2 Babes Talk Supply Chain

Kristin Kay of Manhattan Associates talks about their Active TMS, continuous innovation & automated testing, & why transportation is more complex than ever. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.20] An introduction to Kristin, and Manhattan Associates. “We don’t view supply chain as a cost center – it can be a competitive advantage, if you start to remove some of the siloes between your solutions.” [06.18] The biggest impacts on the transportation industry right now, and why the industry is more complex than ever before. “It’s a whirlwind! We have a lot of different things coming into play. Macro economic shifts, sky high customer expectations, pressure to hit sustainability targets… Depending on the industry, the days of just managing your transportation are gone.” [09.17] Why Transportation Management Systems often come with their own set of problems, and the biggest TMS challenges Manhattan see with their customers. “Whatever challenge comes up, sometimes that challenge isn’t the biggest problem.

Melodie Van Der Baan talks about her career journey; juggling motherhood & entrepreneurship; positivity; and the intricate dance between supply and demand. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.04] The early years of Melodie’s career, why she fell in love with retail, and how her experiences laid the groundwork for her entrepreneurial journey. “I loved every store, every city, every boutique owner I visited and sold to. But, without fail, they would point out what didn’t sell from the season before, and say ‘Mel, what are you going to do about it?’ And so I had to find a solution to their problem.” “My husband said: ‘This isn’t a you problem, it’s an industry problem. It’s a lack of a network that needs to exist, and you should create it!’ But this was before Amazon, Shopify wasn’t a thing yet, Point of Sales were server-based, not cloud-based. So even though the problem was real, the industry wasn’t ready for the solution.” [08.31] Why Melodie chose not to go to college, her Mother’s words of advice, and w

Megan Keith & Shawn Piper talk about Uber Freight; bridging tech & service; bringing product & design together; automation; & the future of freight technology. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.00] Introductions to Megan and Shawn, and their roles at Uber Freight. “I was drawn to logistics because of its complexity and impact. It’s a space where smart, intuitive tools can really make a difference, and I love simplifying that complexity so transportation teams can move faster and make better decisions.” [05.21] An overview of Uber Freight, the evolution that brought together deep industry expertise from Transplace with Uber’s tech DNA, and how that combination is driving the way they approach logistics today. “That fusion means that we’re not just building smart tools or interesting technology, we’re building tools that work in the real world. Our approach is to really get that balance of being tech-forward but operationally-grounded, to make customers more agile, resilient and informed.” “U

Anthony & Lyle of ProcurementIQ talk about client collaboration, leveraging data, the growth of procurement & the biggest challenges impacting teams in 2025.  IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [06.08] Lyle’s background and the journey that led him to co-found ProcurementIQ. [09.00] How ProcurementIQ has evolved over the last decade, and where they are now. “We were learning – and so was procurement in its own right. The concept of category intelligence wasn’t really a thing in 2013... Back then there was market intelligence so what we really had to learn about was that evolution.” [11.13] Anthony’s background, how it sparked a passion for supply chain and why, after years in the industry, he decided to go to school for supply chain. “It’s never a bad time to invest in yourself and develop your skillset.” [14.08] The biggest supply chain challenges and disruptions, and the impact they’re having on procurement practitioners and their ability to plan ahead and do their jobs effectively. “It’s creating a

Craig Barth of Premier Trailer Leasing talks about understanding if your business needs to buy, rent or lease; & leveraging fleet management for success. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [05.31] An overview of Premier Trailer Leasing – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers. [06.07] What sets Premier apart, and the secret to their success as they celebrate 20 years in business. “There are several companies that will rent or lease you a semitrailer. So why do people come to Premier? The reality is: it’s the people. It’s the partnerships we form, the services we provide – we take a very personal approach, and we look to help the customer solve a problem first.” [07.57] From economic issues to continued overcapacity, the biggest challenges in the transportation industry right now. “It’s one of the most challenging environments we’ve ever been in. The transportation industry, depending on your measurement, is between two to three years into a recession… And now we have mass uncertainty.

