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 a new generation of women to profoundly lead and impact global supply chains and are proud to support the Women in Supply Chain Series and its efforts. Supply chains need to evolve from low-cost and optimized to risk-resilient and sustainable and SAP can help. SAP Digital Supply Chain solutions connect the entire process — design, planning, manufacturing, logistics, maintenance, and service; connecting your supply chains to the rest of your business and all your contextual data; supporting your efforts in alleviating risk in your supply chains. SAP is the market leader in enterprise application software and for the last 50 years has been helping companies to run better. Find out more at sap.com/scm   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [10.16] Sylena’s career journey and how a road trip with a friend led to a life-changing business and lifelong partnership. “We went on a road trip and by the end of the trip we had the whole business plan sorted, and a vision about what we wanted to build. We found some investment backing, and jumped into it!” [13.26] The vision behind Sylena’s first business, and its successful sale to Flexport. “Customs in Canada are so far behind, and we went through the journey of what would it take to start digitizing and creating an environment where we could re-employ amazing women who weren’t staying in the industry, because it didn’t support their family and work/life balance.” [17.46] Sylena’s experience working with Flexport, the next steps in her career journey, and her long-time business partnership with Cindy Christensen. “I love building start-ups, I’m passionate about scaling them.” [19.59] How and why supply chain has changed for women in the last decade, and the work that still needs to be done. “Women in the supply chain industry spend so much of our careers fighting for any breath in the room… and it used to be that there were so few women in that room that it was so hard to partner up with other women because there was so little air to take.” [22.26] From finance to the military to supply chain, Sylena’s experience across multiple male-dominated environments, and her experience of strong, supportive women. “Every room I’ve ever been in as an adult has been male-dominated… it’s better now, but it’s nowhere near as good as it needs to be.” [25.15] The industry areas that Sylena would like to see changed for women. “The industry doesn’t create opportunities… there is no unifying place where continued education and promotion opportunities exist.” “We spent so long finding any available space in that room, we really haven’t, as women in this industry, embraced the opportunity to step in and take the space we deserve.” [30.40] What the future holds for Sylena. “If you look at everybody else that’s trying to solve supply chain from a tech perspective, they’re all looking at it from a freight perspective. But the only one unifying factor about supply chain… is that every shipment touches a customs broker.” [32.49] Sylena’s words of advice for leadership, and women in the industry. “Find community first, and lean into it.” [35.35] What excites Sylena the most about the future of supply chain, and her advice for jumping in. [38.11] Sylena’s biggest top tip for women in supply chain.   RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:   You can connect with Sylena over on LinkedIn. If you'd like to hear more from Sylena, check out episode 26 of Blended – Veterans Voices: Inspiring Stories from Those Who Serve. And if you want to hear even more veteran voices,  listen to episode 14 of Blended – Veterans and Civil life: Winning the Battle of Workplace Discrimination. Check out our other podcasts HERE.

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 Blume, and the importance of bringing innovation and inspiration from other industries together to solve complex problems. “I’m a computer science graduate, and I wanted to only work on large, complex problems… I started making control systems for nuclear power plants!” [10.51] An overview of Blume – what they do and how they help their customers. “Supply chain is a highly distributed environment… how do you connect all of those dots, and then optimize it?” [11.59] The impact of supply chain on the environment, why Blume puts sustainability at the heart of everything they do, and why businesses need to stop making decisions just based on time and cost and consider modes that are more environmentally friendly. [18.28] How Blume orchestrates an intermodal supply chain, and works as a competitive advantage for its customers. “It’s not about visibility alone… it’s about: how do you guarantee that all the stuff is going to show up at the same time?… So having a large number of options, and an understanding of what needs to expedited, and what needs to be slowed down is key. And slowing down is equally as important from an environmental perspective… Speed is bad for the environment!” [21.52] A closer look at the Blume platform, and how it can help with risk management. [24.48] Blume’s R&D arm, and the importance of fostering innovation in supply chain. [27.19] The ideal client for Blume Global. [28.56] Two case studies showing how Blume services were used to connect small businesses, with no tech infrastructure, to larger ones; and to help shippers ensure quality sourcing and collaboration. [32.00] The future for Blume. “We want the ecosystem to continue to evolve in an organic fashion – and that’s what Blume means... a blooming ecosystem.” RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:   Head over to Blume Global’s website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Blume and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram or Twitter, or you can connect with Pervinder on LinkedIn or Twitter. This episode was filmed at Manifest 2023. If you enjoyed it, and want to explore some of the other great content filmed at the event, why not check out episodes: 329: Future-Proof Your EDI Infrastructure, with Orderful 327: Turn Your Shipping Process Into a Competitive Advantage, with Enveyo 325: Build Thriving Supply Chain Communities, with Envase Technologies 322: Innovative Asset Tracking Made Easy, with Blackberry Radar Check out our other podcasts HERE.

