Podcasts about ivalua

This episode features an interview with Alex Saric, CMO at Ivalua, a company that empowers businesses to effectively manage all categories of spend and all suppliers, increasing profitability, improving ESG performance, lowering risk, and improving employee productivity. In this conversation, Alex shares his insights into pitching to and engaging with analysts, and how Ivalua has lead in reports since he joined the organization. He also dives into the ways he supports his team in building a dynamic website and when events with significant impact aren't measurable in terms of ROI. Key Takeaways:There is a strategy to sharing your value with analysts in order to lead in their reports. Sharing strategically chosen customer stories and assessing what influences each analyst can go a long way. In addition to the basics of creating a great website and tracking traffic, you need to create a dynamic website. Empowering your team to make minor changes and request major changes can allow you to adjust quickly and improve your website strategy. There is a tendency to focus on fixing problems, but don't forget to also assess how to improve and scale what is working well. Quote:  Yes, I'll say when I joined,  we at the time were not a leader in almost any of these reports that were out there. I think we had broken into one. In the  7 years, and knock on wood, I don't want to jinx myself, we've been the leader in every single report from Gartner and Forrester since then. And I'd say, you know, what I really did, it was probably one of my first priorities, given how important it is in our industry, I reached out to the analysts, started meeting one-on-one with the key analysts there. And of course, you know, I'm going to tell them my pitch,  but they're smart enough to know take it with a grain of salt. I think the important thing is to start introducing them to customers because that's where you get a lot of credibility, if the customers back up what you're saying. And you can be very strategic. So, you know, I was very careful in, the competitor that was kind of the top competitor at the time, making sure I introduced the analyst to customers that had switched from that competitor, which would privately both talk about us, but also kind of badmouth,  their past vendor and that really helped kind of flip the switch and start building credibility what I was saying was actually true. And also improving the rankings. And besides the rankings, they're also influencing a lot of deals behind the scenes and I think they start recommending us a lot more after that. Episode Timestamps: *(03:27) The Trust Tree: Structuring the team to tap into regional expertise *(09:27) The Playbook: Engaging with analysts and leading in reports *(33:34) The Dust Up: Healthy tension with other functions*(34:42) Quick Hits: Alex's quick hits Sponsor:Pipeline Visionaries is brought to you by Qualified.com. Qualified helps you turn your website into a pipeline generation machine with PipelineAI. Engage and convert your most valuable website visitors with live chat, chatbots, meeting scheduling, intent data, and Piper, your AI SDR. Visit Qualified.com to learn more.Links:Connect with Ian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianfaison/Connect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexsaric/Learn more about Ivalua: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivalua/about/Learn more about Caspian Studios: https://caspianstudios.com/

Send us a textIn this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, host Doug Smith shares his year-end review process, which has been a cornerstone of his personal growth since 2004. Doug discusses the importance of reflecting on the year gone by to foster growth and documents his detailed approach to conducting a comprehensive year-end review. He includes practical tips and encourages creating a personalized review system. Additionally, the episode features a word from the sponsor, Andocia Marketing Solutions. Doug wraps up with thoughtful ways to conclude the review process and the benefits of such reflections.00:00 - Welcome to the L3 Leadership Podcast00:27 - The Importance of Year-End Reviews00:58 - Sponsor Message: Andocia Marketing Solutions02:08 - Starting Your Year-End Review06:05 - Essential Tools for Your Review08:23 - Creating Your Year-End Report12:26 - Wrapping Up Your Year-End Review14:29 - Final Thoughts and EncouragementThe L3 Leadership Podcast is sponsored by Andocia Marketing Solutions. Andocia exists to bring leaders' visions to life. Visit https://andocia.com to learn more.To find more leadership resources and helpful content for your leadership journey, check out our website at https://l3leadership.org/ today.About Doug:  Doug Smith is the Director of Development atLight of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step-by-step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs atdougsmithlive.com, is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast and is a sought-after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.Resources Mentioned:Year-End Review TemplateLiving Forward by Michael Hyatt (Affiliate Link)How to Journalmint.comThe Five Minute Journal AppQuotes from the Episode:"The best system for a year-end review is the one you'll actually follow.""The best way to learn something is to teach it to others."Connect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram

“What's interesting in financial services is that third-party risk management is very different than supplier risk management. When a financial institution looks at risk, they look at risk at the relationship level, not just at the supplier level.” - Arnaud Malardé, Director of Product Marketing, Ivalua In the highly-regulated financial services industry, effective third-party risk management is non-negotiable. It can make or break operational success, not to mention client trust. Even though avoiding risk altogether is not realistic, it doesn't have to feel like an uphill battle.  In this episode, Kelly Barner speaks with Arnaud Malardé, Director of Product Marketing at Ivalua, and Vivek Jayaraj, Managing Director at Deloitte Consulting LLP, about how procurement can turn third-party risk management into a strategic advantage for the business.  As they explain, streamlining business practices and supporting them with well-integrated digital platforms can create the best environment for managing third-party risk and achieving successful outcomes for the business.  They also share their ideas about: What a ‘single source of truth' for third party risk looks like in practice How to align risk management with supplier management  Best practices for leveraging AI in third-party risk management platforms Links: Subscribe to This Week in Procurement Arnaud Malardé on LinkedIn Vivek Jayaraj on LinkedIn Watch Again: Establishing a Single Source of Truth for Third Party Risk in Financial Services

Episode Topic: Welcome to an insightful episode of PayPod. We get into the transformative power of AI in the supply chain of procurement with Stephen Carter, the director of product marketing at Ivalua. He shares his insights on how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the procurement process. We discuss the shift from traditional paper-based methods to a truly digital supply chain, driven by innovative AI solutions. The episode highlights the importance of digital transformation in enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and improving collaboration across the supply chain. Listeners will gain a comprehensive understanding of the current trends and future potential of AI in procurement, as well as practical advice on how to implement these technologies in their organizations. Lessons You'll Learn: Listeners will learn how AI in the supply chain of procurement can drive significant improvements in business operations. Stephen Carter explains the benefits of adopting digital processes, including increased speed, accuracy, and visibility in procurement activities. He emphasizes the need for organizations to embrace new technologies and move away from outdated, paper-based systems. The episode also covers the challenges and opportunities presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, illustrating how companies can leverage AI to build more resilient and agile supply chains. Additionally, Stephen provides insights into the strategic role of procurement in the broader business context and how AI can enhance decision-making and risk management. About Our Guest: Stephen Carter is the director of product marketing at Ivalua, a leading provider of cloud-based procurement and spend management software. With a passion for history and a deep understanding of procurement processes, Stephen brings a unique perspective to the discussion on AI in the supply chain of procurement. He has authored several books on historical topics and applies his analytical skills to modern business challenges. At Ivalua, Stephen focuses on promoting digital transformation and helping organizations optimize their procurement strategies through innovative technology solutions. His expertise and forward-thinking approach make him a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their supply chain operations. Topics Covered: The episode covers a wide range of topics related to AI in the supply chain of procurement. Stephen Carter discusses the importance of moving towards a paperless, digital supply chain and the role of AI in achieving this goal. He highlights the benefits of real-time data analysis, improved supplier collaboration, and enhanced risk management. The conversation also touches on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on supply chain operations and the lessons learned from this global crisis. Other topics include the challenges of adopting new technologies, the importance of strategic planning in procurement, and the future trends shaping the industry. Through these discussions, listeners will gain valuable insights into the practical applications and advantages of AI in procurement. Checkout our website- https://www.soarpay.com/

