The Sourcing Hero

The mind-blowing potential of AI, either in LLM form or embedded in a SaaS solution, is so impressive that it would be easy to overlook the risks. Some of these risks come in the form of data security, but others linger in signed contracts that contain very real (but seemingly harmless) terms that change in importance as the technology evolves.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Wendy Storino. Wendy is a seasoned procurement leader with nearly two decades of experience in technology sourcing and supplier strategy. She has taken it upon herself to better understand the contract terms that procurement needs to understand to manage risk and cost in the age of AI.
Wendy discusses some of the things procurement needs to know about AI-related contracts:
The challenges resulting from the rapid rate of AI/tech development 
Whether the addition (or the embedding) of AI changes the associated liability
Why procurement (not to mention legal and IT) have a greater opportunity to learn across their contracts rather than focusing on one at a time
Links:
Wendy Storino on LinkedIn

There are some categories of spend that we all interact with differently because of the way they affect us as consumers. Packaging is a prime example of this. The level of strategy and effort invested in every choice make these buying decisions and supplier partnerships fascinating to study.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Bhavuk Chawla. Bhavuk has a Master’s degree in packaging technology, and has worked in either packaging development or packaging procurement for almost two decades.
Bhavuk shares his in depth experience with packaging from the cost, brand, and supply chain points of view:
-How packaging choices enhance the consumer experience
-Considerations (including tradeoffs) that have to be managed in the buying process
-Balancing internal priorities and objectives with new supplier  ideas and innovations
-Increasing supplier (or supply chain) resilience through packaging sourcing decisions

If a company doesn’t know exactly what they are buying and about who they are buying it from, there is a good chance that their supply chain is riskier than they realize. The same lack of transparency creating that risk, also creates the conditions that allow forced labor and modern slavery to exist. 
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Justin Dillon. Justin is the Founder and CEO of FRDM AI, a solution that helps companies map their supply chain, isolate risks, and access risk mitigation tools. Justin first encountered the realities of modern slavery during his first career as a musician, progressing into documentaries on the subject, and finally getting more directly involved in solving the problem itself.
Justin talks about the effort associated with identifying risks that could hurt a business or that could hurt the world at large:
 
Why it is such a challenge for companies to get (and keep) visibility into their supply chains
What he sees as replacing the supplier audits and questionnaires that procurement has always used to manage risk
Why intelligence is more valuable and actionable than data
Making a solid business case for mapping a supply chain, and why that is more effective that altruism
Links:
Justin Dillon on LinkedIn

 
“We always want to go about it from a consolidated approach so long as the business, the organization, whoever we're working with, is open to that. That is normally my biggest piece of advice, because it really does make the procurement process as a whole for the organization much easier. It's going to make the savings grow a lot faster.”
Group purchasing organizations (GPOs) are known for their ability to provide access to beneficial ready-to-go contracts and pricing, but they can also be a source of market intelligence for their members, sharing the most relevant insights from suppliers with companies trying to manage a whole range of spend categories.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Marissa Muzik. Is the Director of Sales and Member Success at Una, where she is focused on maintaining a tight and seamless process from start to finish with all of their new members.
Marissa shares her perspective on the Una member experience, and how she and her team go about helping those members continue to manage spend and suppliers:
The consultative and change management elements that Una’s customer success team provides as part of every member relationship
Expectations for supplier or contract transition timelines that meet the ongoing business needs of buy-side companies
How she explains the value proposition associated with having a GPO involved in procurement’s options
 
Links:
Marissa Muzik on LinkedIn

As procurement looks toward 2035, leaders will have to face deeper transformation requirements than simply adding AI tools. They will have to rethink their operating models, talent, data, and decision-making. Uncomfortable though it might be, this will be essential if the function is to move from transactional purchasing to strategic value creation.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes David Loseby. David is a former CPO, a speaker, an author, a “pracademic”, an advocate, and the editor of two very well regarded journals: The Journal of Public Procurement and the Journal of Responsible Production and Consumption.
David shares and discusses some of the key points from his recent article on procurement leadership in 2035:
How the role of Chief Procurement Officer will differ from today’s version of the job
How procurement leaders should think about AI as part of their operating model rather than just a tool layered on top of existing processes
The new skills and mindsets procurement teams will need to succeed in an AI-enabled environment
Links:
David Loseby on LinkedIn
Procurement Leadership in 2035… and why just adding a bit of AI won’t do

“If we can help you either validate that you're already saving enough money or help you find another way to do it, then we're happy to do that.”
Group purchasing organizations (GPOs) help companies save money by pooling buying power to secure better pricing and terms than the individual businesses could achieve alone, but that doesn’t mean savings is the only form of benefit.
GPOs also simplify supplier management, provide much-needed operational support, and help companies either validate or improve their current spending habits.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Michael Rodenberg. Michael is a Member Engagement Specialist at Una, so he regularly has the opportunity to walk members through all of the benefits associated with the GPO model.
Michael talks about what he has learned, heard, and seen in his time working with the members at Una:
How GPOs create savings through collective buying power
Why “no cost” is not the same thing as “no value”
How GPOs simplify procurement beyond just savings
Links:
Michael Rodenberg on LinkedIn

Procurement is always looking for ways to increase their efficiency, freeing up more time to invest in strategy and relationship building. Although AI holds a lot of promise on that front, not all teams are sure quite where to apply it. 
Interestingly, supplier negotiation preparation - one of procurement’s core competencies - may provide just the use case they are looking for.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Nithin Mummaneni. Nithin is the Founder and CEO of Infinity Loop, a SaaS platform that supports procurement with supplier negotiations by automating deal reviews, uncovering negotiation opportunities, and driving cost savings.
 
Nithin talks about how AI can supplement rather than replace procurement’s efforts to prepare for supplier negotiations:
How procurement teams are capturing and reporting on the ROI from AI investments
The culture shift he sees in organizations where procurement is developing more expertise in house and relying less on external consultants
What he has seen in terms of the expansion of procurement’s relationships and influence internally, once they have the time to focus on strategic v. tactical work
Links:
Nithin Mummaneni on LinkedIn

Although most procurement professionals are familiar with group purchasing organizations (GPOs), they may not have experience working with one. That can leave them wondering about adding complexity, and - most of all - what the ‘catch’ is. 
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Clay Kopp. Clay is an Account Executive at Una, and this conversation is part of an ongoing series focused on the members of the Una team. 
Clay's background is in the fast‑paced world of transportation and logistics sales, and he now sits on the front lines of inbound and outbound GPO conversations.
Clay shares what he has learned about procurement and GPOs from buy side members and supplier partners:
How he walks people through Una’s “free to the member” model 
Different levels of procurement maturity and how that changes the way they approach or incorporate a GPO
Real life examples of how Una has been able to help procurement teams increase their impact
Links:
Clay Kopp on LinkedIn