2 Babes Talk Supply Chain

Eric Downing of Werner talks about dedicated freight solutions, the benefits, and the landscape of freight shipping and logistics in 2025.    IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [05.54] Eric’s background and transition from US Air Force to supply chain, and the different business areas he’s moved through in his 27-year tenure at Werner. [08.57] The landscape of freight shipping and logistics and the biggest challenges in 2025, from tariffs to navigating seasonal disruption. “Most carriers are glad to put 2023 and 2024 in the rear-view mirror. 2025 is better, we’re seeing more robust bid activity, better engagement with customers… Are we out of the woods? No. But are we seeing some good things? Yes!” [11.39] Why an increasing number of shippers are turning to outsourced dedicated solutions instead of managing their own private fleets. “Customers want to focus their resources, time, and people on what they do – their primary business. Because it’s a competitive world… And, let’s be honest, running your own truckin

Allen Thomas of Lynxis talks about industry challenges, the biggest buzzwords, and why organizations need to pay more attention to improved orchestration.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.20] An introduction to Allen, and Lynxis. [04.53] The biggest conversations on the show floor at Manifest. “Agentic AI is the new buzzword – it’s the new blockchain! There’s a lot of hype, but there’s also a lot of hope.” [06.29] The biggest problems in the intermodal industry right now. “Visibility is still key, because there’s so much complexity when all of this data comes together. We’re not certain who’s right and who’s wrong, there’s no system of record as this cargo moves inland and then back through the flow.” “A lot of the technology projects we’ve seen have been focused on an insular basis, intra-company process improvement versus: how do we make this entire supply chain more efficient and effective for the shippers and carriers that move it?… We’re trying to take costs out of our own internal operations, but

Tony Winters of Rygen Technologies talks about being inspired by customer challenges; why visibility is still a challenge; & investing big in agentic AI. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [04.33] An introduction to Tony, his career journey, and his role at Rygen Technologies. “In college, you learn how to solve these algorithms and problems. And, in supply chain, you really get to implement them.” [06.24] An overview of Rygen Technologies – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers. “We’re hoping to leave our mark on the industry, solve some problems – and have fun doing it!” [08.14] From visibility to technology, the biggest challenges Rygen customers are facing right now. [09.39] Why Rygen is inspired by customer challenges, and their approach to technology and problem-solving. “We crave what the industry wants. They’re asking for things, and we crave that knowledge!.. We take the feedback, learn from it, and make it better.” [11.22] Rygen’s Corsair transportation management, and why

Josh Allen of ITS Logistics talks about challenges & opportunities in 2025; & how they're providing strategic capacity & smart solutions for complex needs. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [05.23] How ITS Logistics has evolved, since its inception in 1999, and the reason behind its sustainable growth. “ITS has always been about smart, customer-driven growth. No acquisitions, all organic – just explosive, consistent expansion. We’ve grown by solving real problems. Customers don’t just stay with us, they expand with us.” [07.25] An overview of ITS Logistics – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers. “Customers don’t just need capacity. They need efficiency, visibility, and control.” [09.37] The ideal client for ITS Logistics. [13.12] The biggest challenges and opportunities in the market now, and what interests Josh about the transition from Q4 2024 to Q1 2025. “Q4 was a dogfight. The demand is still soft compared to previous years and typical peak environments, and cost of spe

910 Advisors talk about cost-to-serve - the challenges, its impact on supply chain efficiency & profitability; & transforming inefficiencies into opportunities.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [06.03] Introductions to Greg, Janet, and Robert, and why Greg and Robert co-founded 910 Advisors. “So many consultancies are focused on these long-term, big-dollar transformational programs... Everyone wants to hit you with the strategy book, but no ones there to help guide you there… We make sure we have a lens towards the long-term, but also in helping companies understand what to do in three, six, nine and twelve months, in support of that three-year plan.” “So many people hire technologies to solve commercial and supply chain problems.” [13.48] An overview of 910 Advisors – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers. [16.40] The ideal client for 910 Advisors. [19.54] ‘Cost-to-serve’: What it means, why it’s so often overlooked, and why teams have a handle on their customer acquisition cos

