Podcasts about rfqs

Connect to John Gilroy on LinkedIn   https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-gilroy/ Want to listen to other episodes? www.Federaltechpodcast.com The federal government is releasing so many RFIs and RFQs that it is increasingly challenging to select which ones to respond to. For example, let us say you get 60 requests. You do not have an equal chance to win any of the sixty messages. Do you assign the same amount of time to each one? Do you review each and rank the chances of success? What about the time you used in the ranking process? Remember, you could jeopardize your chances of winning if you do not respond promptly. Deep Water Point & Associates offers one solution to this dilemma. During the interview, Brian Seagraves describes a system called “North Star” that leverages AI to look at an opportunity and give it a grade for your specific company. A ranking of 0—100 means you will not waste time or effort on a proposal that will go nowhere. As a “proof of concept,” John Milward from Axxa painted a picture of a solution. In 2023, he was drowning in responding to opportunities. He started using the North Star system and has experienced drastic improvement. Brian Seagraves reminds the audience that the federal government still awards contracts and sends out RFPs. During stressful times, it is always best to keep a cheerful outlook and increase the number of opportunities for your company.  

Machining is more than just making parts—it's stress, tight deadlines, and trying to balance work and life without losing your mind. In this episode, we talk about the reality of burnout in the trade, handling overwhelming RFQs, and when taking big risks actually pays off.And much more! Stick around to the end for a big announcement from Patrick!

In this episode, Digital Experience Expert Samantha Schwartz joins us to discuss the power of digital transformation in B2B commerce. With experience at companies like Jensen, McMaster-Carr, Zoro and ISN, Samantha shares how businesses can move beyond traditional sales models, leverage data for trust and create frictionless customer experiences.Key Takeaways:(04:22) How a customer-first strategy and strong data foundation drive growth.(09:35) Why B2B eCommerce is more than an add-to-cart button.(14:11) The impact of digital tools on sales, operations and customer service.(16:07) How better merchandising and search can significantly increase RFQs.(19:19) Why high-quality product data builds trust and drives conversions.(20:17) How digitizing invoicing and payments can save hours of manual work.(24:19) Strategies for meeting customers where they are and removing friction.(28:02) The importance of taking risks and testing new digital channels.(31:41) Advice for eCommerce leaders on proving digital's value internally.(34:35) How to assess a company's digital maturity before joining.(41:01) Why creativity requires stepping back and giving ideas space.Resources Mentioned:Samantha Schwartz -https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantharschwartz/Jensen Infrastructure -https://www.jensenprecast.com/“Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide” by John Cleese -https://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Short-Cheerful-John-Cleese/dp/0385348274Thanks for listening to the “B2B Commerce UnCut: A Journey Through Change,” powered by Oro. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review to help get the word out about the show. And be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation.#eCommerce #B2BeCommerce #DigitalCommerce

Greg McArthur's journey in manufacturing began as a child sweeping floors and cleaning mats in his father's machine shop. Over the years, he gained hands-on experience, evolving from a lathe hand to a skilled CNC machinist, estimator, and engineer. Eventually, Greg took a bold leap, bidding on a machine sight unseen on eBay and figuring out how to transport and operate it—foreshadowing his entrepreneurial spirit. In 2017, Greg founded NTL Industries in his garage while working a full-time job. By carefully building a financial foundation, he transitioned to renting a facility, leasing machines, and growing a team.  Today, NTL Industries is a full-service CNC precision machining shop in Sterling Heights, MI, specializing in defense, aerospace, agriculture, and automation. The company has grown to 11 employees and is moving into a state-of-the-art, 13,000-square-foot facility that reflects its ambitious trajectory. From the beginning, Greg recognized the power of social media as a cornerstone of NTL's growth. He embraced platforms like LinkedIn to build a following, share exceptional work, and attract new clients. Greg's mantra is clear: if you're not promoting yourself every day, you're missing opportunities. By leveraging social media as a free marketing tool, NTL has gained exposure, received RFQs, and established a reputation for excellence. In this episode, Greg shares his story, insights on growing a machine shop, and advice for young entrepreneurs in manufacturing. Whether it's navigating an economic downturn, diversifying into new markets, or overcoming challenges like labor shortages, Greg's practical wisdom is a must-hear for anyone looking to grow their business. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [1:01] Introducing Greg McArthur and NTL Industries  [5:14] How Greg got into machining  [11:25] Growing the business despite challenges [19:13] How and why NTL Industries diversified [22:54] Leveraging social media for growth  [27:05] Growing into a 13,000 square foot facility [28:47] How they purchase their machines [31:37] What NTL's hiring process looks like [35:30] NTL's growth trajectory  [41:02] The challenges they're overcoming  [46:47] Meeting CMMC requirements [50:05] Greg's advice for young shops Resources & People Mentioned CyberAB CMMC Certification  Connect with Greg McArthur NTL Industries Connect with Greg on LinkedIn Sales@NTLIndustries.com Instagram Twitter/X Facebook LinkedIn  Connect With Machine Shop Mastery The website LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Subscribe to Machine Shop Mastery on Apple & Spotify Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK

Are you wondering how to: ✓ Create and use a ChattGPT GPT to write blog posts effortlessly? ✓ Write client emails and responses faster than ever? ✓ Write professional proposals or cold pitches in seconds? ✓ Write social media posts? Stay tuned! On WGAN-TV Live at 5 at 5 pm ET on Wednesday, 12 December 2024, our subject matter expert is: ✓ Scan Your Space (a Division of Sparks Media Group) Founder and CEO Tom Sparks Our topic is: ✓ How to Create and Use ChatGPT and GPTs to Help Real Estate Photographers Write Tom will share how he's leveraged ChatGPT and his GPT (trained on his two businesses) to transform his writing workflow. Tom's GPT has been trained on everything related to his businesses: ✓ Website content ✓ Proposals and quotes ✓ Sample email templates (for responding to RFQs, client inquiries, etc.) ✓ Social media posts ✓ Marketing materials Examples of how Tom uses GPT: 1. Writing blog posts on various topics effortlessly. 2. Summarizing videos for quick descriptions on YouTube or emails. 3. Crafting eye-catching YouTube headlines and thumbnails. 4. Writing detailed responses to RFQs or proposals. 5. Writing cold-call email pitches. 6. Creating captions and posts for social media. 7. Responding to client inquiries with personalized, professional emails. 8. Preparing follow-up emails for prospective clients. 9. Writing newsletters or updates for current clients. 10. Generating promotional content for new services or products. 11. Writing captions and headlines for property listings. 12. Drafting FAQs for his website. 13. Automating repetitive writing tasks with speed and consistency. Why This Matters for Real Estate Photographers If you're a professional real estate photographer, you know writing is essential for marketing, communication, and building client relationships. With GPTs, you can eliminate the friction of starting from scratch and focus on growing your business. Tom will also share specific examples of how he's trained his GPT and how you can implement similar strategies to: ✓ Save time ✓ Increase productivity ✓ Streamline client communications

Are you wondering how to: ✓ Create and use a ChattGPT GPT to write blog posts effortlessly? ✓ Write client emails and responses faster than ever? ✓ Write professional proposals or cold pitches in seconds? ✓ Write social media posts? Stay tuned! On WGAN-TV Live at 5 at 5 pm ET on Wednesday, 12 December 2024, our subject matter expert is: ✓ Scan Your Space (a Division of Sparks Media Group) Founder and CEO Tom Sparks Our topic is: ✓ How to Create and Use ChatGPT and GPTs to Help Real Estate Photographers Write Tom will share how he's leveraged ChatGPT and his GPT (trained on his two businesses) to transform his writing workflow. Tom's GPT has been trained on everything related to his businesses: ✓ Website content ✓ Proposals and quotes ✓ Sample email templates (for responding to RFQs, client inquiries, etc.) ✓ Social media posts ✓ Marketing materials Examples of how Tom uses GPT: 1. Writing blog posts on various topics effortlessly. 2. Summarizing videos for quick descriptions on YouTube or emails. 3. Crafting eye-catching YouTube headlines and thumbnails. 4. Writing detailed responses to RFQs or proposals. 5. Writing cold-call email pitches. 6. Creating captions and posts for social media. 7. Responding to client inquiries with personalized, professional emails. 8. Preparing follow-up emails for prospective clients. 9. Writing newsletters or updates for current clients. 10. Generating promotional content for new services or products. 11. Writing captions and headlines for property listings. 12. Drafting FAQs for his website. 13. Automating repetitive writing tasks with speed and consistency. Why This Matters for Real Estate Photographers If you're a professional real estate photographer, you know writing is essential for marketing, communication, and building client relationships. With GPTs, you can eliminate the friction of starting from scratch and focus on growing your business. Tom will also share specific examples of how he's trained his GPT and how you can implement similar strategies to: ✓ Save time ✓ Increase productivity ✓ Streamline client communications

