On this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott and Greg interview Tandreia Bellamy & Corinne Milien for our series on Generational Leadership.
[00:00:05] It’s time for Supply Chain Now Radio Broadcasting live from the Supply chain capital of the country, Atlanta, Georgia. Supply Chain Now Radio spotlights the best in all things supply chain the people, the technology, the best practices and the critical issues of the day. And now here are your hosts.
[00:00:29] Hey, good morning. Scott Luton here with you, Liveline Supply chain. Now welcome back to the show. So on this episode today, we’re continuing a mini series that we focus where we focus on multi-generational leadership best practices. And if this show is anything like the pre-show conversation, this is gonna be a very entertaining conversation. No pressure. That’s right. No pressure at all. So, you know, we’ve all read or experiencing some of the advantages as well, some the challenges related to generational transfer in the workplace. This series of discussions is really meant to share some of those experiences while also sharing some best practices for our listeners around how to more successfully navigate through the current landscape which is ever evolving. So one quick programing note for you. Get started and you can find supply chain now wherever you get your podcasts. Apple podcasts. Spotify, YouTube, you name. And I stole your line. That’s all right. We’d love to have you subscribe so you don’t miss a single thing. Okay. With no further ado, let’s welcome in my fearless co-host on today’s show. Greg White Serial Supply chain. Tech entrepreneur. Trusted Advisor. Undisputed Northwest Atlanta tennis champion of the world.
[00:01:35] Greg Eight.
[00:01:37] I’ll tell you, I’m doing great, honestly, but physically I don’t play four tennis matches in a weekend. I’m gonna say, yeah. Noted. I don’t care who you are. Don’t say you’re saying you’re moving around a little slower today. I’d like to believe that no matter what age or fitness level you are, you would be feeling a little pain after after playing and playing seven hours of tennis or whatever it was.
[00:02:00] But no one will dispute that. I would hope not. Right? Yes. Yeah. Yeah.
[00:02:05] So, Greg, we’ve got a great show lined up today. It’s well, welcome in our special guest for Today Show, one returning guest that we love having on show, tanbry Bellamy, V.P. of engineering with U.P.S. Global Freight Forwarding Tundra. How you doing?
[00:02:20] Doing great. Done great. Great to have you back. Great to be back.
[00:02:23] I think nearby got some physical activity and you’re like a 5K running champion and you’ve got another one and a champion.
[00:02:28] I just want to finish.
[00:02:29] I think I think except for maybe, you know, one, you had a little bit of interference in your last run, but except for that, you probably could be a champion. No.
[00:02:39] Hey, yeah, this is a bit that up front. Let people know. Don’t put me in this, champ.
[00:02:44] Yeah, that’s that’s settled. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Not only person noncompete what is myself. So it’s all good. I like it. I like it. But you get medals and stuff, right. Everybody wins a medal. Yes. Your body gives. We’re going to talk about all that later, too. Yes, we are. Everybody gets a medal.
[00:03:00] And that’s an important as I understand, 5Ks and I have run exactly zero of them. Medals are like one of the big attractions that folks build collections out of. Right.
[00:03:10] I don’t know. You have all different types of runners. You have the champions who only want to accept the medals if they place that whole you have placement medals, you have participation medals. And I absolutely go for the participate participation medals. I’m not a big t shirt person, but you get them at all the races. But yeah. Give me a medal and I’m happy.
[00:03:30] Apparently not a peak T-shirt person. She’s the only one wearing a jacket.
[00:03:34] Yes. Yes. This is as dressed up as Sheer and under. There you go.
[00:03:39] All right. So next up, also joining us here today on her first podcast with us, Liz. She has her own podcast. And she is no newcomer to production in the media and all things getting the message out right. Kareen million-, executive director of the winning Edge Leadership Academy. Crane, how you doing?
[00:03:58] I am fantastic.
[00:04:00] So we have had the privilege of rubbing elbows and getting a you better over the last couple of months. Yes. You have some fascinating initiatives that that I hope we can share more about with our audience. And great to have you here. I know that the leadership topics of leadership and mentoring and can give back are big parts of your DNA and especially with some products you’re part of. So, yes, you’re in the right chair today for the next hour.
[00:04:26] Good.
[00:04:26] And I took my shoes off to get comfortable. In the end, people tell you pain that can be left unsaid for 100 hours. This is the thing that gets the your viewers to come back. That’s right. Is that these are the viral moments. People that level don’t they don’t realize what we do. That’s why we’ve got this black tablecloth here. That’s right. It all blends in. All right.
[00:04:50] So let’s talk about let’s get you both better. The. Okay. Yeah. And Greg, I know it’s always great to have repeat guests back. All right.
[00:05:00] Well, it is because I’ve I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from tanneries histories. But there are people who have been deprived of it yet. So for those who haven’t seen it before and by the way, we should put a couple of previous episodes in the show notes. Absolutely. Get to know to Andrea. I mean, really get to know to Andrea that I think that’s important for a lot of people. But can you give us a little bit of you know, we have to go with the brief history in case there’s anybody who doesn’t know you. OK, so are three people.
[00:05:30] Yeah, as fair as that. I’m Andrea Bellamy and I have been with U.P.S. since nineteen eighty six, which is longer than many of your listeners have been born.
[00:05:40] And I will not tell you my birth. Yeah you can. Nineteen eighty six. So many of your listeners and even Michael. Yeah. So. Yeah.
[00:05:50] But it’s been a great run. I’ve enjoyed the organization tremendously. It’s changed a lot. I started out in small package. I actually started out unloading trailers when I was in college and decided to stay for a lot of reasons. They have a culture of continuous improvement. It’s called being constructively dissatisfied. And I had the opportunity to intern at a couple of the engineering firms that were wrought with nepotism and which is really difficult to compete against and also just cultures, because I had been in places where the defense industry, places where absolutely a attitude of if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. So once I got into U.P.S. and saw that, they just always wanted to be better. And it was great. You know, as a black female engineer, to be in an atmosphere that if you contributed and you got results, you were in and. And that has been what’s kept me around. Great organization had the opportunity to be in small package for twenty nine years. So all things to do what the brown trucks that deliver your Amazon and then from there moved and to our contract Logistics area, which was the first time I had been and our supply chain arm with our, you know, pick, pack and ship and went from area of U.P.S. where we are absolutely, positively standardization driven. We want it done the same way, using the methods, processes, procedures to area where it changed by customer, you know, based on auto profiles and type of inventory and everything else, whether it was gonna go out small pack, truck load on pallets, so completed different environment. And then now I’m in our global freight forward and on watch is like being with a different company. So it’s my great Rod. You know, 33, 34 years and I’ve never had the same job. More than three years. So it’s been like a series of different jobs.
[00:07:52] But all within one organization, inadvertently, you just answered a question that we are never to ask, which is how old are our guests? So.
[00:08:02] Oh, yeah.
[00:08:05] But hey, would you go back a little bit? I’d love to have folks here about your education a little bit. So can you share a little bit about that? Sure. It’s a fascinating and impressive.
[00:08:15] I I my undergraduate is from Stanford University and I was at Stanford hanging out. I had done two and a half years and my great grandmother got sick. My great grandma was my heart. Sun rose and set on grandma. No doubt about it. And she got sick. And I was in California. She was in Florida. And that was just not a good combination. So I actually came back home and was home about a year and a half and took some classes at UCSF, which was great at that time, had a moniker You can’t finish school, but I know.
[00:08:50] Yes, I had a university, a cardiac finishes. Yeah, absolutely. There you go. Love that. I’m going to have to take it back. I would absolutely love to steal that.
[00:08:59] But then I had opportunity to go back and finish up. You know, I had taken classes. All of the engineering classes were accepted. Went back out, finished UPS on. My undergraduate is from Stanford and then went back. They use the F and got my graduate degree. So both degrees are in Industrial engineering. Yeah. Didn’t do the Ivy MBA combo because I just really, really enjoyed Industrial engineering.
[00:09:22] Very cool. I just think I don’t know. I just think when you were from Orlando originally from Saint Petersburg. St Petersburg. Okay. Okay.
[00:09:30] Well, St. Pete Daryl, St. Pete, newly wed and nearly dead.
[00:09:35] So I don’t know. I’m gonna. You’re a rare bird. I’ll even take notes, all these these clichés and whatnot. And I am. That’s what I’m doing. Oh, yeah. Yeah.
[00:09:44] You have to give you license fees if we use them.
[00:09:48] Not at all. No. Okay. So you’ve got an upcoming phase in your life. Are you ready to share about that?
[00:09:54] Oh yes. I am very close to retiring and starting the next chapter of my life, which I’m. Not exactly sure which book that chapter is going to be in, but we’ll figure it out.
[00:10:03] Yeah. I can’t wait. Yeah. Personally, I can’t. I am waiting, but I can’t wait.
[00:10:08] So I’m going to just come out a rash. You all of that you should bring. Bring your son. No, no, no. He’s gotta go to school. He will be leaving.
[00:10:16] Why did you retire? I’m going to put you on my board. So just goes beyond that. Yeah. I can deal right now. I put it on. You see how I. Yeah. Now she can’t walk you back it into exist. I’m an.
[00:10:28] Yeah. Speak it into existence. I love that. All right. So let’s shift gears to Greene and tell us a little bit about what. Let’s go a little farther back. Yeah, but farther back. But in your personal history kind of elsewhere, you know where you’re from and you know how you know a little bit about your upbringing. Yeah, maybe some mentors or, you know, people who really shaped you and kind of bring us up to the present day Sheer.
[00:10:51] So I’m a product of two Haitian immigrants.
[00:10:54] And you were sorry, born Miami, lived in Orlando. So my mom went to ECF when it was like, you know, everybody just commuted and all these suddenly when I.
[00:11:04] Yes. Yes.
[00:11:06] And I had I came here to Atlanta, went to after high school, I graduated 17 at that. Oh, I’m going to get kicked out my first semester of college. So I’m going to military join the airforce. Spent two years in Germany and the base commander saw something in me. Maybe it was because I told his daughter she couldn’t be the captain of my basketball team, but he saw some leadership qualities in me that got him to recommend me for the Air Force Academy. So did the application was accepted in once the Air Force Academy and somehow kind of similar to you? My dad passed away, actually, and I realize that now is just my mom and I in the country and I didn’t want to be somewhere across the world or whatever. And that being able to get back to her. So I left the academy, came home and just kind of bummed it out. I thought I was gonna be a pilot. This is what I was going to do. I was going to be the Condoleezza Rice house pop poli sci major SME Condoleezza Rice. I was going to fly planes and do all these things. But I came home and had a lot of time to reflect on what I was doing. And one of my teammates from Air Force Academy, she got a job coaching basketball at Bemidji State University.
[00:12:25] Where is that?
[00:12:25] At Minnesota, the second coldest city in America. When I first North Dakota, Fargo. No, I not. Mignot is in mind, I think is my name.
[00:12:38] But don’t don’t be out here at me on Twitter. Okay. Oh, well, we will find out. Guarantee. OK.
[00:12:46] But so I went up to Bemidji State and he’s talking about a Haitian from Miami who from Atlanta is going to the second coldest sea in America. But it was that’s kind of been my whole journey is taking risk in doing stuff that, you know, people that look like me.
