2 Babes Talk Supply Chain

Natalie Walker talks about her career journey; the importance of mentors in creating space for women; the changing face of workplaces; & the future of robotics.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.06] Natalie’s education journey, how a family friend inspired an interest in supply chain, and why international business is a crucial, but sometimes overlooked, component of the industry. “I had this abstract idea of getting into international deal-making, international negotiations… So she encouraged me to check out supply chain.” [07.47] Why supply chain is often misunderstood, and why it’s a great career choice for women looking to drive meaningful change. “When people think about supply chain… especially in traditional manufacturing and operations, there’s more of a connotation of heavy, manual labor… For me, it’s about explaining what supply chain is and thinking about it more in a corporate sense – how to streamline and centralize operations.” [11.58] Natalie’s career journey, how her intentional deci

Conrad Smith of Graphite Connect talks about building a network to create global efficiency, speeding up communication; and bringing you data you can trust.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [03.42] Conrad’s background and career journey. “I got to Intel and they were doing procurement with paper – white, pink, yellow triplicate requisitions… it blew my mind! Intel in the 90s was THE powerhouse tech company… I showed up, and they were doing paper. That started my career into: ‘Let’s figure out how to make it better.’” [06.15] How and why Conrad established Graphite Connect. “What’s the difference between a fax machine and email? It isn’t the same magnitude of improvement as snail mail to fax machine. It’s not a printed piece of paper, it shows up in an inbox electronic, but it’s kind of the same thing. And we’ve got to figure out how to move past that one-to-one sharing of information. We’re stuck.” [14.19] An overview of Graphite Connect – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers. “Su

Jason Murray of Shipium talks about AI - its potential, what the future will look like, and why businesses need to commit to AI before they're left behind.    IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [03.42] Shipium’s origin story, how the business has evolved, and what’s changed in the industry since their last appearance on the show. “The pandemic is no longer front and center. The thing that’s dominating the narrative now is AI. With us being data-first, it’s a comfortable spot. But even we’ve had to re-think our approach, because the new form of AI acts as an accelerator for all of the data science and machine learning work we’ve done in the past.” [12.15] Shipium’s perspective on tariffs, the trends impacting the industry, and why AI is still dominating the narrative. “What we hear from our customers is that they don’t like the uncertainty… They’re having trouble planning, but that speaks to the need for autonomous processes that help you deal with it in a much faster fashion.” “There are going to be things happ

Colby Ward of Amazon Web Services talks about leveraging agentic AI for competitive advantage; navigating change management; data; & eliminating spreadsheets.  IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.04] An introduction to Colby, his background, and role at Amazon Web Services. [06.58] An overview of AWS – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers. “Everybody knows the expression: ‘Garbage in, garbage out!’ But no one seems to focus on that area enough. They seem to say: “Well, here’s our solution, whatever your data is, we’ll take it.” And nobody focuses on: “How can I connect your data in an easier way?” “Our goal is to eventually eliminate the spreadsheet on every supply chainers desktop!” [10.30] Where enterprise technology has focused over the last couple of decades, the positives and negatives, and how we’ve got to where we are today. [14.17] The problem with generic SaaS systems in supply chain, and how agentic AI can deliver improved orchestration and eliminate bias. “SaaS systems

Kimberly Rodriguez talks about her career journey; tackling the industry’s sustainability challenges; overcoming imposter syndrome; & finding her place.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.15] Kimberly’s experience growing up in the Philippines, her university education in Abu Dhabi, and how those experiences shaped her, introducing her to the complexity of supply chain and the importance of people. [06.45] How Kimberly’s education in political science and business sparked an intertest in human rights and began a career in supply chain. “It stemmed from understanding how workers are such a big part of a complex problem… understanding the complex relationships between contractors, sub-contractors, agencies – supply chain is not just products or processes, it’s people.” [09.49] After entering supply chain not knowing what to expect, what Kimberly thinks of the industry seven years later. “The more I’m in the space, the more I realize how much supply chain makes everything we do, it’s how everything works

