At 1:30 am on March 26th, the container ship Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge and sent it falling into the Patapsco River. Six members of a construction crew lost their lives and the port of Baltimore has been partially closed since. Dueling investigations are underway, with the FBI working to determine whether any federal laws were broken and the NTSB looking to reconstruct the accident and learn from it. The ship is still in place, with the bridge on its bow and the crew onboard, and T...
Apr 24, 2024•22 min•Ep. 163
Recognizing the need for procurement transformation sometimes comes from within procurement, and in other cases it is driven by management-level goals and expectations. Regardless of where the idea for transformation begins, few stones in the organization will be left unturned by the time it is over. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Nataša Cikač. Nataša is the CEO of Cronata, a Croatia-based company that provides procurement transformation support and coac...
Apr 17, 2024•25 min•Ep. 162
Few environments require leadership in higher concentration than the military. And yet the development of leadership skills is still a highly personal journey - where each individual has to find their own style and improve it over time through training, observation, and repetition. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Tom Williams. Tom enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2013 as an Airborne Intelligence Analyst. He has served in locations from the Middle East to the ...
Apr 10, 2024•24 min•Ep. 161
It goes without saying that travel has changed since the pandemic - although not in the way most of us might assume. There have certainly been adjustments to logistics and expectations, but, most of all, companies are doing a better job of recognizing the wellness considerations intertwined with business travel, and finding purposeful ways to accommodate their travelers without onerous increases to the budget In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes J. Grant Capla...
Apr 03, 2024•25 min•Ep. 157
Human nature has a way of becoming numb to that which we absorb as part of the status quo. Sadly, this doesn’t just pertain to the weather; it also applies to human suffering and warfare, especially if it is far away. Today this applies in the form of the Red Sea attacks that continue, and which have escalated, turning global supply chains into a literal battlefield. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes back Kris Lance, Senior Director at Una, for a recurring ...
Mar 27, 2024•19 min•Ep. 160
Marketing requires a combination of data and storytelling to motivate people to take a desired action, whether that is making a purchase, supporting a cause, or providing their email address. Procurement can leverage a marketing-esque combination of information and storytelling to build consensus, increase influence, and even control the narrative when plans go awry. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Alex Ball. Alex has spent most of his career in marketing...
Mar 20, 2024•25 min•Ep. 158
In 1748, Benjamin Franklin wrote “Time is money.” All of the changes and advancements we have seen in nearly 300 years have not managed to render that advice obsolete. Certainly, time has inherent value (whether measured in dollars or otherwise), but time can also cost money - through delays, misalignment, and poor decision making. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Emilie Schario. Emilie is the Founder and CEO of Turbine. A data engineer by training, she is...
Mar 13, 2024•30 min•Ep. 154
“Victory is about meaningful connections.” - Mark Grieco Procurement professionals constantly find themselves in a tough spot, multiple cost and non-cost based objectives to hit, stakeholders to appease, suppliers to wrangle with, and that is just the beginning. They’re also finding ways to do all of the above in a work environment where we have less in-person access to their colleagues. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Mark Grieco. Mark has a very unique ...
Mar 06, 2024•24 min•Ep. 155
“People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” Isaac Asimov After 3.5 years and over 150 episodes, it had to happen eventually: The Sourcing Hero now has a Sidekick. This sidekick may be a monthly newsletter, but it is no less ready to fight the good fight than Robin, Chewbaca, or Dr. Watson. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes back Kris Lance, Senior Director at Una, for a recurring monthly conversation about current new...
Feb 28, 2024•17 min•Ep. 159
Meeting a new friend To ponder the color of Unripe bananas Paul Nilsen Talking to heroes Who earn their hidden capes while Loving procurement Kelly Barner Ikigai is a Japanese philosophy focused on finding purpose and meaning. The parts of the word are “iki” which means “alive” and “gai” which means “worth.” Given how much time procurement spends thinking about value and worth, their personal and professional choices should absolutely make them feel alive. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero po...
