“Back when Ford Motor Company first started, only a couple of cars would be assembled each day and they’d be assembled by hand with unique parts that were built to order by suppliers. That would change in 1908- Ford would introduce the Model T to the world.”
-Scott Luton, Host, This Week in Business History
In this episode of This Week in Business History, host Scott W. Luton sheds light on 3 historical milestones that enabled us to move faster. He’ll elaborate more on the Ford Motor Company, the UNIVAC, and the Switchback Railway. Learn more about each of these topics – – as well as what it means to lead an “uncrated life” – – in this episode.
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Pendulum Shifts in Logistics – From Click-and-Order to Brick-and-Mortar
The secret to mastering retail and e-commerce supply chains is through repeatable, scalable processes and solid partnerships. Join hosts Scott W. Luton and Kim Reuter as they dive deep into the intricacies of retail and e-commerce supply chains with experts Wes Arentson and Tony Thrasher from SPS Commerce. In this episode, you’ll learn why repeatable processes are key to success and how having a well-defined onboarding procedure can prevent you from reinventing the wheel. Wes and Tony will also provide actionable strategies for integrating orders into warehouse management systems (WMS), embracing flexibility in warehouses, and the decision-making process behind building or outsourcing your company’s tech stack. If you’re aiming for a strong foundation in your business operations and want to navigate the complexities of omnichannel retail and inventory management, then this episode is a must-listen.
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August 12, 2026
The Apparel P&L Has Broken: Tariffs Just Exposed What Was Already Failing
Most apparel companies don’t have a demand problem. They have a lead time problem. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, hosts Scott W. Luton and Scot Case welcome Maithili Shenoy, Founder and CEO of La Naia Collective, to the show for a frank, frameworks-forward look at why the global apparel operating model is cracking under its own weight and what it would actually take to rebuild it. From the Multifiber Agreement’s unraveling in 2005 to the speed at which TikTok now dictates what sells, Maithili draws a clear line between the world the industry was built for and the one it’s operating in today. She breaks down why long lead times convert forecast error into stranded inventory, how the markdown machine erodes billions in gross margin dollars annually, and why the financial damage runs deeper than most balance sheets reveal. Scot adds a sustainability lens that sharpens the conversation, connecting the landfills of Ghana’s Kantamanto Market to the same structural misalignments driving poor financial returns. The conversation builds into Maithili’s 4S architecture: Strategize, Segment, Structure, Sustain, and the regenerative loop that ties them together. Real-world examples ground every layer: Inditex running 57.8% gross margins with inventory costs half the…