Marc Aliotta of Reveel & Jack Margeson of Deposco talk about how their strategic partnership helps clients overcome challenges, save money & scale to success.

[04.50] Introductions to Marc and Reveel, and Jack and Deposco.

[07.10] The biggest challenges facing Reveel and Deposco customers right now.

“The last few years, some of the biggest challenges have been uncertainty – what does the year ahead hold?! There are a lot of changes that happen, both at the global and domestic scale, that go towards: ‘How do I plan as a business? How do I shape where I need to go next year, knowing that supply chain is changing really quickly?’”

“After the pandemic, a lot of shippers realized they couldn’t trust the major carriers because of capacity issues. And that uncertainty led itself to diversification strategies… So people are trying to build trust in new carriers.”

[10.55] How the Reveel and Deposco partnership developed, and why organizations need to lean into collaboration, not competition.

“The business world is changing. Clients don’t want to have a group of partners that are pushing away… So it’s our responsibility to make sure we’re providing, not only the best software and platform that we can, but that we’re also looking out into the market, looking at what’s out there, what’s changing, and helping guide them with partnerships and introductions that help grow their business.”

[13.53] Why collaboration is crucial for teams, for businesses, and the industry as a whole.

[15.51] How Reveel’s Parcel Spend Management and Deposco’s supply chain technology work together through deep integration.

[19.42] A closer look at the data that Reveel and Deposco clients can access, and what they can do with it.

“Make decisions in real time: observe, orient, decide and act. That’s what customers really want.”

[22.53] The different layers of savings, from direct cost reduction to operational efficiencies, that can be created through the Reveel and Deposco partnership.

[25.17] Customer experience: why it’s more challenging, but more important, than ever before.

“Customer satisfaction is harder and harder to attain. You’re not really compared against your competitors any more, you’re compared against their best experience – period.”

[27.50] How Reveel and Deposco are helping companies to refine their strategies, streamline operations, enhance the customer journey, and ultimately scale for success.

“A lot of businesses don’t want to focus on their operations. They want to focus on their brand, their product… So the more we can take their focus from: ‘Is my product being handled the right way?’ towards: ‘What can I do with my product?’ the more successful they’ll be in their business.”

[30.17] What people can expect from the Reveel and Deposco partnership in 2025.

Head over to Reveel’s website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Reveel and keep up to date with the latest over   on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter, or you can connect with Marc or Jack on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Reveel, check out 357: Leverage the Power of Shipping Intelligence, with Reveel.

Christine Barnhart talks about the issues faced by women in supply chain, the impact of bias and changing DEI narratives, and the women who inspire her. 

[06.01] An introduction to Christine and her new role at Nulogy.

[07.45] Christine’s experience as a woman in both US and Canadian companies, the differences in organizations across different territories, and what we can learn from the countries leading the way in gender equity.

“For me, it’s been interesting to compare and contrast what the culture is like in these companies,  but also what regulation and policy differences there are.”

[10.38] The challenges for women in developing countries, the misunderstood areas of supply chain, and why data showing strong female representation across the industry doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story.

“When we look at developing countries in particular, they need expertise and strong leaders but, in a lot of those countries, it’s a very masculine, patriarchal society... They’re not going to get the results they need unless they bring women to the table.”

“It’s more than how many women. It’s what percentage are actually in a managerial or leadership position, do they actually have a voice? It’s about more than just opening the door and letting people in – it’s about making sure you’re inviting them to the table.”

[14.11] The impact of bias and changing conversations around DEI, and the importance of women coming together towards a shared goal and building ecosystems that make a difference.

“I look at representation – does an organization really represent the geographies it’s serving?”

[28.27] Some of the incredible women in supply chain that inspire Christine and Sarah, and the importance of opening up better methods of communication within the community.

[40.21] From transparency to empathy, Christine’s advice for organizations looking to empower women and achieve gender pay parity.

[42.38] Helpful resources, and the importance of female relationships, as well as of prioritising yourself as a woman.

“I love my husband and my children and my job. But I also need the time to nurture me, and to educate me, and to have conversations. Because I’m better in every part of my life when I do that.”

You can connect with Christine over on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Christine, listen to 380: Women in Supply Chain, Christine Barnhart or check out her live show Supply Chain Unfiltered.

Bobby Strenk of SecurSpace & Ron Greene of Overhaul talk about cargo theft - the biggest challenges & trends, and best ways to keep your shipments safe.

[05.38] An introduction to Bobby and SecurSpace, and Ron and Overhaul.