[00:13:04] I play golf since I was seven and I am Catholic. Like, there are a lot of things I’ve already kind of stuck out. So I was like, Sheer, let’s do this. Bemidji State. Best decision of my career really got a chance to understand a little bit more of what I was passionate about, which was sports. And I got at the opportunity with the D-2 school you get to where a lot of hats, you know, and coaching and you’re already.
[00:13:28] Oh, yeah. Rainin. Oh, yes.
[00:13:30] I was soon assistant for the women’s basketball team and then in the athletic department, creating programs, interviewing hockey players after games, doing all these things, never even knew hockey was a thing.
[00:13:42] And now I’m not big in Haiti. Yes, I am. Or neither of these things. And I think that threshers, when they were in Atlanta, was not a real thing like that. Yes.
[00:13:52] But I really embraced it. And I had the opportunity through just grinding out to meet some amazing women here in Atlanta. I worked a basketball tournament that introduced me to the University of Tennessee women’s basketball. And I had the opportunity to after graduating from Bemidji State to be the graduate, the last graduate assistant for past summer at the University of Tennessee.
[00:14:16] And so, yes, let’s look at some of our listeners that may not be involved or have even a toe in in collegiate basketball and women’s basketball. University, Tennessee is like a legendary. Yeah. Yukon, you’ve got u._t.
[00:14:34] Yes. Oh, Baylor in there. We’ll put Baylor in that Eric Newcomb. Yeah. But you know, Kim Mulkey. She’s she won the first national championship at LA Tech. So we gonna give that to her. You know, it’s. I’m a Clemson fan. Okay. I’m sorry. Graduate from University, South Carolina. Okay. Air Force sent me there. Yes.
[00:14:50] And in USC, I can’t marry their coach right now.
[00:14:52] Gates Staley. Yes. There’s no killin it. They won a national champion. Oh, yes. Yes.
[00:14:57] She just won our fifth SCC championship. Yesterday, and she’s the National Team USA basketball coach. So she’s kicking butt.
[00:15:05] Right. I should know that. I’m ashamed of it now. OK. I’ll tell you that. I’ll tell it. I didn’t know your name.
[00:15:12] So what? Incredible. Going back to your store. What an incredible opportunity to be a part of the U.T. basketball program. So from there.
[00:15:20] Yeah, from there. I did that two years and I thought I wanted to coach. If you want to coach, go learn from the best. So winningest coach still in college basketball. I did that. And after two years, I realized now I’m OK that one percent that we all strive for the coach k’s a pass Summitt’s that’s rarely will exist now. You know, they weren’t winning their first three years. When. When Coach K got to Duke, you know, they weren’t just blowing it out of the water. And now you could just get fired like that loyalty or you are chasing a check as well. So, you know, or a kid could tweet something at 2 o’clock in the morning and you lose your job. So I wasn’t about that life and I ended up going to ESPN and working in their events department for five years. And lot people don’t know at the time they operated 41 properties I think now is probably close to 50.
[00:16:12] But college football award show, basketball awards show 14 bowl games, which I don’t know if we really need any more bowl games.
[00:16:20] Absolutely. Let’s not go into that. Yes. Yes.
[00:16:24] And ten basketball tournament. So as a basketball junkie, I couldn’t have asked for anything better. I basically was a part of a team that did everything but playing coach in the game. So ticketing, promotions, sponsorship, acquisition, sponsorship, deliverable game. Logistics team Logistics literally ESPN at ESPN.
[00:16:45] The dominant worldwide worldwide leader in sport.
[00:16:48] And so that was pretty awesome. I manage the Champions Classic, which was Duke, Michigan State, Kansas, Kentucky for five years. So I was like, well, better. I’m a junkie and one of the supply chain up. Here’s a here’s a ping. I won a big Vince. I did was armed forces classic in Puerto Rico. And at that, we basically take the basketball tournament to different bases. And we went to equity at Puerto Rico and built our Asian entire basketball arena in a hangar which was operational.
[00:17:22] So we are building with planes. So you’re not only just in there, but they’re going out on missions and rescuing people from the sea. And we’re in there putting stadium lights in a basketball court. Seats, man. What are you doing? We need to park here. You know, like we’re we just rescued this man from the middle of the ocean here.
[00:17:43] So as a veteran and as an operations person, to like be a part of something like that was amazing.
[00:17:49] But that time also kind of showed me that I was the only one. And a lot of cases that looks like me in the room. And I. And I really wanted to kind of change that in my business partner. And the nonprofit The Winning Edge Leadership Academy, Maria Taylor, she’s now an NBA countdown and college game day.
[00:18:08] We decided to bring her platformer, my charm together to create.
[00:18:13] You like that? I like. She was gonna go right over that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Read the letter. Yes.
[00:18:19] To create not just a nonprofit, but a social movement to develop the next generation of diverse talent in sports entertainment. And so we’ve been doing that for five years. I can’t believe it. I left ESPN to do a full time is the thing that wakes me up and in the morning and I think that keeps me up at night. And most startups, you know, they tell us don’t last two years. And we’re going into our fifth year now and we’re excited.
[00:18:44] That’s a huge milestone. Yeah, five years by you and your milestone, too. Thanks. Press. Thank you.
[00:18:49] So this my mom doesn’t know anything about sport. She said nowhere in the Bible did I say Jesus played. He wept. He fed children. He did these things, but he didn’t spit it.
[00:18:59] Sport Center that the 12 unaccounted for years where he was playing. She was. Yes.
[00:19:06] So, yeah, the fact that now I left my daddy job solved from the military, which was steady to grad school to steady. So ESPN, which was steady till I. I’m just going to come home and do this nonprofit. My mom was like, okay, I love you. You’re my only child. But let’s let’s try to figure it out. But it’s something that I’m truly passionate about. And the lives that we have been able to influence over the years have have been tremendous. Excellent.
[00:19:31] Excellent. You. That’s why you got to be on the board. Obvious and excellent from Andrea. I know. I will take it. I’ll put that in three. Excellence is like ten from anybody else. But yeah, that is that’s fair. That’s high praise, sir. So much there we could dove into. Yes. However. So you’re gonna have to return. Yeah. All right. Okay. All right.
[00:19:51] A profile in leadership and a dove deep into law. Those experiences. Yes. Especially the platform you’re building in the WOB. There and and some of the gains all made in the last five years, too. But for today. So switching gears today, we have the afternoon. Greg and I have the opportunity to pick both of yours brain on something that I know that you are very passionate about and you do regularly. And so overarching is leadership. Right. But within that overarching umbrella is mentoring. And that mentoring is really going to be the main theme for today’s conversation.
[00:20:28] So I think I speak on mentoring.
[00:20:30] Yeah, exactly. And you leave product boxes, too? Yeah. Yeah.
[00:20:34] I think when we first met one of that, one of your initial projects that we were aware of is you’re bringing student athletes and kind of coaching them up on what they need as they move into the workforce. And that doesn’t do it justice. But yeah, mentoring college athletes rights is in my blood.
[00:20:53] I can’t stop. I believe Outstay is needed. Yes. Yes.
[00:20:57] So a lot of practical and successful experience on this topic that anybody in their brother wants to talk about. But here we’ve got two folks that do it and do it well and our listeners can benefit from that. So for starters, tendre, I want to pick your brain first. For starters, why is mentoring important?
[00:21:14] Mentoring is important because it allows you to have conversations, hopefully with people who have been there already, people who have navigated some of the waters, people who have made mistakes that you can learn from. So that you don’t make the same ones. And for the mentor is important because it really keeps you in touch with what’s going on, how your organization is being view, what people are seeing, what people are saying when you’re not around. So there’s really a lot to be learned and gained from for both a mentor and the mentee. Yes. Greene.
[00:21:50] Same question. Yeah. For me, honestly, I wouldn’t be anywhere in my journey if it weren’t for mentors. You know, I didn’t have a network. I didn’t have mom that pick up the phone and call a friend and say, Hey, my daughter is interested in sports. Can you help her get an internship? You know, I relied on someone who picked me up in a basketball tournament in Atlanta and saw potential in me and brought me into her network and started to introduce me. She’d more like through me and to her mentor network.
[00:22:19] She was like, that person, go talk to them and I’ll say, all right, I’m going to go talk to that person. Are you in the water? Yes. Learn how to swim.
[00:22:25] And so I especially in this industry, I didn’t have what she probably can attest to as well. A lot of my mentors, early mentors didn’t look like me. And so I relied on them to now introduce me to their network, but to kind of understand what industry I’m getting into. And I think it’s ironic, actually. Last night I was at a Georgia Tech women’s basketball season ticket holder, and I was last night was their last home game. And my basically my entire young mentoring core group are on staff this their first year on staff. So this is why hoarding them me showing up for them because they all showed up for me. But Holly Warlick, was she to be the Tennessee coach and who brought me into Tennessee was at the game and I got a chance to take a picture. And I didn’t realize that the number of mentors that I was able to catch up with last night by going to women’s basketball game.
[00:23:22] Very cool. So when, of course, they beat Florida State, who was ranked? We swept them. So they were fourth when we beat them, the first time in their 17th when we beat them last night and away. Booyah. And in Georgia this first year for the coaching staff. So this is exciting. Were, I think, voted to be the last place in a._c._c love. Yes. And we have been, I think, four ranked teams, nationally ranked teams this year. So I’m going to get maybe I get to see some woman’s best game.
[00:23:52] Oh, I’ve already got my final four tickets in New Orleans. I’m going to be there. We’ll catch you.
[00:23:57] Has already put my how many Final Four tickets do you have, Andrew? I’m not I’m not I’m not here.
[00:24:03] No, no. Oh, are you just Daryl a sponsor? I know it’s not through you. Oh, yeah.
[00:24:07] I have a good friend who organizes women to go. And I think she has 40 people, two suites.
[00:24:15] Nice. Absolutely. I’m straight. I can’t wait to see you. Me? Yes.
[00:24:21] Also, look at that small world, what you did. Oh, we can talk about small world when he said we.
[00:24:27] I mean, there’s been so many connections. I lived in Minnesota. My son wants to be a pilot. We could talk. Oh, all day now for the mentees.
[00:24:35] I want to make sure that something doesn’t go overlooked. You said my mentor said, go talk to this person.
[00:24:42] And you did what? You went and talk to that person? Yes. So as a mentee, if your mentor is guiding you to do something, do it. And never challenge. I’d never said why. I never asked why. Literally never. Wow. And don’t make excuses. No, I don’t know that person. Don’t know what to say, but that so-and-so and so you really want me to go talk to him. Mentor said goal. Which means in a way has already been paid. That’s right.
[00:25:08] That’s the thing that’s really key to understand is, you know, if if pandaria says go talk to somebody. She’s not sending you in there. ice-cold. Right. She has let him know that you’ll become entomb and. And for everyone who’s out there, your mentors are doing the same thing. And just mentioning that mentor’s name means something to that person, doesn’t it? Absolutely.
[00:25:27] You have to recognize and capitalize on that. Yeah, that’s that’s very important.
[00:25:32] All right. So that’s excellent foreshadowing because we’re gonna talk about more advice for mentors and mentees here in just a few moments before we get there. Let’s talk about I think mentorship is one of those words that went right when you say it. People make certain assumptions, right. So let’s define a couple of alternative types of mentorship that we’ve really seen garner some steam here in recent years. So first up, peer mentoring. So how would you career how would you address what peer mentoring is?
