2 Babes Talk Supply Chain

THE WISC SERIES IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY HULFT Nicole is back! In today’s episode Sarah chats with Nicole Vernkidt who was originally on the show back in season 1. Nicole own theomx.com and is changing the face of procurement with her experience in both manufacturing and supply chain. Nicole grew up in a family business, and was exposed to a business environment from a very young age. As a young woman in business and a start up looking for investment, Nicole was faced with certain challenges such as dealing with a credibility gap and not being able to relate so much to older, male investors. But as she says herself, when you decide to do things differently and expose yourself to the business world, you’ll face challenges one way or another. She also admits that there have been some advantages to being a woman, and that at the end of the day the most important is that gut feeling that you’re doing what you know you’re meant to be doing. To all supply chain leaders, Nicole says make sure to get involved ahead of t

In today’s episode Sarah talks with Rob from Inmar, a company that started in the coupon industry and is now fully immersed into helping companies with their supply chains. What in particular do they focus on? Making your e-commerce return process smooth with reverse logistics. The main challenge when it comes to handling returns is driving friction out of the process - processing returns is costly, time-consuming and a negative experience quickly builds a bad reputation for the company. Using reverse logistics, Inmar manages the return process for the company, including inventory control, managing consumer credit and offering top customer service. Customers want different options when returning an item, and interconnecting every single aspect of the chain is the only way to provide a seamless experience. Inmar handles returns by offering clients their software, micro-warehousing services and leveraging their network. As a result, companies are saving millions, reducing waste and getting a chance to get close

In today’s episode Sarah catches up with David Croft from OOCL Logistics, a logistics services company who's success has be defined by their customer experience and holistic approach to supply chain. Headquartered in Hong Kong, they now have 100 offices in over 40 countries, and have been working in supply chain since 1975. What makes them different from other supply chain providers? They believe they’re more than just a freight forwarder; they focus mostly on customized solutions with cutting edge information technology. OOCL Logistics don’t consider themselves just a provider, they call themselves an ‘extension of our customer’, and take on the role of a partner in every activity they undertake. This customer-centric mindset is what made OOCL Logistics one of the best known freight forwarders in the global market, and a leader in innovation. But they’re not stopping there: soon they will be providing customers with visual graphics on analytics, data and supply chain insights. They’re also working on artific

In today’s episode Sarah talks to Matt from RPA Labs, a robot process automation company that automates repetitive manual tasks with bots and software. At a recent conference, VC's mentioned how RPA is the next frontier technology, so we are excited to get an opportunity to discuss what exactly is getting them so excited! What is the difference between RPA and AI? Matt puts it adequately: AI is a collection of different tech such as machine learning and OCR, and RPA is itself part of AI. How does RPA Labs implement this when helping businesses? They have 3 main applications: document, conversation and workflow. For example, instead of manually replying to customers and keying in data, RPA Labs offers intelligent bots that read messages and can answer simple customer queries. Their solution is pretty groundbreaking because contrary to other software providers, RPA Labs does not require signing into portals or hiring new developers. They call themselves ‘system agnostic’ and provide tech that sits on top of a c

In today’s episode Sarah talks to Lori, a senior executive at JDA, Lori has worked in supply chain for 8 years in various different roles and her largest challenge has been keeping up with the very fast development of technology - something she believes is key for future generations to educate themselves on. Lori manages her team remotely, and focuses on having a healthy work life balance, being able to prioritize effectively and taking on the right risks. Her advice to other women in the industry? Make sure you’re doing something you like doing and make sure to learn about innovation, tech and machine learning. She also emphasizes on the importance of having the right mentors and leaders. For those who are just getting started in supply chain, Lori says it’s important to know your framework and your passion. Internships are great to try out a career; if you realize that you’re doing something you don’t like, don’t be afraid to move on and try something new. Tech is going to be a core part of supply chain and

In today’s episode we chat to Niklas, founder of Centiro Solutions, a cloud based software company that delivers end to end delivery management capabilities. They’ve been following a SAAS business model since 2002 and pride themselves on being highly flexible and delivering great customer value when it comes to technology.  Niklas started Centiro for a simple reason: he couldn’t find what he wanted in the market. By founding his company, he was solving a problem for himself as well as the market. This worked out pretty well as Centiro is now operating in 125 countries and has over 300 employees. The reason? They look at things globally, not just in one country. When it comes to supply chain, everything is linked together, and Centiro is right at the heart of it, labeling themselves as a ‘connector’. Niklas argues that helping companies go digital has huge benefits. It alleviates pressure on IT departments and it’s much more cost effective on customer service. But cost efficiency alone is not a sustainable adv

In this second exclusive from Logtech 2019, Chris Co-Founder of Slync.io joins me to tell us why they started on a path to blockchain and then ran the other way, why? well listen to find out more!

