You’ve heard of Industry Analysts, but do you really know what their jobs entail? In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Mike Griswold with Gartner joins Scott and Karin to share an insider’s view of the role that industry analysts play between solution and service providers and practitioners or end-user companies. Learn some of the essentials in the industry analyst tool kit, the lens through which they view all industry problems, and more.

Intro/Outro (00:03):

Welcome to Supply Chain. Now, the voice of global supply chain supply chain now focuses on the best in the business for our worldwide audience, the people, the technologies, the best practices, and today’s critical issues, the challenges and opportunities. Stay tuned to hear from Those Making Global Business happen right here on supply chain now.

Scott Luton (00:31):

Hey, hey. Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you are, Scott Luton and Karin Bursa with you here on Supply Chain. Now, welcome to today’s livestream, Karin, how are we doing?

Karin Bursa (00:40):

Doing great, thanks.

Scott Luton (00:42):

It is a gorgeous day in metro Atlanta, isn’t it?

Karin Bursa (00:45):

It is a gorgeous day. It is.

Scott Luton (00:47):

There’s a little crisp in the air. Well, hopefully we’re, uh, past the, the fake fall, but we’ll see what, what’s to come. But, uh, this has been gorgeous early October weather for sure, and great to have you here sitting in for Mr. Greg White who, uh, I think is traveling the world somewhere. Who knows?

Karin Bursa (01:03):

I don’t know. Those are big shoes to fill, but I’ll do my best.

Scott Luton (01:06):

<laugh> well, always a pleasure to have you with us and enjoy your perspective and expertise. And, and of course, we got a great guest today backed by popular Demand going on a couple years now. It’s supply chain today and tomorrow with the one only Mike Griswold with Gartner. So, cor, as you know, we’ve got a unique topic today as we’re gonna be diving into the industry analyst world from a professional job standpoint. Now, Karin, this we’re gonna be sharing some things that I bet a lot of folks don’t know about, right?

Karin Bursa (01:35):

Yeah. That’s kind of an insider’s view because industry analysts play a really important role that is between solution and service providers and practitioners, or end user companies. And, uh, and certainly Gartner is the most influential of those industry analyst firms. So I’m looking forward to hearing what Mike Griswold has to, uh, share with us today.

Scott Luton (01:57):

I’m with ya. Um, it’s, you know, in many ways it is like, uh, getting Max Scher to tell us how, how to pitch. You

Karin Bursa (02:05):

Know, I think baseball was coming in at some point here. So, uh, congratulations to, uh, those Atlanta Braves.

Scott Luton (02:13):

Hey, I tell you to, to make it official and, and to win the division for the fifth time in a row this year with the clincher last night, uh, we’re, we’re definitely, we’re, we’re dancing in the streets for about a week. Uh, cause the, the hard work, uh, begins then with the playoffs. But hey, appreciate, we’re all celebrating. Um, speaking of celebrating, uh, we’re gonna be sha saying hello to our wonderful global listenership, uh, in just a second. All the folks in cheap seats. Y’all get ready. We got a great conversation teed up. Uh, but before we get there, and then of course, before we bring in Mike Griswold, I wanna touch on just a couple of quick events that we wanna make sure stays on people’s radar. Uh, we wanna begin with, uh, the upcoming Gartner It Symposium and expo’s coming up. Um, in mid-October. I’m gonna be down in there with our friend Mark Holmes, Cor, one of the smartest folks I know, at least, uh, you and Mark, Uh, and Greg, I’ll put you in a trio there, <laugh>. Maybe we’ll throw in Mike as well. But hey, Mark Holmes with InterSystems, looking forward to another round table focused on delivering fulfillment excellence using a modern data, connective tissue technology. So, folks, hey, join us for that. Uh, Karin, is that, uh, that sounds like a good session, doesn’t it?

Karin Bursa (03:20):

It does. I mean, data is the new oil, right for supply chain. I’ve got to be able to really harness that and transform it into insight. So, important role there. I’m sure you’re gonna have a, a room full of, uh, of folks that, um, are very interested in the topic.

Scott Luton (03:37):

I’m with you. Hey, I’m just taking some popcorn, a diet Coke to watch, uh, Mark do his magic. So, but hey, folks, if you’re down there joining us, and definitely, uh, let’s say hello and catch up. Uh, secondly one, why don’t we, one, definitely keep this, um, humanitarian initiative front and center, You know, depending on what’s the news of the day, The headlines change, but the need is still tremendous and Ukraine and Poland and elsewhere. So we’re very proud to be supporting this event that our forensic Vector Global Logistics essentially created. And then they’ve really invited a global community to get behind it and, and make sure, uh, we’re sending that it’s outcomes driven. You know, the whole purpose is to get aid across pond into the hands of families that are in need. And Karin, as of last, uh, over 300,000 pounds of targeted aid have already made it across. And we’re, we’re still, you know, only six months in. So, cor, what a, what a, uh, initiative to be part of, right?

Karin Bursa (04:32):

Oh, it’s such an important initiative, and I really applaud the team at Vector for, for keeping the momentum going. Um, this, this area, the Ukraine, um, is going to need our support for years and years to come. Uh, the devastation is just, it, it’s shocking to see in today’s day and age.

Scott Luton (04:52):

You’re absolutely right. So, and the good news here, folks, Hey, just come, We have a monthly planning session. The next one is Tuesday, October 18th at 11:00 AM Eastern time. There’s no obligation. You can, you can show up, You don’t even have to say anything. You can gather market intel, and then if you’re in position to give and support, or you name it, ship, whatever, uh, of course we’d welcome that, that contribution as we can help. This is really an, an outcomes action driven initiative. So join us October 18th. We’ve dropped a link to that in the comments as well. Okay, So Karin, let’s say hello. We got it. Looks like we got a big, uh, lunchtime crowd here today. Nice. Uh, Josh Goody’s tuned in from finally rainy Seattle. Maybe he’s been having some dry Georgia weather like we’ve been seeing last week or two, huh?

Karin Bursa (05:39):

Yeah, I like the dry weather myself, but <laugh>,

Scott Luton (05:43):

I don’t mind it. My front yard, uh, you know, I’m trying to shy away from those big water bills, <laugh>, so we, the grass needs it. But Josh, great to have you back. We always enjoy your perspective here. Hey, Greg, back with us from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Uh, Greg pointed out Karin, um, a day or two ago of some of the innovation work being done, and Greg’s hometown of Wichita, Kansas. He’s like, Hey, y’all might need to take a road trip, Greg. Who knows? Well, we’ll see if that’s in the cards. Big thanks to Clay and Chantel and Amanda and Catherine. All the folks behind the scenes helping to make, uh, today happen. David Glover, good morning. He says, Via LinkedIn from a beautiful southern Minnesota cor ever been up to Minnesota?