[00:26:05] I have two great peer mentors in my immediate circle, Maria Taylor. Obviously, she’s someone that very rarely do I make decisions that pertain to obviously to the winning games. But in my life and my career, that meant dropping her know and say, Hey, Lis, what do you think about this? Let’s talk about that. She Charlie, I mean, I probably would still be at ESPN if it weren’t for her peer mentoring. She challenged me and said, hey, I think we could you could do this, go out there. And some is one thing to have someone older than you or someone above you to say that, but it’s another for your colleague or your friend, someone who’s kind of in the same trenches. You to say no. I think I believe in you. I think you can do this. And another one is, will you from a college football playoff. He is someone that he is. He’s always dropping the nuggets, like go out and own your own thing. Do the. He’s saying the stuff that sometimes I don’t want to hear. That he has no problem telling me. And he’s the end peer or sometimes they just show up. You know, they’re in our generation. We do the texts, they just shoot your random text. And sometimes that’s more valuable, especially as I’ve been growing in this social entrepreneurship to have my peer mentors in my circle.
[00:27:20] Tender about peer mentoring is somebody that can really meet you where you are. You know, when you have your older mentors, you there are times when they are colorblind. Certain things that are happening, they’re tone deaf to certain things that are happening. They don’t understand what the world of social media is and how pervasive and how influential it is. So to have someone that is really, truly at your level in your space is is a different perspective as a perspective that really, truly is where you are.
[00:27:57] And like you said at it, it gives that a different type of validity. Yeah.
[00:28:04] And I think to kind of affirm that there are usually going through this same thing at the same time. And so it’s the advice me is a little more fresh like, you know, I went through this last year. Let’s talk about it because now it’s a Lu. What’s trending is still the same. And so for me, that’s always been valuable because a lot of times I’m going into something new I’m doing I’m going into a new space. And I don’t want somebody who did it five years ago because with the world now, what was hot last month is now of five years ago.
[00:28:37] Yeah. So five years ago.
[00:28:39] So to have someone who’s gotten through or is going through it at the same time, you know, we can bounce ideas off of each other and stuff.
[00:28:46] All right. So beyond traditional mentoring and beyond peer mentoring, another popular approach, we’ve seen a lot of different folks special the last couple of years really start to put resources into is reverse mentoring dangerous speak to that little bit.
[00:29:02] That is invaluable. I have to reverse mentees. Neither of them know that they’re actually my reverse mentees, which allows them to just be completely open and honest. They is very, very non-judgmental relationship. But I do get to view things through a completely different lens is different than a lens of my children, even though they’re kind of close in age to my kids because kids always have some ulterior motive in the back of their mind. I really can’t say that to mom. Right. But here and also my kids and I work at at at a job. So being able to talk to a young person and the organization gives me a completely different perspective.
[00:29:47] And as we talked about last time. Being able to talk to the millennials and what what else we come up with. genze genze in. Yeah. Yes, I’m doing that.
[00:29:59] I’m the one. What’s up? I’m not doing that with them. I’m not giving them names and zis and all these things.
[00:30:06] Well, you know, we’ve started the alphabet over.
[00:30:08] I don’t know if you know that, but we’re in Jenny Alpha.
[00:30:12] So we went to the Greek alphabet.
[00:30:13] Now but see something every every day. Yeah. But to hear why they want to participate, you know, we hear they’re lazy are there and get impatient and to hear, look, I want to ban the meeting so that I understand how my data is being used so that I can, you know, be able to give you different insights or different slices. Not I want to be in a meeting because I want to get promoted next week. So, again, being able to do that, reverse mentoring really gives me as a whole person a different perspective on how the job is, Panabaj.
[00:30:46] So before we get Karrine away in talk, tell us about it. So for folks, I’ve been there and done it that want to participate in reverse mentorship. How important is it to be able to kind of take that, those badges of honor? The experience had been there, done that kind of that heat present company, not included, but the ego aside and and really want to learn from these folks that don’t have the same degree of experience.
[00:31:11] I have to put their ego aside. They don’t need to bother. They’re just a wrong person to do it. So if you can’t go and stand that, I can absolutely, positively learn from this relationship, from anyone that you’re not going to get anything out of.
[00:31:25] And it’s I mean, so for our listeners, for our listeners, not for me. Andrea, define what reverse meant.
[00:31:33] Mentoring is in your is when you are entering into a relationship that you want to learn from actively with someone that is.
[00:31:44] Two generations more younger. So not sure. Not traditionally thought of as a potential mentor. Absolutely. Clay Phillips.
[00:31:52] No. Yeah, you’re right. Yeah. Yeah. We have our own we have our own reverse mentor here. Supply chain now. And it is it’s it’s amazing.
[00:32:01] You learn a ton. Greene. The good thing is you all met one of them last week. Yes. Yeah. Well you might be one.
[00:32:08] Yes. From what we shared in the pre-show. Yeah. I want him for us as well.
[00:32:12] So the good thing with our nonprofit, obviously we’re bringing in we call them game changers. So we’re bringing in game changers in every year to our program. And for me, that’s it. That’s a new opportunity for a reverse mentor. So I am. We brought on one of our former game changer or not former, but game changers to work. Are we a retreat this year? And I’m asking her so much about her experience to dictate how we make decisions moving forward. You know, is one thing we can send a survey out and say, hey, what did you think about this? Whatever. But to like hear from firms. One of our game changers who’s who’ve gone through it. And just like she just graduated and she’s trying to figure out her own life and all these things and the things that she’s struggling with. For me, it’s helping me become a better leader, a better and a better mentor, because thankfully, she’s very intelligent so she can take criticism and feedback, all those things. But at the same time, she’s challenging me and saying, have I thought about this? Do you? Why don’t you do that this way? And like I trust her beyond a lot of the other young people I deal with, because I know at the end of the day, she understands that she’s a reflection of me. And I think that’s important from any relationship. Absolutely. That if we are if we’re going into this relationship, we are talk like we probably stuck more than twice a day. You understand that it’s more it’s not just about you. And I think it’s good when you could find a reverse mentor who’s younger and they they put their ego aside and understand that it’s not just about them and how they look or how they are perceived in this room is about how this how does me and my mentor or my mentee in this room we’ll put ever, never employ as a reversed and mentor someone who’s ever said, okay.
[00:34:12] Boomer, I was going to give you that. I was going to say that earlier. I mean, that that is.
[00:34:18] I mean, you know, we do talk a lot about, you know, not not naming generation. Yes, I think so. That’s really refreshing to hear because, you know, it’s not about generations. I don’t know. I have had really high performers who were millennials. And it seems like we were piling on millennials the last 10 years. And genze and that that sort of thing. But I mean, look, I think it’s all it’s all about individuality, right? I mean, there are high, mid and low performers in every generation. Ryder, not Muhammad. Gen Xers. So. So, you know, my parents and grandparents thought we were gonna be the end of the world. So for I have a certain amount of empathy for the upcoming generations now and and the concerns that people have around it. And and we have to remember also, we raised these kids to be the way they are. Right. Right. Gen X is responsible for millennials.
[00:35:13] You’re welcome.
[00:35:15] You know, but I think unfortunately, after we all know the the grief that the industry and the workforce and previous generations have given, especially the millennial generation. Right. Almost every conversation. Right? Yeah, I know. The N-word is not should not be to your point. It is about the individual. An unfortunate. I think we’ve seen because of that of what has taken place over the last five, six years, whatever the right timeframe is, there’s been a pushback using phrases like that.
[00:35:48] And unfortunately, in the day, no one wins because it just creates an animosity and negativity. But I think we can all agree is yet to get past the generational assumptions and get out and have the conversation, right?
[00:36:02] Yes, absolutely. Yes.
[00:36:04] All right. So before we move forward and talk about best practices, regardless of the type of mentoring for mentors and mentees, and we’ve already can’t touch on some of those with Tangerine Greene here. Greg, weigh in. What what have you heard so far from these two adult leaders that you’d want to double down? All and a point to audience they do not miss. Make sure you heard this said what what would what sticks out to you?
[00:36:30] To me, that I mean, I think the reverse mentorship is not something that I’ve really been familiar with as a term. I love it. And I’ve never been actively engaged in it. But I realize that I have that. I mean, I’m. Thinking of names that other names that I’m not going to name right now, but I have had that relationship before and on that front I think that is an important word. Mentorship is a relationship into which both of you enter. Right. It’s it’s like a partnership, right? I mean, it really is. And and both parties have to be engaged and they have to. They both have to get and give something into that relationship. To me, that’s the number one thing. I was sitting here thinking. It’s one of the few that I didn’t write down. But that’s an important aspect of mentoring. Mentorship is to recognize it as a relationship.
[00:37:17] I will say on the reverse mentoring is that it helps me in my keeping up with the Joneses. Like if people just assume I know social media and I’m like, I will get on the phone and call one of my kids and say, OK, how do y if I want to block somebody on Instagram, but you don’t want them to know it?
[00:37:35] Yeah. Darn Skippy. Yeah. Or like just. Yeah.
[00:37:40] This is their life. Social media is their life. And as we are, everything is moving to that space. They can be we can use them as a tool and as a resource. And I think that’s overlooked. But I also challenge them to understand the business side of it or like it’s not just about how many likes you get, but what. What are the insights telling you about when we should posts and all that stuff? So I use them as a resource when I don’t understand social media.
[00:38:06] We discovered are our reverse mentor helped us discover Instagram as an actual business tool and people can sell something, evidently.
[00:38:15] Yes, you can sell directly from Instagram now.
[00:38:18] And you know, we don’t sell anything as such, but we engage a lot with people and and a lot of them want to be guests or sponsors or whatever.
[00:38:28] The DMZ real. And I did not I didn’t think of it that way at all. But Clay really introduced us to that. And I mean, it was a game changer. Maybe he’ll let us interview him. You were never 285 episode ever. I even tried to sneak an interview at the house.
[00:38:45] I mean, not he will not be on camera. Look, I’m pretty sure he’s in the witness protection program. All right. Sheer Clay Phillips is his actual Nasserite, right? All right. Let’s keep driving.
[00:38:55] Let’s talk about kind of kind of broadening back out. We think of mentoring best practices regardless of the approach we’ve identified. Peer mentoring, reverse mentoring. And of course, you’ve got to have the traditional mentoring and others out there. Let’s talk about the mentors first. So tandoor, what would be a couple of things, best practices, proven best practices that mentors should really think about to make it successful.
[00:39:19] Their relationship piece is huge. The honesty piece is huge. You know, yes, you’re representing your organization efforts and that space, but you do have to be honest with the person you’re mentoring and things that they can do inadvertently that can cause a negative reaction from their managers. Just really getting them to understand organizational realities, organizational norms, the organization’s culture, but being open to listen to the questions and don’t have preconceived notions about why the question has been asked. And if you have to ask again, ask them again. Well, can you explain more? What do you mean by that? But really, really taking the time to do it and being available is huge. One of my kids, you know, he’ll text me or a random thing. And, you know, I have no issue with that.