Feb 21, 2024•24 min•Ep. 152
Is it possible to change the life of someone, and their family, and their community just by making purposeful decisions about corporate spending? Yes it is - and it doesn’t cost as much as you might think. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Colin Downie. Colin is the Sales and Partnerships Director for WildHearts Group, an organization that enables large enterprises to have a positive social impact at home and abroad through how they spend. Since they reache...
Feb 14, 2024•30 min•Ep. 153
What could possibly be even more complicated than tax accounting? Managing your detailed shipping costs - and the carrier logic that drives them. Details change every year, and the high level information released to the media rarely reflects the nuanced information that appears on shipping invoices. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Nick DiNatale. In addition to being an accountant by training, Nick is the Founder and CEO of ShipPlug, a platform that levera...
Feb 07, 2024•21 min•Ep. 151
In Chinese culture, the dragon represents good luck, strength, and health. Given the challenges dominating this year’s headlines, all of us are probably going to need a balance of all three to make it through the year successfully. Every new day’s headlines remind us that no matter where we live and work, global forces can swoop in and change everything at a moment’s notice. When geopolitics is the focus, some players on the world stage have an outsized impact - none more than China. In this epi...
Jan 31, 2024•21 min•Ep. 156
Despite the understandable enthusiasm around supply chain sustainability, there are many challenges associated with the fight to lower emissions: regulations, costs, and engineering, just to name a few. One of the challenges procurement will appreciate most, is the journey towards a workable business model that reflects today’s infrastructure reality and companies’ ability to invest. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Ron Hunt. Ron is the Director of Busines...
Jan 24, 2024•20 min•Ep. 150
Procurement professionals often talk about how they ‘fell’ into the field without a plan. And while this means procurement has a diverse range of skill sets in their ranks, it does leave many teams without a solid educational foundation like what might be found in marketing or operations. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Robert Čačković. Robert is a sourcing buyer for Bugatti Rimac, a Croatian company that develops and produces cutting-edge hypercars. He h...
Jan 17, 2024•16 min•Ep. 148
Supporting decisions about which suppliers to work with is one of procurement’s most critical responsibilities. But, like so many other business decisions, the ‘Why’ matters, both to the supplier being chosen and to the potential for value creation associated with that partnership. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Erica McMannes. Erica is an entrepreneur who has deep experience working to support the military community by working in the private sector as w...
Jan 10, 2024•23 min•Ep. 147
Procurement is used to dealing with a whole series of stereotypes associated with the profession: bean counters… pencil sharpeners… and penny pinchers, just to name a few. Those nicknames stand in sharp contrast to the value procurement delivers on a daily basis - value that extends far beyond savings to improve the competitive position of the whole company. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Today my guest on The Sourcing Hero podcast is A’Keela Johnson. A’...
Jan 03, 2024•16 min•Ep. 146
There are so many news stories and events contained in any one year that it can boggle the mind trying to remember them all, let alone process their combined impact. But the end of one year and the start of another is a natural time to reflect back before looking ahead to what the new year may hold. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes back Kris Lance, Senior Director at Una, for a recurring monthly conversation about current news stories. Kris has experience ...
Dec 20, 2023•26 min•Ep. 149
What we experience personally cannot be completely separated from what we experience professionally, and vice versa. This is as true for the impact of digital communications on relationships and trust building as it is our ability to ‘hear’ and connect with others. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Julienne Ryan. Julienne is an author, an executive coach, a storyteller, and - most importantly - a true people person. Her career includes an impressive number ...
Dec 13, 2023•30 min•Ep. 145
Entrepreneurs found businesses because they believe they have formulated the best new product or the most innovative way of providing a service. They are focused on their customers, value proposition, and their hope for the future. Unfortunately, there is one thing that - if left unmanaged - can bring all of their hopes and dreams to a sudden halt: cash flow. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Richard Gusmano. Richard is the Founder and CEO of Business Credi...