Karin Bursa (06:25):

I have indeed. I have indeed. It is beautiful.

Scott Luton (06:28):

It is gorgeous, especially time it right where it’s not the coldest of the cold. Uh, but David, great to have you here. Uh, Katherine, great to have you here. Looking forward to a great live stream today. She says, via LinkedIn. I agree. Hey, the newly credentialed Karen, Jonathan, um, I’m gonna get his last name wrong, Philippy, Philippy, I believe from Louisiana. Cor. He recently earned a Cscp. How cool is that?

Karin Bursa (06:52):

That is excellent. Congratulations, Jonathan.

Scott Luton (06:56):

So, Jonathan, uh, you may still be dancing in the streets. That’s, that’s a, a tough credential to get. So, congrats. Of course, Chantel is with us, as we mentioned earlier. Great to see you, Chantel. Gloria, Mars back with us. Good morning from Los Angeles. I’m on the road, but can’t miss to join. Hey, love that, Glomar. I’m glad you’re not missing, and we enjoy your perspective, and we got a great show, uh, uh, teed up here today. All right, couple quick others. One first time from sunny Sao Paulo, Brazil. Great to see you, Juan.

Karin Bursa (07:25):

Great. Have your, have you with us.

Scott Luton (07:27):

Have you been to Brazil? Cor you’re gonna surprise me with this answer.

Karin Bursa (07:30):

I have not been to Brazil. I’ve been close, but I have not made it to Brazil.

Scott Luton (07:34):

Uh, that makes two of us. But, uh, Heley Torres and his sister Selma were exchange students and really extended family members back in the eighties. So, Heley and Selma who held from Brazil, were special people. If you’re watching, we miss you. So, Juan, great to see you. Looking forward to your perspective here today. Uh, row it is back via LinkedIn. Great to see you, uh, and welcome in everybody. Okay, So y’all keep the perspective coming. We’re gonna dive into some big topics here today, especially focused on the wide world of industry analysts. And I promise you, you gonna learn some things that are in your blind spot here today. But Karin, are we ready? Drum roll, please. We’re ready to bring in our, um, our cleanup hitter today.

Karin Bursa (08:17):

Absolutely. Can’t wait.

Scott Luton (08:20):

All right. So, uh, I wanna welcome in Mr. Mike Griswold, Vice President Analyst with Gartner. Hey, hey, Mike. How you doing?

Mike Griswold (08:32):

Hey, I’m great. We can’t get enough baseball metaphors, so I don’t, I don’t know if I’ll be able to provide any, uh, I’m not a huge baseball fan, but, uh, no, it’s, it’s always great to be here with, uh, with, uh, with all of you. And, um, Karin. We’re not gonna miss Greg at all. So happy to have you.

Karin Bursa (08:50):

Thank you, Mike. Agreed.

Scott Luton (08:52):

I’m with you. But, you know, speaking of baseball analogies, when I, uh, alluded to you as being the cleanup hitter, uh, you should be the Austin Riley of Global Supply Chain. Cause that is the, that is, uh, depending on the game, this oftentimes the cleanup pitter for the Atlanta Braves, the Defending World Series champion. But, hey, I digress. Yes. Um, okay, so Karin and Mike, I’ve got a really fun warmup question. A little fun warmup question we’re gonna start with, like, we usually like to do. And by the way, folks, Mike joins us somehow on the first Wednesday of every month that it goes back, uh, a couple years now. So these are some of our favorite episodes. Um, alright, so Mike, I’m gonna start with you. So, October 1st, 1982, right? Some, uh, what’s that, 30 years ago? My math is right? No, no. 40 years. 40,

Karin Bursa (09:37):

40 years ago.

Scott Luton (09:38):

I was missing a decade. <laugh>. Uh, so in October 1st, 1982, the first commercial compact player was released in Japan, went on sale in Japan. It was called the Sony CVP 1 0 1. Have no idea what the acronym means, but stick with me here. So I’ve gotta ask, uh, starting with you, Mike, what was the first CD that you can recall purchasing?

Mike Griswold (09:59):

Well, I’m, I’m glad you teed this up a little bit earlier, because I had to really go back in the memory banks and, and do some, some searching around what was even around at that point. And I’m, I’m pretty sure I’ve landed on probably, uh, the Journey Frontiers album that had come out a little bit before that that has faithfully and separate ways. And, you know, obviously there’s a ton of journey hits. Um, I’m guessing that was probably it.

Scott Luton (10:27):

I love that, Mike. And speaking of journey, of course, their big hit, uh, Don’t Stop Believing. Yes. Which is Soprano’s kind of reinvigorated. Did you know Karin and Mike, that that was, uh, the lead singer’s, uh, dad’s message to him when he was working his way, uh, up the, the musical industry, Um, you know, trying to become the journey right, that we all know and love. That was his, his encouragement to his son. I can’t remember the lead singer’s name right now, but don’t start, Steve. Don’t believe it. Yeah. Steve Perry, keep, keep fighting a good fight. Don’t Stop believing. So that was the, the emphasis or the, um, the genesis behind that big time tune. All right, so Karin Mike’s was perhaps a Journey album. How about you?

Karin Bursa (11:08):

Oh, I remember this vividly. So, um, for those of you who may be too young and listening to us today, um, MTV was still new and we would watch music videos. And, um, this is when, I believe right around 1982 is when Michael Jackson’s thriller album was released. And that music video was so much fun to watch. I do remember it being the first CD I purchased. Um, so C p D is compact, portable disc, okay? 1 0 1. So, um, that’s where that number came from, or that name came from.

Scott Luton (11:47):

It makes so much sense. I was looking at like a serial number or something. So, hey, ask and you shall receive. Thank you, uh, for that, Karin. And yes, yo MTV Raps was a thing right back in the eighties. Uh, and that really, that’s where I’m a segue to my first cd. Uh, it wasn’t a purchase cause my mom, my dearly luin, uh, my mother gave me this CD for Christmas when I got my first CD player. Wasn’t in 81, it was like on 89 or something. And Candyman, if y’all remember this rap artist named Candyman, uh, I’m not gonna, uh, <laugh>, I go r any tracks. I’m not gonna do y’all bad like that. But, uh, looked that up, Candyman, there were some colorful like dots on the, on the, uh, the front of the, uh, CD cover, and that’s what started my home home library.

