Rethinking Supply Chain

In this episode, host John Abrams meets with Clay Nicholas, Founder and CEO of Vibronyx - a supply chain analytics and services company. Although complete end-to-end visibility is not yet present in supply chain, John and Clay discuss how analytics can be utilized to drastically improve an organization's data processes, and why developing technology is improving logistics and resilience across a variety of industries.

In this all-new episode, John Abrams continues his conversation with Erik Severinghaus, EVP of Strategy and Business Development at Conexiom. John and Erik share their thoughts on the limitations of AI-based tech, which currently functions best when implemented for specific situations with clearly-defined targets. However, they also discuss the need for companies to re-evaluate their processes to determine how automation can best work for them and their own individual goals.

John Abrams meets Erik Severinghaus - EVP of Strategy and Business Development at Conexiom - in this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain. John and Erik discuss how long it will take for the supply chain to become digitized, why preparing for disruptions is becoming increasingly important, and how AI will be needed to replace the resilience that has been continually "leaned out" of companies in favor of optimizing costs.

In the latest episode of the Rethinking Supply Chain podcast, John continues his conversation with Ragvinder Rekhi, CEO of Nazar Systems. The pair discuss the potential benefits of interoperability in supply chain, and why building a system that allows for better access to shared data between companies would reduce total costs for everyone involved.

In Rethinking Supply Chain's first episode for 2022, host John Abrams meets with supply chain veteran Ragvinder Rekhi, CEO of Nazar Systems - a SaaS Platform specializing in food traceability systems. Ragvinder shares what motivated him to start Nazar, and the pair discuss the state of supply chain digitization in 2022 as well as why it is necessary to connect data between companies and stakeholders.

In this episode, host John Abrams continues to discuss the significance of collaboration in supply chain with Steve Shebuski, VP of Digital Strategy at Blue Horseshoe. John and Steve examine the importance of digital transformation in companies along with "automating the normal" - allowing humans to better manage exceptions and respond to disruptions. Connecting shared data ecosystems also offers more information accessibility and improved networks between brands, partners, and consumers.

In this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, Venzee CEO and host John Abrams meets with Steve Shebuski, VP of Digital Strategy at Blue Horseshoe - a cloud enterprise and supply chain solutions firm. John and Steve discuss the implications of cloud-based technologies and connectivity networks, which allow for greater collaboration between partners and vendors - along with increased access to information and visibility in digital supply chains.

In this episode, host John Abrams continues his discussion with guest Dr. Nick Vyas, Executive Director of the USC Marshall Center for Global Supply Chain Management. John and Nick examine why digitization is needed to keep up with the rapid pace of transformation occurring in the supply chain ecosystem, and they consider how AI and other technological innovation will be utilized to improve end-to-end efficiency throughout the global supply chain.

In this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, Venzee CEO and host John Abrams talks with Dr. Nick Vyas, Executive Director of the USC Marshall Center for Global Supply Chain Management. John and Nick discuss the significance of education in supply chain as well as the importance for brands and policy makers to build competent supply chains, especially during the post-COVID era.

In this episode, host John Abrams continues his conversation with Sunny Han, Founder & CEO of Fulcrum. John and Sunny share their thoughts on "legacy tech" still being used in the industry today, why companies are looking for disruption in this space, and how innovative supply chain technology will be developed in favor of system connectivity and real-time data accessibility similar to that of the internet.

In this all-new episode, host John Abrams converses with Sunny Han - Founder & CEO of Fulcrum, a SaaS platform that allows manufacturers to improve efficiency through workflow optimization and automated data collection. John and Sunny discuss the issues with "legacy solutions" in supply chain that many brands continue to use today, and consider how the industry may continue to evolve with the implementation of smarter and more intuitive technology.

Host John Abrams and Venzee Sr. Director of Integrations Chad Kaczmarek continue to discuss the 3 waves of product data innovation in this latest episode of Rethinking Supply Chain. They consider the challenges and limitations around the 2nd wave with standards and consensus-based product attributes, and they discuss why the emergence of a modern 3rd wave is more adept at dealing with the digital aisle and ways consumers purchase today.