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.” [07.14] An overview of EDI, its place in the industry alongside API, and why it’s ‘the plumbing of today’s supply chain.’ “It’s become the standard of trade… so we turned this whole legacy experience into a modern software experience for modern developers and modern teams.” [10.08] The importance of good data in onboarding, and how Orderful helps to solve some of supply chain’s typical data challenges. “We’ve been able to make it very simple for a company to start trading with a new partner, because we go right into validation and data. Most providers will only validate the structure of a file, but Orderful… can not only check the structure, but we also validate the data that’s in that transaction, so they can solve problems in real time.” [14.31] What visibility means to Orderful, why it’s so important, and how visibility services like notifications can help companies solve challenges in real time. [18.27] How Orderful empowers customers to confidently manage risk, and creates a smoother experience for teams across businesses. [20.51] The ideal client for Orderful. “We’re winning with 3PLs, 4PLs and SaaS platforms!” [22.15] A case study showing how Orderful helped a major client to reduce its onboarding time and proccesses for new carriers from 90 steps and 12 weeks down to 30 steps in nine days, and how Orderful sits apart from its competition [26.17] The future for Orderful.   RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:   Head over to Orderful’s website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Orderful and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube or Twitter, or you can connect with Erik on LinkedIn. If enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Orderful, check out episode 281, where Erik talks all about why it’s so important to help the small guys get to market; why existing EDI software infrastructures can’t keep up; and Orderful’s mission to create a world where data trading is not a barrier. Or, you can read their blog A New Cloud EDI Platform: 5 Ways to Simplify EDI, or even watch Erik on a special live episode of Thoughts and Coffee, where Erik and Sarah dive into more issues around EDI and trending industry news. This episode was filmed at Manifest 2023. If you enjoyed it, and want to explore some of the other great content filmed at the event, why not check out episodes: 327: Turn Your Shipping Process Into a Competitive Advantage, with Enveyo 325: Build Thriving Supply Chain Communities, with Envase Technologies 322: Innovative Asset Tracking Made Easy, with Blackberry Radar Check out our other podcasts HERE.

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 truly diverse communities.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [01.01] Introductions to our Blended panelists. Elise – VP of Customer Experience at Parade Courtney – Co-founder and CEO of Renewal Logistics and ReNew Amanda – Associate Director at Savills Christine – VP of Product Marketing and Go-to-Market at Nulogy “When I think about classism, it’s really class discrimination. We live in a system where people are valued and treated differently based on their perceived class…. It’s so systemic and it reaches every single part of our system.”  Elise [05.27] The group discusses classism, the complex issues that feed into it, and what classism means to them. “It goes beyond how others perceive you – classism is also about how you perceive yourself. You grow up in a particular socio-economic group, and often you can self-limit.” How others see us How we see ourselves Self-sabotage Imposter syndrome and mindset Privilege Access to/relationship with education Etiquette and formality Generational money/mindset/networks Communication between classes Building communities and relationships Meritocracy Criminalization of poverty Entrepreneurship, financial security as a safety net and how money allows you to take more risks Perceptions, and Illusions of social media Power of networks “We would be so much further along as a society if everyone was comfortable talking to other people with an open mind, more like ‘what can I learn from this conversation’ rather than ‘what am I going to disagree with.’” Courtney [47.17] The panel shares their experiences of classism in the workplace, and the impact of pedigree and education. “I didn’t think I was enough, I’m not good enough, I don’t have the pedigree – I never saw myself being someone that could be at an elite level. And it wasn’t because intellectually I wasn’t enough, it was because of that class that I was born in and what I saw all around me.” Christine Christine’s experience of educational hierarchy and her reflections on classism in the Ivy League Elise’s experience of start-ups, the ‘typical’ type of founder, leader and C Suite member, the ‘boys club’ and how she developed her own biases How we can work on ourselves and tackle bias [58.02] The group share their ideas for how organizations can help to tackle classism in the workplace. Amanda shares how Savills are helping to support young people entering real estate The importance of mentors Stepping out of your comfort zone Celebrating small wins and sharing expectations Creating opportunities for success Creating development plans for staff Respect Thinking about people holistically and making changes Innovative thinking Potential classism in remote work Ensuring class is part of DEI policy Team-building Education and training Translating values into behaviors Tackling classism through supplier diversity “It’s the subtle shift from looking for culture fit, to looking at culture add… we want someone to both support and challenge.” [1.22.37] The panel sums up their thoughts from today’s discussion.   RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:   You can connect with Elise, Courtney, Amanda and Christine over on LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more, why not check out 215: Blended – Shining a light on social inequality, or 323: Blended – How to Foster an Inclusive Workplace. Check out our other podcasts HERE.

