together, at a business and industry level.

“People stop doing tedious things!... The pandemic gave everyone a shot in the arm - people started thinking ‘what am I doing that’s value add, what am I doing that can be automated?’”

[21.15] Paul’s thoughts on digitization and what he thinks organizations have been doing wrong, and right.

[23.56] What integration and onboarding look like with Nipendo.

“The availability of your IT can be a block, but when you’ve figured that out, the rest of is pretty easy. We’re going to do the heavy lifting, because we’ll make sure that message is going to flow through whatever pipe you open up, it’s just a matter of opening that pipe.”

[27.44] The ideal client for Nipendo.

[29.46] Several case studies showing how Nipendo helped key clients improve efficiency, collaboration and communication, ultimately supporting overall business growth, optimization and cost reduction.

[34.06] The future for Nipendo.

“2023 you’ll see our name out there for a more holistic approach that a mid-market company can use, so they can leverage technology to walk and talk like a big guy, without having to be a big guy."

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

Head over to Nipendo’s website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Nipendo and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter, or you can connect with Paul on LinkedIn.

If you're in the mood for a good read, check out our Women In Supply Chain blog interview with good friend of the show Sarah Scudder - she talks all about how, in the early days of her career, learning that procurement and marketing weren’t collaborating led to her breakthrough moment.

Check out our other podcasts HERE.

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