Shows
The Source Refresh PodcastJason Roberts - Supplier diversity is not woke [The Source Refresh Podcast, Ep 18]EPISODE DESCRIPTION
In this interview, I chat with Jason Roberts of Kaleida to talk about two subjects - supplier diversity, and building a marketplace solution. Kaleida is a fully inclusive B2B marketplace connecting buyers with suppliers and diverse suppliers. From my research, it seems to be a first-of-its-kind solution that helps further the cause of supplier diversity, which is what prompted me to invite Jason on the show.
SHOW NOTES
Jason talks to us about what made him launch Kaleida and reiterates his objective to help level the playing field for anyone els...
2024-02-1842 min
Shane Ray Show9 Secrets to Procurement Value Creation with 3 Global Experts9 Secrets to Procurement Value Creation: Giuseppe Conti says:• Care about your supplier and prepare in negotiations.• Value creation enlarges the pie and requires a business mindset.• Prioritize discovery, creativity, and giving preference to preferred suppliers.Chandhrika Venkataraman says:• Highlight positives and find value beyond transactions.• Identify supporters and beneficiaries to maximize value.• Use EMPATHY in your negotiations to create value. Faiq Ali Khan, MCIPS says:• Utilize incentives, loyalty programs, and constant engagement with challenging suppliers.• Overcome challenges proactively with technology and thorough preparation.• Focus on clean data, analyt...
2024-02-0256 minThe Source Refresh PodcastTyler Douglas - Stop losing money on shipping automation rules, [The Source Refresh Podcast, Ep 17]EPISODE DESCRIPTION
In this interview, Tyler Douglas of String and I sit down to talk about how automation rules used by shipping software like ShipStation end up costing small businesses more because the rules are not dynamic. The rules don't account for variable factors like rate changes in peak season. And this can cost your small business a pretty penny.
SHOW NOTES
Tyler walks us through the e-commerce shipping leg of the supply chain. We learn of how businesses typically select the package and carrier, how they obtain their shipping labels, and what wor...
2023-12-0639 minThe Source Refresh PodcastJordan Tardie - Blanketing the World in Sustainability [The Source Refresh Podcast, Ep 16]EPISODE DESCRIPTION
I stumbled upon Sackcloth & Ashes while hunting for Oregon-made gifts for a friend. We've not explored the apparel supply chain in our show yet and so I reached out to Jordan Tardie, erstwhile COO of this 9-year old business that sells handmade, sustainable blankets. In addition to sustainability in their sourcing process, they also have a noble goal of donating 1,000,000 blankets to homeless shelters by 2024.
SHOW NOTES
Jordan details the apparel supply chain from overseas fiber sourcing to finished product distribution and sales in the US. We talk about the specific chal...
2023-10-1731 minThe Source Refresh PodcastMark Samuel - From concept to commerce in 4 months! [The Source Refresh Podcast, Ep 15]EPISODE DESCRIPTION
Mark Samuel is a man of few words over email, but on the podcast, he tells it all as it is. Mark Samuel is the founder of IWON Organics, a health enthusiast who is known for inspiring his LinkedIn community to show up for their Saturday workouts. Mark recently launched a passion project with the Feel Good Cold Plunge in just 4 months from idea to launch. I was curious about how he handled his supply chain from figuring out demand, identifying the right manufacturing partner, to validating product quality, to shipping it in, and distributing i...
2023-09-1331 minThe Source Refresh PodcastTom Mills - Use ”perceived” power in your next small business negotiation [The Source Refresh Podcast, Ep 14]EPISODE DESCRIPTION
Tom Mills has a reputation that precedes him - a reputation for persistently driving change in the Procurement landscape through his Substack newsletter and his entertaining yet thought-provoking LinkedIn posts. In this interview we cover Tom's unique Procurement journey through Direct and Indirect procurement, the skills he values in Procurement pros, and his advice to small businesses who think they lack leverage.
SHOW NOTES
We start the interview with how small businesses vary from large ones when it comes to Procurement. We talk about the financial losses for under-funded Procurement teams. Tom...
2023-08-1827 minThe Source Refresh PodcastVish Puttagunta - Breaking down barriers to ERP user adoption [The Source Refresh Podcast, Ep 13]EPISODE DESCRIPTION
Vish Puttagunta, CEO of Power Central, is an entrepreneur who has combined his first-hand experience in food packaging with his tech expertise to address multiple pain points - lot traceability for food safety certification, cost per pack metrics, inventory management and production planning - all with one cost-effective ERP solve!