In this episode of the Interlinks show we will be talking to Frankie Bates, CEO and co-fonder of Prodensus, a Dublin-based start-up software company that helps customer navigate the complex world of international freight procurement. Among other things, Prodensus' software tools enable clients facing challenges in their logistics procurement to: clean and analyse data very rapidly that they can then trust understand their own current baseline run complex procurement processes and RFQs save significant sums of money on multimillion dollar international freight procurement Frankie, by his own admission, loves logistics and supply chain data, as well as computers and negotiation, and this is what originally fueled his desire while at a global company to work in sourcing and build procurement software. Now he is doing it in his own startup, where agility and creativity are paramount to keep abreast of the needs of clients and their multi-million dollar international, multi-modal, freight procurement challenges. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week our host Brandi Starr is joined by Lindsay Tjepkema, Founder of Human Brands Win. Meet Lindsay Tjepkema, a visionary leader reshaping the landscape of human-centric branding and marketing. As the former CEO of Casted, she spearheaded the integration of podcasting and video into effective marketing strategies. Now, through Human Brands Win, she is on a mission to empower brands to prioritize genuine human connections. In this episode of Revenue Rehab, Brandi and Lindsay dive into the transformative power of human-centric marketing. They explore the benefits of shifting away from fear and scarcity mindsets, and delve into practical frameworks like "BRAVE" to enhance daily decision-making. They also discuss the long-term impact of authentic brand building and the critical role of storytelling in developing meaningful customer relationships. Join us to uncover strategies that not only drive revenue but create lasting legacies. Bullet Points of Key Topics + Chapter Markers: Topic #1 Framework and Decision-Making in Marketing [05:12] “Using a specific framework for daily decisions can transform your marketing efforts,” Tjepkema asserts. “It shifts the focus to fostering human connections rather than operating from fear and scarcity. Whether you're posting on social media or writing emails, this approach ensures that human connection remains at the core.” Topic #2 Human Brand as a Differentiator [18:47] “Human connection may not be explicitly listed in RFQs, but it's a critical factor in decision-making through storytelling and empathy,” Tjepkema explains. “Brands that understand and resonate with their customers' stories stand out,” she notes. Brandi Starr agrees, emphasizing that “having an internal favorite or personal connection to a brand significantly influences decision-making.” Topic #3 Impact of Fear and Scarcity on Creativity [27:39] “The prevalent mindset of fear and scarcity is stifling creativity in business and marketing,” Tjepkema warns. “Over-reliance on data and the pressure for short-term ROI-driven decisions hinder relationship-building and long-term strategy.” Brandi Starr recalls, “Earlier in my career, less fear around taking risks allowed for more innovative marketing, similar to how excessive focus on health metrics can negatively impact well-being.” Buzzword Banishment Lindsay's 'One Thing' is to create space for creativity within your team. “As leaders, it's crucial to hold space for creativity in your daily operations. Encourage your team to explore, express, and experiment without the constraints of immediate ROI concerns. Think about ways to foster an environment where innovation isn't stifled by fear and scarcity but nurtured through human connection and trust. This space for creativity is where genuine human brands are born, evolving into relationships that last.” So, What's the One Thing You Can Do Today? Liz's ‘One Thing' is to delve into your metrics to uncover the priorities for your marketing strategy. "Look at your metrics. Those are probably the truest measure of how you're performing. And I would look at things not, I mean revenue growth. That's all important. Those are the obvious ones. But I would take a look at some more granular ones. Trends such as your sales cycle, has it been lengthening or shrinking your win rate? What are the trends going on there? Your win loss intel? Why are you winning? Why are you losing? So I would look at some of those more granular metrics to tell you just how or to signal to you how prioritized should a reworking of your marketing strategy be and whether you need to invest in research now or six months from now or a year from now. I think the metrics are going to give you the answer." B.R.A.V.E. Scorecard: https://lindsaytjepkema.com/scorecard Links: Get in touch on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaytjepkema/ Website: https://lindsaytjepkema.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/human_brands_win/  Subscribe, listen, and rate/review Revenue Rehab Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts , Amazon Music, or iHeart Radio and find more episodes on our website RevenueRehab.live

Sustainability is a strategic imperative that can drive cost savings, optimize operations, and build resilience across the supply chain. But how can businesses effectively integrate sustainability into their core operations to achieve real results?In this episode, Scott W. Luton is joined by Evan Junker, Chief Growth Officer, and Tjeerd de Jong, Partner at Sparq360, to discuss actionable strategies for embedding sustainability into everyday supply chain management. From reducing greenhouse gas emissions to improving operational efficiency, they share practical examples of how companies are transforming sustainability from a compliance requirement into a competitive advantage.Evan and Tjeerd also explore the importance of cross-functional leadership alignment, the impact of EcoVadis scores, and how businesses can reduce payback periods on sustainability initiatives. Tune in to discover how to implement real-world sustainability solutions that not only protect the planet but also boost the bottom line.Jump into the conversation:(00:00) Intro(00:32) Discussing sustainability in supply chains and breaking old habits(01:48) The importance of sustainability in RFQs and market expectations(03:20) Insights from Sparq360's supply chain sustainability survey(05:00) Challenges companies face with sustainability programs(06:10) Cross-functional leadership for sustainability success(08:22) Building a strategy and setting measurable targets for sustainability(10:34) Achieving cost reductions and operational efficiencies with sustainability(12:09) Examples of sustainable practices in logistics and inventory management(13:48) The role of EcoVadis in sustainability certifications(15:35) Avoiding common pitfalls when implementing sustainability programs(17:50) How Sparq360 helps clients manage sustainability and optimize supply chains(19:22) Driving down emissions through smarter logistics strategies(21:06) The importance of collaboration with suppliers and partners(23:11) Understanding resilience in supply chain sustainability(25:34) Real-world examples of companies successfully optimizing sustainability(28:02) Practical ways to shorten payback periods for sustainability investmentsAdditional Links & Resources:Download your copy of the Summary of “2024 Supply Chain Trends and Attitudes” here: https://bit.ly/4ehyKqqConnect with Evan Junker: www.linkedin.com/in/evanjunkerConnect with Tjeerd de Jong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjeerd-de-jong-7129ab1/Learn more about SPARQ360: https://sparq360.com/Connect with Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottwindonluton/ Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now's NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVkWEBINAR- Pedaling to Profit: Trek's Direct-to-Consumer Shipping Success Story: https://bit.ly/4gWMIzUWEBINAR- The ABCs of Cargo Security and Loss Prevention: https://bit.ly/3zAirpTWEBINAR- Supply Chain in 2025: Top 5 Labeling and Packaging Artwork Trends to Watch: https://bit.ly/3Y9FWiZWEBINAR- Future-Proof Your Logistics: AI-Powered Solutions for Competitive Edge: https://bit.ly/3BouB5EThis episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Amanda...

Federal buyers search for companies like you're the same way you might look for a plumber. They may use DSBS, internal databases or other tools but the process is the same. They use keywords and other methods to find you.✅ In this training, GovCon Chamber president Neil McDonnell explainsWhy you must know the keywords buyers are using How to identify top keywords used in federal agenciesHow keywords work like SEO in DSBS, LinkedIn, website Where to put keywords (branding, marketing, content) How the right keywords lead to more RFIs, RFQs & RFPs✅ Join us on LinkedIn to build your network and engaging other in the largest Government Contracting community online.–––––––––––––––––––––––––HOST | Neil McDonnellpresident GovCon Chamber of Commerce and co-founder of GovCon in a Boxhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-mcdonnell/Small business owners trust Neil to show them HOW to earn federal government contracts and subcontracts. A passionate 'evangelist' for business development in the federal marketplace, Neil has helped 1000s of small business contractors collectively win over $3B (federal contract value).A small business contractor in the tech space for 25+ years, Neil successfully won contracts worth hundreds of millions for the Department of Defense and civilian agencies, includingUS Army • US Navy • US Air Force • HHS • VA • White House • Departments of Education, Transportation, Interior and Energy and numerous large prime contractors✅ SPONSORED BY GOVCON IN A BOX | www.GOVCONinaBox.comGovCon in a Box is a FREE AI Community Resource for small business government contractors (launched July 2024)Maximize your visibility to federal buyers by getting a '100 Visibliity Score'Find teammates who want to work with youGettting daily updates of RFIs in your sweet spotRespond to opportunities that you can winSee consolidated data from USA Spending, FDPS, and DSBSwww.GOVCONinaBox.com

September 10, 2024 Reidsville City Council MeetingAGENDA1. Call to Order.2. Invocation by the Reverend Marcus Fairley, Pastor of Zion Baptist Church, 807 Piedmont Street, Reidsville.3. Pledge of Allegiance.4. Approval of Consent Agenda.(A) Approval of August 13, 2024 Regular Meeting Minutes.(B) Approval of Nomination for 2024 Main Street Champion.(C) Approval of Reimbursement to Elm Grove Baptist Church for Its Mailbox Replacement Due to Construction of the City's Redundant Water Line Project.- End of Consent Agenda –5. Projects:(A) Consideration of Industrial Reserve and Cost Sharing with Rockingham County and Corresponding Budget Ordinance Amendment. (Enclosure #1) - Montana Brown, Marketing & Economic Development Director(B) Consideration of Change Order for Wastewater Treatment Plant's Headworks Project and Corresponding Capital Project Ordinance Amendment. (Enclosure #2) - Josh Beck, Public Works Director(C) Consideration of Resolution Requesting Statewide Contingency Funds for Improved Lighting at US-29 and Barnes Street Interchange. (Enclosure #3) - Josh Beck, Public Works Director(D) Consideration of Water Treatment Plant Whole Plant Generator Project, including (Enclosure #4):A. Consideration of Resolution Accepting A State Reserve Loan. - Chris Phillips, Assistant City Manager of Administration/Finance DirectorB. Consideration of Resolution Accepting the ARPA Grant Funding. - Chris Phillips, Assistant City Manager of Administration/Finance DirectorC. Consideration of Capital Project Ordinance Amendment. - Chris Phillips, Assistant City Manager of Administration/Finance DirectorD. Consideration of Construction Bids and Tentative Award. - Josh Beck, Public Works Director6. Personnel-Related:(A) Consideration of RFQs for On Call Engineering Services. (Enclosure #5) - Josh Beck, Public Works Director7. Public Comments.8. Boards & Commission Appointments:(A) September Appointments. (Enclosure #6)9. City Manager's Report:(A) Month of September. (Enclosure #7)10. Council Members' Reports.11. Announcement of Board & Commission Appointments.12. Miscellaneous:(A) For Information Only.13. Adjourn.###

In today's episode, we have Jonathan Hard, and we delve deep into his entrepreneurial spirit, which is characterized by relentless drive, determination, and a commitment to delivering top-notch results. Listen now as we explore various facets of running a cybersecurity firm, from navigating stringent barriers like CMMC and facilities clearance to expanding into global markets, evidenced by their recent moves in Kenya with Mac Three Defense. Jonathan also shares his approach to building a robust team, emphasizing that anyone can be an auditor, and how H2L has cultivated a workforce that includes both veterans and newcomers alike, all united under a philosophy of continuous learning and adaptation. We also touch on the critical aspects of getting and managing government contracts, from those initial audits to the complex compliance demands, and how H2L has been indispensable to their clients. Jonathan's insights into the nuances of government contracting, particularly his strategies for overcoming initial barriers and his proactive approach to client engagement, will be invaluable for anyone looking to make their mark in the industry. One of the things I love about Jonathan is that he shows you a different way to approach growing your business. I know that so often, small businesses that I speak with, coach, and mentor talk about building RFPs and RFQs. Jonathan has a different approach to how he started and built past performance in this space. Join us today as Jonathan reveals the keys to his sustained success, his vision for the future of cybersecurity and government contracting, his prime contract of managing over 400 assessments, and his journey as a testament to what's possible with the right mix of grit, knowledge, and connections. Let's dive into Jonathan's incredible journey and the lessons you've learned along the way. Our next GovCon Giant. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-h-284b8392/  Company Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/h2l-solutions/  Website: https://h2lsolutions.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/h2lsolutions  Email: info@h2lsolutions.com 

In this episode of Flywheel, host DeFi Dave engages with Jack and Cami from BeraChain. The groups talks about Bera's proof of liquidity system, contrasting its functionalities with traditional DeFi protocols like Curve. They also discuss validator rewards, ecosystem incentives, and optimizing BGT rewards. Additionally, the talk extends to unlocking capital efficiency, leveraging assets, and bridging the gap between engineers and DeFi enthusiasts.Timeline00:00 Welcome to Flywheel: Your Crypto and DeFi Hub01:52 Introducing the Berachain Guests02:34 Cami's Journey to Berachain04:18 Jack's Role and Insights06:07 Understanding Proof of Liquidity (POL)15:22 Comparing POL with VE Systems24:34 Strategies for Maximizing BGT Rewards35:12 Introduction to Berachain's Ecosystem35:54 Understanding Block Rewards and BGT Staking36:27 POL: The Makeup Foundation Analogy38:16 Berachain's Consensus Layer and Validator Incentives41:14 Bridging the Gap: Engineering vs. Financial Perspectives in Crypto44:44 The Role of Solvers and RFQs in Berachain51:56 Ensuring Stability in Bera Markets55:53 How to Participate in BeraChain's Testnet01:00:52 Final Thoughts and Guest Recommendations~~~~Subscribe to the Flywheel mailing list: https://flywheeldefi.com~~~~Follow FlywheelTwitter: https://twitter.com/FlywheelDeFiTelegram: https://t.me/FlywheelDeFiYouTube: @flywheeldefiSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/34xXNO2...Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...~~~~ConnectDeFi Dave: https://twitter.com/defidave22Kiet: https://twitter.com/0xkapital_kSam: https://twitter.com/traders_insightLewy: https://x.com/lewquidity~~~~Not financial or tax advice. This channel is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. This video is not tax advice. Talk to your accountant. Do your own research.