In this episode, host John Abrams examines the three distinct waves of supply chain innovation with Venzee Sr. Director of Integrations Chad Kaczmarek. John and Chad assess the intricacies of product data and consider how the first two waves led to the development of the modern "Endless Aisle" in today's digital supply chain.

The discussion regarding risk in supply chain continues with John Abrams of Venzee and Phil Renaud, Executive Director of the Risk Institute at The Ohio State University. John and Phil further examine the Risk Institute's SCRAM framework and how organizations can utilize it to accurately assess their potential vulnerabilities to better prepare for future risks.

In the latest episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, host John Abrams invites Phil Renaud, Executive Director of the Risk Institute at Ohio State University, back on to discuss resiliency in supply chain. They examine the long-term impacts of COVID-19, consider how businesses should respond to cyber attacks, and discuss the Risk Institute's newly-developed framework for assessing supply chain resilience.

John Abrams continues his conversation with Rob Dunkel, Founder and CEO of 3PM Solutions, in this latest episode of Rethinking Supply Chain. John and Rob discuss the growing significance of the infinite "digital aisle" for retailers, and how companies are utilizing AI and machine learning to gain further insights on how to optimize their ecommerce.

In episode 63 of Rethinking Supply Chain, host John Abrams invites Rob Dunkel, Founder and CEO of 3PM Solutions, to share his experience with product listings and how his company analyzes this digital content across a variety of retailers. John also explains how modern innovations in supply chain will allow for the utilization of limitless product data, and why this will transform ecommerce for retailers and consumers.

In this episode, John Abrams discusses the future of 3D-printing with Sean Copeland, Founder of BOEX. John and Sean consider how the digital attributes of a product will allow for an increasing amount of goods to be created by on-site printers in coming years. They examine the potential impacts of this on shipping and retail, as well as how businesses may need to prepare for this fundamental change in supply chain.

In this episode, Venzee CEO John Abrams considers the differences between physical and digital supply chains with BOEX Founder Sean Copeland. They discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has escalated the importance of digital supply chain advancements, as well as the implications of the physical supply chain's slower development.

In the latest episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, host John Abrams continues his discussion with Dr. John Sviokla, Harvard Business School expert and recently-appointed board member of Venzee Technologies. They examine the value that was created when physical container shipping was first implemented, and consider the benefits to the digital supply chain with better expression of additional product attributes for consumers.

In this latest episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, host John Abrams considers if we are ready for the transformative effects of network-based supply chains with Dr. John Sviokla, former PwC CMO and recognized Harvard Business School expert in digital applications. They discuss what the information value chain is and how network supply chains can allow for instantaneous interactivity between manufacturers, retailers, and consumers.

The discussion around going public continues with host John Abrams of Venzee and George Khalife, VP of Midwest U.S. capital formation at the Toronto Stock Exchange. John and George examine the engagement of similar early-stage tech companies with the Venture Exchange, as well as the continuation of investment opportunities with companies involved in the digital supply chain space.

In this episode, Venzee CEO John Abrams considers his experience having Venzee publicly listed with George Khalife, the VP of capital formation at the Toronto Stock Exchange. They discuss what the TSX Venture Exchange is and how it can help early-stage companies in the U.S. expand their operations.

The conversation around content syndication continues in this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain with John Abrams and Venzee COO Peter Montross. They discuss the current difficulty in communicating digitally with retailers, as well as recent innovations aimed at streamlining the transmission of product content.

In this episode, John Abrams discusses the evolution of the digital supply chain with Venzee COO Peter Montross. They examine how manufacturers submit product information to retailers, how product standards have changed, and why more robust product information will be needed in the future.

In this episode, John Abrams continues his conversation with Marco Sylvestre, Venzee’s Co-Founder and VP Product Development. They discuss Venzee's recent 2.11 platform update and its focus on simplification, as well as the significance of automation in supply chain to better engage consumers and prevent disruptions.

In episode 53 of Rethinking Supply Chain, Venzee CEO John Abrams discusses the history of Venzee Technologies with Venzee Co-Founder and VP Product Development Marco Sylvestre. They consider how the idea for the company originated due to a lack of product standards, and examine the need for data connectivity between consumer brands and retailers.

