The Sourcing Hero

Ep 208: All Cracked Up - Understanding Today’s Egg Prices feat. Kris Lance

Hard boiled. Over medium. Scrambled. Poached. Deviled. There are lots of ways to enjoy eggs, one of the most popular and least expensive sources of healthy protein available, but lately there has been only one way to describe them: expensive.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes back Kris Lance, Vice President and Senior Director at Una, for a monthly conversation about current news stories. Kris has experience in multiple industries and has his finger on the pulse of the trends and topics that procurement, sourcing, and supply chain professionals need to be aware of.
In this month’s discussion, Kris and Kelly talk about gradual rise and sudden fall of egg prices in America: 
What factors have contributed to the high and rising cost of eggs over the last few years
Whether we are starting to see signs that those costs - and prices - are on their way back down
Why procurement and supply chain professionals are uniquely positioned to be rational about supply shocks and the impact they have on consumers 
Links:
Kris Lance on LinkedIn
Subscribe to Una’s Procurement Newsletter, “The Sidekick”
Episode 204: Hot Times in the Arctic Circle
Episode 200: Fostering the Conditions That Lead to Success
Episode 196: The Best of Kris Lance in 2024
Episode 192: The Surging Power of the Podcast Format

Ep. 207: Balancing Big Bold Bets with Small Pragmatic Moves feat. Priya Kumari

We all know that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, but it is easy to forget how intimidating those first few feet can be. Whether procurement is focused on strengthening their core skills or pushing for larger scale impact, it is essential for everyone to be aligned in their thinking, to leverage their strengths, and to know where the journey is expected to end.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Priya Kumari. Priya is a manager at Kearney where she specializes in strategic operations, sustainability, and innovation. Her experience in consulting gives her a broad perspective on the importance of performance transformation, operating model design, and change management.
Priya speaks about the many opportunities procurement has to increase their impact:
Where the boldest leaders and decision makers find the inspiration for their ideas
How procurement can balance ‘big bold’ aspirations with table stakes efforts
What separates companies that struggle with procurement transformation from those who succeed
Links:
Priya Kumari on LinkedIn

Ep 206: Driving Successful SRM at Scale feat. Celia SGAR

Most procurement professionals will acknowledge that supplier relationship management (SRM) is a core part of value creation and risk management, but how many organizations are effectively carrying SRM out at scale to the benefit of their company and their suppliers?
Not as many as would like to be successful at supplier relationship management.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Celia SGAR. Celia is the co-founder of Vendor Score IT, a solution based on the premise that procurement can and should improve the way they manage supplier relationships and performance.
In this interview, Celia speaks about what she has learned by specializing in SRM:
Why it is such a challenge for procurement teams to execute successful SRM at scale
The levels of governance that are necessary to make sure SRM works for the business and suppliers over time
The roles procurement may play - or share with other parts of the business - in strengthening supplier relationships
Links:
Celia SGAR on LinkedIn

Ep 205: Procurement’s Unique Form of Influence feat. Richard Beaumont

Imagine a group of people is having lunch on the deck of a ship, and that ship is sailing into a storm. Along comes a waiter with a tray of drinks, and that waiter is riding… a monocycle. Even as the seas start to rise and the wind blows, the tray can’t be allowed to fall.
That waiter… is procurement.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Richard Beaumont. Richard is the Founder of Eruditic, a professional training and coaching organization, and the co-host of "The Procurement & Finance Coffee Break" on YouTube.
In this interview, Richard shares why he’d rather be on the monocycle than at the table any day, but especially in a storm:
The influence procurement holds even without being the ones to decide which suppliers are selected for contract
How quantitative decision making can help procurement support initiatives like ESG that might otherwise fall victim to ‘altruist’ short term rationales
Why it takes so much courage to work - and be successful - in procurement
 