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 entire career in technology… I have a passion for solving problems.” [09.31] How Coby’s experience at Adobe inspired him to found Enveyo, the challenges he saw in the market – and why those challenges haven’t really changed. “I ran global integrations, so we were measuring all the micro transactions… brands knew everything that was happening prior to purchase, but when you’ve bought it, it goes into the abyss… so brands wanted us to stitch that together.” [13.10] An overview of Enveyo – what they do and how they help their customers. “The underlying challenge for all of these organizations is the data.” [13.51] An introduction to Insights, one of Enveyo’s five core solutions, the role of visibility, and what it means to Enveyo. “What visibility means to me is bringing the data all together in a consolidated platform, and then allowing you, as a customer, to consume that data in ways that you want.” [16.06] A closer look at Cloudroute, Enveyo’s innovative TMS software. “Once you understand what’s happening and you have the data in one place, you can identify areas of opportunity.” [18.13] Coby’s perspective on the ‘Excel epidemic’ and why businesses should be using technology systems like Enveyo instead. “Excel is so ubiquitous, it’s a very powerful application but it starts to break down when you hit critical mass of data.” [22.27] An introduction to Modeling, and the power of predictive analysis and data-driven decision-making. “You start with Insights, then you see some opportunities. But before you want to pull the trigger on orchestration, test it out. Run a scenario and see if it’s going to have the impact you expect.” [24.08] A closer look at Enveyo’s Alerting solution, its role as the communication bridge with the customer and how it can help to improve customer experience. [25.49] The ideal client for Enveyo. [27.27] A case study showing how Enveyo’s modeling solution helped a key customer to make strategic decisions around their carrier choice and distribution center, ultimately helping them to save 16% on shipping costs and grow by 31%. [30.59] The future for Enveyo.   RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:   Head over to Enveyo’s website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Enveyo and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube or Twitter, or you can connect with Coby on LinkedIn. This episode was filmed at Manifest 2023. If you enjoyed it, and want to explore some of the other great content filmed at the event, why not check out episodes: 325: Build Thriving Supply Chain Communities, with Envase Technologies 322: Innovative Asset Tracking Made Easy, with Blackberry Radar Check out our other podcasts HERE.

