Smarter Sourcing

Smarter Sourcing
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The Smarter Sourcing podcast is dedicated to helping sourcing, procurement, and finance leaders elevate their influence and get their seat at the table. Each episode features conversations with innovative leaders, sharing best practices, lessons learned, and actionable insights you can apply immediately. Whether you’re focused on procurement strategies, supply chain optimization, or aligning financial goals with operational excellence, this podcast will leave you with actionable insights that you can immediately put to work.

  1. EP 30 - JLL's Brent Kellett on Why Cost Avoidance Is Equal to Cost Saving

    1 DAY AGO

    EP 30 - JLL's Brent Kellett on Why Cost Avoidance Is Equal to Cost Saving

    Cost avoidance delivers the same strategic value as cost savings, but CFOs often miss this reality when evaluating procurement performance. At JLL, Senior Director Brent Kellett has cracked the code on demonstrating total cost of ownership value through cross-functional partnerships that quantify operational efficiencies, energy savings, and service reliability improvements that don't show up in traditional savings calculations.   Brent's approach transforms procurement from order-taking to strategic advisory by focusing early stakeholder involvement and building trusted partnerships with internal teams. His systematic integration methodology turns potential resistance into collaboration when outsourced procurement integrates with existing functions, starting with empathy to understand career drivers and making internal stakeholders look good rather than replaced. JLL's initiative trains procurement professionals to deliver compelling five-minute client pitches, reflecting the C-level presentation skills needed to secure strategic involvement rather than last-stage procurement calls.   Topics discussed: Treating cost avoidance as equally valuable to cost savings when demonstrating total cost of ownership to CFOs. Building trusted partnerships with internal stakeholders by understanding their career drivers and making them look successful. Implementing early stakeholder involvement strategies to transform procurement from last-stage participation to strategic front-end engagement. Integrating outsourced procurement teams with existing client functions through empathy-driven relationship management and collaboration approaches. Deploying unified technology platforms that connect contract lifecycle management, spend analytics, and work order systems globally. Rolling out Azara business intelligence tool for real-time predictive analysis and facility management operational efficiency. Training procurement professionals to deliver compelling 5-minute client pitches requiring C-level presentation and sales skills. Managing global supplier performance through standardized cost, quality, delivery, and innovation metrics across all JLL verticals.

    33 min
  2. EP 29 - Procurement & Supply Chain Leader Mark Vierling on the Three P's of Supply Chain Science

    23 SEPT

    EP 29 - Procurement & Supply Chain Leader Mark Vierling on the Three P's of Supply Chain Science

    Mark Vierling, Procurement & Supply Chain Leader, makes a simple observation: while fractional COOs, CEOs, and CFOs are common, virtually no one was providing fractional Chief Procurement Officer services to companies that desperately needed them. His embedded approach, which he shares with John, differs from traditional consulting by making fractional leaders part of the client team rather than external advisors.   Drawing from automotive supply chain excellence learned at General Motors and applied across industries from manufacturing to government, Mark emphasizes why procurement must evolve from reactive cost management to proactive strategic capability. His experience implementing transformations demonstrates how the science of supply chain scales across entirely different business models and regulatory environments.    Topics discussed: How fractional supply chain leadership fills a gap in the executive services market via embedded CPO expertise without long-term hiring commitments. The transformation of procurement from reactive cost management to proactive strategic capability. Common ERP implementation failures caused by inadequate current-state analysis. AI applications in competitive sourcing for companies under $500 million, focusing on increasing competition among existing supplier bases rather than sophisticated predictive modeling. The three P's — people, process, and performance — as the foundation of supply chain management that scales across industries. Why data management and analytics will become the primary competitive differentiator in supply chain excellence. The evolution of entry-level procurement roles as AI automates bid processes and RFP management. Strategic alignment challenges between procurement teams and corporate vision, particularly in smaller companies. The importance of robust SIOP processes for demand and supply management.