In episode 52 of Rethinking Supply Chain, Venzee CEO John Abrams continues his conversation with Chad Kaczmarek, Venzee’s Sr. Director of Integrations. They discuss Venzee's newly-released Syndication Solutions store and consider how it may revolutionize the way in which brands obtain connections to retail outlets and selling channels.

In this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, Venzee CEO John Abrams discusses the history and meaning of the term “syndication” in relation to product content with Chad Kaczmarek, Venzee’s Sr. Director of Integrations.

The discussion around sustainability in supply chain continues in this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain podcast with host John Abrams of Venzee and Diana Chen. John and Diana turn the tables on supply chain and evaluate the impact of consumer behavior on sustainability goals.It’s easy to vilify corporations for their inattention to eco-friendly or green initiatives. As consumers, we often use commitment to sustainability as a key factor in making buying decisions. However, these large organizations exist for one primary purpose: to deliver goods to us, the consumers.These corporations can optimize sustainability in their efforts to get product to us, but when it’s time to return a product, consumers have very little control over the shipping process beyond dropping a box off at a shipping point.Listen now to learn more about how manufacturers can help consumers out by providing better, more accurate product information from the beginning, and hear Diana’s take on what happens when what’s on the website doesn’t quite match what’s in the box.Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you in the next episode.

Sustainability, going green, managing our carbon footprint--all of these concepts are highly influential not only in how consumers make buying decisions, but how they live their daily lives. In the latest episode of Rethinking Supply Chain podcast, host John Abrams of Venzee and Diana Chen discuss some of the unexpected ways companies reckon with sustainability in their supply chains.After a brief discussion about vaccine distribution, John and Diana explore all the factors that can contribute to sustainability efforts in supply chain--emissions, raw materials, fuel costs, distribution of product, and more. Consumers tend to focus on ethically sourced raw materials and fair trade standards when making determinations about sustainability, but there are other factors in play.John shares a unique example about how climate change is impacting the way companies warehouse goods and forcing them to consider alternative energy sources to heat and cool warehouses. He also reminds us that while supply chains are generally optimized for goods from manufacturer to consumer, the process of returning purchased goods is wildly inefficient in comparison.Listen now to hear John’s perspective on why a big part of sustainability is simply giving consumers enough information to make the right purchase the first time.Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you in the next episode.

There is no doubt that blockchain is here to stay. In this latest episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, host John Abrams, CEO of Venzee, and Diana Chen continue the conversation about blockchain in supply chain. The discussion began back in Episode 23 featuring guest Sean Copeland, founder of Boex.In this episode, Diana notes that there are some out there who believe blockchain is overrated and won’t live up to the hype when it comes to deploying this technology in supply chain.John disagrees with this notion for several reasons. First, as of today, blockchain has a very narrow use case in supply chain. Blockchain has an abundance of potential, but we’re still very early in the process of developing tools to leverage it effectively.Why is it important to not underestimate the power of blockchain? Many technologies that have foundational elements to them are difficult to imagine at scale. John remembers how back in 1990, HTML was in its early stages of testing and development. At that time, it was difficult for many to see how this type of technology could be applicable in a range of circumstances.Given that we still have websites today, clearly the hype was not misplaced. The same can potentially be expected of blockchain. It’s still new, and still difficult to imagine how it could potentially impact all types of companies, jobs, and processes.Listen to this new episode to hear more about how groundbreaking technologies can transform over the years into something we all know and use every day, and for John’s predictions for how blockchain might begin to take hold in supply chain strategy.Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you in the next episode.

In this latest episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, host John Abrams, CEO of Venzee, and Diana Chen look forward by looking back. They revisit podcast Episode 23 (featuring guest Sean Copeland, founder of Boex) and discuss how blockchain technologies can benefit the supply chain.John takes a few minutes to review the nature of online transactions historically - for many years, nearly everything could be audited and traced. Every device on the internet has an identifier. You can even track web traffic in your own home with the right software.In terms of supply chain, John discusses how virtually all of global trade today is based on the possession of physical things. Companies are responsible for items they possess, such as when those items are on company-owned trucks or stored in a company’s warehouse.Blockchain technology has the potential to change the way supply chain and logistics practitioners use this type of data by providing visibility to the movement of a product beyond physical barriers.Listen now to learn more about how blockchain can be a disruptive force in supply chain, and why it’s so different from the physical supply chain as we know it today.Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you in the next episode.