Alexia McLaughlin talks about making an impact through innovation; her commitment to cultures of excellence; & her big achievement as an industry rising star.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [03.52] An introduction to Alexia and her role at Veho. “If Uber and UPS had a baby, it would be Veho!” [05.08] How Alexia began her career in sales, and her journey through roles at Oracle and Jebbit to her current position at Veho. “I never thought I was going to be in sales! That used car salesman connotation springs to your mind… But, when I was coming out of college, a lot of mentors who’s careers I admired started in sales. So I thought: ‘OK, I’m going to give this a try! I don’t know if I’ll love it, but I’ll learn a lot.’” [09.07] Alexia’s experience moving from a big, corporate environment to a smaller, start-up culture. “When you’re working for a big company, there’s a lot of layers, it’s very bureaucratic, there’s a lot of structure and process. But I wanted ambiguity. Both of my roles after Oracle you

Dexter Weber of TGW Logistics talks about the trends, challenges & opportunities in warehouse logistics; building strategic partnerships; and TGW's new brand.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [05.31] TGW’s 50+ year journey from small fitters shop in Austria to global manufacturing leader. “Part of our journey was becoming a foundation-owned company... We reinvest our profits into our solutions and capabilities, and to charity. We’re not chasing goals and pleasing shareholders – we’re focused on that long-term vision.” [09.07] Where TGW are now, their vision for the future, and a why they’re unveiling a new brand for a new era. [12.21] The ideal client for TGW Logistics. “What we’re really looking for is someone that wants to build a true partnership. We need to be an extension of their team and share a vision to really accomplish the goals they want to achieve. Being collaborative makes sure we’re both successful.” “Building relationships and trust is the foundation of any good, solid business project.”

Beverly Steele talks about her journey, making a big change mid-career; what it means to be a workforce innovator; and her take on work-life balance. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [04.29] An introduction to Beverly and her role at Inmar. [05.11] Beverly’s career journey, and her decades of varied experience. “I’ve been in reverse logistics well over 20 years. I actually stopped saying how long because I realized I’d been in it longer than some of my colleagues have been alive!” [07.15] Beverly’s 20-year tenure at CORT, and an overview of the roles she took on as she climbed the ranks. [08.07] Inmar’s joint venture with Blue Yonder to create a returns drop network that reduces costs for brands and makes life easy for consumers. [09.46] Why Beverly made a big change mid-career, what she was looking for in her next step, and her advice for other mid-career professionals considering making a change. “I’d moved up in the ranks and there weren’t many places for me to go to make the money I wanted to make and have

Phillip Lechter of CXT Software talks about challenges in last mile; building a people-first culture; & how they're helping customers grow, compete & thrive.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [05.45] How CXT innovated over the past 25 years to meet the changing needs of an evolving logistics landscape. “25 years is a long time in the software space!… In maturation of software, it’s easy to want to 'set it and forget it', and live off the benefits. But you can’t do that today. Supply chain is changing so rapidly, and our focus is on innovation, connectivity, and our ability to make it easy for our clients to do what they want to do - and not be hamstrung by the business we’ve created.” [09.13] Where CXT is now, what they do, and how they help their customers. “It’s about making ourselves as configurable as possible to our clients... our ability to serve multiple workflows based on the business our clients are doing for their own customers.” [11.08] The ideal client for CXT. [13.25] From the uniquenes

Carlos Perico of ProcureAbility talks about sourcing best practices in a tariff-driven world & how to turn procurement from cost center to competitive advantage   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.29] An introduction to Carlos and ProcureAbility. “All we do is procurement! It’s our speciality, it’s what we’re passionate about. And that’s key.” [05.59] Tariffs: what they are, and why supply chain professionals need to pay attention. [07.07] Diversification: Some of the strategies companies can employ to build agile supply chains for long-term resilience, the big challenge with long-term strategies, and why your supply chain is like Tetris. “Diversification is the name of the game. You don’t want to have all your eggs in one basket – but the challenge now is that the baskets are getting very complex!!” “For those long-term strategies to pay off, you have to start now.” [14.08] How companies can utilize scenario planning or future-proofing to prepare for further tariff fluctuations. “You need to know yo

