The Sourcing Hero

Ep 51: What’s the Trouble with the Food Supply Chain? feat. Barry Friends

For the last 2 years, supply chains have rarely not been front page news. And of all the supply chains, the food supply chain has been watched most closely. From labor shortages, to outbreaks at meat packing plants, and even the short-lived cream cheese panic of 2021, consumers now have a heightened awareness of the processes and companies required to stock grocery store shelves and restaurant storerooms.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Barry Friends. Barry is a food industry strategy professional with a background in distribution. In fact, in preparing for this interview, Barry and I figured out that we briefly overlapped at the same company in the early 2000s: Ahold USA, a large grocery retailer - and at the time commercial food service provider. Today he is a Partner and Foodservice Distribution Consultant at Pentallect. 
In this conversation, Barry Gives us a detailed understanding of what’s really going on in the food supply chain, when it started, and what changes we may need to make moving forward:
Whether COVID-19 is really the source of the disruption we see in today’s food supply chains
Why procurement professionals should be paying more attention to changes in others’ demand instead of just watching our own supply chains
The many reasons that suppliers are raising their prices - and if there is anything we can do about it

Ep 50: Being Intentional: Think, Plan, and Take Action feat. Helen Mackenzie

Procurement plays a unique role as ‘bridge’ in a company between establishing or abiding by financial controls and bringing creative solutions. Rather than being two separate ways of bringing spend under management - the logical and the creative - process discipline can actually form a solid foundation that procurement can layer creative work and ideas on top of.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Helen Mackenzie. Helen has been a friend for a long time, but in 2021 she officially became a member of the Art of Procurement team! With a background in procurement strategy and public procurement policy development, she brings a unique perspective - and a high degree of enthusiasm - to the field of procurement.
In this conversation, Helen explains what it means to be intentional about work, and how that differs from other approaches:
How is being intentional different than following a plan, getting work done, or being opportunistic?
What are the types of challenges and obstacles that arise when taking an intentional approach?
What do successful outcomes look like, including examples from real-life procurement projects Helen led with an intentional approach.

Ep 49: The Six C’s of Supplier Diversity feat. Lamont Robinson

All professionals hold different roles and positions during their career, but only the lucky few discover their passion along the way and make a difference for others as they follow their calling. Sometimes it requires the courage to turn away from safe or well-laid plans in pursuit of a new opportunity, but in the end, the journey becomes its own reward.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Lamont Robinson. Lamont is a committed leader in the supplier diversity effort, and he is currently the Director of Supplier Diversity at AmerisourceBergen, a global healthcare company. He has been widely recognized for his passion and innovative work in the supplier diversity space, and so we are thrilled to have him with us on the podcast today.
In this conversation, Lamont presents his framework for thinking through and planning out supplier diversity programs built to last:
The Six C’s: customers, competition, compliance, communities, customization, and costs - what they mean and why they are important
How procurement be a particularly effective advocate for the C’s of cost and customization, increasing diversity and the resilience of the supply chain at the same time
What procurement professionals and teams need to know about being good customers of diversity-owned companies?

Ep 48: Understanding the Supplier Side of Supplier Diversity feat. Elizabeth Blount McCormick

Procurement teams that want to increase the diversity of their supplier base may think that they have to compromise on quality and performance to do so. This could not be further from the truth. Diverse-owned businesses are (and should be expected to be) just as competitive and qualified as any other business in their industry. 
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Elizabeth Blount McCormick. Elizabeth is the President and Owner of UNIGLOBE Travel Designers, a firm that specializes in designing, coordinating, and delivering complex travel plans for individuals, groups, and corporate travel partners. UNIGLOBE Travel Designers is also a black, woman-owned business. 
In this conversation, Elizabeth enthusiastically shares her first-hand experience with today’s difficult travel conditions and what it is like to be a diverse business owner:
An overview of the current state of corporate travel and how travel managers and/or procurement teams tasked with managing travel spend should do given the current uncertainties
The investment of time and effort required to earn and maintain multiple diversity certifications and how they affect her business development efforts
What she would like buy-side companies to know about the supplier’s perspective on corporate diversity programs and how they can be improved

