Contracts are a fundamental part of procurement, but are we making them more complicated than they need to be? In this episode, Zachary, Natasha, and Conrad dive deep into the realities of contracting in procurement. They discuss when a contract is truly necessary, how to balance speed with risk, and why procurement and legal teams often find themselves at odds.

Drawing on their combined decades of experience at companies like Nike, Adobe, and KPMG, the hosts share personal stories, lessons learned, and practical strategies to help procurement professionals streamline their contract processes.

Topics in this episode include:

• Why most contracts are never referenced again after signing

• The hidden costs of over-engineering contracts

• When legal teams should step in, and when they shouldn’t

• Reducing friction between procurement and legal

• Using AI and automation to handle routine contract work

• Building smarter intake and approval processes that actually work

If you’ve ever found yourself bogged down by contract redlines, approval delays, or legal bottlenecks, this conversation offers actionable advice on making contracting faster, smarter, and more business-friendly.