Supply Chain Revolution

Sheri Hinish, SupplyChainQueen

Episodes

Mentioned books

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Nov 9, 2020 • 23min

Recycling, Blockchain & Reverse Supply Chains, the Business Case for Sustainability & Recycling Plastics, and Social Environmentalism w/ Stan Chen of Recycle Go

The wastes from plastics and electronics are putting increased pressure on the recycling industry and reverse supply chains. Despite massive initiatives by public and private organizations, recycling rates remain low and progress remains slow. Estimates suggest there are 400 million tons of plastic produced each year, which is projected to more than double by 2050. Around 40% of plastic packaging is said to be landfilled, and another 32% leaked into the environment and not reused, according to the World Economic Forum. Nine-tenths of all solid waste in the United States does not get recycled. While landfills are among the biggest contributors to soil pollution (roughly 80% of the items buried in landfills could be recycled), our take-make-waste mindset and transition away from a linear economy presets a transformative opportunity. What’s the business case for change, for moving toward a sustainable and circular world? Recycling is a difficult business. The whole process is full of inefficiencies, has many stakeholders, and a lack of digital data to track a product's journey from creation to destruction. The challenge for the recycling business is supply chain visibility and traceability. In Episode 44, Sheri Hinish chats with Stan Chen of RecycleGo. Stan is a 2nd generation recycler and believes there is a way to make supply chains sustainable and scale the circular economy- particularly how we use and source plastics- using disruptive innovation like blockchain, and data analytics. This episode was recorded just days after the US presidential election and Stan explores his experience as a 1st generation Asian American, growing up in the midst of racial change and while honoring his father’s legacy as a Taiwanese recycler. Irvington, N.J.-based recycling technology solutions provider RecycleGO is using Hyperledger Fabric, an open-sourced blockchain framework, to build a platform for any type of recyclable material to be tracked throughout its lifecycle. If you’re interested in learning about the impact of plastics, micros plastics, social environmentalism and its impacts, and innovation in recycling using technology like blockchain, this episode is for you.  We also dive into the importance for making the business case in sustainability investments and the ROI period. The power of your purse is real and there’s never been a better time to invest in your future. Benefits of using a SaaS, blockchain solution for recycling like RecycleGo include: 1.    Cross-organization supply chain recycling tracking that enables data transparency and provenance 2.    Tracking individual plastic items across their lifecycles to create incentives that reward manufacturers for designing easy-to-reuse or recycle plastics. Because reuse and recycling of products is so essential to the creation of sustainable supply chains, this data will be invaluable for businesses that make eco-friendliness a top priority. 3.    Providing better recycling incentives for consumers to reduce accumulated plastics in oceans and mass-ingestion of microplastics worldwide. To learn more about Stan Chen and RecycleGo, visit https://recyclego.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanchen/ To explore provocative PoVs, visit supplychainqueen.com and supplychainrevolution.com
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Nov 2, 2020 • 16min

Disruptive Retail Technology: E-commerce Made Human Through Virtual Shopping and Brand Experience Innovation w/ Natasha Franzen of HERO (SAP.iO)

Experts predict that retail ecommerce sales will reach $4.13 trillion in 2020 and it is expected that mobile commerce will take a market share of e-commerce of 72.9% by 2021. As we enter the holiday season navigating COVID, retailers face unprecedented opportunities to reimagine brand experiences and bridge the storefront’s physical to digital continuum. While adapting an agile supply chain, increasing conversion rates, reducing wastes, including decreasing returns are front of mind, 1 company is transforming virtual shopping, where the online shopping experience is made human, again. Meet HERO (usehero.com). In Episode 43, Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) joins Natasha Franzen, COO of HERO an SAP.iO Foundry superstar. With customers like Levis, Nike, Jonathan Adler, Herman Miller, Rag & Bone, and countless others, HERO is bringing next level human commerce to retail with conversational commerce to help stores unlock their competitive edge. Stores create 1 in 10 of the world’s jobs, more than any other sector. HERO exists to not only keep these stores and their employees at the heart of communities and the economy, but to empower them with the technology that unlocks their unique advantage over the e-commerce giants. Whether in-person, via text, chat or video, HERO is empowering store associates to thrive during COVID injecting gamification and the human layer into the store, complementing the convenience of online shopping, even during periods of low foot traffic. To learn more about HERO, visit usehero.com or https://sap.io/ who is helping innovators inside and outside of SAP build products, find customers, and change industries. Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com
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Oct 26, 2020 • 22min

