Thinkers360
Interested in getting your own thought leader profile? Get Started Today.

Kelly Barner

Co-Founder, Head of Content and Operations at Art of Procurement

Boston, MA, United States

Kelly Barner is a prolific writer and a highly visible thought leader with extensive experience creating live, pre-recorded, audio, and video content. In 2021, Kelly was selected as a member of the inaugural class of LinkedIn’s Creator Accelerator program, beating out thousands of other creators to earn one of 100 coveted spots.

Beyond being a creator, Kelly is an avid reader - partially for the joy of adding to her knowledge base but also because being informed on a wide range of topics is the best way to have engaging conversations with executive leaders. Natural, authentic conversations are the best source of raw material.

Available For: Authoring, Influencing
Travels From: Boston, MA

Kelly Barner Points
Academic 0
Author 2105
Influencer 349
Speaker 48
Entrepreneur 51
Total 2553

Points based upon Thinkers360 patent-pending algorithm.

Thought Leader Profile

Portfolio Mix

Company Information

Company Type: Individual
Minimum Project Size: N/A
Average Hourly Rate: N/A
Number of Employees: N/A
Company Founded Date: Undisclosed

Areas of Expertise

Agile 30.14
AI 30.48
Analytics 31.74
Autonomous Vehicles 30.78
Big Data 30.22
Blockchain 30.13
Business Continuity 33.69
Business Strategy 31.96
Careers 30.97
Change Management 30.98
Cloud 30.04
Coaching 31.48
COVID19 46.63
Creativity 31.26
CRM 30.15
Cryptocurrency 30.13
CSR 42.46
Culture 30.33
Customer Experience 31.15
Cybersecurity 30.37
Design Thinking 30.04
Digital Disruption 31.29
Digital Transformation 34.44
Diversity and Inclusion 45.51
Ecosystems 30.29
Education 31.91
Emerging Technology 30.33
Entrepreneurship 33.67
ERP 30.05
Finance 31.94
FinTech 33.29
Future of Work 30.42
Generative AI 30.57
GovTech 30.60
Health and Safety 36.05
Health and Wellness 32.17
Healthcare 36.47
HR 30.84
Innovation 32.86
International Relations 31.77
IoT 30.02
IT Leadership 30.76
IT Operations 35.25
Leadership 32.65
Lean Startup 30.64
Legal and IP 35.87
Management 39.39
Manufacturing 42.13
Marketing 30.23
Mental Health 30.60
Mergers and Acquisitions 33.78
Metaverse 30.78
Mobility 30.19
National Security 33.28
Personal Branding 30.33
Procurement 100
Public Relations 30.37
Renewable Energy 32.06
Retail 33.41
Risk Management 57.71
Robotics 34.59
RPA 31.60
Sales 31.76
Security 30.20
Social 31.33
SportsTech 30.65
Startups 30.48
Supply Chain 89.88
Sustainability 50.79

Industry Experience

Professional Services
Retail

Publications

379 Article/Blogs
Supply Chain 2015 – 2025
Cottrill Research
December 10, 2024
A lot has changed since Jeanette and I published Supply Market Intelligence for Procurement Professionals: Research, Process, and Resources in 2015. That is why Jeanette faithfully publishes an annual update focused on sharing the latest information sources and supply intelligence trends.

With this being the 10-year anniversary of our book’s release, it is a good opportunity to look at what else has changed in supply chain. What were we focused on in 2015 and how different is it from what we prioritize today?

After a review of top news stories and end-of-year topic round ups, I’ve identified four areas where we can point to both progress and the need for continued attention within the supply chain. They are technology, port strikes, regulations, and sustainability.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

Supply Market Information & Research 2023
Cottrill Research
December 03, 2023
This year’s annual post once again provides insights and reports on select trends and offerings that materialized in 2023. Kelly’s section focuses on the importance of maintaining quality standards for all content, regardless if it is from a podcast, blog, or is AI generated. Jeanette’s section follows with listings of resource-related trends that include AI (generative AI focus), space-based data, data unification, and commodity traceability. Associated examples are provided.

– Kelly Barner and Jeanette Jones (authors of Supply Market Intelligence for Procurement Professionals: Research, Process, and Resources)

See publication

Tags: Generative AI, Procurement, Supply Chain

Coke's Supply Chain Is the Real Thing
LinkedIn
November 02, 2023
Coca-Cola could have said no. When the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation asked the company to help improve healthcare supply chains across Africa, they could have said no. But they didn't. In this Dial P for Procurement, discover how Coca-Cola applied their supply chain expertise to improve inventory management, route optimization, and cold chain logistics in Africa - saving lives in the process.

See publication

Tags: Risk Management, Supply Chain, Sustainability

Why Bed Bath & Beyond’s supply chain wasn’t on Target
CIPS Supply Management Magazine
October 30, 2023
How did one retail giant triumph over massive inventory issues, while another equally familiar high-street name collapsed? Kelly Barner examines their very different approaches to inventory management

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

Can LEGO go green?
LinkedIn
October 26, 2023
All is fair in love, war, and supply chain - and yet I feel bad for LEGO. They have invested heavily and pushed to move to bioplastics, but they have yet to identify the right material. Despite these efforts, LEGO was still the victim of a brutal social media campaign led by Greenpeace. This week's Dial P for Procurement is eye-opening; if LEGO can’t find a way to be sustainable without compromising on product quality and customer experience, what hope is there for anyone else? The fight for sustainability is worthwhile, but it will require a lot more hard work and investment than most media coverage and advocacy suggest.

See publication

Tags: CSR, Supply Chain, Sustainability

The LEGO Sustainability Saga
Art of Procurement
October 26, 2023
All is fair in love, war, and supply chain - and yet I feel bad for LEGO.

They have invested heavily and pushed to move to bioplastics, but they have yet to identify the right material.

Despite these efforts, LEGO was still the victim of a brutal social media campaign led by Greenpeace.

This week's Dial P for Procurement is eye-opening; if LEGO can’t find a way to be sustainable without compromising on product quality and customer experience, what hope is there for anyone else?

See publication

Tags: CSR, Supply Chain, Sustainability

J. M. Smucker Can Have Their Cake and Eat It Too
LinkedIn
October 13, 2023
Snackers rejoice! Not only has the The J.M. Smucker Co. acquisition of Hostess Brands created stability for treats like Twinkies, but it also gives us an opportunity to learn about their supply chain synergies. In this week's Dial P for Procurement, I'll explore why "synergy" is far more than a consulting buzzword for these two packaged food giants.

See publication

Tags: Mergers and Acquisitions, Procurement, Supply Chain

Ideas = Innovation
LinkedIn
October 05, 2023
No one likes to talk about modern slavery, child labor, funding challenges faced by diverse-owned startups, or environmentally damaging materials and processes.

All of these things are trying to creep into our supply chains. Many are already there.

We have to call them out, shine a light on them, and refuse to look away.

That is going to take courage.

If we are afraid of being canceled or shamed because of how we address these challenges, we will never solve them. Period. In this week's Dial P for Procurement, Kelly Barner makes the connection between the importance of Banned Books Week and the work of procurement and supply chain.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

Monopoly: Not Illegal to Have, Just Illegal to Keep
LinkedIn
September 28, 2023
U.S. et al. v. Google - currently playing out in a Washington D.C. courtroom - will decide whether Google Search's dominant market position is based on being the best or on unfair competitive practices. Who better to reference for more information than Michael Porter and his Five Forces. In this week's Dial P for Procurement newsletter and podcast, I look at what's been shared at trial and then apply the Five Forces to shed light on the underlying competitive dynamics.

See publication

Tags: Legal and IP, Procurement

The Opportunity and Challenge of Services Procurement
LinkedIn
September 25, 2023
Services procurement isn't easy... but it is fascinating to manage. Participate in our research here: https://lnkd.in/eBZGvwrp In this special edition of the Dial P for Procurement newsletter, I share some of my lessons learned from years in centralized and location-based services procurement and share this week's Art of Procurement podcast that Philip Ideson and I recorded on the topic.

See publication

Tags: Procurement

Hershey's Sweet Supply Chain Success
LinkedIn
September 21, 2023
Remember Y2K? How about 2020? In both cases, society responded by self-medicating with chocolate and salty snacks. The Hershey Company has faced their fair share of challenges over the years, but they have demonstrated resilience - and a willingness to learn from their mistakes and invest in their supply chain capabilities. In this week's Dial P for Procurement, I look at the journey this company and their supply chain have been on over the last 25 years and ask the all important question... will there be enough Reese's peanut butter cups this Halloween??

