The Source Refresh Podcast

EPISODE DESCRIPTION  In this interview, I chat with Jason Roberts of Kaleida to talk about two subjects - supplier diversity, and building a marketplace solution. Kaleida is a fully inclusive B2B marketplace connecting buyers with suppliers and diverse suppliers. From my research, it seems to be a first-of-its-kind solution that helps further the cause of supplier diversity, which is what prompted me to invite Jason on the show.  SHOW NOTES  Jason talks to us about what made him launch Kaleida and reiterates his objective to help level the playing field for anyone else who has experienced implicit biases. We talk about why supplier diversity is not really "woke", and in fact is just helping close a 4% gap in opportunities.  We then dive into the mechanics of building a marketplace.  What comes first - Buyers or suppliers? Should a marketplace charge for transactions?  Do you make every user on the buy-side and sell-side pay into it? Jason shares rich insight that every marketplace enthusiast must hear.  Connect with Jason on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlrob/ and check out Kaleida to learn more about how it works. https://www.kaleida.co/   CALL TO ACTION  Thank you for listening! Leave us a rating on Apple Podcast or Spotify.  Follow me on Linkedin at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandhrika/  Sharing is caring! Spread the word about this show to your network  Email me at chandhrika@source-refresh.com if you would like to be a guest on my show 

EPISODE DESCRIPTION  In this interview, Tyler Douglas of String and I sit down to talk about how automation rules used by shipping software like ShipStation end up costing small businesses more because the rules are not dynamic. The rules don't account for variable factors like rate changes in peak season. And this can cost your small business a pretty penny.  SHOW NOTES  Tyler walks us through the e-commerce shipping leg of the supply chain. We learn of how businesses typically select the package and carrier, how they obtain their shipping labels, and what works and does not work with software like ShipStation, ShipHero, Shippo, and EasyShip to name a few.  Tyler details what makes String a perfect optimization tool that can help you get it right every single time, because it not only shops for the best rates, it also optimizes your package size. Those are the two key variables that impact shipping costs. And what's better, with String's business model, you only pay for result delivery. Connect with Tyler Douglas on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-douglas-7702b8133/ and check out the String website to learn more about how it works. https://www.meetstring.com/ CALL TO ACTION  Thank you for listening! Leave us a rating on Apple Podcast or Spotify.  Follow me on Linkedin at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandhrika/  Sharing is caring! Spread the word about this show to your network  Email me at chandhrika@source-refresh.com if you would like to be a guest on my show   

EPISODE DESCRIPTION  I stumbled upon Sackcloth & Ashes while hunting for Oregon-made gifts for a friend. We've not explored the apparel supply chain in our show yet and so I reached out to Jordan Tardie, erstwhile COO of this 9-year old business that sells handmade, sustainable blankets. In addition to sustainability in their sourcing process, they also have a noble goal of donating 1,000,000 blankets to homeless shelters by 2024.    SHOW NOTES  Jordan details the apparel supply chain from overseas fiber sourcing to finished product distribution and sales in the US. We talk about the specific challenges with sustainable fiber sourcing in terms of availability and color composition. Jordan helps us understand overseas freight challenges along with its implications on inventory management and stock outs. We wrap up with an as yet unsolved challenge, and would love for our listeners to reach out to Jordan if you have a solve.  Connect with Jordan Tardie on LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordantardie/ and check out their awesome product line of blankets (ideal for winter gifting!)  https://sackclothandashes.com/ CALL TO ACTION  Thank you for listening! Leave us a rating on Apple Podcast or Spotify.  Follow me on Linkedin at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandhrika/  Sharing is caring! Spread the word about this show to your network  Email me at chandhrika@source-refresh.com if you would like to be a guest on my show   