[07.54] Exactly what cargo theft is, the different types, and the trends to look out for.

“There’s a whole new world in cargo theft. We’re three years into a significant spike in cargo theft, and the US takes the lead in how much it’s increased… There’s been an expansion of theft techniques and a lot of criminal organizations, that historically weren’t in the cargo theft space, have jumped in with both feet.”

[10.09] The current scope of the cargo theft problem, and why gathering data to measure it accurately is problematic.

[13.13] The future of cargo theft, and why it’s going to continue to rise.

“It’s going to take a collaborative industry, plus government and associations, joining forces to curb this issue.”

[14.47] What shippers can do, from a people perspective, to mitigate freight theft and risk, and why organizations need to focus on security through compliance.

[21.35] How technology and security can help shippers mitigate risk and prevent theft.

[25.25] Why secure parking and storage is so important, and what organizations should look for in a secure yard.

[30.54] How providers can better secure their yards.

“What are you doing at your facility, what is your infrastructure, and how does it compare to the gold standard? Not every yard needs to be Fort Knox, so take a ‘good, better, best’ approach.”

[35.03] How shippers, and their 3PL partners and carriers, can better secure their freight in-transit.

“Everybody, the entire organization from the top to the bottom, needs to adhere to a security culture... Building a safety culture is what the industry has to do to help mitigate this problem.”

[38.44] Why freight at rest is at risk, and what companies can do to secure it.

[43.03] How SecurSpace helps customers with their growing national network of secure parking and storage.

[46.18] The role Overhaul play in protecting cargo for their customers.

Head over to CargoWise Landside’s website to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with CargoWise and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, YouTube, X (Twitter) or Facebook,or you can connect with Bobby or Ron on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode, you're in luck! We have lots more content from CargoWise, SecurSpace and Overhaul:

• 412: Maximize Warehouse Efficiency and Profitability, with CargoWise
• 406: Unlock the Opportunities of Cross-Border Ecommerce, with CargoWise
• 346: Enable and Empower Your Supply Chain, with WiseTech
• 367: Going Beyond Visibility – Unveiling The Invisible
• 369: From Chaos To Clarity: Simplifying Global Customs Compliance
• 371: Going Beyond Visibility – From Risk to Resilience: How Technology Is Transforming Global Supply chains
• 373: Going Beyond Visibility – Culture and Digitization
• 363: Grab On-Demand Access To Yard Space, with SecurSpace
• 246: Achieve Complete Command & Control For Your Supply Chain, with Overhaul

Jenny Perlitch talks about her career journey; lessons learned as a woman & immigrant; and supporting diversity within the transportation industry.

[05.15] Jenny’s journey from Ukraine to Germany to Cananda, and what it taught her.

“It taught me a lot. All of a sudden you’re thrown from your comfortable environment to one with a completely different language and culture… I learned resilience and adaptability, and they really helped me in business. It made me independent and I believed things could be done.”

[07.58] Why Jenny’s computer science background is so compatible with a career in supply chain.

“It’s a way of thinking. I’ll look at things as a problem that could be solved by building an algorithm. Take something complex and break it down into smaller parts, automate those parts, and put it all back together like a beautiful puzzle.”

[11.35] How a summer job became a lifelong career in supply chain for Jenny when she discovered a joy in pushing out of her comfort zone and a talent for problem-solving.

[13.39] Why Jenny co-founded IRT Technologies, specializing in equipment for the satellite market, in 2011.

[15.14] Why, in the same year, Jenny also founded Perlitch Transport, and the challenges of founding and growing two businesses simultaneously.

“I was single, I had to do something!”

[19.00] The areas of business Jenny is most passionate about, as a founder and CEO, and why it’s important to recognize your strengths and weaknesses.

“I really like the strategic side of the business. You try something, look at the results, and try a different way… But I’m very quick to do things, sometimes I lack patience… It’s important to be honest about your weakness, fill in the gaps with great people, and then empower those people.”

[20.52] Some of the toughest challenges Jenny has faced whilst running her businesses, and her unique approach to overcoming them.

[27.31] Jenny’s experience as a woman in supply chain, and what she’s learned.

“It’s a very male-dominated industry… You feel it very quickly when you’re trying to get in... In the early days, when I had a good idea, a good vision, and I knew how to do things… they brushed me off, didn’t take me seriously or let me finish. And eventually your voice becomes low and apologetic. At that point, you have to put yourself back together, and try a different door.”

[31.47] How Jenny creates positive and inclusive cultures within her own organizations, and her advice for other businesses looking to do better.