See publication

Tags: Business Continuity, Digital Transformation, Supply Chain

Resilience, Circularity, and Positive Work Environments
Buyers Meeting Point
September 18, 2023
Did you know… the Buyers Meeting Point events calendar is color coded by event type? Red events are virtual and purple events are in person. Take a quick look at October’s schedule and it will quickly become clear that the procurement and supply chain conference scene is HOT this fall!

See publication

Tags: Supply Chain, Procurement

The Cold, Hard Facts About Cold Chain Logistics
Art of Procurement
September 14, 2023
In 2020, everyone and their mother was riveted by what supply chains can do. That only increased when people discovered today’s cold chain capabilities and saw them roll into action to make the COVID vaccine widely available.

The cold chain has largely slipped from the headlines, but we shouldn’t take it for granted.

The race is on to meet demand for refrigerated fleet equipment and warehouse space, to reduce the risk at transition points, and to ensure constant conditions through a seamless chain of custody.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Supply Chain

Do you want to build a cold chain?
LinkedIn
September 14, 2023
In this week's Dial P for Procurement newsletter, Kelly Barner explores the modern marvel of cold chain logistics and thinks about the technological, regulatory, and contractual complexities required to deliver perishable food and medicine safely.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

U.S. Steel Cage Match
LinkedIn
September 07, 2023
U.S. Steel is preparing for what looks like a career-ending fight. The U.S. steel industry is at the point where it is too much to ask four domestic steel producers to co-exist profitably, despite protective tariffs and the Federal government’s “buy American” tax credit provisions. In this week’s Dial P for Procurement, I examine U.S. Steel’s upcoming cage match with fellow steel producer Cleveland-Cliffs and the United Steelworkers (USW) union.

See publication

Tags: Mergers and Acquisitions, Procurement, Supply Chain

Dodging the Urban Doom Loop
Art of Procurement
August 31, 2023
In the book “Good to Great,” Jim Collins wrote about the flywheel effect, a prosperous cycle of work and adjustment that eventually picks up speed and builds its own momentum.

Fewer people talk about the flywheel effect’s evil cousin: the doom loop. This cycle of knee-jerk decisions and failed strategies has taken down many otherwise promising businesses. Collins characterizes it as “reaction without understanding.”

If the phrase doom loop sounds familiar, it may be because you’ve heard it used to describe the negative cycle at play in some of America’s largest cities. While the flywheel effect produces growth and profitability, the doom loop creates a downward spiral of societal decay: poverty, crime, lost value, and finally the relocation of people and businesses.

In this week’s episode of Dial P for Procurement, I consider the doom loop concept from both the public and private sector perspective – because the two meet in these large cities.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Retail, Supply Chain

Who is to blame for Yellow’s demise?
Art of Procurement
August 24, 2023
On July 30th, 2023, Yellow announced that they would cease operations after 99 years and declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy just a week later. As with all things that are real but not simple, more than one problem led to the company’s downfall.

In this week’s episode of Dial P for Procurement, I retrace Yellow’s journey – from a single horse-drawn cab on the streets of Oklahoma City in 1906 to the events and business decisions that prevented them from reaching the 100-year milestone.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Supply Chain

No “I” in Teamsters - But No “We” Either
LinkedIn
August 24, 2023
Yellow made their own bankruptcy coffin, but the Teamsters union hammered in the final nail. The question now is whether Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien's choice to play hardball with Yellow will win him the ultimate prize: Amazon In this week's Dial P for Procurement, I look at the four major factors that contributed to Yellow's bankruptcy filing earlier this month and speculate about what may be next in supply chain unionization.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Supply Chain

Minds Poised Between Farm and Factory
LinkedIn
August 17, 2023
The seeming disconnect wasn’t theirs, however, it is mine. I think of Ford, Edison, and Firestone as businessmen, inventors, and industrialists. It almost seems silly to me that they would willingly sleep outside for weeks at a time. But to them it made perfect sense. They grew up in rural America and helped create the industrial world I think of them as inhabiting.

See publication

Tags: Supply Chain, Procurement

Restoring Business Imagination Through Nature
Art of Procurement
August 17, 2023
In 1918, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, and naturalist John Burroughs took a long road trip in the eastern United States. They slept under the stars, cooked outside, and made their way through the countryside, meeting people, investigating curiosities, and deepening their friendships as they went.

That journey, and the events leading up to and following after it, serves as the inspiration for my main summer read: American Journey: On the Road with Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and John Burroughs by Wes Davis. In this week’s episode of Dial P for Procurement, I share my thoughts on the story – which is true – and how we can apply the wisdom it offers us 105 years after that road trip took place.

See publication

Tags: Health and Wellness, Innovation, Procurement

The Problem with Performative ESG
Art of Procurement
August 10, 2023
There is something troubling going on in the ESG movement. Recent news stories on ESG investing, the status of Chief Diversity Officers, and Pride month raise questions about the corporate commitment to such programs.
While ESG is not a new idea - in fact, the corporate social responsibility programs that preceded it date back to the 1970s - there has always been a tension between what companies say about environmental and social issues and what they are able to do.

In this episode of Dial P, Kelly Barner brings together three stories that touch upon where the ESG movement is right now and raises the question of where it is headed.

See publication

Tags: CSR, Diversity and Inclusion, Sustainability

Would ESG by any other name smell as sweet?
LinkedIn
August 10, 2023
What is more important: advancing social and environmental causes or having a fight over what we call them? If we can't talk about the core issues of the-initiative-formerly-known-as-ESG, we can't address them, regardless of how much money we throw at the problem. In this week's Dial P for Procurement, I take a hard look at the ESG movement based on recent news stories: the current plight of Chief Diversity Officers, the difference between successful and performative support for the LGBTQ community, and BlackRock Larry Fink's position on ESG.

See publication

Tags: CSR, Diversity and Inclusion, Sustainability

Tesla Takes the Socialist Pledge
Art of Procurement
August 03, 2023
China is one of the most important consumer, industrial, and raw materials markets in the world. They also happen to be a bad actor in terms of environmental practices and human rights. Companies looking to do business in China need to go in with their eyes wide open, prepared to handle a complicated set of decisions and PR maneuvers.

That is the backdrop for a very odd set of circumstances that played out at the 2023 China Automobile Forum in early July. Tesla was one of 16 EV companies - the only non-Chinese manufacturer, in fact - to sign a four point pledge that includes an agreement to adhere to “core socialist values.”

In this episode of Dial P, Kelly Barner explains why Tesla was asked to pledge adherence to “core socialist values” in Shanghai earlier this month and why the new pricing guidelines only stayed in effect for 48 hours.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Supply Chain

Public Education as Corporate Social Responsibility
Art of Procurement
July 27, 2023
Skills gaps are a huge and costly problem in the corporate world.
According to Talent Guard, skill gaps currently cost the U.S. economy around $13 billion per month, and Deloitte recently cited an estimated $2.5 trillion total cost over the next decade.

Korn Ferry has projected that by 2030, more than 85 million jobs could go unfilled because there aren’t enough skilled people to take them.

Run those facts against the lagging performance of America’s public schools. Children lost one-third of a school year during the pandemic shutdowns. That figure increases to half a year when you isolate math. The average math score for 13 year olds fell 9 points from 2019 to 2021, the largest drop since the federal government started tracking in 1978.

In this episode of Dial P for Procurement, Kelly Barner makes the case that corporate social responsibility and public education must go hand in hand.

See publication

Tags: CSR, Procurement, Supply Chain

Where have the children gone?
LinkedIn
July 27, 2023
Stanford University and The Associated Press estimate that 230,000 K-12 students disappeared between 2020 and 2022.

Children who are still in school average between 1/2 and 1/3 of a year behind academically. If your company has a CSR program, these children - missing and lagging - will be gaps in your future workforce. The time to act is now.

In this week's Dial P for Procurement, Kelly Barner makes the connection between COVID learning loss and corporate talent challenges.

See publication

Tags: COVID19, Procurement, Supply Chain

66 Author Newsletters
A Dylan v. Goliath Story
LinkedIn
February 06, 2025
The benefits of partnering with smaller companies are clear: agility, innovation, and a unique dedication to success.

What happens when these relationships go wrong? When the size disparity between large and small becomes not an asset, but a liability–especially for the smaller company that has less leverage and fewer resources at their disposal?

That is exactly what Dylan Admire, Owner and CEO of Freight Essentials, says happened with his former freight brokers. Let us bring you up to speed in this week's Art of Supply!

See publication

Tags: Legal and IP, Procurement, Supply Chain

Accounts and Accountability
LinkedIn
January 30, 2025
We all make mistakes - at home and at work.

In many cases, what matters most is how we react when we realize we have done so. The individual in this week’s story seems to have chosen… poorly.

Check out this week's Art of Supply to discover how one small parcel accounting employee at Macy's went from making mistakes to covering them up... to the tune of $150 Million.