EPISODE DESCRIPTION  Mark Samuel is a man of few words over email, but on the podcast, he tells it all as it is. Mark Samuel is the founder of IWON Organics, a health enthusiast who is known for inspiring his LinkedIn community to show up for their Saturday workouts. Mark recently launched a passion project with the Feel Good Cold Plunge in just 4 months from idea to launch. I was curious about how he handled his supply chain from figuring out demand, identifying the right manufacturing partner, to validating product quality, to shipping it in, and distributing it within the US.  SHOW NOTES  We kick off the interview with learning a bit more about Mark the serial entrepreneur. The rest of the interview is devoted to Feel Good Cold Plunge, starting with an audacious timeline of 4 months from concept to commerce. Mark outlines in detail the steps he took to research the market, identify partners be it manufacturing, freight forwarders or 3 PLs. Leveraging existing networks and understanding basic commerce are things he hammers home, which should be encouraging for any aspiring entrepreneur - it really boils down to a lot of common sense.  Follow Mark Samuel on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/markalansamuel/  and check out Feel Good Cold Plunge here - https://www.linkedin.com/company/feel-good-cold-plunge/ CALL TO ACTION  Thank you for listening! Leave us a rating on Apple Podcast or Spotify.  Follow me on Linkedin at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandhrika/  Sharing is caring! Spread the word about this show to your network  Email me at chandhrika@source-refresh.com if you would like to be a guest on my show   

EPISODE DESCRIPTION  Tom Mills has a reputation that precedes him - a reputation for persistently driving change in the Procurement landscape through his Substack newsletter and his entertaining yet thought-provoking LinkedIn posts. In this interview we cover Tom's unique Procurement journey through Direct and Indirect procurement, the skills he values in Procurement pros, and his advice to small businesses who think they lack leverage.  SHOW NOTES  We start the interview with how small businesses vary from large ones when it comes to Procurement. We talk about the financial losses for under-funded Procurement teams. Tom shares a real-life example on how he is cementing a place for Procurement in a small business setting. We then cover negotiations as a small player, again hearing a real-life example from his current role. If you are the owner of a small business, or you are a Procurement team member at a small business, you will want to listen to this interview.  Find and follow Tom on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-mills-procurement/ Subscribe to his Substack here - https://procurementprotagonist.substack.com/ CALL TO ACTION  Thank you for listening! Leave us a rating on Apple Podcast or Spotify.  Follow me on Linkedin at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandhrika/  Sharing is caring! Spread the word about this show to your network  Email me at chandhrika@source-refresh.com if you would like to be a guest on my show   

EPISODE DESCRIPTION  Vish Puttagunta, CEO of Power Central, is an entrepreneur who has combined his first-hand experience in food packaging with his tech expertise to address multiple pain points - lot traceability for food safety certification, cost per pack metrics, inventory management and production planning - all with one cost-effective ERP solve!  SHOW NOTES  In this interview Vish walks us through how he discovered these challenges through his own food packaging business. We talk about how Power Central differs from other ERPs like NetSuite. [hint: It's all in mobile apps and user experience] We also learn of Power Central's 12-16 week hands-on implementation timeline that ensures a high degree of user adoption. And, it doesn't stop there - these guys have a robust hyper-care plan too!  This episode will resonate most with co-packers or manufacturers with annual revenues of $5M - $100M, that are playing in the biggish leagues.  Give Vish a follow on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vishputtagunta/ Check out Power Central - https://thepowercentral.com/ CALL TO ACTION  Thank you for listening! Leave us a rating on Apple Podcast or Spotify.  Follow me on Linkedin at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandhrika/  Sharing is caring! Spread the word about this show to your network  Email me at chandhrika@source-refresh.com if you would like to be a guest on my show   

EPISODE DESCRIPTION  My guest in this episode is Will Nitze, founder and CEO of IQBar. IQBar has three product lines - plant protein bars, hydration mixes, and instant coffee, all formulated with functional ingredients designed to promote cognitive performance.     Will shares his experiences using 3PLs, co-manufacturers, along with a refreshing perspective on whether it is acceptable to task small businesses with environmental sustainability goals.  SHOW NOTES  I wanted to see first-hand how IQ Bar delivers on its supply chain, and in preparation for this interview, I purchased a sampler pack. Not only did it arrive within 2 days and is now my go-to healthy snack, I was impressed with the kitting and the USPS postal delivery which hinted at efficiency.  So, of course, we dive right into 3PL (Third Party Logistics) and IQ Bar's experiences using a third-party service provider. A 3 PL provider typically provides distribution, storage, kitting, transportation, and order fulfillment services to customers. You'd think that's how IQ Bar delivers excellence, but Will shares the full story behind-the-scenes.  We also talk about  co-manufacturing and Will details the different options brands have when working with co-manufacturers. Best practices, negotiations, demand planning - there's a bit of everything in this conversation.  We wrap up with Will's contrarian take on sustainability, and I urge you to listen and think - and it may just make you feel a bit better too about your own role in this massive undertaking.  Check out Will Nitze on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-nitze/ And absolutely try some of his bars - https://www.eatiqbar.com/ CALL TO ACTION  Thank you for listening! Leave us a rating and feedback, please!  Follow me on Linkedin at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandhrika/  Sharing is caring! Spread the word about this show to your network  Email me at chandhrika@source-refresh.com if you would like to be a guest on my show   