Ep 47: Be Like Estonia - Embracing the Advantage of Size feat. James Meads

All companies - and business leaders for that matter - have a tendency to look up for guidance and ideas. And while successful results often carry us on an upward trajectory, looking to emulate the patterns that make large enterprises like the FOrtune 500 successful may actually deny mid-market companies their greatest short-term advantage: raw, lean agility.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes James Meads. James is a career procurement professional turned consultant, who recognizes some of the disparities between procurement technology for enterprise-level companies, and the digital transformation opportunities and partners that exist for mid-market companies.
In this conversation, James talks about the impact that relative size has on what organizations can achieve and how it should influence who they partner with:
Why does most procurement technology seem to be marketed at (and designed for) large enterprises?
How should procurement team size, regardless of corporate revenue or spend, impact decisions about procurement technology?
Ways that mid-market companies on both the provider and practitioner sides of the fence can leverage the advantages of where they are NOW in their maturity journeys.

Ep 46: The Role of Creativity in Category Management feat. Gary Levitan

Everyone wants to be at the intersection of ‘right place and right time’ - procurement included. Our guest in this episode was able to hit that intersection in two ways. His company went public in a time when everyone was forced to find creative new working arrangements, and he was tasked with rebuilding their procurement organization just as ideas about category management and procurement’s relationship with the business were becoming more nuanced.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Gary Levitan. Gary is the Global Head of Procurement, Sourcing, & Supply Chain at WeWork, a flexible workspace company that went public in October. He has over 15 years experience in procurement, and during that time he has worked to ensure that various stakeholder groups within the business are able to meet or exceed their objectives through contracts and supplier relationships.
In this conversation, Gary shares his theory about the best way to build out procurement organizations through people and process:
What is it like to be a Chief Procurement Officer through a high-visibility IPO?
What does creative category management look like?
What are the potential downsides of procurement having more category expertise than their point of contact in the business?

Ep 45: Learning How to Negotiate with Confidence feat. Soheila Lunney

Although negotiating isn’t everyone’s favorite part of working in procurement, it is - and likely always will be - a critical part of the job. Despite that fact, there are enough different ways to negotiate that each individual person can find an approach, strategies, and tactics that allow them to achieve their objectives while staying true to themselves.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Soheila Lunney. Soheila has over 25 years of procurement experience involving both domestic and international activities. She has extensive experience in consulting, coaching and training, reengineering the supply management process, sourcing materials and services, reducing total cost of ownership, and negotiating complex contracts. In 2012, she and Charles Dominick published The Procurement Game Plan - and now they are working on an expanded second edition at the request of the publisher.
In this conversation, Soheila shares her passion for coaching others and helping them succeed as negotiators and fulfilled human beings:
The hardest thing for most people to learn when they are trying to become better negotiators
Whether there are actual differences between men and women in negotiation - and whether they align with the stereotypes
How to steady yourself before going into a negotiation - whether it is high stakes or not

Ep 44: Heroes Are Everywhere - And They All Have a Story to Tell

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and we need them everywhere - even at work. You may have been a hero to someone today and not even know it. Everyone of them has a story to tell and they are all worth hearing. That is the mission of The Sourcing Hero podcast, capturing and sharing epic stories of people beating the odds and rising up to make a difference through procurement. 
In this special year-end episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, host Kelly Barner looks back on the second season so far and shares some of her favorite advice, stories, and definitions of heroism. Whether you’ve listened each week, or are just discovering the podcast now, you’ll be amazed at these real life examples of corporate humanity - and impressed by the people who share them.
Some of the things you’ll hear in this episode include:
The combined takeaways from two very different conversations about building influence, including how and when you should foster it and what might get in your way
A mantra for being an effective professional and a good leader at the same time
Two standout answers to the question about heroism, one truly humbling and one a funny, positive surprise!
Bonus: Be sure to listen for some behind the scenes secrets from The Sourcing Hero interviewing and production process!