Supply Chain Now
Episode 1265

What L'Oreal does successfully is that they empower the business units to have enough autonomy and innovation capabilities on our own. And that forces us as an operation, because we are structured very much that way, to remain very customer-centric and that's important.

-Caroline Troit

Episode Summary

Join us for an insightful journey into the heart of the beauty industry’s retail supply chain. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, sponsored by Microsoft, hosts Scott Luton and Kevin L. Jackson delve into the intricate world of beauty retail with special guest Caroline Troit, Senior Vice President, Salon Centric, for L’Oreal.

Listen in and discover why the retail supply chain is the lifeblood of the beauty industry, powering the seamless delivery of products to millions of independent stylists and salon owners and explore how innovation, sustainability, and the relentless pursuit of efficiency are shaping the future of beauty retail supply chains.

Get ready to uncover the strategies and insights driving retail success in the dynamic world of beauty, in this episode, as we hear directly from a leader at the forefront of the industry, Caroline Troit.

Episode Transcript

Intro/Outro (00:03):

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

Scott Luton (00:32):

Hey, hey. Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you may be. Scott Luton and the one and only Kevin L. Jackson with you here on Supply Chain Now. Welcome to today’s show. Kevin, how you doing today?

Kevin L. Jackson (00:42):

I think I’m all right. How’s my face?

Scott Luton (00:45):

You look great, man.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:46):

You got to look good for this type of show.

Scott Luton (00:49):

It’s true, folks, we got a great show. Very interesting show here today. Unique show, I call it as we feature a rock and roll leader from out in industry and we dial it in on the intersection of supply chain, retail, technology, leadership, all in the beauty industry.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (01:04):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (01:04):

So, stay tuned for a very informative, enlightening, and entertaining conversation with a big guest today. Kevin should be a great one, huh?

Kevin L. Jackson (01:11):

Yes, absolutely. You know I’m a little light on the beauty salon but, you know, this is going to get me up to speed.

Scott Luton (01:18):

I’m telling you, it’s an intriguing conversation we’ve got teed up here today. And today’s episode, we should say, is presented in partnership with our friends over at Microsoft who’s doing some pretty cool things in the industry, helping to move us all forward successfully. More on that a bit later. All right. So, Kevin, I’m going to go ahead and introduce our incredible guest here today. You ready?

Kevin L. Jackson (01:38):

Yes, I’m on board.

Scott Luton (01:40):

Well, let’s make it happen. Our guest today is a proven leader with a strong track record of accomplishing big things in the beauty industry. She’s held various leadership roles at L’Oreal where she has successfully managed large scale operations and supply chain functions for multiple divisions and brands.

 

Scott Luton (01:57):

Intro/Outro (00:03):

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

Scott Luton (00:32):

Hey, hey. Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you may be. Scott Luton and the one and only Kevin L. Jackson with you here on Supply Chain Now. Welcome to today’s show. Kevin, how you doing today?

Kevin L. Jackson (00:42):

I think I’m all right. How’s my face?

Scott Luton (00:45):

You look great, man.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:46):

You got to look good for this type of show.

Scott Luton (00:49):

It’s true, folks, we got a great show. Very interesting show here today. Unique show, I call it as we feature a rock and roll leader from out in industry and we dial it in on the intersection of supply chain, retail, technology, leadership, all in the beauty industry.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (01:04):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (01:04):

So, stay tuned for a very informative, enlightening, and entertaining conversation with a big guest today. Kevin should be a great one, huh?

Kevin L. Jackson (01:11):

Yes, absolutely. You know I’m a little light on the beauty salon but, you know, this is going to get me up to speed.

Scott Luton (01:18):

I’m telling you, it’s an intriguing conversation we’ve got teed up here today. And today’s episode, we should say, is presented in partnership with our friends over at Microsoft who’s doing some pretty cool things in the industry, helping to move us all forward successfully. More on that a bit later. All right. So, Kevin, I’m going to go ahead and introduce our incredible guest here today. You ready?

Kevin L. Jackson (01:38):

Yes, I’m on board.

Scott Luton (01:40):

Well, let’s make it happen. Our guest today is a proven leader with a strong track record of accomplishing big things in the beauty industry. She’s held various leadership roles at L’Oreal where she has successfully managed large scale operations and supply chain functions for multiple divisions and brands.

 

Scott Luton (01:57):

Our guest has expertise in supply chain management extends well beyond North America as she has held leadership positions in L’Oreal’s London and Paris offices where she successfully tackled a variety initiatives.

 

Scott Luton (02:22):

Get this, Kevin, integrating new brands, increased distribution center capacity and implemented cost saving strategies and a whole lot more. Now, well known for her ability to drive collaboration, upskill teams and lead through challenging times. I can promise you you’re all in for a real treat, learning from our guest here today.

 

Scott Luton (02:42):

Hey, Caroline, how you doing? I’m

Caroline Troit (02:44):

I’m doing great. Thanks for having me today. I’m both excited and honored.

Scott Luton (02:50):

We are — we’re really excited as well. We all really enjoyed the last appearance you had on logistics with purpose. And hey, Kevin, we have got an outstanding conversation here today with Caroline, huh?

Kevin L. Jackson (03:02):

Oh, yes. I’m looking forward to it, actually. This is one of the areas I find myself light in. So, you know, supply chain for salons, I mean, that sounds like it’s really complex, actually.

Scott Luton (03:17):

Oh, we got the right person, Caroline, right? We’re going to get Kevin informed and up to speed on the wonderful world of the beauty industry, especially where supply chain comes into the equation. But before we get there, Caroline and Kevin, I got a little fun warmup question for Caroline here today because we did our homework and we understand that when you’re not moving mountains in global supply chain, you love to run and swim. So, I’m going to ask you, Caroline, what’s been one of the most picturesque places in the world where you’ve been able to take a run or swim a few laps?

Caroline Troit (03:47):

Yes. So, I love Corsica. I don’t know if you guys have been there, but nothing is like Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea. And there I can both run and — in beautiful, like, surroundings with the mountain and the sea and the Mediterranean flowers. And then you get super, super hot and then just dive in the sea. There is nothing like that in my life.

Scott Luton (04:15):

Oh, man.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (04:15):

Oh, wow.

Scott Luton (04:17):

Kevin, that’s quite a picture.

Kevin L. Jackson (04:17):

That is really nice.

Scott Luton (04:18):

Yes.

Kevin L. Jackson (04:19):

Yes.

Scott Luton (04:20):

Now, Kevin, have you been to Corsica?

Kevin L. Jackson (04:22):

Actually, I have not been to Corsica. I’ve been to a lot of other islands in the Mediterranean when I was in the Navy. But when I thought about that question, I was thinking about a location that was relatively close to Corsica.

Scott Luton (04:38):

  1. Do tell. Do tell.

Kevin L. Jackson (04:42):

So, I mean, as many of you know, I was in the Navy and I was on an aircraft carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt. I was a runner in high school and in college, but as you get older, your knees kind of get bad. But I did get an opportunity to run along the coast in Nice, France.

Caroline Troit (04:58):

It’s pretty close. That’s right. On the other side. But you’ve got other side.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (05:04):

And I loved it.

 

Caroline Troit (05:05):

Corsica is still much beautiful than Nice. I just thought.

Scott Luton (05:08):

Really?

 

Kevin L. Jackson (05:09):

Oh, yes. But I really enjoyed it, you know. I didn’t do any swimming, but the run was just beautiful. I did bike. I did do, like, a century while I was there. So, I rode my bike along the French Riviera and it was beautiful.

 

Caroline Troit (05:24):

Nice.

Scott Luton (05:24):

Well, thanks to you both for making me feel so inadequate and not visiting either of those places, but I’ll put it on my list. But Caroline, thank you so much for sharing. Can’t wait to get into our conversation here today. And Kevin, looking forward as always, to your contributions. We got a great show teed up.

 

Scott Luton (05:40):

So, I want to first to get into as we, kind of, level set the conversation here today I want to talk more about L’Oreal, the world’s largest cosmetics company where some 90,000 team members, a.k.a., I think you all refer to them as L’Orealians. Did I say that right, Caroline?

Caroline Troit (05:56):

Yes, we did say that, L’Orealians.

 

Scott Luton (05:57):

Close?

 

Caroline Troit (05:58):

Yes.

Scott Luton (05:58):

I love that.

 

Caroline Troit (05:59):

You got that.

 

Scott Luton (06:00):

So, these 90,000 L’Orealians have been passionately focused on creating beauty for over 110 years now. So, tell us a little bit about the company and then about your role as well, Caroline.

Caroline Troit (06:10):

Yes. So, I have the pleasure of running the supply chain for Salon Centric and I’m going to talk to you mostly about Salon Centric. You know, L’Oreal, you just said it. They’re mostly known for the brands, right? We have 36 brands, number one beauty company in the world. Amazing brands like luxury consumer division. We — you can find us everywhere.

 

Caroline Troit (06:32):

Now, Salon Centric is the only retailer that L’Oreal owns. Salon Centric was actually a retailer that was created by L’Oreal in 2008, and it’s pretty large, right. We have, all in all, 870 stores between our own stores, franchises and subdistributors. So, we retail for hair, professional product mostly and some beauty professional. So, you’ve got to have your license before you can buy from us. So, Kevin and Scott, you got to work on your license. So, you got to be a professional.

