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Do you ever go grocery shopping without any sort of list and end up forgetting half of what you actually needed? Not fun, right? So why would you take that same approach with how you operate your supply chain?
On our season finale of Supply Chain Therapy, listen to how Rebeca Illsley, COO of Thermacell Repellents, successfully incorporates process into an ever-growing demand pipeline. Yet another veteran in the industry, Rebecca held a variety of roles at The Clorox Company, including Director of Manufacturing & Director of Supply Chain Integration, before making the leap to Thermacell.
In the conversation with Alex and Michelle, Rebecca shares what big lessons she’s brought to the Thermacell team, and what she’s prioritized first since joining the organization. Some of the highlights include segmentation, team building, and focusing on S&OP first and foremost. Given that Thermacell products are EPA registered, Rebecca highlights the ways in which your manufacturing is impacted when producing safe, high-quality products.
Later on, you’ll also hear Rebecca talk about what it was like to partially step away from her career in order to build her family and raise her two daughters. Hint – It’s totally possible! In addition, she gives her take on how her experience has been in this male-dominated industry, and what advice she has for others looking to tighten the gender gap.
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Guest Bio
Rebecca Illsley is the Chief Operating Officer of Thermacell Repellents Inc. She started her career in consumer packaged goods 24 years ago in Research and Development with Frito-Lay followed by Coca-Cola. Rebecca took a pause in her career for six years opting to stay at home with her two daughters. She returned to work full time at The Clorox Company where she held a variety of roles in supply chain over 14 years.
Those roles included Manager of Contract Manufacturing, Director of Global Quality Assurance, Director of Supply Chain Integration and Director of Manufacturing. Rebecca is very proud to be leading a talented supply chain organization at Thermacell, driving growth by disrupting the mosquito repellent category with exciting product innovation.
Rebecca grew up in Nova Scotia Canada and has a BSc in Food Science from Acadia University and a MS in Food Science from the University of Minnesota.
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Guest Quote
“My opinion is: S&OP is the brain of the supply chain. So if you don’t have S&OP where it needs to be, then you really can't manage your demand. And you really can't manage your inventory, and you can't manage your supply plans.” - Rebecca Illsley
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Time Stamps
*(2:00) Dynamic logistics in VMS
*(7:56) All about Thermacell Repellents
*(9:37) Joining the team from Clorox
*(12:39) Recuperating in-house manufacturing
*(16:16) Why you need to reinvest in your supply chain
*(19:14) How to shift to a quality control mindset
*(22:21) Overcoming the gender gap in supply chain
*(27:35) Advice for ensuring equity
*(30:55) Speed round
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Sponsor
This podcast is powered by the team at Stord. Turn your supply chain into a competitive advantage. Go to Stord.com to learn more.
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Links
Connect with Rebecca Illsley on LinkedInConnect with Alex Kent on LinkedInConnect with Michelle McNamara on LinkedInCheck out the Stord WebsiteLearn more about Thermacell Repellents -
Raise your hand if you remember having to search through a catalog to source your suppliers. For those with their hands down, do you know just how much else has changed in supply chain management since?
Today’s guest can catch you up to speed. Joining Alex and Michelle is Siobhan Hunter, President of Blind Dog Supply Chain Risk Consulting, and former VP of Global Supply Chain at Ember Technologies. Siobhan has been excelling in logistics since 1997 when she got her start at Celestica, and since has held senior roles with organizations such as Jabil, Blackberry, and BlueCross BlueShield North Carolina.
Today, you’ll hear how Siobhan has decided to transition away from her latest role with Ember in order to pursue consulting full-time with Blind Dog Risk. She’ll discuss her time with the design-led temperature control brand as well as how they’re looking towards the future with “Cold Chain Management.”
Alex and Michelle also dive into how operations relationships have evolved over the years, and why this evolution has benefitted us all. And if you’re just starting out in the industry or are interested in finding out how to switch, Siobhan offers up her advice for breaking into supply chain management.
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Guest Bio
Siobhan Hunter is a highly accomplished supply chain executive with over 25 years of experience leading supply chains in diverse industries such as telecom, consumer products, health insurance and electronics manufacturing. She is a driven and detail-oriented professional, who has made significant contributions to the field through her leadership, strategic planning, and operational expertise, and was the recipient of a national innovation award for her work forging collaborations within third party risk management.
Starting her career back at NCR Microelectronics, an ASIC semiconductor manufacturer, Siobhan has held senior roles at Celestica, Jabil, and Blackberry, before she took her skills to Blue Cross Blue Shield. Most recently, she was with Ember Technologies, serving as VP of Global Supply Chain. Now you can find her charting her own path with her very own company, Blind Dog Supply Chain Risk Consulting. If you wanted to reach out to her she loves email – [email protected]
When she's not driving operational excellence, Siobhan enjoys yoga, quality bourbon, and traveling.
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Guest Quote
“The competitive landscape has completely changed, right? It's allowed more entrants into the marketplace. I definitely have seen the relationship between a supplier and the buyer change and become much more of a partnership.” - Siobhan Hunter
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Time Stamps
*(2:00) A problem with an unstable Bill of Materials
*(8:57) All about Ember
*(11:06) Ember’s new “Cold Chain Management”
*(13:51) How Siobhan has seen the industry change
*(17:38) The modern supplier / buyer relationship
*(21:21) Solving more problems with BCBS
*(26:38) What is Blind Dog Risk Consulting?