Marc Aliotta of Reveel & Jack Margeson of Deposco talk about how their strategic partnership helps clients overcome challenges, save money & scale to success. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [04.50] Introductions to Marc and Reveel, and Jack and Deposco. [07.10] The biggest challenges facing Reveel and Deposco customers right now. “The last few years, some of the biggest challenges have been uncertainty – what does the year ahead hold?! There are a lot of changes that happen, both at the global and domestic scale, that go towards: ‘How do I plan as a business? How do I shape where I need to go next year, knowing that supply chain is changing really quickly?’” “After the pandemic, a lot of shippers realized they couldn’t trust the major carriers because of capacity issues. And that uncertainty led itself to diversification strategies… So people are trying to build trust in new carriers.” [10.55] How the Reveel and Deposco partnership developed, and why organizations need to lean into collaboration, not

Christine Barnhart talks about the issues faced by women in supply chain, the impact of bias and changing DEI narratives, and the women who inspire her.  IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [06.01] An introduction to Christine and her new role at Nulogy. [07.45] Christine’s experience as a woman in both US and Canadian companies, the differences in organizations across different territories, and what we can learn from the countries leading the way in gender equity. “For me, it’s been interesting to compare and contrast what the culture is like in these companies,  but also what regulation and policy differences there are.” [10.38] The challenges for women in developing countries, the misunderstood areas of supply chain, and why data showing strong female representation across the industry doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story. “When we look at developing countries in particular, they need expertise and strong leaders but, in a lot of those countries, it’s a very masculine, patriarchal society... They’re not g

Bobby Strenk of SecurSpace & Ron Greene of Overhaul talk about cargo theft - the biggest challenges & trends, and best ways to keep your shipments safe.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [05.38] An introduction to Bobby and SecurSpace, and Ron and Overhaul. [07.54] Exactly what cargo theft is, the different types, and the trends to look out for. “There’s a whole new world in cargo theft. We’re three years into a significant spike in cargo theft, and the US takes the lead in how much it’s increased… There’s been an expansion of theft techniques and a lot of criminal organizations, that historically weren’t in the cargo theft space, have jumped in with both feet.” [10.09] The current scope of the cargo theft problem, and why gathering data to measure it accurately is problematic. [13.13] The future of cargo theft, and why it’s going to continue to rise. “It’s going to take a collaborative industry, plus government and associations, joining forces to curb this issue.” [14.47] What shippers can do, from

Jenny Perlitch talks about her career journey; lessons learned as a woman & immigrant; and supporting diversity within the transportation industry.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [05.15] Jenny’s journey from Ukraine to Germany to Cananda, and what it taught her. “It taught me a lot. All of a sudden you’re thrown from your comfortable environment to one with a completely different language and culture… I learned resilience and adaptability, and they really helped me in business. It made me independent and I believed things could be done.” [07.58] Why Jenny’s computer science background is so compatible with a career in supply chain. “It’s a way of thinking. I’ll look at things as a problem that could be solved by building an algorithm. Take something complex and break it down into smaller parts, automate those parts, and put it all back together like a beautiful puzzle.” [11.35] How a summer job became a lifelong career in supply chain for Jenny when she discovered a joy in pushing out of her comfort

Greg Dunnell of Buckeye Mountain talks about his founder journey; how big challenges impact workers; & why Buckeye are stewards of technology for customers. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [05.17] An overview of Greg’s journey – how he found supply chain, innovated in technology whilst working for some of the industry’s biggest names, and ultimately co-founded Buckeye Mountain. “I grew up working on a farm, so transportation came naturally to me. And, when I graduated from college, I wasn’t what you’d call an honors student…! I went back to what I knew, and ended up driving a truck.” [12.43] An overview of Buckeye Mountain – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers. [15.47] The ideal client for Buckeye Mountain. “It’s really about our history and experience because we feel our role – our obligation – is to share those lessons learned. We’ve been down the pothole of technology for many years… And the secret to success is failure. We’ve been on that journey.” [18.25] From visibility t