 

Caroline Troit (07:09):

And our customer ships very omnichannel, which is of course the new ways of shopping. So, they go online, they go in store, they do a bit of both. And what I find super interesting is that this is a customer that is mostly an independent. This is a passionate tire list mostly that orders our product. There’s been a shift in our used to be bigger salons, but there’s been a shift and it’s more and more independent stylist.

 

Caroline Troit (07:36):

So, they run their own business. They don’t run on a lot of cash. So, we have to have a super excellent supply chain because they’re really relying on us for the service they’re going to do tomorrow from the product that they ordered yesterday.

 

Caroline Troit (07:51):

So, I’m in charge of the supply chain group, that’s like about 600 people. From planning to the customer experience team, that’s how we call them, to the distribution team. And mostly my focus, you know, as it should be is the transformation and how we make our service always better. So, focus on speed, like I just said, we improved our speed and now we can service all our customers, 70%, in less than two days. Very focused on the tech as well.

 

Scott Luton (08:20):

Oh, man.

Kevin L. Jackson (08:20):

Wow. That’s amazing. I don’t have my license, but I have two nieces that do have their license. And the thing I really like about what you just said is the focus on small businesses because these are independent beauticians. They are running their own business and timeliness and receipt of product. And the ability to have a supplier that’s responsive is critical. And I really like the approach that you’re, sort of, highlighting there. Less than two days for any delivery.

Caroline Troit (08:53):

Yes, we think about it — we like to say — or I like to say we’re a bit business pantry, right? They can’t have inventory, so we’re the inventory. They just need it, like, ship, like, instantly, you know, for tomorrow.

Scott Luton (09:05):

So, like, Kevin, I love how Salon Centric as part of L’Oreal group is really powering entrepreneurs globally. I love that you mentioned how you are been focused on transformation. You also referenced how your customer profile has been evolving over the years. And Kevin also picked up on two days, two days, speed, speed and more speed.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (09:24):

Speed, yes.

 

Scott Luton (09:26):

And, you know, taking care of that customer. And when you mentioned omnichannel, to my brain, there’s lots of different definitions for that. But, you know, meeting the customer where they want to interact with the brand and when and how. And it seems like that clearly has been a big important aspect of your transformation there at Salon Centric, Caroline, is that right?

Caroline Troit (09:45):

Yes, that’s very right. And it’s 1.4 million customers. So, it’s a big business, you know, at Salon Centric. And we got to do it right for the 1.4 million customers.

Scott Luton (09:55):

That’s right. Entrepreneurs out there making it happen for their customers. All right. So, let’s talk about the powerful company culture that’s behind what you just described, that incredible mission and the culture that empowers that and allows you to make that happen. So, when it comes to the company culture there at Salon Centric and L’Oreal, what are some of your favorite elements of that?

Caroline Troit (10:16):

  1. So, I guess I’ll speak mostly of L’Oreal. I’m what we call a L’Oreal baby. So, I’ve been put four years in L’Oreal as, kind of, a lifetime, right? I mean anecdotally, I actually left the company at some point. I left for two years and then I came back because I missed it. I think it does show the power of that culture.

 

Caroline Troit (10:38):

So, what I like, personally, about the culture in L’Oreal is the passion and the vibe. You know, when I was in this other company, it was great. I had a super experience. It was very lean. Things were efficient. My role was well scoped. But I love in L’Oreal. You know, the passion, the high energy. People have bold dreams, big ideas, while still being very hands-on and practical and knowing their business. We like to say, you need to be a little bit of a poet and a farmer in L’Oreal and it’s very true. Everything you do, you need to be hands-on, hands in the mode, I would say sometimes, but also always, like, innovative and entrepreneur and everybody has that passion and that high energy.

 

Caroline Troit (11:23):

Our mission is to create the beauty that moves the world. That’s how our CEO coined it. And it’s about giving confidence to people, you know, everyone in the world and empowering them to be their best and their authentic staff. And of course that, you know, means that in our company culture, it puts a lot of emphasis on people, on ethics, on the planet, right, because about doing it right in every way, right.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (11:53):

Yes.

 

L’Oreal (11:53):

Yes. And sustainability, of course, for us in operation is very front of mind. We got to reduce the CO2 by 50% by 2030, and most of these goals are with operation team. So, it’s really exciting to see the operation and supply chain team really focused on that mission outside of their supply chain scope.

Scott Luton (12:12):

So, Carolina, just so before I go to Kevin, just so you know after you expounded on what it’s like to be part of the team, I’ve just — I’ve applied for my license at Salon Centric because I want to be part of the beauty that moves the world. Really, that was a beautiful answer to touch on of variety of aspects of what I’ll call supply chain beauty, right? From sustainability to empowering people to be their full authentic selves, as you mentioned. I mean, gosh, Kevin, what stood out to you though?

Kevin L. Jackson (12:39):

You know, the passion really stood out to me. But with respect to culture, it seems to me that the culture within L’Oreal matches the culture of your customers, 1.2 million customers. Because being in beauty, being a beautician, being a hairstylist, any of that has to be a passion, and you have to really want to love to do that. And for such a huge global company, your ability to match the passion of your entrepreneurs that you support, to lift them up, really. That’s really impressive.

Scott Luton (13:20):

Agreed, agreed. Quick follow up to some of what you touched on there, and I love the bold dreams and big ideas. But in a practical, let’s get stuff done type manner. I love how you described that, Caroline. Speaking of bold ideas and bold plans, you’ve got some big targets, ambitious targets when it comes to sustainability, right? Could you share that really quick before we move on?

Caroline Troit (13:39):

Yes. I mean, like I said, we have to reduce our carbon emission by 50% between 2016 and 2050. So, just that in itself is a very big goal. It’s broken down by, like, many, many different KPIs. And I guess, you know, for me in my scope, the two most important one that I’m going to call is reducing the carbon emission in transportation, obviously by 50%. And we do a lot of consolidation and work on our network to be able to achieve that.

 

Caroline Troit (14:11):

And the second one is no waste. You know, like, we have a large catalog, a large, you know, distribution network. We got to be on top of our inventory because we allow no waste. It’s a rule in L’Oreal, we need to reduce the waste.

Kevin L. Jackson (14:25):

Wow.

Scott Luton (14:26):

Kevin, if any — you know, Caroline’s got quite a track record for making things like this happen. So, I can’t wait to check back in a couple years. I bet she’s going to beat that target. We’ll see, I don’t want to sign you up, Caroline, for any too aggressive targets. But Kevin —

 

Caroline Troit (14:38):

No pressure, Scott. No pressure.

Kevin L. Jackson (14:39):

No pressure.

Scott Luton (14:41):

Hey, you’re moving mountains to get that done. And I get that kind of kidding aside, but Kevin talk about passion, passion also for doing the right thing and making some really big, aggressive sustainability gains too, right?

Kevin L. Jackson (14:53):

Yes, and I really want to point out that what Carolina is talking about is very difficult, especially in the retail marketplace because it’s about packaging. And especially in the beauty industry, plastics is a huge part of the packaging and the shipping. And that’s really the only way they’ll be able to lower their carbon footprint is by addressing the packaging and reducing the use of plastics. So, this is a huge challenge, especially in a supply chain world.

Caroline Troit (15:30):

Yes, and one of the key things, you know, that we do is new product introduction because we have always a constant turnover of product. So, we have these processes and, kind of, rules as well that every new product needs to be with a lower, you know, amount of plastic, lower impact on the planet. So, that’s a well-established process now that’s helping us, you know, achieve this roadmap.

Scott Luton (15:56):

I love that, Caroline. You know, baking a more circular type of thinking into product development. That’s a critical part of how we can accomplish these big goals together, really across industry.

 

Scott Luton (16:08):

All right. So, you mentioned earlier, because I want to get to the human factor. Me and Kevin Love talking about the human factors as much as we like talking supply chain and technology. And I know you’re passionate as well, very passionate about the human factor and global supply chain. I think you mentioned about 600 folks make up the supply chain team there at Salon Centric at L’Oreal. So, when it comes to building these high performing teams that you’re so well known for, what are some of your key thoughts? What are some of your proven approaches to building teams that win?

Caroline Troit (16:33):

Yes, I mean, first I would say we manage a lot of people in supply chain, generally speaking, right? And I have a huge appreciation for the leaders around me, the leaders I manage that, you know, often I think they do such a better job than I ever would because it’s not easy to manage a distribution center that has, you know, 400 people. They work on a 9:00 to 5:00 shift. And you got to keep them always happy and, you know, engaged. So, you know, I give a lot of kudos to the supply chain leader from being such fantastic and showing true leadership, really.

 

Caroline Troit (17:09):

You know, I tell you a story that really got me into a L’Oreal and into supply chain is when I joined the company, the head of the plant where I was, brought me and, like, did a full tour of me and, you know, he really showed so much care and love to me not knowing me. You know, he treating me, like, really, like, his daughter. He was really, like, an example for me and how, you know, I think about the human factor in everything I do at the end of the day, it’s about treating the people like they were family, you know.

Scott Luton (17:39):

I love that.

Caroline Troit (17:39):

You know, high performing team, for me, it’s two simple things that I think about. And everybody’s got their own. But for me, I think a high performing team is a high level of transparency and directness and they can challenge each other and they have no secret, you know, at least that’s what I’ve seen when I’ve, you know, been even part of a high performing team. I think that’s super important, and, you know, one thing I always keep in mind.