*(28:39) Siobhan’s career advice
*(30:55) Speed round
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Sponsor
This podcast is powered by the team at Stord. Turn your supply chain into a competitive advantage. Go to Stord.com to learn more.
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Links
Connect with Siobhan Hunter on LinkedInConnect with Alex Kent on LinkedInConnect with Michelle McNamara on LinkedInCheck out the Stord WebsiteLearn more about Ember TechnologiesLearn more about Blind Dog Supply Chain Risk Consulting -
Saknas det avsnitt?
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Let’s be honest, we’d be much less productive without the innovations that have developed over the past twenty years. So why do we put up with obsolete technology and processes when it comes to our operations?
Joining this week’s episode to talk all about this is Will Vining, Senior Director of Supply Chain Optimization at Veritiv Corporation. Will has been with Veritiv for nearly twelve years, but still calls himself a rookie in the B2B distribution world. A Stord customer, Veritiv is a full-service provider of packaging, JanSan and hygiene products, services and solutions. They’re also a Fortune 500 Business with about 85 distribution centers across North America.
Listen as Alex and Michelle explore Will’s history with the organization; specifically how he helped to develop and sell their freight brokerage business, Veritiv Logistics Solutions. Will also shares how Veritiv’s network strategy is constantly evolving to continue to enable their growth, and what new technologies he and his team are exploring to position themselves for the future.
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Guest Bio
Will Vining is the Senior Director of Supply Chain Optimization at Veritiv Corporation, where he leads a variety of functions supporting Veritiv’s Supply Chain. These include transportation and warehouse optimization across the network of 85 distribution centers, the nightly routing of approximately 4,000 customer deliveries, and the company’s global real estate footprint.
In addition, Will manages Indirect Sourcing, has responsibility for Supply Chain
Sustainability and leads Veritiv’s Next Gen Supply Chain initiative which is focused on
driving innovation throughout Operations. Will joined Veritiv in 2011 as an early member of the Veritiv Logistics Solutions (VLS) business. He eventually became the Director of that business and was instrumental in driving its turnaround and eventual sale.
Will holds a bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain from Georgia Southern University and an MBA in Global Business from the University of Illinois.
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Guest Quote
“The reason we do work with Stord is: You guys help us way beyond freight brokerage. So if we have something that comes up, the Stord Team is always willing to jump in and help us brainstorm things beyond just getting a load moved from point A to point B.” - Will Vining
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Time Stamps
*(1:44) What is Veritiv?
*(4:53) Network strategy
*(8:07) Being a part of Veritiv Logistics Solutions
*(9:30) Transportation trends
*(12:29) Veritiv’s freight operations
*(14:33) Pros and cons of LTL vs. truckload
*(15:11) Why Veritiv picked Stord
*(18:05) Future innovations on the horizon
*(21:05) Will’s career advice
*(21:37) Speed round
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Sponsor
This podcast is powered by the team at Stord. Turn your supply chain into a competitive advantage. Go to Stord.com to learn more.
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Links
Connect with Will Vining on LinkedIn
Connect with Alex Kent on LinkedIn
Connect with Michelle McNamara on LinkedIn
Check out the Stord Website
Learn more about Veritiv Corporation
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With DTC sales in the US tripling over the past six years, shouldn’t more brands deliver products right to customers’ doors? What about if your products are bulky, made of metal, and often weigh more than 100 lbs?
Today, hear how Blackstone Products, an outdoor griddle company, serves consumers through both B2B and DTC channels to maximize their reach in the marketplace. Joining Michelle and Alex from Blackstone is Supply Chain and Procurement Manager, Tom Newman. Having recently celebrated his one-year anniversary with the company, Tom has an extensive history of ensuring large items are delivered safely and reliably.
In this episode, Tom highlights the importance of paying attention to the most minute details, how critical of a link overseas manufacturing partnerships are, and what steps Blackstone takes to meet the demands of both their product channels.
If you’re hungry, make sure you eat before putting on this episode, as the discussion also goes on to cover what sort of meals the team at Blackstone tests their griddles with. Stay tuned to the end of the episode to find out what Tom’s favorite slope is out in Utah and what is on his mind regarding the future of Blackstone Products.
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Guest Bio
Tom Newman is the Supply Chain and Procurement Manager of Blackstone Products. He has been with the organization since March of 2022, and had loved the time he’s spent with the team. The Blackstone Griddle came from the idea that while grilling is a global passion, at every BBQ there’s always something that needs to be cooked inside, thus separating people from one another. So the outdoor griddle was born in 2008, with the company experience massive growth year after year since.
Prior to Blackstone Products, Tom was the Director of Supply Chain Planning and Execution for iFit, a fitness company that pairs its workout equipment with a mobile application. Additionally, he’s held roles at Campbell Scientific, Orbit, and General Motors. Needless to say, Tom has plenty of experience delivering large-scale items to customers.
One huge advantage that Tom has had in his supply chain career? He decided to study Mandarin after his first experience in Taiwan back in college. Throughout his career, he’s spent about 20 years in China, and credits this connection for allowing him to strengthen his relationships with overseas partners over the years.
