2 Babes Talk Supply Chain

In today’s episode of Women In Supply Chain, I’m joined by Lisa Morales Hellebo: a truly inspirational VC, entrepreneur, product strategist and community builder, with 25 years of experience working with start-ups and Fortune 500s alike. After beginning her career in graphic design, Lisa pulled together her talents for creativity, product design and innovation and set her sights on tech. After successfully founding her own start-up, and being named one of the Top 10 Women in DC Tech, Lisa realized the impact she could have helping other start-ups. Her passion and commitment to the acceleration of technologies that advance the industry has only grown and now, as well as advising others, she is also the co-founder of two organizations, that focus on funding innovation and revolutionizing supply chain. Today, Lisa will be talking to us about her career so far; her love for fashion tech and passion for innovation; her reflections on the corporate world’s approach to sustainability; and she’ll be sharing her words

Today I’m joined by SourceDay, a leading tech company who believes that supplier collaboration is the first mile of your supply chain – optimize that, and you can stop misses at the source. SourceDay’s cloud solution digitally transforms collaboration between buyers and suppliers. Pulling together RFQ, Purchase Order, and AP Collaboration with quality control, the SourceDay platform allows business to manage their direct spend more efficiently, providing line-item detail that delivers big picture results. Today Tom Kieley, CEO & Co-founder at SourceDay, joins me to chat all about the company; what they do; the impact of COVID disruption on productivity; and the importance of collaboration, visibility and good data in facilitating strong relationships between buyers and suppliers.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [06.40] How and why SourceDay was founded, and the story behind the name. “The number one thing that was killing business day in, day out was their suppliers and ability to communicate, collaborate

Today I’m excited to be joined by Sarah Scudder, President & CRO at Real Sourcing Network and a superstar in the packaging space, who is helping to change the way we think about how the products we sell, and use, are packaged. Packaging is a really important topic, because so much of our economy is based around consumption – an average consumer in the western world will handle more than 50 packaged products or items every single day! – and so the conversations around issues like the air miles of those products, the labor practices and of course, sustainability, are key. Today Sarah joins me to chat all about single vs multi-use plastics, recycling vs reusing, innovations in the packaging space, and the impact more sustainable packaging can have on both business and the environment.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [06.51] The truth about fossil-based plastic production. “99% of plastics are made from oil and/or natural gas: so the greater the demand for plastic packaging, the greater the need for fossil fue

Today I’m excited to be joined by 1-Stop: a trailblazer in port logistics solutions, that is working with communities across the world to lead the way in supply chain innovation, building products that continue to enhance productivity and make life easier. Established in Sydney in 2002, 1-Stop is a world leader in developing innovative solutions for the global port community. Working closely with industry operators, its suite of tailored and integrated products has been developed to help streamline operations, enhance efficiency and optimize productivity throughout the supply chain. With the aim to deliver efficiency gains for all, 1-Stops’s customers include shipping lines, port and terminal operators, freight forwarders, customs brokers, 3PLs, trucking companies, rail operators, importers and exporters. Today Michael Bouari, CEO at 1-Stop, joins me to chat all about the company; what they do; some of the biggest challenges facing the global port community right now; and the innovations we should expect in t

Today I’m thrilled to be joined by a giant in business spend management; a company that is looking to unify supply chain, procurement, payments and treasury in one smart and seamless platform, Coupa. Founded in 2006, Coupa is the cloud platform for business spend management, empowering companies around the world with the visibility and control they need to spend smarter and safer. In partnership with the Business Spend Management (BSM) Community, Coupa is constantly co-creating new and unique capabilities that deliver transparency, efficiency, actionable insights and solutions to customers, partners and suppliers, so they can understand and manage their spending. Today Matt Tichon, Vice President of Industry Strategy at Coupa Software, joins me to chat all about the company; what they do; the impact of COVID on supply chain resiliency; and why innovation, collaboration and visibility are the keys to business success.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [3.34] A brief background on Coupa and Matt. [05.55] How Matt c