 

Caroline Troit (18:05):

And the second one is, you know, having high standard. And, you know, at the end of the day it’s how we all achieve things that we never thought we could and being proud of it, right? So, it’s also about this, elevated standards within the team. And, you know, again, being able to challenge ourself first starting with us. You know, being very accountable and then as a whole team.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (18:28):

Wow.

Scott Luton (18:28):

So, Kevin, I loved all of those main points. And I’ll go to the first one as Caroline was talking about, the colleague that kind of took her in and gave her a tour, and really focused on treating folks like team members like family, right? Family first. Family first. That transparency and that directness that she mentioned is so powerful, especially in teams that need to move fast and be right often. And then of course, not watering down standards, right, that’s one of the final things she mentioned. That’s really important when it comes to building high performing teams, as well as leading and managing high performing teams. But your thoughts there, Kevin?

Kevin L. Jackson (19:03):

Well, you know, a high-performance team, they care about each other. What sort of stood out for me is when Caroline said she got the tour of the plant and she felt like she was the gentleman’s daughter, right? It was real care came out. And this was a very initial meeting. And it just seems, to me, that this is a huge family of almost 2 million people around the world that really care about each other and lift each other up and really support the dreams and aspirations of small businesses everywhere.

Scott Luton (19:38):

Well said, Kevin. As you’re sharing that, Caroline, it made me think of authenticity comes to mind.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (19:44):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (19:44):

Right? And keeping it real with the team. That goes back to how one of you all’s missions there is powering your customer’s authentic selves. So, there’s a very common theme here, which I love. Your final thoughts, Caroline. I’m going to switch over to a couple topics in global supply chain management that Kevin and I get all that right when it comes to your team building approach.

Caroline Troit (20:02):

Yes. No, totally. You know, one more thing that actually really matters to me, and it’s in the spirit of caring, is making sure everybody can set their own boundaries, right? We work so hard and we are so passionate in L’Oreal, it’s intense job as well. It’s something I learned, you know, through my life and career is I got to set good boundaries because otherwise I could be working day and night on my team too. So, that’s something I really encourage them to do. For me, I swim every morning. For somebody else, might be something else. But it’s really important, like, you know, you got to set yourself some clear boundaries and be happy. Whatever you do, right, be happy in life, be happy in work. And to do that, you’ve got to, you know, make sure you have that time for yourself.

Scott Luton (20:46):

Well said. And, you know, your boundaries may be different than your colleagues’ boundaries, which may be different than, you know, other team members’ boundaries. And I love how, you know, you swim in the mornings. That’s one of your boundaries, right? Your team knows it. And I think setting these personal boundaries are so important to working successfully on great teams these days.

 

Scott Luton (21:03):

All right. Kevin and Caroline, I can’t wait to get into these global supply chain management topics. And we’re going to start with something we talk about all the time. But in the invisibility, you know that I would argue is quickly, very quickly becoming table stakes, it seems. But as we’ve talked about, I don’t know, 3,000 times we’ve got to have the solutions that visibility brings to the equation. Caroline, your thoughts there?

Caroline Troit (21:26):

Yes. So, that’s a topic I’m really excited to talk to you about. So, for me, you know, I’ve worked in L’Oreal in many different jobs. And now in this role in Salon Centric, what I found so powerful is I get to see the end to end, right? I get to be connected directly with our customers and get all these insights and then carry them on to manufacturing. A lot of our products are manufactured in our own plant, and that’s, like, so powerful.

 

Caroline Troit (21:53):

And we use a tool that’s called NPS. I mean, I’m sure other companies use that net promoter score, and that every day I get the rating, the comments from the purchase, and the supply chain services that our customer got. And that, to me, was a game changer in how, you know, we manage our supply chain.

 

Caroline Troit (22:14):

And I used to be called, like, the queen of KPIs, right. We love KPIs. It’s excited, aren’t we. We have hundreds of KPI and I think I — sometimes we get it a bit too complicated. I certainly did. And this was a game changer because I actually think, you know, the only KPI that’s really relevant is this NPS. Just focus on the customer and all the priorities can be derived from that, right, because we can do so many things.

 

Caroline Troit (22:40):

But the name of the game is being able to be focused on a few important things that will make a difference. And this NPS comments and results really give it to me like traits, you know. So, we’ve made that, like, really a tool and cascaded down to all the teams.

 

Caroline Troit (22:55):

So, now the operatives on the floor in the distribution center, they can see, you know, what the customers say about the packing. You know, they get those comments, oh, my parcel was so well packed. Bravo. And the opposite, you know, when something goes wrong, they get to see precisely and it’s connected, like, directly to the order so we can really narrow it. So, they can see, oh, that was wrong. OK. And they take it very personally, you know. I think it’s also great to engage the people. So, talk about visibility. I think that’s a great way to do it.

Scott Luton (23:25):

I love it —

Kevin L. Jackson (23:26):

All hail. All hail the queen of KPIs.

Scott Luton (23:29):

Kevin, you beat me to it. You beat me to it. I was going to say, I think I was an ABBA tune, the queen of KPIs. I think ABBA’s saying about that.

 

Scott Luton (23:38):

But, you know, Kevin, kidding aside, I love Caroline’s sense of humor.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (23:43):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (23:43):

I mean passion, business, we’re going to get results. We’re going to build a great team. We’re going to have each other’s back and treat people like family. But it all comes with a nice sense of humor. Caroline’s the type of person that I’d love to work for, but Kevin, what you hear there when it comes to visibility and her passion there?

Caroline Troit (23:57):

Careful what you wish for, yes.

Scott Luton (24:02):

Good point. Good point, clearly.

Kevin L. Jackson (24:03):

Good point, yes. What I’m sort of hearing as a focus on that last mile, logistics must be very complex because you’re delivering to entrepreneurs. They aren’t, you know, in a — maybe some of them are in big stores, but many of them in small shops, many of them are maybe working from home or they work at their client’s home. So, that last mile of delivery and logistics, I mean in order to keep your net promoter score high, you really have to focus on the little details. So I applaud you.

Scott Luton (24:40):

No doubt. Of course, that goes back to the complexity behind making these big sustainability gains, right —

 

Kevin L. Jackson (24:45):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (24:45):

— by a mile, I’ll tell you what. All right. And the NPS, folks out there maybe listening or watching us, net promoter score, Google it. If it’s new to you, that’s OK. We’re all new to things, but it can really have a powerful impact on your team, whether it’s a big one or a small one.

Kevin L. Jackson (24:58):

Oh yes. One thing I’d like to add too is a shout out on data. This is a data-driven operations in the supply chain and the queen of KPIs understand the importance of data. Not only that, she knows how to leverage that data to make sure that her customers are satisfied.

Scott Luton (25:20):

That’s right. All right. That title’s going to be the gift that keeps on giving, Caroline.

Caroline Troit (25:24):

That was a known title. My point was not — I got one KPI and its NPS. No more queen of KPI.

Scott Luton (25:32):

Instead of, like —

 

Caroline Troit (25:33):

Hundreds of KPIs.

 

Scott Luton (25:34):

— billboards and billboards of KPIs —

 

Caroline Troit (25:36):

Exactly.

 

Scott Luton (25:36):

— focusing in on —

 

Caroline Troit (25:37):

Exactly.

 

Scott Luton (25:38):

Yes, well said.

Kevin L. Jackson (25:39):

The one important one —

Caroline Troit (25:41):

So, queen of KPIs.

Scott Luton (25:43):

Well, let’s do this. Let’s all — I want to talk about silo busting. You know, what’s old is new again. Global business deal still has a ton of silo busting to do. Your thoughts on the importance of breaking down organizational and functional silos and how to do it, Caroline.

Caroline Troit (25:59):

Yes, yes. And, you know, being in a big company, it’s hard, you know. And it’s something that, sort of, keeps me awake at night, right? In a company of 90,000 people, there’s no way you can be connected with everybody. So, you know, there’s always going to be some type of silo.

 

Caroline Troit (26:16):

Now, what I think what L’Oreal does successfully is that they empower the business units to have enough autonomy and enough innovation capabilities, the entrepreneur. And that forces us as operation because we structured very much in that way to remain very customer centric and business centric. And I think that’s really important and that’s how we go about, you know, competing, you know business in an environment that is incredibly volatile.

 

Caroline Troit (26:45):

Now, of course the balance is still, supply chain is technical, right? So, we can’t be operating in that silo and not know what everyone else is doing. So, it’s also about leveraging the — what we call our network of expertise and pulling, you know, the experts from all around the world so we don’t reinvent the wheel.

Scott Luton (27:04):

One of the biggest challenges we have timelessly on one hand, but on the other hand, in this rapidly changing environment where we have all this data being able to empower, as you said, Caroline, the business units by extension. The team members, right, to make decisions confidently and quickly and accurately and successfully. And we’re going to fail sometimes, right. But I think in an inseparable part, Kevin, of really breaking down silos as best we can, even with, you know, small businesses or really big companies like Salon Centric at L’Oreal, empowering employees at such a critical part of that. Kevin, your thoughts.

Kevin L. Jackson (27:41):

You know, that empowerment requires communications, and that’s really the only way you can have all the different organizations within this large company to be both successful, independent, and in concert with the other, you know, 90,000 people that are trying to fulfill their own aspirations.

 

Scott Luton (28:04):

Yes.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (28:04):

So, communication is critical. You know, you’ve talked a bit about the technology you’ve used, but you’ve also talked about how you care about the people and both of them. Both of them are critical.