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Guest Quote
“Supply chain is one of those agnostic fields where you bring whatever career background, whatever knowledge you have. And it will aid you in your work with supply chain. Come one, come all. It's open to anyone and you bring whatever knowledge you have and you apply it, and then you add to it.” - Tom Newman
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Time Stamps
*(2:51) A problem found in testing
*(6:19) All about the Blackstone Griddles
*(8:47) How is Blackstone doing DTC?
*(12:25) Making B2B easier
*(14:45) Pros and cons of direct import
*(16:36) Why manufacturing is critical
*(21:50) Tom’s experience overseas
*(26:36) Career advice
*(28:10) Speed round
*(30:52) Parting words about the future
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Sponsor
This podcast is powered by the team at Stord. Turn your supply chain into a competitive advantage. Go to Stord.com to learn more.
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Links
Connect with Tom Newman on LinkedIn
Connect with Alex Kent on LinkedIn
Connect with Michelle McNamara on LinkedIn
Check out the Stord Website
Learn more about Blackstone Products
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Nearshoring or offshoring? B2B or DTC? These are both difficult questions all retail businesses need to face early on when scaling their business and logistics.
Today, learn some of the pros and cons each option offers from Rich Durham, Senior Supply Chain and Operations Manager at Pair Eyewear. Rich recalls previous challenges he faced at S’well when it came to B2B fulfillment, as well as how his team at Pair is working to address current pain points with DTC eyeglass prescription orders.
Rich discusses just how Pair is making the transition away from overseas production as they expand their Southern California manufacturing. He shares how critical it is that they take more control over the process to reliably manage their large number of SKUs and fully customizable orders.
You’ll also hear Alex and Michelle talk with Rich about the importance of maintaining strong relationships with all types of providers whether they be your supplier, fulfillment center, or your own in-house sales and forecasting teams.
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Guest Bio
Rich Durham is the Senior Supply Chain and Operations Manager at Pair Eyewear, an online glasses retailer founded in 2016. Pair started after one of their founders, Nathan Kondamuri, had enough with expensive, boring eyewear. One of their standout features is their “top” frames, which magnetically click into place, allowing wearers to swap colors, patterns, and more whenever they want.
Rich joined Pair as just their 15th employee, and has been leading the transition away from overseas production as they grow the team to over 100 people. Prior to his time with Pair, Rich managed distribution for the sustainable bottle company, S’well.
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Guest Quote
"There are a lot of similarities between the relationship you have with a supplier and the relationship you have with your warehouse or your fulfillment center. It really is kind of like a marriage and the two of you rely on each other.” - Rich Durham
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Time Stamps
*(1:43) When things didn’t go as planned
*(4:20) Why physical inventory tracking so important
*(7:10) International manufacturing pros and cons
*(12:43) Bringing manufacturing home with Pair
*(17:05) How D2C impacts your fulfillment
*(24:48) Rich’s career advice
*(27:28) Hard Hitting Questions
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Sponsor
This podcast is powered by the team at Stord. Turn your supply chain into a competitive advantage. Go to Stord.com to learn more.
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Links
Connect with Rich Durham on LinkedIn
Connect with Alex Kent on LinkedIn
Connect with Michelle McNamara on LinkedIn
Check out the Stord Website
Learn more about Pair Eyewear
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You might imagine the logistics around subscription box fulfillment are rather simple, right? You have control over what goes in your customer’s box, when it gets shipped, and how often you build them…
Think again. This week, Alex and Michelle practice mindful breathing with John Roman, CEO of BattlBox and Carnivore Club. Throughout their conversation, John emphasizes the importance of fostering community and building transparency when facing inevitable cracks in your supply chain–regardless of who’s at fault.
John joined the BattlBox team back in 2015 once he heard his college friend was creating a subscription box model for survival and outdoors gear. Working as CMO for five years, he became the CEO back in October of 2021. Since then, John has worked to expand and scale BattlBox to Canada and launch their latest brand, Wanlow, a children’s subscription box aimed at inspiring more connections to the outdoors.
Today, hear as John shares how he and his team prepped for incoming demand following the release of their very own Netflix show, Southern Survival. Also, find out what the procurements process looks like when it comes to selecting items for subscription boxes.
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You might imagine the logistics around subscription box fulfillment are rather simple, right? You have control over what goes in your customer’s box, when it gets shipped, and how often you build them...
Think again. This week, Alex and Michelle practice mindful breathing with John Roman, CEO of BattlBox and Carnivore Club. Throughout their conversation, John emphasizes the importance of fostering community and building transparency when facing inevitable cracks in your supply chain–regardless of who’s at fault.
John joined the BattlBox team back in 2015 once he heard his college friend was creating a subscription box model for survival and outdoors gear. Working as CMO for five years, he became the CEO back in October of 2021. Since then, John has worked to expand and scale BattlBox to Canada and launch their latest brand, Wanlow, a children’s subscription box aimed at inspiring more connections to the outdoors.
Today, hear as John shares how he and his team prepped for incoming demand following the release of their very own Netflix show, Southern Survival. Also, find out what the procurements process looks like when it comes to selecting items for subscription boxes.
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Guest Bio:
John Roman is the CEO of subscription box retailers BattlBox and Carnivore Club. BattlBox provides customers with handpicked outdoors/survival gear each month, offering a variety of price points to accommodate every budget. Subscribers can expect everything from premium axes to full sized tents for their next adventure. Carnivore Club is the world’s first subscription service featuring premium cured meats delivered to customers’ doors.
