Beyond the Mic: How to Maximize Your Supply Chain Podcast’s Reach and Impact

Podcasting has become a crowded — and noisy — field. It seems these days everyone has a mic — and a platform. 

The supply chain really entered the international spotlight during COVID-19, when goods piled up at ports during stay-at-home mandates. The rapid rise in e-commerce kept the focus on the supply chain as consumers demanded to be kept up to date on when all their stuff was going to be delivered.

Supply chain-focused podcasts emerged to shed light on shutdowns and disruptions as well as the advancements in moving goods from points A to B — and sometimes C, D, and E. But not all podcasts take a serious look at the supply chain. There was a rash of silly content when an Evergreen container ship got stuck in the Suez Canal, and whenever a critter steals an Uber Eats delivery, the doorbell camera footage airs everywhere. 

We love a funny squirrel video just as much as everyone else does, but to maximize your supply chain podcast’s reach and impact, you should treat your subject matter with the seriousness it deserves. At Supply Chain Now, we pride ourselves on giving the best and brightest in the industry a voice, enabling them to share their wisdom and best practices with audiences around the world. 

Experience Matters

Podcast listeners want to hear from people who have actual hands-on experience in the supply chain industry. 

Supply Chain Now founder and CEO Scott Luton has more than 20 years of experience in the end-to-end supply chain, and his industry insights have been featured in such prominent publications as The Wall Street Journal and USA Today and on CNN.

He is the host of the namesake Supply Chain Now podcast, which focuses on industry challenges to inspire action that leads to tangible improvements across the industry.

“We bring together experts, practitioners, and innovators to share their insights and solutions, fostering a collaborative environment where the best ideas can emerge and be shared widely,” Luton says. 

Tell It Like It Is

If anyone has the chops to educate the supply chain community in a straightforward manner, it’s Supply Chain Now host Marty Parker, a senior lecturer in supply chain and operations management at the University of Georgia; founder and CEO of Adæpt Advising; and a 30-year veteran of the supply chain industry C-suite (COO, CMO, and CSO).

“You must be curious and a continuous learner,” Parker says. “My friend Carl Lubbe at Curiosity Coach calls curiosity a superpower. I learned that early on and have always been constantly learning and working to continuously improve myself. If you don’t, you will lose personally and be left behind, and your company will also lose.” 

Be Prepared

Podcast hosts should do their homework and make sure the information they and their guests share is factual. Forecasting is fine, but be armed with some data to back up any prognosticating. 

Kevin L. Jackson, host of Supply Chain Now’s Digital Transformers podcast, knows data is king. Recognized as a Top 5G Influencer and a Top 50 Global Digital Transformation Thought Leader, Jackson has spent much of his career focusing on data security. He provides strategic consulting and integrated social media services to AT&T, Intel, Broadcom, and Ericsson, and has worked on digital transformation projects for NATO and the U.S. intelligence community.

Jackson’s advice can be applied to supply chain businesses of all sizes. On a recent podcast about digital innovation, he discussed what he called an outdated reliance on approved vendor lists and urged a dynamic approach to stay ahead. 

“Embracing change fuels innovation and competitive advantage,” he says. 

Stay Relevant

With so much wackiness in the world, it can be easy to get off track and talk about what’s trending on TikTok. But with supply chain podcasts, in particular, it’s important to stay on topic. Supply chain professionals have limited time in their day, and they want to hear about subjects important to their jobs.  

Although Tandreia Bellamy has retired as the vice president of industrial engineering for UPS Supply Chain Solutions, she is still very much in the thick of the industry and its current challenges.

Bellamy serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board for the College of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Central Florida, where she earned a master’s degree in industrial engineering and management systems after getting her bachelor’s degree at Stanford. She also has served on advisory boards for Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, and Tuskegee University. Bellamy’s accolades include being named Business Advisor of the Year by INROADS and a Technology All-Star at the Women of Color in STEM conference.

She also is an executive advisor for Leverage Supply Chain Group. Its founder, David Quintilio, said Bellamy “is the embodiment of what you want in a supply chain advisor — knowledgeable, collaborative, and possessing an incredibly deep understanding of industry challenges and opportunities.” 

Trust the No. 1 Voice of Supply Chain

When you want to know what’s going on — and what’s coming — in the supply chain industry, tune in to a Supply Chain Now podcast or webinar. There’s no need to go anywhere else. Since our founding in 2017, we have grown to become the voice of the supply chain industry. Check out our library packed with podcasts or listen now.