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 world’s most successful businesses, yet barriers still exist. SAP is committed to supporting and elevating a new generation of women to profoundly lead and impact global supply chains and are proud to support the Women in Supply Chain Series and its efforts. Supply chains need to evolve from low cost and optimized to risk-resilient and sustainable and SAP can help. SAP Digital Supply Chain solutions connect the entire process — design, planning, manufacturing, logistics, maintenance, and service; connecting your supply chains to the rest of your business and all your contextual data; supporting your efforts in alleviating risk in your supply chains. SAP is the market leader in enterprise application software and for the last 50 years has been helping companies to run better. Find out more at sap.com/scm   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [06.09] How Paige found supply chain, and her varied career journey through the industry. “My career went from manufacturing to R&D, PLM, logistics, planning, networks – it’s travelled the entire supply chain… it’s been a fun journey!” [08.11] From a shift to demand driven and embracing a customer-centric approach, Paige reflects on how the industry has changed since the start of her career, and what she’s learned along the way. “At that time, not many people talked about supply chain, it was more about ‘how do we optimize my enterprise… it was the beginning of digitization.” [13.15] How and why Paige moved to Europe, her experiences, and the cultural differences she’s observed between Germany and the US. [20.45] Paige’s current role as senior vice president, chief product officer and global head of SAP Business Network, and the challenges, highs and lows it encompasses. “The fun part is the creation... the non-fun part is there’s no buffer time… when you don’t have a full calendar, you almost feel lost!” [25.48] The challenges and changing trends that Paige is observing at an industry level, and from the perspective of SAP and their customers – and how she’s tackling them. “We’ve gone through this incredible globalization, but I also see a trend of localization… the complexity of supply chain is no longer about finding the cheapest supply, or 100% outsourcing. It’s about how my whole supply and demand chain can connect.” [30.41] Paige’s experience as a woman, working for 25 years in a male-dominated industry, and whether the landscape for women has changed. “When I first started, I was the only girl… today if I look at my teams around the world, I see a lot of young women entering with passion… we’re much more diversified.” [32.34] The importance of mentors, of elevating female voices in the workplace, and of women supporting women. “To really grow and learn, you need someone to challenge and push you, but also support you and open their network to you.” [36.23] Paige’s industry awards, and the importance of continuing to celebrate women in supply chain. “Hopefully more women will find the topic to be interesting, because if you’re a problem-solver, there’s no other field more interesting than supply chain. There are so many challenges that nobody has answered that makes this industry super challenging but very fulfilling.” [38.37] The personal achievement that Paige is most proud of. [40.34] The future for Paige. [41.56] Paige’s advice for girls and women looking to follow in her footsteps.   RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:   You can connect with Paige over on LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear from other inspirational women from SAP, check out episode 321 featuring Darcy MacClaren, Senior VP of Digital Supply Chain and Manufacturing for North America or 283: Blended – The Rise of Asian Discrimination featuring Gale, Director of Global Influencer Marketing at the leading brand. Check out our other podcasts HERE.

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 establishing Envase and taking a proactive approach to mergers and acquisitions. “We all got along as competitors, and now we’re all on the same team!” [09.00] Why Larry is passionate about ‘getting his hands dirty’ in business, and the importance of collaboration. “It gets back to culture… so we lead by example. I would never ask anybody to do anything that I haven’t attempted.” [10.33] Larry announces some breaking news, and explains the impact it will have on the industry, and Envase customers. “It’s so exciting, because nothing has been attempted like this!” [12.16] The landscape of the current market, and Larry’s reflections on the key challenges and trends. “There’s a real big spotlight on visibility and transparency… but ultimately where everyone wants to get to is optimization, and that’s the thing that everybody overlooks.” [14.47] Larry’s advice for organizations starting their digital transformation journey; how they can identify the available options; and the conversations Envase have with their own clients to discover the best solutions for them. [17.53] The challenges facing Envase’s customers, and how Envase can help. “We still fight the fight every day about collaboration… people want to be protective of their data, they don’t want to share, they don’t want to be friends – so we take a very different approach.” [19.27] From collaboration to data, the future for the industry. “We’ve got air, we’ve got ocean, we’ve got LTL, we’ve got truckload. We’ve got all these different modes, but nobody shares the same DNA in order to say ‘hey, this is how we do this better!’” [21.23] The future for Envase Technologies. “We’re never happy with the status quo!” RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:   Head over to Envase Technologies’ website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Envase and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube or Twitter, or you can connect with Larry on LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this episode, and want to hear more from Envase Technologies, check out episode 311 featuring Allen Thomas, Chief Commercial Officer at Envase. Allen told me all about the company and what they do; the importance of digitizing drayage; how simplicity empowers growth; and why the freight industry is vital to the future of the nation. This episode was filmed at Manifest 2023. If you want to hear another fantastic episode filmed at the event, why not check out episode 322, Innovative Asset Tracking Made Easy, with Blackberry Radar. Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Today I’m joined by Makersite, an award-winning, sustainability-driven software-as-a-service provider helping manufacturing enterprises solve complex challenges around their products and supply chains. Makersite develops next-generation product data management tools for the global manufacturing industry, providing AI, data and apps for sustainable product and supply chain decisions at scale. Founded in 2018, the platform is the only cloud-based platform combining data aggregation and live applications for agile product life cycle management. Today Neil D'Souza, Founder and CEO at Makersite, joins me to chat all about the brand and what they do; using automation to help achieve Net Zero; the importance of shortening innovation cycles; and transforming visibility into resilience.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [06.35] Neil’s background, his early interest in sustainability, and why he founded Makersite.  “I got into the space early.. and it wasn’t so much about carbon… it was more about looking at how much we waste from what we create or extract from the environment, and how we can change it.” [09.52] How things have changed since Makersite was founded in 2018, why they’re still helping clients to do the same thing, but with vastly different decision-making criteria, and why everyone is looking for the next big thing to drive innovation forward. “Wherever you look across the globe, there is a race like never before.” [13.07] An overview of Makersite – what they do and how they help their customers. “The problem fits squarely in the hands of people that make stuff. Very often, we direct attention to how we use it, but it really isn’t... We shouldn’t direct responsibility away.” [16.10] The ideal client for Makersite. [17.58] A case study showing how Makersite helped Microsoft figure out where to invest money to reduce impact, by quickly analyzing component data to allow them to optimize and drive effective change. [22.06] Sustainability and the goal of Net Zero, the struggle with translating big ESG ambitions into practical action and how Makersite are helping businesses to ‘automate their way to net zero.’ “Net Zero is almost theoretical. Practically, there’s no way to get to net zero, unless you look at off-setting as one component… But you cannot just continue to operate as you do today, and just buy credits somewhere else, that doesn’t work.” [29.26] How Makersite are empowering manufacturers to accelerate product design, and the importance of shortening innovation cycles to design better products faster. “We want to get to Net Zero by 2050, and lots of countries and companies have pledged for this. That’s 30 years. But the average go-to-market for an innovation cycle for technology today is five to seven years. So if you’re a car designer you have five iterations, at most, to make your car net zero.” [33.44] Supply chain risk, the importance of resilience and how Makersite are helping to transform visibility into resilience. “Resilience is the reaction to disruption.” [39.40] What integration and onboarding looks like with Makersite. [41.35] The future for Makersite.   RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:   Head over to Makersite’s website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Makersite and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn or Twitter, or you can connect with Neil on LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear from more brands talking about sustainability and a Net Zero goal, check out episode 312, featuring Mark Ang, Co-founder and CEO at GoBolt, where he talked all about bringing sustainability to an industry notorious for its heavy impact on the environment, and his organization's goal to reach carbon-negative deliveries by the end of 2023. Or why not check out my blog, Combating Climate Change with Supply Chain Solutions, for a quick read on going green. Check out our other podcasts HERE.

It’s episode 29 of Blended: I’m joined by a new panel of incredible guests and, today, we’re talking about fostering an inclusive workplace. Creating an inclusive workplace doesn’t just benefit your employees, it can pay off in dividends for your business. Companies with a strong culture of inclusion—one that encourages innovation and collaboration among staff—are increasingly seen as more attractive to potential employees, clients, and investors. From revising hiring practices to restructuring internal policies, embracing diversity can be an invaluable asset to any organization. Today, we’ll discuss how you can foster a positive atmosphere at work where everyone feels accepted and respected no matter their gender identity or cultural background.         IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [00.58] Introductions to our Blended panelists. Desiree Booker – Founder/CEO of ColorVizion Lab Jonathan Townsley – Senior Business Partner at Sterling Brian Glick – Founder/CEO of Chain.io [04.10] The group shares their definitions of what being an inclusive workplace means, and which groups we may be talking about. “It means figuring out how we can create a level playing field so that everyone has an opportunity to thrive in their respective roles.” Desiree Understanding the individual needs of these groups Understanding the challenges and inequities they face Creating safe spaces in the workplace Giving individuals the platforms they need to be successful Intentionality Listening & understanding the challenges people face Figuring out how individuals would like to be supported [11.26] The panel discusses the challenges of creating an inclusive workplace. “To get it into our DNA you have to get past that tokenism, right? Its the intentionality.” Anonmyous Mistakes are going to be made Getting all levels of leadership on board Accountability DEI leader burnout Lack of resources and support Fear around language How we change communication Treating people as individuals Setting boundaries “Your actions need to speak louder than just the words.” Sarah [25.30] The group discusses