In today’s episode we chat with Kevin, CMO of Symphony RetailAI, a leading AI company that provides tech solutions for FMCG retailers and CPG manufacturers. The platform helps retailers maximize profitable revenue growth with a highly advanced AI-enabled solutions that spans the entire retail value chain.  One of their solutions revolves around customer behavior. For example, when the price of something goes up, customers don’t stop eating, they simply choose to eat something else. What else will they eat? Will they go to a different grocery store? How will this choice affect the rest of the items in the store? By putting the right systems in place, it’s much easier to understand cause and effect, customer personalization and effective promotions.   Symphony RetailAI recently launched CINDE, an AI personal decision coach that analyses data and delivers invaluable insights. What’s the fastest growing category in my store? What do I need to change this month to increase sales? What can I cut to increase profits

A few months ago I posed the question to the community "What are your biggest questions about blockchain" and you sent me your questions! Recently at Logtech 2019 in Las Vegas I caught up with some of the thought leaders in supply chain tech to answer your questions about blockchain, they warn us about the security and tell us why they pivot their business to avoid this technology. This is the first of two exclusives, join me as I speak to Brian Glick of Chain.io

In today’s episode Kelli Paull, Vice President of Success at Shyft joins Sarah to talk about the app that is revolutionizing the supply chain workforce. Shyft is a mobile solution for hourly workers that finally allows shift workers to be in control of their schedule. Anyone working in warehouses knows that managers and employees waste a lot of time allocating shifts, finding replacements and organizing teams. Shyft puts all the updates and communication you need in one app. Lets put it into context, a typical shift worker no longer needs to physically enter the warehouse, find a manager, ask about their shift just to be told they are not needed,  A quick tap on their phone will allow them to be on top of their schedule, notify managers if something happens and communicate with other workers which to 95% of employees It’s pretty much a dream come true. The benefits of Shyft have snowballed into some pretty amazing perks: a lot more time and freedom for employees, higher employee retention, better communicatio

In today’s episode Curt, CEO of Open Sky Group joins Sarah on Lets Talk to share how they help companies implement technology appropriately. With his experience in supply chain, Curt has some very interesting insights on the supply chain industry and company culture which he talks about in this episode. We all know majority of companies struggle with data and that it is a huge part of conversations in the industry today. Data is a challenge in itself, and Curt shows us how Open Sky Group helps companies manage their data effectively by understanding what they need and making sure they have the right data in the right field. Another thing Open Sky Group seems to have cracked: company culture. They’ve won some of the most prestigious awards in the industry, and they’re recognized as a leader in supply chain. Curt explains that the reason is simple: they care. They care about the company brand and reputation. They care about their employees. They’ve adopted the Agile Project Methodology and aim to do ‘more with

Today’s episode is extra special as we chat with Ally Cedeno, not only does Holly Qualman join us as guest host but we are also celebrating the Women in Maritime everywhere!! Ally is one of the few women working in the maritime industry and has been working in the maritime industry for over 10 years.  Her main challenge has been working in an industry where women make up only 2%. The biggest issue? Understanding the importance of being herself, and not ‘acting like the guys’. She’s learnt how to show up as herself, with her own talents and without trying to please everyone. She’s also had the experience of working on a ship full of women (10 women out of 250 people is a lot!), and this encouraged her to push for more camaraderie and diversity in the workplace. Since then, Ally has founded Women Offshore, an organization for women in the maritime industry to come together and play a part in increasing diversity. She’s working hard on the education barrier, not only to empower women in the industry, but also to

In today’s episode we chat with Charles Brewer, all the way from Singapore! Charles is a supply chain expert, leader and since he’s worked in the industry for over 34 years we thought who better to answer this hot topic brought to us by the listeners. You will hear from our listeners about their challenges in working in a collaborative environment with supply chain teams and Charles will share with us his insights and amazing stories of how we need to change the narrative to bring together collaboration. So where does one start with all this? Charles gives us some helpful tips and it all starts with the leadership. Good leadership behavior trickles down and will mirror a collective approach within the team. Make sure all employees understand what every department does, and the importance of every individual’s efforts. He gives us another nifty tip: get every department to focus on the impact they have on the customer, and the role that supply chain has in the business. From his experience working with great p

Lets looks at our promotional products differently.... In this episode Sarah speaks with Tim Brown, executive director of QCA, the association responsible for holding this 24 billion dollar industry accountable. All those pens, tote bags and stickers you hand out at trade shows? That is the industry we are talking about, promotional products. They are a core part of brand awareness and business today but what do you know about those your purchase and hand out?… If your company accidentally chooses a promotional goods supplier that does not meet regulations, hurts someone or has connections with slave labour, the impact on your brand can be devastating! How can you make sure you source your promotional products come from an ethical supplier? Meet QCA, an accreditor that offers a program certifying promotional goods companies to make sure they meet regulations, are environmentally friendly and keep your brand safe. QCA offers you an opportunity to be proactive with your brand and only connect with companies tha