Nikki Driskill talks about her career journey; the changing face of customer service; people leadership; & why women should pursue a career in logistics.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [05.08] How Nikki found supply chain, and how the industry has changed over the course of her career. “I started so long ago that when you looked for a job, you looked in the newspaper!” [10.59] Why Nikki’s career ambitions changed when she fell in love with supply chain; how she discovered a passion for people leadership; and why strong women inspired her to want to build relationships and make a difference. “I was very young and my intent was: ‘I’m going to take this role, and then figure out what I want to do when I grow up’… Then I realized I loved it. There were so many bold women in leadership roles - and I wanted to be them.” [15.38] Nikki’s experience of repeated mergers and acquisitions, and how they gave her opportunities to explore the industry and learn new skills. “Each time that we were acquired, things

Lance Dixon of Werner talks about transportation challenges & opportunities; cross-border potential; & how Werner helps to give companies a strategic edge.  IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [05.26] An introduction to Lance, and to Werner. “It’s an ever-changing, dynamic world. And what a change since 1992 when I started at Werner! Things are so different... There are more rules, regulations – probably good for society in general, but it’s a chore to keep up!” [08.23] The ideal client for Werner. “It’s someone that’s open to multi modes of shipping, whatever is most efficient… Someone that’s flexible and wants to partner, someone who doesn’t look at Werner as just a service provider. We want to work together to solve these transportation and supply chain issues.” [10.20] How both Werner and the industry have changed, and the huge business potential in Mexico. “The pandemic taught us a lot about how fragile long supply chains are, so there’s been a move to source closer to the end consumer.” [16.05]

Amber Salley of GAINS talks about being data-driven - its four-stage evolution, misconceptions, the problem with LLMs & the benefits of letting the data lead.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [05.43] An introduction to Amber, her background, and her role at GAINS. “I’ve taken all that I learned in the past 25 years and brought it to GAINS, to help them think through: ‘Where should we take our product in the future, and what should we be focusing on to help our customers make the highest-quality decisions for their supply chain?’” [07.42] The evolution of data-driven thinking, as technology and mindsets have changed. “You come up with an instinct, a feel for a decision, and then you use the data you have to back it up. You have a lot of confirmation bias in your decision-making.” [10.50] The new paradigm in data-driven thinking. “The new paradigm focuses on discovering patterns and finding correlations over explaining causality… It’s not trying to get into the ‘why’ that is – it just IS.” [16.18] From

Gina Anderson talks about her career journey; sitting on boards; mentorship; the power of reinvention; and why she's a self-confessed parcel fanatic.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [05.54] An introduction to Gina and her role at Reveel. [06.42] Gina’s career journey, and how she found supply chain. “Someone early on took a chance on me… Ron wanted to bring me into his freight forwarding business to do sales. So I said: “Well, what does that look like – and what does it pay?!” [08.24] Why Gina has entered her 7.0 era, and the power of reinvention. “If you stay stagnant, it’s going to be really hard to feel fulfilled.” [09.53] Why Gina took the leap from corporate America to entrepreneurship to found the Savii Group in 2010. “It was powered by purpose. I wanted to help companies drive efficiencies within their supply chain, but then also take part of the money I was helping them save and reinvest that into their people and social good… I couldn’t do the corporate grind at that time in my life. Having kids

Eric Johnson & Chris Mazza of Shippeo talk about visibility, how big challenges in 2024 impacted the market, & overcoming data quality challenges.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [06.06] A closer look at two key upcoming conferences: TPM 25 – listen out for a special discount! – and Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo. [08.19] From an Uber Freight product launch to how technology is enabling companies to pursue smaller incidents of overbilling in freight payments, Eric dives into the big supply chain news of the week. “They announced a product… which you might think looks like a product from Convoy, a company that’s now out of business, released a few years ago. And you’d be right.” [14.12] An introduction to Chris Mazza, his career journey, and an overview of Shippeo. “All of a sudden this thing called the internet happened (!), and it began to change the things ocean carriers did internally and how they began to view their customers externally.” [17.51] From the Baltimore Bridge co