In today’s episode of Women In Supply Chain, I’m joined by Ana Lucia Alonzo: a powerhouse supply chainer, who has held impressive leadership roles at major global consumer brands. After gaining a degree in industrial engineering and an MBA at INCAE Business School in her home nation of Guatemala, Ana Lucia dived feet first into a career in supply chain. Her career has taken her around the world and seen her climb the ranks of supply chain leadership in huge brands like Chiquita. Ana Lucia is now bringing together everything she’s learned so far as VP of global supply chain at Starbucks. Today Ana Lucia will be talking to us about her career so far, her take on COVID demand and disruption, the importance of brands embracing sustainability; and she’ll be sharing her words of advice for all of the women following in her footsteps.

We are finding that a lot of supply chain software takes a lot of time for on boarding and our guest today is here to tell us about their solution that can be implemented in days! Thats right Chris from Right Sized inventory is here to tell us all about how they make that happen and what they are doing for warehouses everywhere, Chris is the Vice President of Right Sized Inventory, an optimization software that helps companies eliminate inventory imbalances through real life simulations. By gathering the correct data all in one place, RSI helps companies get started with predictive analytics and supply chain optimization. With safety stock being questioned these days because of Covid and organizations are looking at different solutions to help diversify their inventory such as just in case instead of just in time, Chris tells us how his clients are using the data RSI provides them with differently, and they are seeing requests they have never seen before. The unique selling point with RSI is that they help c

Today I’m pleased to be joined by Skill Dynamics, an exciting and people-focused company on a mission to provide high impact digital training programs that upskill and effectively prepare corporate employees for everything required to excel in their role. Skill Dynamics offers expert, practical e-learning solutions for procurement and supply chain teams. Their real-world role-based programs, delivered with a customized and collaborative approach, have been rolled out to over 300,000 students to date. And with offices in the US, Europe, Middle East and China, and over 520 blue chip clients, they’re making a real impact on core training worldwide. Today David Rajakovich, CEO at Skill Dynamics, joins me to chat all about the company; what they do; the impact of the COVID crisis on staff training, procurement and ecommerce; and the power of digital.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [06.10] Exactly what Skill Dynamics does. “We’re laser focused on raising the performance of corporate learners.” [07.48] Skill Dynami

Today I’m excited to be joined by EasyMile, a truly innovative and forward-thinking global business, which provides software and complete solutions for driverless mobility and goods transportation. EasyMile's driverless technology is at the core of award-winning solutions for mobility, intralogistics and more. With quality delivery and real-world deployments, their certified, expert software is bringing autonomous vehicles around the world, in over 300 locations and more than 30 countries, to life. Today Joseph Holmes, Director of Sales at EasyMile, joins me to chat all about the company, what they do, the amazing technology behind their solutions and the role autonomous vehicles will play in the future of the industry, and the world.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [06.46] Joseph shares the story of how EasyMile was founded and the company's key milestones. “Our CEO experienced congestion and pollution… he wanted to reclaim the cities.” [10.44] Exactly what EasyMile does. “By heart, we’re a software company

In today’s episode of Women In Supply Chain, I’m joined by Shana Zheng: a strategic, entrepreneurial and customer-obsessed product and business leader. After working as an analyst at huge names like JP Morgan and Disney, Shana went on to co-found her own company, successfully raising over $1.8 million from Google Ventures. And after subsequent roles at brands including GoFundMe, Shana moved across to the world of supply chain and has never looked back. She’s now Associate Director of Product Management, International Supply Chain at Wayfair, managing logistics execution, product vision, strategy and execution of transportation management for international freight forwarding. Today Shana will be talking to us about her career so far, her entrepreneurial spirit, her passion for working with charities; and she’ll be sharing her words of advice for all of the up-and-coming women following in her footsteps.   SHOW SPONSOR: Apex Logistics is proud to sponsor Let’s Talk Supply Chain’s Women in Supply Chain podcast a