  Do you want to streamline your RFP response process and win more contracts? Imagine a more efficient and effective way to handle RFPs, ensuring your responses stand out. We'll be sharing a solution to help you achieve that result. Uncover the unexpected way AI can help you win more RFPs with a powerful tool. It's not just about streamlining responses; it's about gaining a competitive edge and uncovering hidden insights. Find out the surprising truth that's transforming the RFP game and putting you ahead of the pack. Ready to discover the game-changing tool that's making waves in the industry? Stay tuned for this groundbreaking reveal. This is Mark Shriner's story: Mark Shriner, a seasoned business development and growth specialist, shares his journey from an adventurous trip to Asia with only $117 in his pocket to leading a consulting company in Japan. Through a chance encounter, he found himself in the sales track after securing a job with a Taiwanese computer magazine publisher, which fueled his career in sales. Mark's experience in business expansion and his tenure with Memoq, a software provider, led him to co-found Memoq RFP, a company focused on streamlining RFP responses for small and medium-sized businesses. His story of resilience and adaptability serves as an inspiration, demonstrating the unexpected paths that can lead to success. Mark's unique journey showcases the unpredictable nature of life and how seizing opportunities, even with limited resources, can lead to remarkable achievements. In this episode of The Modern Selling Podcast, Mario Martinez Jr. interviews Mark Shriner, the CEO and co-founder of Memoq RFP, diving into the challenges of responding to RFPs, RFIs, and RFQs. Mark shares his personal journey, including an adventurous stint in Asia with minimal funds, which eventually led him to a career in sales. The episode sheds light on the complexities of document requests in the sales process, emphasizing the significance of strategic decision-making, collaboration with subject matter experts, and the impact of AI tools in streamlining the response process. Mark's insights into the frustrations faced by subject matter experts and the potential for AI tools to alleviate these challenges offer practical takeaways for sales professionals. His emphasis on the importance of relationship-building and the value of informed competitive positioning in responding to RFPs and RFQs make this episode a must-listen for those seeking to enhance their approach to document requests. Mark's personal anecdotes and experiences add depth to the conversation, making it relatable and insightful for sales professionals navigating the complexities of RFPs and RFQs. You found a problem and then figured out a solution, and people buy that. You go in and help them fix something that's broken. - Mark Shriner My special guest is Mark Shriner Mark Shriner, hailing from Seattle, is the CEO and co-founder of Memoq RfP. With a career spanning over 20 years in leadership positions, including country manager, regional sales manager, and CEO in Asia Pacific, Mark has garnered extensive expertise in business development and growth. His involvement in assisting companies with market expansion led to his foray into RFP technology, driven by the need for enhanced response processes for small and medium-sized businesses. Mark's profound industry experience equips him to provide valuable insights into the integration of AI to streamline RFP responses, making him a knowledgeable and credible guest for the audience to glean insights from. In this episode, you will be able to: Mastering Winning Strategies: Learn how to craft winning strategies for RFPs and RFQs to stand out from the competition and win more business. Boosting Sales Efficiency: Discover how to streamline and improve sales with optimized RFP response processes for greater success and faster turnaround times. Harnessing AI for Optimization: Explore the power of leveraging AI in RFP response optimization to enhance efficiency and accuracy in the sales process. Nurturing Effective Relationships: Unlock the secrets to building effective sales relationships pre-RFP to foster trust and increase win rates. Small Business RFP Success: Uncover essential tips tailored for small businesses to achieve RFP success and compete effectively in the marketplace.   The key moments in this episode are: 00:00:08 - Introducing FlyMSG 00:01:11 - Mark Shriner's Background 00:04:38 - RFP Challenges for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses 00:06:28 - Mario's Experience with RFPs 00:11:37 - Mark's Journey to Asia 00:12:55 - Understanding RFPs and Document Requests 00:15:31 - Challenges in Responding to Document Requests 00:18:11 - Communicating During RFPs 00:19:42 - Helping Create RFPs 00:24:39 - Process Tweaks for RFP Response 00:25:48 - Go/No-Go Decision-making Process 00:26:44 - Subject Matter Expert Collaboration 00:29:24 - AI Tools for Efficiency 00:36:28 - Relationship-building in RFPs 00:39:01 - Strategic Pricing in RFPs 00:39:18 - Understanding Key Requirements in RFPs 00:41:50 - Asking Critical Questions 00:44:06 - Reconsideration and Reevaluation 00:47:23 - Finding Solutions to Problems 00:49:45 - Competitive Intelligence in RFPs 00:51:53 - Connecting with Mark Shriner 00:52:28 - Grow Fast Podcast 00:52:44 - Favorite Movies 00:54:28 - Wrapping Up Timestamped summary of this episode: 00:00:08 - Introducing FlyMSG Mario Martinez Jr. introduces FlyMSG.IO, a free personal writing assistant and text expander application, and sets the stage for the podcast's focus on sales growth techniques. 00:01:11 - Mark Shriner's Background Mark Shriner shares his background and experience in business development and growth, including his time living and working in Asia, which ultimately led him to start his career in sales. 00:04:38 - RFP Challenges for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses Mark discusses the challenges small and medium-sized businesses face in responding to RFPs, highlighting the resource limitations and opportunity costs involved in the decision-making process. 00:06:28 - Mario's Experience with RFPs Mario Martinez Jr. shares his past experience with RFPs and the challenges he faced, emphasizing the importance of relationship building in winning RFPs and RFQs, despite his dislike for the process. 00:11:37 - Mark's Journey to Asia Mark Shriner shares a personal story of his spontaneous trip to Asia with minimal resources, leading to a four-year adventure that ultimately shaped his career in business and sales. 00:12:55 - Understanding RFPs and Document Requests Mark explains the differences between RFI, RFQ, and RFP and the challenges organizations face when responding to these document requests. He highlights the time-consuming nature of the process and the need for involvement from various subject matter experts. 00:15:31 - Challenges in Responding to Document Requests Mark discusses the challenges organizations face in deciding whether to respond to an RFP, including understanding and meeting the requirements, as well as the repetitive nature of the work. He emphasizes the importance of developing a relationship with the customer during the process. 00:18:11 - Communicating During RFPs Mark and Mario explore the issue of communication during RFPs, particularly when organizations are instructed not to communicate with anyone other than procurement. They share insights on how sales organizations can navigate this challenge and potentially leverage existing relationships. 00:19:42 - Helping Create RFPs Mark highlights the strategic advantage of helping organizations create their RFPs, as it allows vendors to influence the content and requirements in their favor. He also discusses the importance of understanding the customer's real intentions behind issuing an RFP. 00:24:39 - Process Tweaks for RFP Response Mark emphasizes the need for small and medium-sized businesses to establish a clear process for making go/no-go decisions when responding to RFPs. He underscores the importance of setting criteria and following a structured approach to managing the RFP response process. 00:25:48 - Go/No-Go Decision-making Process Mark discusses the importance of making a go/no-go decision based on key factors and requirements, potential workarounds, and customer acceptance of workarounds. 00:26:44 - Subject Matter Expert Collaboration Mark emphasizes the need for a pool of subject matter experts and a collaborative platform for efficient RFP response. He highlights the frustration of repeating tasks and the importance of setting clear expectations to gain SME support. 00:29:24 - AI Tools for Efficiency Mark discusses the use of AI tools like Breeze for storing and accessing previously used responses, searching through reference documents, and even drafting responses. He emphasizes the efficiency and effectiveness of these tools in RFP response. 00:36:28 - Relationship-building in RFPs Mario shares his experience with maintaining relationships and winning RFPs. He mentions the significance of building relationships early and leveraging past collaborations to secure contracts, even after losing an initial RFP. 00:39:01 - Strategic Pricing in RFPs Mario describes a strategic approach to pricing in RFPs, highlighting the importance of understanding the true cost and value of services instead of solely meeting price reduction demands. He shares a successful example of re-evaluating pricing to secure a lucrative contract. 00:39:18 - Understanding Key Requirements in RFPs Mark discusses the importance of understanding key requirements in RFPs and how failure to meet those requirements can result in losing the deal. 00:41:50 - Asking Critical Questions Mark shares how he asked critical questions to the CIO, leading to a realization that the competition had not considered key integration and cost factors. 00:44:06 - Reconsideration and Reevaluation The CPO admits they did not consider the integration factor, leading to a reevaluation of the RFP and potential reconsideration of the decision. 00:47:23 - Finding Solutions to Problems Mark discusses identifying a problem with manual wireless orders and finding a solution through an integration with Ariba, resulting in a significant contract and business growth. 00:49:45 - Competitive Intelligence in RFPs Lisa Reheark's advice on understanding competition's pricing and obtaining competitive intelligence through FOIA requests, highlighting the importance of understanding competition in RFP responses. 00:51:53 - Connecting with Mark Shriner Mario asks Mark how to get in touch with him to discuss Breeze's technology and Mark suggests reaching out to him on LinkedIn or Twitter to schedule a demo or meeting. 00:52:28 - Grow Fast Podcast Mark recommends listening to the Grow Fast Podcast to hear from industry experts like Mario and gain valuable knowledge and wisdom. 00:52:44 - Favorite Movies Mark shares that his favorite movies are the Godfather I and II, and Lord of the Rings trilogy, while Mario reveals that his favorite movie is The Goonies due to its themes of aspiration and problem-solving. 00:54:28 - Wrapping Up Mario and Mark continue to discuss their favorite movies and wrap up the conversation by encouraging listeners to rate and review the Modern Selling Podcast and to download FlyMSG for increased productivity. Mastering Winning Strategies Mark Shriner shares valuable insights on mastering winning strategies when responding to RFPs, RFIs, and RFQs, emphasizing the importance of understanding competition pricing and tailoring responses effectively. His personal anecdotes highlight the significance of problem-solving approaches and aligning offerings to meet clients' specific needs, contributing to successful responses. Boosting Sales Efficiency Shriner discusses how embracing AI technology, like Breeze, can boost sales efficiency by streamlining the RFP response process. By harnessing AI tools for knowledge retrieval, response drafting, and collaboration, sales professionals can optimize their responses to document requests and enhance their chances of success in competitive bidding scenarios. Harnessing AI for Optimization The conversation between Mario and Shriner reveals the transformative power of harnessing AI for optimization in the sales process. By leveraging AI tools like Breeze to simplify RFP responses, sales professionals can enhance their efficiency, decision-making, and competitiveness in the market. This strategic approach enables businesses to stay ahead of the curve and drive success in their sales endeavors. The resources mentioned in this episode are: Connect with Mark Shriner on LinkedIn to learn more about Breeze Docs AI and how it can help streamline the RFP process. Check out the Grow Fast Podcast to gain insights from sales and marketing experts, including tips on winning more RFPs. Download FlyMSG for free to save 20 hours or more in a month and increase your productivity with a text expander and personal writing assistant. Consider reaching out to Lisa Rehark at RFP Success Company for expert guidance on winning more RFPs and RFQs. Watch The Godfather and The Godfather Part II for a classic movie experience, or indulge in the Lord of the Rings trilogy for an epic adventure.