Scott Luton (12:32):

So, a lot of good stuff. So, journey, uh, MTV wraps, uh, Candyman, you name it. Uh, so marketing October 1st, 1982 when the first commercial compact disc player went on sale. Okay, before we dive in to our center topic, I wanna say hello, just a couple people. Uh, Gene Pledger from North Alabama is back with us. Good old gp. Good to see you. Uh, Josh just throwing some shade at Greg because his topham Spurs lost three one over the weekend. So he, Josh says that Greg picked a good time not to be here. <laugh>, uh, Josh also says that Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon, which is a great album, which is the first, Yep. Um, Dr. Ron is back with us. Hope this finds you well, Mike Karin and Scott Awesomeness here today. Uh, and she says, Love my mtv. And that thrill the release.

Scott Luton (13:20):

I think I was in the high school at the time, that was such a good album, wasn’t it? Karin It was. Uh, and as Jean says, thrill, it was huge back in the day. Agreed. Thanks Jean. So, from Michael Jackson <laugh> and that wonderful album to, uh, the artists of the supply chain world, which, uh, in some ways are, are industry endless, right? And that really, so when we’re thinking about what we’re gonna talk about with Mike here today and, and always trying, you know, as we do with these show, trying to keep it fresh and relevant and informative. Grant had this great idea, Well, hey, you know, a lot of folks may not know what analysts do. So I think this is a great, a great outstanding opportunity for all of us to learn together from, uh, Karin and Mike that both are very familiar. So let’s start by level setting. And I want both of y’all start with Mike, what do, just a level set first. We’re gonna go into attributes in a minute, but what do industry analysts do, Mike?

Mike Griswold (14:16):

Yeah, it, it’s, um, it’s one of those things that, you know, I, I’ve been doing this for 17 years and 17 years ago I didn’t even know that there was a thing called an analyst or even an industry analyst when I, when I first got started at, at the time with amr. Yeah. I think what, what our role is as an analyst is to be able to kind of bridge the gap based on, you know, our expertise and, and the time we’ve spent, you know, in a particular field or role is the, is to, is to provide that conduit for people that are, are going through similar experiences and connecting them with answers. Whether that’s a technology answer and a technology partner. Whether it’s, Hey, here’s what we’ve learned as you’re going through this process and here’s kinda what works, what doesn’t work, what to watch out for, You know, I like that.

Mike Griswold (15:12):

You mean that you talked about that session that you’re gonna do at sim around kind of connective tissue. I, I’ve, I’ve latched onto that because I think analysts in general are, are connective tissue between, let’s call it a, a pile of answers and people that have a pile of questions, <laugh>. And it’s our job to kind of connect those two piles. And yeah, I mean, I, I think at its essence, you know, one of the things I, I think I have a gift for is gross over simplification. Yes. And that’s what it is, right? A a pile of questions, a pile of answers, and we try to bridge the gap.

Scott Luton (15:51):

I love that so much that I came up with an illustration, Karin, of, of the pile of answers and the pile of questions, <laugh>. So that’s a technical drawing. But, um, so Karin, so what, what else would you add to that definition of what analysts do?

Karin Bursa (16:08):

Well, I, I think, um, Mike actually said one thing that is, is really helpful, and that is that he’s got the ability, or an analysts in general have the ability to help simplify, uh, some of the complexity. So that complexity comes from both sides of the equation, from the practitioner, from end users, as well as from solution providers. I think one thing that’s important is it’s not just software. Mm. It’s, um, services. So, um, you know, a variety of service companies, but they also do work around business process. Mm. So how do we structure an organization? How do we manage our teams? How do we look at, you know, development of personnel? So within the Gartner Mix, they tap into all of these areas that help drive supply chain success. So they are kind of a connective tissue, right? Connecting answers to questions or really helping practitioners to prioritize, um, where to go next as they’re looking at I improving their overall supply chain performance.

Scott Luton (17:19):

Uh, which, Mike, go ahead. I know you respond.

Mike Griswold (17:22):

Yeah, I know. I, I think Karin, you, you hit on a key thing, which is the, the complexity piece. I mean, I, as everyone knows, I, I’ve spent all my time in retail, and one of the things that always fascinated me as I was going through the analyst, you know, journey is retail on the surface is a, it, it’s a, I mean, it’s a pretty simple thing. You buy stuff and you sell stuff. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. Mm. Yet we’ve managed to make it pretty complex over time. And I think that that, you know, is exactly what we try to do as, as analysts, uh, is, is have that kind of objective perspective that says, you know, you really are over complicating this, or you’re not taking into account some of the complexities around some of the decisions that you’re thinking about making.

Mike Griswold (18:13):

So it is about how do we help people kinda simplify some of the things that they’re going through? And some of their, the things they’re thinking about, and Karin is, is, is spot on. I mean, I don’t know how many times I, I was on calls and, and people wanted to jump right to the technology solution. Yeah. Hey, if I buy this technology, everything’s gonna be right with the world. And I saw that, particularly when I was covering, uh, s and p and s and OE sales and operations planning and sales and operations execution, where people were saying, Hey, what’s the s and o p technology I need? And what I would tell them is, Look, if I wave the magic, you know, analyst wand and said, Here’s your technology tomorrow, If you don’t have an s and p process, you’re, it’s a waste of money. So the people, process and technology, again, pretty simple concepts, but that’s, as an analyst, you’re always thinking around those three things. Yes. Right? And the advice that you give and the insights you’re trying to, you know, connect people with their questions. It, it invariably comes through those three lenses.

Scott Luton (19:23):

I love that. So many analogies here, some analogies, I, I, I think of the Willy Wonka movie when all the kids are, are, are going into the candy store. Cause Mike, when you got a bunch of answers, you’re like, one of the most popular people in the planet. The answer man can, the answer man can <laugh>, uh, really quick. Uh, Dr. Rhonda loves that analogy you’re talking about, both of y’all, that connected tissue, um, our column is gonna be really happy with that. It, it’s such a great visual and it’s such a great need, uh, both the examples you share, but also getting our technologies to talk to each other. Right. Um, and Jeff, so when he shared this comment, he says, Yes, 9 0 1 25, I went to zip code. Uh, I was like, Okay, what am I missing? But he’s talking about the band. Yes. And they released an out called 9 0 1 25 Digital masterpiece, he says, I love that. Okay. So now that we’ve level set on what both of y’all, you know, how you define, uh, you know, what industry analysts do I wanna move to, if we have the opportunity, talk about vi visuals to build, to mold the perfect analyst, right? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, so what are some key attributes that you wanna make Sure, or in your cabinet? So you, you could sprinkle in and Mike, we’ll start with you first.