Bill Catania of OneRail and Anna Farberov of PepsiCo talk all about their strategic partnership, how it works & the benefits it drives for Pepsi customers. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [03.42] Introductions to Bill and OneRail, and Anna and PepsiCo Labs. [06.22] Why PepsiCo reached out to OneRail to explore partnership opportunities. “They have the solution and we have the problem; they have an entrepreneurial mindset and can move fast, and we have the business expertise and deep industry understanding. And when we’re able to feed that back, that’s where the magic happens.” [06.48] The PepsiCo Labs model, and how the team proactively seek out companies to partner with. “We want to solve problems in the business versus having shiny toys, saying a lot of buzzwords and ticking boxes.” [08.52] The impact of their strategic partnership for PepsiCo and their customers, and OneRail’s business. [11.24] From expanding capacity to maintaining service levels across different customer sizes, the business challen

Eric Downing of Werner talks about dedicated freight solutions, the benefits, and the landscape of freight shipping and logistics in 2025.    IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [05.54] Eric’s background and transition from US Air Force to supply chain, and the different business areas he’s moved through in his 27-year tenure at Werner. [08.57] The landscape of freight shipping and logistics and the biggest challenges in 2025, from tariffs to navigating seasonal disruption. “Most carriers are glad to put 2023 and 2024 in the rear-view mirror. 2025 is better, we’re seeing more robust bid activity, better engagement with customers… Are we out of the woods? No. But are we seeing some good things? Yes!” [11.39] Why an increasing number of shippers are turning to outsourced dedicated solutions instead of managing their own private fleets. “Customers want to focus their resources, time, and people on what they do – their primary business. Because it’s a competitive world… And, let’s be honest, running your own truckin

Allen Thomas of Lynxis talks about industry challenges, the biggest buzzwords, and why organizations need to pay more attention to improved orchestration.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.20] An introduction to Allen, and Lynxis. [04.53] The biggest conversations on the show floor at Manifest. “Agentic AI is the new buzzword – it’s the new blockchain! There’s a lot of hype, but there’s also a lot of hope.” [06.29] The biggest problems in the intermodal industry right now. “Visibility is still key, because there’s so much complexity when all of this data comes together. We’re not certain who’s right and who’s wrong, there’s no system of record as this cargo moves inland and then back through the flow.” “A lot of the technology projects we’ve seen have been focused on an insular basis, intra-company process improvement versus: how do we make this entire supply chain more efficient and effective for the shippers and carriers that move it?… We’re trying to take costs out of our own internal operations, but

Tony Winters of Rygen Technologies talks about being inspired by customer challenges; why visibility is still a challenge; & investing big in agentic AI. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [04.33] An introduction to Tony, his career journey, and his role at Rygen Technologies. “In college, you learn how to solve these algorithms and problems. And, in supply chain, you really get to implement them.” [06.24] An overview of Rygen Technologies – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers. “We’re hoping to leave our mark on the industry, solve some problems – and have fun doing it!” [08.14] From visibility to technology, the biggest challenges Rygen customers are facing right now. [09.39] Why Rygen is inspired by customer challenges, and their approach to technology and problem-solving. “We crave what the industry wants. They’re asking for things, and we crave that knowledge!.. We take the feedback, learn from it, and make it better.” [11.22] Rygen’s Corsair transportation management, and why

Josh Allen of ITS Logistics talks about challenges & opportunities in 2025; & how they're providing strategic capacity & smart solutions for complex needs. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [05.23] How ITS Logistics has evolved, since its inception in 1999, and the reason behind its sustainable growth. “ITS has always been about smart, customer-driven growth. No acquisitions, all organic – just explosive, consistent expansion. We’ve grown by solving real problems. Customers don’t just stay with us, they expand with us.” [07.25] An overview of ITS Logistics – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers. “Customers don’t just need capacity. They need efficiency, visibility, and control.” [09.37] The ideal client for ITS Logistics. [13.12] The biggest challenges and opportunities in the market now, and what interests Josh about the transition from Q4 2024 to Q1 2025. “Q4 was a dogfight. The demand is still soft compared to previous years and typical peak environments, and cost of spe