Scott Luton (28:15):

Yes. Hey, Carolina, we’re going to — we’re going to talk about technology and the ongoing revolution here in just a second. Picking up on what Kevin was talking about, communication. I would argue as well and get your take if you’d agree. We often hear about these islands of excellence, right? These islands of excellence where certain units are so well, but they keep it in their silo or on their island.

 

Scott Luton (28:34):

And I think part of the critical communication that Kevin was talking about that made me think, hey, when one unit does really, really well, let’s share that and cascade it across the organization so we can all win. Is that pretty critical from where you sit?

Caroline Troit (28:46):

Yes, for sure. For sure. I mean, yes. I guess in L’Oreal we’re pretty connected. We have, like, metrics organization, obviously. So, you know, I’m very connected with, like, the head of the global supply chain professional division in France, and then connected with the function head. And then that forces us to communicate, right?

 

Scott Luton (29:09):

Yes.

 

Caroline Troit (29:09):

So, everyone does, you know, the offsite or the town hall and that keep the communication flowing. But you’re right, you know, that’s kind of the only way to inspire ourself and not reinvent the way we live on an island for sure.

Scott Luton (29:22):

Right. And that keeps those bold dreams and big ideas, keeps them in motion, right, across the organization.

Caroline Troit (29:27):

Yes. And you know, and we still believe in the in-person. I’m just going to say that, too. We work remotely as well in L’Oreal, obviously, but we believe in in-person, you know, meetings, and we do a lot of that. And that helps the communication. We meet people that otherwise, you know, you would not necessarily connect with because you don’t have, like, an operation reason to be.

 

Caroline Troit (29:47):

But in the corridor, the coffee machine, so many good conversations, you know, happen that feeds — no, it’s true. And then we do travel still a little bit too. So, we see what’s happening on the other end of the world. For me, traveling to, you know, my vendors, my distribution centers, the plants. It’s critical. I get so much out of it every time I do it. I’m very excited. I’m going to visit finally a UPS sorting center on Monday. I’m excited for this.

 

Scott Luton (30:14):

All right.

Kevin L. Jackson (30:15):

Oh, it’s that relationship. Building that relationship, but not only internal to L’Oreal, but to your partners in business.

Scott Luton (30:23):

Yes, well said. Now, are you able to communicate a little bit as you’re swimming those laps and get a couple of conversations in there? I don’t know.

Caroline Troit (30:30):

That’s a challenge. We need to invent some technology here. Kevin, I need your help. I would love to do that.

Scott Luton (30:36):

Yes, Kevin.

Kevin L. Jackson (30:36):

I’m there. I’m there.

 

Scott Luton (30:37):

Help us out.

Caroline Troit (30:39):

The pool is where I get my best ideas too.

Kevin L. Jackson (30:41):

Oh, OK.

Caroline Troit (30:42):

As an introvert, you know, everybody’s different. But I’m introvert, so that time for myself is where I get the best idea and make the best plan also.

Kevin L. Jackson (30:51):

All the inspiration.

Scott Luton (30:54):

Yes. For me, it’s in the shower, kind of, similarly —

Kevin L. Jackson (30:57):

While you’re singing ABBA, is that what it is?

Scott Luton (30:58):

Yes, that’s right. Yes. How’d you know, Kevin? I need to follow Caroline’s lead though and get into the pool and get some healthy exercise. We’ll see if we can put that in action.

Scott Luton (31:07):

All right. So, Caroline, we’re talking — you just challenged Kevin to help us out and develop some new technology. That’s where I want to go next, right? Because it’s, really, this is such a remarkable time. You know, I believe it’s always a remarkable time in the world of supply chain. But goodness gracious, this ongoing supply chain technology truly revolution that’s been taking place for a while now. What breakthroughs in this regard have really caught your attention, Caroline?

Caroline Troit (31:30):

I just think this is a unique moment for supply chain. Where the A.I., particularly, is really going to game change and revolutionize what we do in a very good and positive way. I’m super excited about it, you know. For so many years I had all supply chain is the role of the future. And I don’t know if I truly believed it myself. Now I believe it. I believe it. Yes, because —

 

Scott Luton (31:56):

Love that.

 

Caroline Troit (31:57):

— I mean, there was a time where we were looking for data, right. We wanted to have the sellout so we can do a better forecasting. Now, we have so much data. Me at Salon Centric, I have so much incredible, rich customer data and really impressive.

 

Caroline Troit (32:14):

Now, you know what A.I. is enabling us to do is to really get from the data so many good insights to respond, to make the best, to reduce the low value added work. There’s so much potential. Think about — you know, one of our biggest challenge, obviously, is assortment. And assortment is critical to optimize inventory, reduce the waste, optimize the business, get more sales. But assortment with the gazillions of SKUs that we have and the deep distribution, it cannot be done without the technology.

 

Caroline Troit (32:48):

But now with the technology, it’s something we could, you know, adjust day in, day out. Same for managing our distribution center with visual and A.I., you know, using the videos, there’s so much we can do. Digital twins to improve our productivity, to improve quality. I dream — I don’t have that, but I dream about having pictures of each parcel before they go out so I can screen —

 

Kevin L. Jackson (33:11):

  1. Yes.

 

Caroline Troit (33:11):

— if they have damages and if they have no shortage. And then customer experience. So, our customer experience team is where we expect to have the biggest transformation. And really, you know, change them from being in charge of transactional work and transactional communication to the customers, to being business drivers, you know, as we like to call it.

 

Caroline Troit (33:33):

It can meet the moment that matters with the customer. So, take these every few minutes that they’re going to talk to the customer with the help of technology. They can really have the right conversation instead of just solving a very transactional problem. So, so much potential and the potential of also reducing so much low value added work that we still have. You know, we love excel spreadsheets in supply chain, but many people do, but not everybody does. And, you know, that’s going to be something that’s really going to help us too. So, super excited about this moment.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (34:05):

Wow.

Scott Luton (34:05):

Yes, I can tell, and I am too. Kevin, what was your favorite part of Caroline’s response when it comes to the supply chain technology revolution?

Kevin L. Jackson (34:13):

You know, I really wanted to jump on all of that, right? So, what did I hear? I heard sensors at endpoint that could collect information and data. I heard computer vision so that you can inspect these packages to make sure that they’re going out as they should. I heard blockchain or digital ledger technology to make sure you understand the pedigree of the data. And I heard using data to create actionable insights, leveraging artificial intelligence so that you wouldn’t be overwhelmed by the data. That you could focus on the most important aspects of the data and implement actions and take actions that would address maybe issues or problems.

 

Scott Luton (35:06):

Yes.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (35:06):

And I also heard that don’t be afraid of the technology. So many people are afraid of things like artificial intelligence. They think they’re coming to take my job. But what I heard from Caroline is embracing technology to make your work better, to be able to be more efficient in what you do so that you could set those boundaries and build those relationships within company and with your ecosystem partners. So, I don’t know if you said any of that, but that’s what I heard.

Scott Luton (35:45):

I think — well said, Kevin, is what I think. You know, two things stuck out to me. And, again, I see a lot of common themes throughout this conversation we’re having. Going back to focus, right? Caroline talked about the power of focus and the power of — instead of looking at 3,000 metrics, let’s look at one. How about that?

 

Scott Luton (36:02):

And, you know, using technology in an organization like Salon Centric and the L’Oreal group, the greater global organization. You’ve got tidal waves of data and leaning on innovative technology to really find those signals that you got to be looking for so you can make better decisions rather than try to go through the whole sandbox of information.

 

Scott Luton (36:22):

The other thing I heard that I really liked, she talked about how they’re leveraging technology to shape and make conversations a lot more effective rather than just transactional. You know, business has to be done. So, transactions are important. Sometimes those conversations have to be had, but bring more value to the table and to really take customer experience to the next level, leveraging technology there to change the conversations we’re having. Caroline, I think that’s brilliant.

Caroline Troit (36:45):

And we shouldn’t be scared. I mean, this is going to be making everyone’s job so much more interesting. Think about those customer service representatives that are, you know, solving issues. Instead of that, they can, like, drive business and create value to their customer. Isn’t that more interesting? Yes.

Scott Luton (37:05):

Yes, yes, yes.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (37:06):

Absolutely.

 

Scott Luton (37:07):

And to our listeners and viewers out there, hey, I’m going to pick up on this, don’t be scared, don’t fear, because that’s a really important quality. If you’re any conscious about all these changes taking place in technology and what’s going to be replaced, hey, if you lean into change and embrace it and volunteer and learn new things, there’s no better insurance policy for your career. And by the way, you get to learn new cool things every day, you know. Write your own ticket.

Caroline Troit (37:31):

Yes, that’s one thing I heard that also caught my attention. You want to be the best learner those days. You just want to be the best learner. So, as things change, you know, it’s OK. We don’t know everything. I mean, I — program A.I., I feel very bad about it. I mean — but I do want to try. But, you know, like if we can at least try to learn that’s what’s happens, I think.

Scott Luton (37:53):

Excellent point to, kind of, wrap here today, Caroline. I love that. So many cool things you are doing. Impactful, changing the business, right? Taking care of customers. And as that continues to evolve, taking care of team members while you take care of business and you build new dreams and bring them to fruition. It’s such a great story here today, Caroline.