    21 min
  3. EP 28 - UF Health's Dawn Watkins on Building Mutual Incentive Partnerships With Suppliers

    11 SEPT

    EP 28 - UF Health's Dawn Watkins on Building Mutual Incentive Partnerships With Suppliers

    How do you centralize procurement across a $1+ billion health system while maintaining 24/7 operations that literally keep people alive? Dawn Watkins, Director of Strategic Sourcing at UF Health, gives John her blueprint for transforming independent hospitals into an integrated clinical enterprise. Her team of 25 is expanding to 50+ as they merge previously independent facilities across 12 hospitals, nearly 3,000 patient beds, and hundreds of physician practices from Gainesville to Jacksonville. This isn't just organizational restructuring — it's a shift from decentralized decision-making to enterprise-wide standardization that's already delivering concrete results.   Dawn's journey from forklift operator at Honda to directing strategic sourcing for over a billion dollars in non-labor spend reveals how manufacturing discipline translates to healthcare procurement. She brings Honda's core principle of "removing waste before adding complexity" and her MBA professor's warning to "don't pave the cow path" — meaning never automate broken processes without first questioning what truly adds value. Her practical approach includes everything from streamlining supplier invoice corrections (reducing two actions to one) to building mutual incentive partnerships where both UF Health and suppliers benefit from shared success metrics, all while navigating the unique constraints of a regulated industry where you can't simply pass costs to patients.  Topics discussed: Moving from historically independent decision making to centralized procurement across 12 hospitals and 3,000 patient beds, including the governance structure involving C-suite leaders to guide category prioritization and strategy. The principles of "removing waste before adding complexity" and "don't pave the cow path" philosophy — questioning what truly adds value rather than simply automating existing inefficiencies. Creating enterprise-wide collaboration through operational leaders who serve as scaffolding during transformation, ensuring no procurement decisions are made without direct input from clinicians and patient care providers. Building intelligence through supplier relationships and global monitoring services to assess tariff risks, country of origin impacts, and geopolitical disruptions across 100,000+ unique items. Operating in a regulated industry where revenue doesn't always cover basic expenses, making cost pass-through to patients impossible while maintaining 24/7 service demands without downtime. Developing supplier relationships built around shared measurable outcomes where both UF Health and suppliers benefit from aligned success metrics. Systematically identifying opportunities to consolidate products across previously independent hospitals while aggregating purchasing volume for better pricing and supply risk mitigation.

    30 min
  4. EP 27 - Aramark's Autumn Bayles on Global Procurement and Spend Harmonization

    13 AUG

    EP 27 - Aramark's Autumn Bayles on Global Procurement and Spend Harmonization

    When Aramark acquired Avenger International—the GPO consortium built by Marriott, Hilton, and other major hotel chains—they weren't just buying a customer list. They were executing a 15-year strategic plan to close competitive gaps while creating unprecedented scale for premium hospitality products. Autumn Bayles, SVP Global Supply Chain & GPOs at Aramark, reveals how this acquisition transformed their ability to serve luxury hotels and stadiums alike with everything from grass-fed beef to regional stadium favorites. From her strategic role orchestrating multiple GPO acquisitions to building advanced analytics dashboards that answer questions like "how many sustainable products do we buy," Autumn shares the playbook for scaling procurement operations while maintaining the hospitality-first culture that drives guest experience from luxury hotels to stadium concessions.    Topics discussed: AI implementation methodology for automated product matching across distributor systems with different naming conventions and data structures A three-year technology consolidation process and backend system harmonization challenges Five-tier product stratification architecture enabling simultaneous ultra-premium and economy sourcing within single-supplier relationships Global business continuity protocol design requiring geographic supplier diversification beyond traditional backup supplier models A dual-accountability leadership structure for managing internal procurement operations while retaining external GPO clients Local-regional supplier network integration strategy balancing national contract leverage with location-specific guest experience requirements Enterprise data processing infrastructure: daily management of millions of transaction rows with AI-enhanced analytical output Cross-GPO spend consolidation identification using harmonized data to reveal supplier relationship optimization opportunities Hospitality vertical complexity: simultaneous procurement for luxury hotels, sports venues, healthcare facilities, and corporate dining environments Strategic GPO portfolio expansion rationale and competitive market positioning through vertical acquisition integration

    35 min
  5. EP 26 - Michaels' Arvind Nathan on Why Private Brands Carry Retailer Reputation Risk

    31 JUL

    EP 26 - Michaels' Arvind Nathan on Why Private Brands Carry Retailer Reputation Risk