John joined BattlBox after leading several successful sales organizations in telecomm and software, including his roles as VP of Enterprise Business Development at AVOXI, and Director of Enterprise Sales at Cbeyond. Together, John partnered with college friends, BattlBox Founder Daniel Dabbs, and COO Patrick Kelley (AKA “The Three Amigos”) to build the brand from the ground up.
Since becoming CEO, John has overseen the EMERGE acquisition of BattlBox and Carnivore Club, launched BattBox to Canada, and debuted their newest brand, Wanlow. If you want to hear more from him, he also hosts the blog: onlinequeso.com
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Guest Quote
"At the end of the day, it's all about the customer experience. You want to create a sense of excitement and anticipation for your subscribers every time they receive a box from you. That means paying attention to every detail, from the product selection to the packaging to the delivery experience." - John Roman
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Time Stamps
*(1:43) An all too familiar challenge
*(6:23) Memorable BattlBox products
*(7:45) Championing content & culture
*(10:21) Building customer loyalty during delays
*(14:43) Subscription box procurement
*(17:19) Preparing for Netflix promotion
*(22:49) The simple path to customer success
*(27:47) Focusing on each NPS score
*(31:32) Hard Hitting Questions
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Sponsor:
This podcast is powered by the team at Stord. Turn your supply chain into a competitive advantage. Go to Stord.com to learn more.
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Links
Connect with John Roman on LinkedIn
Connect with Alex Kent on LinkedIn
Connect with Michelle McNamara on LinkedIn
Check out the Stord Website
Learn more about BattlBox
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What does a pink flamingo named Carl have to do with a sunglasses supply chain? Find out this week as Alex Kent and Michelle McNamara speak with goodr Head of Supply Chain, Greg Bicksler.
Starting out his career in consulting, Greg pursued his desire to have a more direct impact on supply chain, and made it happen. After managing logistics for massive E-commerce brands such as Ruggable and ettitude, he joined the growing success that is the goodr team.
Today, hear as Greg talks about goodr’s high-growth over the past seven years and how they’ve evolved to manage increasing customer demand. You’ll be able to get an inside look on what led the goodr team to partner with Stord as their 3PL, and what pain points to identify in your own fulfillment network as you scale.
Alex and Michelle also dive into the culture that makes goodr stand apart from the crowd and how they’ve avoided what Greg calls, “culture dilution.” Make sure to keep an ear out for what Greg’s real title is at goodr, and you’ll know all you need to know about how they like to roll.
To hear more about the goodr culture straight from the source, be sure to listen to their podcast, CULTURE goodr, on Spotify or Apple.
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Guest Bio
Greg Bicksler is the Head of Supply Chain at goodr, an active sunglasses company built upon creating badass shades that speak to the four Fs: Fun, Fashionable, Functional, and 'Ffordable. They’ve been around since 2015, and have experienced seven years of massive growth—including expanding into four activity verticals, RUN, BEAST, BIKE, and GOLF; seven high-performance sunglass frames; major brand collabs; 5,000+ retail partners; and an experiential retail store
Greg spent the first decade of his career in consulting, but then realized that he wanted to have a more direct impact on supply chains. Before goodr, he was the Senior Director of Operations at ettitude, a sustainable fabrics and lifestyle brand. At ettitude, Greg led the global core operations related functions including production, quality, planning, procurement, forecasting, freight, trade compliance, inventory, warehousing, fulfillment, data analytics, technology, NetSuite, customer success, and returns.
Prior to ettitude, Greg was the Supply Chain Ops Director at Ruggable, where he oversaw end-to-end global supply chain and expanded capacity as the company quickly grew while also significantly reducing supply chain risk.
Outside of work, you can find Greg out in Malibu running, cycling, or swimming as he trains for his next triathlon. If you’re lucky enough to see dogs, Taco and Buoy, please give them a pet for us.
Guest Quote
“We showed up at Stord and there is a full technical architecture drawn out on a white board in the meeting. They’re like, ‘oh no we’ve already figured out what your tech stack is going to look like.’ And this is months before we signed a contract. That actually is very similar to how goodr has approached relationships with some of our vendors” - Greg Bicksler
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Time Stamps
*(1:45) Why Greg came to goodr
*(3:08) Signs of growing pains
*(5:42) Looking for a 3PL
*(8:29) The goodr culture
*(15:21) The positives of such high growth
*(19:49) Managing challenging moments
*(21:24) Who models goodr glasses?
*(24:58) Choosing Stord as a partner
*(27:32) Career Advice
*(28:42) Hard Hitting Questions
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Sponsor
This podcast is powered by the team at Stord. Turn your supply chain into a competitive advantage. Go to Stord.com to learn more.
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Links
Connect with Greg Bicksler on LinkedInConnect with Alex Kent on LinkedInConnect with Michelle McNamara on LinkedInCheck out the Stord WebsiteFind your next pair of goodrs hereListen to CULTURE goodr here -
How are today’s most popular retailers facing the challenge that is consumers' increasing expectations?
On our first episode back, join hosts Alex Kent and Michelle McNamara as they explore how The Anthropologie Group combines logistics and customer experience to surprise and delight shoppers online and in-store.
Today’s guest is Candan Erenguc, Chief Operating Officer at The Anthropologie Group. who brings extensive supply chain experience from the automotive industry. However, she does admit that Anthropologie might have one of the most complex retail supply chains she’s seen.
