The Sourcing Hero TheSourcingHero

Every single day, successful retailers overcome challenges that few other industries will ever have to face. Complex supply chains, uncertain demand, and - increasingly - regulations that not only force them to consider the big picture but also vary by geography.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Eric Linxwiler. Eric is the Senior Vice President of Retail Solutions at TradeBeyond, a platform that helps retailers, brands, and trading partners collaborate quickly and easily.
In this interview, Eric shares some of the external pressures and internal priorities that are dominating the conversation in retail executive suites:
The role of AI across the operation
How increasing regulation is changing the way tier 1 retailers make decisions
The confidence horizon that retail decision makers are working towards
Links:
Eric Linxwiler on LinkedIn

Mentors have the opportunity to provide valuable, trusted advice to the individuals they work with, but those relationships are often formed haphazardly. One team of entrepreneurs is working to pair ascending college students with recent graduates who can mentor them through the college selection process. Pairing them effectively requires a lot of data, and more empathy, but it is well worth the effort. 
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Jason Edmonds. Jason is the Co-Founder & COO at Mentee and 2023 Venture for America Fellow. He’s a lifelong learner passionate about operational systems and product development. He’s a startup enthusiast that seeks to revolutionize the college admissions industry with efficient, impactful solutions.
In this interview, Jason is open about his experience as an entrepreneur and professional relationship builder:
How he turned a ‘fun’ summer project into a tech based startup
The most empowering and the most challenging parts about being an entrepreneur
The approach he uses to balance creativity and brainstorming with sustained operational growth
Links:
Jason Edmonds on LinkedIn

Procurement’s relationship with legal is one of the most important they have. Whether it is allowing procurement to meet (or exceed) their objectives or protecting the company from risk, they need to be “joined at the hip” as we learn from this week’s guest.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Lisa Haitz. Lisa has over 20 years of experience in finance, legal, commercial operations, sourcing, and procurement. Today she applies that experience as a strategic sourcing and procurement advisor and fractional CPO, meeting procurement teams where they are and getting them on their way to where they want to be.
In this interview, Lisa talks about some of the ways procurement and legal can work together that benefit both groups - and the whole organization as well:
When and how procurement should get legal involved in sourcing and contract management
The impact of digital platforms on legal and procurement, whether that is CLM, Blockchain, or generative AI
Different models that companies may use to access legal expertise and how procurement can ensure they get what they need in each case
Links:
Lisa Haitz on LinkedIn

While most people hungered for a return to ‘normal’ after the pandemic shut downs, many of the workforce trends that companies experimented with offer lasting lessons and value. From flexible work schedules to innovative sources of talent, the opportunities for hiring managers and prospective employees are as diverse as the roles that need to be filled.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Mika Cross. Mika is a U.S. Army Veteran and a workforce futurist. She was focused on distributed team workforce requirements two decades before the world went home to work in 2020 - in the aftermath of 9/11 - and continues to follow the associated trends today.
In this interview, Mika shares her expertise at the intersection of workforce requirements, distributed talent, and company culture:
Some of the ‘diverse’ categories of people that employers might want to know more about and include in their workforce
The lurking danger of ‘good intentions.’
How taking an expanded view of talent sources and work arrangements can help employers, individuals, and communities
Considerations around company culture that managers should be aware of as the shape and style of their workforce changes
Links:
Mika Cross on LinkedIn

At 1:30 am on March 26th, the container ship Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge and sent it falling into the Patapsco River. Six members of a construction crew lost their lives and the port of Baltimore has been partially closed since. 
Dueling investigations are underway, with the FBI working to determine whether any federal laws were broken and the NTSB looking to reconstruct the accident and learn from it. The ship is still in place, with the bridge on its bow and the crew onboard, and The Army Corps of Engineers hopes to have the port of Baltimore fully open by late May.
How is this tragic situation affecting each of us - all of us?
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes back Kris Lance, Senior Director at Una, for a recurring monthly conversation about current news stories. Kris has experience in multiple industries and has his finger on the pulse of the trends and topics that procurement, sourcing, and supply chain professionals need to be aware of.
In this month’s discussion, Kris and Kelly talk about the varied responses to the bridge collapse and what we can take away from the situation as a whole: 
Whether the legal steps taken by the ship’s owner and management company are examples of the actions that give big business a bad name
How humans tend to respond to the fast dissemination of news and the updates that follow
Why some people may have lost their way based on their focus in the aftermath of the collapse
Links:
Kris Lance on LinkedIn
Subscribe to “The Sidekick”
Episode 158: All Eyes Should Remain on the Red Sea with Kris Lance
Episode 154: The Sourcing Hero Gets a Sidekick with Kris Lance
Episode 150: 2024: The Year of the Dragon? with Kris Lance
Episode 145: Looking Back and Looking Ahead with Kris Lance

Recognizing the need for procurement transformation sometimes comes from within procurement, and in other cases it is driven by management-level goals and expectations. Regardless of where the idea for transformation begins, few stones in the organization will be left unturned by the time it is over.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Nataša Cikač. Nataša is the CEO of Cronata, a Croatia-based company that provides procurement transformation support and coaching.
In this interview, Nataša shares her perspective on effective procurement transformation - including a story or two:
Some of the things that might cause a management team to start thinking about procurement transformation
Why it is so important to document expectations before the transformation project gets underway
The power of recognizing and articulating the ‘why’ for the change in addition to the need for change
Links:
Nataša Cikač on LinkedIn