910 Advisors talk about cost-to-serve - the challenges, its impact on supply chain efficiency & profitability; & transforming inefficiencies into opportunities.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [06.03] Introductions to Greg, Janet, and Robert, and why Greg and Robert co-founded 910 Advisors. “So many consultancies are focused on these long-term, big-dollar transformational programs... Everyone wants to hit you with the strategy book, but no ones there to help guide you there… We make sure we have a lens towards the long-term, but also in helping companies understand what to do in three, six, nine and twelve months, in support of that three-year plan.” “So many people hire technologies to solve commercial and supply chain problems.” [13.48] An overview of 910 Advisors – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers. [16.40] The ideal client for 910 Advisors. [19.54] ‘Cost-to-serve’: What it means, why it’s so often overlooked, and why teams have a handle on their customer acquisition cos

Marc Aliotta of Reveel & Jack Margeson of Deposco talk about how their strategic partnership helps clients overcome challenges, save money & scale to success. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.50] Introductions to Marc and Reveel, and Jack and Deposco. [07.10] The biggest challenges facing Reveel and Deposco customers right now. “The last few years, some of the biggest challenges have been uncertainty – what does the year ahead hold?! There are a lot of changes that happen, both at the global and domestic scale, that go towards: ‘How do I plan as a business? How do I shape where I need to go next year, knowing that supply chain is changing really quickly?’” “After the pandemic, a lot of shippers realized they couldn’t trust the major carriers because of capacity issues. And that uncertainty led itself to diversification strategies… So people are trying to build trust in new carriers.” [10.55] How the Reveel and Deposco partnership developed, and why organizations need to lean into collaboration, not

Christine Barnhart talks about the issues faced by women in supply chain, the impact of bias and changing DEI narratives, and the women who inspire her.  IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [06.01] An introduction to Christine and her new role at Nulogy. [07.45] Christine’s experience as a woman in both US and Canadian companies, the differences in organizations across different territories, and what we can learn from the countries leading the way in gender equity. “For me, it’s been interesting to compare and contrast what the culture is like in these companies,  but also what regulation and policy differences there are.” [10.38] The challenges for women in developing countries, the misunderstood areas of supply chain, and why data showing strong female representation across the industry doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story. “When we look at developing countries in particular, they need expertise and strong leaders but, in a lot of those countries, it’s a very masculine, patriarchal society... They’re not g

Bobby Strenk of SecurSpace & Ron Greene of Overhaul talk about cargo theft - the biggest challenges & trends, and best ways to keep your shipments safe.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [05.38] An introduction to Bobby and SecurSpace, and Ron and Overhaul. [07.54] Exactly what cargo theft is, the different types, and the trends to look out for. “There’s a whole new world in cargo theft. We’re three years into a significant spike in cargo theft, and the US takes the lead in how much it’s increased… There’s been an expansion of theft techniques and a lot of criminal organizations, that historically weren’t in the cargo theft space, have jumped in with both feet.” [10.09] The current scope of the cargo theft problem, and why gathering data to measure it accurately is problematic. [13.13] The future of cargo theft, and why it’s going to continue to rise. “It’s going to take a collaborative industry, plus government and associations, joining forces to curb this issue.” [14.47] What shippers can do, from

Jenny Perlitch talks about her career journey; lessons learned as a woman & immigrant; and supporting diversity within the transportation industry.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [05.15] Jenny’s journey from Ukraine to Germany to Cananda, and what it taught her. “It taught me a lot. All of a sudden you’re thrown from your comfortable environment to one with a completely different language and culture… I learned resilience and adaptability, and they really helped me in business. It made me independent and I believed things could be done.” [07.58] Why Jenny’s computer science background is so compatible with a career in supply chain. “It’s a way of thinking. I’ll look at things as a problem that could be solved by building an algorithm. Take something complex and break it down into smaller parts, automate those parts, and put it all back together like a beautiful puzzle.” [11.35] How a summer job became a lifelong career in supply chain for Jenny when she discovered a joy in pushing out of her comfort