Candan and our hosts will discuss how these complexities make the Anthropologie shopping experience one of a kind and how the brand remains multigenerational, celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2022.
Be sure to check out Stord's Youtube Page to WATCH the full video interview!
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Guest Bio
Candan Erenguc is the Chief Operating Officer of Anthropologie Group, a global lifestyle brand which specializes in apparel and accessories, intimates, home furniture and décor, beauty and gifts. Candan leads a team that oversees and executes all operations, inventory, and finance across North America, Canada and the EU for Anthropologie, AnthroLiving, Terrain, and BHLDN.
Before joining Anthropologie, Candan served as the Chief Supply Chain Officer at Away, where she led the operations and technology functions for the brand disruptor, responsible for revolutionizing the luggage industry. At Away, Candan was responsible for spearheading supply chain, sourcing, product development, technology, logistics, and fulfillment. Prior to Away, Candan was the Senior Vice President of Operations Excellence at Lululemon in Vancouver where she led a variety of business transformation and growth initiatives including a global margin improvement program and a digital transformation initiative that spanned technology, process, and creative.
She came to retail after 10 years in consulting, serving clients in retail and consumer products at industry leaders Deloitte and IBM. Candan began her career at Ford Motor’s in Detroit, where she learned operations and technology on the factory floor.
Candan graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Business and a masters in Operations. She resides in Florida with her husband, 11-year-old twins, and her two stepchildren, and is in the process of relocating to Philadelphia.
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Guest Quote
“By using our own brand design products plus our legacy icon products and then doing these only at Anthro Exclusive collaborations, we're able to have a ton of newness and that's what generations of shoppers come to us for: that cool thing that you can't find anywhere else.” - Candan Erenguc
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Time Stamps
*(1:30) Celebrating 30 Years with Candan Erenguc
*(4:43) Challenges with fulfilling dresses and dressers
*(7:05) A consistently unique customer experience
*(10:20) Different brands and their customer patterns
*(12:47) Stories of success and failures
*(14:56) Candan’s advice
*(18:25) Predicting future customer preferences
*(22:40) Talking Terrain
*(24:20) Hard Hitting Questions
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Sponsor
This podcast is powered by the team at Stord. Turn your supply chain into a competitive advantage. Go to Stord.com to learn more.
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Links
Connect with Candan Erenguc on LinkedIn
Connect with Alex Kent on LinkedIn
Connect with Michelle McNamara on LinkedIn
Check out the Stord Website
Check out The Anthropologie Website
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It’s time to regroup after peak season and reflect on the challenges we hurdled over. What better place to find support than Supply Chain Therapy?
This season, host Alex Kent is joined by Michelle McNamara to cover the latest trends and topics in the world of logistics, and help you navigate the complexities of this industry.
You’ll hear advice and career stories from experts working at Anthropologie, Goodr, Betabrand, Pair Eyewear, and many more. So whether you’re a seasoned pro, or just starting out in the industry, you’ll be able to learn and let out all your frustrations, together.
Join Michelle and Alex every other week, and be sure to rate and subscribe to the show on whichever podcasting platform you’re on. And watch full video episodes on Youtube here.
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With Peak Season upon us, let’s dive into the changes and challenges facing the 2022 holiday demand.
As consumers, we all have our own stories of running from store to store in search of the gift that will be remembered forever. Typically, with one of two endings: complete satisfaction when you finally set your eyes on it, or utter disappointment when the shelves you face are all empty.
This episode’s guest aims to be present for their customers in spite of the instability that comes with peak shopping seasons. Caitlin Coghlan is the Global Director of E-Commerce at The Cookware Company.
On today’s episode, Caitlin and Alex discuss how her learnings from Amazon help her map out executive strategies for marketing and analytics while avoiding shutdowns when demand is highest.
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Guest Bio
Caitlin has over 10 years of experience in retail operations with brands such as Party City, Liberty Media, and Toys “R” Us where she worked as a buyer, before she joined Amazon as a vendor manager, managing the P&L and determining the strategic direction of the toys category. In 2017, Caitlin became a key part of The Cookware Company.
The Cookware Company is a global cookware manufacturer with worldwide brand presence. Starting in Belgium in 2007 with their original brand, GreenPan, The Cookware Company was the first to introduce PTFE-free non-stick cookware into the market. Winning the Amazon Home Vendor of the year in 2019, The Cookware Company’s brands can be found in retail, grocery, mass market and specialty stores as well as on television shopping channels and retail websites in over 100 countries around the world.
Caitlin leverages her experience at Amazon each and every day in her work at The Cookware Company. She plays a large role in product development based on consumer metrics and engagement in order to hone in on new trends as they develop. Similarly, she consistently has an eye on her supply chain to ensure there's always product ready to be put on shelves.
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Guest Quote
“I want to make sure that we are never out of stock. There’s been a lot of empty shelves in retailers like Walmart. There are places we can fit in. With the growth, the worst thing that we could do to ourselves is not be present for the consumer.” - Caitlin Coghlan
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Time Stamps
*(1:17) Meet Caitlin
*(4:49) Transparency in the supply chain
*(7:26) Developing strategies specific to Amazon
*(13:20) Segment 2: Challenges
*(15:16) Refreshing metrics
*(17:38) Focuses for peak season
*(19:40) Segment 3: The Venting Couch
*(21:59) Segment 4: Back to the Future
*(24:16) What keeps you up at night?