EPISODE DESCRIPTION  My guest in this episode is David Downing, co-founder and CEO of ChipMonk Baking. ChipMonk Baking makes low carb, low glycemic index desserts in their own manufacturing facility in Texas. They recently opened up their facility to co-packing for other brands.  In this interview we talk about how there is more to the Make vs. Buy decision than just financials, and how ChipMonk made the decision to start co-packing.  SHOW NOTES  The interview opens with international sourcing and challenges around the unique ingredients that ChipMonk Baking uses. We cover how David made his Make vs. Buy decision when they opted to self-manufacture. David highlights how having their own facility has made a difference to ChipMonk's innovation.  Learn all about David and ChipMonk Baking at https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-downing-16784023/ and https://chipmonkbaking.com/ CALL TO ACTION  Thank you for listening! Leave us a rating and feedback, please!  Follow me on Linkedin at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandhrika/  Sharing is caring! Spread the word about this show to your network  Email me at chandhrika@source-refresh.com if you would like to be a guest on my show   

EPISODE DESCRIPTION  My guest in this episode is Shawn Berg, a highly experienced retail broker and advisor who has brought hundreds of brands to traditional retail shelves. Shawn is the founder of SMB Sales & Marketing, a grocery broker trying to do things differently in the East Coast. He brings years of experience getting brands on shelf at Publix and other East Coast grocers like Harris Teeter, Ingles, Food Lion, etc. In this interview he provides actionable insights to get your startup brand into retail, and more importantly, how to stay, and grow on shelf.  SHOW NOTES  We start the interview with what is the right time for a startup brand to get into traditional retail. Shawn details some pre-cursors to bagging that lucrative retail account. We also talk about data, how to use effective substitutes when syndicated data is not accessible to small brands, and how to tell the story using data.  Learn all about Shawn Berg and SMB Sales & Marketing at https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-berg-7944829/  CALL TO ACTION  Thank you for listening! Leave us a rating and feedback, please!  Follow me on Linkedin at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandhrika/  Sharing is caring! Spread the word about this show to your network  Email me at chandhrika@source-refresh.com if you would like to be a guest on my show   

EPISODE DESCRIPTION  My guest in this episode is Lexie Guttierez-Goldfarb, Director of Sales & Branding for Sow Good Inc. Sow Good Inc is a Texas-based family managed business that manufactures freeze-dried fruit and veggie snacks, smoothies, and granolas. In this interview, we talk about sustainable sourcing, how there is opportunity for packaging material providers to build more sustainable packaging, and efforts made by Sow Good to balance sustainability with an affordable product line.   SHOW NOTES  We cover what ethical sourcing means for Sow Good Inc. Lexie provides a call to action for packaging material providers to help Sow Good become sustainable on their packaging. She shares some tips on how this family managed business manages their input costs to manufacture affordable products.  Learn all about Sow Good Inc at https://sowginc.com/ Find more info about Lexie at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexie-gutierrez-goldfarb-b52862215/   CALL TO ACTION  Thank you for listening!  Follow me on Linkedin at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandhrika/  Sharing is caring! Spread the word about this show to your network  Leave us a rating and feedback  Email me at chandhrika@source-refresh.com if you would like to be a guest on my show 