 

Scott Luton Scott Luton

  1. How can folks — Kevin, I’m going to get your patent, the key takeaway here in just a moment. But I want to make sure folks can connect with Caroline Troit, senior vice president, Salon Centric Integrated Supply Chain with L’Oreal Group. Caroline, how can folks connect with you?

Caroline Troit (38:26):

Well, I’m in the obvious LinkedIn team. I’m there like everybody else. And yes, let’s stay connected. Thank you to you for animating our group of supply chain passionate people. I love what you guys are doing. And thank you for doing it and bringing us all together.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (38:43):

Thank you.

Scott Luton (38:43):

Caroline, hey, we’re working on our licenses, too. So, we’ll see you again really soon. But — Caroline Troit, again, senior Vice President, Salon Centric Integrated Supply Chain with L’Oreal. Thanks so much for being here, Caroline.

Caroline Troit (38:56):

All right. Thanks to you both. Much appreciated.

Kevin L. Jackson (38:59):

Thank you.

Scott Luton (39:00):

All right. Kevin, that was quite a conversation, just like we promised folks. So, before we get into a couple final questions I’ve got for you, what is your key takeaway from today’s discussion?

Kevin L. Jackson (39:10):

Well, I really love the way they had a focus on a small business. It’s family to them, but they’re leveraging technology to really, you know, take stock of that last mile of the supply chain, that delivery so that they can make their customers, these entrepreneurs look good.

Scott Luton (39:32):

Yes, I love that. They’re empowering those bold dreams and big ideas for all of their entrepreneurial customers out there. So — all right. before we go, Kevin, we just got to talk about some of the really cool things that Microsoft is doing out there in the exciting world of retail. What you got?

Kevin L. Jackson (39:48):

Yes, absolutely. You know, the Microsoft Cloud is really focused on elevating the shopping experience. They want to transform it through data analytics and store technology to strengthen those customer relationships. You know how Caroline was really focused on relationships.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (40:07):

So, they’re building a real time supply chain to create resilient and sustainable supply chain by connecting data access across your entire ecosystem. And she’s going to be mad at me, but no, Caroline, she was talking a lot about how data supported her decisions. I really liked that. And Microsoft understands the importance of empowering the store associate to equip the workforce with retail solutions that improve productivity, collaboration, and customer satisfaction. Caroline was focused on that product score, right, to make sure that all her customers were satisfied.

Scott Luton (40:56):

Yes, well said. Using technology to empower the queen and the rest of the royal family of KPIs that make things happen. I love that, Kevin.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (41:04):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (41:05):

All right. What a great conversation here today. Let’s make sure folks can connect with you and find Digital Transformers out there. It’s a real popular series, Kevin.

Kevin L. Jackson (41:12):

Oh, yes. Absolutely. I mean, we’re exploding. And on our next version of Digital Transformers, we’re going to be highlighting the importance of artificial intelligence. Well, we look at that all the time because it’s really driving digital transformation across every industry. So, don’t miss it.

Scott Luton (41:31):

Don’t miss it at all. I hope to sit down and interview your digital twin out there doing big things in the A.I. space soon. But I — kidding aside, Kevin, always a pleasure. And folks, find Digital Transformers wherever you get your podcasts from.

 

Scott Luton (41:43):

Folks, big thanks to all of our listeners and viewers across the globe. What a great conversation here today. Big thanks to Caroline Troit with Salon Centric and L’Oreal. Big thanks to our collaborative partners, as we’ve mentioned over at Microsoft, helping us to bring these wonderful, inspirational stories and leaders like this one to our global audience.

 

Scott Luton (42:01):

Kevin, always a pleasure to knock out these conversations with you.

Kevin L. Jackson (42:03):

No, thank you very much. I really enjoyed. This really hit the mark.

Scott Luton (42:07):

Oh, it sure did. But listeners, folks, you aren’t off the hook. All right. The challenge now falls to you. You got to take something from this conversation, at least just one thing, and put it into action. Your team’s ready to do business different and be more successful. Empower them, change the business, transform the business, and we’ll all be better off.

 

Scott Luton (42:25):

So, with all of that said, on behalf of our entire team here at Supply Chain now, Scott Luton challenging you and all of our listeners to do good, to give forward and to be the change that’s needed. And we’ll see you next time right back here at Supply Chain Now. Thanks everybody.

Intro/Outro (42:39):

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

guest expertise in supply chain management extends well beyond North America as she has held leadership positions in L’Oreal’s London and Paris offices where she successfully tackled a variety initiatives.

 

Scott Luton (02:22):

Get this, Kevin, integrating new brands, increased distribution center capacity and implemented cost saving strategies and a whole lot more. Now, well known for her ability to drive collaboration, upskill teams and lead through challenging times. I can promise you you’re all in for a real treat, learning from our guest here today.

 

Scott Luton (02:42):

Hey, Caroline, how you doing? I’m

Caroline Troit (02:44):

I’m doing great. Thanks for having me today. I’m both excited and honored.

Scott Luton (02:50):

We are — we’re really excited as well. We all really enjoyed the last appearance you had on logistics with purpose. And hey, Kevin, we have got an outstanding conversation here today with Caroline, huh?

Kevin L. Jackson (03:02):

Oh, yes. I’m looking forward to it, actually. This is one of the areas I find myself light in. So, you know, supply chain for salons, I mean, that sounds like it’s really complex, actually.

Scott Luton (03:17):

Oh, we got the right person, Caroline, right? We’re going to get Kevin informed and up to speed on the wonderful world of the beauty industry, especially where supply chain comes into the equation. But before we get there, Caroline and Kevin, I got a little fun warmup question for Caroline here today because we did our homework and we understand that when you’re not moving mountains in global supply chain, you love to run and swim. So, I’m going to ask you, Caroline, what’s been one of the most picturesque places in the world where you’ve been able to take a run or swim a few laps?

Caroline Troit (03:47):

Yes. So, I love Corsica. I don’t know if you guys have been there, but nothing is like Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea. And there I can both run and — in beautiful, like, surroundings with the mountain and the sea and the Mediterranean flowers. And then you get super, super hot and then just dive in the sea. There is nothing like that in my life.

Scott Luton (04:15):

Oh, man.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (04:15):

Oh, wow.

Scott Luton (04:17):

Kevin, that’s quite a picture.

Kevin L. Jackson (04:17):

That is really nice.

Scott Luton (04:18):

Yes.

Kevin L. Jackson (04:19):

Yes.

Scott Luton (04:20):

Now, Kevin, have you been to Corsica?

Kevin L. Jackson (04:22):

Actually, I have not been to Corsica. I’ve been to a lot of other islands in the Mediterranean when I was in the Navy. But when I thought about that question, I was thinking about a location that was relatively close to Corsica.

Scott Luton (04:38):

  1. Do tell. Do tell.

Kevin L. Jackson (04:42):

So, I mean, as many of you know, I was in the Navy and I was on an aircraft carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt. I was a runner in high school and in college, but as you get older, your knees kind of get bad. But I did get an opportunity to run along the coast in Nice, France.

Caroline Troit (04:58):

It’s pretty close. That’s right. On the other side. But you’ve got other side.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (05:04):

And I loved it.

 

Caroline Troit (05:05):

Corsica is still much beautiful than Nice. I just thought.

Scott Luton (05:08):

Really?

 

Kevin L. Jackson (05:09):

Oh, yes. But I really enjoyed it, you know. I didn’t do any swimming, but the run was just beautiful. I did bike. I did do, like, a century while I was there. So, I rode my bike along the French Riviera and it was beautiful.

 

Caroline Troit (05:24):

Nice.

Scott Luton (05:24):

Well, thanks to you both for making me feel so inadequate and not visiting either of those places, but I’ll put it on my list. But Caroline, thank you so much for sharing. Can’t wait to get into our conversation here today. And Kevin, looking forward as always, to your contributions. We got a great show teed up.

 

Scott Luton (05:40):

So, I want to first to get into as we, kind of, level set the conversation here today I want to talk more about L’Oreal, the world’s largest cosmetics company where some 90,000 team members, a.k.a., I think you all refer to them as L’Orealians. Did I say that right, Caroline?

Caroline Troit (05:56):

Yes, we did say that, L’Orealians.

 

Scott Luton (05:57):

Close?

 

Caroline Troit (05:58):

Yes.

Scott Luton (05:58):

I love that.

 

Caroline Troit (05:59):

You got that.

 

Scott Luton (06:00):

So, these 90,000 L’Orealians have been passionately focused on creating beauty for over 110 years now. So, tell us a little bit about the company and then about your role as well, Caroline.

Caroline Troit (06:10):

Yes. So, I have the pleasure of running the supply chain for Salon Centric and I’m going to talk to you mostly about Salon Centric. You know, L’Oreal, you just said it. They’re mostly known for the brands, right? We have 36 brands, number one beauty company in the world. Amazing brands like luxury consumer division. We — you can find us everywhere.

 

Caroline Troit (06:32):

Now, Salon Centric is the only retailer that L’Oreal owns. Salon Centric was actually a retailer that was created by L’Oreal in 2008, and it’s pretty large, right. We have, all in all, 870 stores between our own stores, franchises and subdistributors. So, we retail for hair, professional product mostly and some beauty professional. So, you’ve got to have your license before you can buy from us. So, Kevin and Scott, you got to work on your license. So, you got to be a professional.