See publication

Tags: Finance, Risk Management, Supply Chain

Misaligned Mandates in EV Trucking
LinkedIn
January 23, 2025
Two things can be true at the same time.

California is right that regulation may be an effective way to drive change and spur investment and innovation in EV trucking.

But Nebraska is also right: EV trucking infrastructure and equipment are not there today, and trying to force change before the system is ready will likely lead to mass disruption and added costs.

See publication

Tags: Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Sustainability

A Year of Global Trade Reciprocity Begins
LinkedIn
January 16, 2025
Supply chain teams are used to having to know about a LOT of different things. But national security? Immigration? Drug enforcement?

In this week's Art of Supply interview, I speak with Samir N. Kapadia, Managing Principal at Vogel Group and Founder and CEO at India Index about what we should expect from the likely intersection of trade and domestic policy being signaled by the incoming Trump administration.

Listen in for a fascinating conversation!

See publication

Tags: Business Continuity, Risk Management, Supply Chain

Mastering Multidimensional Material Flows
LinkedIn
January 09, 2025
As warehouse automation improves, it won't be enough to solve one issue at a time.

It isn’t just X, Y, and Z directions, or inventory flows, or financial metrics, or changes in demand, or new products and processes. It is all of those things together as well as separate.

Supply chain teams need to look at the whole system, the entire process, and all of the material flows comprehensively - but they also need to be willing and able to think differently - in multiple dimensions if necessary - to be both operationally and financially successful.

In this week's Art of Supply interview, I speak with Matt E. Naslund from Mytra about the multidimensional business opportunity associated with warehouse automation.

See publication

Tags: Analytics, Robotics, Supply Chain

From Good to Great: Leadership, Legacy, and the Price of Prominence
LinkedIn
January 02, 2025
In 2001, Jim Collins published the book 'Good to Great.' It was the result of a massive research project designed to uncover why some companies outperform the rest, and why companies with equal opportunity to become great don’t.

I couldn’t have known that UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson would be killed when I decided to reread this book. But once the news broke, I couldn’t process its lessons without taking that into consideration.

In this week’s Art of Supply, I reflect on the potential cost of achieving prominence in business, the importance of doing work that matters, and the power of using our talents to make a lasting contribution.

See publication

Tags: Innovation, Leadership, Management

5 Supply Chain Stories to Watch in 2025
LinkedIn
December 26, 2024
You don’t have to be a prognosticator to know that there is a lot of change coming in 2025.

When I look at the episodes of Art of Supply that published in 2024, there are five that I think we should watch closely, because they are likely to rise back above the fold early in the new year.

See publication

Tags: Risk Management, Supply Chain

Center Midfielder’s Guide to Supply Chain Strategy
LinkedIn
December 19, 2024
I learn from every expert I interview, but I also learn from them collectively. Join me this week as I reconsider three of my favorite interviews from 2024: conversations with Ashley Hubka, Victor Suarez, and Thomas Goldsby.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

Think Through Complexity to Act Simply
LinkedIn
December 12, 2024
Yes, it takes a lot of unglamorous work to make amazing results possible. But if you can't explain those results simply, it is if they don't exist.

In this week's Art of Supply, I speak with Tim Richardson, Founder and CEO of Iter Consulting, about what he learned from 50+ global supply chain transformations and how supply chain teams can succeed in the challenging conditions they must work through today.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

When Getting it ‘Wrong’ Makes You Right
LinkedIn
December 05, 2024
No one wants to be wrong, but what are we willing to do to be right? Depending on the choices we make, we could be moving towards expectations but further away from the truth.

In this week's Art of Supply, I look at the practice of 'herding' as called out by statistician and FiveThirtyEight founder Nate Silver - less for what it tells us about political polling, and more for what it reveals about the human desire NOT to stand out from the crowd in an increasingly data driven world.

See publication

Tags: Analytics, Big Data, Supply Chain

Gratitude for: Meaningful Conversations
LinkedIn
November 28, 2024
What am I grateful for this Thanksgiving?

Listeners, readers, commenters, and everyone who used their platform to help all of us connect and learn.

This week, I am giving thanks for Alex Jennings (FCIPS) and Harold Hendrickx and The Alchemie Network community. They invited me to participate in a live session about my content creation process and some of their favorite news stories.

Listen in, check out the Alchemie Network, and Happy Thanksgiving!

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Supply Chain

Can food safety inspectors self inspect?
LinkedIn
November 21, 2024
Between July and September 2024, a high profile listeria outbreak at a Boar’s Head plant in Jarratt, Virginia led to the death of 10 people and the hospitalization of 59 more. Over 7 million pounds of food were recalled thanks to high cross contamination risk.

But Boar's Head will not be the only organization under the magnifying glass - the USDA faces scrutiny as well. There are questions about how inspectors handled poor conditions at the plant. Reported violations suggesting systemic issues predated the outbreak by at least 2 years.

And who is investigating the USDA’s handling of the outbreak? The USDA.

Read this week's edition of Art of Supply to discover how the outbreak happened and why inspections failed to protect consumers.

See publication

Tags: Health and Safety, Supply Chain

Looking for 'No' in Supply Chain Decision Making
LinkedIn
November 14, 2024
My general philosophy on reading is that it helps people think better. Give your brain more raw material of any kind and it will offer you better outcomes.

So when I welcomed Ruud van Dijk from Routescanner to the show and found out that he shares his reading list on his LinkedIn profile, I knew we were in for a good conversation.

Supply chain decision making is a collaborative process. It requires actionable data, an understanding of timing and implications, and creativity.

In other words, it is a thinking person’s game - a reader’s game, I would say - and one that Ruud and his team are helping companies win by fostering better discussions with the help of data visualization.

See publication

Tags: Risk Management, Supply Chain, Sustainability

USPS Transformation Speaks Volumes
LinkedIn
November 07, 2024
The United States Postal Service recently announced that they will pause some of the changes associated with the 'Delivering for America' transformation program until at least January 1, 2025.

Service reliability had declined, and the government agency side of USPS operating expectations does not allow for impacted service.

Time is of the essence because they don’t have the funds they need, but they aren't allowed to make mistakes either - not even during transition - which makes it incredibly difficult to drive improvements.

Is the USPS ready for more volume earlier in their delivery network? No one is convinced that they are, but they can’t survive without the added volume and the revenue that goes with it.

See publication

Tags: GovTech, Risk Management, Supply Chain

On Becoming a Strategic Thinker
LinkedIn
October 31, 2024
If you ask 100 people what business strategy is, you will probably get 105 answers because 5 of the people would have more than one idea.

In this week’s episode of Art of Supply, I had the opportunity to interview Ashley Hubka, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Walmart Business. Her background is full of positions in consulting and with strategy in the job title - and she has a degree in Philosophy from Harvard University to boot.

I took the opportunity to ask Ashley how strategic thinking shapes her work as well as what B2B trends she is watching over the next 12 to 24 months.

See publication

Tags: Customer Experience, Retail, Supply Chain

Holding Our Breath: Supply Chain Impact of the 2024 Presidential Election
LinkedIn
October 24, 2024
The candidates for President of the United States are locked in a tight race.

Either could pull out a win, and we may not know right away who has come out on top.

We have about 60 days before a new President takes office. Deciding in advance which policies - supply chain, trade, tariffs, China, energy, the environment, etc. - will affect your company and suppliers the most will give you time to put new plans and strategies in place.

In this four-part podcast series, I lay out the policy areas of greatest concern to procurement and supply chain professionals, objectively summarize the candidates' positions, and compare them - looking for similarities as well as differences.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Supply Chain

Four Lessons for Surviving Our ‘Brave New World’
LinkedIn
October 17, 2024
Would you accept mediocrity to get stability? Would you give up understanding if it meant being happy? Your answers to those questions determine how well you would fit in in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World.

Huxley’s focus on society and the role of science is particularly interesting in the context of today’s struggle to accept and embrace automation and AI.

In this week's Art of Supply, I re-read Brave New World for procurement and supply chain teams facing a very new - and very uncertain - future, bravely.

See publication

Tags: AI, Procurement, Supply Chain

How Labor Costs Drive Supply Chain Strategy
LinkedIn
October 03, 2024
The cost of labor can be modified through product quality, production location, and level of automation. But should the cost of labor determine the price of a product or should it work the other way?

In this week's Art of Supply interview, I sit down with Thomas Goldsby, the Dee and Jimmy Haslam Chair of Logistics at the Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

Starting with a discussion of the various types of X-shoring and the factors that drive companies to make those sourcing and production decisions, we eventually transitioned to labor - where is automation up to the task and when do consumers expect more than is possible and affordable?