EPISODE DESCRIPTION  My guest in this episode is Dan Bubniak, now Chief Growth Officer of Dirty Hands LLC (CFO - Dirty Hands, LLC at the time of this interview). Dirty Hands LLC provides contracted field sales, brokerage and merchandising in the natural food industry. Dan has experience building and scaling businesses from scratch.  SHOW NOTES  In this episode we talk about building businesses from the ground up, including his own experience of growing Dirty Hands LLC to 35 states, representing 200 brands. Dan shares his experience with building Finance, HR functions at Dirty Hands LLC. We talk about the different growth phases of startups and how they can make decisions on generalists vs. specialists.  Find more info about Dan Bubniak at https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-bubniak-14180b71/     CALL TO ACTION  Thank you for listening!  Follow me on Linkedin at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandhrika/  Sharing is caring! Spread the word about this show to your network  Leave us a rating and feedback  Email me at chandhrika@source-refresh.com if you would like to be a guest on my show 

EPISODE DESCRIPTION  My guest in this episode is Zach Harper, Co-founder of Funky Mello. Gluten free, vegan refrigerated marshmallow crème is what Funky Mello is known for, winning the 2022 Shelfie Award for Best Plant Based Product. We cover procurement for small businesses, as well as make-vs-buy decisions.   SHOW NOTES  In this episode we talk about Funky Mello's journey to break into a new product category of refrigerated marshmallow crème. We cover procurement as a small business, including a few key pointers from Zach on negotiation, finding a low-cost overseas packaging provider (FX Packaging), and utilizing a new inventory management software called Fiddle for small business planning. We also learned how Funky Mello made a make-vs-buy decision and decided to invest in self-manufacturing.   Find more info about Zach Harper at https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-harper/ Inventory Operations Management for CPG brands and manufacturers - https://fiddle.io/   CALL TO ACTION  Thank you for listening!  Follow me on Linkedin at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandhrika/  Sharing is caring! Spread the word about this show to your network  Leave us a rating and feedback  Email me at chandhrika@source-refresh.com if you would like to be a guest on my show 

EPISODE DESCRIPTION  My guest in this episode is Alex Zachman, CEO of Old North Collective. Old North Collective is a digital transformation and customer engagement company helping businesses increase revenue through research, design, IT development, and streamlined business processes.  Digital transformation, B2B and B2C e-commerce solutions, the power of business process mapping, and more!    SHOW NOTES  In this episode we talk about the evolution of B2B e-commerce solutions and how they are being adopted – slowly but surely. We also talk about how a B2B services marketplace could work. We cover B2C recent trends in the post-Covid era. Alex also talks about the similarities between large corporations like Target and small businesses. We discuss how being process-focused can unlock much value and help small businesses avoid the trap of custom-built digital solutions.   Find more info on Alex Zachman at https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-zachman-8b8532181/ and about his business, Old North Collective, at: https://www.onc.design/    CALL TO ACTION  Thank you for listening!  Follow me on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandhrika/  Sharing is caring! Spread the word about this show to your network  Leave us a rating and feedback  Email me at chandhrika@source-refresh.com if you would like to be a guest on my show 

EPISODE DESCRIPTION  My guest today is Latrina, Founder and Lead Consultant at Redlined. In this interview, Latrina talks about how she helps small and mid-size businesses navigate "dysfunctional deals". She bridges the gap between operations and legal risk to create win-win contracts for her clients.     SHOW NOTES  Small and mid-market businesses often feel like they don't have much leverage when it comes to negotiating standard contract terms with larger clients. Learn how Latrina helps small businesses redo their “dysfunctional deals”.  Find more info on Latrina Pope at https://www.linkedin.com/in/latrinapope/ and about her business, Redlined, at: www.redlined.co     CALL TO ACTION  Thank you for listening!  Follow me on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandhrika/  Sharing is caring! Spread the word about this show to your network  Leave us a rating and feedback  Email me at chandhrika@source-refresh.com if you would like to be a guest on my show     