Mike Griswold (20:33):

Yeah. I, I think there, there is a couple. Uh, I think one is you have to have kind of an appetite to learn mm-hmm. <affirmative> and be able to, you know, be open to exploring kind of different avenues, maybe different approaches and alternatives that maybe you, you may not have been open to in the past. I’ll give you an example. At our keynote, uh, at our, both of our symposiums, you know, we, we talk about as supply chains for, for, I would say decades. You know, we, we were just in time is the way to run your supply chain. The last two years, I think have, have taught us, if we’ve had open minds that just in time can be an appropriate strategy, it cannot be the only strategy, Right? So being open to things like that, being able to be open to, you know, what used to be conventional wisdom may not necessarily be complete conventional wisdom today.

Mike Griswold (21:39):

Hmm. I, I think that’s one, I think a second is being able to take concepts that you see maybe in other industries or in other types of organizations, and be able to contextualize that for a broader audience. Mm-hmm. For me personally, s and o p and s and OE are perfect examples of that, right? Yeah. Where we took what has been in consumer products and basically every other industry from retail has been in place for, you know, 30 years wasn’t present in retail, was an opportunity for us to, to bring that into retail. And I would suggest we’re getting some traction. I don’t know that it’s as much as we would like, but I think there are more retailers talking about s and o p and s OE today than we had in the past. Uh, and I think the third element, which I, people who who, who watch this, um, will know that this, this is true.

Mike Griswold (22:37):

Um, I, I think you, you need to be able to take advantage of social media mm-hmm. <affirmative>, which I don’t do, I’m horrible at, and I’ll be the first to admit it, but, but social media is a great way now to not only learn things, but a much, uh, a much, um, in many ways more efficient way to disseminate information, right. To, to take best practices and maybe blow it out through LinkedIn as an example. So to me, those are, are, are some of the, the, the DNA that I think, you know, makes for a good analyst.

Scott Luton (23:14):

I love that Evangelized is evangel. Yeah. Evangelizing platform. Whenever I say that, uh, Karin, uh, a mutual contact, ours, great friend of the show, uh, Chief evangelist, uh, Will Harway comes to mind. I used to used to call Will preacher, Will <laugh> across that title. I love that. Um, so Karin, um, Mike’s list was, if I was, if I can read my notes, openness, the importance of openness, the ability to transfer and contextualize and really take best practices from one sector or one industry to the other, uh, in a meaningful way. And then, of course, to be able to use social media to share the good and the bad. Probably both are very valuable. Um, but what would be, what would be elements to your list of the perfect analyst current?

Karin Bursa (23:58):

Well, I think analysts come from, uh, lots of different backgrounds. So I think some come from a practitioner background like Mike himself, who came out of retail. Um, and I love Mike that you started with, You need to be open minded because there are some analysts, some individuals who are not right. They, they believe that they’re the only one with the answer, and that their way or their point of view, and I, I, I’m not kidding on this, right? We, we, we look for analyst, um, that are open-minded. We certainly want them to have a point of view, um, that they bring to the table because they’re defending a thesis, they’re defending their perspective on the market. But that comes from, you know, bringing together a thought leaders in several areas. So practitioner roles, solution providers, services companies, but usually that expertise is around their subject matter that they’re gonna be representing in the marketplace.

Karin Bursa (24:59):

Um, and, and then bringing in some of these other ideas, like Mike, Mike was instrumental in bringing the conversation of sales and operations planning and sales and operations execution to the forefront for retailers because they just, it wasn’t on their radar screen, and they didn’t see the value proposition around it. And they certainly have made headway, still, still lots and lots of opportunity to go. But when I think of Mike, I think of his influence. So these industry analysts have become influencers. So thus the social media elements that, that Mike mentioned, uh, come into play, but open minded expertise in, in the domain that you’re representing, I think is, is key. And the ability, since they’re sitting in the middle, the ability to speak with practitioners about tough topics, prioritization, right? Where their culture may come into play, Do they have a culture of doing these types of transformation initiatives?

Karin Bursa (26:01):

Um, but then also working with solution providers. And, you know, you talk about some bright people, um, that are doing interesting things, but may be taking a completely different approach to how to solve the problem. The, uh, the analyst has to be open to asking questions, right? And, and, and engaging on how that problem gets solved. So, um, a lot of times these industry analysts who have fabulous credentials have to check their ego enough that they can ask questions, because it gives them that authority to engage at just a whole nother level. And I would think that that’s, you know, that’s gonna be tough to find. Mike.

Scott Luton (26:43):

Well said. Yeah,

Mike Griswold (26:44):

Mike. Yeah. Um, very well said. I mean, I, I think if, if people have spent, I, I, I, and hopefully I, I’m not in this camp, I try not to be, but if you spend any time with analysts, we, we can certainly be high maintenance. Um, if you bring 10 analysts together, you’re gonna get 10 opinions. Um, I, I think, you know, Karin, you, you hit on a very important, um, aspect to the role, which is finding that balance between, you know, confidence in your opinion, confidence in, in, you know, what your experiences have, have led where they’ve led you, but not being arrogant mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yep. Um, because yeah, I mean, you grow up as, or as an analyst to kind of say, you know, you need to own this topic. You need to be, you know, the subject matter expert on this. And if you’re not careful as an analyst, that that does, can lead you down the road.

Mike Griswold (27:44):

That, that, Karin, you talked about, about not being, which is not open minded mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, so yeah, it, it is, I mean, we’ve, we’ve, um, even within Gartner, right, we, we’ve changed some of our vocabulary to be, you know, experts. And frankly, that makes me uncomfortable, right? I, I, I don’t refer to myself as an expert at all, um, even on things that I think I know a fair amount about, but, um, it, it is finding that balance between, yeah, you know, I, I do this for a living, so I, I know what I’m talking about, but not kind of just ramming your thoughts down people’s throats that maybe, you know, aren’t ready to hear it.