Chris Haas of Blume Global talks about how IoT is reinventing rail freight visibility and building a more agile, optimized intermodal network for everyone.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [03.55] IoT and its role in intermodal. [05.15] The big, macro-level challenges Blume see across the intermodal freight ecosystem. “Intermodal logistics is inherently complex – there’s multiple modes, multiple stakeholders, and disconnected systems which makes visibility a real challenge.” [06.48] How big industry challenges translate to a business level, the day-to-day challenges Blume see their clients facing, and why visibility is critical to navigating those challenges. “Fragmentation, theft risks, equipment inefficiencies – all of that shows up in day-to-day operations. When you don’t have visibility, delays and missed hand-offs often go unnoticed, until it’s too late… And that reactive mode causes stress across the board.” [10.02] The lack of IoT adoption across North America and, despite that underdeveloped adopti

Ross Hickey of Shippeo talks about supply chain visibility - closing gaps, building future-proof tech stacks, change management, and driving business value.  IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [03.39] An introduction to Ross and his role at Shippeo, and a reminder of who Shippeo are and how they help their customers. [04.45] From in-transit uncertainty to the first and last miles, the typical blind spots Shippeo see with their customers, the problem of fragmentation, and why organizations often overlook key areas in their transportation networks. “Fragmentation really is the root cause behind so many problems.” [07.53] How businesses can start to evaluate their ecosystem to shine a light on blind spots and tackle fragmentation. “Organizations need to take a more diagnostic approach at the actual problem itself.” [10.24] Shippeo’s seven value drivers, and how closing visibility gaps leads to overall performance improvement. “What if your logistics team had immediate access to information at their fingertips, u

Saskia Van Gendt talks about her career journey; sustainability challenges & opportunities; the importance of knowledge-sharing; & her experience as a woman. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.52] How Saskia discovered a passion for sustainability, and how that passion grew into a career. “From a young age, I’d always felt a connection to nature… But, it wasn’t until I was in high school and I did competitive debate. One of the debate topics was all about renewable energy, the environment and the impact of technology and innovation in reducing emissions from fossil fuels. And that’s when a light switch turned on. It was a translation from a passion for the environment to some of the practical things we can do.” [07.03] How the sustainability landscape has changed since Saskia’s first role at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2006. “It’s important to take a long view. There’s a lot of change that’s needed, but we’ve also made a lot of progress… Now there are carbon accounting standards that

Chad Dittberner of Werner talks about supply chain sustainability - challenges, alternative fuels, cost, partnerships, and why it's a strategic advantage.     IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.09] Chad’s 32-year career at Werner, and an introduction to their Innovation Council and what it does. [06.37] The biggest sustainability challenges for the industry, and for Werner clients. “It can be messy aligning goals and initiatives. The overall pressure to reduce greenhouse gases is immense. There’s progress in so many different things… But solutions aren’t widely available at scale, especially in long-haul operations… And most of those solutions come with a premium cost.” [10.13] Why sustainability is good business, not just the right thing to do, and why it’s a strategic advantage for Werner. [12.23] How Werner are helping organizations approach their sustainability efforts, a closer look at alternative fuels like bio and renewable, and what a future-ready fleet might look like. “What people often forget… is

Bill Catania of OneRail talks about fleet management - challenges & opportunities, change management & achieveing competitive advantage with a hyrbid model.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [03.31] OneRail’s rapid growth and ‘work hard, play hard’ culture. “It’s all about work hard, play hard. We take our role in serving our customers very seriously… But we’re not afraid to play too!” [04.22] The importance of partnerships, OneRail’s customer strategy, and why they don’t take serving big category leaders for granted. [05.52] An overview of OneRail – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers. “We help customers marry fulfillment and last mile delivery to create one seamless transaction… We’re the connective tissue of an omnichannel fulfilment journey.” [06.43] From fleet optimization to last yard, the evolving landscape of last mile delivery and some of the biggest challenges shaping that evolution. “We’re seeing the optimization of internal fleets being a big thing for wholesal

