All Episodes

Supplier diversity programs have been part of procurement’s purview for decades, and they have changed a lot during that time. The categories of supplier ownership have expanded and become better defined, success metrics have narrowed, and initiatives like ESG have altered how companies relate to the program as a whole.
Today, the most notable change to supplier diversity is… the silence.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes back Lamont Robinson. Lamont is a leading voice on supplier diversity, but that doesn’t mean he’s hesitant to reexamine and reimagine everything about the practice. 
Lamont envisions supplier diversity programs that are both business-driven and legally defensible for long term impact:
Why an over-reliance on spend as a performance metric has skewed the impact of supplier diversity programs and even held them back
Whether the many categories of ‘diverse’ suppliers can (or should) be managed in the same way or whether they require a more varied approach
Practical advice for diversity-minded procurement professionals, whether they own their company’s program or not
Why he feels optimistic for the future of supplier diversity
 
Links:
Lamont Robinson on LinkedIn

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

While many organizations are adopting AI tools, fewer fully trust their outputs, particularly when financial accountability is at stake. Procurement professionals that have spent their careers learning the importance of transparency, governance, and focused use cases for digital investment, understandably find themselves feeling a bit skeptical about the ‘shiny’ promises made by AI-enabled solutions (let alone the answers those solutions offer).
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Chad Gaydos. Chad is the CEO of Procurify, an AI-enhanced procurement and AP automation platform created for the mid-market. 
Chad shares his perspective on why this moment in digital procurement is so unique:
The process and workflow related opportunities for procurement to simplify and streamline without sacrificing impact
Why having specific use cases and pre-defined business outcomes are essential before implementing AI-enabled technology
What will determine the ‘winners’ versus the ‘losers’ in the race to get ready for the next phase of digital progress
 
Links:
Chad Gaydos on LinkedIn

Large companies want to work with small and medium-sized suppliers to benefit from their scrappy, innovative spirit. Small companies want to work with large enterprises so they can develop the processes and systems required to grow… that and for the sake of revenue stability.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Bronwyn Reid. Bronwyn is the Founder of Small Company, Big Business, where she helps small to medium-sized enterprises translate how large organizations think, procure, and assess risk into practical actions that SMEs can execute.
Bronwyn shares her experience working on both ends of the large supplier - small supplier continuum to address:
Why large enterprises and small to medium-sized businesses struggle to get along
The communications and understanding best practices that can help them both
The incentives that exist for small suppliers and large companies to ’get it right’ by working together more effectively
 
Links:
Bronwyn Reid on LinkedIn

Supplier due diligence is one of the most important and impactful activities that procurement leads. Managing risk and ensuring visibility into supplier commitments on sustainability-related business objectives requires constant involvement and careful oversight. These programs depend upon senior-level commitment, but they must also be flexible enough to work across complex, decentralized organizations, and to allow different stakeholder groups inside and outside of the organization to participate. 
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Dru Krupinsky. Dru is a Senior Manager in procurement at Gilead Sciences. More specifically, he is focused on supplier risk and sustainability, initiatives that all companies are (or should be) increasingly focused on today.
Dru shares his perspective on the conditions required for successful and sustainable supplier relationships:
Recommendations for effective ownership and accountability structures 
The importance of focusing on the quality and accessibility of data
Partnership with key suppliers to manage risk and sustainability jointly
 
Links:
Dru Krupinsky on LinkedIn

Supply chain transformation isn’t easy. Statistics suggest that 70 percent of all transformations fail and 88 percent stop short of achieving their original objectives.
Compare that to another kind of challenge - like climbing to Everest Base Camp, where 60-70 percent of all people who start the journey make it to the top. Could this possibly mean that climbing Mount Everest is easier than transformation? 
No, says this episode’s guest - but we can take a lot of lessons from why the Mount Everest success rate is higher. For one thing, climbers respect the challenge from their first moment of planning to reach the summit.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Ketul Patel. Ketul is the President of OMIIA Consulting, where he leverages his 30+ years in supply chain to help companies balance strategic intent and operational execution in pursuit of sustainable business success. Ketul is also the author of a newly published book, A Journey of Elevation: Lessons for Business Transformation from Everest Base Camp.
Ketul compares the challenges of extreme climbing and supply chain transformation to offer advice about:
Accepting that progress is not a straight line, and everyone has to agree on a shared definition of success
How to overcome the inevitable obstacles that sit between, “Let’s do this,” and “We did it!”
Why the decision to turn back or change plans should never be seen as failure - or as a matter of ego
Links:
Ketul Patel on LinkedIn

Procurement may just be one of the most social functions in the company. Not only does the team have to interact successfully with the executive team, budget holders, other stakeholders, and suppliers, but they must do so without having authority over any of them. Their relational skills - including communication, negotiation, and influencing - are constantly being put to the test.
 
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Matthieu Garnier. Mattheu has extensive procurement experience, including in the automotive industry, where the results of a negotiation or a relationship are felt long into the future.
 
Matthieu shares his personal philosophy on the humanity of procurement, and why that will make all the difference as the world of business becomes increasingly AI-driven:
The value of investing in a professional community
Why procurement needs to develop their listening skills just as much as their communication and negotiation skills
How to balance being relational with being tough, as circumstances require
Procurement’s opportunity to ‘shine a light’ in the grey spaces that every company must travel through
 
Links:
Matthieu Garnier on LinkedIn

The range of skills and talent procurement professionals need in order to be successful is dizzying, but that also means that they end up being prime candidates for other roles. As procurement professionals deliberately build and add to those skills, they both increase their individual career trajectories and also increase the impact and output of the function.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Pamela Gerber. Pamela is a senior procurement executive with a long track record of working in sourcing and procurement roles across industries. That experience has given her many opportunities to form a perspective on the importance of investing in procurement talent.
Pamela shares extensively with her own personal experience in procurement to offer insight into and recommendations about:
Why it is so hard to establish a talent foundation in procurement
How procurement can build the influence and seniority that will open doors to bigger opportunities
The importance of being willing to seize unexpected opportunities as they present themselves
Whether she sees a trend of people ‘falling out’ of procurement and if she considers that a good thing or a bad thing
Links:
Pamela Gerber on LinkedIn