    Arvind Nathan, SVP of Private Brands & Sourcing at The Michaels Companies, Inc., didn't plan to revolutionize how global teams think about private brand sourcing, but his mathematical approach to procurement has transformed operations in both his current role and his previous one at Walmart. Managing 220 people across Asia and the US taught him that successful sourcing isn't about having better tools than competitors — it's about building the right equation from available variables.   Arvind's framework treats every sourcing decision as part of a balanced equation where over-indexing any single variable can destroy the entire strategy, whether that's cost, quality, speed, or innovation. At Michaels, he oversees 14-15 private brands that must reflect the retailer's identity while competing against national brands with established equity. His team operates on three core principles that have proven essential as the distance between supply and demand continues to shrink in global commerce.   Topics discussed: The mathematical framework for balancing sourcing variables without over-indexing any single factor like cost, quality, or delivery speed. How private brand sourcing complexity exceeds national brand challenges due to retailer reputation risk and personalization requirements. Building cultural alignment across 220-person global teams through shared experiences, open dialogue, and cross-functional storytelling. The evolution of supplier assessment from basic cost-quality-delivery metrics to 15-dimensional evaluations, including e-commerce capabilities and cross-functional support. Strategic approaches to crisis management learned from 2008 and 2020 disruptions, emphasizing fundamental strength over contingency planning. The transformation of supplier relationships from transactional manufacturing focus to revenue generation and innovation partnership models. Leadership principles for global procurement teams including ready-aim-fire decision making, alignment without agreement, and Formula One pit stop operational speed. Cultural adaptation strategies for international business including curiosity as active respect and understanding rather than navigating differences. Technology integration challenges in procurement including AI limitations and the continued importance of human relationship management. Career development advice emphasizing curiosity, agility, exposure to challenges, ownership mindset, and people business fundamentals.

    43 min
  6. EP 25 - LogicSource's David Pennino on Finding Gold in Indirect Procurement

    16 JUL

    EP 25 - LogicSource's David Pennino on Finding Gold in Indirect Procurement

    David Pennino, CEO & Founder, built LogicSource by recognizing that indirect procurement represents the largest untapped opportunity for most enterprises. His conversation with John highlights how a company processing $150 billion in spend data approaches categories that consume 20% of revenue but receive minimal professional attention. David's methodology challenges traditional consulting models through comprehensive free assessments and frequency-based expertise that most organizations cannot develop internally.   David discusses his unique assessment-first approach, explaining how this model achieves a 93% win rate by proving value rather than promising it. His team's frequency advantage demonstrates how specialized expertise scales across complex procurement categories. The conversation also explores LogicSource's expansion into healthcare, where "wedding pricing" creates unique opportunities for systems that cannot pass cost increases to patients.    Topics discussed: The development of LogicSource's free assessment model and why it outperforms traditional consulting approaches in procurement transformation. How frequency-based expertise in categories like software licensing, marketing services, and facilities management creates sustainable competitive advantages over internal teams. The strategic addition of healthcare markets and why hospital systems face unique pricing challenges that indirect procurement can address. Building category expertise by hiring professionals from both supplier and buyer sides to understand complete cost structures and margin opportunities. The evolution of procurement from "three bids and a cloud of dust" methodology to comprehensive category management that considers relationships, quality, and strategic value. Why GPOs often underperform compared to enterprise-specific procurement strategies for larger companies with significant spend volumes. The importance of vision sessions in aligning procurement strategies with broader business objectives beyond simple cost reduction. How AI will enhance procurement decision-making while requiring domain experts to train and validate machine learning outputs.

