The Other Side of the Table | What your CPO Wished you Knew

Robert Brindle
  • 5.0 (2)
  • MANAGEMENT

A Head of Procurement shares what CEOs, CFOs, suppliers, and business leaders need to know about procurement, vendor/supplier management, contract negotiations, and organizational spending - straight from the other side of the table. Hosted by Robert Brindle, Head of Procurement at a major national nonprofit, The Other Side of the Table is a weekly business podcast that pulls back the curtain on how procurement really works. This isn't a show about purchase orders and RFPs. It's an insider's guide to the decisions, negotiations, and relationships that shape how organizations buy, manage risk, and create value. Built for: • CEOs, CFOs, and COOs who want strategic value from their procurement organization • Sales leaders, account executives, and suppliers who want to understand what wins and loses a deal • General counsel and legal teams navigating contract negotiations and vendor risk • IT, finance, and HR leaders who partner with procurement on sourcing and supplier management • Stakeholders managing budgets, projects, and cross-functional initiatives • Procurement and supply chain professionals looking for real-world CPO-level mentorship Each episode follows a simple structure: a real scenario, the CPO's unfiltered perspective, and a specific takeaway for every seat at the table. New episodes every Monday. 12–18 minutes. Candid, practical, and built for busy professionals. Topics include: vendor negotiations, strategic sourcing, procurement transformation, contract management, supplier relationships, spend management, governance frameworks, procurement leadership, nonprofit operations, risk management, artificial intelligence, and the business of buying.

Episodes

  1. MAR 29

    Why I Said No to Your Proposal — And It's Not the Reason You Think

    Last quarter, I turned down a million-dollar proposal. The supplier immediately sent a revised quote - fifteen percent lower. They still didn't understand why I said no. Price wasn't the problem. Price is almost never the problem. In this episode, I walk through the five real reasons proposals die on a CPO's desk: You didn't understand the problem - you pitched features before asking about organizational context You sold past the decision-maker - you tried to go around procurement, and it triggered every risk instinct I have Your proposal created risk you didn't acknowledge - no exit ramps, no data portability, no honest timeline You failed to connect to the mission - you pitched ROI when you should have pitched stewardship The proposal was a monologue, not a conversation - it felt produced, not crafted I also talk about what happens on our side when stakeholders hand vendors bad specifications, and why price becomes the stated reason only after everything else has already failed. Whether you're a supplier refining your approach, a stakeholder wondering why procurement said no, or a CEO who wants to understand what your CPO is actually evaluating — this one's for you. -- New episodes every Monday. Subscribe wherever you listen. Website: https://procurexcellence.com Email: robert@procurexcellence.com Topics covered: vendor proposals, procurement rejection, discovery process, risk management, mission-driven purchasing, stakeholder alignment, supplier relationships

    18 min

  2. MAR 28

    The Most Connected Seat in the Business

    A Head of Procurement shares what CEOs, CFOs, suppliers, and business leaders need to know about procurement, vendor/supplier management, contract negotiations, and organizational spending - straight from the other side of the table. Hosted by Robert Brindle, Head of Procurement at a major national nonprofit, The Other Side of the Table is a weekly business podcast that pulls back the curtain on how procurement really works.

    18 min
  • 2 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

A Head of Procurement shares what CEOs, CFOs, suppliers, and business leaders need to know about procurement, vendor/supplier management, contract negotiations, and organizational spending - straight from the other side of the table. Hosted by Robert Brindle, Head of Procurement at a major national nonprofit, The Other Side of the Table is a weekly business podcast that pulls back the curtain on how procurement really works. This isn't a show about purchase orders and RFPs. It's an insider's guide to the decisions, negotiations, and relationships that shape how organizations buy, manage risk, and create value. Built for: • CEOs, CFOs, and COOs who want strategic value from their procurement organization • Sales leaders, account executives, and suppliers who want to understand what wins and loses a deal • General counsel and legal teams navigating contract negotiations and vendor risk • IT, finance, and HR leaders who partner with procurement on sourcing and supplier management • Stakeholders managing budgets, projects, and cross-functional initiatives • Procurement and supply chain professionals looking for real-world CPO-level mentorship Each episode follows a simple structure: a real scenario, the CPO's unfiltered perspective, and a specific takeaway for every seat at the table. New episodes every Monday. 12–18 minutes. Candid, practical, and built for busy professionals. Topics include: vendor negotiations, strategic sourcing, procurement transformation, contract management, supplier relationships, spend management, governance frameworks, procurement leadership, nonprofit operations, risk management, artificial intelligence, and the business of buying.

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