Scott Luton (28:26):

Oh, man, I love so much of what both y’all shared. We could create like a six hour conversation around this. But, you know, I, for one, when y’all both talking about, you know, the difference between confidence and arrogance, I don’t think that’s a thin line. I think that is a, uh, a there’s a lot of distance between those two areas, and some of the smartest people I know, uh, Ray Atilla is on a live stream right now. I work for Ray back in the day, and he is a genius, much like y’all do. He is a genius. However, he is so humble enough to welcome everybody’s opinion in the room, and that is, that’s where we can really move things forward, move it faster, and celebrate new ideas.

Mike Griswold (29:05):

Mike. Yeah, no, it’s a, it’s a great comment. I mean, I think in general, right? And, and hopefully people will take this the right way. Typically, the analyst is going to be, you know, if we go back to the two piles, right? The pile of questions and the pile answers, right? Typically, the analyst is gonna be the smartest person in the room. The art to this is not coming across as if you’re the smartest person in the room and not telling people you’re the smartest person in the room. <laugh>. That, that is, that’s the art, I think. And, and to, I mean, I, Karin, as you were going through that, your discussion on analysts, they were, I was having visuals of, of analysts that I know that fit into both of those categories. So yeah, it’s,

Scott Luton (29:49):

It’s to, Yeah. Yeah. That makes two us, Mike, Karin.

Karin Bursa (29:53):

So, so the analysts are in, um, uh, an interesting, a very interesting position, right? So, uh, practitioners engage with them because they don’t make these buying decisions or investment decisions every single day, right? They wanna tap an expert, right, to help them prioritize and, um, set expectations and sometimes even benchmark performance. Uh, so it’s very, very valuable from that perspective. Now, at the same time, the solution providers or service providers are gonna engage with an industry analyst, in part because they wanna validate their own capabilities and their own unique value proposition, but they also want to know what the priorities are for the end users, right? So the analysts are really aggregating all of that expertise because of all of their, um, personal expertise, but that exposure that they have to practitioner companies and helping to kind of guide, if you will, some of that innovation investment that happens with service providers. So, as long as, you know, technology providers, service providers are open, right? They have to be open to hearing as well, <laugh> as sharing what their unique value proposition is. So it can be a very, very, um, uh, important relationship for, um, for solution providers, a as well as for those practitioners.

Scott Luton (31:19):

Well said. Uh, I wanna share a couple quick comments here. Uh, and then we’re gonna chat about a couple events. I might even take a question or two here as I surveyed the comments. But, uh, Renee says, Being adaptive and open to change goes a long way with the desire to lead. It seems new tools launched daily for US analytic folks, and Renee has a lot of truth in that statement. There. We we’re, uh, it’s like a tools bonanza these days, right? Uh, tools, The tools, have the tools and have more tools for the tools, Uh, Josh says, uh, on, on our show, not too long ago, quote, one of our guests said, quote, It’s not a supply chain anymore, It’s a supply web going back to the connected tissue, uh, conversations we were having. And Gene says, customer has to buy in as well for success also.

Scott Luton (32:08):

So arrogance, uh, would impede that. Right? Good point there. Uh, Gene, as always, um, we’ve got a little time here. We got, we got a couple questions, uh, I wanna pose to y’all, and hopefully you’ll be okay with this. Uh, co couple acronyms, the one that came up earlier in the show, and, and one that comes from, uh, uh, supply chain body knowledge out there. Um, but let’s get your final comment on analyst. Let’s say, um, you know, whether, whether organizations are considering working with one, or maybe some of our listeners would like to become an analyst, You know, cor, we were talking pre-show Gartner, Mike, y’all got an Army, a very talented analyst there at Gartner, right? Um, what’s one last thought for anyone that may be considering those things, What’s one last thing that they should know or consider? Mike?

Mike Griswold (32:56):

So, I’m hoping that in, in just the short time we had today, that people are aware of the role because it, it, once, once I got in it, it was, it, it’s, it’s a great, it is a great role from the standpoint of dealing with lots of different types of, of questions, being able to, to help lots of different people. I mean, our, our Gartner analysts will have between 350 and 500 interactions with clients in the course of a year. And, and obviously not all of them are different, but they’re different enough, right? And, and the, and the impact that you can have in talking to someone in an hour. You, you just don’t get that, you know, in, in any other role that, that, that it’s different day to day. And, and the ability for, for most of, of, regardless of whether it’s garden or anyone else, the ability to do research, right?

Mike Griswold (33:54):

To be able to go into new areas, do research right about it, talk about it, present on it, Um, you know, I think for anyone that’s got, you know, five plus years of experience in industry, it’s definitely worth thinking about, you know, as, as a, as a job. You know, when I got into it at amr, I was convinced that it would be my next to last job, really, because of the people you meet, the connections you make as an analyst, the level at organizations that you get to talk to. So as an analyst, you’re talking to, you know, VPs, you know, now our analysts are talking to chief supply chain officers. Those connections you make, you know, can set you up for your next job. But as I got into the job, and as you know, we moved to Idaho and I wasn’t gonna move, um, it became clear that this could be my last job. And it, you know, unless either Powerball or, you know, something happens that I don’t see on the horizon with Gartner, this will be my last job. And it, it’s, it’s just the experiences, um, you know, are really hard to describe, but they’re really, really good.

Scott Luton (35:10):

Well, Mike, uh, regardless of what the crystal ball holds, as Karin eloquently said earlier, you have made a big impact. And I’ll tell you someone with all of your knowledge, to be as humble as you are and, and willing to engage, and just like you’re talking to, you know, um, you name anybody, uh, that is, I think that’s, that’s what’s moving industry forward, right? Because those folks that may not have all the experience, but have awesome ideas, they just ha don’t have years and years of experience, they’re willing to, to bring those to bear and, and talk about ’em versus being, you know, fearful that, uh, arrogance is gonna squash ’em. So, Mike, keep doing what you’re doing. Uh, Karin your last comment about, uh, analysts.

Karin Bursa (35:52):

So I, they, they play a very important role, um, and, and they deliver value on both sides of, of really their client base. Um, but, uh, I think my, my advice to solution providers is to think of it as an ongoing conversation. Don’t approach every interaction as a brain dump, where you’re gonna tell them everything they need to know about your company or your unique value proposition. Um, think of it as a long term strategic relationship, uh, because that’s where the real value proposition will come. Um, and they want exposure to your executive team as well. So this isn’t a media relations, um, relationship. This is a strategy relationship. And that strategy incorporates not just the technology you bring to the table, but your partner ecosystem, your customer success. Um, they wanna be able to, um, to understand that in the context of where they see the industry going. Um, so that’s, you know, when they’re asking questions and delving deeper, it’s not define the, the four things that are wrong with your business, it’s to help them put in some categories or expand how they’re thinking about, uh, the industry and the opportunity ahead as well.