*(27:16) Oprah’s List
*(29:03) Segment 5: Quick Hitters
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Sponsor
What would you do if Katie Couric called you at work and told you that your logistics company was breaking the law? This is a totally true and completely terrifying tale which you can read in our e-book Scary Supply Chain Stories To Tell In The Dark. Grab a free copy at Stord.link/scary and get ready to sleep with the lights on. And now back to the episode.
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Links
Connect with Caitlin Coghlan on LinkedIn
Connect with Alex Kent on LinkedIn
Check out the Stord Website
Check out The Cookware Company Website
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Round up, and let’s explore what a Circular Supply Chain looks like.
What if we told you that your supply chain waste could be of value to someone else? Or vice versa? Today’s supply chains are linear, but in the future, The Circular Supply Chain Network plans to change that.
Our guest today understands how to make a material’s life span extend to as long as possible. Sneha Kumari is the Head of Industry Trends at The Circular Supply Chain Network.
On today’s episode, Sneha and Alex discuss how waste from one industry can be of value to another, the importance of failure mode and effects analysis, and ways in which you can turn your linear supply chain into a circular one.
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Guest Bio
Sneha is a Six Sigma Certified Green Belt Supply Chain Manager with over 9 years of experience improving customer metrics by reducing costs. She is passionate about customer experience and strives to deliver quality products to her customers on time while reducing operational costs. She is a believer in change and is constantly looking for ideas to innovate the current state. As a leader, Sneha empowers her team with decision-making and enables growth within the organization.
Leading a team of 50+ associates, Sneha has led forward and reverse Supply Chain activities and manufacturing operations across global projects and products she has worked on. Sneha has had experience leading demand planning/buying, managing the Master Production Schedule, inventory financial planning, vendor negotiations and Long Term Agreements (LTA) with suppliers, warehouse fulfillment management, and import compliance activities. Sneha has led New Product Introduction (NPI) projects ensuring 100% on-time customer launch while meeting the cost objectives. She has expertise working with electronics, automotive application products, and Home Automation software and hardware applications.
Sneha has leveraged her analytical skills to forecast annual inventory and build data-driven models for 3% YOY improvement in inventory turns and inventory $$. She is a Transaction Kaizen tool champion and led/facilitated 10 Kaizen events implementing process improvement tools driving efficiency while achieving both cost/time saving for the business.
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Guest Quote
“We want to make sure that you are making use of every single material that you use [in your supply chain] to make that product in the best way possible. The waste that came out of that process either goes back into your supply chain or it goes back to someone else's supply chain.” - Sneha Kumari
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Time Stamps
*(1:34) Meet Sneha
*(3:21) What is the value of a circular supply chain?
*(7:10) Profiting off of Circularity
*(12:25) Segment 2: Challenges
*(15:30) Audit, Audit, Audit!
*(20:08) Working in smaller loops
*(23:24) Segment 3: The Venting Couch
*(28:50) Segment 4: Back to the Future
*(33:01) Waste from one industry can be a value to another
*(35:10) A Dell case study
*(39:05) Segment 5: Quick Hitters
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Sponsor
What would you do if Katie Couric called you at work and told you that your logistics company was breaking the law? This is a totally true and completely terrifying tale which you can read in our e-book Scary Supply Chain Stories To Tell In The Dark. Grab a free copy at Stord.link/scary and get ready to sleep with the lights on. And now back to the episode.
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Links
Connect with Sneha Kumari on LinkedIn
Connect with Alex Kent on LinkedIn
Check out the Stord Website
Check out the Circular Supply Chain Website
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A challenge that many startup founders face is finding a true partner in your manufacturers. Often, finding a manufacturer who will agree to work with your small inventory in the first place is hard enough.
Our guest today understands what it takes to navigate manufacturing hurdles. Elyse Kaye is the CEO of Bloom Bras and Head of Product Innovation at Aha Product Solutions.
On today’s episode, Elyse discusses the challenges posed by so many factories refusing to work with startups, ways to reduce unnecessary packaging, and how e-commerce is allowing smaller companies to take bigger risks than ever before.
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Guest Quote
“Instead of having 400 products on your site, can you bring it down so that you don’t run a greater risk? There’s been huge challenges in changing algorithms. So whereas it might have been a certain customer acquisition cost a year ago, those numbers have now skyrocketed.” - Elyse Kaye
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Time Stamps
*(1:31) Meet Elyse
*(2:00) What is Bloom Bras?
*(4:30) Manufacturers not willing to work with startups
*(7:30) Supplier diversification
*(10:44) Segment 2: Challenges
*(13:35) Solving for a more efficient supply chain
*(18:03) Retail v E-Commerce
*(20:54) Segment 3: The Venting Couch
*(26:50) Segment 4: Back to the Future
*(27:20) Let’s talk sustainability
*(33:55) Segment 5: Quick Hitters
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Sponsor:
Cloud Supply Chain combines the speed and flexibility of the cloud with the physical infrastructure required to compete. Want to learn more? Download our e-book Cloud Supply Chain for Dummies, I mean Savvy Brands, and find out for yourself. Go to Stord.link/dummies to get a copy.