Send me a messageIn this episode of the Sustainable Supply Chain Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jarrod McAdoo, the Director of Product Marketing at Ivalua. We delved into the pressing challenges and emerging trends in sustainable procurement.Jarrod offered insightful analysis on how companies can navigate the complexities of sustainable procurement, especially in balancing competing priorities such as cost savings, quality, risk management, and sustainability. He emphasised the critical role of understanding and managing Scope 3 emissions, noting the intricacies of supplier engagement and the importance of reliable data.A significant portion of our discussion focused on the impact of technology, particularly AI, in transforming procurement processes. Jarrod shared his optimism about AI's potential to curate data and generate actionable insights, helping procurement professionals manage vast datasets more effectively.We also touched on the danger of greenwashing and the need for transparent, verifiable data in sustainability reporting. Jarrod highlighted the importance of cross-functional collaboration, especially between procurement and finance teams, to ensure that sustainability initiatives are aligned with broader business goals.Finally, Jarrod shared some customer success stories, including Ivalua's work with IKEA, and offerElevate your brand with the ‘Sustainable Supply Chain' podcast, the voice of supply chain sustainability.Last year, this podcast's episodes were downloaded over 113,000 times by senior supply chain executives around the world.Become a sponsor. Lead the conversation.Contact me for sponsorship opportunities and turn downloads into dialogues.Act today. Influence the future.Make More with Matt HeslinExplore strategies to thrive financially, build legacy, and enhance life experiences.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the Show.Podcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous supporters: Lorcan Sheehan Olivier Brusle Alicia Farag Alvaro Aguilar And remember you too can Support the Podcast - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Digital Supply Chain episodes like this one.Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!FinallyIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a text message using this link.If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it. Thanks for listening.

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug is interviewed by his friend Zack Blair. Together, they discuss various topics, such as mental health, leadership, confidence, and parenting. About Doug Smith: Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step-by-step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, he is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and he is a sought-after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.4 Key Takeaways:1. Doug shares his journey to confidence as a leader.2. Zack and Doug reflect on their friendship over the years and how having support is crucial to being a leader. 3. Being good with people involves showing an interest in others. Doug shares how he teaches his kids this concept. 4. He talks about overcoming trauma and moving past difficult times in life with the help of a therapist. Quotes From the Episode:“Invest in deep relationships.”“Unity is always really important to me.”Resources Mentioned:Leading on Empty by Wayne CordeiroLeaf by Niggle by JRR Tolkien Connect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | InstagramEpisode Webpage: https://l3leadership.org/412L3 Mastermind Groups: https://l3leadership.org/mastermindL3 Leadership Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/L3Leader/Follow us on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/l3-leadershipRate This Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/l3leadership

“Given all the things procurement is doing, it does seem that a lot of their work tends to go unnoticed or be undervalued or is boiled down to that one bottom-line savings number. The truth is that procurement is involved with a lot.” - Vishal Patel, VP Product Marketing, Ivalua Even though big events like the pandemic, inflation, global supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical conflict have reminded everyone how relevant procurement is to the organization, the full value procurement offers is still often misunderstood and underestimated.  Why is procurement so frequently undervalued when their impact can be felt across the business, not just to cost or risk management but also sustainability, product innovation, supply continuity, and business strategy?  To understand how shifting mindsets around procurement's value contribution are redefining their role in the business, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner spoke with Chris Sawchuk, Principal and Global Procurement Advisory Practice Leader at The Hackett Group, and Vishal Patel, Vice President of Product Marketing at Ivalua.  In the episode, Chris and Vishal discuss:  New opportunities and approaches to performance measurement for procurement's value contribution beyond cost The deepening value of risk management and the need for nuanced approaches to risk beyond traditional metrics The evolving role of generative AI and emerging technologies as procurement's “co-pilots” in delivering value   Links: Subscribe to This Week in Procurement Chris Sawchuk on LinkedIn Vishal Patel on LinkedIn Watch Again: Redefining Procurement's Value and Shifting Mindsets Read: Generative AI and the Future of Procurement Value Creation

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug is interviewed by his long-time friend, Dan Herod for his podcast, Hope Between The Lines. They delve into relationships, mental health, grief, and more. About Doug Smith: Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step-by-step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, he is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and he is a sought-after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.3 Key Takeaways:1. Doug shares a funny story of a prank his father and brother-in-law played on him years ago. 2. He talks about grief and mental health and shares his personal experience with these matters.3. Dan and Doug discuss how perspective can change everything and how we should highlight our accomplishments.Quotes From the Episode:“It's been the trying things in my life, the hard seasons that I've gone through, the dark seasons that have helped me grow the most.”“Suffering comes to all of us, it's what you do when suffering.” Resources Mentioned:The Gap and the Gain by Dan SullivanHope Between The Lines PodcastConnect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | InstagramEpisode Webpage: https://l3leadership.org/408L3 Mastermind Groups: https://l3leadership.org/mastermindL3 Leadership Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/L3Leader/Follow us on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/l3-leadershipRate This Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/l3leadership

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Doug talks about how he does a year-end review, why he believes every leader needs to do their own, and how to do your own. About Doug:  Doug Smith is the Director of Development atLight of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step-by-step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs atdougsmithlive.com, is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast and is a sought-after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.4 Key Takeaways:1.Why the best kind of year-end review is the one that you'll actually follow.2. Why you should push forward, even if your first review won't be perfect.3. The importance of scheduling a time and place for your review.4. What to bring with you to your review.Resources Mentioned:Year-End Review TemplateLiving Forward by Michael Hyatt (Affiliate Link)How to Journalmint.comThe Five Minute Journal AppQuotes from the Episode:"The best system for a year-end review is the one you'll actually follow.""The best way to learn something is to teach it to others."Connect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug is interviewed by David McGlennen and talks about the impact of encouragement on young leaders, how growth requires endurance, and how suffering has played a role in developing as a leader. About Doug Smith: Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step-by-step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, he is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and he is a sought-after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.4 Key Takeaways:1. Doug dives into the significance of endurance, patience, and the necessity of a long-term mindset in attaining leadership growth.2. He also uncovers the importance of “being in the arena” and how daily growth practices can lead to personal development. 3.  Furthermore, we explore the role of mastermind groups in fostering personal growth and leadership.4.  We discuss the power of self-reflection and placing trust in God's timing.Quotes From the Episode:“You have no idea the impact of what a few words of encouragement can have.”“You are one idea and one connection away from changing your destiny.”Resources Mentioned:L3 One Day ConferenceL3 Mastermind GroupsDavid's Podcast, In the Growth SpaceConnect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | InstagramEpisode Webpage: https://l3leadership.org/398L3 Mastermind Groups: https://l3leadership.org/mastermindL3 Leadership Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/L3Leader/Follow us on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/l3-leadershipRegister for our L3 One Day 2024 Leadership Conference at L3OneDay.com!

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast,  Doug shares information about the upcoming L3 One Day Leadership Conference and the value that it can bring to you and your team. You'll gain a fresh perspective on why and how these conferences can be catalysts for your personal growth, bolster your leadership potential, and even generate life-changing experiences.About Doug Smith: Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step-by-step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, he is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and he is a sought-after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.3 Key Takeaways:1. Doug reveals the top three reasons why you and your team should mark your calendars for the L3 conference in 2024, with Horst Shultze, founder of the Ritz Carlton.2. You'll also learn about the various ways to engage in this leadership conference, from participating as an attendee, to bringing a team, becoming a sponsor, praying for the event, and volunteering.3. He shares a personal experience in which attending a conference led to a life-changing connection he wouldn't have had the chance to meet anywhere else.Quotes From the Episode:“You are one relationship away from changing your destiny.”Resources Mentioned:The L3 One Day ConferenceConnect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | InstagramRegister for our L3 One Day 2024 Leadership Conference at L3OneDay.com!