In this new episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, John Abrams, CEO of Venzee, and Diana Chen take a look back at some key takeaways from Episode 35 featuring guest Phil Renaud, Executive Director of the Risk Institute at The Ohio State University.As Phil shared in that episode, nobody really builds a “just in case” or secondary supply chain. It seems reasonable if not obvious that organizations should have a backup supply chain, but how does that look in reality?John agrees. He and Diana discuss the myriad of reasons why a “just in case” supply chain never really works. When existing relationships with vendors or service providers suddenly become unavailable, it’s nearly impossible to simply pick another vendor and keep things moving.This hasn’t stopped supply chain and logistics teams from dreaming up secondary supply chains for the benefit of executives who want them, but unless those paths are routinely exercised and active, they will fall short in the event of a major disruption (much like we’ve seen with COVID-19).Listen to this new episode to learn new strategies for building flexibility and resiliency into the supply chain. Some are easy enough for you to implement today, such as using multiple vendors for similar tasks.

How probable is the improbable? How unforeseen is the unforeseen?In the midst of a global pandemic, it’s easy to assume we never saw this coming. In fact, many of us didn’t… but those of us in supply chain did. In the latest episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, John Abrams, CEO of Venzee, and Diana Chen discuss how different organizations plan for the unexpected.The problem isn’t a lack of planning. Rather, John believes, the problem is that plans don’t necessarily incorporate the level of resiliency and flexibility required to cope with even the most fundamental challenges.For example, many organizations made the massive switch to work-from-home relatively smoothly. Others were suddenly faced with what to do about desktop computers that couldn’t be moved, missing contact information for key employees, and even access to documents or files that were only available on company networks.Listen to this episode to learn the difference between planning for the unlikely vs. the absurd, how John’s experience at the Chicago Herald changed his expectations for “disaster planning,” and why companies should address flexibility in their internal operations first.

If you ask the experts, they’d say the holy grail of supply chain is visibility into the inner workings of the supply chain at all stages. Imagine, hypothetically, if a box could make it from manufacturer to consumer with just one barcode.Unfortunately, we’re not quite there yet. In this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, John Abrams, CEO of Venzee and Diana Chen continue unpacking the challenges associated with digitizing the supply chain.John identifies common ways entities at varying stages of the supply chain work to optimize their own processes. For example, a simple barcoding system might transform the operations of a singular warehouse, but if that data doesn’t factor in what happens to that product before it arrives and after it leaves, we’re missing huge opportunities to create more efficient logistics systems and better experiences for the end consumer.There is no quick fix, but John assures us we’re in the exciting early stages of what will be a rapid transformation. Listen now to hear John’s recommendations on how companies can take small steps toward digitization and work toward better business outcomes.

It’s been nearly a year since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. What have we learned about supply chain so far?In this episode, John Abrams, CEO of Venzee, and Diana Chen take a minute to reflect on what the global pandemic has taught us about supply chain management in unprecedented circumstances. John discusses how even backup plans for worst-case scenarios may have accounted for weeks-long disruptions, but year-long? Unimaginable.John and Diana also continue their conversation on digital vs. physical supply chains. John addresses the deep fragmentation that exists within the supply chain as a result of individual entities optimizing their own footprint without full visibility into the end-to-end process.Listen now to hear how end-to-end digitization in the supply chain can help reduce losses from unexpected downtime and what the future of a digital supply chain might look like.

In nearly any industry vertical, digital transformation is inevitable. Previous episodes of Rethinking Supply Chain have featured guests who share one common recommendation: new technologies can’t just make one person’s job easier. To be successful, those technologies must support better processes that align with the business’s strategic goals.In this episode, John Abrams, CEO of Venzee, and Diana Chen continue their discussion of how organizations can derive the most value from implementing digital solutions to age-old supply chain problems.John identifies the need for a massive paradigm shift in the way supply chain leaders and doers think about common challenges. For example, companies shouldn’t just take losses from product recalls for granted. There are technological solutions that can help mitigate those costs and improve the customer experience.Listen now to find out why digitization isn’t really about moving the stuff (or taking it back!). It’s about how streamlining other functions like marketing and communications can better support supply chain disruptions.

