The Sourcing Hero

Ep 198: Testing the Elasticity of Procurement feat. Peter Sharoff

Procurement is a function whose time has arrived. The question is whether they are ready to make the changes necessary to seize the opportunity and meet business-wide expectations for process and experience at the same time.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Peter Sharoff. Peter has executive-level experience in a number of functional areas, including transformation, integration, finance, and… of course… procurement. As he describes it, he has worked a ‘puzzle piece’ career, having the opportunity to see what each of the pieces of the business is capable of - and the image they can form if they work together.
In this interview, Peter speaks about:
How procurement leaders can separate important or fundamental procurement skills from the skills that are truly transformative
How procurement can ‘create a space’ that other functional leaders and decision makers want to step into
Advice for capturing and messaging the ROI of having a better procurement user experience 
Healthy ways for procurement to pursue and think about their own importance
Links:
Peter Sharoff on LinkedIn

Ep 197: Sourcing Initiatives That Take Into Account the Strategy of the Business feat. Karen Betancourt

Working for a large ‘household name’ company has both advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side are the established processes, time-tested pathways that keep everything rolling. At the same time, these same processes can be a bit restrictive. Fortunately for procurement, striking a balance of structure and creativity can create the perfect environment for innovation at scale.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Karen Betancourt. Karen is the CEO of Vanguard Medical Logistics, a company that supports the manufacturing, storage, and transportation needs of medical supply chains in Central and South America.
In this interview, Karen talks about her experience working in large companies and the opportunity that exists for procurement teams:
How procurement’s line of reporting can affect their impact
Her advice for anyone looking to make connections and grow their influence 
Ways to invest in culture, and the power associated with that kind of opportunity
Links:
Karen Betancourt on LinkedIn
Business Casuals podcast on YouTube
Business Casuals podcast on Spotify

Ep 196: The Best of Kris Lance in 2024

As listeners know well, the goal of The Sourcing Hero podcast is to capture the epic stories of people who are rising up and beating the odds to create exceptional value within procurement directly from those heroes themselves.
Kris Lance is definitely one of those people. Kris is the Vice President and General Manager at Una, and for the last few years, he has occupied a monthly spot on The Sourcing Hero podcast schedule, discussing current news stories, trends, and supply chain issues. In today’s very first episode of 2025, Kelly Barner take a look back at three of Kris’s most popular episodes last year, sharing a short clip from each of the three episodes. 
In this you will hear about:
How the surging power of the podcast medium is driving business impact
How to fight off professional inertia and fatigue to find joy in your work 
The launch of “The Sidekick,” a thought-provoking must-read for supply chain and procurement professionals
Links:
Kris Lance on LinkedIn
Subscribe to “The Sidekick”
The Surging Power of the Podcast Format with Kris Lance
Fighting Off the Impact of Slow Onset Inertia with Kris Lance 
The Sourcing Hero Gets a Sidekick with Kris Lance

Ep 195: Basking in the Golden Hour feat. Kris Lance

As we approach the end of the year - not to mention the holiday season - many of us will be taking time to stop and reflect. Was the year gone by what we expected? What hopes, wishes, and aspirations will we step into the new year holding high?
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes back Kris Lance, Vice President and General Manager 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 reflect on the need to be purposeful in this ‘Golden Hour’ between 2024 and 2025: 
What business leaders should be focused on doing at this time of year
Striking a balance between sentimentality and professionalism in the workplace
Positioning ourselves for success in what promises to be a very different new year
 
Links:
Kris Lance on LinkedIn
Subscribe to “The Sidekick”
Episode 192: The Surging Power of the Podcast Format with Kris Lance
Episode 189: The Calm? After the Storms feat. Kris Lance
Episode 184: Speculating About a 2024 October Surprise with Kris Lance
Episode 180: Metacognition - Thinking About Thinking with Kris Lance