the role that bias plays in inclusive workplaces, how to get over it, how to make it a part of communication, and how to normalize it. “We have to build up in our cultures and our workplaces that you shouldn't be afraid to make that mistake. Be mindful of it, but don't be afraid.” Johnathan Being open to receiving feedback without bias To not be afraid of making a mistake Letting actions speak louder than words Embracing change Self-reflection Approaching teams without bias Becoming more vocal about sharing points of view HR's role in removing bias in the workplace Solutions to getting over the bias Bridging skills and talent gaps Hiring based on values alignment Industry expectations Individual Responsibility Being Vulnerable “We're all human beings so bias is going to creep up at some point, you just have to be able to recognize it and check it.” Desiree [1.06] The panel sums up their thoughts from today’s discussion. “Be who you are, love it, be fabulous. Be the world you want to live in and the rest will usually take care of itself.” Brian RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:   Encouraging an inclusive work environment is essential for an organization’s success, as it can help foster communication between teams, promote respect among different cultures and perspectives and lead to better emotional well-being for employees. We hope this article has helped to demystify the term “inclusive workplace” and offered practical steps for cultivating one. Everyone has a role to play in fostering inclusivity at work; from tackling our own biases to helping create an open dialogue about diversity, we can all work together to make sure everyone feels safe and accepted. If you found this post informative and would like to stay connected with us, please follow us on social media where we offer regular tips and tricks related to creating an inclusive workplace. Together we can take steps toward creating a workplace culture where everyone feels respected and valued. You can connect with Desiree, Johnathan, and Brian over on LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this episode and would like to hear more from our guests, check out: Episode 280 of our women in supply chain series, featuring Margo Waldie Episode 236, Blended – Age Is Just A Number, featuring Lisa Fenton All of our LTSC Asiapac content with Jonathan Kempe Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Today I’m joined by BlackBerry Radar, a logistics technology brand that delivers asset monitoring, engineered for intelligence, and designed to solve for your most common transportation challenges. Launched in 2016, BlackBerry Radar is an intelligent, secure and user-friendly asset tracking and monitoring solution. It provides reliable industry-leading visibility into a range of fleet assets, including trailers, flatbeds, chassis and intermodal containers, utilizing device hardware, a secure communications network, and a dynamic cloud platform. Today Shannon Hamilton, Vice President of Blackberry Radar Sales, joins me to chat all about the brand and what they do; pioneering the future of hyperconnectivity; making the complex simple; and leveraging real-time insights to deliver better, and faster, customer service.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [06.03] How the transportation industry’s challenges have evolved, the landscape of the industry in a post-pandemic environment, and the key focus areas for logistics businesses. “Coming out of the pandemic we’ve seen a bit of a slowdown, so now it’s really about assessing and right-sizing your fleet, and making better financial decisions about where you’re investing in those assets.” [07.36] An overview of Blackberry Radar – what they do and how they help their customers. “Everybody knew Blackberry, back when it was their favorite handset, but most people don’t know what we’re doing today… We’ve been using all of our Intellectual Property, and including all of the design capabilities of building handset software, but now we’re building devices for the transportation industry.” [09.21] A closer look at the Radar device itself, what it does, and how and where it can be installed. “Marrying both the physical location with the inside of that piece of equipment is really enabling next-level efficiency.” [12.12] From helping to reduce empty miles to improved maintenance efficiency, the benefits of installing BlackBerry Radar in your trailers. [16.49] The most efficient ways to mitigate risk, the importance of good data, and how Blackberry Radar can help. “Mitigating risk is really about having the information in a usable way, that can improve the way you make decisions. The quality of your decisions is really based on the data that you have – if you have good data, you make good decisions.” [18.59] The challenges within intermodal and how Blackberry Radar can help with a range of issues from displacement and theft to next-level visibility. [23.43] A closer look at what reporting, data and customization looks like with Blackberry Radar. “Every business has different business rules and different logic that they’re working towards. So all of those events can be customized so you’re making use of that information in the best possible way.” [25.42] The ideal client for Blackberry Radar. [26.19] A case study showing how Blackberry Radar helped a key client to better utilize existing equipment instead of regularly invest in new assets, ultimately resulting in a vast reduction of capital investment, reduction in maintenance, creation of new revenue streams and enhanced customer experience. [30.11] The future for BlackBerry Raday.   RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:   Head over to Blackberry Radar’s website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Blackberry Radar and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, or you can connect with Shannon on LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Shannon, check out her blog for our Women In Supply Chain series, where she shares more about her career journey, who inspires her and her experience as a woman in a historically male-dominated industry. This episode was filmed onsite at Manifest. Look out for more incredible content from the show - coming soon! Check out our other podcasts HERE.