Mary Casillo talks about Pallet Alliance; taking a holistic view; putting a focus on cost management; and integrating tracking into your transportation.    IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.23] An overview of Pallet Alliance – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers. “We take a scientific approach to pallet and category management.” [06.35] The ideal client for Pallet Alliance. “So much money is spent on packaging. And a lot of times people don’t consider the pallet as part of the packaging.” [09.23] From consistency to the impact of differing weather conditions, the biggest packaging problems Pallet Alliance see most regularly from their customers. “The packaging responsibilities are left to local teams with a decentralized strategy. So having a national pallet program is something that really entices our customers to work with us. The value of a national approach, with control and visibility, is really important.” [15.40] The industry challenges impacting Pallet Alliance’s custom

Omar Abuhashish of Reform talks about scaling without increasing operational overheads; why AI isn’t just a tool; & redefining what’s possible in supply chain.  IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.23] Omar’s background and his journey of discovery in supply chain. “I’m a builder at heart, and I love solving very challenging problems. I went to school and studied the hardware AND the software to see what’s possible and what solutions I can build.” “I really wanted to go after a foundational industry with a lot of room for improvement, but at the forefront of innovation, where there’s room for opportunity and challenges that can be solved with the best technologies.” [07.28] The big challenges Omar saw as he became increasingly interested in global transportation networks, and how they led him to establish Reform. “I really noticed how operationally intensive a lot of the workflows are. There a lot of people doing the same job, the data is siloed, things are living on paper… I just felt there was a clear w

Lina Castaneda talks about her career journey; being an industry rising star, the importance of staying coachable; & why our differences are our superpowers.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [05.00] Why Lina emigrated from Colombia to Canada, and what the move taught her. “It was a big change, but I saw it as a chance for growth on my own journey. I’ve always believed that stepping outside of your comfort zone is where real growth happens.” [06.35] How Lina found supply chain, and why she fell in love with the industry. “I quickly fell in love with the complexity and the impact of the industry. Supply chain touches every single part of our lives – it’s a behind-the-scenes powerhouse that keeps the world moving!” [07.59] Lina’s journey moving through operations and customer service, and how each role added a new layer to her expertise and developed her leadership style. “It’s been quite a journey. Tons of learning, tons of growth – and a few surprises along the way!” [11.41] Lina’s role as Chief Custo

Rob Norlander of Circle K Pro talks about the difference between a fleet card and a credit card, industry challenges, driver satisfaction; & saving you money. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.12] Rob and his career journey, and how Circle K has evolved over the past 60 years. “What drives the business is a focus on the customer… Our mission is to make their lives easier every day.” [08.09] Circle K Pro’s unique view of the industry and the biggest challenges they see, from cost to efficiency. “Businesses are under pressure to do more with less… They’re having trouble with keeping costs in check and making sure their employees are taken care of. Fuel is one of the largest variables for fleets and how they manage that, and try to keep it as low as possible, is more important than ever.” [11.55] An overview of the Circle K Pro fleet card and how it works. [14.08] How the Circle K Pro fleet card differs from a traditional business credit card, and how businesses should decide what’s right for them. “Wit

Daragh Mahon talks about driving competitive advantage, the importance of cybersecurity, real-time visibility & their 'Cloud First, Cloud Now' strategy. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [04.26] An overview of Werner, what they do, and how they help their customers. “We run all modes of transportation… And we’ve proven over and over again that we’re excellent at every single one of them.” [05.24] Daragh’s reflections on the first half of the year, why 2025 is the year of AI, and how Werner’s digital transformation journey has positioned them for the future. “The first half of the year has been tough, we’re still in this freight recession… There’s a lot of volatility, but it does feel like it’s leveling out a bit.” [12.22] From demand predictability and labor issues to sustainability and cyber security, the biggest challenges faced by Werner customers, the types of technologies they’re looking for to tackle them, and why Werner tech is built around what their customers need most. “You combine all those things, a