 

Caroline Troit (07:09):

And our customer ships very omnichannel, which is of course the new ways of shopping. So, they go online, they go in store, they do a bit of both. And what I find super interesting is that this is a customer that is mostly an independent. This is a passionate tire list mostly that orders our product. There’s been a shift in our used to be bigger salons, but there’s been a shift and it’s more and more independent stylist.

 

Caroline Troit (07:36):

So, they run their own business. They don’t run on a lot of cash. So, we have to have a super excellent supply chain because they’re really relying on us for the service they’re going to do tomorrow from the product that they ordered yesterday.

 

Caroline Troit (07:51):

So, I’m in charge of the supply chain group, that’s like about 600 people. From planning to the customer experience team, that’s how we call them, to the distribution team. And mostly my focus, you know, as it should be is the transformation and how we make our service always better. So, focus on speed, like I just said, we improved our speed and now we can service all our customers, 70%, in less than two days. Very focused on the tech as well.

 

Scott Luton (08:20):

Oh, man.

Kevin L. Jackson (08:20):

Wow. That’s amazing. I don’t have my license, but I have two nieces that do have their license. And the thing I really like about what you just said is the focus on small businesses because these are independent beauticians. They are running their own business and timeliness and receipt of product. And the ability to have a supplier that’s responsive is critical. And I really like the approach that you’re, sort of, highlighting there. Less than two days for any delivery.

Caroline Troit (08:53):

Yes, we think about it — we like to say — or I like to say we’re a bit business pantry, right? They can’t have inventory, so we’re the inventory. They just need it, like, ship, like, instantly, you know, for tomorrow.

Scott Luton (09:05):

So, like, Kevin, I love how Salon Centric as part of L’Oreal group is really powering entrepreneurs globally. I love that you mentioned how you are been focused on transformation. You also referenced how your customer profile has been evolving over the years. And Kevin also picked up on two days, two days, speed, speed and more speed.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (09:24):

Speed, yes.

 

Scott Luton (09:26):

And, you know, taking care of that customer. And when you mentioned omnichannel, to my brain, there’s lots of different definitions for that. But, you know, meeting the customer where they want to interact with the brand and when and how. And it seems like that clearly has been a big important aspect of your transformation there at Salon Centric, Caroline, is that right?

Caroline Troit (09:45):

Yes, that’s very right. And it’s 1.4 million customers. So, it’s a big business, you know, at Salon Centric. And we got to do it right for the 1.4 million customers.

Scott Luton (09:55):

That’s right. Entrepreneurs out there making it happen for their customers. All right. So, let’s talk about the powerful company culture that’s behind what you just described, that incredible mission and the culture that empowers that and allows you to make that happen. So, when it comes to the company culture there at Salon Centric and L’Oreal, what are some of your favorite elements of that?

Caroline Troit (10:16):

  1. So, I guess I’ll speak mostly of L’Oreal. I’m what we call a L’Oreal baby. So, I’ve been put four years in L’Oreal as, kind of, a lifetime, right? I mean anecdotally, I actually left the company at some point. I left for two years and then I came back because I missed it. I think it does show the power of that culture.

 

Caroline Troit (10:38):

So, what I like, personally, about the culture in L’Oreal is the passion and the vibe. You know, when I was in this other company, it was great. I had a super experience. It was very lean. Things were efficient. My role was well scoped. But I love in L’Oreal. You know, the passion, the high energy. People have bold dreams, big ideas, while still being very hands-on and practical and knowing their business. We like to say, you need to be a little bit of a poet and a farmer in L’Oreal and it’s very true. Everything you do, you need to be hands-on, hands in the mode, I would say sometimes, but also always, like, innovative and entrepreneur and everybody has that passion and that high energy.

 

Caroline Troit (11:23):

Our mission is to create the beauty that moves the world. That’s how our CEO coined it. And it’s about giving confidence to people, you know, everyone in the world and empowering them to be their best and their authentic staff. And of course that, you know, means that in our company culture, it puts a lot of emphasis on people, on ethics, on the planet, right, because about doing it right in every way, right.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (11:53):

Yes.

 

L’Oreal (11:53):

Yes. And sustainability, of course, for us in operation is very front of mind. We got to reduce the CO2 by 50% by 2030, and most of these goals are with operation team. So, it’s really exciting to see the operation and supply chain team really focused on that mission outside of their supply chain scope.

Scott Luton (12:12):

So, Carolina, just so before I go to Kevin, just so you know after you expounded on what it’s like to be part of the team, I’ve just — I’ve applied for my license at Salon Centric because I want to be part of the beauty that moves the world. Really, that was a beautiful answer to touch on of variety of aspects of what I’ll call supply chain beauty, right? From sustainability to empowering people to be their full authentic selves, as you mentioned. I mean, gosh, Kevin, what stood out to you though?

Kevin L. Jackson (12:39):

You know, the passion really stood out to me. But with respect to culture, it seems to me that the culture within L’Oreal matches the culture of your customers, 1.2 million customers. Because being in beauty, being a beautician, being a hairstylist, any of that has to be a passion, and you have to really want to love to do that. And for such a huge global company, your ability to match the passion of your entrepreneurs that you support, to lift them up, really. That’s really impressive.

Scott Luton (13:20):

Agreed, agreed. Quick follow up to some of what you touched on there, and I love the bold dreams and big ideas. But in a practical, let’s get stuff done type manner. I love how you described that, Caroline. Speaking of bold ideas and bold plans, you’ve got some big targets, ambitious targets when it comes to sustainability, right? Could you share that really quick before we move on?

Caroline Troit (13:39):

Yes. I mean, like I said, we have to reduce our carbon emission by 50% between 2016 and 2050. So, just that in itself is a very big goal. It’s broken down by, like, many, many different KPIs. And I guess, you know, for me in my scope, the two most important one that I’m going to call is reducing the carbon emission in transportation, obviously by 50%. And we do a lot of consolidation and work on our network to be able to achieve that.

 

Caroline Troit (14:11):

And the second one is no waste. You know, like, we have a large catalog, a large, you know, distribution network. We got to be on top of our inventory because we allow no waste. It’s a rule in L’Oreal, we need to reduce the waste.

Kevin L. Jackson (14:25):

Wow.

Scott Luton (14:26):

Kevin, if any — you know, Caroline’s got quite a track record for making things like this happen. So, I can’t wait to check back in a couple years. I bet she’s going to beat that target. We’ll see, I don’t want to sign you up, Caroline, for any too aggressive targets. But Kevin —

 

Caroline Troit (14:38):

No pressure, Scott. No pressure.

Kevin L. Jackson (14:39):

No pressure.

Scott Luton (14:41):

Hey, you’re moving mountains to get that done. And I get that kind of kidding aside, but Kevin talk about passion, passion also for doing the right thing and making some really big, aggressive sustainability gains too, right?

Kevin L. Jackson (14:53):

Yes, and I really want to point out that what Carolina is talking about is very difficult, especially in the retail marketplace because it’s about packaging. And especially in the beauty industry, plastics is a huge part of the packaging and the shipping. And that’s really the only way they’ll be able to lower their carbon footprint is by addressing the packaging and reducing the use of plastics. So, this is a huge challenge, especially in a supply chain world.

Caroline Troit (15:30):

Yes, and one of the key things, you know, that we do is new product introduction because we have always a constant turnover of product. So, we have these processes and, kind of, rules as well that every new product needs to be with a lower, you know, amount of plastic, lower impact on the planet. So, that’s a well-established process now that’s helping us, you know, achieve this roadmap.

Scott Luton (15:56):

I love that, Caroline. You know, baking a more circular type of thinking into product development. That’s a critical part of how we can accomplish these big goals together, really across industry.

 

Scott Luton (16:08):

All right. So, you mentioned earlier, because I want to get to the human factor. Me and Kevin Love talking about the human factors as much as we like talking supply chain and technology. And I know you’re passionate as well, very passionate about the human factor and global supply chain. I think you mentioned about 600 folks make up the supply chain team there at Salon Centric at L’Oreal. So, when it comes to building these high performing teams that you’re so well known for, what are some of your key thoughts? What are some of your proven approaches to building teams that win?

Caroline Troit (16:33):

Yes, I mean, first I would say we manage a lot of people in supply chain, generally speaking, right? And I have a huge appreciation for the leaders around me, the leaders I manage that, you know, often I think they do such a better job than I ever would because it’s not easy to manage a distribution center that has, you know, 400 people. They work on a 9:00 to 5:00 shift. And you got to keep them always happy and, you know, engaged. So, you know, I give a lot of kudos to the supply chain leader from being such fantastic and showing true leadership, really.

 

Caroline Troit (17:09):

You know, I tell you a story that really got me into a L’Oreal and into supply chain is when I joined the company, the head of the plant where I was, brought me and, like, did a full tour of me and, you know, he really showed so much care and love to me not knowing me. You know, he treating me, like, really, like, his daughter. He was really, like, an example for me and how, you know, I think about the human factor in everything I do at the end of the day, it’s about treating the people like they were family, you know.

Scott Luton (17:39):

I love that.

Caroline Troit (17:39):

You know, high performing team, for me, it’s two simple things that I think about. And everybody’s got their own. But for me, I think a high performing team is a high level of transparency and directness and they can challenge each other and they have no secret, you know, at least that’s what I’ve seen when I’ve, you know, been even part of a high performing team. I think that’s super important, and, you know, one thing I always keep in mind.