Crossing the Chasm to Accelerate AI in Digital Transformation, the Future of Work, and Understanding Your Value w/ Jennifer Bryne (former CTO Microsoft)

Every tech company wants to tell you what their AI can do. Patterns help us make sense of the world and can help us overcome the impossible tasks we face each day in supply chain orchestration. From understanding gaps and influences, AI creates more intelligence in how to detect, understand, and pull parts of the patterns together that build an ecosystem. Through the lens of business transformation, a common challenge for many is knowing what levers to pull strategically, reinventing portions of their business in a digital way. The biggest issue is not tech, it's the lack of skill and culture needed to scale disruptive change. In Episode 42, Sheri Hinish welcomes Jennifer Bryne, digital empowerment evangelist and rebel who is exploring the next chapter in her career after retiring from Microsoft as the US Chief Technology Officer. Jennifer is now working with start-ups, giving back in. the tech community, and writing her first book. She has a fascinating career path starting in non-profit management and social services, then transitioning to cybersecurity sales and engineering teams. Learn from Jennifer as she shares her experience leading, developing, and executing vertical industry and go-to-market strategies, while managing global alliances and partner ecosystems. In this Episode, we explore the keys to accelerating your success in AI Digital transformation, the future of work and AI, patterns in change management that can be applied to solve supply chain/human/and business problems, and key tips that have helped Jennifer in her journey as a woman in STEM for career advancement, and positioning herself for leadership roles. To learn more about Jennifer Bryne, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-byrne-talks/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com
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Oct 19, 2020 • 26min

Exploring Digital Distribution & Additive Manufacturing, Industrial Sustainability, and the Future of Decentralized Supply Chains w/ Espen Sivertsen of Ivaldi (SAP.iO)

The purpose of a supply chain is to move goods and services around the world to meet user demand. And over decades, we’ve built coupled-networks based on principles of regionalization or centralization of function, location, and cost efficiency. COVID is an example of the uncertainty supply chains face on a day-to-day basis derived from old-school thinking and design.  Imagine a world where supply chains are flipped upside down, a world where we send files, not parts? A world that empowers the end consumer to produce what is needed on-demand through cloud based technology, including recycling on site in a circular transition? In Episode 41, CEO of Ivaldi (Espen Sivertsen) joins Sheri Hinish to talk about the future of digital supply chains, on-demand additive manufacturing and the business case for change, industrial sustainability, and the power of diversity in technology. Espen is part of the SAP.iO Foundry bootcamp and shares observations he’s gathered from Silicon Valley and beyond, that diversity fuels innovation. Segments Ivaldi serves include maritime, industrial, mining, energy (gas turbines and power plants), and automotive.  One of Espen’s guiding quotes are “we did not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” He also dives into the sustainability aspects on on-demand, additive, local manufacturing environments through digital distribution. Digital distribution is the process of sending digital part files to local manufacturers for on-demand production and distribution. Digital distribution bypasses physical distribution limitations such as sourcing disruptions, carry costs, late shipments, minimum quantities, obsolete inventory and environmental contamination by storing parts in a virtual warehouse and only manufacturing parts when and where they are needed through a distributed network of local manufacturers. As production tools such as 3D printing, robotic fabrication and other CNC systems get faster, better and cheaper, an increasing range of parts can be cost-effective to manufacture on-demand. Digital distribution is fundamentally changing supply chain dynamics as user-needs supplant centralized manufacturing limitations as the driving force in the industry. This episode is part of a new partnership highlighting innovation and diversity in supply chain start ups at SAP.iO. To learn more, visit https://sap.io/ Shout out to John Licata for making the introductions! To learn more about Ivaldi, visit https://www.ivaldi.io/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com
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Oct 12, 2020 • 20min