Scott Luton (37:13):

Love that. Um, couple quick comments here at Yoko’s with us, uh, from Brazil. And he’s good with the advice you are given. I love that succinctness that blessed our folks. That could be succinct. I love that. Uh, Yako great to have you here. T squared, who holds down to Fort Force on YouTube. Now, get this now, LY had to look up what amorphous means. He says, be adaptive, but not amorphous. So morphous for folks that may have, Well, I’m not gonna throw shade where, where I went to school <laugh>, but, uh, it is without a clearly defined shape or form a morphous, that is a wonderful t-shirt ism. There. Ts squared, uh, ts squared. Great to have you. Um, and so then I want to circle back now that we’ve kind of had a great conversation on analyst. I really appreciate both of y’all’s perspective, been there, done that perspective on, um, the, the profession, how to engage them, how to lean in, uh, what makes a good one. It’s really a great holistic conversation. So, on a different note, we’ve mentioned on the front end, Jonathan, uh, as added a new credential, and, uh, he brings up this acronym, uh, Collaborative, Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment, C C P C P F R. Thank you. Yes. Little too much coffee this morning, I believe. But what are your thoughts, uh, here, I’m gonna pose this maybe to, uh, Karin’s start with you maybe, what are your thoughts on C P F R when it comes to integrating technology? Any thoughts there?

Karin Bursa (38:42):

Oh, please. We could do a whole session, Mike, couldn’t we on C pfr? Um, so it, it is, um, a framework that was developed more than 20 years ago at this point in time with the goal in the consumer goods and, and retail market space to accelerate visibility and supply chain performance. Um, I believe that we are seeing pockets of resurgence around c pfr, collaborative planning, forecasting, and replenishment. So think about that as what you do with your trading partner mm-hmm. <affirmative>, whether you are the supplier or you’re the customer in that network. And how do we replace risky inventory with valuable information. Um, so it’s, um, it’s worthwhile to dig into and look at how you can apply to your business. And by the way, technology is available to help with that and has been for decades now, but I think businesses are now maybe in a better position to really deploy the process of collaborative planning along with the technology of collaborative planning.

Scott Luton (39:48):

I love that. Uh, and, and, and so that’s not, you’re not hunting a technology. You’re identifying the, the business problem and finding the appropriate technology that can, that can fit that business problem, is part of what I heard you, you say there. Current, um, Mike pose the same question to you from our friend, Jonathan, your thoughts on C PFR with integrating technology?

Mike Griswold (40:09):

Yeah. This, this is, this is exactly how an inquiry would come across to an analyst, right? This, this would be the question. I agree with Karin completely on, on the point around the technology. It’s been the tech, the C PFR has not stalled or did not stall because of lack of technology. It’s stalled on the, on the process. And, and, and that side, I think, you know, if a client were to lo that question into me, I would tackle it from the standpoint of let’s not worry about what we call it. Let’s worry about what problem are we trying to solve? Uh, so with C pfr, are we trying to solve the, the, the collaborative forecasting piece? Are we trying to solve giving on the same page on the demand signal with C pfr? Are we trying to solve the inventory? Karin talked about risk inventory.

Mike Griswold (40:58):

Are we trying to solve the right inventory in the right location at the right time? So those are the, I mean, to me, what you don’t wanna have is, is C pfr running around an organization trying to find a problem? What you want is a problem that C PFR aligns with. And then, you know, again, Karin made an excellent point around, once you’ve identified those technology’s there to help us. But you know, you, you just, you can’t take, you can’t have the technology tail wagging the dog, or, or you, you just, you won’t get anything done. So what problem are we trying to solve? And then go from there.

Scott Luton (41:36):

Love that. Uh, um, my brain’s working overdrive to find the right baseball analogy there. I’ll have to circle back. It hasn’t arrived at one yet. Um, hey, really quick, Jason T. Hopkins, great to have you back. Uh, Jason says, Hey, Mike and Scott, uh, been a minute, Glad to see you’re still at it for the supply chain community. We are, uh, me and Mike and Karen and whole supply chain now team. And Jason, hope this fine. You, I think you’re in dc. You may still be in DC and he’s either a Bama fan or an Auburn fan. It’s really bad, Karin, I know, to get those intertangled. But Jason, let us know where your allegiance is are, Okay, So let’s, let’s do this. It is football season two, right? Um, let’s do this. Uh, I wanna talk about the next big project, Mike, that you’re working in garden. I know we only got you for, you know, a few more minutes here. What’s the next big thing?

Mike Griswold (42:26):

Uh, well, it’s, for me, it’s, it’s top 25. So the supply chain top 25 process will be kicking off, uh, for 2023. We’ll be kicking off, uh, in November, uh, with, you know, companies having the option to, to talk to us about their supply chains, you know, all the stuff we do behind the scenes, you know, that that’s the next, um, big thing for me. Um, my team is working on, you know, our, we’re we’re already thinking about sim Supply Chain Symposium for next year. So we’re in the process in the next couple of weeks of, of pulling our submissions together. Uh, first week in May in Orlando, first week in June in Barcelona, which is a, a new, well, not so much. We, we were there pre Covid, then we were in London. And Barcelo is gonna be our Europe home, uh, I think, uh, for the, for the foreseeable future. So top 25, as well as getting ready for sim for next year.

Scott Luton (43:28):

Outstanding. Uh, and speaking a list at Gartner. Um, we are looking forward, and we’ve been interviewing a bunch of the, the schools on the list of top supply chain mm-hmm. Yes. Institutions and universities. So that’s been a blast, including the top ranked Arkansas, uh, uh, University of Arkansas. That’s been a lot of fun. So stay tuned. So you might keep doing the great work. We, Hey, we love lists around here, I’ll tell you. Yes. Uh, Karin, he mentioned symposiums. So here’s a two part, two part, uh, uh, I wanna get you involved here. Um, first off, you touched on earlier what you admired about Mike’s approach, so if you could elaborate a little bit more on that. And then, I know you’ve been keeping tabs on just how successful the symposiums have been. Karin, please, uh, tell more.

