In this episode, I sit down with Dani Kaplan, Principal at SMC Data Systems and veteran ERP and supply chain consultant, to unpack how modern ERP implementation, inventory management, and warehouse management system (WMS) integration can drive operational excellence and support a higher value exit.​

We discuss:

– Dani’s five decade journey with enterprise software, from early mainframes to modern ERP, and how that perspective shapes his approach to inventory and operations today.​

– Why bolting a standalone WMS onto outdated ERP is often a costly band aid, and how API integrations can break during upgrades, leaving vendors pointing fingers while your warehouse goes offline.​

– A practical way to buy software using a “supermarket shopping list” of business requirements by department, so demos focus on real problems instead of shiny features.​

– What a healthy ERP implementation looks like in the real world: test environments, daily data conversion checks, on site training instead of purely web training, and avoiding hard go live dates that create unnecessary risk.​

– Today’s supply chain reality, from Red Sea disruptions and tariffs to multi shipment freight costs, and why accurate landed cost and net inventory visibility are now non negotiable.​

– How integrated ERP and tight analytics improve inventory optimization, margin, and cash flow by showing what products still deserve shelf space, which regions buy what, and which customers may be becoming credit risks.​

– The M&A and exit planning angle: why outdated, inaccurate systems scare buyers and banks, slow due diligence, and lead to “horse trading” on valuation versus having clean, real time inventory and financial reporting.​

– The human side of change management, including the critical role of the IT manager in endorsing new technology so users actually practice and adopt the system.​

If you are a business owner in manufacturing, distribution, or logistics who is thinking about your exit or working to build a more resilient, data driven supply chain, this conversation is packed with actionable insight on ERP implementation, inventory optimization, WMS ERP integration, and exit planning.​

Want to learn more about Dani’s work? Connect with him through https://smcdata.com/ or find him on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dani-kaplan/).​

Ready to grow and plan your exit? Visit www.BizExitGrow.com where thoughtful systems and strategies help build lasting value and legacy.​

Time Stamps:

0:00 - Introduction & Welcome

1:26 - Dani's Background: From NCR Computers to ERP Consulting

4:39 - The Dangers of Disconnected Systems: WMS vs ERP Integration

5:21 - How to Buy Software: The Shopping List Approach

7:00 - Implementation Best Practices: Training & Change Management

8:37 - Supply Chain Reality: Red Sea Crisis & Tariff Impact

10:30 - M&A Preparation: Why Clean Data Increases Business Value

12:51 - Analytics for Exit Planning: Margins & Inventory Optimization

17:03 - Case Study: Multi-Location ERP Integration Success

25:15 - Support & Vendor Selection: Why It Makes or Breaks Implementation

26:06 - AI in Supply Chain: The 80-90% Failure Rate

28:56 - The Dot-Com Parallel: AI Hype vs Reality

33:33 - Trust & Ethics in Business Relationships

38:22 - The Future of AI: Enhancement vs Replacement

43:00 - Final Advice: Requirements First, Demo Second