The Sourcing Hero

Ep 152: Spending for Maximum Social Impact feat. Colin Downie

Is it possible to change the life of someone, and their family, and their community just by making purposeful decisions about corporate spending? Yes it is - and it doesn’t cost as much as you might think.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Colin Downie. Colin is the Sales and Partnerships Director for WildHearts Group, an organization that enables large enterprises to have a positive social impact at home and abroad through how they spend. Since they reached a fully operational state in 2010, the WildHearts Group has transformed 2 Million lives - leveraging the power of money companies were going to spend anyway.
In this interview, Colin talks about the challenges and change he has seen firsthand in poor, rural communities:
How microfinancing opens the door to entrepreneurial independence 
Ways that entrepreneurial education is being used to help break the multi-generational cycle of un/under employment in poor, rural communities 
Requirements for being able to track and report on social impact with confidence 
Links:
Colin Downie on LinkedIn

Ep 151: What You Don’t Know About Shipping Can Hurt You feat. Nick DiNatale

What could possibly be even more complicated than tax accounting? Managing your detailed shipping costs - and the carrier logic that drives them. Details change every year, and the high level information released to the media rarely reflects the nuanced information that appears on shipping invoices.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Nick DiNatale. In addition to being an accountant by training, Nick is the Founder and CEO of ShipPlug, a platform that leverages his extensive supply chain experience to streamline shipping costs and simplify related business processes.
In this interview, Nick talks about the many things shippers may not know that may be costing them in multiple ways:
Barriers preventing companies from effectively forecasting their shipping needs and costs
What shippers often don’t know about late shipments, surcharges, and labor intensity 
How a poor shipping experience could be costing your company margin - and customers
Links:
Nick DiNatale on LinkedIn

Ep 150: 2024: The Year of the Dragon? feat. Kris Lance

In Chinese culture, the dragon represents good luck, strength, and health. Given the challenges dominating this year’s headlines, all of us are probably going to need a balance of all three to make it through the year successfully. 
Every new day’s headlines remind us that no matter where we live and work, global forces can swoop in and change everything at a moment’s notice. When geopolitics is the focus, some players on the world stage have an outsized impact - none more than China.
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 conversation, Kris and Kelly talk about three major news stories related to China that all procurement and supply chain professionals should be aware of: 
China’s New Year’s statement about unification with Taiwan, and the varying levels of urgency that emerge depending on the translation you read
An ongoing trial in Hong Kong, where pro-democracy businessman Jimmy Lai is up against charges that his free speech makes him a traitor in China’s eyes
The progress (or lack thereof) that has been made towards semiconductor independence almost two years after the CHIPS Act was passed 
Links:
Kris Lance on LinkedIn
Episode 145: Looking Back and Looking Ahead with Kris Lance
Episode 142: 2023 Listener Favorites with Kris Lance
Episode 138: Procurement Out of This World with Kris Lance
Episode 134: The Complexity of Navigating the Panama Canal with Kris Lance

Ep 149: Finding a Workable Model for Zero Emissions Fleets feat. Ron Hunt

Despite the understandable enthusiasm around supply chain sustainability, there are many challenges associated with the fight to lower emissions: regulations, costs, and engineering, just to name a few. One of the challenges procurement will appreciate most, is the journey towards a workable business model that reflects today’s infrastructure reality and companies’ ability to invest.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Ron Hunt. Ron is the Director of Business Development for Forum Mobility, a company working to make it realistic for fleets to achieve their zero emissions goals without having to build capital intensive charging capabilities.
In this interview, Ron shares much of the advice he offers to carriers looking to partner with their customers as they pursue zero emissions fleets:
Issues fleet operators may run into when evaluating the transition to zero emissions vehicles 
The current supply/demand balance between carriers offering a zero emissions fleet and shippers looking for them
How regulations are driving this transition v. sustainability and ESG goals
Links:
Ron Hunt on LinkedIn