Most AEC marketers' plates are filled with essential initiatives; developing responses to RFPs and RFQs or creating promotional content for websites, social media, and databases. While those projects are critical to keeping business humming, every once in a while we get the chance to work on a big, collaborative, creative project. It's those rare moments when we get to flex our marketing muscles in new and different ways, and hopefully, produce something with the energy to fuel us through the next year of project pursuits.In 2023, the team at Middle of Six unveiled The Wildcards; a creative campaign aimed at shedding a little light (and some humor) on some of the behaviors that add complexity to pursuit teams. More than a year in the making, and involving everyone on the Middle of Six team, The Wildcards have been enjoyed from coast to coast and hopefully helped a few marketers along the way. Listen in on Episode 57 as Allison Tivnon, Becky Ellison, Grace Takehara, and Wendy Simmons walk through each step of the process, starting with the smallest seed of an idea and ending with a nationally recognized campaign.CPSM CEU Credits: 1.0 | Domain: 6

Join Ricky, a seasoned expert with a wealth of experience both as a former government procurement officer and now a consultant helping businesses secure government contracts, in a deep dive into the intricacies of SAM.GOV. With over $82 billion in contracts managed and a successful coaching business under his belt, Ricky offers listeners an insider's perspective on leveraging SAM.GOV to win government contracts. Unlike the typical advice found on social media, this podcast episode unveils the truths and strategies that deviate from the mainstream, guiding listeners through the often-overlooked opportunities and methodologies that can make all the difference. In this episode, Ricky demystifies the process of using SAM.GOV, highlighting how to search for and identify opportunities that many competitors miss. He explains the significance of "sources sought" notices over traditional solicitations like RFPs and RFQs, emphasizing the importance of early engagement and relationship building with government officials. Ricky shares actionable advice on how to position your business as a front runner by assisting in the solicitation writing process, thereby influencing the government's requirements to favor your company's strengths and capabilities. Listeners will learn about the comprehensive steps involved in tracking and managing opportunities through SAM.GOV and the critical role of a systematized approach in navigating the government contracting landscape. From initial opportunity identification to proposal submission and follow-up, Ricky covers the marathon nature of selling to the government and how to strategically position your business for success. Whether you're a small business owner, an entrepreneur eyeing government contracts, or a seasoned contractor looking to refine your approach, this episode is packed with invaluable insights and tips on how to leverage SAM.GOV effectively. Get ready to transform your strategy and approach to government contracts with expert guidance from someone who's mastered both sides of the process. Website: dodcontract.com For More Tools and Resources: govClose.com  

Show Notes: Barry Saunders, a digital expert at McKinsey, discusses his background in the firm and his experience in AI-related projects. He worked in the LEAP practice, which built platforms for video streaming, preventative maintenance, and optimization tools. He left McKinsey to become Chief Product Officer at an Australian fashion company and recently joined MXA, a strategic digital technology company in Australia. Barry suggests a two-by-two typology classification scheme for AI-related projects. The first quadrant focuses on understanding patterns of behavior, while the second quadrant focuses on predictive behavioral modeling, third is more about text orientated and understanding meaning. The fourth quadrant focuses on regenerative AI and content creation. Barry believes that combining these quadrants can lead to personalized content for different customers and valuable insights and can unlock interesting value.  AI Use Case Study Barry and his partner have been working on an AI toolkit to automate time-consuming work for management consultants. They developed a startup called First Things, which uses Gen AI to create classic McKinsey storylines from unstructured data. This tool has helped executives work through their strategies and report outcomes. They have also worked with clients on the AI journey, especially regulated industries. They have found that some tasks can be done more effectively with AI. One project they did was analyzing insurance policies for large-scale agricultural businesses, which are often complex and drift in meaning as language is updated. They created a tool that would analyze these policies, extract semantic meaning, and identify where drift took place, allowing them to align documents and simplify policies. One of the projects they are currently working on is simplifying lending policies for banks. In Australia, many lenders do home lending as their primary base, but the technical platforms used by banks and non-bank lenders are ancient and difficult to navigate. They are working on simplifying policies and offering home loans more simply. Building AI Tools The level of effort required to build a tool like this is not limited to building it. Many of the tools available are free, and there are many software as a service tools available that can perform similar tasks. To build a tool like this, one should be clear on what they are trying to do, such as simplifying a policy or comparing two different policies. The AI toolkit has proven to be effective in automating time-consuming work for management consultants and other clients. It is essential to be familiar with the tools and their capabilities to effectively utilize AI in various aspects of business operations. The legal space offers a vast array of tools for generating and analyzing contracts, including software as a service tools. To use these tools effectively, it is essential to be familiar with the large language model and the tool being used. Tuning these tools to get the desired response requires understanding the chain of logic and the outputs. To build a production-oriented tool, consider using large language model operations (LLM ops) or large language model operations (LLM ops) in a broader software architecture or workflow. Google, AWS, and Microsoft offer guides on how to integrate these tools into their software stack. It is crucial to be clear about the tasks and outputs of these tools, and to work with teams who are familiar with these systems.  Using AI Applications Barry discusses his work on AI applications, specifically RF cues and analyzing large documents. He built a proof of concept using a tool called mem.ai. He talks about a template he built to analyze questions in RFQs, which are often templated and consistent across government agencies. The system is particularly useful for handling open-ended questions and generating text about your company's services, processes, etc. This speeds the process of applications, and the system can be used to set the tone for the next step in a project. Timestamps: 00:03 AI projects and experience at McKinsey with Barry Saunders 01:57 Using AI to analyze text data and create personalized content 05:23 Simplifying complex insurance policies using AI 09:06 Building a tool for analyzing and comparing legal documents 12:31 Using AI to automate RFQ response generation Links: Whitepapers: https://www.mxa.com.au/whitepapers Company Website: https://mxa.com.au/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrysaunders/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

Great projects happen because of great teams. But how do you build that team in the first place?Who should a museum hire first, to start a major project? How do you decide whether internal staff should run a big project, or if you need help from outside? Should you hire an architect before you hire an exhibition designer, or vice versa? Who else do you need, and when? Where can a museum find firms they might like to work with? What's an “owner's rep” anyway?Beth Van Why (Senior Project Manager, Becker & Frondorf) returns to the show, joining host Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to discuss “Assembling a Collaborative Project Team”.Along the way: what “AV integrator” means, choosing your own adventure, and how to build a museum on top of Pike's Peak. Talking Points: 1. What is a project team?2. Every project has unique restrictions and opportunities.3. What museums can do internally vs. when they need help.4. Timeline for adding staff, partners, and consultants.5. Owners reps, museum planners, architects, exhibition designers — who else?6. The role of RFQs and RFPs in team building. Guest Bio:  Beth Van Why has spent most of her career managing construction and development projects for non-profit and cultural institutions. She offers an extensive background in architecture, exhibit design, collections care, construction, and owner-run program management. Beth is very familiar with the various funding sources available to non-profits and the parameters that come with them. From master planning to design and budget consultation, Beth brings a comprehensive view of the role needed in making a building project successful. A strong advocate for the importance of education, Beth also serves as an associate professor in museum design at University of the Arts. Show Links: bvanwhy@beckerfrondorf.com https://www.beckerfrondorf.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethvanwhy/  Newsletter: Like the episode? Try the newsletter. Making the Museum is also a one-minute email on exhibition planning and design for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe here:https://www.makingthemuseum.com

Ever find yourself navigating the complex currents of telecommunications with more questions than answers? Let Chuck Bowser, your trusted RCDD, illuminate the path with his latest podcast episode, "Electrifying Insights with Chuck Bowser: TDMM and RCDD Exam Updates." As we pop open a Zevia root beer together, Chuck dives straight into the heart of the matter, offering a treasure trove of tips for acing the RCDD exam and a detailed look at the new content in the 15th edition of the TDMM. Whether you're entangled in study material or looking for the ins and outs of the latest industry trends, this episode promises to deliver the clarity you've been seeking.Picture this: you're about to estimate a cabling project, but where do you start? Chuck has got you covered, as he meticulously dissects the top ten questions in the field of estimating cabling project costs. From scrutinizing RFQs and RFPs to predicting material quantities and tackling unexpected cable testing quandaries, Chuck's practical advice ensures your projects remain on target and your budget intact. And when it comes to compliance, let's just say Chuck's insights into adhering to standards will have you navigating this maze like a pro.As the conversation overflows with enthusiasm, we're reminded that the world of cabling and ICT is more than just wires and numbers; it's a community. Chuck extends an invitation for some real-time interaction – a cup of coffee, a casual chat, or the RCD study group that's shaping up to be as lively as the podcast itself. So if you're looking to bolster your expertise with insights, camaraderie, and a sprinkle of humor, tune in to "Electrifying Insights with Chuck Bowser RCDD," and join the conversation that's connecting minds and building knowledge in the world of cabling.Support the showKnowledge is power! Make sure to stop by the webpage to buy me a cup of coffee or support the show at https://linktr.ee/letstalkcabling . Also if you would like to be a guest on the show or have a topic for discussion send me an email at chuck@letstalkcabling.com Chuck Bowser RCDD TECH#CBRCDD #RCDD

