The Sourcing Hero

Ep 73: Bridging Business Gaps Through Reflective Procurement feat. Thomas Siersbæk Heller-Njor

Procurement can talk about systems and processes all it likes, but without making a real and lasting investment in people, sustained success will remain elusive. In many cases, this means learning to understand the motivations of people quite unlike themselves, walking a mile in their shoes before trying to drive specific types of engagement. 
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Thomas Siersbæk Heller-Njor. Thomas is the Founder and CEO of CostBits, but he has held multiple roles within procurement. He helped lead digital transformation at Maersk, and worked as Head of Operations Consulting at PwC. Now he is applying all of his digital and human experiences to change people’s behavior with regard to procurement. 
In this conversation, Thomas speaks about the different human gaps, challenges, and opportunities procurement must be prepared to address to achieve long term success:
Why every transformation effort must start with an acknowledgement that people come before systems and processes   
Why procurement needs to understand the different personas they support in the company (and outside of it), and why the best approach might be to allow for discussion between personas
The conditions, traits, and skill sets that are required for long term procurement success

Ep 72: Making an Impact Through Mission-Connected Procurement feat. Iris Cooper

How each leader sees procurement has a directional impact on what the team is able to achieve for their larger organization and the community they serve. Savings is often described as ‘table stakes’ for procurement, but even those savings are not just dollars and cents. Whether procurement is working in the public sector or private, there has to be a connection between the numbers and what they mean in a real world sense.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Iris Cooper. Iris is a dedicated procurement professional who has worked at the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of the Treasury and who is now the Assistant Secretary for Procurement, Contracts & Grants at North Carolina Department of Health and Human Service. All of her work is mission-connected and based on her belief that each procurement team can - and must - make a significant impact in the community they serve.
In this conversation, Iris is open about the passion and techniques she relies upon to positively impact communities through her procurement work and leadership:
Positioning the mission of procurement in the context of public sector health and human services
Ensuring that values such as community support and a service mission are evident in every member of the team
How procurement can build trust between the organizations they are a part of and the communities they serve

Ep 71: Leveraging Logistics and Supply Chain for Ukraine feat. Maureen Woolshlager

There is no end to the opportunities for mission-driven organizations to contribute their knowledge and resources to the world. In order to be successful, these organizations have to remain focused and ensure that their mission converts to action in a way that benefits those in need. 
 In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Maureen Woolshlager. Maureen is the Director of Business Development at Vector Global Logistics. She has a background in manufacturing, supply chain, and account management and is one of the hosts of Logistics with Purpose, part of the Supply Chain Now family of shows.
In this conversation, Maureen shares her perspective on Vector’s efforts to help the Ukrainian people:
How the Vector team made the decision to get involved and where the primary focus of their efforts has been
Some of the challenges they have had to overcome while working to connect global donors with carriers and recipients
Shifting the pace of their work as the conflict stretches on in an effort to make it more sustainable

Ep 70: Looking at the Business Impact of Energy Costs and Availability feat. Kris Lance

The economy has dominated news headlines for a while now, but of all the costs presenting challenges to businesses and consumers, energy is on the top of the list. Businesses and consumers are changing their spending habits in response to increasing costs, many of which end up being combined and compounded.
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 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 interview, Kris and Kelly Barner talk about the many ways energy costs and availability are affecting businesses and consumers alike:
The potential for nationwide rolling blackouts this summer, as legacy energy sources go offline before newer sources are sufficiently online, and weather conditions complicate matters
How prices at the pump are not just a pain for consumers, but potentially operationally prohibitive for freight providers
Sources of ‘mental energy’ that professionals may want to tap into if the sustained pressure of their role has them running on an empty tank

Ep 69: ‘Small Triumphs and Large Hearts’ feat. Magda Theodate, Ashley Sieb and Kris Lance

As the host of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Kelly Barner brings listeners a new guest every week. They share their stories, experiences, and expertise in a casual format - so everyone can learn from them and also to share a bit of their human side. 
Each guest goes through a pre-interview to talk about their background and pick their main topic… and then, Kelly warns them. 
Every episode ends with an exceptionally hard question that draws our correspondingly fascinating responses. Guests are presented with two options: to share their definition of a sourcing hero, or to explain what they think heroism looks like in a business context.
In this episode, Kelly shares three of the most inspiring responses she has heard in the last six months, as well as a relevant quote from author Mary Roach” 
“Heroism doesn’t always happen in a burst of glory. Sometimes small triumphs and large hearts change the course of history.”
Listen in to hear thoughts on heroism from Magda Theodate, Ashley Sieb, and Una’s own Kris Lance, and then try to answer those two questions for yourself.

Ep 68: Will supply chain challenges make this a Reese’s-free Halloween? feat. Greg White

Although everyone and their brother considers themselves a supply chain expert for being able to find toilet paper over the last two years, career supply chain professionals know that the complexity of today’s supply chains is far beyond most people’s perception. So when a news item comes out that questions the availability of Hershey’s products - Reese’s in particular - we know it makes sense to take notice, listen, and learn. 
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Greg White. Greg has decades’ worth of supply chain experience, operationally as well as from an investment perspective. You’ve likely seen and heard him on Supply Chain Now’s livestreams and webinars, and he never pulls a punch. In fact, to use his own words, Greg has “unfinished business” with the supply chain.
In this conversation, Greg reviews recent news coverage based on Hershey’s warning that Reese’s products may be in short supply this Halloween and gives us transferable lessons we can act on today:
The many ways in which labor shortages are making other systemic supply chain issues harder to recover from
The ‘slack’ that exists in all supply chains, and how the corresponding efficiency levels and profit margins are distributed
Why we should all be suspicious of people who are new to the ‘supply chain party,’ even if they are enthusiastic and seem to have ‘disruptive’ ideas

Ep 67: Considering the Current State of the Procurement Community feat. Philip Ideson

With in-person events starting back up, procurement professionals have the opportunity to ‘get back out there’ and start adding to their knowledge and networks - but are they picking up where they left off or have the last two years changed everything?
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes back Philip Ideson. Phil is the Founder and Managing Director of Art of Procurement, a procurement consulting, membership, and content company that provides CPOs and their teams the resources they need to enable company growth. He has also worked at both Procurian & Accenture and has experience across the entire Indirect and Direct procurement value chain.
In this interview, Phil shares what he has been hearing at recent in-person industry conferences and whether it provides evidence that the procurement community is staying current on the most important topics:
How conference topics, speakers, and attendees have - or have not - changed as a result of the last two years 
What procurement should be investing in and focusing on now to be prepared for the conditions we are likely to be working through six months from now
Whether the combined pressures of inflation, recession, and ESG will alter the general tone of supplier relationship efforts

Ep 66: Diversifying Procurement’s Strategies in the Face of Food Shortages feat. Kris Lance

Working in supply chain over the last couple of years has been an exercise in ‘weathering the storm.’ As the disruptions continue, and the stakes rise higher, it seems reasonable to ask whether we are truly in the midst of a perfect storm.  
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Kris Lance. Kris has experience in multiple industries, but a particular focus in healthcare and technology. We also have it on good authority that he is an “optimist with a raincoat” - something we learn more about in this conversation.  
In this interview, Kris shares his perspective on the critical situation around food supply chains, whether it is a short term price hike or a humanitarian crisis on the horizon:
The macro events currently serving as an indication that food shortages are going to be an ongoing challenge
Available strategies that companies can explore to protect themselves from disruption and protect their market share
General lessons learned from the disruptions of the last two years that procurement and supply chain professionals should consider baking into ongoing processes