 

Caroline Troit (18:05):

And the second one is, you know, having high standard. And, you know, at the end of the day it’s how we all achieve things that we never thought we could and being proud of it, right? So, it’s also about this, elevated standards within the team. And, you know, again, being able to challenge ourself first starting with us. You know, being very accountable and then as a whole team.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (18:28):

Wow.

Scott Luton (18:28):

So, Kevin, I loved all of those main points. And I’ll go to the first one as Caroline was talking about, the colleague that kind of took her in and gave her a tour, and really focused on treating folks like team members like family, right? Family first. Family first. That transparency and that directness that she mentioned is so powerful, especially in teams that need to move fast and be right often. And then of course, not watering down standards, right, that’s one of the final things she mentioned. That’s really important when it comes to building high performing teams, as well as leading and managing high performing teams. But your thoughts there, Kevin?

Kevin L. Jackson (19:03):

Well, you know, a high-performance team, they care about each other. What sort of stood out for me is when Caroline said she got the tour of the plant and she felt like she was the gentleman’s daughter, right? It was real care came out. And this was a very initial meeting. And it just seems, to me, that this is a huge family of almost 2 million people around the world that really care about each other and lift each other up and really support the dreams and aspirations of small businesses everywhere.

Scott Luton (19:38):

Well said, Kevin. As you’re sharing that, Caroline, it made me think of authenticity comes to mind.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (19:44):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (19:44):

Right? And keeping it real with the team. That goes back to how one of you all’s missions there is powering your customer’s authentic selves. So, there’s a very common theme here, which I love. Your final thoughts, Caroline. I’m going to switch over to a couple topics in global supply chain management that Kevin and I get all that right when it comes to your team building approach.

Caroline Troit (20:02):

Yes. No, totally. You know, one more thing that actually really matters to me, and it’s in the spirit of caring, is making sure everybody can set their own boundaries, right? We work so hard and we are so passionate in L’Oreal, it’s intense job as well. It’s something I learned, you know, through my life and career is I got to set good boundaries because otherwise I could be working day and night on my team too. So, that’s something I really encourage them to do. For me, I swim every morning. For somebody else, might be something else. But it’s really important, like, you know, you got to set yourself some clear boundaries and be happy. Whatever you do, right, be happy in life, be happy in work. And to do that, you’ve got to, you know, make sure you have that time for yourself.

Scott Luton (20:46):

Well said. And, you know, your boundaries may be different than your colleagues’ boundaries, which may be different than, you know, other team members’ boundaries. And I love how, you know, you swim in the mornings. That’s one of your boundaries, right? Your team knows it. And I think setting these personal boundaries are so important to working successfully on great teams these days.

 

Scott Luton (21:03):

All right. Kevin and Caroline, I can’t wait to get into these global supply chain management topics. And we’re going to start with something we talk about all the time. But in the invisibility, you know that I would argue is quickly, very quickly becoming table stakes, it seems. But as we’ve talked about, I don’t know, 3,000 times we’ve got to have the solutions that visibility brings to the equation. Caroline, your thoughts there?

Caroline Troit (21:26):

Yes. So, that’s a topic I’m really excited to talk to you about. So, for me, you know, I’ve worked in L’Oreal in many different jobs. And now in this role in Salon Centric, what I found so powerful is I get to see the end to end, right? I get to be connected directly with our customers and get all these insights and then carry them on to manufacturing. A lot of our products are manufactured in our own plant, and that’s, like, so powerful.

 

Caroline Troit (21:53):

And we use a tool that’s called NPS. I mean, I’m sure other companies use that net promoter score, and that every day I get the rating, the comments from the purchase, and the supply chain services that our customer got. And that, to me, was a game changer in how, you know, we manage our supply chain.

 

Caroline Troit (22:14):

And I used to be called, like, the queen of KPIs, right. We love KPIs. It’s excited, aren’t we. We have hundreds of KPI and I think I — sometimes we get it a bit too complicated. I certainly did. And this was a game changer because I actually think, you know, the only KPI that’s really relevant is this NPS. Just focus on the customer and all the priorities can be derived from that, right, because we can do so many things.

 

Caroline Troit (22:40):

But the name of the game is being able to be focused on a few important things that will make a difference. And this NPS comments and results really give it to me like traits, you know. So, we’ve made that, like, really a tool and cascaded down to all the teams.

 

Caroline Troit (22:55):

So, now the operatives on the floor in the distribution center, they can see, you know, what the customers say about the packing. You know, they get those comments, oh, my parcel was so well packed. Bravo. And the opposite, you know, when something goes wrong, they get to see precisely and it’s connected, like, directly to the order so we can really narrow it. So, they can see, oh, that was wrong. OK. And they take it very personally, you know. I think it’s also great to engage the people. So, talk about visibility. I think that’s a great way to do it.

Scott Luton (23:25):

I love it —

Kevin L. Jackson (23:26):

All hail. All hail the queen of KPIs.

Scott Luton (23:29):

Kevin, you beat me to it. You beat me to it. I was going to say, I think I was an ABBA tune, the queen of KPIs. I think ABBA’s saying about that.

 

Scott Luton (23:38):

But, you know, Kevin, kidding aside, I love Caroline’s sense of humor.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (23:43):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (23:43):

I mean passion, business, we’re going to get results. We’re going to build a great team. We’re going to have each other’s back and treat people like family. But it all comes with a nice sense of humor. Caroline’s the type of person that I’d love to work for, but Kevin, what you hear there when it comes to visibility and her passion there?

Caroline Troit (23:57):

Careful what you wish for, yes.

Scott Luton (24:02):

Good point. Good point, clearly.

Kevin L. Jackson (24:03):

Good point, yes. What I’m sort of hearing as a focus on that last mile, logistics must be very complex because you’re delivering to entrepreneurs. They aren’t, you know, in a — maybe some of them are in big stores, but many of them in small shops, many of them are maybe working from home or they work at their client’s home. So, that last mile of delivery and logistics, I mean in order to keep your net promoter score high, you really have to focus on the little details. So I applaud you.

Scott Luton (24:40):

No doubt. Of course, that goes back to the complexity behind making these big sustainability gains, right —

 

Kevin L. Jackson (24:45):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (24:45):

— by a mile, I’ll tell you what. All right. And the NPS, folks out there maybe listening or watching us, net promoter score, Google it. If it’s new to you, that’s OK. We’re all new to things, but it can really have a powerful impact on your team, whether it’s a big one or a small one.

Kevin L. Jackson (24:58):

Oh yes. One thing I’d like to add too is a shout out on data. This is a data-driven operations in the supply chain and the queen of KPIs understand the importance of data. Not only that, she knows how to leverage that data to make sure that her customers are satisfied.

Scott Luton (25:20):

That’s right. All right. That title’s going to be the gift that keeps on giving, Caroline.

Caroline Troit (25:24):

That was a known title. My point was not — I got one KPI and its NPS. No more queen of KPI.

Scott Luton (25:32):

Instead of, like —

 

Caroline Troit (25:33):

Hundreds of KPIs.

 

Scott Luton (25:34):

— billboards and billboards of KPIs —

 

Caroline Troit (25:36):

Exactly.

 

Scott Luton (25:36):

— focusing in on —

 

Caroline Troit (25:37):

Exactly.

 

Scott Luton (25:38):

Yes, well said.

Kevin L. Jackson (25:39):

The one important one —

Caroline Troit (25:41):

So, queen of KPIs.

Scott Luton (25:43):

Well, let’s do this. Let’s all — I want to talk about silo busting. You know, what’s old is new again. Global business deal still has a ton of silo busting to do. Your thoughts on the importance of breaking down organizational and functional silos and how to do it, Caroline.

Caroline Troit (25:59):

Yes, yes. And, you know, being in a big company, it’s hard, you know. And it’s something that, sort of, keeps me awake at night, right? In a company of 90,000 people, there’s no way you can be connected with everybody. So, you know, there’s always going to be some type of silo.

 

Caroline Troit (26:16):

Now, what I think what L’Oreal does successfully is that they empower the business units to have enough autonomy and enough innovation capabilities, the entrepreneur. And that forces us as operation because we structured very much in that way to remain very customer centric and business centric. And I think that’s really important and that’s how we go about, you know, competing, you know business in an environment that is incredibly volatile.

 

Caroline Troit (26:45):

Now, of course the balance is still, supply chain is technical, right? So, we can’t be operating in that silo and not know what everyone else is doing. So, it’s also about leveraging the — what we call our network of expertise and pulling, you know, the experts from all around the world so we don’t reinvent the wheel.

Scott Luton (27:04):

One of the biggest challenges we have timelessly on one hand, but on the other hand, in this rapidly changing environment where we have all this data being able to empower, as you said, Caroline, the business units by extension. The team members, right, to make decisions confidently and quickly and accurately and successfully. And we’re going to fail sometimes, right. But I think in an inseparable part, Kevin, of really breaking down silos as best we can, even with, you know, small businesses or really big companies like Salon Centric at L’Oreal, empowering employees at such a critical part of that. Kevin, your thoughts.

Kevin L. Jackson (27:41):

You know, that empowerment requires communications, and that’s really the only way you can have all the different organizations within this large company to be both successful, independent, and in concert with the other, you know, 90,000 people that are trying to fulfill their own aspirations.