EPISODE DESCRIPTION  My guest today is Andrew Arbogast, owner of Arbogast Foods and maker of Arbo's Cheese Dip which is available in Memphis, TN as well as across select Kroger, Central Market stores.   Andrew is an army veteran with a background in Procurement. Listen to him candidly sharing the steps he took to build his business one day at a time. He talks about how he saved over 40% in ingredient costs by applying fundamentals. If you are beginning your founder's journey, you must listen to this episode.    SHOW NOTES  Find the guest and their bio on LinkedIn: Andrew Arbogast: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcarbogast/ Check out Arbo's Cheese Dip at: https://www.arbosdip.com/ In this interview, Andrew talks about how he created a business out of a family recipe. Andrew shares his experience using tried-and-tested Procurement tactics such as negotiating price breaks, going direct to source, and how to utilize market competition to your advantage.  Every small business owner who is trying to do-it-all must listen to this episode.  Key topics    Introduction to today's episode and guest  Procurement tips to take advantage of: Price Breaks, Cutting out the middle-man  Outsourcing as the key to scaling up   CALL TO ACTION   Thank you for listening!   Follow me on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandhrika/   Sharing is caring! Spread the word about this show to your network   Leave us a rating and feedback   Email me at chandhrika@source-refresh.com if you would like to be a guest on my show  

EPISODE DESCRIPTION  My guest today is Sam Achampong, General Manager of The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), Middle East and North Africa.     Sam shares how CIPS continues to champion Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by advocating for them with their larger corporate clients. He covers the importance of long-term thinking to make supply chains more resilient in the face of ongoing challenges.  SHOW NOTES  Find the guest and their bio on LinkedIn: Sam Achampong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samachampong/   In this interview, Sam touches on the importance of Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in today's sustainability goals to make procurement more inclusive. He shares how CIPS continues to champion SMEs by advocating for them with their larger corporate clients. He covers the importance of long-term thinking to make supply chains more resilient in the face of ongoing challenges.    Key topics    Introduction to today's episode and guest  Why are SMEs critical to business   Why is long-term planning so critical for small business supply chains   CALL TO ACTION   Thank you for listening!   Follow me on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandhrika/   Sharing is caring! Spread the word about this show to your network   Leave us a rating and feedback   Email me at chandhrika@source-refresh.com if you would like to be a guest on my show  

EPISODE DESCRIPTION  My guests today are Vishnu Vyas and Bob Rogers, co-founders of OII. OII uses AI to deliver end-to-end supply chain modeling. It combines simulation with optimization to deliver cost-efficient supply chains.  They share their insights into how they help small businesses improve discards, inventory costs, and financing terms, and reduce chargebacks. Find more details about OII at www.oii.ai, or reach out directly to Bob Rogers at bob@oii.ai, or to Vishnu at vishnu@oii.ai.  SHOW NOTES  Find the guests and their bios on LinkedIn: Bob Rogers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-rogers-0a00441/ Vishnu Vyas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vishnuvyas/ Key topics   Introduction to today's episode and guests  How does OII help with Supply Chain optimization  OII Tech and the Observe, Measure, Optimize approach  Identifying supply chain failure modes using AI  Using OII to rate the resilience in your current supply chain  OII operating model  A few successful cases  CALL TO ACTION  Thank you for listening!  Follow me on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandhrika/  Sharing is caring! Spread the word about this show to your network  Leave us a rating and feedback  Email me at chandhrika@source-refresh.com if you would like to be a guest on my show    

EPISODE DESCRIPTION My guest today is Peter Shah, President of Harris Spice - leader in sustainable spice sourcing and processing. Harris Spice is also a member of Southern California's minority supplier development council. In this interview, Peter shares insights into the spice supply chain, along with valuable lessons from small businesses on how to navigate unpredictable crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. SHOW NOTES  Harris Spice came out unscathed through the Covid-19 pandemic, despite having a Supply Chain that spans multiple continents. How did they do that? In this interview, Peter shares insights into the spice supply chain, along with valuable lessons from small businesses on how to navigate unpredictable crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.   Find more info on Harris Spice at https://harrisspice.com/  Key topics:  Harris Spice Supply Chain Overview   Black Pepper / Red Pepper Commodity Supply Chain Deep Dive   Organic Spice Supply Chain    How to build Safety Stocks in uncertain times   Overcoming Ocean Freight Challenges   Advice to other Small Businesses   CALL TO ACTION  Thank you for listening!  Follow me on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandhrika/  Sharing is caring! Spread the word about this show to your network  Leave us a rating and feedback  Email me at chandhrika@source-refresh.com if you would like to be a guest on my show