Today’s episode is a little bit different from the norm. As always, I’m joined by a special guest, but it won’t be to bring you a business profile or the kind of interview you’re used to! Instead, my guest Jonathan Kempe, founder and CEO at Verifai, and I will be making a very special announcement, and sharing the ins and outs of our exciting news with you. We’ve been working on this quietly behind the scenes for a while, paddling against the COVID tide, and I’m incredibly proud that we can finally launch this next stage of our LTSC journey. And make no mistake, there is a lot more on the horizon!   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [07.49] Jonathan and Sarah make a big announcement! [10.38] Jonathan discusses the potential he sees in the opportunity and in the LTSC brand. “There’s a need in supply chain for clarity, for collaboration – because supply chains can be so chaotic, we need to work together... and those things are possible when we have a platform to facilitate those conversations.” [14.11] Despite the

Today I’m super excited to be joined by Knichel Logistics, a woman owned and operated intermodal marketing company specializing in intermodal, LTL, FTL, and specialty services. Knichel Logistics is on a mission to be the best third party logistics provider in the industry. Since its inception, its earned a reputation in the transportation industry as a reliable and valuable provider with a dedicated, experienced staff. And the team strive to build and maintain lasting relationships with their carriers so that, with their help, they can provide their customers with the smoothest transportation experience possible. Today Kristy Knichel, Owner and President at Knichel Logistics, joins me to chat all about her company, what they do, their unique family-oriented approach and the numerous benefits of working with a certified woman-owned and operated business.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [06.37] Kristy talks about her journey in logistics, working her way up in the family business. “Even if you don’t have a colle

Today I’m thrilled to be joined by Ware2Go, a dynamic company who are changing the landscape of warehousing, fulfilment, and supply chain, by connecting businesses of all sizes to enterprise-grade capabilities and assets that help them compete on previously impossible levels. Ware2Go offers a nationwide network of certified warehouses and technology to streamline fulfilment across sales channels for a fully scalable and on-demand solution, making 1-2 day delivery easy and affordable for everyone. Today Steve Denton, CEO at Ware2Go, joins me to chat all about Ware2Go, what they do, how customer buying habits are driving innovation in the industry and the future of integrated, flexible and data-driven supply chains. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [06.00] Steve talks about his incredible journey through the industry, incorporating marketing, ecommerce and supply chain, and how he came to Ware2Go. “I spent 20 years helping companies sell their products online, and the first half of my career helping them to distrib

In today’s episode of Women In Supply Chain, I’m joined by Susan Walsh: the self-confessed Mistress of Data who uses her expertise in spend data classification, supplier normalisation, and taxonomy customisation to help procurement and data teams across the industry to work more effectively. After working in sales and customer account management for big names like Philips and Colgate Palmolive, Susan discovered a passion, and talent, for data. And, having held management positions in various companies, she eventually decided to go it alone. Susan founded The Classification Guru in 2017 and now brings clarity and accuracy to data and procurement; helping teams work more effectively and efficiently by cleaning up their dirty data. Today Susan will be talking to us about her career so far, her passion for data, how the industry’s approach to data has changed over the years; and she’ll be sharing her words of advice for all of the up and coming women following in her footsteps. SHOW SPONSOR: Apex Logistics are pr

Today I’m really excited to be joined by LifeCycle Revive, Canada’s first polypropylene PPE waste recycler, diverting from landfill by reclaiming non-contaminated medical waste from Ontario's hospitals and reprocessing it into raw materials to create all kinds of new products. With a focus on healthcare, manufacturing and retail, LifeCycle Revive is dedicated to creating real environmental and economic change and transforming Canada’s sustainability programs. Today Andy Straisfeld, VP of Business Development at Lifecycle Revive, joins me to chat all about Lifecycle Revive, what they do, the importance of a circular economy, and the impact of COVID on the industry’s sustainability plans. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [06.14] How and why LifeCycle Revive was founded. “We’re not here to make a profit off the environment – this is a sustainability project.” [08.26] A closer look at how the process works. [12.56] How LifeCycle Revive works with its customers, to best suit their needs and work most efficiently towa