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug gets candid in this personal lesson about the power of courage and tenacity, and how these two essential elements can help you manifest your dreams. About Doug Smith: Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step-by-step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, he is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and he is a sought-after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.3 Key Takeaways:1. He talks about the wisdom of Zig Ziglar and John Maxwell, acknowledging that it's alright to start out bad, and that small beginnings should never be despised. 2. Doug shares his story and how he maneuvered through the hurdles that came our way.3.  We also explore the power of decision-making, and the critical role it plays in dream realizationQuotes From the Episode:“Do it afraid.”“Growth=Happiness”“You're most equipped to reach the person you used to be.” Resources Mentioned:Necessary Endings by Henry CloudConnect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug shares a personal lesson about how he turned his twenty-year dream of writing his own book into a reality and how you can too.About Doug Smith: Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step-by-step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, he is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and he is a sought-after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.3 Key Takeaways:1. Having a daily writing practice makes all of the difference. 2. We cover the importance of having a strong 'why' and how the right kind of encouragement can make all the difference in achieving your goals.3. We also discuss how investing in a  “who” is instrumental in bringing your dreams to reality.Quotes From the Episode:“Maybe you need to stop asking how, and start looking for a who.” “Just get in the habit of writing every day.”"Encouragement matters."Resources Mentioned:Annika's WebsiteEmail AnnikaConnect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram

Cette semaine, un exemple parfait de business pas sexy sur le papier mais qui peut faire une boite saine et pérenne. Ivalua, créée en 2000, compte aujourd'hui 900 salariés ; il y a 2 ans, ils ont passé la barre des 100M€ de CA. C'est l'une des plus grosses scale-up françaises, l'une des plus anciennes aussi, et pourtant l'une des moins connues ! Dans cet épisode = ▶️ on détaille les différentes étapes de ce logiciel de gestion des dépenses ▶️ comment rassurer des corporates qui ont peur que ta solution disparaisse dans les 12/18 mois ▶️ savoir réussir sur le juteux marché US quand on a hésité à tout plaquer Aujourd'hui je te propose une histoire de croissance rentable tirée par des potes de lycée. Je suis Seb COUASNON, on se retrouve chaque semaine ! Si tu aimes tech 45' et bien dis-le moi en me laissant un petit avis et en me mettant plein d'étoiles sur ta plateforme d'écoute ! D'avance merci, on est partis !!! PS= une remarque / une idée / une envie ? N'hésite pas à m'écrire, je réponds

Cette semaine, tu vas découvrir Ivalua, un leader des solutions de gestion des dépenses. Présent au Next40 aux côtés de Lydia, Ledger ou Backmarket, la startup a levé moins d'argent que ces entreprises tout en atteignant la barre des 100M€ de CA annuel

Episode Summary: In this encore episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug shares some of his favorite tips for those who are raising a family and what has worked for his and Laura's family.About Doug Smith: Doug is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step by step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, he is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and he is sought after public speaker.  He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.7 Key Takeaways:1. Doug shares the concept of the Family Team. We Find our identity in our family team first. Everything we do contributes to the family team. We're a family team on Mission… we want to have generations of Family Teams that live for God and make a difference for Him.2. Doug teaches the legacy of Jonathan Edwards and Max Juke.3. Doug discusses Stay-at-home parenting vs. parents who go to work.4. We try to be as consistent as possible! “Day to day intensity, week to week consistency builds champions!” – Jim Rankin6. 8 Things that Doug & Laura implement to help their children grow.7. Doug shares the importance of having fun as a family.Quotes from the Episode:"Day-to-day intensity, week-to-week consistency, builds awesome family teams" -Doug Smith ""Leading a family team is probably the most important and the most critical leadership assignment that you'll ever have in your entire life." -Doug Smith Resources Mentioned:Intentional Parenting – Phil and Diane ComerFamily Revision – Jeremy PryorTech-wise Family by Andy CouchConnect with Doug:Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn

In the world of cross-border supply chains and procurement processes, innovation is revolutionizing the way businesses operate. In this exclusive interview series recorded live at the Procurement Summit, we dive into the minds of some visionary procuretech startup founders who are at the forefront of driving change in the industry. First up is Romain Fayolle, Founder and CEO of Holocene Holocene is a startup that optimises and automates logistics processes for cross-border supply chain. As I touch on in the interview, this has traditionally been a very manual process. Automation AND visibility in this space is much-needed, and it's great to come across innovation for this topic. Next up is Christoph Moll of beNeering. We often get frustrated as procurement professionals about incumbent ERP systems, and how inflexible or complicated they are to use because of their front end interface and vast array of features. The reality is though, companies aren't going to abandon them overnight. This conversation looks at making life easy with an intuitive front-end that seamlessly works in tandem with a SAP environment. I then spoke to one of the industry stalwarts and one of the major sponsors of Procurement Summit, Jan-Hendrik Sohn, country manager DACH for Ivalua. Even though I'm a huge fan of best-of-breed tech, this was actually a conversation I really enjoyed. It was really cool to get an understanding of how one of the established suites is positioning itself in such a rapidly changing market, and where they see their advantage and USP over some of their fierce competitors. Keeping on the topic of Source-to-Pay, next up is Eberhard Aust, CEO of ebidtopay. They're a niche provider of S2P solutions for mid-market manufacturing businesses and their software does a LOT for its price point. They've been around a while but are really focusing on offering a suite-like set of features at a price point that doesn't require an enterprise software budget. Full disclosure, ebidtopay is one of our software partners at ProcurementSoftware.site, and you can reach out to me if you'd like to learn more about them. Christoph Kunel, COO of e-procurement platform Crowdfox is next up. Catalogue procurement is not new technology. However, using generative AI - the same technology that powers ChatGPT - to assist and enhance the requisitioner's front end experience, is a simple but huge value add enhancement. He explains how "ProcureGPT" works in their platform.

In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug shares how to score meetings with anyone, including those at the top of your bucket list. He discusses how to bring a unique proposition to every meeting and add value to the leader sitting at the other end of the table. He also highlights how to show each leader you meet with that you truly know and value who they are, and make yourself unforgettable in their eyes as a result.About Doug: Doug Smith is the Director of Development atLight of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step-by-step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs atdougsmithlive.com, he is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and he is a sought-after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.3 Key Takeaways:1. The impact that relationships can have on your professional trajectory.2. One of the most important personal growth principles to consider if you want to spend time with leaders.3. Why it is so essential to build your credibility as a leader.Connect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram

The Financial Data Transparency Act will drive change in local government financial data reporting standards - with ripple effects out to states and the private sector. In this breakout session from the Ivalua user conference, Dustin covered the fundamentals of this topic, the implications for entities to account for in technology implementations today, and five discussions that should be beginning in all levels of government today to get on the glide path for success.ᐧ

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Doug shares what he's learned about success and how we should define and measure success in our lives. About Doug Smith: Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step-by-step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and is a sought-after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others. 4 Key Takeaways:1. Doug talks about the ways in which he's improperly defined and measured success in his life.2. Understanding your own personal potential is key to happiness.3. He talks about how having faith can put you on the path to success.4. Not giving up is necessary for having a successful life.Quotes From the Episode: “If you're defining and measuring your success in comparison to others, then I'm telling you, you have it all wrong.”“I measure success based on my whole life, not just part of it.”“If you don't start where you are, you stay where you are.”Resources MentionedMicah Tyler EpisodeConnect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram

Our guest on this week's episode is Alex Saric, chief marketing officer for Ivalua. Many may not be aware, but new SEC-directed climate risk disclosure rules may go into effect soon that could have some significant impacts on supply chains. The proposed rules will require publicly traded companies to report on their climate impacts as well as the impacts of their suppliers and partners further upstream within their supply chains. How is the industry reacting to these potential new requirements?The United States Postal Service has had it with people and companies mailing packages using counterfeit postage. The service has announced plans to fight back by treating the parcels as abandoned. We explain why this step is taking place and what the implications may be to consumers ordering products online.The future looks bright for the industrial racking industry. A new report shows growth in racking through 2029, attributed to the constantly expanding warehouse space and the need for racking that works with robotics and automated systems. We look at the numbers and what they mean.DC Velocity's sister publication CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. The third season of eight episodes has fully launched  and focuses on attracting and retaining labor in our supply chains.  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:IvaluaPostal Service plans to seize items mailed with fake stampsStorage rack market to grow through 2029Visit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. Visit Supply Chain QuarterlyListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastListen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.com.Podcast is sponsored by:  TGWOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, you'll hear part 2 of the lessons Doug learned in 2022 which include lessons and resources surrounding marriage, parenting, money, and leadership.About Doug Smith: Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step-by-step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and is a sought-after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.Key Takeaways:1. Doug shares some tips and resources for keeping your marriage healthy.2. He gives some great resources for parenting and discusses why he finds scheduling time with his kids so important.3. Doug talks about how giving and financial freedom can be transformative.4.  He shares some insight into some of the most impactful leadership tips he's picked up over 2022.Quotes From the Episode:“You don't find a great marriage, you build one.”“Schedule time with your family.”“Make sure that you prioritize your kids knowing and walking with God over anything else.”“Be grateful.”Resources Mentioned:The XO ConferenceMarriage on the Rock Audio SeriesRaising Passionate Jesus FollowersFamily TeamsParenting: Getting it Right by Andy and Sandra StanleyPittsburgh PraysPeace UniversityDie with Zero by Bill PerkinsConnect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, you'll hear Doug talk about what he's gained in the last year in the areas of spiritual growth and character development, and tips to help you reach your goals in the same areas of life. About Doug:  Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step-by-step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and is a sought-after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.4 Key Takeaways:1. Doug talks about how he changed his views on prayer and how he found the time and discipline to incorporate prayer into his daily life.2. He shares how he learned to listen to God more intently to find the direction he'd been looking for over the past year and a half.3. He speaks on his own personal character development and what helped him grow over 2022.4. Doug talks about why you should be thinking about your finish line.Quotes From the Episode:“Getting older is a gift.”“Start to pray and watch how it changes your life.”“Turn down the dial of people and turn up the dial of God.”“Character development is the most important development.”“Admit it and then quit it and forget it.”Resources Mentioned:The Hour That Changes The World by Dick EastmanWho Not How by Dan SullivanConnect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Doug shares some of his favorite tips to have the best year ever!About Doug Smith: Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step-by-step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, he is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and he is a sought-after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.3 Key Takeaways:1. Doug shares his annual routines around goal-setting.2. He talks about his daily agenda.3. He also discusses the habits he has in each area of life that add value to his life.Quotes From the Episode:“Start where you are.”“If you want to be happy, be a growing person.”“The best workout is the one you'll actually do.”Resources Mentioned:Full Focus PlannerL3 Mastermind GroupTraction by Gino WickmanMission 119Connect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram 

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Doug talks about how he does a year-end review, why he believes every leader needs to do their own, and how to do your own. About Doug:  Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step-by-step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast and is a sought-after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.4 Key Takeaways:1.Why the best kind of year-end review is the one that you'll actually follow.2. Why you should push forward, even if your first review won't be perfect.3. The importance of scheduling a time and place for your review.4. What to bring with you to your review.Resources Mentioned:Year-End Review TemplateLiving Forward by Michael Hyatt (Affiliate Link)How to Journalmint.comThe Five Minute Journal AppQuotes from the Episode:"The best system for a year-end review is the one you'll actually follow.""The best way to learn something is to teach it to others."Connect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | InstagramIf you want to 10x your growth next year, I want to challenge you to launch or join an L3 Mastermind Group. Mastermind groups are groups of 6-12 leaders that meet together for at least one year to help each other grow, hold each other accountable, and do life together. Interested? Go to http://l3leadership.org/masterminds or email me at dougsmith@l3leadership.org.

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Doug shares some practical tips involving gratitude and encouragement. About Doug: Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step-by-step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast and is a sought-after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.3 Key Takeaways:1. Doug shares a story that provides a great perspective on gratitude.2. He talks about how to increase gratitude through journaling and other methods.3. He emphasizes the importance of encouraging others and how to effectively encourage others.Quotes From the Episode:“My life has been transformed by the encouragement of others.”“Everyone on the planet needs encouragement.” “Silent gratitude never did anyone any good.” Resources Mentioned:The Five Minute JournalConnect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram If you want to 10x your growth next year, I want to challenge you to launch or join an L3 Mastermind Group. Mastermind groups are groups of 6-12 leaders that meet together for at least one year to help each other grow, hold each other accountable, and do life together. Interested? Go to http://l3leadership.org/masterminds or email me at dougsmith@l3leadership.org.

Account-based marketing encompasses an organisation's entire go-to-market strategy. It involves deep understanding of a few target customers or prospects – and crucially the people within them.Contrary to the name, ABM is about far more than marketing. It encompasses sales, customer success, research, and planning. And although SaaS products play an important role, it is not a tech-driven solution, but rather a collaborative insights-based approach, aided by technology.GuestsHelen Brown is the founder of Seeblue Marketing, a specialist tech sector marketing agency. Steve Bonadio is VP of Global Demand Generation at Ivalua, a growing spend management platform.Key takeawaysTechnology can enable an ABM strategy, but isn't at its root.The insight gathered from an ABM platform needs to be absorbed by a human.Avoid embarking on an ABM campaign before you know you have a strong, proven message.ABM campaigns are a team effort, spread across marketing, sales, and customer success teams.Don't talk about yourself at the beginning of a campaign. Instead, tailor and personalise your approach for each target customer.LinksConnect with Helen on LinkedInConnect with Steve on LinkedIn

Markus Leutert, Directeur de la Communication d'Ivalua, évoque l'importance et l'intégration de la dimension RSE au sein de la stratégie de Communication de son entreprise. Il ajoute que cette intégration se constate particulièrement au sein de la Supply Chain. Par ailleurs, Markus Leutert a pris ses fonctions depuis un peu plus d'un an, tout est à construire, ce qui représente un réel défi pour lui. 

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Doug discusses why you need a bucket list, what your bucket list could look like, and how you can continuously check items off your list. About Doug Smith: Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step-by-step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast and is a sought-after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.4 Key Takeaways:1. Doug talks about how his father-in-law opened up the world to him, inspiring him to have life-changing experiences.2. He urges listeners to recognize that life is short. 3. Doug talks about what a bucket list is and how his bucket list is structured to inspire listeners to start their own list.4. He discusses some ways to cross items off of your bucket list. Quotes From the Episode:“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”“Always be adding to your bucket list.”“Always ask who, not how.”“Ask God to open up doors for you and give you bucket list experiences you couldn't even dream of.”Resources Mentioned:My Plan For Living To 156 by Dan SullivanConnect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram 

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Doug shares all of his favorite tools, services, and resources that have helped him go further and faster in every aspect of his life both personally and professionally. About Doug Smith: Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step-by-step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, he is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and he is a sought-after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.6 Key Takeaways:1. Doug shares some resources that he found helpful in his marriage, parenting, and family in general.2. He shares some of his favorite resources for journaling.3. Doug talks about some useful financial tools and the 7 Baby Steps that have helped him go further with his finances.4. He shares his favorite resources for traveling.5. He covers resources for both physical and spiritual wellbeing. 6. Doug talks about various work-related hacks and resources that help streamline his workflow. Quotes From the Episode:“I love finding out about new services, products and resources to help my life to help my life get better and then I”m very passionate about sharing those with others.”  Resources Mentioned:Find a comprehensive list of resources and their links here: https://l3leadership.org/336Connect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram

Shawnna Sumaoang: Hi, and welcome to the Sales Enablement PRO podcast. I am Shawnna Sumaoang. Sales enablement is a constantly evolving space and we're here to help professionals stay up to date on the latest trends and best practices so that they can be more effective in their jobs. Today, I’m excited to have Joseph Tonye from Ivalua join us. Joseph, I’d love for you to introduce yourself, your role, and your organization to our audience. Joseph Tonye: Sure. Thank you very much for the opportunity. I’m really happy to join this session with you today. My name is Joseph, I am a director of sales enablement for the EMEA region. I just joined a company called Ivalua in Paris. I have a background in sales, channel sales, partner relationship management, business development, and also sales enablement. I have had the opportunity to work with various companies in France, Ireland, and also Cameroon in Africa and across different industries, various fields going from sales, SaaS, cloud computing, recruitment, and now procurement. SS: We are excited to have you join our podcast, Joseph. Just one of your areas of expertise is enabling channel sales teams. I’d love to talk about that a little bit. What are some of the unique challenges that can arise when you’re delivering enablement programs to sales reps who may be from external organizations? JT: Yes, I think it’s a very interesting question because you might face many challenges working with channel partners. I think one of the first reasons why you might have challenges working with channel partners is the fact that you’re not part of the same organizations. If you represent a vendor and you have to work with sales teams from various partners, you’re not part of the same organization, so you need to talk to them, you need to create close collaboration and relationship with them, but you’re not part of the same organization, but at the same time, you need to be part of the same team because you will have common objectives, common goals to reach, and the same challenges and issues to address together. I think the main challenge here is to make sure that you can build collaboration and relationships with the partners, and make them feel that show part of the same thing, but at the same time you need to be aware of what is their approach to the market, what are their habits, how do they address the market, the customers that they have, what are their priorities? All these challenges need to be addressed at an early stage. I think this is not a situation where it should be partner versus vendor, but at the same time, you need to understand the mindset and the organization you’re gonna work with. One of my recommendations here would be to first understand the organization by talking with the external stakeholders. The main stakeholders that represent these partner sales teams, so you might have to work with alliance managers and partner managers. These are the people who build and maintain the relationship with the vendor that you all represent. The first step here is to gain their confidence, and their trust, and make sure that they understand what is the outcome of the program that you want to implement. This is the introduction, you need to make sure that you align on the same objectives. For example, in the cloud space, I had to work with a partner but this partner already used to work with different cloud providers, so I had to understand. We had to create a joint business plan together because I was in charge of business development and sales enablement at the same time. I was a channel manager. The objective of the joint business plan is to create some KPIs, objectives, and common goals, and then they can understand the value, and why they should resell your solution because if it’s beneficial for us, it’s going to be beneficial to everyone. Then, after getting the approval from external stakeholders, the main point of contact, I think what is very important here is to gain attention and interest from salespeople. The sales reps directly, because this is all the people who will face the customers. One of the challenges here is the fact that they don’t have much time to spare in general. I mean, salespeople are very, very busy. They might have conflicting meetings. Sometimes you might face challenges in scheduling some meetings with them because they are not available. Sometimes they might also be more reticent because maybe they used to work with another vendor, and they already have a close relationship with them. They all used to sell a specific solution and they might not understand your product which comes as a new product or new service. They might find the project of your dissolution complex which can be another challenge. It’s not just about some challenges, but these are a few examples that I can mention. SS: Yeah, absolutely. You went through a lot of the ways in which you overcame those challenges, but how have you overcome specifically the challenge to reduce the complexity of channel enablement? JT: I think the key here is to be able to get to know each other first because if you don’t know each other if you don’t know the people you’re gonna work with, it’s going to be very, very difficult to be able to create a joint business plan and all the key actions or the sales enablement programs that you want to implement. Create proximity with partner sales teams. You can use the main stakeholders, such as the managers of the sales team because first they can open the doors and introduce you to the team which can be more effective since they already know their teams. They can help you identify who all the champions are, like the sponsor in these teams. They might have one or two sales reps that have an influence on the rest of the team and they can easily spread the message within the organization. You can use these champions in order to spread your message within the team and make it easier to come up with new sales enablement programs and make it easier to start and initiate the directions with the whole team. With proximity, there are many examples. This is something I’ve done in the past, we used to organize on-site events at the office. It’s a good idea when you want to create proximity because they can visit the office, they can have a drink with you or lunch. It’s like an informal introductory meeting where you can get to know each other and gain trust and confidence from these sales reps. Like I said before, I think in order to overcome these challenges, you need to make sure that partners understand the value of joint collaboration. As mentioned earlier, from my experience, sales enablement is not just about content management or maybe training or coaching. I’ve worked with sales reps and business developers and they have an objective at the end of the month or at the end of the quarter of the year, they need to reach a specific goal, close a certain number of deals opportunities, and need to understand what is the value of your products? Is it valuable? Is it beneficial to them? Is it going to help them close opportunities to generate more revenue and maybe more sales? I think it’s very important to make sure that everyone within the organization understands the value of this joint collaboration and anticipates the blockers. Once you have created a plan together, you understand the partner goals, you have your own goals, and you are aligned together on these goals, you can then add the sales enablement problems or initiative that you want to lead because you can present this as a tool that will have them reach these goals. Finally, I would say what I’ve done in the past, I’ve also scheduled weekly sales meetings, and monthly operational meetings, and these meetings are very important because this is where you can propose new initiatives. So for example, if you have a meeting in the first week of the month and you see that there is a need for salespeople to better understand the product or maybe there is a need for them to better understand how to use a reseller console, for example, you can then introduce or propose new ideas initiatives to these partner alliance managers and they will help you implement the solution to the problem. Then for the implementation of the programs, whether it is about sales, how to manage a sales cycle, or how to manage importance, I think for every problem that we have tried to implement in the past I would always prepare a session in advance. A preparation meeting where we can scale together, I'll have the alliance managers, I have some regional sales managers and we can discuss together what would be the best topics for their sales reps. What would be the priority? They can give insight and give ideas, they can propose some initiatives, and getting validation and getting a recommendation from the partner organization is valuable because once you start implementing a sales enablement program you do it not because you want to do it, but because you got some advice, recommendations, and insights from the partner in the first place. SS: Absolutely. Now, in addition to your background enabling channel sales teams, you also have experience as a channel manager and business development manager for channel sales as you had mentioned earlier. Through that experience would have been some of your key learnings about how to build effective partnerships with channel sales teams and how has that helped you shape your approach to channel enablement? JT: Thanks for this question, because sometimes when we think about the partnership we think that the approach can be the same with different partners, and what I want to say here is as a channel sales manager, I have to work with different partners in different regions. Every partner has its own way to address topics and challenges. Some of them like your brand, some of them just started working with you and some have long experience working with your organization or maybe with competitors. This is something that you need to be aware of before implementing any type of programs initiatives. We’re just talking here about the background, so be aware of the background, the history, the context, because this is something that’s gonna help you address the situation and make sure that you’re gonna be relevant to these partners. I would say for a little bit of context when starting as a channel sales manager, I used to ask questions to my director and to my manager in order to understand what has been