Love them or hate them, procurement is part of your customer's process. In today's episode, we get ideas and insights from Mark Raffan from Negotiations Ninja. Mark emphasizes the value of engaging with procurement early on. By doing so, ensures a smooth process and prevents issues down the line.  And if you find yourself confused by RFI, RFQ, and RFP...why don't you give us a call. What You'll Learn: What should salespeople know about procurement. Why you should engage procurement early in the conversation. How best to submit a “request for…” to procurement. Best practices for RFIs, RFQs, and RFPs. How best to structure RFP proposals. How to properly engage procurement professionals. Different between for RFTs and RFPs. Resources: What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed-Reading People - by Joe Navarro and Marvin Karlins The Ziglar Show, with Kevin Miller Make it Happen Mondays with John Barrows Negotiations Ninja Mark Raffan on LinkedIn  

Paul Noble and Joe Lynch discuss modernizing MRO using AI. Paul is the Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Verusen, a supply chain intelligence platform, purpose-built to help manufacturers streamline their MRO supply and materials management. About Paul Noble As Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Verusen, Paul Noble oversees the company's vision and strategic direction. He has extensive experience in the industrial supply chain and distribution space, as he was recognized as a Supply Chain Pros to Know by Supply and Demand Chain Executive in 2021, 2022, & 2023. Prior to founding Verusen, Noble spent over a decade with The Sherwin-Williams Company, where he specialized in supply chain/manufacturing and led its Eastern U.S. Industrial Distribution business unit. Noble graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in management and marketing from Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. About Verusen Verusen is a leading MRO Materials Intelligence provider focused on helping global manufacturers streamline their MRO supply and materials management strategy. Verusen utilizes advanced data science and artificial intelligence to harmonize disparate material data across multiple enterprise systems to provide complex supply chains with material truth for supply and inventory planning and procurement intelligence. This helps organizations reduce risk and tail spend, optimize working capital, and ensure production uptime to meet customer needs. The result is a foundation that organizations can trust to fuel digital transformation and support supply chain maturity initiatives. Headquartered in Atlanta, Verusen has been named one of Georgia's Top 10 Innovative Technology Companies. Key Takeaways: Modernizing MRO using AI Verusen is a leading provider of materials intelligence solutions that help companies improve their supply chain resilience and efficiency. Verusen is the leader in materials intelligence for the digitalization of the supply ecosystem. The company utilizes AI, data harmonization, and decision support to help companies achieve supply chain resiliency and improve bottom lines. Verusen provides configurable, scalable, and sustainable supply optimization for MRO, spare parts, and indirect materials. For manufacturers: Optimizes inventory and harmonizes data to reduce costs, improve visibility, and make better sourcing decisions. Minimizes unplanned production downtime by ensuring the right materials are in the right place at the right time. Reduces duplicate materials and centralizes inventory to improve efficiency and reduce costs. For suppliers and industrial distributors: Improves efficiency and accuracy by automating manual processes and addressing data variability. Increases sales and order volumes by reducing RFQ response time and identifying material candidates for VMI solutions. Grows market share by helping suppliers preemptively avoid RFQs and increase their share of wallet with customers. Learn More About Modernizing MRO using AI Paul on LinkedIn Verusen on LinkedIn Verusen website Twitter: @Verusen_AI Episode Sponsor: Wreaths Across America Wreaths Across America Radio - Wreaths Across America Episode Sponsor: Greenscreens.ai Greenscreens.ai's dynamic pricing infrastructure built to grow and protect margins. The Greenscreens.ai solution combines aggregated market data and customer data with advanced machine learning techniques to deliver short-term predictive freight market pricing specific to a company's individual buy and sell behavior. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube

On the latest episode of the WGI Unleashed Podcast, we had the opportunity to sit down with Jacob Gonzalez, WGI's VP of Client Solutions, based out of our Houston, TX, office. Jacob joined the WGI team over five years ago and has passionately dedicated his time to helping leverage WGI's multi-discipline platform in order to provide our partners and clients with integrated solutions and maximum value. In our sit down, we had the opportunity to discuss many details surrounding Jacob's personal & professional life, such as what it was like growing up as a fourth-generation Texan and 1st generation "Houstonian," where he was born, raised and still resides with his family to this day. Jacob also explained how he was introduced to the AEC industry at a young age, spending his summers surveying in the sweltering Texas sun with his father and grandfather, who are both professional surveyors. In this episode, we discovered how Jacob remained in Houston to attend college, initially starting his post-secondary education as a Psychology major at Sam Houston State University before quickly realizing that was not the path for him. After this revelation, Jacob promptly transferred to the University of Houston, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering with a specialization in Structural Engineering. Although Jacob initially started in the field of Restoration Engineering, where he stayed for many years, after being forced to face one of his greatest fears on a particular project, he decided it was time for a change and switched gears to a role in project management. Jacob then elaborated on how & why he fell in love with project management, explaining his "the buck stops here" philosophy and letting us in on the reason he refers to himself as an integrator and an influencer, although it's not why you may think

Dr. Matt Markel, President, Spartan Radar joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss how software is enabling the next generation of radar. The conversation begins with Matt discussing the current state of the radar.I think it's a really interesting time for radar. – Dr. Matt MarkelWhen deploying radar on commercial vehicles, the radar has to be optimized and designed for the use-cases that the commercial vehicle will be undertaking on a regular basis. Today, commercial vehicles are using radar to increase safety and in the future it will be used to enable autonomy. Increasing efficiency by using autonomy is a force multiplier. – Dr. Matt MarkelAutonomy is not a one-size fits all solution. Autonomy will be achieved in a variety of ways with different tech stacks. One of the hottest debates today is the LiDAR vs radar. Breaking the debate down, Matt shares his thoughts and insights, and explains the environmental limitations to each solution. Can autonomous vehicles operate at SAE Level 4 with only camera and radar?Yes, but the real question is what are those conditions? What are those Operational Design Domains? What are those ODDs that this combination can operate in? – Dr. Matt MarkelA camera, radar system that could operate at SAE Level 4 on highways and SAE Level 3 on suburban roads could help to usher in the personally owned autonomous vehicle market. When it comes to robo-taxis operating in dense urban environments, a full stack including LiDAR, camera and radar is the ideal solution due to the complexity of the ODD.One of the key ingredients in the autonomous driving stack is software. Spartan very similarly to Waymo is using software to enhance the performance of radar. One of the key differences between Waymo and Spartan's approach to radar is that Spartan is making their software available to everyone. We do believe that there is a lot of performance being left on the table with automotive radar today. We can help Tier 1's unlock that with our software products. – Dr. Matt MarkelSpartan's approach is being validated with an investment from Microsoft and a partnership with Tier-1 automotive parts supplier — Valeo. Because we are adding software capabilities to these systems, it provides flexibility for the Tier-1. It makes them relevant to multiple OEMS, multiple applications, multiple RFQs without a change in the hardware. – Dr. Matt MarkelWrapping up the conversation, Matt shares his thoughts on how he sees the radar market evolving over the next decade. Follow The Road To Autonomy on Apple PodcastsFollow The Road To Autonomy on LinkedInFollow The Road To Autonomy on TwitterRecorded on Tuesday, June 6, 2023See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gary Nemmers, Martyn Verhaegen and Joe Lynch discuss digital freight forwarding – and the importance of a modern, data-driven logistics software platform to optimize every step of the freight forwarding process. Gary (CEO) and Martyn (CTO) are executive leadership at Magaya, the logistics software made for the modern freight forwarder. About Gary Nemmers A charismatic and visionary leader, Gary Nemmers brings his decades of industry experience in high-growth software to the Chief Executive Officer role at Magaya. Having most recently served as CEO and board member of IQMS Software, Gary previously held the role of COO at HighJump Software, Senior VP at Infor, and was the founder and CEO of DataTrend Information Systems, which provided ERP solutions to the JD Edward and PeopleSoft communities. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Behavioral Psychology from Northwestern University and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management. About Martyn Verhaegen Prior to his role as Chief Technology Officer, Martyn Verhaegen was the Founder and CEO of Qwyk, the digital forwarder solution that was acquired by Magaya in 2021. Before founding Qwyk, he served as lead for Corporate Account Technology at top global consolidator ECU Worldwide. Having joined ECU in 2007, Martyn operated in roles ranging from Operations to Systems and Technology to Sales. As a product owner, he was jointly responsible for the redesign and development of ECU's internal and externally facing operational systems. Martyn possesses not only extensive technical expertise, but deep knowledge of the logistics and freight forwarding industries and the vision to evolve the Magaya Digital Freight Platform as the industry continues to shift. About Magaya Magaya delivers a Digital Freight Platform that accelerates growth with flexible, interoperable, and modular cloud-based solutions designed to optimize and digitize logistics operations and customer experience. Whether used together as an integrated platform or independently, Magaya solutions enable businesses of all sizes to streamline complex and redundant processes, enhance the customer experience, optimize productivity, reduce costs, and grow revenue. Trusted by more than 2,300 businesses located across over 100 countries, the Magaya Digital Freight Platform sets the technology foundation for modern logistics management with solutions for shipping, warehousing, rate management, visibility, digital forwarding, compliance, CRM, and more. Visit magaya.com to learn more. Key Takeaways: Digital Freight Forwarding Gary Nemmers is the CEO of Magaya, a modern, data-driven logistics software platform for freight forwarders, 3PLs, NVOCCs, and customs brokers. Martyn Verhaegen is the CTO of Magaya, the digital freight platform that enables freight forwarders and 3PLs to streamline their operations, better serve their customers, and grow profitably. In the podcast interview, Martyn, Gary, and Joe discuss digital freight forwarding and importance of using technology to reduce cost, streamline functions and stay competitive in the increasingly tech-centric logistics space. Freight forwarding is one of the most difficult services within the logistics industry. The nature of freight forwarding is much more complicated because there are so many companies involved in the process including, but not limited to the shipper, receiver, multiple trucking carriers in multiple countries, customs brokers, customs officials, steamship lines, warehousing companies, and the receiver. These stakeholders speak different languages, live in different countries, different time zones and are governed by different laws. Magaya logistics tech solutions include: Digital freight portal - a branded, interactive digital experience with all the functions of a digital forwarder in a single solution. Supply chain - all-in-one solution for modern logistics and supply chain management. Rate management - modernize and optimize your freight rate data and processes with a single control tower for searching and comparing rates, managing margins, filing tariffs, responding to RFQs, and preparing winning quotes. CRM - Integrated with Magaya Supply Chain, this time-saving logistics CRM solution eliminates redundancies and fosters collaboration across sales and operations teams with greater visibility, streamlined processes, and built-in business intelligence. Customs compliance - accelerate, streamline, and simplify your compliance workflows with a cloud-based, ACE-certified ABI software solution for customs brokers, FTZ or CFS operators, and self-filers. Magaya has been included on Inbound Logistics Top 100 Logistics IT Provider list in 2022. Learn More About Digital Freight Forwarding Gary on LinkedIn Martyn on LinkedIn Magaya on LinkedIn Magaya Website Magaya Digital Freight Platform Brochure Magaya Digital Freight Platform Video Magaya Resource Library The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube  