Today is an extra special episode, since we’re celebrating a big milestone. Back in 2016, a male co-host and I started a podcast called “Two Babes Talk Supply Chain.” But over time, things evolved. My co-host left the show, and when I launched the women in supply chain series, I realized there were quite a few people who weren’t too keen on the name…! So in April 2018 I re-branded the show (within a week, which I still can’t quite believe!). Let’s Talk Supply Chain was born – and I haven’t looked back. This is the 200th episode, as Let’s Talk Supply Chain, and last month we celebrated our three year anniversary. Wow! The last three years have been filled with opportunities and conversations I could’ve only dreamed of. There have been so many highs and lows; times where I've doubted myself and times where I felt like I could take on the world! And it's safe to say I've learnt a lot about the industry, and myself, along the way. “I’m proud of myself for persevering; I’m proud of the ideas I’ve taken and run wi

Today I’m really excited to be joined by ProGlove, an innovative German engineering company who are bringing award-winning wearable technology to industry. Combining precision engineering and big data analytics with a focus on the human worker, their technology is reducing costs, redefining efficiency and improving health and safety. ProGlove takes a truly human-centric approach to innovation, shaping the future of smart wearables for industry 4.0. From picking and inventory management through to packing and track and trace, ProGlove technology allows your business to ensure accuracy, speed and safety at every point of a products journey. And, gives you the visibility and data you need to accelerate your supply chain, lower costs and improve customer satisfaction. Today Ilhan Kolko, Chief Product Officer at ProGlove, joins me to chat all about ProGlove, what they do, their refreshing person-led approach and the future of IoT technology.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [06.40] How and why ProGlove was founded, a

Today I’m honored to be joined by Bid Ops, a cutting edge company with supplier diversity and sourcing collaboration at their heart, who deliver strategic sourcing software powered by AI. Using intelligent price recommendations and dynamic benchmarks, Bid Ops AI helps procurement teams overcome complexity to secure optimal commercial terms with top suppliers. Combining strategic sourcing and collaboration with supplier management and diversity, and even automated negotiations, the Bid Ops platform helps you to skip the back and forth and choose the right supplier, at the best price, quicker and smarter. Today Edmund Zagorin, founder and CEO at Bid Ops Inc., joins me to chat all about his journey in strategic sourcing, how he came to found Bid Ops, exactly what the company does to help its customers and the role of AI in the future of technology.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [05.38] Edmund’s background and his journey from a degree in Philosophy, International Affairs & Public Policy to a career as a proc

In today’s episode of Women In Supply Chain, I’m joined by Madison Mobley: a woman who’s shaking things up in supply chain, through her advocacy and passion for diversity and inclusion within the industry. Having steadily climbed the ranks in the business areas of sales, customer management and HR at Dell and Proctor & Gamble, Madison decided to follow her heart – and when she joined Fairmarkit, a procurement tech start-up, in 2020, everything changed. Quickly spotting her unique combination of passion and talent, Fairmarkit believed in Madison’s potential to change the industry, supporting her external ambassadorship roles and recently appointing her Head of Belonging, Inclusion, & Culture. Today Madison will be talking to us about her career so far, her passion for procurement and why honest and open conversations around diversity and inclusion are key. And she’ll be sharing her experiences and words of advice with us all. SHOW SPONSOR: Apex Logistics are proud to sponsor Let’s Talk Supply Chain’s W

Today I’m thrilled to be joined by Throughput Inc., a company who believe that when operations, business and investors run smoother, workers, communities, society and the environment benefit – a truly refreshing approach. And with Throughput software, your business benefits from a single source of truth to take accurate data-driven decisions and drive sustainable growth and profitability. Striving to create resilient and unifying supply chains, Throughput’s holistic and insight-driven software unlocks operations agility and efficiency, to meet unpredictable customer demands, while creating uninterrupted flow of materials through supply chain networks. Today Ali Raza, founder and CEO at Throughput Inc., joins me to chat all about exactly what Throughput does, the importance of visibility, harnessing the power of AI and the future of effective supply chains.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [07.25] Ali’s background and his journey across industries and countries to eventually found Throughput. “We can prepare bet