Blue Ocean by StartOps

In this episode of Blue Ocean by StartOps, we sit down with Mohnish Chakravarti, founder and CEO of Rails, to discuss the present and future of 3PL billing. Every year, $350+ billion passes from merchants to their 3PLs. But 3PL are notoriously complex, and this opacity hurts everyone. 3PLs suffer because collecting revenue requires arduous manual computation — and time delays that eat into working capital. Merchants suffer because billing errors erode their margins and their trust alike. Mohnish shares his journey from building internal tools at Stord to founding Rails in hopes of solving 3PL billing once and for all. We cover topics like: The hidden benefits of complex 3PL contracts The life and death of a typical 3PL invoice Why invoice automation isn’t actually about efficiency The biggest challenges building Rails so far — and where they’re heading in the future To learn more about Rails, check out their profile on the StartOps Directory: startops.network/companies/rails

In this episode of Blue Ocean by StartOps, we sit down with Keith Frymark, Senior VP of Supply Chain and Quality at Seed Health. As well as being a veteran supply chain leader, Keith was officially Member #1 and co-founder of the StartOps community. In this episode, Charles and Keith go back to the origins of StartOps, reflecting on what the community has become today — and its future. Listen in to hear more about: The StartOps origin story — from casual drinks in San Francisco, to a global network of consumer brand ops leaders What happens in the StartOps Slack — and how operators use it to answer their million-dollar questions The promise of software to help the group scale — without losing the very intimacy that makes it valuable To learn more about StartOps, check out their Verified page in the StartOps Directory.

In this episode of Blue Ocean by StartOps, we sit down with John Morgan, founder of Pelagic, to talk about the growing role of Operations Agencies in the supply chain world. John cut his teeth running procurement for early SpaceX — a role where one tiny mistake could cause a rocket to explode. Today, he takes those lessons in rigor to his clients at Pelagic. In this episode, we answer questions like: Why there are millions of marketing agencies but only ~5 full-stack ops agencies? What kind of supply chain SaaS is really worth the investment? What has he learned from running ops across 50+ different consumer brands? …and touch on John’s vision for an Operator University. To learn more about Pelagic, check out their Verified page on the StartOps Directory: startops.network/companies/pelagic

In this episode of Blue Ocean by StartOps, we sit down with Prince Ghosh, CEO of Factored Quality. Prince started his career in aerospace engineering. After his software startup was acquired by Doris Dev, he turned his focus to fixing one of the least-digitized parts of the supply chain: quality control. In this episode, we discuss: Why quality control should be proactive, not reactive The role of software in an industry of atoms, not bits The meta-problem of quality control on quality inspectors What a “good” product recall looks like To learn more about Factored Quality, check out their Verified page on the StartOps Directory: https://startops.network/companies/factored-quality

In this episode of Blue Ocean, we sit down with Alex Yaseen, founder and CEO of Parabola. Alex shares how his passion for empowering non-technical people to manipulate data led to him starting Parabola. In the last few years, Parabola has established itself as a must-have tool for supply chain and logistics operators. In the episode, we discuss: How Parabola got started How business leaders justify the upfront costs of automation Parabola’s specific supply chain and logistics use cases How to automate with humans in the loop How AI has changed the game for no-code and low-code automation To learn more about Parabola, check out their Verified page on the StartOps Directory: https://startops.network/companies/parabola

In this episode of Blue Ocean, we sit down with Allison Lee, the CEO of Revive, a company revolutionizing the way brands handle damaged and unsellable inventory. Allison shares the challenges of turning deadstock into sellable goods, and the complexities of the recycling process in the fashion industry. A few topics we cover: The crazy math behind returns and damaged goods Why most brands under-recover the value of their deadstock Revive’s unique process for refurbishing returned inventory The shifting regulatory and cultural landscape around material disposal To learn more about Revive and their mission, check out their profile on the StartOps Directory: https://app.startops.network/companies/revive

In this episode of Blue Ocean, we sit down with Julia Tolmachyov and Michelle Liao, co-founders of DayZero. DayZero is a lightweight ERP (and full QuickBooks replacement) that automates financial management for e-commerce and CPG brands. In this episode, we talk about: Why real-time financial reporting will become the new standard How to compete with QuickBooks How acquirers evaluate brands (and where acquisitions break down) ... and much more To learn more about DayZero, check out their page on the StartOps Directory: https://app.startops.network/companies/day-zero

In this episode of Blue Ocean, we sit down with Jason Finkelstein, co-founder of Logistics Resolve. Logistics Resolve is a new service that helps brands and 3PLs find common ground and avoid terminations. In this episode, we address questions like: What are the most common causes of 3PL-brand break-ups? Who is usually at fault, the brand or the 3PL? What best practices can 3PLs and brands use to avoid conflict? Are things ever too bad to be solved with mediation? To learn more about Logistics Resolve, check out their Verified page on the StartOps Directory: https://app.startops.network/companies/logistics-resolve

In this episode of Blue Ocean, we sit down with Leon Hergert, co-founder and CEO of Spherecast. Leon’s journey has taken him from studying Information Systems in Munich, to optimizing airline supply chains, to finally becoming a founder. Spherecast, his company, bills itself as the "inventory co-pilot" for multi-channel brands. In this episode, we discuss: How supply chain can be a growth driver for brands How Spherecast uses AI to enhance demand planning and forecasting The future of supply chain automation To learn more about Spherecast, check out their Verified page on the StartOps Directory: https://app.startops.network/companies/spherecast

Wiley Jones, co-founder and CEO of Doss, shares his insights on the world of ERP systems, born from his experiences on factory floors in China. He discusses the limitations of traditional ERPs and the unique value Doss offers as an alternative. The conversation touches on innovative approaches to integrating operational data and customer needs, the importance of generative AI in enhancing business software, and the journey behind creating the Anti-ERP ERP Club. Wiley’s philosophy emphasizes growth and agility, reflecting the inspiration behind Doss's name.