Ready to take the next step to boost your industrial sales performance and wow your team? Kyle Milan breaks down the tips and tricks to make a winning strategy for next year, starting right now!Take a look at your current team and how they are performing. Know who the power players in your s team are and the weak links. With how things stand right now, ask yourself; how will the team perform next year? Take a hard look at where gaps are present and what sort of changes you can implement to bridge those gaps and be ready with your feet running for next year.Sometimes it's not the team itself but the resources they lack holding them back. It's easier to make calls with an integration like Aircall linked directly to a CRM such as Hubspot to quickly dial in potential clients rather than looking them up and dialing one at a time. Do whatever you can to make your sales team's job far more accessible and efficient without extra steps added. Stray away from using complicated systems; a rule of thumb is to look at whatever system allows your team to make the most calls per hour. Keep track of clean data in the CRM to hold your team accountable and see what is and isn't working. Help your team hit their goals!You could be doing all you can; maybe you're overwhelmed. In that case, call in the cavalry to boost your sales with MFG Tribe's Sales-as-a-Service (SaaS) offering to bring deals to your industrial company. MFG Tribe has different lead generation services available, whether you are just looking for leads or want our experienced team to market, call, and close sales for you! If you're interested in learning more, visit https://mfgtribe.com/industrial-lead-generation/No matter where your company is in size and growth, a package is available for you.STARTER PACKAGE - If you have an existing sales team but want to integrate your CRM systems and set higher expectations for your team, this is the package. We'll help establish a level of lead generation activity that is right for you to handle, help train you in using the CRM, learn to manage your team, and give you accountability.ACCELERATOR PACKAGE - The next step is where we at MFG Tribe start doing more work for you. It's the best way to go if you want to impact a new territory or line of business. Through sales-as-a-service, our team at MFG Tribe does the heavy lifting to find, and prep leads for you and then pass them on to your sales team to convert them, helping you focus solely on winning customers.PARTNER PACKAGE - The ultimate package where we get you guaranteed business from you beginning to end - we do it all. MFG Tribe will use the full extent of our tools and experienced team to build lists, cold call prospects, and qualified leads, hold demos, RFQs, and more. Best of all, we will close the deals on these prospects for you, streamlining your process to product and service delivery. __________Subscribe For More Video Content :https://www.youtube.com/kylemilan__________Say Hi on Social:LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylemilan/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kylejmilanFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/KyleJMilan/__________Connect For Business:MFG Tribe: https://mfgtribe.comMFG Tribe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mfgtribe/Technical Sales University: https://training.technicalsalesu.com/enroll

Not everyone has their finger on the pulse of what's happening in the auto supply base today. But among the few who do is attorney, co-founder and member of Brooks Wilkins Sharkey & Turco PLLC Dan Sharkey. A well-known legal expert specializing in supply chain contract disputes, Dan knows that the world of automotive is now facing some of its biggest challenges.In this episode of Auto Supply Chain Prophets, Dan shares insight at the 2022 Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA) Annual Automotive Supplier Conference in Novi, Michigan. He takes us through the complex challenges and risks faced by automotive suppliers in today's precarious world.Themes discussed in this episode: Why we should focus on EV over autonomousThe two big issues facing automotive right nowHow suppliers should manage increasing volatility and what that means legallyThe tension between suppliers and OEMsWhat it means to contract business you really wantWhy you shouldn't be afraid to fire customers Featured on this Episode Name: Dan SharkeyTitle: Co-founder and member of Brooks Wilkins Sharkey & Turco PLLCAbout: With more than 60 trials behind him, attorney Dan Sharkey has expertise in business and commercial contracts and litigation — especially automotive supply chain contract disputes.Connect: LinkedInEpisode HighlightsTimestamped inflection points from the show[2:12] It's electrifying!: Autonomous automotive might be a decade or two off, but there are big challenges ahead for electrical — from pricing to volatility and releases.[3:38] Get ready for the B word: How should suppliers best manage volatility? Hint: breach.[4:47] Futureproof the schedule: OEMs have so many issues — from unions to chips and freight — they can't meet suppliers with a firm plan. A lot of risk ensues.[5:58] The one thing: Dan is a firm believer that the automotive industry should “contract deliberately, not by default.” Make sure that it's business you really want.[3:38] It's just business: Suppliers should be careful not to outsell capacity. If this means firing the worst customer every year, so be it. (You'll be better off anyway.)Top quotes[2:14] Dan: “Electrification feels very long term. I think a lot of people were skeptical about one or the other, but now they're saying, autonomous might be a while — a decade or two — but electrification is happening really fast.”[5:58] Dan: “Contract deliberately, not by default. You worked so hard to get the business, building relationships and responding to RFQs. [When] you finally get the PO, your instinct is to celebrate. Selling parts is tough, but you've got to take a deep breath and say, What did I really just get? … What do I really need out of this contract? When you're happy, take a deep breath, and make sure it's business that you really want.” [6:59] Dan: “We have clients who are super technical [and] great executors. Sales can survive. The most troubled clients we have have great sales teams, but the backend operations don't support it, and they can't swallow the capacity. … Sales is super important, it's your face...

Have you been struggling to build your pipeline in industrial manufacturing? If getting leads has become more pain and hassle than needed, let Kyle Milan of MFG Tribe break down all the tips and tricks from years of experience and a new exclusive service offer.Industrial lead generation was something we pursued first and built upon because we know that the foundation of revenue is having a consistent and reliable stream of customers. In addition to that service, we have added other sales and marketing services as MFG Tribe has continued to grow. We have been testing an extraordinarily successful and improved version of industrial lead generation for a select few of our clients. Today, industrial lead generation is available to the public at scale for a limited time - no matter where your company is in terms of size and growth, there is a package available for you.STARTER PACKAGE - If you have an existing sales team but want to integrate your CRM systems and start setting up higher expectations for your team, this is the package to begin with.  We'll help set a level of lead generation activity that is right for you to handle, help train you in using the CRM, learn to manage your team, and give you accountability.ACCELERATOR PACKAGE - The next step up is where we at MFG Tribe start doing more work for you. This is the best way to go if you want to make an impact in a new territory or line of business. This is done through sales-as-a-service, where our team at MFG Tribe does the heavy lifting to find, prep leads for you and then pass them on to your sales team to convert them, helping you focus solely on winning customers.PARTNER PACKAGE - The ultimate package where we get you guaranteed business from you beginning to end - we do it all. MFG Tribe will use the full extent of our tools and experienced team to build lists, cold call prospects, and qualified leads, hold demos, RFQs, and more. Best of all, we will close the deals on these prospects for you, streamlining your process to product and service delivery.This is a highly lucrative program to be a part of, and we ensure that your company will be an excellent fit for a service, particularly at the higher tiers. What makes this program offering so unique is that it will be LIMITED TO A SELECT FEW geographically and by industry. So if you offer a particular product or service in a sector of industrial marketing in a specific area, rest assured that we will not provide competitors any spots in our program. This is an absolutely major advantage that we know will surely gain new customers while crushing your competition!We have already generated over $46,250,000 in revenue for the clients we serve. If you are interested in getting your company on board to massive success, learn more about of lead generation packages and other services we offer: https://mfgtribe.com/industrial-lead-generation/#industrialsales  #industrialleadgeneration #industrialmanufacturing   __________Subscribe For More Video Content :https://www.youtube.com/kylemilan__________Say Hi on Social:LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylemilan/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kylejmilanFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/KyleJMilan/__________Connect For Business:MFG Tribe: https://mfgtribe.comMFG Tribe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mfgtribe/Technical Sales University: https://training.technicalsalesu.com/enroll

"Didn't used to be!" That was my grandmother's reply to my screaming "there's a stop sign there!" as she barreled through an intersection years ago. We all struggle with change, primarily that initiated by others but impacting us. We thought the internet would provide an open and fully visible marketplace for goods, services, and employees. It has failed miserably in all of those. It is easy to research a topic, or a company, or a person, but it is not easy to discern fact from fiction. The internet has also removed the human from many important decisions. Yes, there is decision-logic used in the filtering process, but it generally fails us. If your future depends on winning price-based internet RFQs, your future is dark indeed. If you look for suppliers through that same process, your future is equally dark. Right now unemployment is at records lows -- the definition of "full employment"-- while job unfilled positions are at record highs. That could lead one to believe that we need more people. While baby boomers are retiring, more people is not the answer. We need a more effective, and less efficient, labor marketplace. Most companies have outsourced reviewing resumes to bots and keywords, and most looking for the right company and right opportunity try to play the game. It's just not working. Companies scanning via bots for X number of years of experience, X degree, proficiency with X ERP system, and more, may tick some boxes, but excludes many very strong people committed to learning, growing, and contributing. Manufacturers employ the whole person, and employees work for the whole organization. Our current internet-based marketplace excludes those concepts entirely. That could work if you were hiring robots, but you're not. Companies that hire people who check the boxes but are not interested in learning and growing are hiring the wrong people. But that's what they look for per their bots and keywords. The world has changed and continues to change more and more rapidly. The smart among us drive and guide that change; the rest are like my grandmother: "Didn't used to be!" A person who understands the culture you want, the learning and growth opportunities you offer, and who can see past the buzzwords of a resume should be looking at resumes. Hiring managers should be talking with candidates who check few boxes, but who could contribute greatly to driving the company's future. Hire someone who has 10 years experience running a specific model of CNC equipment will give you that. And typically, nothing more. You can improve the effectiveness of your corner of the labor marketplace by re-injecting the human aspect. The human who will improve your culture; the company who seeks all of you and not just your degree or what you've always done. Someone has to take the lead. It might as well be you.