In today’s episode Sarah talks to Brandon Adams, an Emmy Award Winning TV producer and supply chain advisor who started his career shipping ice in the family business. After realizing he didn’t want to sell ice for the rest of his life, he became a TV show producer and motivational speaker plus he is also on the board of advisors for one of the newest supply chain disruptors, ShipChain. Brandon had to deal with some unique obstacles when managing his ice supply chain - but this is what gave him all the experience and expertise that got him on the board of ShipChain, a company that makes shipping logistics simple. They solve the problem of human error through tracking and tracing systems. He explains that the supply chain industry is more than ready for ShipChain and will make the industry much more efficient. As an entrepreneur, Brandon advises other entrepreneurs to always pay attention to the little things. Smaller problems can quickly become bigger ones. He also recommends finding people who will support y

In today’s episode we talk to Pauline Caballero, a startup founder who started out in the supply chain industry. Like many others, Pauline stumbled into the supply chain industry by accident and decided to stay. But she did find it challenging to move up the ranks as a woman, and combined with stress, a lot of travelling and a young family she decided to leave the industry and found her own yoga studio along with her business partner. Pauline turned to yoga and meditation to work on her mental health and help her cope with her day job. This led to her founding a yoga studio which offered classes for those with very busy schedules. Her supply chain skills came in useful when managing her startup; she knew how to create something scalable, the importance of starting from the bottom and which systems she had to put in place for business success. Her startup is now thriving and now has grown to 10 yoga studios across Ontario. The supply chain industry needs a shift away from tradition. Pauline is now back in supp

GET READY!! In this episode Audrey Ross, Co-host on The Trade Squad is our GUEST HOST! Our Resident Industry Expert, Graham Robins of BorderBuddy was happy to change things up a bit and have a conversation with Audrey full of fun, value and breaking through the noise. In this episode you will hear about why its important to negotiate a raise and how Graham is working on instilling a culture where people feel comfortable asking for a raise so they feel valued and appreciated. Then we also talk about how the best learnings come from other people’s mistakes, and why it’s how you handle the mistake, not the mistake itself that makes a difference. Most times, the customer just wants to be heard and recognized, and thats where we get in trouble by coming up with excuses that doesnt solve the problem.  We hear Graham’s take on crypto and Facebook’s new Libra coin, then he takes us on a journey around KPI's. After reading Bernie Smith’s book. he has come to realize that KPI's help people easily track their performanc

In this episode I talk to Michiel, the founder and CTO of Coco Pallet, a company that produces pallets from used coconuts in Asia and Latin America. Michiel came up with the concept when he realized there was a problem concerning the huge amount of waste of wood that goes into producing pallets. Coco Pallet's vision is to ship 400 million pallets per year, and their plan is to build 5 factories by 2022 to help with that goal.  Coco Pallet offers a lot of benefits to the different entities in the supply chain industry. The coconut pallets are single use and one way, and they follow compliance for export regulations. They are mostly used for dry products such as books. The coconuts are bought from farmiculture waste. Since the coconuts have no value for the farmers, the coconuts are extremely cheap to buy, which in turn makes coco pallets cheaper than the wooden alternative. Coco Pallet uses in house glue and their own tools to build the pallets, making them 100% biodegradable and therefore allowing farmers to

In this episode, I talk to Tom Williams, Group Vice President, Consumer Products at BNSF Railway and Dr. Noel Hacegaba, COO of the Port of Long Beach, both board members of the Intermodal Association of North America. They each have many years of experience working in the intermodal industry. Both Tom and Noel agree that the major challenge of the supply chain industry is the increasing sophistication that comes with working with different industry partners and shipping lines. As disruption meets innovation, customer expectations are also changing, their demands shifting from brick and mortar to more demanding e-commerce. Customers expect supply chain companies to make delivery processes fast, reliable and safe, which means increasing the efficiency of all coordinated shipments. IANA helps find solutions by bringing together industry leaders and placing education initiatives for everyone working with these logistics. This fall is the IANA Expo event, a must-attend event for anyone working in the supply chain

In this episode we talk to Demo, a Supply Chain Business Strategist at Logistics Services Panama. Demo lives in Panama, a country that has been a logistics hub for over 500 years and is a ‘one size fits all’ solution for global supply chains.  Panama is a unique logistics hub because of its logistics assets. It has the Panama canal, allowing ships from all over the world to gain access. Panama also has a world class port system with 4 ports being developed, essentially supporting both the Pacific and Atlantic ocean. Panama has the biggest free trade zone in the southern hemisphere and charges no tax on export or on sale. This means huge savings in time and cost for businesses doing trade in that area. As Demo says, the logistics are much more efficient; what would take several weeks in Miami, takes 4 days in Panama.  Doing business in Panama has some great advantages, as the country serves up to 30 countries and manages complex markets consisting of over 600 million people. Although Demo works mostly with big