Karin Bursa (44:14):

Yeah, yeah. So first of all, just, just kind of a word about Mike. I’ve known Mike and had the opportunity to work with him, Mike, for probably more than 15 years now, probably early in your days when you were with, um, with amr. Um, and what I love working with Mike about is when he is an expert, but he is humble and he is a lifelong learner. I mean, he can ask questions that, on the surface seem simple, but then he’s digging back and pulling back the layers and really getting to the crux of, you know, of, of what should be addressed and maybe when it should be addressed. So, um, it’s, it’s a real, um, privilege to have the opportunity to engage with Mike on a variety of topics. So, Mike, thanks so much for that. Thanks for staying curious, and thanks for sharing. So generously with us here on Supply team now, but also through the years, um, some of that hard earned expertise that you always bring to the table.

Mike Griswold (45:10):

Thank you for that. I, I appreciate it.

Karin Bursa (45:12):

Yeah. Yeah. And with regard to the symposium that Mike just mentioned, um, so this is billed as you know, the largest and most important gathering of chief supply chain officers and supply chain executives. And it’s actually two different, um, conferences, but they ca they, they cover the bulk of the same, um, research and trends from Gartner. And then there are some sessions that are unique, but Gartner does that so that they can actually share that information on both continents, both on North America and in Europe. Um, so it’s, it’s geographically more appealing for folks that are traveling. Um, but Mike, it’s my understanding that both the North American event and the European event that just happened last week, um, both of those were oversubscribed like attendance Wow. At the events, exceeded Gartner’s expectations. Is that correct?

Mike Griswold (46:09):

Um, it is. The, the North American event was our largest supply chain event that we’ve ever had. Uh, and then the same was true for London. And in fact, it, it, it, it was, it sold out. So, um, we, we had a, uh, and it was sold out, I think primarily cuz of the venue, uh, in terms of the space that it could hold. But it is, you know, it, it is the place to go. I mean, I think the other thing I’ll share is, um, for 20, So in 2023, we’ll have the two sims that we’ve been talking about, but we’re also gonna launch, um, two summits to, uh, two planning summits that are focused on people that live in the planning space. There. The one will be, uh, there’ll be an October and November. I may have them transposed, I think it’s, uh, October in Phoenix in November and London. So, you know, we, we target in the symposium chief Supply chain officers and their direct reports. These summits are really geared towards those direct reports. Uh, and we’re starting in planning. We, we did a very successful planning summit 2019 in Denver, which was our very first one. It was very, very well received. And then obviously we all know what happened after two 19, but we’re, uh, again in 2023, and we’re really excited about, about how they’re gonna do, do

Scott Luton (47:30):

Outstanding, lots of opportunities, uh, to plug in exchange, uh, market intel, best practices, uh, new technologies, new practices, I’ll call it. And, uh, connect with friends across global supply chain and more, um, right before you leave Mike, uh, a couple of comments here. So let’s celebrate. First off, uh, Jason is moving back from DC to Alabama. He’s a new father. Oh, congratulations. Congratulations, uh, to Jason from the whole team here. That is outstanding. And he’s also making fun. He’s, oh my gosh, it’s Alabama, and he talks about Alabama football looks great this year with all that touchdown supply chain, very effective, uh, touchdown supply chains there, and Bama. Now folks, y’all should know, Karin is an Auburn alum and big fan. Um, so Auburn hey, Auburn’s, on the way back for sure.

Karin Bursa (48:22):

Yeah, they’re on the way somewhere. I’m not sure quite where we’re headed this season,

Mike Griswold (48:26):

But so we, so we have a, we have a correct, uh, connection Karin, because the Auburn coach, uh, was the Boise State coach.

Karin Bursa (48:33):

Yeah, Brian.

Mike Griswold (48:34):

So hopefully, hopefully he’s, uh, I, I know there’s not often a lot of patience in Auburn, so there’s not, hopefully he can, he can get things where you want them to be.

Karin Bursa (48:44):

Yeah. Well, when you’re, when you’re down the road from Alabama, and Alabama has had decades of success. The, um, yeah, the, the timeline is very compressed, let’s put it that way. <laugh>. Yes, yes.

Scott Luton (48:59):

Uh, so Jonathan, who posed that question earlier, uh, says excellent advice, but he throws in there a go tiger. So he is a big lsu. So, hey, we opened a can of football and everyone’s ready,

Karin Bursa (49:10):

Jonathan, I thought we were gonna be friends. The last thing I needed for you and Jean to start gang up on me.

Scott Luton (49:16):

Oh, man. All right. So, uh, Mike, always a pleasure. Uh, I really enjoyed you and Karin both here today. I know we gotta let you go to the mike. How can folks connect with you and the whole Gartner team,

Mike Griswold (49:28):

Uh, LinkedIn and email? Uh, and in fact, email is probably more re I’m probably more responsive to email than the LinkedIn stuff. So Mike, do griswold@gardner.com. I’m happy to chat with folks around anything.

Scott Luton (49:41):

Wonderful. It’s just that easy. Well, big thanks Mike Griswold with Gartner. We’ll see you, uh, next month and about a, a month or so. All right.

Mike Griswold (49:49):

Sounds great. Take care. See, bye-Bye.

Karin Bursa (49:51):

Bye, Mike.

Scott Luton (49:55):

Hey, even the swoosh was able to catch up with Mike this time. How about that? <laugh>?

Karin Bursa (49:59):

That’s pretty good.

Scott Luton (50:01):

Um, Oh, <laugh> all by the way, Jean says that he wouldn’t do that to you. Karin uh, going back and forth talking football. So, uh,

Karin Bursa (50:09):

Thank you. Jean,

Scott Luton (50:11):

Uh, was a daughter that Jason had, and her name is Lyric. That is awesome. Jason, Congrats to the whole team here. Uh, I love that name as well. Um, okay, so Karin, uh, we covered a lot of ground here today, and I wish we had a couple more hours. Uh, you know, we’re nerding out and all things supply chain and then some, which is a good thing to do these days. Um, what is, if you had to, um, I talk TEKTOK in just a second, but if there’s one thing that folks forgot, everything else we shared over the last 49 minutes, what’s one thing they should keep on the radar front and center?

Karin Bursa (50:46):

One thing from our conversation today? Yeah,

Scott Luton (50:48):

Please.

Karin Bursa (50:49):

Um, it is just how can you tap into an industry analyst to either help you gain focus around your priorities, um, or engage with the right partners. And, um, and Mike didn’t say this, but they’re not gonna give you one partner. They’ll give you kinda a short list of folks that you may wanna consider working with that would be a good fit for you, your industry, the level of maturity that your business is in today. So they really try to, uh, kind of play that matchmaker, if you will, and give you some options. So you’re spending your time investing your resources wisely as you, uh, pursue the next innovation opportunity.