How big does a business need to be before they can afford procurement software? And how many features does the software need to have to still enable it to deliver value? My guest today is Adam Thomas from a small but growing startup oboloo. Based in London, the company is focused on delivering a practical source-to-contract software solution to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). Providing simple, affordable and easy-to-use procurement software to SMEs: Adam Thomas from oboloo The first question we tackle is what is their definition of an SME, because everyone defines the term somewhat differently. Oboloo sees their typical customer base as being companies with an annual turnover between £5 million and £100 million. They identified this space because typically none of the established procuretechs who do what oboloo does are very active in this segment of the market. The software itself is essentially a simple source-to-contract (S2C) platform and has 4 core modules: E-sourcing Contract Management Supplier Management Savings Reporting Adam explains that they are seeking to tackle the more strategic aspects of sourcing and procurement rather than the transactional P2P space. The value proposition being through time saved as a result of digitisation, as well as the value identified through the e-sourcing module and being able to store this data centrally for future reference. Leveraging the data - i.e. performing a spend analysis - from their P2P transactions (which could be integrated with oboloo) can then drive the initiatives that can be conducted through the oboloo platform. What about SMEs and startups without a dedicated procurement team? Adam explains the importance of consistency when managing external vendor spend, whether that is on spreadsheets or shared drives. As a company grows, these processes should grow with it. So, regardless of whether a company has a dedicated buyer, the procurement process itself requires a more robust solution to be able to store data in a single, easy-to-use repository. Sending out simple RFQs and uploading a contract into a database isn't rocket science at the end of the day, and employees can still use the system even if they're not procurement professionals. Where is oboloo seeing the most interest in the market? It tends to be less about traditional, established SMEs vs. growing startups and more about the modules themselves. Adam mentions that there is a lot of demand and interest for their contract management module right now, whereas the e-sourcing and supplier management functions are not as sought after. If they just want contract management, why not buy a specialist tool? Simplicity is the easy answer. A lot of businesses at their core just want to have a simple database. While oboloo does have additional functionality, the objective is to ensure that the customer can upload a contract into their system with the least amount of hassle. This increases adoption and reduces the “desk drawer” problem in many organisations, where contracts actually registered in the database are just the tip of the iceberg. How did they find the sweet spot between price and features? Having all of the core functions and features that an SME requires to run their business was the goal. Does it have auction functionality, for example? No, but then practically speaking, an SME customer can go out and find a separate solution for this. The likelihood is that this would be a very infrequent requirement. Ultimately, going back to basics, the objectives Adam states are: Process & outcome Budget People If the employees don't accept, adopt and use the software, then as an end goal of digitally transforming your business, you have failed to a large extent. It's more difficult from a design concept to make things simple, than it is to make something complicated. Enabling everyone to use the system without...

Mimi Loftus started her professional career in New York City teaching Literature, Writing, and Psychology at Monroe College in the Bronx, and then English and History at the Beacon School in Manhattan. After taking a complement of students to Cuba in 2000, Mimi moved to New Orleans (the northernmost Caribbean country!) where she was invited to participate in the National Writing Project. Shortly thereafter, she joined New Orleans Access Television as Education Coordinator and Senior Writer where she produced educational programming, wrote and administered several training grants, consulted on all film training programs developed by the City of New Orleans, and helped design curriculum for media programs offered in local schools. In addition, Mimi wrote the curriculum for film and video production, certified by the State of Louisiana, and taught Screenwriting and Introduction to Production at Louisiana Technical College. In 2009, Mimi returned to New York and to Monroe College as Director of the Writing Center and Writing Across the Curriculum. She was also a member of the Honors Executive Board, the Honors Program Coordinator for the Bronx campus, and taught Honors sections of Film as Literature, Expository Writing, and The Psychology of Child Development. Formerly the English and World Languages Department Head, Mimi currently teaches English and Humanities classes at Fusion Academy, a progressive private school in Southlake, Texas, where the student-teacher ratio is 1:1. At Fusion, Mimi writes and customizes her curriculum to meet each student's learning style and interests, while tailoring the instruction to capitalize on strengths and develop academic areas of growth and life skills. Her pedagogical approach is rooted in inquiry-based learning, where students develop authentic, real-world connections to the content through exploration and high-level questioning. A freelance writer since 2003, Mimi writes grants, submissions for RFQs and RFPs, feasibility studies, advertising copy, and screenplays. One of her feature-length screenplays was independently produced and internationally distributed through Maverick Entertainment. An avid traveler, Mimi has been to 40 US states and 14 foreign countries. She is literate in Spanish, and conversational in French and Italian. She earned her BA from the University of Massachusetts, her MA from Boston University, and a certificate from Harvard University's Graduate School of Design. When she's not scolding her students for ending sentences in prepositions, Mimi is hanging out with her dog Phoenix, attending nerdy events, spending time with her family, and practicing Jedi mind tricks on unsuspecting Padawans. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/deeplyrootedshow/message

Marketers are often planners by nature. Or maybe by "nurture" after juggling a multitude of proposals in a reactive mode. While responding to RFQs and RFPs is a major component of an AEC marketer's role, supporting your business developers to better preposition the firm is equally important. Middle of Six principals Wendy Simmons and Melissa English discuss their experiences and industry best practices for prepositioning planning, including how to leverage data, create accountability, and use resources to solidify your marketing strategy.

The Freightwaves Sales and Marketing Summit was held last week and for the folks that couldn't watch the entire day of content, I'm coming in with some of my biggest takeaways from the day and where you can watch some of my favorite interviews and fireside chats (including the one I cohosted!) which are all linked below in the show notes. Also in this week's show is a chat with Eric Rodriguez who's the CEO and co-founder of SaaS-based solution VendorFlow who helps streamline the RFQ process on the spot rate market between shippers, carriers, and brokers so you can quote, ship, and communicate value quickly.Where to find Vendorflow: WebsiteLinkedin (where they post those rad workplace confessionals)Links from the show: The Best Content In Logistics (for your own inspo)Freight Marketing FearsFigure out your marketing/sales process before you purchase that softwareCraig Fuller and Joe Pullizzi Hope White InterviewThe Importance of The Right LeadsTrey Griggs and George Abernathy~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Where to Find Digital Dispatch & Blythe:  LinkedinYouTubeInstagramPinterestTikTokDigital Dispatch websiteFreight School Playbook Courses:Crafting Your Content Marketing PlanManaging Your Content Distribution PlanCreating an Internal Video or PodcastGot something to say?Have a topic you'd like to see covered? Or a guest you want to hear on the show? Fill out the tip submission form on the Digital Dispatch website. 

Local companies have made bids to produce 25% of the automotive parts listed in the Automotive Industry Development Centre Eastern Cape’s (AIDC EC’s), Localisation Supermarket. The Localisation Supermarket is both a physical showcase and online catalogue of automotive components that are currently imported, and for which Tier 1 component suppliers are seeking local alternatives. Th project is an effort to expand the base of suppliers in the Eastern Cape automotive value chain, with a special focus on black-owned suppliers, and to strengthen the manufacturing base of the sector. Suppliers are able to view parts virtually, online and then express an interest on the platform, after which the AIDC engages with eligible suppliers through a request for qualification (RFQ) process. The AIDC EC initiated the project with the Eastern Cape Automotive Industry Forum. According to the centre, fifteen viable RFQs to supply a range of parts have been submitted to Tier 1 suppliers in the Eastern Cape since the launch of the supermarket last year. The South African Automotive Masterplan (SAAM) 2035 has set a target to increase the local parts content on locally produced vehicles from 39% to 60%, and to transform and deepen the automotive supply chain. Plans are in place to have a regular inflow of opportunities in the supermarket, says the AIDC EC. “The supermarket, among other projects, is equipping especially black suppliers with opportunities and partnerships, including access to funding agencies like the Eastern Cape Development Corporation and Industrial Development Corporation, that will enable them to more easily access the automotive supply chain, which has stringent quality and technical certification requirements,” adds the centre. "Many of the parts require a high level of technical expertise and successful suppliers need to comply with stringent international quality standards. We understand these real and valid barriers to entry and will work with qualifying suppliers to equip them to enter the supply chain, including access to finance.”

Innovation never stops. Alongside the tools that are making manual processes digital, there are also a new breed of tools which are fundamentally changing the way we go about our job.  How we structure and carry out tenders hasn't really changed much over the last 20 years. E-sourcing tools have been around since the late 1990s, and have been pretty mainstream for the past 15 or so years (I used them myself way back in 2003)! There are a lot of cool apps out there that are disrupting the old-school world of procurement. One of these concentrates on simplifying, shortening and using game theory to influence the outcome of sourcing activities.  Bid Ops was recognised for its disruptive contribution to the procuretech space when it won Best Startup award at the 2019 Digital Procurement World conference in Amsterdam. This week, I interview Founder and CEO Edmund Zagorin on how they've grown, how Covid-19 has changed the landscape and how they're growing despite cuts to procurement and IT budgets through an innovative business model that delivers value from day 1 to their client base. Making e-Sourcing Faster and More Effective using AI and Game Theory: Edmund Zagorin from Bid Ops2:09 Bid Ops recently won the best startup award at DPW 2019.  So, has that propelled growth for BidOps, or is it more down to Covid-19 and everyone needing to deliver more, faster, and with fewer resources? 5:42 I ask Edmund how does BidOps differentiates itself from a standard eSourcing tool e.g. SAP Ariba for large organisations, or MarketDojo and RFP360 as a more accessible, cloud based solution for all businesses. We talk about “Best-in-Breed” cloud based solutions and how the “unbundling" of procurement tech is niching down into more specific applications focusing on one specific area. 12:47 BidOps straddles the two niches of being an eSourcing tool and also a platform to utilise AI for simulation of negotiations. I ask Edmund what he sees as being the biggest challenge here, and whether he sees a move-away from more traditional ERP systems for managing RFQs and tenders. Edmund's answer about using technology for Sourcing versus using it for P2P optimisation is an interesting insight. Sourcing offers so many opportunities beyond traditional automation and digitisation of operational and transactional practices. 18:15 Budgets are tight right now, so I ask Edmund to tell us a little about how Bid Ops has tried to combat this with a more innovative pricing model. 23:00 It's a bit of a hornet's nets from a legal perspective when you work on a gain share model. How does one prove a saving? Because not everything has a last paid price… 25:58 Edmund talks about having to do more with less, and how using gain share to enable immediate implementation of a solution without a lengthy budget approval process is allowing teams to drive results faster. Especially in times where headcount and budgetary constraints are a very real issue for many procurement teams. 27:07 How to deal with sceptics: how is Bid Ops able to distinguish and differente itself from some of the more traditional e-sourcing tools which some of us in the procurement space have had a love/hate relationship with over the years?  There's a great discussion here about how mutually de-risking the first quote and using game theory in negotiations can lead to a more successful (and shorter, more convenient) outcome from sourcing tenders. 32:17 Finally, I ask Edmund the best way to get in touch to learn more about Bid Ops.  If you're interested in giving this tool a try, as a certified partner I can also help you learn more about what it can do and connect you to the Bid Ops team for a demo. How to connect with Edmund: https://bidops.com (Bid Ops website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmund-zagorin-41291b13/ (Edmund's LinkedIn profile) Send Edmund an Email How to connect with James:...