[00:40:25] I was talking to a friend of mine who was also in the our organization for 30 plus years. And I was explaining, you know, it. Yeah, this was so-and-so who you know, he’s been what organization is all about? What organization? Six months. And he has your phone number. Well, yeah, that’s kind of how you have to do this. And he would actually text you. Well, yeah. So when you talk about putting egos and levels aside, you really have to because if you’re going to approach it from the standpoint of three levels of management above you and how dare you that neither one of you are ever going to get anything out of it, it’s not gonna be a real relationship that that gives way to real conversation. Absolutely. Yeah. Our real vulnerability.
[00:41:14] I would I want to touch on your honesty piece, because I think the honesty goes back to kind of the availability like.
[00:41:23] And this is probably one of my best practices is a lot of people think the mentor, you have to build a school in Africa to make a difference or sign this two million dollar check. And it’s sometimes about your time. And but I think about being honest with your time. Don’t tell people that you’re available. And every time they hit you up, you don’t respond. Right. If you know that there is a certain time of day. Or it’s in sports entertainment, you know, things are seasonal, so if I work in football, don’t e-mail me or don’t hit me up during football season. It’s Saturday morning. Yeah. Like, you know, so I think it’s about the honesty and consistency and showing that you truly care because especially with the younger generation, they take things very literal and very too like personal. And if you don’t respond or read, this response is not quick enough. They think, oh my gosh, this person hates me. And it’s like setting those expectations, being honest, upfront and saying, hey, you know, I go to sleep at 7:30. If you text me at o’clock, you’re not going to get a response until tomorrow kind of stuff.
[00:42:26] And I think it’s about how do you go to sleep at 7:30? No way you do that. No way.
[00:42:32] I. Come on. I tend to go to sleep earlier than people think. But because I wake up, I go to a lake and I go paddleboarding are hiking. So I don’t want to miss out my whole day. But I think it’s just really important. And for me, I’ve always found like, don’t put that or don’t embrace that mentor title if you’re not really about that life. I think it’s just people like to say that all have moments, all these things. I’m changing lives every day, but every time somebody hits the web or whatever you are, you don’t respond.
[00:43:02] So a lot of these things do end up on honesty from a mentor or a stamp. Yes. Is when you see behaviors that need to be corrected. Correct. Kind of karma, right? Yes. Like why? Yes. Or if somebody comes in, says, hey, I’m thinking about doing. Such as? Such as such. You know, that’s going make their management team cringe. Tell them. Yes. And then tell them why. Yes. Because, you know, if you’re not going to be a really true sounding board again, don’t bother. Don’t bother.
[00:43:32] Don’t be mentor in name only. Absolutely. Yes. So one of the things that I do, aside from this, is advising companies and I see so many. It’s a similar type of relationship. I see so many people who’ve got really impressive names on their Web site and they never hear from that person ever. Right. And I think that in the engagement, the relationship has to be really, really deep to be truly valuable. Otherwise, you’re just exchanging logos, kind of.
[00:44:03] Yeah. Well, you know, that was the point. I think it’s so important for us to to put out there. Yes. Say no if you’re not to do it. Say no. Say no. Because the mentor or the mentee deserves better. Yeah. And so if you’re not to your point. If not do it. Tell them I cannot do that. I’m sorry. Yeah. Yeah. Go apologize. Just tell them you can’t do it. And you know, no one wants to hear. No. But I’d rather if you were me, I’d rather hear no. Then you know it be empty. Yes. Relationship.
[00:44:31] Ok. So before we move to the mentee, I think we’ve really tackled that mentor side pretty effectively. Anyone want to add anything else on the mentor side in terms of best practices?
[00:44:42] Kind of mentioned, Dan, about the No. Thing. Like, I think even as a mentor, it’s OK to tell your mentee. No. And I know like especially in the in our industry, people assume my mentor gets me jobs. Right. That is the that’s what they do. That’s what they do. And it’s like, no, you’re not ready. Email or I had a kid literally text me like 9:30 one night and say, hey, I’m applying to law school. Could you write me a letter of recommendation? And I said, no. And there and I told her why I was like this.
[00:45:14] That’s a hard no to say, isn’t it?
[00:45:17] This is tell me about this is why this is the first time I’ve ever heard you mentioned that you want to go to law school. And we’ve had Alicia for two years.
[00:45:25] It’s 10 days from the deadline. You didn’t just find out about this. I’m not out and didn’t go to law school. I’m not the best person to write this letter recommendation. I’m just a name because, you know, people think or whatever because. Yeah. Yeah. And name. So they think this is the best part. And so I think that was hard for her to hear. But it’s like I’m not gonna put myself to Russia. Like write a letter of recommendation that I’m not really confident. And because I don’t know your academic potential, I don’t know anything about law school. I don’t know any of these things. This the first time I’m hearing you say this. So I’m just writing a letter for you to send to somebody. So I think so ’cause. And that was hard for me before. Like a year ago. Probably be like Sherkin wrote this half assed letter just because she asked me. But it’s like now I’m trying to take out a lot of I’m trying to do energy waste. So I’m like, I’m not going to do something just to do something right.
[00:46:18] So I think it’s important to know that it’s really I mean, that’s really mature.
[00:46:24] I mean, not. Yeah. No. I mean, you’re a grown up and everything. Yeah. Thanks. Thanks. Really unbelievably mature. Yeah.
[00:46:30] I don’t think people, you know, that have been mentors for decades think that much about it. Yeah. I mean, a lot of times I don’t know what it would you say. I think some people would kind of cast that letter out there. All right.
[00:46:43] I would not have either anything.
[00:46:46] Excellent. Yes.
[00:46:48] And and it was because that first two things, you know, I’ve known you two years. You’ve never mentioned this. How invested can you possibly be? You don’t do law school on a whim. Don’t Lu. Yeah. And the second is, OK, you’re applying. You obviously don’t respect my time. If you’re going to ask me on this short notice. So now I would have I would have said no and I wouldn’t have had a problem. Suzanne. Oh, yeah.
[00:47:13] So we’re already kind of Segway to the minty and and things to do and don’t have does on the minty sounds really well they they fill in a perfect segue.
[00:47:23] Yes.
[00:47:24] Because you are both already speaking to what mentees should and shouldn’t do. Yeah. So tandoor let’s let’s keep going down that path. What what’s already been shared here is you know kind of from a mentee standpoint. B respect for the mentors time. Right. Don’t give them three hours to get something done. Be true to yourself. You know, if if they’ve never signaled interest all of a sudden on a whim, not taking anything away from some of the good things that happen. Froome spohn spontaneity.
[00:47:53] That’s a yes. Yes.
[00:47:55] But still, be deliberate, you know, kind of what I heard there. What else would you add for mentees? Things to do and not to do?
[00:48:04] Listen. You absolutely, positively listen. I had one of my other kids. It was not a reverse mentee, but young person. What organization? And he came in and said, I I’m thinking about applying for this. What do you think? And I was like, OK, you need to go and speak with this person first, because I really don’t think you meet the qualifications and go and do that first. Comes back the next day. OK, I went and I taught my management team. Did you do X? No. Why didn’t you do X? Because now you’ve gone out. You’ve indicated that you’re trying to move away from your group. Well, that you don’t even know if you meet the qualifications. So, listen, if you’re going to take my time and my time is valuable, I’m gonna give you a response. Listen. And then follow directions. So be respectful enough to listen and then actually do what’s been suggested because there is some wisdom that comes what the years that are in front of you.
[00:49:11] You got to be coachable. Yeah. Right. And I think it’s to the next level is listen and don’t be defensive. Don’t just say if I say something that you don’t like. It’s not it’s not a personal. I’m not trying to. Obviously, if I’m your mentor, I want you to succeed. It’s not that I’m not trying to say that you’re shit awful.
[00:49:28] You know, I can I guess on here. I did. That’s all right.
[00:49:32] But it’s is like you can’t. Don’t come to the conversation within mine. What you want me to say. And then when I don’t say that. Now you’re turned off in all these things. And I think another thing is toom is make it easy on me to be a mentor. I try to be very consistent. And so now my kids know, like on Thursdays and Sundays, I go to Georgia Tech women’s game. So now I have them say, hey, are you going to Georgia Tech game? Can I come with you? Perfect. Because that is the best time to catch me. I live in Cumming, Georgia. I’m not driving to Atlanta for a 15 minute coffee. But if you know, I’m going to be down in the city on Thursdays and Sunday’s or.
[00:50:11] Or Monday or what? Oh, Monday for a podcast.
[00:50:15] So I think is like, make it easy for your mentor. If you know, like if you know, they’re traveling and they’re gonna be in your city, make time for them or I one thing is. It’s not about you and your time as a mentee. If you hit me up to say, hey, are you available? And I tell you, these are the three times I’m available. Make yourself available these three times. Don’t say, oh, well, I can’t. Well, maybe we can’t meet. Right. And I think too often it’s like I’m you making me do too much work. I’m having to chase you around to see. When is that? You need to make it as easy each. I should just be able to show up somewhere and boom, we’re doing this and that because that helps. That makes everybody feel better because then I’m going to come to the table pissed off, because now you just didn’t do what you needed to do to make this easy for me. Right.
[00:51:04] I think you have to recognize that. I mean, people like Tanya are very, very busy. Very busy. You can’t even imagine when you’re a mentee. You can’t imagine how busy those people are. My oldest daughter went through college recruitment, athletic recruitment, and she would, you know, say, well, I haven’t heard back from this coach. And I’m like, assume that they are ten times more old, but they’re busy.
[00:51:29] Yeah. This time kids are so busy than you are.
[00:51:32] And I think that was a really good lesson for her, was to recognize I said, you know, let’s put this in perspective. This is somebody who deals with, you know, with administration. They’ve got 15 players on their roster. Our swim team, probably 40 to 100 swimmers on their team and all of these other things. I mean, you got to put it in perspective and that it’s difficult if you’ve never been there. I mean, it is really difficult as a mentee if you’ve never been there. It’s hard to see. The view up is much harder than the view down if you want to think about it that way. You can’t know what a CEO goes through, right? If you’ve never been a CEO. You can’t know what Andrea Bellamy goes through if you’ve never been to Andrew Bill.
[00:52:12] All right. So let’s let’s shift gears from mentors and mentees. Let’s go back even broader pros and cons of mentoring. So so Tandja start out whether you start at the pros and cons and or, you know, as we talked about pre-show, it doesn’t have to be a perfect pro or perfect con, but things you need to know if you’re going to be a mentor, man or mentee.
[00:52:36] From a mentor standpoint, cons are people looking to build a relationship so that they can namedrop.
[00:52:46] Well, I was at lunch with that like I just did just to drop their name like five times in this year. Allow a few, allow you get one, pass more as a as a mentor.
[00:52:58] Being careful of how that relationship could be used as a mentor. If someone approaches you and says, hey, I would really like for you to be my mentor.
[00:53:11] Interviewer I mean, sit down and talk to them, really try and find out what their motivations are. If somebody is trying to latch on thinking that if I do this, I’m going to get X. That’s probably not the best thing. After coming in and they are really looking to grow. Looking to learn more. Looking to help their professional presence. Looking any of those things that really make it about self-development versus I just want you to do something for me. You’d really need to be aware as a favor. Absolutely. It’s not mentoring. No. Yeah. Yes. Yes. All right. Yeah. I think for me, it’s the.