Scott Luton (51:31):

Yeah, Well said there. I really appreciate that. I mean, there’s some parallels between working with analysts and finding the right technology, make, make sure it’s a fit, right? Yeah. Uh, do the, uh, I wouldn’t call it speed dating, but, you know, do that due diligence on the front end and whether, you know, um, not being committed to a single analyst perhaps, or not being, certainly not being committed to a single technology, Make sure there’s a business case for regardless and plenty of options. Mm-hmm. Um, gr really have enjoyed our chat here today. What a great idea for a show. Um, I’m not sure. So, you know, this afternoon we’re recording episode 1000 for Supply Chain Now, and I don’t think in any of those shows we have touched on the, uh, important critical role of what analysts do. So, uh, I I’ve really enjoyed the last hour. Um, tell us though, shifting gears as we start to wind things down. Um, I think I’ve got a graphic here today. Today we published an episode of, uh, well wrong button, uh, which we published an episode of TEKTOK looking for a supply chain crystal ball, what you missed at the Gartner Supply Chain Symposium 2022 with I think some additional commentary from you. So tell us about this and what’s to come.

Karin Bursa (52:44):

Yeah, absolutely. First of all, Scott, congratulations on 1000 episodes to you and the entire team at Supply Chain. Now. What a milestone. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, that’s, that’s exciting. I, I didn’t realize that, uh, 1000 was,

Scott Luton (53:00):

Isn’t it crazy?

Karin Bursa (53:00):

Yeah, yeah.

Scott Luton (53:01):

It snuck up on us a little bit. I, I remember when we were talking about episode 300. Yeah. Uh, and then I think Amanda and I got together for episode 600 and it almost really surprised us. But it’s been a team effort, you know, the family around here, and, um, it’s something we all celebrate together, for sure.

Karin Bursa (53:18):

But yeah, I mean, that’s, that’s a lot of thought leadership right there. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> one s episodes. That’s, that’s impressive. Um, regarding this episode for TEKTOK first of all, I wanna invite all of our supply chain now community to, um, take a listen to TEKTOK if you haven’t tapped into it yet, and to subscribe. Uh, but this particular episode, I actually started it off with a perspective on the important role of industry analysts, and, um, really did that with the intent of introducing why events like those, the Gartner Supply Chain Symposium is, um, is so important for sharing ideas and engaging around the latest and greatest, um, research and trends in the marketplace so that we can, you know, transform our supply chain operations and deal with the volatility that we all continue to experience in the marketplace. So, um, you know, I, I kind of called that looking for a supply chain crystal ball. So a few ideas for you in there. Um, you know, uh, there, there’s no silver bullet for anybody who’s listening. Um, but there are lots of good, uh, lots of good insights I think that you’ll be able to take away from the episode.

Scott Luton (54:32):

Uh, uh, completely agree. And, you know, nothing’s easy, and if it’s easy, you better kick the tires on it cause it’s probably not worth it. Uh, I think everyone’s crystal balls are, are broken. Um, um, but, you know, with all of that, you know, I was talking this morning, I was telling you and a team about a couple of interviews we had earlier today, and, you know, still a lot the best, some, the best good news out there is all these challenges we’ve been through and the last two or three years, whether it’s blockchain or it’s life in general, you know, we have found, so we’ve had some very big powerful eureka lessons that is driving, uh, different approaches, different solutions, ways do business. And, you know, we all talk about that word at cliche resilience, but if anything powers true resilience, it’s how we apply these, uh, experiences, Uh, both the, the days when you’re on top of the mountain and the days when you’re down in the valleys, and how we’ve got overcome ’em, how we’re applying that and, and really as an industry, uh, working on becoming truly more anti-fragile and more resilient.

Scott Luton (55:34):

So, um, Grant, appreciate what you do there. I appreciate the, um, the ideas and inspiration, the information you put out on, on TEKTOK. So folks, you can find that wherever you get your, your podcast. Make sure you subscribed so you don’t miss an episode. Karin, we publish an episode every other Wednesday, right?

Karin Bursa (55:50):

That’s correct, yeah.

Scott Luton (55:52):

Okay. So mark, your calendar tie, tie string around your finger. That old practice still may work in <laugh> in some ways. Hey, thanks for all the, uh, the congrats, uh, on the comments. Uh, Dr. Rhonda says it’s okay to diversify those relationships and work with partners based upon the needs at hand. Great information. I agree. And better yet, we love being, making things convenient around here. We have dropped the link to today’s TEKTOK episode right there, and this is the easy play link. You click that and uh, you can listen to the full episode. It’s very easy. I love that. Um, alright, so Karin, how can folks connect with you and all the cool things you’re up to?

Karin Bursa (56:32):

Yeah, I would love it if you would connect with me on LinkedIn. Um, that is a great way, uh, and we’ll keep you out of my, my inbox, um, del huge that, uh, seems to fill up every day. Um, but I’d also welcome your comments on any of the sessions as well, any of the episodes. Um, it would be great just to hear your take on the topics, um, because you’re out there doing it every day as well. So I, I think we all learn from each other.

Scott Luton (57:01):

Agree. Definitely. That’s, that’s part, probably the best part of the whole journey as Jean Pledger says, Hey, thank you Scott and Karin makes my day to visit with friends, and hey, I’m with you, uh, Jean in the exchange of perspectives and intel is definitely the best part of the journey. Okay, well, big thanks to Karin Bursa, really enjoy these conversations with you.

Karin Bursa (57:21):

Thank you. Thanks for the opportunity.

Scott Luton (57:23):

You bet. Uh, big thanks. Everyone showed up. Uh, gosh, all the comments we could get to a lot of ’em we couldn’t get to. Uh, really appreciate that. The active listenership, of course, Mike Griswold home run guest each and every time. I love that he’ll be back with us the first Wednesday of November. Big thanks, our team. It, it, uh, it, it sounds cliche as is all good out, but it truly, truly takes a village to do anything of consequence, uh, here in the omni world that we live in. So with all that said, Hey Scott, Luton challenging all of our listeners. Hey, he’s all about deeds, not words, right? Taking action enough of the enough with lip service, challenging all to do good, to give forward, and to be the changes needed in. With that said, we’ll see next time, right back here on Sacha now. Thanks everybody.

Intro/Outro (58:07):

Thanks for being a part of our supply chain now, community. Check out all of our programming@supplychainnow.com and make sure you subscribe to Supply Chain now, anywhere you listen to podcasts. And follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. See you next time on Supply Chain Now.