Exploring Pet Sustainability & Impacts, Pet Ownership & Social Justice, and How Pets Are A Bridge Back to Nature w/ Melissa Bauer (Pet Sustainability Coalition)

Did you know that if you add up the cats and dogs in the United States, they’d represent the 5th largest population of protein consumption in the world? When it comes to pet supply chains and sustainability, there is typically 1 sector called "pet services and products”. This one sector, encompasses dozens of other industries that have many categories in human supply chains. For example, apparel, food, medicine, and healthy/beauty are considered dramatically different industries in the human world, but we buy good and services for our pets in all those areas and more.  The environmental impact of the pet sector is huge. Did you know that 300 million pounds of packaging is sent to land fill each year? Finally, the pet industry has often overlooked and serious social sustainability challenges as well. Pet ownership has been directly linked to home ownership, but with systematic racist policies historically making home ownership out of reach for communities of color, what are the Justice, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion implications of the industry itself? Why aren’t people aware or talking about this?  In Episode 40, Sheri Hinish discusses massive opportunities in pet sustainability, in caring differently for our furry friends, with MelissaBauer from the Pet Sustainability Coalition. PSC has a super cool origin story starting with Chris Bentley. A lover of life and an environmentalist at heart, Chris Bentley has spent several decades looking for ways to minimize his environmental footprint. Based in Colorado, Chris was active in the entrepreneurial business community where he saw the Natural Foods movement adopt Organic Certification and the Outdoor Industry collaborate to build innovative sustainability tools. With over 25 years of success in the pet products industry, first with Aspen Pet and then with Only Natural Pet and “I and Love and You,” he knew there was an opportunity to drive impact in an industry he had grown to know and love. Together with fellow sustainable business leader Marty Grosjean at Only Natural Pet, Chris partnered with sustainability icon Hunter Lovins at Natural Capitalism Solutions to develop a suite of sustainability tools that could provide their respective companies the resources they needed to implement sustainable business processes. The outcome of this project was a world class toolkit built by Natural Capitalism Solutions that had far reaching potential. The new vision for these tools was to serve as a transformative catalyst that would enable the entire pet industry to engage more positively with the environment and communities where they do business. When complete, Chris, Natural Capitalism Solutions, the Outdoor Industry Association, and 25 business leaders met at Global Pet Expo 2013 where they formed a new nonprofit collaborative that would share tools and resources to encourage adoption of sustainable business practices. KD Frueh at KONG Company, Tony de Vos at Cardinal Pet Care, Jim Thomas at Petco, Spencer Williams at West Paw, Stephanie Volo at Planet Dog, and Aaron Lambstein at Worldwise joined Only Natural Pet and I and Love and You to become Founding Members of the Pet Sustainability Coalition. These 8 Founding Members continued to make large financial contributions for five consecutive years that served as the Coalition’s primary revenue and lifeblood! To get involved and learn more about Pet Sustainability Coalition, visit https://www.petsustainability.org Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & Sheri Hinish at https://www.supplychainqueen.com
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Oct 5, 2020 • 24min

Exploring Sustainability, Traceability, Transparency, and the Future of Mobility w/ Stefano Savi (Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber)