[00:53:54] Mentoring takes time. It takes our money or day takes time away from whatever you like to do so. And I’m young in the game by by any stretch of the means. But I think because of the position I’m in and kind of what we do, I attract a lot of people who want me to be their mentor. And I can’t say I can’t. I mean, I have my own life. You know, I do things and I can’t say yes to everyone. And I think that’s OK. And I think what I’ve started to do is, especially within our companies, we build a network. So, no, I cannot mentor you. But let me talk to some people. Let me see. And let’s see if there is a fit out there for you. But what I don’t do is I don’t say, well, no, I can be a mentor, but I lost my will be your mentor. I don’t do that because that’s unfair to the mentor. But I say, all right, let me see. Let me talk to some people and have that mentor have the opportunity to interview them. And I think it’s just a big con is just like the name only. I think that’s the biggest thing is like, don’t go into it. This is something you want to put on your resumé and say, I’ve mentor to 100 kids because did you really mentor your kids? I don’t think Oprah has even my thought 100 kids. She has a whole school. So I think is this important to understand that it’s not about what that person. I try to tell my mentees. It’s not about what I can do for you, but what you can do for me. And a lot of the my mentors, I came to the table and asked what I could do for them. And it could have been building a Web site, helping them with their social media, taking pictures for them if they’re at an event, doing the small things that put myself in the circle or put myself in their space. It was never about what I what they could do for me.
[00:55:42] Well put. Greg.
[00:55:44] Pros and cons of mentoring what comes to mind.
[00:55:51] You know the con for me. You know, Pfizer mentorship is is probably the most difficult thing is those that are uncoachable or difficult to coach. I mean, that that to me is a it’s a complete waste of time to have to endure that. And I think a mentor should be very conscious of that and not endure it. Right. It might be that you don’t have credibility as a mentor with that person. It might be that they’re just uncoachable. It might be that they’re looking for a mentor in name only.
[00:56:21] But the truth is for the mentor, they should not they shouldn’t worry. They should need worry about it. Right. Just end it. I think that’s a potential con. Man but pro from Pros. standpoint, I can tell you, you can learn so much about the gifts of people, about their world view, about where they’re going in life on the planet.
[00:56:49] You know, whatever. To me that’s one of the biggest pros is I’ve met some amazingly talented people and I’ve been able to share in that and learn from them. You know, maybe not as much as as I’ve shared with them, but learned a lot from them. And open your eyes to new things, intergenerational understanding and things like that. People honestly, I as I’m thinking through this, I’m thinking through people that I would now consider reverse mentors or peer mentors like this cat or. And, you know, my job was supposed to be to mentor him. And I think I’ve literally learned more from Scott than he’s he’s probably learned from me. But but I think, you know, that recognition is so powerful. And it is it’s clearly you know, it’s clearly energizing for you to Ryder you wouldn’t do it. And I think you have a really good. I’m sorry, we’re just next year. But I think you all have a really good perspective on it, really well-thought out. And and in order to be successful as a mentor or mentee, you have to take a step back and and think about it from a very, very mature and objective perspective. And to deliberate to be.
[00:58:00] Yes, I want to. Intentional. I didn’t get to my favorite work. Yeah. Mine too.
[00:58:05] I didn’t get to talk too much about pros. I think the best thing about it is like witnessing someone’s journey. Absolutely. That’s like the best part. And like when I see I mean, I’ve been in athletics for a long time, so I’ve like recruited kids when they’re in seventh grade and now they’re like playing professionally overseas and like seeing that growth. They’re having babies now and all these things and like being able to be a part of that. And what I get to see now is like they spoiled me, like they gave me tickets to see them play or like, hey, I got an extra gear, you know, like. So now they’re kind of paying their forward. And that’s you know, that’s selfish.
[00:58:42] But I’ll take it because it’s I think that’s selfish at all. Like, oh man, I am freezing I think. Yeah.
[00:58:48] Actually I think the way that you stated that is really important. The way that you stated that is you get to be part of their journey. You didn’t say I get to say I was part of that journey or I get to say that I helped shape that person. Right. And I think if you really approach mentorship in a genuine way. Yeah. You don’t even think about the fact that you shaped that person. You’re just happy to have been a any part of it.
[00:59:14] Yeah. Right. Yes. You see the same thing in business. You know, you don’t see them go from you know, you you had a highs year at college. But I mean, watching the maturity of watching the growth and watching the approach and watching the confidence. Yeah. That you help people get. Yes. Then once they get those promotions, you know. Yeah. Yeah, I did it. Yeah.
[00:59:37] So two two questions that we start to wane down and wrap up the interview here. The first question I’ve got for each of y’all. I saw a great church song over the weekend and I love one of my small simple pleasures in life is a very creative society.
[00:59:53] Yeah, the south is good. It is good for that. Yes. No doubt. Sold out over the weekend.
[00:59:59] I saw a church sign that said this too shall pass. It may pass like a kidney stone, but pass it will.
[01:00:07] Yes, it is. Yes.
[01:00:08] So question for you all. Is there, you know, for the mentees, some may be entreprenuer, some may be starting their journey with with big global companies, some regardless what the menses are. You know, we all they all experience the highs and lows. Is there is there a right or wrong time, especially when someone’s going through something that they that they might be struggling with? Zero, right or wrong time for mentorship.
[01:00:35] If they’re not open, then it’s the wrong guy. If they’re open, it doesn’t matter what season of life it is because you can help them through what, if ever, season of life. It is. But EFT who really just looking for somebody to validate what they’re already doing versus being really open to listening to help look grow. This is not a long time.
[01:00:57] Yeah, ditto. I think best the best thing and I can speak from experience because as an entrepreneur we do hit lows and valleys and mountain tops. Since I was definitely someone I struggled with, that I struggled with reaching out to my mentors when I was in my low point speak. And sometimes like I have very harshman tours. And I welcome that any other day. But sometimes when you’re really if you’re really down, you know, you can’t handle that. And that didn’t want to waste their time by saying, you know, having a conversation and hearing what they’re saying, but not really listening. And so I do think they are good in bad times.
[01:01:43] And Greg have nothing to ask for the first time in two hundred eighty five episodes. We’ve heard that from the one and only Greg White. I knew you would pick up on that. All right.
[01:01:56] So what I want to make sure is our listeners can can reach out. Connect. Yes. So tangerine and cream. So, Tanjil, to start with you, what’s the best way if folks look, I know you do a lot of keynoting, but you also have got several full plates, U.P.S. and see a leadership role. You do a lot of mentoring, a lot of a lot of give back. And, of course, your 5ks and a you basketball.
[01:02:18] That’s right. We’re done that. So congratulations. Yes, I know all about that. Lives. You know, that sigh of relief is so real.
[01:02:27] So if folks aren’t able to catch y’all almost circuits, where else? How can we can win?
[01:02:32] Best way for me as a link. I’m really out of unlink then. And so yes, that’s the best way.
[01:02:37] Perfect. tandoor Bellamy own Linked-In and Karrine about you.
[01:02:41] I’m on the Graham and Twitter at Fantastique underscore co fantastico. And I’m getting better at being active on Linked-In. I get a lot of B2B stuff, so I try to stay away. But I think I’m pretty reachable. I try to make myself available in social media more because our audience is younger and they. That’s typically how they communicate. We can definitely find that fantastique underscore.
[01:03:10] Co wrote about the winning edge leader CBS.
[01:03:13] What? Yes, they can go to winning edge leads dot. And then on social media, the wee w.e leadership on all platforms and we’re all Linked-In as well. But before we go, there is one thing about the mentors that I wanted to kind of touch on what they can do. Sometimes bring them into your circle, like a lot of times I get tickets to events or I go to things and I’m like, it’s so me go by myself or gone with some appear. I bring a kid I went to like the Braves. They had their chop fest gala and I easily could have brought somebody who will look good on my arm. But instead I brought a kid.
[01:03:57] She came as she gets a network and she got to be in that space thing, getting them used to being around people like that, because if you wait until they are in the organization, it’s going to be a little late. So bring them in to the things that she do and like it could be social thing. Does it always have to be super business or super professional? It could be social. Like I invite a lot of times I’m going to have a meeting with someone and I know they are also going to be open to it. I invite my kids to come to the meeting and just be a fly on the wall in the meeting. So I just I wrote it down and wrote notes.
[01:04:28] Perfect. Appreciate you sharing that and Greg White conversation. We’ve had the kind of what we may back did, right? Perfect. Yeah. Well, I mean really off I find these kind of conversations are perfect. You know, they’re very genuine. They’re very practical. I think folks, regardless where you are in your journey, you’re going that you’re going to take several is very energizing. We’re going to take several nuggets away from this experience that was shared here. Yes. Expertise. So, yeah, yeah, I agree. This is a to me and just just my little neck and woods, a perfect podcast conversation. So I appreciate you. Oh, yeah, I take that to heart. Yeah.
[01:05:03] Before we start, wrap up, any final words on your and Greg, only final word I have as I’m working with a company that’s in your industry. I would love to run their concept by you. Yeah, I think it’s really exceptional. So maybe we can talk.
[01:05:15] Yeah. Yeah. Perfect. Great.
[01:05:18] All right. And I got a board members. Yeah, that’s right. Right after she retires. Because I know that’s real, so. That’s right.
[01:05:23] Make it right. All right. I got to tell you, she’s doing that. I love that. Thank you for having me, by the way.
[01:05:30] That’s was amazing. I really appreciate adding my voice to this conversation. First of many. Yes. Yes. We’ll take it.
[01:05:38] All right. So real quick for wrap up with Tangerine and Kareen. Greg, to our audience, they got check out our events and our webinars tab. We’ve got a variety of in-person and virtual events. Yeah. And place with partners around the world from E.M.T. reuters’ Events. Automotive Industry Action Group. George Logistics Summit. Rasyid’s 360 Mode X Atlanta Southwire. Don’t know what you’re. Yes, right. Last Pleshette awards. You name it. Events webinar tabs et Supply Chain Now Radio dot com to learn more. Or they can check. They can send a note to our CMO Amanda at Supply Chain Now Radio dot com or hit up Greg on Twitter. And it was that was the key phrase that really get your attention.
[01:06:18] Chiefs, Kansas City. Oh yeah. I saw a life long the world champs. Yep. Finally, finally again. Twice in my life. Twice so far as awesome.
[01:06:32] Big thanks to our guests here today. Once again, Tandja Bellamy with U.P.S. Global Freight Forwarding and Karrine Million Exacty Direktor with the winning Edge Leadership Academy had a really enjoyed the conversation. They really appreciate ls Tom to our audience. Be sure to check out other upcoming events. It replays our interviews, other resources at Supply Chain Now Radio dot com fondest and subscribe where you get your podcast from, including YouTube on behalf of Greg White and the entire team here. Scott Luton. Wish you a wonderful week ahead and we’ll see you next time on supply chain. now.
Currently the Executive Director of The Winning Edge, Corinne Milien is a veteran, former coach, and adjunct professor who has experienced the benefits of mentors and a network of influence. Working as a graduate assistant for Pat Summitt and Tennessee women’s basketball team, this product of Haitian immigrants saw first hand how people can influence the journey of student-athletes beyond the game.