Links:
Richard Beaumont on LinkedIn

Ep 204: Hot Times in the Arctic Circle feat. Kris Lance

One minute you’re going about your business, and the next minute all of the news headlines are focused on the Arctic Circle. What may initially seem like overblown geopolitical drama and hyperbole quickly comes into sharp focus with just a bit of reading: especially where ocean trade routes are concerned.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes back Kris Lance, Vice President and Senior Director at Una, for a monthly conversation about current news stories. Kris has experience in multiple industries and has his finger on the pulse of the trends and topics that procurement, sourcing, and supply chain professionals need to be aware of.
In this month’s discussion, Kris and Kelly talk about the sudden interest (and intensity) focused on the Arctic Circle: 
The global players in this region and what their interests are
How it directly touches on our ever-evolving supply routes and sources of key materials
Other topics and areas of concern that might be just beyond the common consciousness, but could be tomorrow’s breaking news 
Links:
Kris Lance on LinkedIn
Subscribe to Una’s Procurement Newsletter, “The Sidekick”
Episode 200: Fostering the Conditions That Lead to Success
Episode 196: The Best of Kris Lance in 2024
Episode 192: The Surging Power of the Podcast Format with Kris Lance
Episode 189: The Calm? After the Storms feat. Kris Lance

Ep 203: Alleviating Common Sourcing & Supply Chain Pain Points feat. Eric Westerduin

Regardless of the industry you work in, deciding which third parties to work with requires strategic trade-offs, such as choosing between cost, quality, and lead time. Procurement and sourcing professionals play a critical role helping decision makers discuss and rank those variables and then use them to select and contract with suppliers.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Eric Westerduin. Eric is the Founder and Chief Problem Solver at GO Get Made, a global sourcing and manufacturing company that specializes in helping businesses optimize their supply chains and scale efficiently with the help of overseas partners.
In this interview, Eric and Kelly discuss:
The importance of ‘stress testing’ the specifications and requirements shared with suppliers who will participate in a bid process
How cultural norms and expectations can affect the outcomes associated with global manufacturing
Procurement’s role as the ‘go between’ in conversations with business decision makers and current/prospective suppliers
Links:
Eric Westerduin on LinkedIn

Ep 202: Becoming a Procurement Polyglot feat. Bennett Glace

Polyglot - noun. A person who knows and is able to use several languages.
The spoken or written word can divide people as easily as it can unify them - even when they are speaking the same language. Terminology, shorthand, and acronyms may be convenient or efficient, but when they get in the way or fail to communicate the desired meaning, they aren’t doing us any favors.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Bennett Glace. Bennett has held a number of content marketing and communications roles, both inside and outside of procurement, and each one has given him the opportunity to see new ways that humans connect - or don’t - based on medium and message.
In this interview, Bennett embraces his inner ‘polyglot’ to help procurement build stronger relationships:
How using a common language can increase the likelihood that others will be willing to collaborate
The trouble that can be caused when colleagues have a negative past perception of procurement
The mindset shift procurement might need to undergo to start projecting a more optimistic and open-door ‘brand’
Links:
Bennett Glace on LinkedIn

Ep 201: Setting the Stage for Sustainable Change feat. Ron Crabtree

Depending on your point of view, the idea of transformation is either alluring or terrifying - or maybe a little bit of both? And while procurement teams rarely have the formal skillset to lead transformation projects, they are often tasked with just that. Fortunately, with a bit of planning and some well asked questions, it is possible to keep your transformation on track.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Ron Crabtree. Ron is the CEO of MetaOps and MetaExperts, organizations focused on business process improvement. He has over 30 years of experience implementing Lean, Six Sigma, and supply chain methodologies in industries from automotive and healthcare to government and financial services.
In this interview, Ron shares his point of view on:
The knowledge and skills procurement professionals should be building to support their ability to lead transformation
What sets transformational procurement leaders and executives apart from the rest
How to spot (or prevent!) the warning signs that your transformation project is headed for trouble
Links:
Ron Crabtree on LinkedIn