The tire industry consumes 70% of the natural rubber. Issues like deforestation, child rights, land grabbing are at the center of WHY we need a global movement for sustainable natural rubber. Joined with physicist turned green advocate Stefano Savi, this episode explores a new collaborative platform to help the Producers, Processors & Traders, Tire makers and other rubber makers/buyers, Car makers, other downstream users and Financial Institutions, and Civil society transition, sustainably. What's interesting is many of the supply chain challenges like traceability, transparency, and moving beyond Tier 2 - 4 are being addressed by GPSNR and its members - Ford, BMW, Continental, Good Year, General Motors, and many more. One company can not transform an industry alone. In this episode we explore traceability, transparency, and stakeholder requirements to build the platform at scale - a way of working that can be applied to many supply chain segments, including cool advances in satellite mapping. We talk about the future of mobility, material science a bit, and learn about Stefano's journey, with a touching message at the end that had Sheri on the verge of tears! To learn more about Stefano, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefano-savi-2a690526/ To learn more about the recent advances from GPSNR, visit https://gpsnr.org/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com
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Sep 20, 2020 • 16min

Exploring Social Sustainability & Sustainable Development and the Largest Global Platform that Bridges the Equity Gap in Entrepreneurship w/ Taylor Hebble (SoGal Foundation & Hope For Haiti)

“The only way to end systemic inequality is to invest in minorities, the underrepresented, and women.” Access to education, healthcare, clean water, and economic development opportunities remain key priorities for many countries. Entire populations and children are being left behind and marginalized through climate change, disruptions, and globalization. Addressing generational poverty and transformation can take decades. How might we learn from current success stories, work that can scale to other parts of the world in sustainable development? Great ideas and innovation are everywhere, but often access to funding, relationships, and networks present hurdles particularly for young, underrepresented (often female, black, and non-binary) people. How can we access to funding so great ideas can thrive?  In this episode, Taylor Hebble joins the Supply Chain Revolution to discuss two cool organizations addressing these unmet needs in sustainability, sustainable development, and innovation that transforms the world. Taylor Hebble and Sheri Hinish met at Harvard this summer in a learning cohort that trains leaders in the change leadership needed for sustainable development. Through meaningful interactions, Sheri learned about Taylor’s work at Hope for Haiti and SoGal Foundation. Taylor describes some of the initiatives at Hope for Haiti around clean water, education, and healthcare, including an inspiring story of triumph after a small school was destroyed by Hurricane Matthew. How can we truly transform the donor relationship and sustainable development? Listening to what communities need most! We discuss simple solutions and Taylor describes a few including a clean water project at scale. We also explore SoGal Foundation, founded in 2014 by Pocket Sun and Elizabeth Galbut, and its current Black and non-binary peoples cash grants program that provides immediate access to fund incredible ideas. SoGal Foundation is the largest global platform for women and diverse entrepreneurs and investors with over 40 chapters across 5 continents. Its mission is to close the diversity gap in entrepreneurship and venture capital. By bringing access, capital, and education to underprivileged entrepreneurs, SoGal Foundation has grown from a classroom side project to a global movement for women and underrepresented people to live on their own terms. It represents: a fearless, inspirational spirit + a constant, relentless execution mode + a collaborative and supportive community + young women with entrepreneurial ambitions. SoGal provides multiple series of events, including the SoGal Summit, which was the largest female entrepreneurship conference in Southern California. Super excited to bring awareness to this inspiring organization.
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Sep 10, 2020 • 55min

Exploring Discrimination, Bias, and the Opportunity for Diversity & Inclusion in Supply Chains & Academia w/ Dr. Justin Goldston (Georgetown & Penn State)

Why does Diversity and inclusion matter? What impact does the Black Lives Matter movement have on/in the workplace? How does one navigate discrimination and is there more awareness in corporate America around racism and breaking systemic barriers, including how to engage HBCUs and communities who have talent, but may lack access? How do we make diversity and inclusion REAL? Is it just lip service and social washing? These are questions being asked during a very real inflection point, in the midst of social and human health crises unfolding globally.  In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Justin Goldston, an advisor/professor/consultant/5X Tedtalk/ and evangelist for creating Diversity & Inclusion in supply chain and academia. As an African American who grew up in the south, started his supply chain journey at an HBCU, and then transitioned to manufacturing, Justin offers a unique perspective into the racism and bias that exists - still - in many supply chain organizations. After leaving industry, he explores opportunities for inclusion in consulting, and lastly the power of education for access. Justin currently teaches supply chain management at Penn State and Georgetown, organizing a TedX PSU series that gives young people the space to share on a global stage.  This is a longer episode that is one of the most provocative to date, potentially uncomfortable for some, however necessary for divergence and awareness. Topics covered include: how to engage historically black colleges and universities in SCM talent management, the internal headspace needed to navigate discrimination, cultural intelligence, bias in hiring from application to boardroom, the “echo chamber” in supply chain orgs that don’t embrace D&I, how the shift to remote work has accelerated D&I, and unpacking the Black Lives Matter movement for awareness in corporate America and academia.  Reach out, connect, learn more, and get started... Find Dr. Justin Goldston at https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-goldston/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com
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Aug 31, 2020 • 38min