Supply chain challenges and innovations have never been more relevant to our daily lives. In this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, Venzee CEO, John Abrams, and Diana Chen discuss the supply chain from a different angle--history.Consider this piece of trivia: Why is Chicago such an important logistics hub?John provides the answer--railroads. As a rail hub, Chicago didn’t only provide an important home to early catalog retail giants like Sears. It also spurred the growth of adjacent industries like photography studios and printing presses.Listen to this episode to take a closer look at why some industries tend to cluster in certain geographic areas and how those clusters can affect how organizations attract and retain talent.

In this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, Venzee CEO, John Abrams, and Diana Chen continue their conversation about what can be changed when it comes to improving the supply chain. Rather than just thinking about what could change, John and Diana give business leaders some practical, applicable advice.Diana recalls the example of a large company still using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets manually to communicate product data to distributors and retailers. John explains the inefficiencies associated with such a system and then dives deeper into how the entire selling process goes on. Once a seller receives their barcode, any product on sale should be able to be digitized, but we still don’t see it going on. Finally, John goes through what the ideal process could be today. Manufacturers should still meet face to face with their customers, but the next step in the process should be digitized. Once quantities and prices are determined, the paper processes should take the back seat to technology. Information should be held in master data management systems so product information is organized efficiently.

 In this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, guest Greg White of Supply Chain Now and Kubera Venture Capital returns to discuss the changing nature of supply chain technologies with John Abrams, CEO of Venzee, and Diana Chen.Greg begins by addressing the misconception that most aspects of the supply chain are already digitized and identifies key areas where even small-scale disruptions in manual efforts (such as labor strikes or work-from-home orders) can impact processes far down the road.Greg and John identify a common mistake organizations make in their digitization efforts--they digitize in silos. They implement various software platforms at different stages of the supply chain, and often these platforms don’t integrate. There is no visibility between stages of transport.Why is this important? Greg believes that the supply chain isn’t just about moving product. It’s a vehicle for communication. It’s how companies build brand equity, satisfy consumer demand, and deliver a positive customer experience whether it’s buying, repairing, or returning. Without digital integration and transparency between each step, companies can miss out on delivering even more value for the consumer.[Follow on Social] Listeners can connect with Greg on LinkedIn.What to do next:Discover more resources including podcasts and webinars by visiting SupplyChainNow.com or follow SCN on social to keep updated on new episodes and content: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedInLearn more about Kubera Venture Capital, Greg’s VC firm, by visiting Kubera.vcLearn more about Venzee, John Abram’s organization, by visiting Venzee.comTurn yourself into a thought leader with Content AlliesSubscribe to this podcast:Don’t forget to subscribe to Rethinking Supply Chain on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you in the next episode.

Is there really a technological silver bullet that can help you solve all of your supply chain problems? In this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, guest Greg White joins hosts John Abrams, CEO of Venzee, and Diana Chen to discuss the past, present, and future of supply chain tech. Greg is Principal and Host for Supply Chain Now podcast, as well as a Venture Partner for Kubera Venture Capital.As a result of the global pandemic, supply chain challenges and innovations are making headlines around the world. Greg explores this new phenomenon by first reflecting on his early career investing in supply chain technologies and how his perspective has evolved over the years. As an investor, he built his early career looking for the “next big thing,” only to realize that few new technologies will have that level of impact. Why?Greg advises that the strategic goals of the business are key to choosing the right technologies. Supply chain is far more than moving something from Point A to Point B. It’s a critical facet of brand identity, customer experience, and organizational values such as sustainability and fair trade. Can organizations accomplish all this with just one platform? Listen now to find out.[Follow on Social] Listeners can connect with Greg on LinkedIn.What to do next:Discover more resources including podcasts and webinars by visiting SupplyChainNow.com or follow SCN on social to keep updated on new episodes and content: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedInLearn more about Kubera Venture Capital, Greg’s VC firm, by visiting Kubera.vcLearn more about Venzee, John Abram’s organization, by visiting Venzee.comTurn yourself into a thought leader with Content AlliesSubscribe to this podcast:Don’t forget to subscribe to Rethinking Supply Chain on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you in the next episode.