Ep 194: Top Sourcing Hero Episodes of 2024

The goal of The Sourcing Hero Podcast is to capture the epic stories of people who are rising up and beating the odds to create exceptional value within procurement - directly from those heroes themselves.
Over the last 12 months, we’ve heard from some of the most innovative minds in procurement and beyond to explore topics that range from cutting-edge optimization strategies to deeply personal journeys of purpose and passion. 
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Kelly Barner takes a look back at the most downloaded episodes of 2024 - wrapping the year by celebrating the interviews that resonated most with you. 
No spoiler alerts… but listen in to hear excerpts of episodes about:
Finding purpose in life, and achieving it through balance
The power of storytelling in procurement
A humorous take on procurement’s past - and future - reputation
And more!
 
Links:
Episode 151: What You Don’t Know About Shipping Can Hurt You with Nick DiNatale
Episode 153: Finding Purpose in Procurement and in Life with Paul Nilsen
Episode 157: Telling a Compelling Procurement Story with Alex Ball
Episode 146: Calling all Solution Enthusiasts! With A’Keela Johnson
Episode 148: Optimization of Procurement in the Automotive Industry with Robert Čačković

Ep 193: Driving Social Impact on a Massive Scale feat. Michael Amos

Lots of organizations want to ‘do good’ through environmental programs, social programs, or both. But scaling those programs and making them truly successful on a commercial level requires a different level of strategic planning - especially when the impact and the opportunity are global.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Michael Amos. Michael is the Managing Director of Waste to Wonder Worldwide, an organization with a unique origin story that has been able to deliver amazing results over the last two decades. 
In this interview, Michael speaks about:
Waste to Wonder Worldwide’s mission to turn unwanted office furniture into an opportunity for education across the world
How they went from a single set of circumstances to large scale impact with the help of a bit of serendipity
Some of the stories that illustrate the meaning of their massive impact on a personal level
Links:
Michael Amos on LinkedIn

Ep 192: The Surging Power of the Podcast Format feat. Kris Lance

Canadian media studies philosopher Marshall McLuhan rose to prominence in the 1960s when he declared, “The Medium is the message.” For McLuhan, it was the medium itself that shaped and controlled "the scale and form of human association and action." We saw this dynamic in full force this year, with podcasts rising to the top of the media landscape during the 2024 presidential election cycle.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes back Kris Lance, Vice President and General Manager 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 why podcasts are so powerful and what their popularity may suggest about today’s content preferences: 
The advantages podcasting has over traditional media formats and channels
What he has learned about podcasting as a monthly guest on The Sourcing Hero for two and a half years
His advice for anyone considering appearing as a guest on a podcast for the very first time
Links:
Kris Lance on LinkedIn
Subscribe to “The Sidekick”
Episode 189: The Calm? After the Storms feat. Kris Lance
Episode 184: Speculating About a 2024 October Surprise with Kris Lance
Episode 180: Metacognition - Thinking About Thinking with Kris Lance
Episode 176: Fighting off the Impact of Slow Onset Inertia with Kris Lance

Ep 191: Building a Procurement Culture for Continuous Improvement feat. Jonathan Gardner

Continuous improvement is as desirable as any other strategic business objective, but making it happen, or - better still - starting an ongoing cycle of continuous improvement is the ultimate goal. If procurement wants to be part of that positive cycle, they have to collaborate with, listen to, and communicate effectively with the business.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Jonathan Gardner. Jonathan has worked in supply chain, sourcing, and procurement at a number of well-known companies, including Starbucks, GM, and Dell. Today, he is using that combined experience to help other procurement leaders and teams (as well as suppliers) maximize the value created through every contract and supply relationship. 
In this interview, Jonathan speaks about:
The intersection of procurement culture and corporate culture
What to emphasize when having conversations about procurement-driven continuous improvement
The due diligence procurement needs to do before documenting category strategy or making recommendations to the business 
How procurement can figure out what is a top priority and assign their resources accordingly
Links:
Jonathan Gardner on LinkedIn