John Conrad of Evans Transportation talks about tariffs, navigating challenges, the importance of partnerships; technology; & their customer-centric approach. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [02.10] John’s reflections from the show floor at Home Delivery World. [02.56] An introduction to John, his 20-year career history, and his role as Chief Revenue Officer at Evans Transportation. “We’ve experienced some pretty athletic growth over the last five years… I’m responsible for our team finding and keeping revenue, it’s a big job. And when your President and CEO wants to double in the next five years, it’s a really big job!” [04.08] Evan’s roots as one of the country’s first 100 freight brokers 40 years ago, their evolution, and how they helped pioneer the transportation management system. “There’s about 30,000 registered 3PL’s and maybe about 30,000 that aren’t, working out of their basement or garage. There’s no shortage of competition in this space! So it makes it really hard to differentiate.” [06.43] An

Chris Mazza of Shippeo talks about their obsessive focus on data quality, visibility, and how current geopolitical disruptions are impacting shippers. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [03.08] An introduction to Shippeo, who they are, and what they do. “We answer two foundational, practical questions that almost every supply chain, transportation or logistics manager wants to know: where is my stuff, and when will it arrive?” [06.21] How current geopolitical disruptions are impacting shippers, and why real-time visibility is crucial in navigating challenges. “If you don’t have a good understanding of where your cargo is, what ship it’s on, how it’s routed, you can’t credibly predict how you’re going to manage things like buffer stock, real lead-time or real customer service expectation – without that data, you’re lost.” [09.29] From an obsessive focus on data quality to an investment in integration options, what sets Shippeo apart in a very competitive and rapidly evolving market. “We spend a lot of time edu

Michael Falls of Reveel & Jennifer Mitchell of GOAT Group talk about tariffs, network design, SKU analysis, carrier negotiation and decision intelligence.  IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [02.22] An introduction to Michael, his background, and what excites him about supply chain. “Work smarter, not harder – that’s what I’m passionate about. There’s great technology out there that shippers can leverage, but so many people are still working out of spreadsheets. That hasn’t changed as rapidly in our industry as it has in others.” [03.49] An overview of Reveel, who they are, and what they do. “Our CEO always says that modeling is the hill we’re going to die on. We have a lot of tools in our repertoire that are different to a lot of the other analytics tools on the market.” [04.36] An introduction to Jennifer, her background, and her company GOAT Group. [05.58] An overview of the current tariff landscape, and how businesses are approaching adaptability and cost impacts. “We’re now in a period where shippers

Stephanie Dominguez talks all about the Port of New York and New Jersey, big infrastructure projects, collaboration, sustainability & preparing for the future.    IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.30] An overview of the Port of New York and New Jersey, who they are and what they do. “We have a long history… Containerization started at our port.” [05.40] Why organizations should choose the Port of New York and New Jersey, the many factors that give them their competitive edge and how, in turn, that can give companies doing business with them their own competitive edge. “We’re a world-class gateway port… We’re focused on efficiency and reliability… Today we have 45 weekly ocean carrier services, and we’re the first port of call on 75% of them.” [11.36] Some of the biggest challenges of the last few years, and why resiliency, communication and collaboration Is key. [15.43] The Port of New York and New Jersey’s ‘Master Plan’, and how a predicted increase in volume will impact the port and local community,

Neil Fisher of Birdseye Security Solutions talks about cargo theft, leveraging AI for proactivity & why security solutions drive business-wide improvements.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [02.28] An introduction to Neil, his background, and role at Birdseye Security Solutions. [03.12] How a shifting approach to security led Mike Grabovica to establish Birdseye. “There was this shift in security in general, from being reactive to having proactive solutions. And our founder identified early on that trucking and logistics companies have really specific needs when it comes to security.” [03.57] The ongoing issue of yard security and cargo theft. [04.47] An overview of Birdseye – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers. [05.11] The ideal client for Birdseye Security Solutions. [05.50] The biggest factors influencing the rapid rise in cargo theft. “There’s some economic uncertainty out there and, with that, comes all sorts of challenges… And criminals are getting smarter and bolder.”