On The Margins: How procurement leaders can maintain supplier relationships, support teams, nurture trust and build resilience in volatile markets.     IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [06.24] An introduction to Michael van Keulen, and what he loves about travel and spending time with the supply chain community. “I love to connect, I take so much pride in what I get to do every day… Helping and playing a role in the community we’ve created keeps me energized.” [08.31] From the opportunities in technology to big macro challenges, the issues that are top of mind for the procurement community right now, and why collaboration remains crucial. “We’re excited about technology, there’s so much out there… Finding the right solution isn’t easy, but there’s a lot of attention now paid to technology in procurement.” [12.48] Coupa’s Mind Your Business campaign. [14.08] The importance of talking about how to thrive through cost-cutting and corporate changes. [15.09] An introduction to Rendi Miller from GitLab, and what s

Tom Burke of CargoWise Landside talks about how drayage rating & quoting best practices can improve supply chain management, visibility, & logistics execution.    IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [06.59] An introduction to Tom and his career journey, how he founded DrayMaster, and its current place in the extensive CargoWise Landise portfolio. “You could say that I’ve had my hand in every cookie jar when it comes to this industry, and I’ve gained valuable insights from each experience.” [09.49] Trend one: The importance of collaboration in supply chain management, the improving integration and interoperability between stakeholders, and how a shared access to pricing is helping to drive improvement. “A supply chain without collaboration would be fragmented, inefficient, and unable to meet the demands of modern commerce… It’s the glue that holds the entire industry together.” [13.23] Trend two: What visibility and transparency mean to CargoWise Landside, the areas of supply chain where they’re most imp

Bill Catania of OneRail talks about their recent Series C funding; collaboration with IBM Sterling®; & the challenges for retailers and wholesalers in 2025. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [06.46] An introduction to Bill, and how OneRail are empowering customers to design and execute their own brand of delivery solutions.  “I love what we do – we’re solving a shopper marketing problem with supply chain and logistics... We’re helping our customers fulfil excellence at scale.” [09.57] OneRail’s successful Series B funding round in 2022, and the exciting changes they implemented with this initial investment to position themselves for growth. [12.37] How OneRail are building on that growth with $42 million of Series C funding and an overview of the OneRail vision that this further investment will help propel them towards. “Venture capital for logistics and supply chain tech start ups has reduced by 90%. We just raised a Series C – a very difficult round under good circumstances – at a time when 90% of fundin

Mandar Rahatekar of Manhattan talks about unified supply chain planning; breaking siloes; UI design; & leveraging AI and machine learning to reduce complexity.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS: [06.47] An introduction to Mandar, and an overview of Manhattan. [07.48] Mandar’s career, his journey from Manhattan customer to employee, and what he loves about supply chain. “I’m a mechanical engineer. I started my career in manufacturing and the first lesson I learned, day one on the shop floor, was: I knew nothing.” [11.13] Why the industry is starting to pay attention to unification, and why technology, the ever-growing complexity of supply chain, and increasing speed of business mean it’s more important than ever to merge supply chain planning with execution. “We’re at the right intersection of the requirement of us as customers, and the technology that will support it.” [16.07] Why supply chain has historically been so siloed, and how the changing speed of communication and evolution of siloed working led t

Maria Madrigal talks about her career journey; overcoming challenges in a male-dominated industry; her leadership style; & the achievement she’s most proud of.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [06.56] An introduction to Maria and WSI. [07.20] Maria’s 24-year tenure at WSI, and what she loves about the business. “I built relationships, I just love WSI, it’s like a family… like home.” [08.02] Maria’s first role as a window clerk and what it taught her. “I saw a lot of disgruntled drivers, but that started my journey of building a thick skin!” [09.27] Maria’s perspective on formal education within the industry, and finding the balance between real-life experience and academic learning. “Education is important, but there’s no textbook that’s going to teach you what you learn hands-on.” [11.27] The challenges Maria faced as a woman in a male-dominated industry. [14.27] How WSI supported Maria in her journey to becoming their first female Director of Operations, and the role of both mentors and advocates i