See publication

Tags: Future of Work, Manufacturing, Supply Chain

Digital Empathy: Squishy or Strategic?
LinkedIn
September 26, 2024
Do you practice digital empathy?

I understand the skepticism that might arise in response to the idea that empathy could make transformations succeed where Billions of dollars in budget could not.

But since transformation isn’t working without emotion and empathy, what do we have to lose?

In this week's Art of Supply newsletter and podcast, I dig into the meaning of digital empathy and the difference it can make in our professional relationships and business outcomes.

See publication

Tags: Digital Transformation

Investing to Build a Viable Alternative to China
LinkedIn
September 19, 2024
If there was an easy way out of China, someone would have found it by now.

It is going to take time and investment to strengthen the world's alternatives to China. Are companies ready to explore India as a viable option? They could be a business partner that offers many of the same advantages as China - albeit with their own set of challenges.

India isn’t an overnight bet, but China isn’t a steady long-term option.

In this week's Art of Supply, I speak with Samir N. Kapadia. Samir is a managing principal at Vogel Group and the Founder and CEO at India Index. We discuss how China built the advantage they enjoy today, what they are doing to defend it, and what the world must be prepared to do to escape their grip on global supply chains.

See publication

Tags: International Relations, Supply Chain

Continuous Improvement Requires Courage
Linkedln
September 12, 2024
GE Appliances has been on a journey to improve their supply chain since 2017, an effort that was accelerated in the aftermath of the pandemic. Although they have made news in recent months for completing a $2 Billion investment in digital tools, domestic production capabilities, and local labor, the company has been rationalizing how and where they manufacture for years.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

Will the government go marching in?
Linkedln
September 05, 2024
In this week’s Art of Supply interview, I take a few steps outside of my comfort zone to discuss some fascinating and potentially concerning developments in the world of patents with return guest Wen Xie, a patent attorney and a Partner at Global IP Counselors, LLP in Washington D.C.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

Will FedEx Freight pull ahead as 'pure play' LTL?
Linkedln
August 31, 2024
Less-than-truckload (or LTL) freight is a common way to move shipments smaller than - you guessed it - a full truckload. Shippers use it to move smaller loads in a cost effective way, and carriers increase revenue by combining smaller shipments into one trip.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

Thank You for the Gift of Your Feedback
LinkedIn
August 29, 2024
I’ve had a number of conversations recently about the process I go through to create content and how it is received once I share it.

Do I face criticism? You had better believe I do.

I think it is important to be transparent, so in this week’s episode of Art of Supply, I address the importance of criticism (both constructively and crudely offered) and how I incorporate its inevitability into the planning process for every show.

See publication

Tags: Creativity, Procurement, Supply Chain

Rethinking the Feasibility of Electric Trucking
LinkedIn
August 22, 2024
The data we reference and share in support of (or in objection to) change is important, and it is nearly always possible to come up with a data point to support any motivation.

The question we should be asking ourselves with the transition from diesel to electric road freight is whether each data point is representative. Is it forward looking or is it stuck in the past?

Starting to think differently about the data, and searching for business models that support change affordably at scale, is the first step on a journey that is likely to be a ‘long haul’ but one that is worth taking.

In this week's episode of Art of Supply, I speak with Ian Rust, Founder and CEO at Revoy, about how we can start the transition to electric semis without forcing undue burden onto fleet operators or disrupting the transportation sector as a whole.

See publication

Tags: CSR, Supply Chain, Sustainability

3 Books
Finance Unleashed
Palgrave Macmillan
October 27, 2017
Finance Unleashed is based on a series of interactive interviews with a diverse group of global influencers and executives, all of which will challenge readers to think laterally and find inspiration in the new role of finance. Cases and interviewees represent organizations such as UPS and DHL, and the London School of Economics, and approaches such as Lean Six Sigma, innovation, customer-centricity, the financial supply chain, and behavioral procurement. The authors’ goal is to serve as a catalyst for leaders who are positioned to make meaningful changes today.

See publication

Tags: Digital Transformation, FinTech, Supply Chain

Procurement at a Crossroads
J. Ross
January 01, 2016
This book examines the 10 major questions regarding procurement’s role in the enterprise and how procurement is at a crossroads that will shape the future of the profession. The goal of this book is not to provide step-by-step directions on a hypothetical ‘correct’ path, but to illuminate the relative benefits of each choice available to procurement professionals. These thought leaders and subject matter experts also consider what the next phase of procurement’s evolution will be like by sharing the observations of others and taking some creative (but enthusiastic) license of their own.

See publication

Tags: Digital Transformation, Supply Chain, Procurement

Supply Market Intelligence for Procurement Professionals
J. Ross
November 02, 2015
This book provides procurement professionals with the process, skills, and resources to develop a supply market intelligence program that will deliver value to the organization as a whole. The authors clearly explain each of the concepts introduced and then provide the background and steps required to make execution possible.

See publication

Tags: Supply Chain, Procurement

1 Book Review
Your Leadership Legacy: Becoming the Leader You Were Meant to Be
Buyers Meeting Point
May 17, 2023
Leadership is not easy – and it is not about you. This book does an excellent job balancing big picture principles with detailed examples that prove them out. Vision and execution are equally important, and everyone has a role to play in solving a problem or making a solution work.

See publication

Tags: Coaching, Leadership, Management

2 eBooks
Making the Case for Sourcing Optimization
Keelvar
April 30, 2021
For all the buzz around AI, ML, RPA, blockchain, etc., procurement seems to have forgotten about the huge potential of another high impact technology - sourcing optimization. Read Kelly Barner's foreword in this new ebook from the team at Keelvar.

See publication

Tags: Analytics, Procurement, Supply Chain

Dive deeper into Procurement Data Ecosystems
Sievo
March 15, 2021
Procurement can be faster, more agile and more strategic through data ecosystems. Are you ready to dive deeper into your valuable assets?

Join top Procurement author Kelly Barner as she explores how procurement leaders can take advantage of procurement data ecosystems in interviews with top experts from Basware, EcoVadis, riskmethods, Supplier.io and Sievo.

See publication

Tags: Analytics, Digital Transformation, Procurement

1 Executive
General Manager
Art of Procurement
March 01, 2017
The Art of Procurement team helps procurement professionals of all levels deliver change with confidence. We do this by applying our community supported delivery model to a number of offerings that support clients wherever they are on their procurement maturity journey.

Primary focus: Apply my knowledge of the procurement space and community to the development, execution and promotion of Art of Procurement offerings... including the #1 weekly procurement podcast with over 270,000 downloads across 132 countries since its inception.

Drive marketing and content development efforts through community engagement, social media, and direct communication.

Support product development across Art of Procurement services, learning and development solutions and podcast/events

Enable the business to grow while also investing in the procurement community as a whole

See publication

Tags: Procurement

2 Founders
Palambridge
Palambridge
January 01, 2017
Co-Founder of Palambridge in 2017.

See publication

Tags: Procurement

Buyers Meeting Point
Buyers Meeting Point
July 01, 2009
Buyers Meeting Point is an online knowledge and professional development resource for procurement and supply management professionals owned and managed by career procurement professional Kelly Barner. Buyers Meeting Point was founded in 2009 to provide the procurement industry with an events calendar, blog, content, and active social media network, all of which have remained trusted sources of information for practitioners and solution providers alike. In 2020, Buyers Meeting Point acquired MyPurchasingCenter, a website designed to provide procurement professionals with the information required to keep their companies competitive in a dynamic global marketplace, to expand their audience, social media reach, and content base.

See publication

Tags: Entrepreneurship, Procurement, Supply Chain

1 Group
LinkedIn Podcast Network
Art of Procurement
March 14, 2023
And today, we’re excited to be expanding our commitment to audio with a new program - the LinkedIn Podcast Academy. This 6-month incubator pilot will connect emerging business podcasts with exclusive programming, coaching, tools and LinkedIn co-branding to expand and better reach their audience. This inaugural group of professional voices cover a wide range of topics in the professional arena: From leadership and entrepreneurship to human resources and technology.

Ready to listen? Find all LinkedIn Podcast Academy shows wherever you listen to podcasts then find the conversations exclusively on LinkedIn. The beauty of the LinkedIn Podcast Academy is that listeners across LinkedIn’s global community of more than 900 million get a chance to engage with hosts directly through their LinkedIn Profiles.

See publication

Tags: Innovation, Procurement, Supply Chain

2 Influencer Awards
Top 7 Inspiring Women B2B Influencers to Follow in 2021
Tom Augenthaler
March 08, 2021
If building influence online was easy, everyone would do it.

But, we know it's not.

Creating value in the form of content is challenging. There's the research, planning, writing, editing, and more. I give big high-fives to these women for growing their influence by consistently adding value and engaging with their audiences each and every day.