Dec 06, 2023•21 min•Ep. 143
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” - George Bernard Shaw The Sourcing Hero podcast releases 50 new interviews every year, and while every episode offers unique value and insights to listeners, a few are bound to become listener favorites. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes back Kris Lance, Senior Director at Una, for a recurring monthly conversation about current news stories. Kris has experience in multipl...
Nov 29, 2023•25 min•Ep. 144
Change is as hard as it is inevitable. Even the most exciting new project can quickly go from “This is fantastic!” to “What on earth were we thinking!” when unexpected questions arise. How those moments are managed, and the tone that is kept in place through the process, ultimately determine the potential for value and success for everyone involved. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Toni Ann Careccio. Toni is the Chief Customer Officer at PortPro, a company...
Nov 15, 2023•26 min•Ep. 142
Businesses that want to see long term impact in terms of sustainability need to commit to short term changes. And while there are many ways to incentivize these changes - such as regulations and customer requirements - procurement and supply chain professionals are absolutely on the front lines, as the overwhelming majority of a company’s emissions are associated with its supply chain in some capacity. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Alexis Normand. Alexi...
Nov 08, 2023•27 min•Ep. 140
As human beings, being able to read and use non-verbal cues can determine the outcome of a situation, keeping us safe or strengthening the bonds we build with those around us. For procurement professionals in particular, being aware of non-verbal communication is absolutely essential, especially in situations of high intensity or where first impressions make the difference in measurable outcomes. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Laura Scarfe. Laura is the ...
Nov 01, 2023•27 min•Ep. 139
The U.S. military is accustomed to taking 7 years and a cost plus method to build billion dollar satellites with te help of their supply base. With instability around the world starting to ratchet up concerns about space, the Space Development Authority (SDA) is responding by disrupting traditional procurement practices. As SDA Director Derek Tournear recently said, “Change is hard; change is necessary. And nothing fights change like the paralyzing behavior of going along to get along.” In this ...
Oct 25, 2023•19 min•Ep. 141
In the race to build global empires of data and digital systems, today’s businesses must not risk forgetting what all of those zeroes and ones mean. Sometimes walking a mile in someone’s shoes and listening to their firsthand experience is the only way to pull together all of the pieces of a modern supply chain puzzle. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Frank Kenney. Frank is the Director of Market Strategy at Cleo, where he is focused on helping companies g...
Oct 17, 2023•29 min•Ep. 138
Global supply chains reach the furthest corners of the earth, bringing back valuable, well-made goods and putting us in touch with people we may never meet. Some of the challenges of this are logistical like time zone differences and travel delays. Others are more cultural, and tie into the most core issues of relationship building: culture, communication, and trust. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Chris Volz, a Client Success Manager at China Performance...
Oct 11, 2023•23 min•Ep. 137
Packaging is everywhere, from plastic clamshells to cardboard boxes, and protective wraps to banana peels. The most successful packaging gets the core product where it needs to go in the right condition, and contributes to the customer experience in a way that it rewards the purchase process. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Matthew Wright. Matthew is the Founder and CEO of Specright, where he applies his 25+ years of experience in packaging to help compan...
Oct 04, 2023•21 min•Ep. 136
40 percent of all U.S. shipping containers travel through the Panama Canal each year, representing an annual cargo value of $270 Billion. It is the shortest operational ocean route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and plays a critical role in U.S. supply chains and those of global trading partners as well. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes back Kris Lance, Senior Director at Una, for a recurring monthly conversation about current news stories. Kris ...
Sep 27, 2023•25 min•Ep. 135
It is always hard to be the ‘new kid’ whether in a neighborhood, at the office, or across the world. Learning to fit in, and finding a place to belong is as much a journey of self-discovery as it is a pursuit of acceptance. Going on this journey, and connecting with others in the process, can enhance personal happiness as well as professional performance. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Michaela Payton. Michaela is an Indirect Senior Procurement Manager a...
Sep 20, 2023•16 min•Ep. 134