done in the past with these partners. Then during the first introduction call with the different partner leaders, I would always try to understand what had been done in the past, what was relevant to them, what could be done better in the future, and what are the benefits of the competitors? What is the reason why the sales rep prefers another vendor, for example? What are all the blockers and what can be improved? This is partner knowledge. Once you have this part of the knowledge of the complex and the history, you can start watching them much easier. I would say one of the first steps would be at this stage, to make sure to understand what are the sources of motivation. So the motivation factors and success factors and what I want to say here is for sales reps, what counts the most for them? Some sales reps or motivated by money. Some of them are motivated by learning more about the products and getting more knowledge. Some of them like recognition. If you’re aware of the success factors, the motivation factors become much easier to work with people. Everything should be linked to success and motivation factors. For me, this is something that I’ve done in the past that was really helpful for me, but of course, there are plenty of, many more examples. SS: Yeah, absolutely. I’d love to dig into maybe some of the best practices for driving adoption of your enablement programs amongst channel sales teams. How do you gain mindshare from channel sales reps, especially if they have other competing priorities as you mentioned earlier? JT: Yes. I think one of the key points here is, I think it’s crucial for every sales enablement practitioner to be available. When I say available is what happens after the sales training session. What happens next? For example, we’ve organized sales training sessions with 60-plus sales people in my previous company. After this sales training station, what I try to do is to see what is the progress. Is there anything that we can measure in terms of metrics? It’s not always easy, but being able to measure the impact of the sales training or maybe a sales program, it’s not always just about training, but being able to measure the impact is key because you can see how it has been implemented and what is impactful to the department organization, so therefore there are different factors here. Different metrics can be certifications, opportunity is not always easy to measure. Another thing here is when I mentioned availability, I was talking about the fact that reps might have questions after the sales training session. They might prefer to work with a specific vendor just because the sales enablement or the sales coach from this organization is more available. This is something very simple but very important for us to have someone that you can talk to. Someone you can contact in case of need. If a sales rep has a question about the product and is looking for answers for a specific type of customer looking for advice and recommendation, being available for this sales team is crucial because they will have confidence, they will trust you, and it’s something that really counts. This is where you can make a difference as opposed to the competitors. About the responses and the elements that you provide to the sales reps, I think that being accurate, and making sure to provide the right information at the right time is very important, even if it takes time, but make sure to provide the right information. To your question regarding mindshare, Shawnna, what I mentioned in the past regarding the introduction called gain confidence within proximity, this is something that has to be maintained during the whole cycle during the whole year, every time. This is not something that has to be done in the early stage only, but all the time. An example here is to schedule 1-1 conversations, maybe monthly meetings with the sales reps, they can be a formal or informal conversation about how it goes, what all the challenges faced by the sales reps, how we can help, what has been done since the last training session. Make sure to have this monthly conversation where you can measure the impact and at the same time gain more insights from the sales reps and be able to help with whatever is needed. SS: That’s fantastic. Now, how can enablement motivate and incentivize channel sales teams to improve performance specifically? JT: Yes, so in sales enablement, there is a little bit of psychology. Being able to understand what motivates salespeople is key, as understanding their personality. As I said before, I think that enablement is not just about the content, it’s not just about training or coaching, but since you’re working with salespeople, you need to understand what the outcome of the enablement process is and what is the motivation for the partner organizations, but also the direct sales teams. I said this before, but there are many motivating factors. Once you get a better idea of what is important for salespeople it becomes much easier. Some people like activities, like kickoffs, some people like to be recognized for their efforts, and some sales reps like to get better knowledge or experiences. I remember in the past example, during the sales training session we used to mention the value of the certifications for sales reps. We were going through the session and at the end of the training session, we can get a new certification these certifications can be valuable because you can receive more leads from the vendor because the vendor will recognize your expertise or specialization in a specific area and at the same time you can get more credibility in the market because customers will see that you are certified in a specific field. This is maybe the type of problem I will say that can motivate channel sales teams, but there are many other examples, challenges, incentives, everything. Once the enablement program has been implemented I think it’s important to link enablement to the performance and to motivation factors in order to drive initiative and inject the dynamic. Regarding the question, how can enablement motivate sales reps, I would say that as sales enablement professionals, if we are able to make it easy for them to sell the solution, they will get more comfortable in selling the solution, especially in the SaaS space on cloud computing where solutions can be complex sometimes. I mean if the process is difficult to understand, if the product of the solution or complex, it will be very challenging and difficult for us to implement programs since everything seems to be complicated, so make it easier for salespeople to understand that they can do it easily. I think that this is very important and it can be a source of motivation because you will get more motivation from a sales rep if you sell a solution that you understand. In some cases, a person prefers to work with a specific vendor because they find the competitor is more complex to understand. SS: That’s fantastic. Now in a quickly changing sales environment, can you share some ways that you’re able to stay on top of changes impacting your channel partners to ensure that the enablement programs you’re delivering remain relevant? JT: Yes. As I said, I think the safe environment is changing constantly and very quickly. It’s also important to get updated on the market trends, understand the customer behaviors, and understand what is relevant to customers because, in order to understand what is relevant to partners, we need to understand what’s relevant to customers because everything is driven by the customer. You can see values and messages from companies who say they are a customer-centric company, with a customer-centric approach. Everyone is driven by the customer’s needs and I think it’s the same thing at any company in any industry. Being able to understand the market trends, and work with marketing is important. You can also review success stories. When I was walking in the cloud space, we used to have customer success stories for some wins and opportunities that have won in the past and in different regions of the world. This was very helpful for me because I was able to understand how the opportunity has been won in the past and what can be important for the partner to know. Additionally, it helped me understand what is important for the customers. Every week you have new customers with stories, you have case studies, so you have different scenarios and you can understand how the technology is evolving, how the sales environment is changing because you have examples of customer objections, how the sales rep was able to handle these objections, which argument or maybe which resources this sales rep was able to use, so you can think of the solutions. Once you get this knowledge, it becomes much easier to understand what’s happening in the market and talk to partner organizations. Say, “okay, so this is what you can do, this is what could be beneficial to you because it has been done in the past, it worked and it helped us generate more revenue.” When I say success stories, I’m talking about vendor success stories and so it can be success stories or opportunities that have been closed by the vendor or between vendor and other partners because you can have public success stories. Using this is very helpful to understand how the environment is changing. I would also say attend events, and conferences, like the events that Sales Enablement PRO is organizing. These are very relevant because you can hear from other professionals and understand how the market is changing and you can get insights and then it is much easier than to implement new ideas, In addition to success stories or market trends. You can also use internal tools such as CRM where you can see opportunities that are closed every week and talking with internal regional sales managers, for example, can give you a good idea of how the environment is changing because they can give you insight and then you can use these inside ideas to talk to your partners in order to work together and adapt to this changing environment. SS: I’ve loved this conversation, thank you so much. JT: Thank you, Shawnna. It was great speaking with you. SS: To our audience, thanks for listening. For more insights, tips, and expertise from sales enablement leaders, visit salesenablement.pro. If there is something you'd like to share or a topic you'd like to learn more about, please let us know we'd love to hear from you.