Tandreia Bellamy retired as the Vice President of Industrial Engineering for UPS Supply Chain Solutions which included the Global Logistics, Global Freight Forwarding and UPS Freight business units. She was responsible for operations strategy and planning, asset management, forecasting, and technology tool development to optimize sustainable efficiency while driving world class service. Tandreia held similar positions at the business unit level for Global Logistics and Global Freight forwarding. As the leader of the Global Logistics engineering function, she directed all industrial engineering activies related to distribution, service parts logistics (post-sales support), and mail innovations (low cost, light weight shipping partnership with the USPS). Between these roles Tandreia helped to establish the Advanced Technology Group which was formed to research and develop cutting edge solutions focused on reducing reliance on manual labor. Tandreia began her career in 1986 as a part-time hourly manual package handling employee. She spent the great majority of her career in the small package business unit which is responsible for the pick-up, sort, transport and delivery of packages domestically. She held various positions in Industrial Engineering, Marketing, Inside and On-road operations in Central Florida before transferring to Atlanta for a position in Corporate Product Development and Corporate Industrial Engineering. Tandreia later held IE leadership roles in Nebraska, Minnesota and Chicago. In her final role in small package she was an IE VP responsible for all aspects of IE, technology support and quality for the 25 states on the western half of the country. Tandreia is currently a Director for the University of Central Florida (UCF) Foundation Board and also serves on their Dean’s Advisory Board for the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Previously Tandreia served on the Executive Advisory Board for Virginia Tech’s IE Department and the Association for Supply Chain Management. She served on the Board of Trustees for ChildServ (a Chicago child and family services non-profit) and also served on the Texas A&M and Tuskegee Engineering Advisory Boards. In 2006 she was named Business Advisor of the Year by INROADS, in 2009 she was recognized as a Technology All-Star at the Women of Color in STEM conference and in 2019 she honored as a UCF Distinguished Aluma by the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems. Tandreia holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University and a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Systems from UCF. Her greatest accomplishment, however, is being the proud mother of two college students, Ruby (24) and Anthony (22). Connect with Tandreia on LinkedIn.
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Host, Logistics with Purpose
Kristi Porter is VP of Sales and Marketing at Vector Global Logistics, a company that is changing the world through supply chain. In her role, she oversees all marketing efforts and supports the sales team in doing what they do best. In addition to this role, she is the Chief Do-Gooder at Signify, which assists nonprofits and social impact companies through copywriting and marketing strategy consulting. She has almost 20 years of professional experience, and loves every opportunity to help people do more good.
Host
From humble beginnings working the import docks, representing Fortune 500 giants, Ford, Michelin Tire, and Black & Decker; to Amazon technology patent holder and Nordstrom Change Leader, Kimberly Reuter has designed, implemented, and optimized best-in-class, highly scalable global logistics and retail operations all over the world. Kimberly’s ability to set strategic vision supported by bomb-proof processes, built on decades of hands-on experience, has elevated her to legendary status. Sought after by her peers and executives for her intellectual capital and keen insights, Kimberly is a thought leader in the retail logistics industry.
Host, Supply Chain Now en Espanol
Sofia Rivas Herrera is a Mexican Industrial Engineer from Tecnologico de Monterrey class 2019. Upon graduation, she earned a scholarship to study MIT’s Graduate Certificate in Logistics and Supply Chain Management and graduated as one of the Top 3 performers of her class in 2020. She also has a multicultural background due to her international academic experiences at Singapore Management University and Kühne Logistics University in Hamburg. Sofia self-identifies as a Supply Chain enthusiast & ambassador sharing her passion for the field in her daily life.
Host, Supply Chain Now en Espanol
Demo Perez started his career in 1997 in the industry by chance when a relative asked him for help for two just weeks putting together an operation for FedEx Express at the Colon Free Zone, an area where he was never been but accepted the challenge. Worked in all roles possible from a truck driver to currier to a sales representative, helped the brand introduction, market share growth and recognition in the Colon Free Zone, at the end of 1999 had the chance to meet and have a chat with Fred Smith ( FedEx CEO), joined another company in 2018 who took over the FedEx operations as Operations and sales manager, in 2004 accepted the challenge from his company to leave the FedEx operations and business to take over the operation and business of DHL Express, his major competitor and rival so couldn’t say no, by changing completely its operation model in the Free Zone. In 2005 started his first entrepreneurial journey by quitting his job and joining two friends to start a Freight Forwarding company. After 8 months was recruited back by his company LSP with the General Manager role with the challenge of growing the company and make it fully capable warehousing 3PL. By 2009 joined CSCMP and WERC and started his journey of learning and growing his international network and high-level learning. In 2012 for the first time joined a local association ( the Panama Maritime Chamber) and worked in the country’s first Logistics Strategy plan, joined and lead other associations ending as president of the Panama Logistics Council in 2017. By finishing his professional mission at LSP with a company that was 8 times the size it was when accepted the role as GM with so many jobs generated and several young professionals coached, having great financial results, took the decision to move forward and start his own business from scratch by the end of 2019. with a friend and colleague co-founded IPL Group a company that started as a boutique 3PL and now is gearing up for the post-Covid era by moving to the big leagues.
Host, Supply Chain Now
The founder of Logistics Executive Group, Kim Winter delivers 40 years of executive leadership experience spanning Executive Search & Recruitment, Leadership Development, Executive Coaching, Corporate Advisory, Motivational Speaking, Trade Facilitation and across the Supply Chain, Logistics, 3PL, E-commerce, Life Science, Cold Chain, FMCG, Retail, Maritime, Defence, Aviation, Resources, and Industrial sectors. Operating from the company’s global offices, he is a regular contributor of thought leadership to industry and media, is a professional Master of Ceremonies, and is frequently invited to chair international events.
He is a Board member of over a dozen companies throughout APAC, India, and the Middle East, a New Zealand citizen, he holds formal resident status in Australia and the UAE, and is the Australia & New Zealand representative for the UAE Government-owned Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA), the Middle East’s largest Economic Free Zone.
A triathlete and ex-professional rugby player, Kim is a qualified (IECL Sydney) executive coach and the Founder / Chairman of the successful not for profit humanitarian organization, Oasis Africa (www. oasisafrica.org.au), which has provided freedom from poverty through education to over 8000 mainly orphaned children in East Africa’s slums. Kim holds an MBA and BA from Massey & Victoria Universities (NZ).
Host, Logistics with Purpose
Adrian Purtill serves as Business Development Manager at Vector Global Logistics, where he consults with importers and exporters in various industries to match their specific shipping requirements with the most effective supply chain solutions. Vector Global Logistics is an asset-free, multi-modal logistics company that provides exceptional sea freight, air freight, truck, rail, general logistic services and consulting for our clients. Our highly trained and professional team is committed to providing creative and effective solutions, always exceeding our customer’s expectations and fostering long-term relationships. With more than 20+ years of experience in both strategy consulting and logistics, Vector Global Logistics is your best choice to proactively minimize costs while having an exceptional service level.
Host, Logistics with Purpose
Kevin Brown is the Director of Business Development for Vector Global Logistics. He has a dedicated interest in Major Account Management, Enterprise Sales, and Corporate Leadership. He offers 25 years of exceptional experience and superior performance in the sales of Logistics, Supply Chain, and Transportation Management. Kevin is a dynamic, high-impact, sales executive and corporate leader who has consistently exceeded corporate goals. He effectively coordinates multiple resources to solution sell large complex opportunities while focusing on corporate level contacts across the enterprise. His specialties include targeting and securing key accounts by analyzing customer’s current business processes and developing solutions to meet their corporate goals. Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn.
Host, Logistics with Purpose
Jose Manuel Irarrazaval es parte del equipo de Vector Global Logistics Chile. José Manuel es un gerente experimentado con experiencia en finanzas corporativas, fusiones y adquisiciones, financiamiento y reestructuración, inversión directa y financiera, tanto en Chile como en el exterior. José Manuel tiene su MBA de la Universidad de Pennsylvania- The Wharton School. Conéctese con Jose Manuel en LinkedIn.
Host, Logistics with Purpose
Nick Roemer has had a very diverse and extensive career within design and sales over the last 15 years stretching from China, Dubai, Germany, Holland, UK, and the USA. In the last 5 years, Nick has developed a hawk's eye for sustainable tech and the human-centric marketing and sales procedures that come with it. With his far-reaching and strong network within the logistics industry, Nick has been able to open new avenues and routes to market within major industries in the USA and the UAE. Nick lives by the ethos, “Give more than you take." His professional mission is to make the logistics industry leaner, cleaner and greener.
Host
Allison Krache Giddens has been with Win-Tech, a veteran-owned small business and aerospace precision machine shop, for 15 years, recently buying the company from her mentor and Win-Tech’s Founder, Dennis Winslow. She and her business partner, John Hudson now serve as Co-Presidents, leading the 33-year old company through the pandemic.
She holds undergraduate degrees in psychology and criminal justice from the University of Georgia, a Masters in Conflict Management from Kennesaw State University, a Masters in Manufacturing from Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Certificate of Finance from the University of Georgia. She also holds certificates in Google Analytics, event planning, and Cybersecurity Risk Management from Harvard online. Allison founded the Georgia Chapter of Women in Manufacturing and currently serves as Treasurer. She serves on the Chattahoochee Technical College Foundation Board as its Secretary, the liveSAFE Resources Board of Directors as Resource Development Co-Chair, and on the Leadership Cobb Alumni Association Board as Membership Chair and is also a member of Cobb Executive Women. She is on the Board for the Cobb Chamber of Commerce’s Northwest Area Councils. Allison runs The Dave Krache Foundation, a non-profit that helps pay sports fees for local kids in need.
Host
Billy Taylor is a Proven Business Excellence Practitioner and Leadership Guru with over 25 years leading operations for a Fortune 500 company, Goodyear. He is also the CEO of LinkedXL (Excellence), a Business Operating Systems Architecting Firm dedicated to implementing sustainable operating systems that drive sustainable results. Taylor’s achievements in the industry have made him a Next Generational Lean pacesetter with significant contributions.
An American business executive, Taylor has made a name for himself as an innovative and energetic industry professional with an indispensable passion for his craft of operational excellence. His journey started many years ago and has worked with renowned corporations such as The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (GT) leading multi-site operations. With over 3 decades of service leading North America operations, he is experienced in a deeply rooted process driven approach in customer service, process integrity for sustainability.
A disciple of continuous improvement, Taylor’s love for people inspires commitment to helping others achieve their full potential. He is a dynamic speaker and hosts "The Winning Link," a popular podcast centered on business and leadership excellence with the #1 rated Supply Chain Now Network. As a leadership guru, Taylor has earned several invitations to universities, international conferences, global publications, and the U.S. Army to demonstrate how to achieve and sustain effective results through cultural acceptance and employee ownership. Leveraging the wisdom of his business acumen, strong influence as a speaker and podcaster Taylor is set to release "The Winning Link" book under McGraw Hill publishing in 2022. The book is a how-to manual to help readers understand the management of business interactions while teaching them how to Deine, Align, and Execute Winning in Business.
A servant leader, Taylor, was named by The National Diversity Council as one of the Top 100 Diversity Officers in the country in 2021. He features among Oklahoma's Most Admired CEOs and maintains key leadership roles with the Executive Advisory Board for The Shingo Institute "The Nobel Prize of Operations" and The Association of Manufacturing Excellence (AME); two world-leading organizations for operational excellence, business development, and cultural learning. He is also an Independent Director for the M-D Building Products Board, a proud American manufacturer of quality products since 1920.
