Let's Talk Supply Chain

Tim Robinson of Blue Yonder talks about returns: the challenges & potential, role of AI, inventory management, tariffs, & the importance of customer experience. 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

[03.42] Tim's career; how he founded his business, Doddle, and the story behind the name; and how that journey led him to Blue Yonder.

"It's quite rare that you isolate and identify supply chain as your chosen goal in l...

Bill Catania of OneRail & Adam Isenberg of National Association of Wholesale Distributors discuss routing - the challenges, the tech & why unification is key.

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

[03.02] An introduction to Adam and the National Association of Wholesale Distributors (NAW).

"We're the leading advocacy and government affairs voice for the distributors, whether you're moving computer chips, potato chip...

Akash Gupta of GreyOrange talks about warehousing and inventory challenges; taking a vendor-agnostic approach to tech; and hyper-intelligent orchestration.

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

[03.43] Akash's background and how and why he co-founded GreyOrange.

"When we were in college, we were building humanoids… But the technology wasn't mature enough, so we explored industries that could really benefit from a comb...

Anand Medepalli of Shippeo talks about why most supply chain transformations fail; good data; workflows focused on outcomes;  and why AI isn't a quick fix. 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

[03.57] An introduction to Anand and Shippeo.

"Our goal is to provide trustworthy data so you can make decisions. Your supply chains are constantly hit with disruptions – it's no longer a disruption here, a disruption there....

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 o...

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 s...

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...

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, ga...

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 ...

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, a...

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 ...

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 d...

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 goa...

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 ...

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 Allian...

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 possib...

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 ...

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] Circl...

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...