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith shares lessons he's learned about seasons of transitions in our lives. Whether you feel like you're about to transition, you are in transition, or you know one day you will, we hope the lessons in the episode encourage you.About Doug: Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step by step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, he is host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and he is a sought after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.5 Key Takeaways: He discusses the four questions to ask yourself when you find yourself in a season of transition. Doug talks about navigating uncomfortable transitions. He reminds us that God has to dry up the well sometimes to push us forward. He gives advice on looking back on the previous seasons of your life.  Doug reminds us that transitions can bring us to something better.Quotes From the Episode:“There will be times in your life where God has to dry up the well to get you to move and the best thing you can do when God says to ‘move', is move.”“Believe in life cycles and seasons because they are real.”“Do not get bitter about your last season.”“Soon it'll be better than it's ever been.”Resources Mentioned:Matt Keller Leadership PodcastNecessary Endings by Dr. Henry Cloud (Affiliate Link)Connect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram 

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, you'll hear L3 Leadership Founder, Doug Smith, share on the subject, "How to Have Hard Conversations."About Doug:  Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step by step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, he is host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and he is a sought after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.4 Key Takeaways: Doug shares his journey in learning how to have hard conversations. He talks about the ground rules everyone needs to agree on before having hard conversations. He walks listeners through the 7 steps he uses to have hard conversations. Doug shares how to recognize when you need to have a hard conversation with somebody.Quotes From the Episode:“In Matthew 18, Jesus sets up a process of having hard conversations.”“We go to people, not behind their backs.”“We have honest, hard, and awkward conversations all the time.”“We don't let things linger.”“Learn and know that everybody communicates differently and we will respond accordingly.”Resources Mentioned:Changes that Heal by Dr. Henry Cloud (affiliate link)Future Forward ChurchesPittsburgh Property ShowcasePredictive Index Personality TestConnect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug takes some time to reflect on where he is in his life during his 37th year, what is important to him at this time, and the lessons he's learned thus far.About Doug: Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step by step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, he is host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and he is a sought after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.4 Key Takeaways:1. Doug shares an exciting announcement!2. He reflects upon what getting older means to him.3. Doug talks about goals he came away with from a spiritual retreat.4. He emphasizes the importance of marriage, family, and legacy.Quotes From the Episode:“At 37, I'm still more grateful for life than I've ever been.”“Getting older is a gift.”“Always have something to look forward to.”“At 37, we're stewarding a life for God.”“Your decisions matter.”“Don't be afraid to ask for help.”Guest Resources Mentioned:Who Not How by Dan Sullivan & Dr. Benjamin HardyLight Of LifeConnect with Doug:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram 

Our guest in this week's episode is Alex Saric, chief marketing officer at Ivalua. He is here to share about new research that has just come out that shows how better collaboration with suppliers can help to minimize supply disruptions, improve sustainability efforts, and promote innovation. He shares details on these findings and more.Gartner's annual list of the Global Supply Chain Top 25 is out. See who is tops the rankings and what other companies have highly respected supply chain operations. We also discuss the best practices that these companies have in common which makes them supply chain winners. Drayage rates continue to rise, especially in connection with the nation's busiest ports. What is causing the latest increases and what's the outlook for rates for the rest of 2022? DC Velocity's sister publication CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  offers a new podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  Co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, this series first focuses on an eight-part look at the State of Logistics. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:IvaluaCisco tops Gartner supply chain ranking for third straight yearReport: Drayage rates will continue to surge in 2022Visit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. Visit Supply Chain QuarterlyListen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcastListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.com.Podcast sponsored by: Rite-HiteOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Laura Smith talks about how she believes that finishing something out and having grit can lead to the most development as a leader and how important it is to set goals, have community, and rest along the way. 4 Key Takeaways:Laura talks about how overcoming difficulty leads to growth.She discusses grit.She encourages leaders to exercise their ability to change the situation rather than run from it.Laura talks about how long-term goals can further your leadership.About Laura: Laura Smith is the Head of Manufacturing at Ivalua and Co-Founder of L3 Leadership. She is an experienced solution-based sales professional with over 10 years of experience in selling, defining, and implementing procurement solutions and strategies across global enterprises. She holds a degree from Carnegie Mellon University. Laura is married to her high school sweetheart, Doug Smith - Co-Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. Quotes From the Episode:“When you become weary, you lose your passion.”“Leaders are tapping out too early.”“The answer is often a new you.”“Leadership is pain, and the amount of pain you are able to endure sets the limit of your effectiveness.”Resources Mentioned:Mastermind GroupsConnect with Laura:L3 Leadership Website

Episode Summary:In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug gives a talk at the L3 One Day Conference about his personal experience with mental health and self-care.6 Key Takeaways:Doug shares what led him to having panic attacks.He discusses how his own stress and trauma affected him.He talks about how therapy helped him through his difficult season.Doug gives some insight into how self-acceptance He shares that it's okay to not be okay.He talks about how rest is crucial to preventing burnout.About Doug: Doug Smith is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step by step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, he is host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and he is a sought after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.Quotes From the Episode:“It's more than okay to get help.”“You are not alone.”“If you're going through something, share it with someone.”“When you burn out it's a result of unrealistic expectations internally.”“Do what you need to do to get healthy.”Resources Mentioned:Leading on Empty Wayne CodeiroThe Ruthless Elimination of Hurry John Mark ComerTake the Day Off Robert MorrisChange Your Brain, Change Your Life Daniel G. Amen, M.D. Connect with Doug:Doug's Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram 

Episode Summary: In this episode, Doug talks about how he got started podcasting, what he believes is important for longevity, the benefits of podcasting and tips he has for podcast production starting out. 5 Key Takeaways:Doug talks about how podcasting can help your organization.He shares his number one tip to get going on your podcast.He talks about how to get guests to interview and how he creates his interviews that set him apart from other podcasts.Doug shares which feedback have been game changers for him. He tells listeners why they should stop comparing themselves to other podcasters.About Doug Smith: Doug is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step by step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, he is host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and he is a sought after public speaker. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.Quotes from the Episode:“You have to be willing to be bad in the beginning.”“Try to be unique and creative.”“Don't be intimidated by the person you are interviewing.” “You'll never get the feedback you don't ask for.” “You have to have a strong why.”Resources Mentioned:GarageBand: https://www.apple.com/mac/garageband/?cid=oas-us-domains-garageband.comRiverside FM: riverside.fm

Supplier diversity programs offer access to innovation, new markets, and localized socioeconomic impact. And yet - despite all of these benefits - most public sector entities have yet to make a persuasive and actionable case for diversity. There are several obstacles preventing governments from realizing the value potential and cost savings associated with supplier diversity. For instance, a preference for known suppliers and the complexity associated with onboarding new suppliers are just two barriers that limit the potential supplier pool.  As unprecedented levels of Federal funding become available, it is more important than ever that part of these resources are used to support diverse suppliers and build communities in alignment with federal and state stipulations.  Sean Correll, Head of Ivalua's Public Sector team, and Jarrod McAdoo, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Ivalua recently joined Art of Procurement for an AOP Live session. In this podcast version of the event, host Philip Ideson asked Sean and Jarrod questions about: Making public sector supplier diversity discovery, onboarding, and management easier through fit-for-purpose digital procurement technologies The need for effective contract administration in response to new and changing regulations and legislation The advantage associated with making specific diversity spend commitments to incentivize municipalities and agencies to work with new suppliers and therefore drive innovation

The high number of low-cost transactions is just the beginning of the challenges with tail spend management. Spend often finds its way into the tail through multiple ‘wrong turns,' each of which requires a different approach by procurement and a correspondingly different resolution. There is no one ‘cause' of tail spend and therefore there is no one solution.  In this episode, which is based on an AOP Live session, host Philip Ideson speaks with Jean-Baptiste Anne, Head of Enterprise Sales and Professional Services Teams for Amazon Business, and Vishal Patel, VP of Product Marketing at Ivalua about all things tail spend. How do they define it, how to integrate self-service models, and ways to look at the ROI of your tail spend program. Jean-Baptiste Anne and Vishal Patel answer audience questions about: The differences between a dedicated tail spend solution and integrating that same capability into a platform How to know that you are making the right investment to deliver a tail spend ROI for your company The criticality of understanding what is in your tail spend to being able to direct it through self-guided buying options such as Amazon Business, new procurement-led sourcing projects, or incorporation into existing contracts

On this week's episode of Data Book, Chief Healthcare Executive™ spoke with Sundar Kamak, global head of manufacturing at Ivalua. We discussed some of the current supply chain issues that have manifested during the pandemic and how technology can help solve them. We also talked about why these issues are persisting despite life in the Unites States beginning to return to normal.

