2 Babes Talk Supply Chain

Sharon Manker talks about her career; finding community through education; advocating for change unapologetically; and successful supplier diversity programs [07.29] Sharon’s childhood career ambition, and how she inherited her impressive drive and passion from her mother. [08.59] Sharon’s ongoing learning journey, the importance of education, and how it led her to supply chain. [15.10] Sharon’s role as Director of Supplier Diversity at Radian, and her plans to bring data-driven, innovative initiatives to the industry. [15.56] The current challenges within supplier diversity, and the importance of advocates in bridging the gap to bring large corporates and small diverse businesses together. [22.41] How Sharon became a contributing author to Drexel University Black Alumni Council’s unique book "A Legacy to Share," and a sneak peek at her upcoming book. [25.10] Sharon discusses Juneteenth – what it is, why it’s so important, and what she’s doing to mark the occasion this year. [30.36] Why Sharon is so passionat

Jonas Krumland chats about Logward; improving relationships through integration; and the importance of changing mindsets, as well as building great software [07.24] Jonas's background, and why he founded Logward in 2018. [09.56] What has, and hasn’t, changed in the last five years, and a look at today’s key challenges and trends. [12.03] An overview of Logward – what they do, how they help their customers, and their approach to technology integration and onboarding. [18.22] The ideal customer for Logward. [22.23] A closer look at Logward’s Sourcing Solutions - what they do, the key features, and benefits. [25.17] From #capacity to forecasting, how Logward’s Procurement Solutions are addressing some of the industry’s trending concerns. [31.33] An overview of Logward’s Transport Solutions, and the visibility it provides. [33.59] How Logward works with customers to understand their unique needs and develop strategic, customized control towers. [37.28] How the lack of transformational resources across many busine

Juliette Samson talks will about her career; hyper-collaboration; how tech is changing; and helping to raise the influence of women on boards [07.53] Juliette’s background; her education and early years; and where she found her incredible drive at such a young age. [10.36] Juliette’s long career at AT&T; her experiences; and her approach to embracing #opportunity. [13.31] An overview of Juliette’s career highlights, as she explored new markets and moved from Fortune 50’s to smaller companies; her biggest achievements; and what she’s most proud of. [20.47] Why Juliette took a chance on supply chain, despite a lack of experience, and her words advice of advice for other young people. [24.01] Juliette’s role as CIO of Genpro Inc; her perspective on how technology is changing; and why tech is an enabler to work smarter, not harder. [26.47] Juliette’s position at Targatek; how it’s leading the way in hyper-collaboration; and why that approach is increasingly important in business. [30.20] Why Juliette is on the bo

Patrick Lo talks about Trakking; bringing predictability to container management; & the importance of working together to remove waste from supply chains [07.40] Patrick’s background, and how a long career in #logistics led him to establish Trakking. [08.51] The current landscape of the industry, and the challenges and bottlenecks that Patrick sees as we head towards the second half of 2023. [11.34] An overview of Trakking – what they do, how they help their customers, and a look at their three core solutions. [15.10] The ideal client for Trakking. [17.03] How Trakking’s ‘Empty Container Release’ product is drastically reducing dead runs and improving #efficiency for clients. [19.47] From quicker turnarounds to decreased carbon emissions, the benefits of Trakking’s ‘Street Turn’ solution. [20.50] A closer look at the benefits of Trakking’s ‘Empty Container Return’ product. [26.15] The impact that Trakking’s services will have on the industry, and how solutions like theirs can solve key challenges and star

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 cos

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

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 Presiden

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

In today’s episode of Women In Supply Chain™, I’m joined by Liz Decker, a truly passionate and dynamic leader at one of Inc’s Best Workplaces in America. Liz has a decade of broad experience across supply chain, having honed her expertise in all modes of logistics, covering international import/export, domestic truckload, drayage, customs brokerage, LTL, and air freight. From leading continuous improvement projects for Fortune 500 companies to leading SMB entrepreneurs through their first-ever international shipment, Liz is as versatile as she is dedicated. And she’s currently bringing her expertise and passion to her role as Director of Client Success at NorthPoint Logistics. Today Liz will be talking to us about her career so far; her passion for social causes; the importance of putting a focus on client success; and why she’s proud to say that she’s a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to supply chain. Plus, she’ll be sharing her experiences as a woman in supply chain, as well as her words of advice for all

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.

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 Co

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

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] Ho

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

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 Blum

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.” [

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 tr

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 en

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 w

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 e