SHOW NOTES
In this interview Vish walks us through how he discovered these challenges through his own food packaging business. We talk about how Power Central differs from other ERPs like NetSuite. [hint: It's all in mobile apps and user experience] We...
2023-07-2831 minThe Source Refresh PodcastWill Nitze - The Do-It-Yourself Ops guy shares a contrarian take on 3PLs & Sustainability [The Source Refresh Podcast, Ep 12]EPISODE DESCRIPTION
My guest in this episode is Will Nitze, founder and CEO of IQBar. IQBar has three product lines - plant protein bars, hydration mixes, and instant coffee, all formulated with functional ingredients designed to promote cognitive performance.
Will shares his experiences using 3PLs, co-manufacturers, along with a refreshing perspective on whether it is acceptable to task small businesses with environmental sustainability goals.
SHOW NOTES
I wanted to see first-hand how IQ Bar delivers on its supply chain, and in preparation for this interview, I purchased a sampler pack. Not only d...
2023-07-0629 minThe Source Refresh PodcastDavid Downing - When is self-manufacturing the right answer? [The Source Refresh Podcast, Ep 11]EPISODE DESCRIPTION
My guest in this episode is David Downing, co-founder and CEO of ChipMonk Baking. ChipMonk Baking makes low carb, low glycemic index desserts in their own manufacturing facility in Texas. They recently opened up their facility to co-packing for other brands.
In this interview we talk about how there is more to the Make vs. Buy decision than just financials, and how ChipMonk made the decision to start co-packing.
SHOW NOTES
The interview opens with international sourcing and challenges around the unique ingredients that ChipMonk Baking uses. We cover how...
2023-06-1526 minThe Source Refresh PodcastShawn Berg, SMB Sales & Marketing - How to get your startup into traditional retail? [The Source Refresh Podcast, Ep 10]EPISODE DESCRIPTION
My guest in this episode is Shawn Berg, a highly experienced retail broker and advisor who has brought hundreds of brands to traditional retail shelves. Shawn is the founder of SMB Sales & Marketing, a grocery broker trying to do things differently in the East Coast. He brings years of experience getting brands on shelf at Publix and other East Coast grocers like Harris Teeter, Ingles, Food Lion, etc.
In this interview he provides actionable insights to get your startup brand into retail, and more importantly, how to stay, and grow on shelf.
...
2023-05-2421 minThe Source Refresh PodcastLexie Guttierez-Goldfarb, Sow Good Inc - How this family managed business makes sustainable products affordable [The Source Refresh Podcast, Ep 9]EPISODE DESCRIPTION
My guest in this episode is Lexie Guttierez-Goldfarb, Director of Sales & Branding for Sow Good Inc. Sow Good Inc is a Texas-based family managed business that manufactures freeze-dried fruit and veggie snacks, smoothies, and granolas. In this interview, we talk about sustainable sourcing, how there is opportunity for packaging material providers to build more sustainable packaging, and efforts made by Sow Good to balance sustainability with an affordable product line.
SHOW NOTES
We cover what ethical sourcing means for Sow Good Inc. Lexie provides a call to action for packaging material prov...
2023-05-0218 minThe Source Refresh PodcastDan Bubniak, Dirty Hands, LLC - Can Generalists serve your startup better than Specialists? [The Source Refresh Podcast, Ep 8]EPISODE DESCRIPTION
My guest in this episode is Dan Bubniak, now Chief Growth Officer of Dirty Hands LLC (CFO - Dirty Hands, LLC at the time of this interview). Dirty Hands LLC provides contracted field sales, brokerage and merchandising in the natural food industry. Dan has experience building and scaling businesses from scratch.
SHOW NOTES
In this episode we talk about building businesses from the ground up, including his own experience of growing Dirty Hands LLC to 35 states, representing 200 brands. Dan shares his experience with building Finance, HR functions at Dirty Hands LLC. We...
2023-03-0825 minThe Source Refresh PodcastZach Harper, Funky Mello - ”Negotiate for future gains” [The Source Refresh Podcast, Ep 7]EPISODE DESCRIPTION
My guest in this episode is Zach Harper, Co-founder of Funky Mello. Gluten free, vegan refrigerated marshmallow crème is what Funky Mello is known for, winning the 2022 Shelfie Award for Best Plant Based Product. We cover procurement for small businesses, as well as make-vs-buy decisions.