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Links
Connect with Elyse Kaye on LinkedIn
Connect with Alex Kent on LinkedIn
Check out the Stord Website
Check out the Bloom Bras Website
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We often talk about speed when it comes to the supply chain, but what about cost? In today’s day and age, lowering costs for your customers can sometimes feel impossible.
Our guest today understands what it takes to do just that while constantly improving the customer experience. Zach Kissel serves as the Vice President of Global E-Fulfillment at Intertape Polymer Group (IPG).
On today’s episode, Zach discusses anticipating customers’ needs in times of uncertainty, how he bundles products to create cost savings, and why there should be more focus on regional manufacturing.
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Guest Quote“The biggest measure of success for me is when a customer asks me to do something else for them. Because that means that we are not only talking the talk, but we're walking the walk.” - Zach Kissel
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Time Stamps
*(1:11) Meet Zach
*(2:50) IPG’s supply chain layout
*(5:20) The Pandemic Pivot
*(6:15) Zach’s number 1 indicator of success
*(10:00) Segment 2: Challenges
*(12:23) Packaging 101
*(15:03) Bundling products
*(16:54) Segment 3: The Venting Couch
*(20:26) Segment 4: Back to the Future
*(25:42) Segment 5: Quick Hitters
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Sponsor:
Cloud Supply Chain combines the speed and flexibility of the cloud with the physical infrastructure required to compete. Want to learn more? Download our e-book Cloud Supply Chain for Dummies, I mean Savvy Brands, and find out for yourself. Go to Stord.link/dummies to get a copy.
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Links
Connect with Zach Kissel on LinkedInConnect with Alex Kent on LinkedInCheck out the Stord WebsiteCheck out the IPG’s Website -
Shipping pallets and replenishing stores are one thing. Getting the products to doorsteps, handling returns swiftly, and accurately forecasting demands are an entirely separate beast.
If you can accomplish all of those feats your customer experience will outperform your competitor's.
Our guest today understands what it takes to own your customer experience. Rick Watson is the Founder and CEO of RMW Commerce Consulting.
On today’s episode, Rick discusses creating a DTC channel that ensures customer loyalty, the importance of accurate forecasting, and why cross functional teams are so crucial for the success of eCommerce businesses.
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Guest Quote“If your inventory is close to the customer, you're gonna have the best experience possible, which means that your forecasting needs to be really good per region, not just globally” - Rick Watson
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Time Stamps
*(1:20) Meet Rick
*(7:33) How to improve the DTC customer experience
*(9:51) Segment 2: Challenges
*(11:26) The New Rate Game
*(14:32) How Rick’s work has impacted the bottom line
*(20:59) Don’t be in a silo*(22:48) Segment 3: The Venting Couch
*(26:00) Segment 4: Back to the Future
*(29:02) The next two years
*(33:33) Segment 5: Quick Hitters
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Sponsor:
Cloud Supply Chain combines the speed and flexibility of the cloud with the physical infrastructure required to compete. Want to learn more? Download our e-book Cloud Supply Chain for Dummies, I mean Savvy Brands, and find out for yourself. Go to Stord.link/dummies to get a copy.
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Links
Connect with Rick Watson on LinkedInConnect with Alex Kent on LinkedinCheck out the Stord WebsiteCheck out the RMW’s Website -
What do Kim Kardashian and Amazon’s delivery speed have in common? They’re both unrealistic expectations.
Mario Paganini, VP of Marketing at Stord, joins Alex for a bonus episode full of hot takes you need to hear. While everyone is focused on obtaining “Prime-Like Logistics” that solution is not right for hardly any brand. Mario shares what DTC, B2B, and omnibrands *should* have as their logistics North Star. Regardless of where you are in your business growth cycle, this episode will help you reorient on what is important to delivering excellent customer experience by building a custom logistics solution.
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Guest Quote“I think there's actually something that's more important than speed. Before you can have speed, you need to have consistency and reliability.” - Mario Paganini
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Time Stamps
*(0:30) Meet Mario
*(1:40) Mario’s Hot Take
*(4:55) Why Prime should not be a comparison tool
*(12:40) Acquiring Capital vs Making a Profit
*(21:15) Finding YOUR North Star
*(24:13) In Conclusion
*(25:27) Quick Hitters
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Sponsor:
This podcast is powered by the team at Stord. Turn your supply chain into a competitive advantage. Go to Stord.com to learn more.
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Links
Connect with Mario Paganini on LinkedInConnect with Alex Kent on LinkedinCheck out the Stord Website -
Transparency. It’s a characteristic critical to a healthy relationship and something supply chains need to have as well.
Clean, ethical, you name it. Brands often use those words to market their products, but fail to demonstrate a transparent supply chain from top to bottom.
Our guest not only works hard to provide a vegan and cruelty free product to her customers, but she is able to do so on a bootstrapped budget.
As CEO and co-Founder of MASAMI Haircare, Lynn Power discusses her jump from the ad world to entrepreneurship, the struggles behind sourcing packaging, and how she ensures vegan and cruelty free materials.