Host
Tandreia Bellamy retired as the Vice President of Industrial Engineering for UPS Supply Chain Solutions which included the Global Logistics, Global Freight Forwarding and UPS Freight business units. She was responsible for operations strategy and planning, asset management, forecasting, and technology tool development to optimize sustainable efficiency while driving world class service.
Tandreia held similar positions at the business unit level for Global Logistics and Global Freight forwarding. As the leader of the Global Logistics engineering function, she directed all industrial engineering activies related to distribution, service parts logistics (post-sales support), and mail innovations (low cost, light weight shipping partnership with the USPS). Between these roles Tandreia helped to establish the Advanced Technology Group which was formed to research and develop cutting edge solutions focused on reducing reliance on manual labor.
Tandreia began her career in 1986 as a part-time hourly manual package handling employee. She spent the great majority of her career in the small package business unit which is responsible for the pick-up, sort, transport and delivery of packages domestically. She held various positions in Industrial Engineering, Marketing, Inside and On-road operations in Central Florida before transferring to Atlanta for a position in Corporate Product Development and Corporate Industrial Engineering. Tandreia later held IE leadership roles in Nebraska, Minnesota and Chicago. In her final role in small package she was an IE VP responsible for all aspects of IE, technology support and quality for the 25 states on the western half of the country.
Tandreia is currently a Director for the University of Central Florida (UCF) Foundation Board and also serves on their Dean’s Advisory Board for the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Previously Tandreia served on the Executive Advisory Board for Virginia Tech’s IE Department and the Association for Supply Chain Management. She served on the Board of Trustees for ChildServ (a Chicago child and family services non-profit) and also served on the Texas A&M and Tuskegee Engineering Advisory Boards. In 2006 she was named Business Advisor of the Year by INROADS, in 2009 she was recognized as a Technology All-Star at the Women of Color in STEM conference and in 2019 she honored as a UCF Distinguished Aluma by the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems.
Tandreia holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University and a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Systems from UCF. Her greatest accomplishment, however, is being the proud mother of two college students, Ruby (24) and Anthony (22).
Host
Marty Parker serves as both the CEO & Founder of Adæpt Advising and an award-winning Senior Lecturer (Teaching Professor) in Supply Chain and Operations Management at the University of Georgia. He has 30 years of experience as a COO, CMO, CSO (Chief Strategy Officer), VP of Operations, VP of Marketing and Process Engineer. He founded and leads UGA’s Supply Chain Advisory Board, serves as the Academic Director of UGA’s Leaders Academy, and serves on multiple company advisory boards including the Trucking Profitability Strategies Conference, Zion Solutions Group and Carlton Creative Company.
Marty enjoys helping people and companies be successful. Through UGA, Marty is passionate about his students, helping them network and find internships and jobs. He does this through several hundred one-on-one zoom meetings each year with his students and former students. Through Adæpt Advising, Marty has organized an excellent team of affiliates that he works with to help companies grow and succeed. He does this by helping c-suite executives improve their skills, develop better leaders, engage their workforce, improve processes, and develop strategic plans with detailed action steps and financial targets. Marty believes that excellence in supply chain management comes from the understanding the intersection of leadership, culture, and technology, working across all parts of the organization to meet customer needs, maximize profit and minimize costs.
Marketing Coordinator
Laura Lopez serves as our Supply Chain Now Marketing Coordinator. She graduated from Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente in Mexico with a degree in marketing. Laura loves everything digital because she sees the potential it holds for companies in the marketing industry. Her passion for creativity and thinking outside the box led her to pursue a career in marketing. With experience in fields like accounting, digital marketing, and restaurants, she clearly enjoys taking on challenges. Laura lives the best of both worlds - you'll either catch her hanging out with her friends soaking up the sun in Mexico or flying out to visit her family in California!
Host
An acknowledged industry leader, Jake Barr now serves as CEO for BlueWorld Supply Chain Consulting, providing support to a cross section of Fortune 500 companies such as Cargill, Caterpillar, Colgate, Dow/Dupont, Firmenich, 3M, Merck, Bayer/Monsanto, Newell Brands, Kimberly Clark, Nestle, PepsiCo, Pfizer, Sanofi, Estee Lauder and Coty among others. He's also devoted time to engagements in public health sector work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. At P&G, he managed the breakthrough delivery of an E2E (End to End) Planning Transformation effort, creating control towers which now manage the daily business globally. He is recognized as the architect for P&G’s demand driven supply chain strategy – referenced as a “Consumer Driven Supply Chain” transformation. Jake began his career with P&G in Finance in Risk Analysis and then moved into Operations. He has experience in building supply network capability globally through leadership assignments in Asia, Latin America, North America and the Middle East. He currently serves as a Research Associate for MIT; a member of Supply Chain Industry Advisory Council; Member of Gartner’s Supply Chain Think Tank; Consumer Goods “League of Leaders“; and a recipient of the 2015 - 2021 Supply Chain “Pro’s to Know” Award. He has been recognized as a University of Kentucky Fellow.
Host
Marcia Williams, Managing Partner of USM Supply Chain, has 18 years of experience in Supply Chain, with expertise in optimizing Supply Chain-Finance Planning (S&OP/ IBP) at Large Fast-Growing CPGs for greater profitability and improved cash flows. Marcia has helped mid-sized and large companies including Lindt Chocolates, Hershey, and Coty. She holds an MBA from Michigan State University and a degree in Accounting from Universidad de la Republica, Uruguay (South America). Marcia is also a Forbes Council Contributor based out of New York, and author of the book series Supply Chains with Maria in storytelling style. A recent speaker’s engagement is Marcia TEDx Talk: TEDxMSU - How Supply Chain Impacts You: A Transformational Journey.
Host, Logistics with Purpose
Luisa Garcia is a passionate Marketer from Lagos de Moreno based in Aguascalientes. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Universidad Autonoma de Aguascalientes, Mexico. She specializes in brand development at any stage, believing that a brand is more than just a name or image—it’s an unforgettable experience. Her expertise helps brands achieve their dreams and aspirations, making a lasting impact. Currently working at Vector Global Logistics in the Marketing team and as podcast coordinator of Logistics With Purpose®. Luisa believes that purpose-driven decisions will impact results that make a difference in the world.
Host, Logistics with Purpose
Astrid Aubert was born in Guadalajara, she is 39 years old and has had the opportunity to live in many places. She studied communication and her professional career has been in Trade Marketing for global companies such as Pepsico and Mars. She currently works as Marketing Director Mexico for Vector Global Logistics. She is responsible for internal communications and marketing strategy development for the logistics industry. She is a mother of two girls, married and lives in Monterrey. She defines herself as a creative and innovative person, and enjoys traveling and cooking a lot.
Host, Supply Chain Now en Espanol
Sofia self-identifies as Supply Chain Ambassador, her mission is to advocate for the field and inspire young generations from diverse backgrounds and cultures to join the industry so that thought diversity is increased and change accelerated. Recognized as Linkedin Top Voice and Linkedin Community Top Voice in Supply Chain Management, as well as Emerging Leader in Supply Chain by CSCMP 2024, Top Women in Supply Chain by Supply & Demand Executive 2023, and Coup de Coeur Global Women Leaders in Supply Chain by B2G Consulting in 2021.
Public speaker at multiple international events from keynotes and panels, to webinars and guest lectures for bachelor's and master's degrees, discussing topics such as sustainability, women in the industry, technology and innovation. Writer at different online magazines on logistics, supply chain and technology. Podcast host and guest on different recognized programs in the industry. Sofia has more than 5 years of experience from academic research and field studies to warehouse operations, demand planning and network design. She has worked in manufacturing, airport operations, e-commerce retail, and technology hardware across Latin America, North America and Europe.
Currently working as Supply Chain Network Design and Optimization Manager at HP within their Global Supply Chain and Logistics team.
Host
Karin Bursa is the 2020 Supply Chain Pro to Know of the Year and the Host of the TEKTOK Digital Supply Chain Podcast powered by Supply Chain Now. With more than 25 years of supply chain and technology expertise (and the scars to prove it), Karin has the heart of a teacher and has helped nearly 1,000 customers transform their businesses and share their success stories. Today, she helps B2B technology companies introduce new products, capture customer success and grow global revenue, market share and profitability. In addition to her recognition as the 2020 Supply Chain Pro to Know of the Year, Karin has also been recognized as a 2019 and 2018 Supply Chain Pro to Know, 2009 Technology Marketing Executive of the Year and a 2008 Women in Technology Finalist.
Host
Vin Vashishta is the author of ‘From Data To Profit’ (Wiley 2023). It’s the playbook for monetizing data and AI. Vin is the Founder of V-Squared and built the business from client 1 to one of the world’s oldest data and AI consulting firms. His background combines nearly 30 years in strategy, leadership, software engineering, and applied machine learning.
Vice President, Production
Amanda is a production and marketing veteran and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience across a variety of industries and organizations including Von Maur, Anthropologie, AmericasMart Atlanta, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Amanda currently manages, produces, and develops modern digital content for Supply Chain Now and their clients. Amanda has previously served as the VP of Information Systems and Webmaster on the Board of Directors for APICS Savannah, and founded and managed her own successful digital marketing firm, Magnolia Marketing Group. When she’s not leading the Supply Chain Now production team, you can find Amanda in the kitchen, reading, listening to podcasts, or enjoying time with family.
Founder, CEO, & Host
As the founder and CEO of Supply Chain Now, you might say Scott is the voice of supply chain – but he’s too much of a team player to ever claim such a title. One thing’s for sure: he’s a tried and true supply chain expert. With over 15 years of experience in the end-to-end supply chain, Scott’s insights have appeared in major publications including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and CNN. He has also been named a top industry influencer by Thinkers360, ISCEA and more.
From 2009-2011, Scott was president of APICS Atlanta, and he continues to lead initiatives that support both the local business community and global industry. A United States Air Force Veteran, Scott has also regularly led efforts to give back to his fellow veteran community since his departure from active duty in 2002.
Principal & Host
When rapid-growth technology companies, venture capital and private equity firms are looking for advisory, they call Greg – a founder, board director, advisor and catalyst of disruptive B2B technology and supply chain. An insightful visionary, Greg guides founders, investors and leadership teams in creating breakthroughs to gain market exposure and momentum – increasing overall company esteem and valuation.
Greg is a founder himself, creating Blue Ridge Solutions, a Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader in cloud-native supply chain applications, and bringing to market Curo, a field service management solution. He has also held leadership roles with Servigistics (PTC) and E3 Corporation (JDA/Blue Yonder). As a principal and host at Supply Chain Now, Greg helps guide the company’s strategic direction, hosts industry leader discussions, community livestreams, and all in addition to executive producing and hosting his original YouTube channel and podcast, TEChquila Sunrise.
Principal, Supply Chain Now
Host of Supply Chain is Boring
Talk about world-class: Chris is one of the few professionals in the world to hold CPIM-F, CLTD-F and CSCP-F designations from ASCM/APICS. He’s also the APICS coach – and our resident Supply Chain Doctor. When he’s not hosting programs with Supply Chain Now, he’s sharing supply chain knowledge on the APICS Coach Youtube channel or serving as a professional education instructor for the Georgia Tech Supply Chain & Logistic Institute’s Supply Chain Management (SCM) program and University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Center for Professional Education courses.
