In this edition of This Week in Business History, Kelly Barner remembers key innovations, inventions, and firsts that took place between August 30th and September 3rd. In our main story, she tells the wild but true story behind the discovery of the Slinky and the journey that it started for one family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We’ll also hear about the founder of the first African-American owned magazine, the introduction of the ATM, and mark a few business history birthdays.
More Podcast Episodes
healthcare
Podcast
February 21, 2024
Supply Chain Leadership Across Africa: Using Innovation to Transform African Healthcare Supply Chains
How are innovations helping to transform public health supply chains? How are technology providers and analytics specialists working with the health sector to bring cutting-edge capabilities so each person has the health care needed to thrive? During this episode of Supply Chain Now’s Supply Chain Leadership Across Africa series we talk with two people who talk about the importance of innovation for public health supply chains – and what it takes to make innovations sustainable in Africa. Director of VillageReach’s Global Technical Team and experienced health supply chain expert Tapiwa Mukwashi is our first guest. On a day-to-day basis, Tapiwa ensures VillageReach’s various teams across Africa have the technical assistance they need to do their jobs, working closely with vendors such as data analytics company Kapsule to do just that. David Chen, Kapsule’s Co-CEO and Co-Founder, also joins us to explain how his innovation came to market and some of the challenges, successes and lessons learned he has collected along the way. During the conversation, the duo highlight the progress made but emphasize the need for more mature modeling and professionalization of the supply chain to better underpin African health care networks. Here, the importance of skills, infrastructure and technology…
supply chain
Podcast
February 20, 2026
The Buzz: AI Workflows, Workforce Shifts & the Fight Against Fraudulent Returns
Today on Supply Chain Now, we explore how supply chain leaders are balancing powerful new technologies with the human expertise required to make them work. Featuring insights from Jimmy Sebastian on FourKites’ AI platform Loft, and what it means for real-world operations. Welcome to The Buzz, powered by EasyPost! Hosts Scott Luton and Rick McDonald unpack the growing convergence of AI automation and workforce strategy across the supply chain landscape. From faster workflow deployment and operational agility to the evolving labor pipeline and the surge in returns fraud, this conversation highlights why success today depends on both smarter tools and stronger people strategies. The discussion emphasizes that digital transformation isn’t replacing humans, it’s redefining how organizations empower them. What you’ll learn by tuning in: How AI workflow platforms are accelerating implementation and operational responsiveness Why human capability building is just as critical as technology investment What Gen Z’s rising interest in skilled trades means for future workforce planning The increasing business impact of fraudulent returns and how technology can help combat it Practical ways leaders can align automation with talent strategy to build resilience If you’re a supply chain, operations, or technology leader trying to scale automation without losing the…