Guest Quote“We want to be as transparent as possible. So we want to understand exactly where and how things are sourced. You need to be able to trace all that stuff in order to submit that paperwork and then maintain it. And that's a whole process.” - Lynn Power
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Time Stamps
*(1:26) Meet Lynn
*(6:42) Formulating from Japan
*(8:50) How ethically sourced product can be advantageous
*(11:46) The vegan and cruelty free certification process
*(14:44) Segment 2: Challenges
*(18:30) Sourcing overseas vs US
*(21:22) Segment 3: The Venting Couch
*(23:22) Segment 4: Back to the Future
*(27:38) Segment 5: Quick Hitters
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Sponsor:
This podcast is powered by the team at Stord. Turn your supply chain into a competitive advantage. Go to Stord.com to learn more.
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Links
Connect with Lynn Power on LinkedInConnect with Alex Kent on LinkedInCheck out the Stord WebsiteCheck out the MASAMI’s Website -
A home garage or a table made from an old door are famous symbols of many successful brand’s humble beginnings. But behind that symbol is often one bootstrapped entrepreneur with a wild vision.
Our guest has firsthand experience on the demands of a “solo-preneur” and the critical undertaking of confronting your supply chain head-on!
Eric Bandholz discusses how to build a business that works for your lifestyle, deciding whether to create products in-house or not, and the advice he has for other “solo-preneurs”.
As Founder of Beardbrand, Eric has learned a thing or two about creating successful e-commerce brands with limited resources.
—Guest Quote
“I do love developing and formulating new products, just not in house. I don't think that's a core competency that we have. That's a decision that allowed us to grow rapidly as well, because we could have more of our brain energy go into marketing efforts, or just systems and processes efforts rather than being a shipping or manufacturing company.” - Eric Bandholz
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Time Stamps
*(1:31) Meet Eric
*(2:58) All About Beardbrand
*(8:20) Build a Business that works for YOU
*(11:22) E-Commerce Conversations
*(13:30) How Eric Uses the Supply Chain
*(16:00) Segment 2: Challenges
*(18:50) In-House or Outsource?
*(21:53) Eric’s advice for being a solo-preneur
*(25:22) Segment 3: The Venting Couch
*(29:30) Segment 4: Back to the Future
*(32:25) Segment 5: Quick Hitters
*(35:50) How to reach Eric
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Sponsor:
This podcast is powered by the team at Stord. Turn your supply chain into a competitive advantage. Go to Stord.com to learn more.
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Links
Connect with Eric Bandholz on LinkedInConnect with Alex Kent on LinkedinCheck out the Stord WebsiteCheck out the Beardbrand’s WebsiteCheck out Eric’s Podcast ‘Ecommerce Conversations’ -
We’ve all been there, one too many drinks (or greasy food) can be the downfall to your entire weekend. A supply chain is no different. A small change in customer demand can have devastating effects on your entire system. Our guest today, Craig Fuller, has your supply chain hangover cure.
Craig discusses why so many suppliers are overcorrecting, how the bullwhip effect is hurting so many companies, and why he thinks the smartest people are investing in transportation, not NFTs, sorry BAYC fans.
As the Founder of FreightWaves, the leading provider of data and analytics for the global logistics industry, Craig knows a thing or two about supply chain economics.
—Guest Quote
“I hate to be down on the crypto folks, but do we really need to spend $30 million for a tweet? It doesn't make any sense. If we can take all of that talent and money and capital that was going into these unimportant things like NFTs and invest in transportation, I think it would be an incredible opportunity.” - Craig Fuller
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Time Stamps
*(0:44) Intro to Craig
*(1:33) Meet Craig!
*(2:12) About FreightWaves
*(15:24) Segment 2: Challenges
*(18:09) The Bull Whip Effect
*(23:01) Let’s talk recession
*(30:20) The Holiday Season
*(35:58) The Driver Shortage
*(39:46) Segment 3: The Venting Couch
*(46:26) Segment 4: Back to the Future
*(49:03) Supply Chain Technology
*(51:03) Segment 5: Quick Hitters
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Sponsor:
This podcast is powered by the team at Stord. Turn your supply chain into a competitive advantage. Go to Stord.com to learn more.
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Links
Connect with Craig Fuller on LinkedInConnect with Alex Kent on LinkedinCheck out the Stord WebsiteCheck out the FreightWaves Website -
Customer Intent.
According to Nik Sharma, today’s guest, that is the future of consumer behavior. In order to succeed, whether it be your product, marketing, or supply chain, you will need to innovate.Nik discusses the challenges of sourcing overseas, how e-commerce will continue to innovate, and why the most successful supply chains always have a backup plan.
As a Forbes 30 Under 30 Marketer, Nik knows a thing or two on how to build massive DTC brands.
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Guest Quote
“It's our job to make sure that whenever something goes wrong, that we have to have three backup plans always moving in parallel so that we're never missing that launch date. And there is always something that will go wrong.” - Nik Sharma
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Time Stamps
*(0:30) Intro to Nik
*(1:30) Meet Nik!
*(8:45) What Nik was most surprised about in the supply chain world
*(12:38) Segment 2: Houston We Have a Problem
*(15:08) Let’s talk finances
*(18:50) Segment 3: Shit Show Stories
*(22:54) Segment 4: Back to the Future
*(27:44) Nik’s predictions
*(30:05) Segment 5: Quick Hitters
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Sponsor:
This podcast is powered by the team at Stord. Turn your supply chain into a competitive advantage. Go to Stord.com to learn more.
—
Links
Connect with Nik Sharma on LinkedInConnect with Alex Kent on LinkedinCheck out the Stord WebsiteCheck out the Sharma Brands Website - Visa fler