[34.28] The importance of awards, and what they mean for the industry as it continues to strive for improved diversity and equity.

[38.48] The future for Jenny.

You can connect with Jenny over on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear from more incredible women, check out 422: Women In Supply Chain, Kiran Mann, 437: Women In Supply Chain, Mercedes Pina or 207: Women in supply chain™, Shana Zheng.

Greg Dunnell of Buckeye Mountain talks about his founder journey; how big challenges impact workers; & why Buckeye are stewards of technology for customers.

[05.17] An overview of Greg’s journey – how he found supply chain, innovated in technology whilst working for some of the industry’s biggest names, and ultimately co-founded Buckeye Mountain.

“I grew up working on a farm, so transportation came naturally to me. And, when I graduated from college, I wasn’t what you’d call an honors student…! I went back to what I knew, and ended up driving a truck.”

[12.43] An overview of Buckeye Mountain – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers.

[15.47] The ideal client for Buckeye Mountain.

“It’s really about our history and experience because we feel our role – our obligation – is to share those lessons learned. We’ve been down the pothole of technology for many years… And the secret to success is failure. We’ve been on that journey.”

[18.25] From visibility to productivity, the biggest challenges currently faced by landside logistics facilities, and how they impact frontline workers.

“Those people, when the tech goes down – imagine the frustration. ‘I’m not paid to be a technology troubleshooter, I’m paid to operate.’ That’s the big migration.”

[23.45] How Buckeye are helping customers solve their toughest problems remotely and out in the field with their TechOps teams, who ‘think like operators, but act like tech experts.’

“It is about the technology, but it’s more about: ‘What is the giant problem you’re trying to solve?’”

[27.28] Why Buckeye act as a steward of technology for their customers, and how TechOps are changing the game.

[31.11] How and why Buckeye developed Rapid Deploy technology, and the importance of guaranteed connectivity.

[34.28] A case study showing how Buckeye helped an isolated intermodal facility, with no power or network, to be operated as a modern facility with Rapid Deploy and solar technology.

[37.30] What we can expect from the landside logistics facilities of tomorrow, and the future for Buckeye.

“If we can pull things into an easy workplace environment, and still provide the benefits operationally, that’s a no brainer – but you need the infrastructure to do it.”

Head over to Buckeye Mountain’s website to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Buckeye and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, or you can connect with Greg on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode, check out 424: Orchestrate and Optimize Your Terminal Operations, with Lynxis.

Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Nikki Driskill talks about her career journey; the changing face of customer service; people leadership; & why women should pursue a career in logistics.

[05.08] How Nikki found supply chain, and how the industry has changed over the course of her career.

“I started so long ago that when you looked for a job, you looked in the newspaper!”

[10.59] Why Nikki’s career ambitions changed when she fell in love with supply chain; how she discovered a passion for people leadership; and why strong women inspired her to want to build relationships and make a difference.

“I was very young and my intent was: ‘I’m going to take this role, and then figure out what I want to do when I grow up’… Then I realized I loved it. There were so many bold women in leadership roles - and I wanted to be them.”

[15.38] Nikki’s experience of repeated mergers and acquisitions, and how they gave her opportunities to explore the industry and learn new skills.

“Each time that we were acquired, things got better in so many different ways… I feel like I’ve worked for four different companies.”

[23.12] How customer service, and its role in relation to wider business success, has changed throughout Nikki’s career, with the impact of factors like technology and new generations of workers.

“A verbal conversation is good for relationship-building, but we don’t have that so much anymore with tech… you have to work differently.”

[32.46] The importance of industry awards, especially for women.

“It matters so much for women… We need to be reminded to celebrate each other.”

[34.32] Nikki’s experience as a woman moving through a male-dominated industry, climbing the ladder, and holding leadership positions.

[39.59] Why Nikki wants to inspire others to pursue a career in logistics, and why it’s such a good career choice for women.

[42.32] The future for Nikki.

“I want to spend a lot more time mentoring, and making a difference… I want to share what I have – and I don’t plan on exiting the industry, that’s for sure!”

You can connect with Nikki over on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear from more women excelling in customer service and client experience, check out 437: Women In Supply Chain, Mercedes Pina or 415: Women In Supply Chain, Evin Sisemore.

Lance Dixon of Werner talks about transportation challenges & opportunities; cross-border potential; & how Werner helps to give companies a strategic edge. 

[05.26] An introduction to Lance, and to Werner.

“It’s an ever-changing, dynamic world. And what a change since 1992 when I started at Werner! Things are so different... There are more rules, regulations – probably good for society in general, but it’s a chore to keep up!”

