Smarter Sourcing Smarter Sourcing

In this episode of Smarter Sourcing, John speaks with Bill Courtney, 7x CFO & Senior Financial Executive, about his extensive experience in procurement and sourcing across various industries. Bill reflects on his time at companies like Ford, Hertz, and Delta, highlighting the challenges faced and the strategic decisions made during critical periods such as 9/11 and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

They dive into the importance of simplifying complex processes, the impact of leadership in driving organizational change, and the evolving role of Chief Procurement Officers. 

Topics discussed:

- Bill Courtney’s journey as a CFO from Ford to Hertz, Delta, and CWT, highlighting leadership lessons, challenges overcome, and strategic decision-making.
- The critical role of procurement during crises like 9/11 and the COVID-19 pandemic in managing suppliers and costs.
- The importance of simplifying complexity and fostering partnerships to drive organizational success.
- The impact of mergers and acquisitions on procurement processes and the need for efficient integration of backend systems.
- Lessons learned about leadership, compassion, and making tough decisions during company turnarounds and bankruptcies.
- The evolution of the Chief Procurement Officer role, including increased importance after crises such as 9/11 and COVID-19.

In this episode of the Smarter Sourcing podcast, John sits down with Ulunda Baker, Senior Director, Business Diversity, Category Management & Sourcing, Purchasing at TIAA, who shares her inspiring career journey. Ulunda discusses the importance of strategic sourcing and supplier relationships in achieving business goals.  

She also explores her leadership approach and the value of teamwork and continuous learning. Through personal anecdotes and professional experiences, Ulunda underscores the significance of giving back to the community and fostering diversity in the corporate world. 

Topics discussed:

- The significance of strategic sourcing in achieving business objectives and the transformative power of well-managed supplier relationships.
- Ulunda’s leadership approach is focused on mentorship and continuous learning, shaped by her upbringing.
- The impact of community outreach programs, including Ulunda’s family nonprofit.
- How supplier diversity not only enriches procurement processes but also enhances overall business resilience.
- The evolving landscape of sourcing practices, particularly during challenging times like the pandemic.
- Why diversity contributes to innovation and competitiveness in the industry.

In this episode of the Smarter Sourcing podcast, John speaks with Anna Hammons, Senior Director, Procurement at Sam’s Club, about her day-to-day experience in procurement, as well as what characteristics she looks for when building her team. 

Anna also talked about how before the COVID-19 pandemic, contingency planning was to simply ”figure it out,” but now it requires much more planning. They also discuss how Sam’s Club is looking to incorporate more technology and to be more sustainable.
***The comments are the views of Anna Hammons and do not necessarily reflect the views of Walmart or Sam’s Club***

Topics discussed:

- What procurement really looks like – it’s more than just purchasing.
- Risk management in the context of adopting new technology and partnering with startups. 
- What a procurement leader should look for when building their team. 
- How Sam’s Club is looking for ways to be more sustainable while also incorporating new technologies.
- How contingency planning has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic: having a backup is more important than ever.
- What Founder Sam Walton would think of the company if he could see it today.

In this episode of the Smarter Sourcing podcast, John speaks with 11x CFO Raymond Silcock, about Raymond’s career in procurement and supply chain management, including at Diamond Foods, CTI Foods, Perrigo, and Neptune Wellness. 

Raymond gives examples of the various international supply chains he has seen and how even a few hours made a difference in pricing of a product. In particular, they discussed the challenges a supply chain might face and how Raymond and the companies he worked with addressed those challenges.

Topics discussed:

- How the Campbell’s Soup meatpacking supply chain was heavily influenced by politics and the requirements of shipping perishable goods.
- The challenges of having international workers and how Raymond helped address them while working at a company located on the US-Mexico border.
- How Swift Armour used triangulation to manipulate the profitability of its Argentina branch.
- How deeply a company has to dig into the cost base of a product to make sense of the numbers.
- Putting costs into the context of global events such as a pandemic internally and externally to your company.
- How sometimes it’s better to learn from your mistakes than it is to always have a backup plan.

In this episode of the Smarter Sourcing podcast, John speaks with Bobby Lavan, CFO at Bowlero Corporation. They discuss Bowlero’s procurement strategy, how its various vendors have been built up over 27 years, its decentralized approach, and how they’re consolidating for cost efficiencies. They also talk about the challenges of implementing technology, why they’re focused on performance marketing, and why personalization is the future of entertainment.

Topics discussed:

- How Bowlero has managed their procurement streams that have been built up over 27 years.
- Why they encourage everyone with a hand in procurement to think about spending every dollar as if it’s their own.
- The challenge of technology implementation, and whether it’s a cost center or an efficiency driver.
- Bowlero’s decentralized approach to procurement and how they track every dollar.
- Why technology companies and their changing pricing strategies keep Bobby up at night.
- Why personalization powered by technology will shape the future of customer experiences.
- Why they’re focused on performance marketing and practices that drive returns.

In this episode of the Smarter Sourcing podcast, recorded at the ICR Conference, John speaks with Lara Smith Weber, CFO at Inari, a company creating more sustainable seeds. They discuss how Inari is working on its mission to ”seed change for a renewed Earth” by genetically changing plants to be more sustainable, how it supplies the market, and the challenges of being supply-constrained. They also talk about how to build a procurement strategy by defining what’s ”good” for your company, what to look for in new hires, and how new technologies like AI and data lakes can set companies apart.

Topics discussed:

- How Inari seeks to balance financial, risk management, and sustainability in their procurement processes.
- Where Inari sits in the supply chain and how it gets its seed to farmers.
- The challenges of being supply-constrained with the time it takes to grow more product.
- Why the best procurement strategy is based on what ”good” looks like for your company — not your competition’s.
- How new technologies like AI and data lakes can help improve procurement and operations, and set a company apart.
- Why you should look for new talent who can ”connect the dots” and see cross-functional impacts.