In this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, Venzee CEO, John Abrams, catches up with Diana Chen to get into some topics that were mentioned in previous guest episodes. They begin the conversation by looking back at swarm robotics and dark factories.John explains the basics of physical supply chain logistics, beginning in the warehouse. He describes cross-docks and how pallets get broken down for distribution. Traditionally, pickers scan deliveries in the cross-docks and then take them to the truck that will continue the supply chain. With swarm robotics and dark factories, the entire process can be automated, allowing for continuous turnover at lower energy levels and less cost to human capital.John and Diana then shift the conversation by reviewing some previous episodes. John noticed that some younger guests from previous episodes were surprised at how low-tech most of today’s supply chain models still are. He shares some anecdotal evidence of the simple models that are still being used despite the technology available today.

In this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, Venzee CEO, John Abrams, and Diana Chen delve more deeply into the future of supply chain management. In a previous episode, John expressed his frustration with how the supply chain is still operating as it has for the past five decades, and this episode counters that bleakness with a more positive outlook on where he thinks things are heading.John introduces a group called the Futurists that leans into supply chain management and consults companies to help them integrate the Internet of Things (IoT) into their operations. The Futurists are explaining how IoT allows automation across all links in the supply chain, improving efficiency. People studying the future of supply chain management are focusing their research on demand patterns, QR codes, dark factories, radio frequency identification (RFID), swarm robotics, and real time transportation visibility. John gets into some of the details of dark factories -- factories that are machine-based that don’t need lighting. He explains how factories operating with automation can better operate at their ideal capacity based on demand patterns.John ends on a high note with an optimistic feeling of hope that working culture in the United States will embrace the new trends in supply chain logistics. While the U.S. labor culture is somewhat behind other countries when it comes to supply chain automation, there are people who are working to change attitudes and increase efficiency at home. 

In this episode of the Rethinking Supply Chain podcast, Venzee CEO, John Abrams reconnects with Phil Renaud, Executive Director of The Risk Institute at the Ohio State University Fisher College of Business, to continue their conversation about supply chain resilience.John starts the episode by bringing up three points that stood out to him while participating in a global conference that Phil’s organization hosted. First, resilience matters, second we’re generally lacking when it comes to planning for low-probability events, and third, nobody builds ‘just-in-case’ supply chains.In most cases, companies outsource portions of the supply chain, and generally, it is to a single service provider. In this conversation, John asks Phil about how to develop the ‘just-in-case’ contingency plans to stay ahead of the game.Phil shares his experience working in retail to provide some ways in which supply chain stakeholders can plan for one-off disruptions. He describes some of the difficult conversations that executives may need to have when it comes to discussing the fragility of supply chain networks. Although the cost has gone down, companies tend to rely on a single distributor, and that model may need to change as unique disruptions continue to occur.Contact Phil and The Ohio State University Risk Institute at http://fisher.osu.edu/risk.

In this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, Venzee CEO, John Abrams, welcomes Phil Renaud, Executive Director of The Risk Institute at the Ohio State University Fisher College of Business, to discuss supply chain resilience.John opens the discussion by referencing a conference that Phil organized and John attended that was focused on the topic of risk. Planned before the pandemic’s effects on the supply chain, the only real change to the conference speakers’ content was to introduce Covid-19 as a geopolitical risk.They then shift the conversation to the future of how they will handle risk management. Phil suggests that low-probability risk will remain a factor when it comes to global distribution planning. He also discusses how organizations should structure themselves to remain resilient in the face of adversity, rather than planning for low-probability risks.John and Phil wrap up their conversation by talking about how to prepare both business and political leaders to face continued risk. Phil’s experience at DHL taught him that embracing risk and putting it on the table at the highest organizational levels can be positive. Engaging top leadership in conversation surrounding risk will lead to ongoing resilience.Contact Phil and The Ohio State University Risk Institute at http://fisher.osu.edu/risk.