[08.23] The ideal client for Werner.

“It’s someone that’s open to multi modes of shipping, whatever is most efficient… Someone that’s flexible and wants to partner, someone who doesn’t look at Werner as just a service provider. We want to work together to solve these transportation and supply chain issues.”

[10.20] How both Werner and the industry have changed, and the huge business potential in Mexico.

“The pandemic taught us a lot about how fragile long supply chains are, so there’s been a move to source closer to the end consumer.”

[16.05] The key challenges facing Werner customers right now, and how Werner help tackle them.

“There’s a northbound-southbound imbalance, with northbound volume outpacing the southbound – there’s a lot more coming into the U.S. than there is going out, and nearshoring is going to exacerbate that.”

[19.05] The biggest opportunities for organizations in 2025, and the future for nearshoring.

“Nearshoring is in the early stages – it’s going to take a decade to play itself out, but I’m excited to see where it’s going to go.”

[22.58] The cross-border potential in Canada, the difference in logistics execution between Canada and Mexico, and the overall importance of the logistics and transportation industries.

“It’s complex, it’s dynamic, it’s challenging – but that’s what keeps it interesting!”

“I don’t think we always fully grasp how important logistics and transportation is to so many people… It can seem like a thankless job but what we do, all of us collectively, is so important to companies, to societies.”

[28.36] The challenges and risks shippers might face when shipping to and from Mexico, how Werner are helping mitigate them, and Lance’s advice for organizations in the early stages of nearshoring.

[34.38] Werner’s recent $8 million investment to improve operations and capabilities in Mexico, and the importance of providing flexibility, speed, and capacity to customers.

[37.55] A case study detailing how Werner helped a client that needed to double their normal volume to keep transportation costs down and boost ROI.

“Flexibility is going to be the key to success for many shippers coming out of Mexico, going forward, as nearshoring ramps up.”

[40.44] The future for the industry, and for Werner.

“We don’t practice any more, we’re experts at this game.”

Head over to Werner’s website to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Werner and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or X (Twitter), or you can connect with Lance on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more about cross-border transportation, check out 414: Section 321: Borderless Ecommerce At Your Fingertips,or 406: Unlock the Opportunities of Cross-Border Ecommerce, with CargoWise.

Amber Salley of GAINS talks about being data-driven - its four-stage evolution, misconceptions, the problem with LLMs & the benefits of letting the data lead.

[05.43] An introduction to Amber, her background, and her role at GAINS.

“I’ve taken all that I learned in the past 25 years and brought it to GAINS, to help them think through: ‘Where should we take our product in the future, and what should we be focusing on to help our customers make the highest-quality decisions for their supply chain?’”

[07.42] The evolution of data-driven thinking, as technology and mindsets have changed.

“You come up with an instinct, a feel for a decision, and then you use the data you have to back it up. You have a lot of confirmation bias in your decision-making.”

[10.50] The new paradigm in data-driven thinking.

“The new paradigm focuses on discovering patterns and finding correlations over explaining causality… It’s not trying to get into the ‘why’ that is – it just IS.”

[16.18] From confirmation bias to managing leadership pride and instinctual approaches, the common misconceptions and challenges around being data-driven.

[21.12] A case study detailing how GAINS helped a key client to get on top of volatile lead time predictability and utilize full data-driven decision-making.

[24.50] The challenges of emerging technologies like Language Learning Models.

“Generative AI is ultimately a predictor, and it’s trained to predict around text. And it’s very good – it knows the rules of language, that are pretty rigid and have been around for a very long time… But, if we’re thinking about forecasting or creating inventory plans or production plans – there’s not an established pattern.”

[27.54] The four stages of data-driven evolution and what they mean for teams.

[32.44] The benefits of letting the data lead, for both teams and businesses.

“For teams, it allows for faster actionable insights and a reduction in manual effort and bias, so they can start to focus on more value-add activities… And the business can achieve better inventory management, better supply chain design, and increase their overall resilience.”

[35.20] Exactly how GAINS can help organizations to adopt a truly data-driven approach.

Head over to GAINS’s website to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with GAINS and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, YouTube, or X (Twitter), or you can connect with Amber on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from GAINS, check out 390: Achieve Real Results And Innovate For The Future, with GAINS, 385: Make The Right Decisions For Your Supply Chain, with GAINS or 374: Achieve Supply Chain Optimization In Record Time, with GAINS.

Gina Anderson talks about her career journey; sitting on boards; mentorship; the power of reinvention; and why she's a self-confessed parcel fanatic.