See publication

Tags: Diversity and Inclusion

Top 5 Procurement Influencers
CPOstrategy Magazine
July 29, 2019
CPOstrategy Magazine has ranked Buyers Meeting Point Owner and Managing Director Kelly Barner the top influencer in procurement based on a listing published by ProcurementIQ.

The opening of the article, available in the July 2019 issue, reads as follows:

"With direct access to audiences across a global stage, social media has redefined the idea of influencers. Looking to tap into and explore this ever expanding resource, industry giants have their very own influencers steering and engaging the conversation. CPOstrategy looks at 5 leading procurement influencers as ranked by ProcurementIQ." - Dale Benton

The other influencers included in the ranking are Lora Cecere, Founder of Supply Chain Insights; Tom Derry, CEO of the Institute for Supply Management; Omid Ghamami, CEO and Chairman of the Board at the Center for Purchasing and Supply Chain Management Excellence; and Dawn Tiura, CEO and President of the Sourcing Industry Group (SIG).

See publication

Tags: Leadership, Procurement, Supply Chain

1 Keynote
Dream Big Global 2020
procurious
November 18, 2020
The Big Ideas Summit brings together the best and brightest thought leaders from across the globe, to share their insights on how you can plan for next year and beyond.

Strategic Insight

Kelly Barner - Owner & Managing Director - Buyers Meeting Point

Be prepared for surprises - And don’t be afraid to say you don’t know. People appreciate a qualified, honest –‘I think…I suspect….However I respect your question enough to want to give you the right answer, so I’m going to do a bit of research and then I’ll come back to you.’

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Leadership, Business Strategy

32 Media Interviews
What do you do when procurement is brought in too late?
ConvergentIS
August 22, 2024

See publication

Tags: Leadership, Procurement, Supply Chain

According to the Next Gen Rebels, this is what Procurement will look like in 2024
Procurement Insights
December 30, 2023
The best way to predict or anticipate the future of procurement is to talk to those professionals who want to influence the future versus being a spectator of it. These Next Gen Rebels are definitely not the spectator-kind, and here is what they had to say when Jon Hansen asked them the following three questions regarding 2024...

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

Dial P for Procurement / Kelly Barner / Podcaster and fellow CAP member
Sustainable Packaging Podcast
July 26, 2023
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-barner-6884443/


https://artofprocurement.com/


https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dial-p-for-procurement/id1610394959


Kelly Barner and I are both part of the first 100 LinkedIn Creator Accelerator Program and now part of the LinkedIn Podcast Academy!

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Supply Chain, Sustainability

Learning from Leading Experts: Kelly Barner
Positive Purchasing
June 14, 2023
In this interview, Kelly Barner speaks with Positive Purchasing CEO Jonathan O'Brien about supplier diversity - what progress has been made and what challenges remain.

See publication

Tags: Diversity and Inclusion, Procurement, Supply Chain

Opportunities for procurement in uncertain times
Economist
May 24, 2023
How is the role of #procurement changing as a function to redefine, refine and progress? Listen to our latest podcast from “The Procurement Imperative”.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

The Procurement Show Meets Kelly Barner
The Procurement Show
February 07, 2023
Jonathan and Paul are joined by are joined by Kelly Barner, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Buyers Meeting Point, a Partner and Head of Content with Art of Procurement and host of Dial P for Procurement and Sourcing Hero. They take a general look at what's going on in the world of procurement and give us plenty to think about in 2023.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

The ProcureTech Podcast: The View on Tech from Both Sides
ProcureTech Podcast
October 17, 2022
We’re continuing our mini series where we ask influencers and industry experts for their thoughts on everything that’s happening in the digital procurement world.

Our guest today is a real stalwart in this space, and has had her own website and blog since 2009.

She’s seen many changes in her career, both as a Procurement Consultant with a procurement tech company back in the day, and now as an independent blogger, podcaster, and CIO.

Kelly Barner, founder of Buyers Meeting Point and partner at Art of Procurement, a very warm welcome to the show!

See publication

Tags: Innovation, Procurement, Supply Chain

Boeing Australia Uses Relational Contracting With Indigenous Businesses
Forbes
October 04, 2022
Boeing Australia’s partnership with the Indigenous Defence and Infrastructure Consortium (iDiC) was recognized by Australia’s Supply Nation as the 2022 Supplier Diversity Partnership of the Year.

What may be surprising is how they got there. The answer? Formal relational contracting.

See publication

Tags: Diversity and Inclusion, Procurement, Supply Chain

eCommerce Master Plan Episode 400: Supply Chain Crisis – Solved
eCommerce Masterplan
August 22, 2022
Summary of our Guests 7 Supply Chain Crisis Action Points
Understand how the supply chain crisis is affecting your business. Ignore the hype, look at the data.
If you don’t have systems that make it easy for you to understand the data, then you need to put them in place.
The great thing about that software is that it’s going to save you time and money – lots of time and money through how it can automate activities, AND bring you data for better decision making.
Make sure you’ve got the right suppliers in place to give you the flexibility to adapt. AND make friends with your suppliers!
Get proactive with customer service – including returns process. Marketing can help here, but so can those software systems to put the right data in front of your customer service teams.
Be clear on what inventory you are selling and where. Failing to be proactive with this can cost you a lot.
Keep Optimising!

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

Learning to Hang in There: Walking an Unexpected Professional Path with Kelly Barner
Supply Chain Now
May 11, 2022
Despite its popularity as a profession now, no one grows up intending to work in procurement (no one!) And yet, many people that follow windy roads into the field fall in love once they are there. With supply chains in the spotlight over the last couple of years, procurement professionals have had the opportunity to drive a new range of value through initiatives like supplier diversity and sustainability. Enrique and Maureen chat with Kelly Barner, Owner of Buyers Meeting Point and the host of Dial P for Procurement on Supply Chain Now.

See publication

Tags: Diversity and Inclusion, Procurement, Supply Chain

Accelerating the Conversation About #SupplierDiversity w/ Kelly Barner
Art of Procurement
April 25, 2022
In late 2021, LinkedIn selected Art of Procurement Head of Content and Brand Partnerships Kelly Barner to be one of 100 creators – and the only procurement professional – to go through their first ever Creator Accelerator Program. For ten weeks starting in January 2022, Kelly had to post four pieces of new content per week related to her project, which was focused on supplier diversity.

Although the program wasn’t easy to complete, it was a great opportunity for Kelly to learn more about a critical topic, to receive personalized coaching about how to make the most of LinkedIn, and to show a broad audience how valuable and interesting procurement is.

See publication

Tags: Diversity and Inclusion, Procurement, Supply Chain

The Strategic Importance of SLM – From Tadpole to Frog
Trust Your Supplier
August 11, 2021
In this, our inaugural episode, Kelly Barner and I discuss supplier life cycle management and how our high school biology lesson of the lifecycle of a frog can be helpful. Listen in as we talk about important phases of supplier life cycle management, what are the key attributes to make a successful SLM, and how to address key challenges.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Supply Chain

An Interview on Learnings From Podcasting on Supply Chain and Procurement with Kelly Barner
HICX
July 12, 2021
For this episode of Supplier Experience Live from HICX we are joined by Kelly Barner, Owner and Managing Director of Buyers Meeting Point, to discuss her experience of working in the supply chain podcast and procurement podcast space over the years, the changes and advancements in the industry in the last few decades and what we can expect to see in the future.

See publication

Tags: Customer Experience, Procurement, Supply Chain

SAP #SAPPHIRENOW Procurement and Supply Chain After Party
LinkedIn
June 08, 2021
Join our LIVE "After Party" for the SAP SAPPHIRE NOW Procurement and Supply Chain Tracks to hear key takeaways from industry experts and thought leaders Ian Moyse, Kelly Barner, Dr. Marcell Vollmer, Scott Luton, and Rachael White.

See publication

Tags: Business Strategy, Procurement, Supply Chain

TEKTOK Digital Supply Chain Podcast: The Bounce Back Begins
Supply Chain Now
May 18, 2021
The pandemic uncovered some critical supply chain vulnerabilities around the world. As the vaccine gains traction and life begins to look a little more “normal” there is a sense of anticipation. However, it seems we are in short supply in a number of areas. The Bounce Back Begins is a great way to think this stage of the recovery as there will surely be ups and downs. Right now, shortages are popping up in a number of areas – some expected, some not. Here’s a list of a few items: Microchips, chicken, lumber, gas, steel, metals, plastic, chlorine, ketchup packets, etc.

Karin and team talk about how far we come on a few important themes around Digital Supply Chain and Procurement transformations:
o Can we recalibrate to reduce risk exposure?
o Are we seeing proof that leveraging advances in technology is accelerating response times?
o Are we gaining agility, resilience and better business continuity planning?
o Will we emerge from the pandemic stronger and with more resilient supply chains?