In this episode, Lisa continues her rant about poorly-written RFQs.  She also gives suggestions for how to write better RFQs to maximize the potential consultant pool and allow the consultants to present selection committees with their best work. Host: Lisa Dunaway, AICP, LEED AP Song credits: Minimal Uplifting Background by MagneticMusic and Lost Shoe by Blue Dot Sessions.

In this episode, Lisa gathers common complaints about poorly-written RFQs.  She also gives suggestions for how to write better RFQs to maximize the potential consultant pool and allow the consultants to present selection committees with their best work. Host: Lisa Dunaway, AICP, LEED AP Song credits: Minimal Uplifting Background by MagneticMusic and Lost Shoe by Blue Dot Sessions.

DayToDay is a journal of my daily activities as an engineering project manager. This show demonstrates the actual work that engineers do on a day to day basis - far removed from what is taught in engineering school, yet incredibly valuable and productive. Highlights from this episode including purchasing of bearings, compiling RFQs for cradles and sorting out some export logistics.

Back again with another segment from my webinar with Tom Pirenne of ShowSourcing. In the last episode of the GlobalTQM podcast, Tom and I talked about whether Trade Fairs will exist in the future. The answer was a resounding, “YES!” Now that’s clear, let’s say you decide you’d like to fly to China to attend your first trade fair. How should you prepare for trade fairs so you have a fun, comfortable trip that’s also fruitful? That’s what we’re going to cover in this episode. 15-Point Trade Show Checklist Install a good VPN on your computer before you fly over. Install Didi on your phone. It’s the Chinese version of Uber. If you use local taxis, have your concierge write down the hotel address and save a photo of it on your phone. Pre-register for the big fairs and get your badge in advance. You can use the invitation letter to apply for your Chinese visa. Do some research ahead of time to figure out which suppliers/ manufacturers you’re going to visit first. Wear comfortable shoes. You’re going to be doing a LOT of walking. Ask your hotel concierge where the nearest foot massage parlor is because it’s the best way to relax after a long day of walking. Bring a lot of business cards. Print business cards with contact info you'll only use with Chinese Manufacturers. Research the type of products you’re interested in. Take one or two power banks with you for your electronic devices. Don't rely on your memory. Take pictures of everything. The afternoon of the last day of the fair is the least productive time to attend. Start your post-fair work before you leave China. Send out RFQs at night when you're back at the hotel. Helpful Resources For a full transcript of this interview, visit our blog. Get a free copy of our book, China Sourcing For Startups. Book A free 15-minute consultation with our team. Subscribe To The Show On Your Favorite Podcast App Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Breaker Castbox Overcast Pocket Casts Podbean Radio Public Stitcher Follow Us On Social Media Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

The Agriculture Department kicked off its much-anticipated phase II of the Centers of Excellence initiative by releasing five solicitations earlier this week. It's a variety of services designed to modernize the agency and help it give better service. But vendors will have to act fast, as USDA and the General Services Administration want responses by Aug. 10. Federal News Radio's Executive Editor Jason Miller got a hold of the solicitations and shared them on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

Asta Idonea joins us to discuss how she became an author, her two upcoming releases: Beastly Businessmen and Guitar Gods and Super for You, Bad for Me. We also discuss myth and fairy tales and the archetypes for both and writing superhero novels with a twist. Asta then contributes to our growing list of RFQs and what's next for her.

Welcome back to another episode! This week’s episode is our First Friday Q&A for March. You ask the questions and we answer them. Big thanks to everyone who wrote in. If you want to get a question answered for next month’s FFQA, click the link below. Enjoy! Have a question? Click here to ask. Show Notes & Links: OGGN Happy Hour RSVP  Questions: Guys, great show as always long time lister and I have three questions for you. When you look at the geological map of the US, there are five major basins. As a native of Illinois, The Illinois basin or New Albany shale at one point was the second producing field in the 80’s. So any reasons there’s little to no activity in this field with the latest horizontal extraction methods and price of crude going back up? Can the state of Illinois generate revenue by attracting producers with incentives like taxes because they sure aren’t getting out of debt selling cheap bonds. Good day Mark and Jacob, My name is Roman Demchenko. First of all, I would like to say thank you for all the work you are doing on the podcast. I am a long time listener of yours and it is my favourite Oil & Gas related podcast (by far). I have discovered you by iTunes for about a year ago and have been listening since then. I am currently working for the developing company called PetroHub based in Stavanger, Norway. Our company is a new generation B2B digital platform dedicated to buyers and suppliers in the global energy industry. Our primary goal is to digitalize quite conservative and slow oil & gas industry on procurement and marketing sides. We do it by means of online platform that puts industry suppliers in one place and provides them with multiple channels to represent their abilities and showcase their products and services to the industry buyers. We also provide possibility for buyers to submit Request for Quote (RFQ). RFQs are visible to all suppliers, and registered suppliers can bid on relevant to them RFQs. (You can visit www.petrohub.com for more info if needed). We are currently working on several additional solutions including PetroHub mobile app. Our target right now is Norwegian, UK and European market primarily. Our main push right now is to expand our online presence and attract more traffic to the platform making it into a big O&G hub as we intended it to be. I believe that your podcast is mainly catered towards to US market and the majority of your listeners are based in US. I think that a lot of information that you provide is very relevant to O&G industry in Europe. As we are mainly catering European market, we are wondering if you would be interested in a partnership of any sort? We could, as you say in the end of every podcast, “pay it forward” and start sharing your podcasts on our platform and help you increase your presence towards European listeners if you would be interested. Hope to hear from you soon. Mark, I am new to the industry and I am trying to find my niche and how to be the guy companies go to when needing pipe,valves and fittings… I have done most of my networking through LinkedIn, which has been pretty effective. Do you have any suggestions on how to reach more people and make a strong connection? Your 2018 predictions #1 cited a 1,700% increase in online supply chain searches. What is the source of that statistic?  A good friend sent me your podcast and it is great. Mark how do you suggest I proceed to find a job in O&G near San Antonio? Is there a way to contact recruiters that can assess the best fit? I’m going to listen to those old podcasts you did early on...

This week we're discussing how sales and marketing alignment can increase revenue. You will also learn what it is and how to get alignment. Guest: Desiree Grace, VP Sales & Marketing at Anamet Electrical, Inc.Website: anametelectrical.com Highlights: Here are some statistics from the HubSpot website: Misalignment between sales and marketing technologies and processes costs B2B companies 10% of revenue or more per year. Companies with good alignment practices in place generated 208% more revenue from marketing efforts. When sales and marketing teams work together, companies see 36% higher customer retention and 38% higher sales win rates. [4:40] Sales and marketing are like siblings and the other departments are like the cousins. [6:50] Alignment is based on open and honest communication without either side getting defensive. [9:10] Product launches are a great example where tangible costs of the launch are increased when there is not strong alignment. ROI may even be negative because of poor alignment. [12:20] Desiree shares an alignment success story at Anamet Electrical by creating a rep council to share field information. [18:00] Deriree shares the idea of using a beta test instead of a large full scale roll out. [19:20] Here are a couple of steps to getting started: First, take a look at your base organizational structure. Are both teams under the same leader? Might need to change that structure. Find places where the teams can work together on a common project or task just to get started talking and sharing ideas. This creates understanding and understanding leads to alignment. Start with a customer survey and develop the questions collaboratively between sales and marketing. [23:30] Desiree shares her own success story with sales and marketing alignment at her company. One of the hardest parts of alignment is in preventing people from taking debate and criticism personally. [26:50] One of the biggest pitfalls is with long term employees who don't want to change. Be prepared to deal with resistance and the need to sell internally. Interview Questions Question 1: Desiree, let’s start with the basics, how do you define sales and marketing alignment? Sales aligned with marketing? Marketing aligned with sales? Question 2: I mentioned a statistic at the beginning of the podcast; misalignment can cost a manufacturing company up to 10% of revenue per year and well aligned companies generate 208% more revenue than non-aligned. As a manufacturing go-to-market practitioner and leader, have you personally seen similar results? What are some other tangible benefits of sales and marketing alignment you have seen in addition to revenue increase? Question 3: I suspect most of our listeners agree that there are tangible benefits to their top line and bottom line. But they are probably wondering, how is it done? How do I get my sales and marketing teams to work together? Could you sum up 3 or 5 steps to get started? Question 4: Would you mind sharing your own success story of achieving alignment in your professional experience? Do you have any pitfalls or lessons learned you could share with our audience based on your experience? Challenge Question (send in your own challenge question) This week, our challenge question comes from a chemical manufacturer in Massachusetts, here it is:  “We manufacture chemicals mostly for waste water treatment plants. We have a big field sales team calling on municipalities and large manufacturers. Our marketing team is very small and they are responsible for making brochures, setting up trade shows and the website. Recently, our main competitor has been eating our lunch. We get a lot of RFQs, but we’re losing, even to higher prices.  When we ask the prospects why they are choosing the competitor, they say because they (the competitor) are very helpful and they really seem to know what they are doing. We make a better product and have a better company, but, apparently, we aren’t getting the message out. How can we get the message out and start winning business again?” Learn how the competition is being helpful, find out what they are doing to create the perception. Find out why the customer has the perception that they know what they're doing. Close those gaps from the customer perspective. Your competition is ahead of you and probably sharing information to get that credibility. You should start creating content and start being helpful with your own unique expertise. Takeaways: Start looking at your internal data and start mining your employees knowledge, experience and ideas.

Join us as Drura Parrish, CEO and Founder of MakeTime®, explains how this first on-demand machining platform provides turnkey CNC machining from qualified U.S. suppliers. With unprecedented visibility into available U.S. supply, MakeTime® will intelligently match projects of any size to local production capacity, as well as source material and schedule logistics at the point of production to keep costs down. Outmoded business processes, like time-consuming RFQs and multi-step certification requirements, become obsolete with intelligent automation that measurably cuts the soft costs of doing business while supply chain risks are mitigated through a unique distributed manufacturing model that guarantees quality and on-time delivery at competitive market rates. Manufacturing’s lumbering giant has become nimble and lean.

Ronald Duncan is the founder of cloudBuy, a B2B (Business to Business) eCommerce and eProcurement platform. In episode 6 of the 2x eCommerce Show, he shares tips on how to get B2B eCommerce and eProcurement right as well as how cloudBuy works for entrepreneurs looking to get started in B2B eCommerce. His key takeaways are: Going Global, having a Structured Pricing model in line with volume, investing in and providing quality rich-content with joined up system (integration), SEO - unstructured - optimised and winning deals i.e bidding to RFQs.

One-Click purchase orders are integrated with the printing specifications/RFQs that are built into Clients & Profits. You can automatically create a purchase order with one-click from the printing specifications window.

When a job involves printing, the process of defining its printing specifications and getting quotes from vendors can be completely automated by Clients & Profits X.