Exploring Shiny Object Fatigue in Supply Chain Technology, Defining the Value Prop in Tech, and New School Leadership in Digital Transformation w/ Tim Judge CEO of Agillitics

Let’s face it. Despite what many technologists think, most supply chains are not run on laptops. We know the promise that advanced supply chain technology holds…agility, velocity, scale, resilience, transparency, and better customer experience. Yet, when I talk to supply chain leaders, many have shiny object fatigue. Have we failed supply chain leaders and professionals by not adding tangible value for impact? Digital transformation isn’t just a thing that you can you can buy and plug into an organization or a switch you flip. It’s complicated and doesn’t just involve technology. Digital transformation is an ongoing process of changing the way you do business. It requires foundational investments in skills, projects, infrastructure, and, often, in cleaning up IT systems. It requires mixing people, machines, and business processes, with all of the messiness that entails.  Why are technology vendors failing to deliver the promise? Is it a 2 way street? What are the value levers in delivery, is there a silver bullet? Business and supply chain leaders simply want to make better decisions, how does technology enable time-to-value in 30 days? We go there… In Episode 35, Tim Judge, CEO of Agillitics and industry veteran joins the Supply Chain Revolution to talk technology, leadership, decision management, and the new blended role of supply chain/IT that is the new normal. This is a longer episode and we cover a breadth of topics: 1) what do people want in supply chain tech, 2) piloting to redefine the value delivery model, 3) standing up for the clients best interest (its tougher than you think), 4) short-term versus long-term thinking in tech investments, 5) who is qualified to be the best supply chain leader, 6) values versus virtues in the purpose economy, 7) shifting reactive thinking to proactive decision management, 8) sustainability is a priority, 9) 3 top areas to get time-to-value in 30 days, and 10) is the future of work in supply chain a blended role with IT?  Reach out, connect, learn more, and get started... Find Tim at https://www.linkedin.com/in/timpjudge/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com
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Aug 25, 2020 • 11min

Exploring Humans & the Future of Work in Digital Transformation, Diversity For Inclusive Product Design in UI & UX, and Woman In Technology w/ Suuchi Ramesh of Suuchi Inc.

This is the second part of a 2-part lightning talk series. We hear so much about AI and the convergence of tech in digital transformation. But do we know where humans add the most value, particularly in digital supply chain? According to Forbes, 2/3 of a company’s competitive edge comes from its customer experience. Consumers who have an emotional connection with a brand have a 306% higher lifetime value. Moreover 67% of consumers will pay more for a great experience. How do we create good UI and UX? The answer is inclusive design and the conduit is diversity. The reality is design that excludes a segment of consumers will fail to reach its full market potential.  In Episode 34, Suuchi Ramesh joins the SupplyChainQueen to chat about the future of work, how diversity creates inclusive design and better customer experience. In this episode, we also discuss Suuchi’s journey as a woman in STEM, woman in technology, and an immigrant in the start-up world. She shares her story on building the right team and leading for diversity in supply chain and tech.  Reach out, connect, learn more, and get started... Find Suuchi, Suuchi Inc at https://www.linkedin.com/in/suuchi-ramesh-219480111/ & https://www.linkedin.com/company/suuchi/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

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