See publication

Tags: Digital Transformation, Procurement, Supply Chain

Communicating procurement's value for better relationships, results and business impact
Zivio
May 10, 2021
With Kelly Barner, Owner & Managing Director, Buyers Meeting Point

00:00:00 - Starting out in services procurement
00:15:50 - The relationship with information and the power of a good question
00:26:00 - Lessons from scaling diversity in the supply chain
00:39:15 - Honesty and pragmatism - the outside-in perspective
00:45:00 - Procurement's involvement in the C-suite - building a new legacy
00:57:40 - Evidence-based decision making in self-service buying models
01:07:20 - Data, automation and reporting as an enabler
01:16:15 - Predictions for the future of services procurement

See publication

Tags: Digital Transformation, Procurement, Risk Management

Unmuted: 600 Down with Supply Chain Now
Supply Chain Now
March 24, 2021
Scott W. Luton and Greg White with Supply Chain host a special livestream on 3/24 at 12 noon ET as we celebrate 600 Supply Chain Now episodes! Join Scott, Greg, and many other Supply Chain Now hosts and team members as they recall and share their favorite moments, quotes, and people from the last 100 episodes. Will they name your favorites? Join Us!

See publication

Tags: Supply Chain, Procurement, Business Strategy

A Celebration of International Women's Day 2021
DLA Ignite
March 08, 2021
Once again, we have had some breathtaking responses from contributors from around the world. This year’s theme is #ChooseToChallenge A challenged world is an alert world and from challenge comes change. So let's all choose to challenge. How will you help forge a gender equal world? Celebrate women's achievement. Raise awareness against bias. Take action for equality.

See publication

Tags: Diversity and Inclusion, Entrepreneurship, Leadership

Supply Chain Trends and the Future of SCM in 2021
SelectHub
February 03, 2021
We looked to the experts for their thoughts on the future of supply chain trends that we may see in the next few years. Between robots, the ever-growing cloud, a post-COVID-19 environment, security and more, we’ve gathered a lot of interesting topics to discuss. Here are the trends set to influence supply chains and their SCM software counterparts in the near future...

See publication

Tags: Business Continuity, COVID19, Supply Chain

The Sourcing Hero podcast episode 14: Embracing a Big Picture Mindset featuring Kelly Barner
Una: The Sourcing Hero Podcast
January 25, 2021
People outside of procurement don’t always understand or even know what procurement does. Why? Kelly Barner believes it’s because procurement has lost the ability to connect with the rest of the business. How do you break away from that? How do you embrace creativity in your role? How do you widen your lens to see the big picture? Listen to this episode of The Sourcing Hero to hear Kelly’s enthusiastic viewpoint.

Don’t know who Kelly is? Kelly Barner is a Procurement & Supply Chain Writer and Influencer, and the Owner and Managing Director of Buyers Meeting Point. But her bio doesn’t stop there. She’s also the General Manager at the Art of Procurement and the Show Host for an upcoming Supply Chain Now monthly livestream, “Dial P for Procurement.”

See publication

Tags: Digital Transformation, Procurement, Supply Chain

The Brave New World of Procurement: Kelly Barner Shares Insights From 2020 & What's New in '21
Supply Chain Now
January 05, 2021
Scott Luton sits down with the new host of Supply Chain Now's Dial P for Procurement, and Buyers Meeting Point's very own, Kelly Barner! Listen as they discuss lessons learned in 2020 and what's to come for procurement in 2021.

See publication

Tags: Business Strategy, Procurement, Supply Chain

Procurement Priorities & Challenges: Kelly Barner with Buyers Meeting Point
Supply Chain Now Radio
October 25, 2020
If the lines between procurement and supply chain were 'fuzzy' before the pandemic, they have now been reduced to a mess of scribbles. Kelly Barner recently joined Scott Luton and Greg White for a Supply Chain Now podcast to provide the procurement POV on GPOs, reshoring, and what on earth we're all supposed to do about 2021 planning...

See publication

Tags: COVID19, Procurement, Supply Chain

SCN LIVE: Procurement Priorities & Challenges: Kelly Barner with Buyers Meeting Point
Supply Chain Now
October 15, 2020
Scott W. Luton and Greg White sit down with Kelly Barner, Owner & Managing Director of Buyers Meeting Point, to gain her thoughts & insights on the wide-world of Procurement.

See publication

Tags: Business Continuity, Procurement, Supply Chain

Supernormal Influencer Series: Don’t be afraid to say you don’t know
Procurious
October 13, 2020
In the Supernormal Influencer Series, I’ll guide you through the unexpected, confronting surprises head-on and dealing authoritatively with sudden changes in circumstances. Catch my exclusive chat with Procurious founder Tania Series in the Supernormal Influencer Series, available now: https://bit.ly/3iFKeXt

See publication

Tags: Supply Chain, Procurement, Risk Management

DO YOU AGREE? 4 SUPPLY CHAIN INFLUENCERS ON WHAT’S CHANGED SINCE COVID-19
Procurious
July 16, 2020
In every industry, there’s a few powerful individuals who drive the conversation. These fortunate few are the ones that propel industries forward; they are the ones who decide what’s trending, what’s next and what our future might look like. They’re influencers, and within the procurement professional, we’re blessed with many whom we all aspire to.

And this year, with COVID ravaging our supply chains (and not to mention lives) as we know them, we’ve needed industry leaders and influencers more than ever to help guide us through and tell us what’s next. So that’s why, recently, we sought out the opinions of 30 of procurement’s top influencers. They shared some of their most profound and intriguing insights into what the COVID experience has been like for them, what they’ve learnt and what they expect to see in the future.

See publication

Tags: COVID19, Procurement, Supply Chain

1 Miscellaneous
The art of last mile public health supply and demand
Project Last Mile
September 05, 2024
Project Last Mile was recently featured in two episodes of the Art of Supply Podcast (by Art of Procurement), which focuses on thought provoking content created to illuminate the complexity of global supply chains. Host, Kelly Barner, used Episode 124 to tell the story of how Project Last Mile came about, and then Episode 125 to interview Adrian Ristow, Executive Director of Project Last Mile, and David Canarutto, Private Sector Relationship Manager at The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, about some of the lessons learned along the Project Last Mile journey.

Both episodes yielded great insights and are worth a listen.

See publication

Tags: CSR, Healthcare, Supply Chain

2 Panels
The 5 Most Expensive Mistakes AP Can Make – And How To Avoid Them
Tradeshift
August 16, 2018
The number one goal of any AP team – ensure that the company gets the most out of every dollar spent. The number one goal for strategic AP teams – become a driving force for positive cash flow. So what happens when the AP team makes a really expensive mistake? How long would it take for you to realize you had made one, and how much would it cost the business?

See publication

Tags: Digital Disruption, Management, Procurement

Automation Deployment And Change Management Best Practices
Zycus
June 19, 2018
In the past, eInvoicing and eProcurement solutions were an adjunct component of large back-end ERP platforms. As a result, the functionality regarding their practical use in the real world was limited and even restricted. In other words, technological limitations created a misalignment between the way that the ERP systems worked and the way global buying decisions were made. To address this disconnect, change management strategies were introduced to force compliance with these technologies. These strategies included a concerted effort to eliminate maverick spend and rationalize supply bases.

Fast forward to today, and what Gartner has called the Postmodern ERP Era. With the emergence of on-demand or “by the drink” solutions that can be implemented within weeks if not days as opposed to months and years, compliance with these “user intuitive” systems is no longer an issue. This transformation raises the question; is change management as we know it from Finance and Procure-To-Pay standpoints still relevant in the digital era?

See publication

Tags: FinTech, Procurement, Change Management

440 Podcasts
Systematic Issues with the Freight Agent Model
Art of Procurement
February 06, 2025
“If anyone thinks that they know it all, they're in the wrong place.” - Dylan Admire

The series of relationships that make the freight industry work is like a supply chain in and of itself. Under the freight agent model, agents help shippers find capacity through brokers who hold carrier contracts, facilitate financing and payments, and carry the MC number under which the agent operates.

When this model works well, everyone wins–but when it doesn’t work as all of the parties expect, the fallout can be substantial.

In this week’s Art of Supply interview, Kelly Barner speaks with Dylan Admire, CEO and Owner of Freight Essentials. His company has brought two RICO lawsuits against connected brokerages, claiming multi-party intent to defraud customers and business partners through anticompetitive tactics.