    1 hr
  7. EP 24 - Arm's Sean Park on Making Transformation a SPORT

    1 JUL

    EP 24 - Arm's Sean Park on Making Transformation a SPORT

    Sean Park, VP of Procurement and Transformation at Arm, didn't set out to revolutionize procurement at Arm, but when you're scaling a $4 billion semiconductor company at 20% year-over-year growth without adding procurement headcount, revolution becomes necessity. Sean offers John a peek at how Arm achieved nearly 20% savings on an 8-figure server deal using AI agents that required zero human intervention once launched, completing negotiations in days rather than weeks.   He also shares his SPORT framework — Strategy, Processing & Policy, Organization, Reporting, Technology — that represents a complete reimagining of procurement priorities, while his prediction that 20-40% of procurement knowledge becomes obsolete annually reflects the accelerating pace of change facing the profession. Sean's vision for procurement as a consumer-grade experience, combined with his philosophy of supplier relationships rooted in mutual respect rather than adversarial negotiations, offers a blueprint for procurement leaders navigating AI transformations of their own.    Topics discussed:  The SPORT framework for procurement transformation, encompassing Strategy, Processing & Policy, Organization, Reporting, and Technology as interconnected elements. Implementing AI-powered negotiation agents that achieved 18% savings on 8-figure server procurement with zero human intervention after launch. Scaling procurement impact at a $4 billion company experiencing 20% year-over-year growth without increasing team headcount. Cultural lessons from Japan on the power of listening before reacting, and how this approach transforms stakeholder relationships in high-margin industries. Supplier relationship philosophy based on mutual respect and interdependence rather than adversarial price-focused negotiations. The accelerating obsolescence of procurement knowledge, with 20% or more becoming irrelevant year-over-year thanks to AI advancement. Organizational design featuring business partners vertically oriented by function rather than horizontally by category to improve stakeholder experience. Technology-first approach, where breakthrough tools drive changes in organizational structure, processes, and strategic objectives. Creating consumer-grade procurement experiences through unified platforms, chatbot integration, and simplified stakeholder interfaces. Predictive sourcing and negotiation platforms that accelerate savings maximization while maintaining supplier relationship quality and service. Geographic and functional coverage strategies for global procurement operations spanning multiple continents and complex supplier ecosystems.

    37 min
  8. EP 23 - BIC's Steeve Yammine on Their Regionalization Strategy for Global Resilience

    18 JUN

    EP 23 - BIC's Steeve Yammine on Their Regionalization Strategy for Global Resilience

    Managing 8+ billion products annually across 180+ countries while reducing logistics footprint by 27% requires more than traditional supply chain thinking. Steeve Yammine, Global SVP of Supply Chain at BIC, has orchestrated this complex operation by fundamentally reimagining how global companies approach contingency planning, regionalization, and talent development.    He tells John his journey from brewery night shifts in Belgium to steering one of the world's most recognizable consumer goods supply chains offers practical frameworks for building resilient, efficient operations. Steeve also touches on how BIC transformed from inventory-heavy contingency planning to dynamic scenario mapping, implemented meaningful sustainability initiatives beyond product redesign, and developed a hiring philosophy that prioritizes critical thinking over technical knowledge in an AI-driven landscape.   Topics discussed: The evolution from inventory-based contingency planning to dynamic scenario mapping using digital tools that activate different responses based on real-time conditions rather than stockpiling safety stock. Implementing a regionalization strategy that balances proximity to demand with strategic global redundancy, ensuring dual sourcing across different geographic regions to avoid single points of failure. Achieving a 27% reduction in logistics footprint through better planning and technology optimization rather than traditional cost-cutting measures. Developing sustainability initiatives that focus on supply chain footprint optimization alongside product innovation, including 78% ocean plastic content in select pen lines and refillable lighter systems. Building and managing culturally diverse teams across global operations while maintaining operational coherence through people-first leadership and cross-cultural communication strategies. Talent selection philosophy, emphasizing 80% focus on problem-solving approach and critical thinking skills versus 20% on technical knowledge, recognizing AI's impact on skill requirements. Managing the complexity of vertically integrated manufacturing where BIC produces everything from raw resin to finished products across 20+ factories globally. Strategies for navigating geopolitical uncertainties and tariff fluctuations while maintaining supply chain stability and avoiding constant operational disruptions. The transformation of supply chain leadership from operational support roles to strategic business partners with seats at executive decision-making tables post-COVID. Integration challenges and supply chain strategies for recent acquisitions like Tangle Teezer and Inkbox, expanding BIC's portfolio beyond traditional product categories.

    33 min
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About

The Smarter Sourcing podcast is dedicated to helping sourcing, procurement, and finance leaders elevate their influence and get their seat at the table. Each episode features conversations with innovative leaders, sharing best practices, lessons learned, and actionable insights you can apply immediately. Whether you’re focused on procurement strategies, supply chain optimization, or aligning financial goals with operational excellence, this podcast will leave you with actionable insights that you can immediately put to work.

Information

  • Creator
    Smarter Sourcing
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Smarter Sourcing

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