Ep 148: Optimization of Procurement in the Automotive Industry feat. Robert Čačković

Procurement professionals often talk about how they ‘fell’ into the field without a plan. And while this means procurement has a diverse range of skill sets in their ranks, it does leave many teams without a solid educational foundation like what might be found in marketing or operations.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Robert Čačković. Robert is a sourcing buyer for Bugatti Rimac, a Croatian company that develops and produces cutting-edge hypercars. He has been in procurement since college and is currently completing his MBA, with a master's thesis focused on improvements of procurement processes in the automotive industry.
In this interview, Robert talks about the positive impact of studying and working in procurement at the same time:
How he is incorporating procurement optimization into his MBA studies
Trends and top stories he is monitoring relative to the automotive supply chain
Achieving a balance between strategic suppliers and stakeholders
 
Links:
Robert Čačković on LinkedIn

Ep 147: Successful Companies Need Strong Communities feat. Erica McMannes

Supporting decisions about which suppliers to work with is one of procurement’s most critical responsibilities. But, like so many other business decisions, the ‘Why’ matters, both to the supplier being chosen and to the potential for value creation associated with that partnership.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Erica McMannes. Erica is an entrepreneur who has deep experience working to support the military community by working in the private sector as well as for the Department of Defense. In her current role as Chief People and Community Officer at Instant Teams, she connects companies with military spouses that have the talent they need.
In this conversation, Erica talks about being a ‘people person’ in a people business and creating value in and through her community:
What she thinks about the value and the process of getting certified as a woman-owned and a military spouse-owned business
How being a Chief People and Community Officer affects the way she has built and managed her team 
How a combination of creativity and communication has helped her achieve remote team leadership and absorb the impact of flexible working arrangements 
Links:
Erica McMannes on LinkedIn

Ep 146: Calling all solution enthusiasts! feat. A’Keela Johnson

Procurement is used to dealing with a whole series of stereotypes associated with the profession: bean counters… pencil sharpeners… and penny pinchers, just to name a few. Those nicknames stand in sharp contrast to the value procurement delivers on a daily basis - value that extends far beyond savings to improve the competitive position of the whole company.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Today my guest on The Sourcing Hero podcast is A’Keela Johnson. A’Keela is the Director of IT and G&A Procurement at Molson Coors, but more importantly, she is focused on strategic operations management. A’Keela is on a mission to evangelize the benefits of working in procurement to people that are already here as well as aspiring sourcing professionals.
In this conversation, A’Keela combines her personal experience with humorous stereotypes about procurement to illustrate why procurement is a great field to work in:
Why it is just as important to ‘preach to the choir’ about the joys of working in procurement as it is to try and win over new recruits
The most effective hooks for winning professionals in other disciplines over to opportunities in procurement
Why she believes delivering bad news well is a skill critical to her success
Links:
A’Keela Johnson on LinkedIn

Ep 145: Looking Back and Looking Ahead feat. Kris Lance

There are so many news stories and events contained in any one year that it can boggle the mind trying to remember them all, let alone process their combined impact. But the end of one year and the start of another is a natural time to reflect back before looking ahead to what the new year may hold.
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 conversation, Kris and Kelly talk about the trends and news stories they think were most impactful in 2023 and the ones they are already watching for 2024: 
The impact of border policies and human rights challenges on the U.S. economy and supply chain efficiency
Why 2023 was the Year of the Union and what all negotiators can learn from this year’s new agreements
Upcoming changes to digital currency and global currency standards
And the impact that another contentious presidential election cycle is bound to have on business in general and supply chains more specifically
Links:
Kris Lance on LinkedIn
Episode 142: 2023 Listener Favorites with Kris Lance
Episode 138: Procurement Out of This World with Kris Lance
Episode 134: The Complexity of Navigating the Panama Canal with Kris Lance
Episode 130: Building and Understanding Trust with Kris Lance