See publication

Tags: Legal and IP, Procurement, Supply Chain

The Sourcing Hero podcast episode 201: Setting the Stage for Sustainable Change with Ron Crabtree
Una GPO
February 05, 2025
Depending on your point of view, the idea of transformation is either alluring or terrifying - or maybe a little bit of both? And while procurement teams rarely have the formal skillset to lead transformation projects, they are often tasked with just that. Fortunately, with a bit of planning and some well asked questions, it is possible to keep your transformation on track.

In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Ron Crabtree. Ron is the CEO of MetaOps and MetaExperts, organizations focused on business process improvement. He has over 30 years of experience implementing Lean, Six Sigma, and supply chain methodologies in industries from automotive and healthcare to government and financial services.

See publication

Tags: Digital Transformation, Procurement

Misfortune on 34th Street: Accounting Issues at Macy’s
Art of Procurement
January 30, 2025
“It is almost always the cover-up rather than the event that causes trouble.” - Tennessee Senator Howard Baker, in reference to the Watergate scandal

Whether you shop at Macy’s or not, you surely know the brand. In 2023, Macy's was the leading department store in the United States by revenue, with sales of approximately $23 Billion.

On November 25, 2024, Macy’s delayed an earnings announcement planned for the next day. They had discovered some “creative accounting” and wanted to conduct an internal investigation. Two weeks later, they announced that small parcel delivery expenses had been mishandled - approximately $150 Million worth.

As we then learned, what started as a mistake turned into a coverup, eventually leading to a share selloff, and one accounting employee being terminated.

See publication

Tags: Finance, Risk Management, Supply Chain

The Sourcing Hero podcast episode 200: Fostering the Conditions That Lead to Success
Una GPO
January 29, 2025
The vast majority of podcasts fizzle out before they reach 10 episodes, so making it past that point is a real achievement. 100 episodes is seen as a tipping point, both for the host and the audience. But 200? That puts a show above the crowd.

In this very special 200th episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner is joined by Anthony Clervi, Principal Owner at Una, and Kris Lance, Vice President and General Manager at Una, to mark this milestone with an in-studio conversation.

See publication

Tags: Leadership, Management, Procurement

Procurement 6 – January 24th, 2025
Art of Procurement
January 24, 2025
Listen to this week's episode of Procurement 6 to hear:
- Why every part of procurement’s work should be approached with an attitude of “painstaking excellence”
- About the idea of procurement as an "invisible hand”
- The latest on proposed changes to the de minimis shipping exception

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

Nebraska v. California: The EV Trucking Transition
Art of Procurement
January 23, 2025
“Now an unelected group of powerful actors has opened a three-front effort to transform the nation’s logistics fleet from diesel-powered to electric-powered at a breakneck pace. This terrible policy is being crafted almost entirely out of public view. Nebraska is fighting back.”
Mike Hilgers, Nebraska Attorney General (WSJ Op Ed, Jan 17 2025)

If you expected the transition from diesel-powered to EV trucking to take place on the open road, think again. Instead, it looks like this systemic change will work its way through the court system.

Nebraska is leading the resistance to a forced transition on multiple fronts: in the state of California, with the Environmental Protection Agency, and via an antitrust lawsuit against four major heavy duty truck manufacturers.

Any regulatory changes, well intentioned or otherwise, have the potential to completely disrupt logistics and lives, and must be taken with a great deal of care and consideration.

In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers recent developments in the EV trucking transition:
- Recent news that may alter the expected timeline for transitioning away from fossil fuel-powered trucking
- Legislative exceptions that put California in a uniquely powerful position relative to emissions regulations
- The odd ‘in between’ space the country currently finds itself in

See publication

Tags: Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Sustainability

A Broader Perspective on Social Procurement with Jaime H. Paiva
Una GPO
January 22, 2025
Companies - and their procurement teams - are always looking for opportunities to differentiate. These opportunities take many forms, but few appeal to leadership, shareholders, customers, and the supplier community as universally as social procurement. Of course, that broad appeal brings systemic challenges with it that procurement will have to be prepared to overcome.

In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Jaime H. Paiva. Jaime is the Head of Procurement and Vendor Management at Zurich, an insurance company that covers both global and local markets. We met through Colin Downie, a previous guest of the show.

See publication

Tags: CSR, Procurement, Sustainability

#LoveProcurement Ep 24: Variety is the Spice of Procurement ft Amanda Christian
Ivalua
January 21, 2025
Procurement is a diverse profession. Every category presents procurement with unique opportunities and challenges, ensuring that no two days are ever the same. This variety is one of the features that procurement professionals love most about the field. But, when procurement works in government contracting, a whole new set of rules, expectations, and processes apply.

In this episode of the #LoveProcurement podcast, Kelly Barner is joined by Amanda Christian. Amanda is the Senior Vice President of Contracts and Subcontracts at CACI. Amanda heads up both the sell and buy side for a government contractor, and she has years of experience navigating the requirements of “Gov Con,” many of which just don’t exist in the private sector.

Amanda shares her insight into what it’s like to lead procurement for a government contractor, including:

- The adjustments procurement has to make when working in government contracting versus the private sector
- How to meet the needs of a large enterprise or government entity while still prioritizing small businesses and maintaining data and system security along the way
- What the intense audit process is really like for procurement when they work in government contracting

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

The Dawn of a New Era in U.S. Trade Policy
Art of Procurement
January 16, 2025
Regardless of the topic, 2024 was filled with ‘what if’ conversations. We were waiting to find out who would win the U.S. Presidential election–and therefore whose policies would be dominating business decisions in 2025 and beyond.

Of all of the conversations had on the Art of Supply podcast, one of the most compelling was with Samir Kapadia, Managing Principal at Vogel Group and Founder and CEO at India Index. He joined Kelly Barner in 2024 to share his expertise on global trade, but more specifically, how India’s ascendency as a global trading partner is being watched as companies look for alternatives to China and nations flush with Chinese investment.

After such a riveting pre-election conversation, Kelly brought Samir back to bring the conversation up-to-date and get a sense of how new trade policy will impact supply chain decisions and global manufacturing potential.

See publication

Tags: Business Continuity, Risk Management, Supply Chain

The Sourcing Hero podcast episode: 198 Testing the Elasticity of Procurement with Peter Sharoff
Una GPO
January 15, 2025
Procurement is a function whose time has arrived. The question is whether they are ready to make the changes necessary to seize the opportunity and meet business-wide expectations for process and experience at the same time.

In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Peter Sharoff. Peter has executive-level experience in a number of functional areas, including transformation, integration, finance, and… of course… procurement. As he describes it, he has worked a ‘puzzle piece’ career, having the opportunity to see what each of the pieces of the business is capable of - and the image they can form if they work together.

See publication

Tags: Management, Procurement, Supply Chain

Reenvisioning Robotics: Combining Hardware and Software for Warehouse Automation
Art of Procurement
January 09, 2025
As businesses look to streamline operations and optimize decision-making, a combination of hardware, software, and automation offer a solution. The challenge then becomes figuring out where automation makes sense–and how quickly and heavily organizations should implement solutions that enable it.

No matter the level of sophistication or maturity of an organization, automation technology is a key factor in driving efficiency and accessing data that allows them to hit business objectives related to material flows, accumulation of goods, seasonality, and more.

In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner sits down with Matt Naslund, Vice President and Head of Solutions at Mytra, to examine:
- The specific challenges warehouses face in streamlining operations
- The necessary balance of automation hardware and software in improving operations
- The way warehouses can use the data that automation delivers to inform day-to-day decision-making

See publication

Tags: Analytics, Robotics, Supply Chain

The Sourcing Hero podcast EPISODE: 197 Sourcing Initiatives That Take Into Account the Strategy of the Business with Karen Betancourt
Una GPO
January 08, 2025
Working for a large ‘household name’ company has both advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side are the established processes, time-tested pathways that keep everything rolling. At the same time, these same processes can be a bit restrictive. Fortunately for procurement, striking a balance of structure and creativity can create the perfect environment for innovation at scale.

In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Karen Betancourt. Karen is the CEO of Vanguard Medical Logistics, a company that supports the manufacturing, storage, and transportation needs of medical supply chains in Central and South America.

See publication

Tags: Management, Procurement, Supply Chain

#LoveProcurement Ep 23: Procurement is For Everyone ft Adele Bleakley
Ivalua
January 07, 2025
The categories procurement manages are as varied as the stakeholders they work with and the suppliers they buy from. But that does not mean learnings from one category, or industry even, can’t be transferred from one to another. In fact, when the objective is value creation, this may be the very advantage that allows procurement to succeed.

In this episode of the #LoveProcurement podcast, Kelly Barner is joined by Adele Bleakley. Adele is a Procurement Manager for Sainsburys and was recently recognized as the ‘Highly Commended – Young Talent’ winner at the 2024 CIPS Excellence in Procurement & Supply awards.