SHOW NOTES
In this episode we talk about Funky Mello's journey to break into a new product category of refrigerated marshmallow crème. We cover procurement as a small business, including a few key pointers from Zach on negotiation, finding a low-cost overseas packa...
2023-02-1514 minThe Source Refresh PodcastAlex Zachman, Old North Collective, ”Your small business is more like Target than you think” [The Source Refresh Podcast, Ep.6]EPISODE DESCRIPTION
My guest in this episode is Alex Zachman, CEO of Old North Collective. Old North Collective is a digital transformation and customer engagement company helping businesses increase revenue through research, design, IT development, and streamlined business processes.
Digital transformation, B2B and B2C e-commerce solutions, the power of business process mapping, and more!
SHOW NOTES
In this episode we talk about the evolution of B2B e-commerce solutions and how they are being adopted – slowly but surely. We also talk about how a B2B services marketpla...
2023-01-1929 minThe Source Refresh PodcastLatrina Pope, Redlined - Intelligent contracting for small businesses [The Source Refresh Podcast, Ep.5]EPISODE DESCRIPTION
My guest today is Latrina, Founder and Lead Consultant at Redlined. In this interview, Latrina talks about how she helps small and mid-size businesses navigate "dysfunctional deals". She bridges the gap between operations and legal risk to create win-win contracts for her clients.
SHOW NOTES
Small and mid-market businesses often feel like they don’t have much leverage when it comes to negotiating standard contract terms with larger clients. Learn how Latrina helps small businesses redo their “dysfunctional deals”.
Find more info on Latrina Pope at https://www.linkedin...
2023-01-0318 minThe Source Refresh PodcastAndrew Arbogast - Arbo’s Cheese Dip, Leveraging Procurement as a small business ownerEPISODE DESCRIPTION
My guest today is Andrew Arbogast, owner of Arbogast Foods and maker of Arbo's Cheese Dip which is available in Memphis, TN as well as across select Kroger, Central Market stores.
Andrew is an army veteran with a background in Procurement. Listen to him candidly sharing the steps he took to build his business one day at a time. He talks about how he saved over 40% in ingredient costs by applying fundamentals. If you are beginning your founder's journey, you must listen to this episode.
SHOW NOTES
Find the guest and their bio on Lin...
2022-11-2122 minThe Source Refresh PodcastSam Achampong - CIPS and how they empower small and medium enterprises across the globe [The Source Refresh Podcast, Ep.3]EPISODE DESCRIPTION
My guest today is Sam Achampong, General Manager of The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), Middle East and North Africa.
Sam shares how CIPS continues to champion Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by advocating for them with their larger corporate clients. He covers the importance of long-term thinking to make supply chains more resilient in the face of ongoing challenges.
SHOW NOTES
Find the guest and their bio on LinkedIn:
Sam Achampong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samachampong/
In this interview, Sam touches on the importance of Small & Medium Ent...
2022-10-3019 minThe Source Refresh PodcastVishnu Vyas & Bob Rogers - OII and using AI to solve small business supply chain problems [The Source Refresh Podcast, Ep.2]EPISODE DESCRIPTION
My guests today are Vishnu Vyas and Bob Rogers, co-founders of OII. OII uses AI to deliver end-to-end supply chain modeling. It combines simulation with optimization to deliver cost-efficient supply chains.
They share their insights into how they help small businesses improve discards, inventory costs, and financing terms, and reduce chargebacks. Find more details about OII at www.oii.ai, or reach out directly to Bob Rogers at bob@oii.ai, or to Vishnu at vishnu@oii.ai.
SHOW NOTES
Find the guests and their bios on LinkedIn:
Bob Rogers: https://www...
2022-10-3026 minThe Source Refresh PodcastPeter Shah - Harris Spice and their journey through COVID-19 disruptions [The Source Refresh Podcast, Ep.1]EPISODE DESCRIPTION
My guest today is Peter Shah, President of Harris Spice - leader in sustainable spice sourcing and processing. Harris Spice is also a member of Southern California's minority supplier development council. In this interview, Peter shares insights into the spice supply chain, along with valuable lessons from small businesses on how to navigate unpredictable crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
SHOW NOTES
Harris Spice came out unscathed through the Covid-19 pandemic, despite having a Supply Chain that spans multiple continents. How did they do that? In this interview, Peter shares insights into the spice supply cha...
2022-10-3024 min