In this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, Venzee CEO, John Abrams, hosts Scott Luton, Founder & CEO at Supply Chain Now, to follow up on their previous discussion regarding supply chain resilience.In their last discussion, Scott talked about supply chain fragility, which led John to muse over the importance of flexibility and resilience in supply chain. Flexibility is the key to remaining salient in the face of crisis. However, given today’s environment, flexibility isn’t enough. It needs to be fast, intelligent flexibility. The good news is that digitization is already making this a reality for many organizations. John and Scott then get into the details of end-to-end supply chain visibility. Today, there is no way to provide product data directly to the consumer, and the only way to make that possible is to make the entire supply chain digital. Scott gives some insight into the intersection of artificial intelligence and supply chain visibility and how technologies like sensors and blockchain are improving visibility.The pandemic has proven to be an opportunity for supply chain management industry players to ask why there were failures. While they don’t necessarily need to plan for the next pandemic, we need to plan to make the supply chain itself more resilient. John and Scott remain optimistic that the supply chain will improve due to the lessons learned from a global difficult situation.

In this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, Venzee CEO, John Abrams, hosts Scott Luton, Founder & CEO at Supply Chain Now. John got connected with Scott after listening to one of his podcast episodes that dove into the physical and automated aspects of supply chain.Scott got into discovering supply chain management when he completed his service with the United States Air Force. He loved the team mentality integral to end to end manufacturing, which led him to a full career in logistics operations. The pair discuss how every executive is a supply chain manager in this day and age. Keeping track of the last touch when it comes to getting goods to consumers is key. People remain a huge component of the logistics equation, but now they have a different role. If people are willing to adapt and embrace technology, they can be key players in the supply chain.Scott explains how we are all part of the supply chain. People are gaining a deeper understanding of logistics, greatly due to the increase in e-commerce and the exposure of weak spots from a global crisis.

In this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, Venzee CEO, John Abrams, and Diana Chen welcome back Johan Boström, Co-founder & Chief Product Officer at inRiver PIM. They delve into branding and how future generations of consumers will affect change in retailers’ marketing strategies.Johan hails from Sweden, a content management hub, and now operates out of Chicago, a North American logistics hub, both physically and digitally. While inRiver’s offices established themselves in Chicago due to the availability of a transportation facility, the choice was a pleasant surprise for Johan as he discovered the concentration of supply chain talent in the city and in the larger region. Johan explains how inRiver developed its digital localization strategy to meet the needs of both Nordic countries’ companies and European companies overall given their need to engage with external markets due to a lack of internal population and demand. Finally, John and Johan talk about how people who work on digital content for products can excite others in the supply chain industry and how to rethink manufacturing across the entire process. Get in touch with Johan by sending an e-mail to hello@inriver.com, or simply visit his company’s website, www.inriver.com.

In this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, Venzee CEO, John Abrams, and Diana Chen host Johan Boström, Co-founder & Chief Product Officer at inRiver PIM. The conversation kicks off with a discussion of supply chain resilience in the face of external stressors. COVID-19 has highlighted the weaknesses in the supply chain, providing an opportunity to improve.Johan began his journey in digital product information working with Nordic giants Nokia and Erikkson by creating a PIM (product information management) company before the acronym was even industry standard. Although PIMs are gaining traction as manufacturers become aware of the savings associated with data communication, John is still surprised at the small market share that companies like his are taking on.So why haven’t supply chain networks adopted more technology? Pain points remain, and investment is increasing. The pandemic has highlighted what industry veterans have always known. John and Johan get into the details of how tech-based network solutions can improve supply chain efficiency and drive revenue faster for suppliers.Get in touch with Johan by sending an e-mail to hello@inriver.com, or simply visit his company’s website, www.inriver.com.

In this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, Venzee CEO, John Abrams, and Diana Chen host Sarah Kirmis, formerly a member of the Venzee operations team and now working at AWS, and Matt Blattman, Marketing Intern at Venzee. John begins the panel discussion by inquiring into Sarah’s experience so far at Amazon. As an employee of Amazon Web Services, Sarah works as a professional services consultant to help enterprise customers develop cloud computing solutions. As a partner of AWS, Venzee is able to infinitely scale massive amounts of data through the use of cloud computing.They then shift to how much innovation is required for manufacturing giants. While large companies can afford to drag their feet when it comes to innovation in the short term, that model won’t be sustainable in the long run. Data needs to be at the core of every business to remain competitive.