In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, you'll hear Doug share a lesson entitled, “Life at 36.” Each year, around his birthday, Doug spends some time reflecting on where he is and what he's learning at that age and then he shares his takeaways with you. Regardless of your ages, we'd encourage you to do the same exercise. Remember, the best experience isn't experience, it's evaluated experience. ABOUT DOUG SMITH:Doug is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step by step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast and he is a sought after public speaker.  He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as the Head of Manufacturing at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.CONNECT WITH DOUG:FacebookTwitterYouTubeLinkedInKey Take-Aways From Episode 278:In the episode, Doug shares 8 key insights into what he's learning at 36. Here are the lessons he shares in this episode: At 36, I am more Grateful for Life than I ever have been At 36, I'm focused on Leading my Family Team At 36, God is giving me something to say At 36, I'm focused on Listening and Learning from Others Experiences At 36, I have the opportunity to live out my passion and purpose daily: At 36, I'm more convinced than ever that consistency compounds At 36, I'm focused on developing deep friendships At 36, I'm more convinced than ever that living for God is all that matters. LINKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE 276:Today Matters by John Maxwell Five Minute Journal App 

In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith shares how he and Laura are leading their family team. ABOUT DOUG SMITH:Doug is the Director of Development at Light of Life Rescue Mission and Founder and CEO of L3 Leadership. He is the author of his eBook, “Making the Most of Mentoring”, a step by step guide to help you build and cultivate relationships with mentors. He blogs at dougsmithlive.com, he is the host of the L3 Leadership podcast, and he is sought after public speaker.  He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, who currently works as an Account Executive at Ivalua. Together, they love family, personal growth, travel, working out, and serving others.CONNECT WITH DOUG:FacebookTwitterYouTubeLinkedIn 6 Key Take-Aways From Episode 276.Doug shares the concept of the Family Team. We Find our identity in our family team first. Everything we do contributes to the family team. We’re a family team on Mission… we want to have generations of Family Teams that live for God and make a difference for Him.Doug teaches the legacy of Jonathan Edwards and Max Juke.Doug discusses Stay-at-home parenting vs. parents who go to work.We try to be as consistent as possible! “Day to day intensity, week to week consistency builds champions!” – Jim Rankin8 Things that Doug & Laura implement to help their children grow.Doug shares the importance of having fun as a family. LINKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE 276:Intentional Parenting - Phil and Diane ComerFamily Revision - Jeremy PryorTech-wise Family by Andy Couch

O Café foi conversar com um dos executivos mais admirados e respeitados do mundo de procurement, ele é especialista em tecnologias emergentes para procurement e supply chain, especialista em start-ups SAAS, teve passagens por Accenture, KPMG, DHL, Ivalua e hoje administra sua própria empresa com foco em capturar investimentos para alavancar start-ups de tecnologia para procurement, estamos falando de Michel Boczko.Com formação em engenharia pela Escola Politécnica da USP e experiência profissional em algumas das principais empresas pioneiras nos temas de procurement do mundo, Michel conta aqui para nosso público sua jornada incrível, levando conceitos e práticas de strategic sourcing e demais metodologias ao redor do mundo.Não deixe de conferir esse papo cabeça e mergulhar no mundo de procurement.Venha saber mais sobre Michel Boczko, venha tomar um café com a gente!

Alors qu'Axys consultants et Ivalua viennent de lancer une étude approfondie sur les achats face à l'Intelligence Artificielle (IA), il nous a semblé intéressant de recevoir Arnaud Malardé, du département Marketing Produit d'Ivalua, pour parler ensemble des résultats de cette étude, mais également des retours d'expérience d'un éditeur d'une plateforme de gestion des achats en mode SaaS comme Ivalua. Pour rappel, cette étude a été menée auprès d'une centaine de CPO et d'acheteurs d'entreprises de toutes tailles et de différents secteurs d'activité. Lors de ce Labpod, nous évoquerons le regard que portent les directions achats sur l'IA, les attentes des CPO et acheteurs quant à l'IA, les impacts et bénéfices concrets de l'IA pour la fonction achats, ainsi que sa contribution aux objectifs stratégiques de l'entreprise. Enfin, Arnaud Malardé et Jean-Luc Marini porteront un regard prospectif sur la manière dont les solutions achats intégreront l'IA, afin d'améliorer la performance de l'entreprise et de sa fonction achats.

The Talent, Sales & Scale Podcast is back with an episode all about the top of the funnel - sales development! Host Bryan Whittington is joined by Dan Altieri, Sales Development Director at Ivalua. Dan gives us a fantastic overview of sales development best practices - covering everything from high-level strategy to the exact words that go into great sales development talk tracks. Here are some key takeaways from this value-packed episode with Dan: -the role that technology plays in sales development -vetting, hiring and coaching sales development talent -balancing team and individual production and growth -specialization of skillsets is the future of sales development You can connect with Dan on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danaltieri/ Ivalua's website: https://www.ivalua.com/

Pascal Bensoussan is the Chief Product Officer Ivalua. He leads the global R&D team at Ivalua, encompassing Product Management, Design, Data Science, and all Engineering activities, with responsibilities over the overall vision, strategy, roadmap, development, and go-to-market plans for Ivalua's cloud-based Source-to-Pay platform.Pascal brings 23 years of experience leading product strategy and development at Enterprise SaaS companies. Most recently, Pascal served as CPO at Reputation.com helping grow revenue 5x during his 4-year tenure.Ivalua was founded in 2000 on a disruptive idea: that Procurement can unlock significant strategic value from a company's spend and supply chain.  19  years later, we have helped over 300 leading companies achieve a competitive advantage by strategically managing over USD 500 Billion in spend.Discover more details here.Some of the highlights of the episode:[07:15] Ivalua is a single code base platform. What are the advantages?[10:14] The city of New York using Ivalua to find suppliers for their 6 mil/week demand for masks[18:09] Using computer vision and machine learning in contract management[22:25] Creating the biggest directory of suppliers and connecting them with customers[29:35] The important skills for Ivalua when hiring[35:35] Leading by example and growth mindset vs fixed mindsetFollow us on:Instagram: http://bit.ly/2Wba8v7Twitter: http://bit.ly/2WeulzXLinkedin: http://bit.ly/2w9YSQXFacebook: http://bit.ly/2HtryLd

At the 2019 Future of Sourcing Awards, Sprint and Ivalua claimed the Innovations in Third Party Management Award for their project that created a custom implementation of a procurement platform. In this podcast, Ben Lizak, Manager, Sourcing Lifecycle at Sprint, shares more on his journey from accomplished attorney to skilled sourcing professional and how his passion for sourcing has been the backbone of his efforts to help push the sourcing industry forward. Learn more about their project and download the whitepaper on the Future of Sourcing Awards website.

In episode 16 of the Public Procurement Leaders Podcast, host Raj Sharma of Public Spend Forum talks with Tammy Rimes, former Purchasing Agent for the City of San Diego and current Executive Director for the National Cooperative Procurement Partners to gain insights from her lifetime in public procurement. Special thanks to our sponsor for this podcast, Ivalua, a global leader in public procurement technology. www.publicspendforum.net www.ivalua.com

It's been about a year since the Securities and Exchange Commission began imposing its rule on the disclosure of conflict materials from the Democratic Republic of Congo in manufactured products. Are companies up to speed? Mandated by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, the rule applies to tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold sourced from mines in the DRC that are controlled by armed gangs. Companies are now required to reveal the presence of those commodities in their products, despite the difficulties of making that assessment in complex, multi-tier supply chains. On this episode, we speak with Paul Noel, senior vice president of procurement solutions with Ivalua, a vendor of software for procurement and spend management, about how far global businesses have come in complying with the rule. Noel also provides advice on what they must do to fall into line. While the rule lacks teeth – there are no monetary penalties for non-compliance – it nevertheless poses a substantial challenge to global supply chains. And it could get tougher in years to come. Consider it ''fair warning,'' says Noel.