Adele answers questions about:

Her procurement experience that varies from work in automotive direct materials sourcing to retail marketing spend
How she collaborates with the business to manage suppliers in a category that is more value than savings focused
Her passion for finding new ways of working in procurement

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Supply Chain

Re-reading "Good to Great" at the Start of a New Year
Art of Procurement
January 02, 2025
In 2001, Jim Collins published the book ‘Good to Great.’ He was supported by a team that invested 10.5 ‘people years’ over the course of 5 calendar years to figure out what allows some good companies to become great companies.

Their research revealed key findings about leadership, use of technology, building a team, company culture, and vision.

In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner re-reads ‘Good to Great’ in light of 2025 business conditions.

See publication

Tags: Innovation, Leadership, Management

The Sourcing Hero podcast EPISODE: 196 The Best of Kris Lance in 2024
Una GPO
January 01, 2025
The goal of The Sourcing Hero podcast is to capture the epic stories of people who are rising up and beating the odds to create exceptional value within procurement directly from those heroes themselves.

Kris Lance is definitely one of those people. Kris is the Vice President and General Manager at Una, and for the last few years, he has occupied a monthly spot on The Sourcing Hero podcast schedule, discussing current news stories, trends, and supply chain issues.

In today’s very first episode of 2025, Kelly Barner takes a look back at three of Kris’s most popular episodes last year, sharing a short clip from each of the three episodes.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

Small Steps, Big Impact: Transforming Procurement at Mastermind Live 2024
Art of Procurement
December 30, 2024
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, not the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” - Charles Darwin

Procurement is constantly thrown new challenges. Figuring out how to adapt is a feat in itself. Survival and success hang in the balance.

In this week's episode of the Art of Procurement podcast, we're featuring a session from Mastermind LIVE 2024 with Aaron Addicoat, Director at AlixPartners, talking about how procurement can take a hard look at their current operating model and make changes that not only achieve business objectives but also build engagement in the process.

See publication

Tags: Change Management, Procurement, Risk Management

Supply Chain Stories to Watch at the Start of 2025
Art of Procurement
December 26, 2024
Many of the supply chain news stories we covered in 2024 look ready to carry right over - or even rise to the top - as we start a new year.

Some of these stories are likely to re-emerge with the incoming Trump Administration, while others are ready for a change in direction thanks to geopolitics. Supply chain professionals that already have an eye out for breaking news will be best positioned to respond as needed.

In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner highlights five 2024 news stories that are likely to remain topical in the new year:
The global distance traveled by raw materials and finished products compared to their value
Red Sea tensions and the need for ocean freight to find a new (safer) path to travel
The EV trucking mandate rolled out by the EPA under the Biden Administration
De minimis shipping provisions that have created a ‘maximus’ problem
An as yet unresolved organized labor contract governing operations at East and Gulf Coast ports

See publication

Tags: Risk Management, Supply Chain

Solving Supply Chain Puzzles: Insights from a Year of Interviews
Art of Procurement
December 19, 2024
This year on Art of Supply, we welcomed a fantastic group of guests. Each interview episode creates two kinds of challenges: asking questions worthy of the guest’s expertise and capturing a conversation that lives up to audience expectations.

Looking back on the interviews we ran in 2024, there are a few key messages that stand out, as individual points of view and what they collectively offer supply chain professionals as we move into 2025.

Don’t ever make a decision solely on short term cost.
Victor Suarez: Former Lead Vaccine Program Manager for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine in Operation Warp Speed at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Founder and Principal Growth Partner, Blu Zone Bioscience & Supply Chain Solutions, LLC

Make sure you understand the underlying economics of any strategy you plan to implement.
Thomas Goldsby: Dee and Jimmy Haslam Chair of Logistics at the Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Co-Executive Director of their Global Supply Chain Institute

Knowing how to be an effective problem solver - even in difficult circumstances.
Ashley Hubka: Senior Vice President and General Manager at Walmart Business

In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner shares excerpts of the three interviews and comments on how they connect.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

Supply Chain Forecast: Volatile with Tim Richardson
Art of Procurement
December 12, 2024
In order to be influential with the C-suite, someone must have experience and expertise in a given subject. They must do detailed technical work and analysis to prepare their strategy recommendations and to be ready to answer questions.

They must have a strong grasp of their domain, no matter how complex it is - but they have to be able to communicate all of that simply. Otherwise, the desired support may be withheld, and the desired outcomes may never be realized.

In this week’s episode of Art of Supply, Kelly Barner welcomes Tim Richardson to the podcast. Tim is the Founder and CEO of Iter Consulting, a global team of experts with supply chain and manufacturing experience helping companies transform their operations - and their results as well.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

The Sourcing Hero podcast episode 194: Top Sourcing Hero Episodes of 2024
Una GPO
December 11, 2024
The goal of The Sourcing Hero podcast is to capture the epic stories of people who are rising up and beating the odds to create exceptional value within procurement - directly from those heroes themselves.

Over the last 12 months, we’ve heard from some of the most innovative minds in procurement and beyond to explore topics that range from cutting-edge optimization strategies to deeply personal journeys of purpose and passion.

In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Kelly Barner takes a look back at the most downloaded episodes of 2024 - wrapping the year by celebrating the interviews that resonated most with you.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Supply Chain

Procurement 6 - December 6, 2024
Art of Procurement
December 06, 2024
Listen to learn:
- How procurement can drive better supplier performance and risk control with strategic contract management
- The critical role supplier relationship management (SRM) plays in procurement's success
- Where procurement currently stands on the corporate journey to adopt and implement generative AI

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

In Defense of Outliers
Art of Procurement
December 05, 2024
“Polling is a science of estimation, and science has a way of periodically humbling the scientist. So, I’m humbled, yet always willing to learn from unexpected findings.”
J. Ann Selzer, President and Owner, Selzer & Company

Data and analysis are at the heart of nearly everything attempted in modern business. And while human skill is critical in the process of converting data into insight, human nature may ultimately determine whether the effort can be successful.

This episode is about ‘herding,’ a polling practice that combines analytical rigor and human nature in a fascinating way.

But this episode is not about politics. It is a story about data and how humans anticipate the others will respond to the data they present, and how that becomes a self-driven feedback loop that is put into practice before the data is ever shared.

No one wants to be an outlier. No one wants to be wrong. But if someone isn’t wrong, no one can be right.

In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barners dives into the practice of herding among pollsters and what it tells us about our relationship with data.

See publication

Tags: Analytics, Big Data, Supply Chain

The Sourcing Hero podcast EPISODE: 193 Driving Social Impact on a Massive Scale
Una GPO
December 04, 2024
Lots of organizations want to ‘do good’ through environmental programs, social programs, or both. But scaling those programs and making them truly successful on a commercial level requires a different level of strategic planning - especially when the impact and the opportunity are global.

In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Michael Amos. Michael is the Managing Director of Waste to Wonder Worldwide, an organization with a unique origin story that has been able to deliver amazing results over the last two decades.

See publication

Tags: CSR, Education, Procurement

Walking a Mile in Another Supply Chain’s Shoes
Art of Procurement
November 28, 2024
We all consume content for different reasons–education, entertainment, or otherwise. There are always lessons to be learned from one company or supply chain that can be applied in another.

To discuss these stories - and the process of capturing them on the Art of Supply podcast - Kelly Barner was invited to speak in a live session hosted by The Alchemie Network, an organization that promotes collaborative learning around ESG and sustainability for procurement.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Supply Chain

Mastermind LIVE 2024 Debrief with Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner
Art of Procurement
November 25, 2024
In the hustle and bustle of closing out the year and planning ahead for what’s to come in 2025, taking a moment – even a brief one – to reflect on some of the ‘bigger picture’ issues impacting procurement can be a valuable way to make sure your strategy is reflective of where procurement, the business, and the global economy are headed.

In this podcast episode, Kelly Barner and I took a look back at Mastermind LIVE 2024, one of AOP’s popular digital events of the year. Hundreds of procurement professionals from around the world came together for six interactive sessions, and the insights shared by our featured speakers and guests helped us to better understand how procurement should be adapting their operating models, tech stacks, skills development, strategies, and mindsets to set themselves up for success in the year to come.

See publication

Tags: Procurement, Risk Management, Supply Chain

1 Profile
LinkedIn Creator Accelerator Program
LinkedIn
November 30, 2021
LinkedIn recently announced a $25 million investment in creators, and on November 30th they announced the first U.S. class of our Creator Accelerator Program. These creators are subject-matter experts on topics that span the world of work: from diversity, equity and inclusion to cryptocurrency, from sustainability to entrepreneurship, and more. They have a story to tell and the passion to build meaningful communities.

See publication

Tags: Diversity and Inclusion, Procurement, Supply Chain