[05.54] An introduction to Gina and her role at Reveel.

[06.42] Gina’s career journey, and how she found supply chain.

“Someone early on took a chance on me… Ron wanted to bring me into his freight forwarding business to do sales. So I said: “Well, what does that look like – and what does it pay?!”

[08.24] Why Gina has entered her 7.0 era, and the power of reinvention.

“If you stay stagnant, it’s going to be really hard to feel fulfilled.”

[09.53] Why Gina took the leap from corporate America to entrepreneurship to found the Savii Group in 2010.

“It was powered by purpose. I wanted to help companies drive efficiencies within their supply chain, but then also take part of the money I was helping them save and reinvest that into their people and social good… I couldn’t do the corporate grind at that time in my life. Having kids and being able to create something that was purposeful and impactful was a gamechanger for me.”

[12.04] What Gina learned from entrepreneurship, and how to identify opportunities to pivot.

“If you pay attention, you’ll know when it’s time to pivot, when it’s time to take a passion and reinvent. Having an entrepreneurial spirit isn’t easy, it’s not something that everyone has. But recognize it if you do have it. Because it could be something spectacular.”

[13.47] Gina’s advice for successful networking.

“There’s no secret sauce – it’s just being curious!”

[16.02] From AI to a lack of transparency, the tech trends that supply chain teams need to pay attention to.

[18.55] Gina’s perspective on the industry and where businesses are at with big trends like data, technology, and business intelligence.

“It’s exciting – people are starting to get out of a fear-based mindset, and they’re willing to actually see and experience what’s out there.”

[21.09] Why Gina is a self-proclaimed parcel fanatic.

[22.18] Gina’s experience of sitting on boards, and her advice for others looking to get a seat at the table.

[26.17] Gina’s experience of mentorship, and her perspective on its importance.

“I’ve never had a mentor – but I love mentoring!”

[28.59] Gina’s advice for young professionals looking to build a career like hers.

[30.16] The future for Gina.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from other long-standing women in supply chain, check out 342: Women in supply chain™, Juliette Samson or 191: Women in supply chain™, Lora Cecere.

Eric Johnson & Chris Mazza of Shippeo talk about visibility, how big challenges in 2024 impacted the market, & overcoming data quality challenges.

[06.06] A closer look at two key upcoming conferences: TPM 25 – listen out for a special discount! – and Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo.

[08.19] From an Uber Freight product launch to how technology is enabling companies to pursue smaller incidents of overbilling in freight payments, Eric dives into the big supply chain news of the week.

“They announced a product… which you might think looks like a product from Convoy, a company that’s now out of business, released a few years ago. And you’d be right.”

[14.12] An introduction to Chris Mazza, his career journey, and an overview of Shippeo.

“All of a sudden this thing called the internet happened (!), and it began to change the things ocean carriers did internally and how they began to view their customers externally.”

[17.51] From the Baltimore Bridge collapse to ongoing port strikes, the biggest challenges of 2024, and how they impacted the visibility market.

“At TPM last year you had Robert Gates speaking. And when you have somebody who’s basically a geopolitical and defence specialist speaking at what is arguably a transportation and supply chain conference, you know you probably have a problem.”

“People are realizing that the first requirement to resiliency in their supply chain is visibility. And, for the vast majority, they do that in an older, more outdated way. They may still be relying on systems or methodologies that were developed in the 90s or 2000s.”

[22.07] A closer look at visibility in the ocean and over-the-road markets, the different levels of demand and maturity, and the increasing focus on boosting ocean visibility.

“We’ve seen an enormous jump in the quality of the data, but at the same time, we’ve seen a huge degradation in the underlying service. The on-time performance, the scheduling integrity – it’s not good.”

[31.54] A listener question: Should we consider contingency planning as part of the visibility function?

[35.55] Carrier APIs – their role in accessing the best data and the challenge of navigating multiple layers of business relationships.

“APIs don’t clean data. But what they do, ideally, is provide you with easier access. The question in the market is: Are you going to get the best access to the best data via API, EDI or some other methodology?”

[40.04] How visibility can be used to prevent missing shipments.

[44.13] What Shippeo customers want when it comes to accessing, understanding, analyzing, and reporting their data.

[47.02] Chris’s favorite musician and why.

[49.18] Eric’s Dad joke of the week!

Explore more industry news over on Journal of Commerce, and connect with Eric on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed the show, there are lots more episodes of Logtech Live With Eric Johnson to explore. You can also hear Eric on episode 238, episode 300 and episode 420.