Chris earned a BS in Industrial Engineering from Bradley University, an MBA with emphasis in Industrial Psychology from the University of West Florida, and is a Doctoral in Supply Chain Management candidate.
Director of Sales
Tyler Ward serves as Supply Chain Now's Director of Sales. Born and raised in Mid-Atlantic, Tyler is a proud graduate of Shippensburg University where he earned his degree in Communications. After college, he made his way to the beautiful state of Oregon, where he now lives with his wife and daughter.
With over a decade of experience in sales, Tyler has a proven track record of exceeding targets and leading high-performing teams. He credits his success to his ability to communicate effectively with customers and team members alike, as well as his strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
When he's not closing deals, you can find Tyler on the links or cheering on his favorite football and basketball teams. He also enjoys spending time with his family, playing pick-up basketball, and traveling back to Ocean City, Maryland, his favorite place!
Host of Digital Transformers
Kevin L. Jackson is a globally recognized Thought Leader, Industry Influencer and Founder/Author of the award winning “Cloud Musings” blog. He has also been recognized as a “Top 5G Influencer” (Onalytica 2019, Radar 2020), a “Top 50 Global Digital Transformation Thought Leader” (Thinkers 360 2019) and provides strategic consulting and integrated social media services to AT&T, Intel, Broadcom, Ericsson and other leading companies. Mr. Jackson’s commercial experience includes Vice President J.P. Morgan Chase, Worldwide Sales Executive for IBM and SAIC (Engility) Director Cloud Solutions. He has served on teams that have supported digital transformation projects for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the US Intelligence Community. Kevin’s formal education includes a MS Computer Engineering from Naval Postgraduate School; MA National Security & Strategic Studies from Naval War College; and a BS Aerospace Engineering from the United States Naval Academy. Internationally recognizable firms that have sponsored articles authored by him include Cisco, Microsoft, Citrix and IBM. Books include “Click to Transform” (Leaders Press, 2020), “Architecting Cloud Computing Solutions” (Packt, 2018), and “Practical Cloud Security: A Cross Industry View” (Taylor & Francis, 2016). He also delivers online training through Tulane University, O’Reilly Media, LinkedIn Learning, and Pluralsight. Mr. Jackson retired from the U.S. Navy in 1994, earning specialties in Space Systems Engineering, Carrier Onboard Delivery Logistics and carrier-based Airborne Early Warning and Control. While active, he also served with the National Reconnaissance Office, Operational Support Office, providing tactical support to Navy and Marine Corps forces worldwide.
Host of Logistics with Purpose and Supply Chain Now en Español
Enrique serves as Managing Director at Vector Global Logistics and believes we all have a personal responsibility to change the world. He is hard working, relationship minded and pro-active. Enrique trusts that the key to logistics is having a good and responsible team that truly partners with the clients and does whatever is necessary to see them succeed. He is a proud sponsor of Vector’s unique results-based work environment and before venturing into logistics he worked for the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). During his time at BCG, he worked in different industries such as Telecommunications, Energy, Industrial Goods, Building Materials, and Private Banking. His main focus was always on the operations, sales, and supply chain processes, with case focus on, logistics, growth strategy, and cost reduction. Prior to joining BCG, Enrique worked for Grupo Vitro, a Mexican glass manufacturer, for five years holding different positions from sales and logistics manager to supply chain project leader in charge of five warehouses in Colombia.
He has an MBA from The Wharton School of Business and a BS, in Mechanical Engineer from the Technologico de Monterrey in Mexico. Enrique’s passions are soccer and the ocean, and he also enjoys traveling, getting to know new people, and spending time with his wife and two kids, Emma and Enrique.
Host of Dial P for Procurement
Kelly is the Owner and Managing Director of Buyers Meeting Point and MyPurchasingCenter. She has been in procurement since 2003, starting as a practitioner and then as the Associate Director of Consulting at Emptoris. She has covered procurement news, events, publications, solutions, trends, and relevant economics at Buyers Meeting Point since 2009. Kelly is also the General Manager at Art of Procurement and Business Survey Chair for the ISM-New York Report on Business. Kelly has her MBA from Babson College as well as an MS in Library and Information Science from Simmons College and she has co-authored three books: ‘Supply Market Intelligence for Procurement Professionals’, ‘Procurement at a Crossroads’, and ‘Finance Unleashed’.
Host, Veteran Voices
Mary Kate Soliva is a veteran of the US Army and cofounder of the Guam Human Rights Initiative. She is currently in the Doctor of Criminal Justice program at Saint Leo University. She is passionate about combating human trafficking and has spent the last decade conducting training for military personnel and the local community.
Host
Constantine Limberakis is a thought leader in the area of procurement and supply management. He has over 20 years of international experience, playing strategic roles in a wide spectrum of organizations related to analyst advisory, consulting, product marketing, product development, and market research.
Throughout his career, he's been passionate about engaging global business leaders and the broader analyst and technology community with strategic content, speaking engagements, podcasts, research, webinars, and industry articles.
Constantine holds a BA in History from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and an MBA in Finance & Marketing / Masters in Public & International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.
Business Development Manager
Clay is passionate about two things: supply chain and the marketing that goes into it. Recently graduated with a degree in marketing at the University of Georgia, Clay got his start as a journalism major and inaugural member of the Owl’s football team at Kennesaw State University – but quickly saw tremendous opportunity in the Terry College of Business. He’s already putting his education to great use at Supply Chain Now, assisting with everything from sales and brand strategy to media production. Clay has contributed to initiatives such as our leap into video production, the guest blog series, and boosting social media presence, and after nearly two years in Supply Chain Now’s Marketing Department, Clay now heads up partnership and sales initiatives with the help of the rest of the Supply Chain Now sales team.
Administrative Assistant
Trisha is new to the supply chain industry – but not to podcasting. She’s an experienced podcast manager and virtual assistant who also happens to have 20 years of experience as an elementary school teacher. It’s safe to say, she’s passionate about helping people, and she lives out that passion every day with the Supply Chain Now team, contributing to scheduling and podcast production.
Social Media Manager
My name is Chantel King and I am the Social Media Specialist at Supply Chain Now. My job is to make sure our audience is engaged and educated on the abundant amount of information the supply chain industry has to offer.
Social Media and Communications has been my niche ever since I graduated from college at The Academy of Art University in San Francisco. No, I am not a West Coast girl. I was born and raised in New Jersey, but my travel experience goes way beyond the garden state. My true passion is in creating editorial and graphic content that influences others to be great in whatever industry they are in. I’ve done this by working with lifestyle, financial, and editorial companies by providing resources to enhance their businesses.
Another passion of mine is trying new things. Whether it’s food, an activity, or a sport. I would like to say that I am an adventurous Taurus that never shies away from a new quest or challenge.
Marketing Coordinator
Lori is currently completing a degree in marketing with an emphasis in digital marketing at the University of Georgia. When she’s not supporting the marketing efforts at Supply Chain Now, you can find her at music festivals – or working toward her dream goal of a fashion career. Lori is involved in many extracurricular activities and appreciates all the learning experiences UGA has brought her.
Director, Customer Experience
Katherine is a marketing professional and MBA candidate who strives to unite her love of people with a passion for positive experiences. Having a diverse background, which includes nonprofit work with digital marketing and start-ups, she serves as a leader who helps people live their most creative lives by cultivating community, order, collaboration, and respect. With equal parts creativity and analytics, she brings a unique skill set which fosters refining, problem solving, and connecting organizations with their true vision. In her free time, you can usually find her looking for her cup of coffee, playing with her puppy Charlie, and dreaming of her next road trip.
Chief of Staff & Host
Mary Kate Love is currently the VP of marketing at Supply Chain Now focused on brand strategy and audience + revenue growth. Mary Kate’s career is a testament to her versatility and innovative spirit: she has experience in start-ups, venture capital, and building innovation initiatives from the ground up: she previously helped lead the build-out of the Supply Chain Innovation Center at Georgia-Pacific and before that, MxD (Manufacturing times Digital): the Department of Defense’s digital manufacturing innovation center. Mary Kate has a passion for taking complicated ideas and turning them into reality: she was one of the first team members at MxD and the first team member at the Supply Chain Innovation Center at Georgia-Pacific.
Mary Kate dedicates her extra time to education and mentorship: she was one of the founding Board Members for Women Influence Chicago and led an initiative for a city-wide job shadow day for young women across Chicago tech companies and was previously on the Board of Directors at St. Laurence High School in Chicago, Young Irish Fellowship Board and the UN Committee for Women. Mary Kate is the founder of National Supply Chain Day and enjoys co-hosting podcasts at Supply Chain Now. Mary Kate is from the south side of Chicago, a mom of two baby boys, and an avid 16-inch softball player. She holds a BS in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Marketing Specialist
Joshua is a student from Institute of Technology and Higher Education of Monterrey Campus Guadalajara in Communication and Digital Media. His experience ranges from Plug and Play México, DearDoc, and Nissan México creating unique social media marketing campaigns and graphics design. Joshua helps to amplify the voice of supply chain here at Supply Chain Now by assisting in graphic design, content creation, asset logistics, and more. In his free time he likes to read and write short stories as well as watch movies and television series.
Director of Communications and Executive Producer
Donna Krache is a former CNN executive producer who has won several awards in journalism and communication, including three Peabodys. She has 30 years’ experience in broadcast and digital journalism. She led the first production team at CNN to convert its show to a digital platform. She has authored many articles for CNN and other media outlets. She taught digital journalism at Georgia State University and Arizona State University. Krache holds a bachelor’s degree in government from the College of William and Mary and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of New Orleans. She is a serious sports fan who loves the Braves. She is president of the Dave Krache Foundation. Named in honor of her late husband, this non-profit pays fees for kids who want to play sports but whose parents are facing economic challenges.
Controller
Vicki has a long history of rising to challenges and keeping things up and running. First, she supported her family’s multi-million dollar business as controller for 12 years, beginning at the age of 17. Then, she worked as an office manager and controller for a wholesale food broker. But her biggest feat? Serving as the chief executive officer of her household, while her entrepreneur husband travelled the world extensively. She fed, nurtured, chaperoned, and chauffeured three daughters all while running a newsletter publishing business and remaining active in her community as a Stephen’s Minister, Sunday school teacher, school volunteer, licensed realtor and POA Board president (a title she holds to this day). A force to be reckoned with in the office, you might think twice before you meet Vicki on the tennis court! When she’s not keeping the books balanced at Supply Chain Now or playing tennis matches, you can find Vicki spending time with her husband Greg, her 4 fur babies, gardening, cleaning (yes, she loves to clean!) and learning new things.
Creative Director, Producer, Host
Katherine Hintz, MBA is a marketing professional who strives to unite her love of people with a passion for positive experiences. Having a diverse background, which includes nonprofit work with digital marketing and start-ups, she serves as a leader who helps people live their most creative lives by cultivating community, order, collaboration, and respect. With equal parts creativity and analytics, she brings a unique skill set which fosters refining, problem solving, and connecting organizations with their true vision. In her free time, you can usually find her looking for her cup of coffee, playing with her puppy Charlie, and dreaming of her next road trip.