 

Scott Luton (28:04):

Yes.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (28:04):

So, communication is critical. You know, you’ve talked a bit about the technology you’ve used, but you’ve also talked about how you care about the people and both of them. Both of them are critical.

Scott Luton (28:15):

Yes. Hey, Carolina, we’re going to — we’re going to talk about technology and the ongoing revolution here in just a second. Picking up on what Kevin was talking about, communication. I would argue as well and get your take if you’d agree. We often hear about these islands of excellence, right? These islands of excellence where certain units are so well, but they keep it in their silo or on their island.

 

Scott Luton (28:34):

And I think part of the critical communication that Kevin was talking about that made me think, hey, when one unit does really, really well, let’s share that and cascade it across the organization so we can all win. Is that pretty critical from where you sit?

Caroline Troit (28:46):

Yes, for sure. For sure. I mean, yes. I guess in L’Oreal we’re pretty connected. We have, like, metrics organization, obviously. So, you know, I’m very connected with, like, the head of the global supply chain professional division in France, and then connected with the function head. And then that forces us to communicate, right?

 

Scott Luton (29:09):

Yes.

 

Caroline Troit (29:09):

So, everyone does, you know, the offsite or the town hall and that keep the communication flowing. But you’re right, you know, that’s kind of the only way to inspire ourself and not reinvent the way we live on an island for sure.

Scott Luton (29:22):

Right. And that keeps those bold dreams and big ideas, keeps them in motion, right, across the organization.

Caroline Troit (29:27):

Yes. And you know, and we still believe in the in-person. I’m just going to say that, too. We work remotely as well in L’Oreal, obviously, but we believe in in-person, you know, meetings, and we do a lot of that. And that helps the communication. We meet people that otherwise, you know, you would not necessarily connect with because you don’t have, like, an operation reason to be.

 

Caroline Troit (29:47):

But in the corridor, the coffee machine, so many good conversations, you know, happen that feeds — no, it’s true. And then we do travel still a little bit too. So, we see what’s happening on the other end of the world. For me, traveling to, you know, my vendors, my distribution centers, the plants. It’s critical. I get so much out of it every time I do it. I’m very excited. I’m going to visit finally a UPS sorting center on Monday. I’m excited for this.

 

Scott Luton (30:14):

All right.

Kevin L. Jackson (30:15):

Oh, it’s that relationship. Building that relationship, but not only internal to L’Oreal, but to your partners in business.

Scott Luton (30:23):

Yes, well said. Now, are you able to communicate a little bit as you’re swimming those laps and get a couple of conversations in there? I don’t know.

Caroline Troit (30:30):

That’s a challenge. We need to invent some technology here. Kevin, I need your help. I would love to do that.

Scott Luton (30:36):

Yes, Kevin.

Kevin L. Jackson (30:36):

I’m there. I’m there.

 

Scott Luton (30:37):

Help us out.

Caroline Troit (30:39):

The pool is where I get my best ideas too.

Kevin L. Jackson (30:41):

Oh, OK.

Caroline Troit (30:42):

As an introvert, you know, everybody’s different. But I’m introvert, so that time for myself is where I get the best idea and make the best plan also.

Kevin L. Jackson (30:51):

All the inspiration.

Scott Luton (30:54):

Yes. For me, it’s in the shower, kind of, similarly —

Kevin L. Jackson (30:57):

While you’re singing ABBA, is that what it is?

Scott Luton (30:58):

Yes, that’s right. Yes. How’d you know, Kevin? I need to follow Caroline’s lead though and get into the pool and get some healthy exercise. We’ll see if we can put that in action.

Scott Luton (31:07):

All right. So, Caroline, we’re talking — you just challenged Kevin to help us out and develop some new technology. That’s where I want to go next, right? Because it’s, really, this is such a remarkable time. You know, I believe it’s always a remarkable time in the world of supply chain. But goodness gracious, this ongoing supply chain technology truly revolution that’s been taking place for a while now. What breakthroughs in this regard have really caught your attention, Caroline?

Caroline Troit (31:30):

I just think this is a unique moment for supply chain. Where the A.I., particularly, is really going to game change and revolutionize what we do in a very good and positive way. I’m super excited about it, you know. For so many years I had all supply chain is the role of the future. And I don’t know if I truly believed it myself. Now I believe it. I believe it. Yes, because —

 

Scott Luton (31:56):

Love that.

 

Caroline Troit (31:57):

— I mean, there was a time where we were looking for data, right. We wanted to have the sellout so we can do a better forecasting. Now, we have so much data. Me at Salon Centric, I have so much incredible, rich customer data and really impressive.

 

Caroline Troit (32:14):

Now, you know what A.I. is enabling us to do is to really get from the data so many good insights to respond, to make the best, to reduce the low value added work. There’s so much potential. Think about — you know, one of our biggest challenge, obviously, is assortment. And assortment is critical to optimize inventory, reduce the waste, optimize the business, get more sales. But assortment with the gazillions of SKUs that we have and the deep distribution, it cannot be done without the technology.

 

Caroline Troit (32:48):

But now with the technology, it’s something we could, you know, adjust day in, day out. Same for managing our distribution center with visual and A.I., you know, using the videos, there’s so much we can do. Digital twins to improve our productivity, to improve quality. I dream — I don’t have that, but I dream about having pictures of each parcel before they go out so I can screen —

 

Kevin L. Jackson (33:11):

  1. Yes.

 

Caroline Troit (33:11):

— if they have damages and if they have no shortage. And then customer experience. So, our customer experience team is where we expect to have the biggest transformation. And really, you know, change them from being in charge of transactional work and transactional communication to the customers, to being business drivers, you know, as we like to call it.

 

Caroline Troit (33:33):

It can meet the moment that matters with the customer. So, take these every few minutes that they’re going to talk to the customer with the help of technology. They can really have the right conversation instead of just solving a very transactional problem. So, so much potential and the potential of also reducing so much low value added work that we still have. You know, we love excel spreadsheets in supply chain, but many people do, but not everybody does. And, you know, that’s going to be something that’s really going to help us too. So, super excited about this moment.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (34:05):

Wow.

Scott Luton (34:05):

Yes, I can tell, and I am too. Kevin, what was your favorite part of Caroline’s response when it comes to the supply chain technology revolution?

Kevin L. Jackson (34:13):

You know, I really wanted to jump on all of that, right? So, what did I hear? I heard sensors at endpoint that could collect information and data. I heard computer vision so that you can inspect these packages to make sure that they’re going out as they should. I heard blockchain or digital ledger technology to make sure you understand the pedigree of the data. And I heard using data to create actionable insights, leveraging artificial intelligence so that you wouldn’t be overwhelmed by the data. That you could focus on the most important aspects of the data and implement actions and take actions that would address maybe issues or problems.

 

Scott Luton (35:06):

Yes.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (35:06):

And I also heard that don’t be afraid of the technology. So many people are afraid of things like artificial intelligence. They think they’re coming to take my job. But what I heard from Caroline is embracing technology to make your work better, to be able to be more efficient in what you do so that you could set those boundaries and build those relationships within company and with your ecosystem partners. So, I don’t know if you said any of that, but that’s what I heard.

Scott Luton (35:45):

I think — well said, Kevin, is what I think. You know, two things stuck out to me. And, again, I see a lot of common themes throughout this conversation we’re having. Going back to focus, right? Caroline talked about the power of focus and the power of — instead of looking at 3,000 metrics, let’s look at one. How about that?

 

Scott Luton (36:02):

And, you know, using technology in an organization like Salon Centric and the L’Oreal group, the greater global organization. You’ve got tidal waves of data and leaning on innovative technology to really find those signals that you got to be looking for so you can make better decisions rather than try to go through the whole sandbox of information.

 

Scott Luton (36:22):

The other thing I heard that I really liked, she talked about how they’re leveraging technology to shape and make conversations a lot more effective rather than just transactional. You know, business has to be done. So, transactions are important. Sometimes those conversations have to be had, but bring more value to the table and to really take customer experience to the next level, leveraging technology there to change the conversations we’re having. Caroline, I think that’s brilliant.

Caroline Troit (36:45):

And we shouldn’t be scared. I mean, this is going to be making everyone’s job so much more interesting. Think about those customer service representatives that are, you know, solving issues. Instead of that, they can, like, drive business and create value to their customer. Isn’t that more interesting? Yes.

Scott Luton (37:05):

Yes, yes, yes.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (37:06):

Absolutely.

 

Scott Luton (37:07):

And to our listeners and viewers out there, hey, I’m going to pick up on this, don’t be scared, don’t fear, because that’s a really important quality. If you’re any conscious about all these changes taking place in technology and what’s going to be replaced, hey, if you lean into change and embrace it and volunteer and learn new things, there’s no better insurance policy for your career. And by the way, you get to learn new cool things every day, you know. Write your own ticket.

Caroline Troit (37:31):

Yes, that’s one thing I heard that also caught my attention. You want to be the best learner those days. You just want to be the best learner. So, as things change, you know, it’s OK. We don’t know everything. I mean, I — program A.I., I feel very bad about it. I mean — but I do want to try. But, you know, like if we can at least try to learn that’s what’s happens, I think.

Scott Luton (37:53):

Excellent point to, kind of, wrap here today, Caroline. I love that. So many cool things you are doing. Impactful, changing the business, right? Taking care of customers. And as that continues to evolve, taking care of team members while you take care of business and you build new dreams and bring them to fruition. It’s such a great story here today, Caroline.

 

Scott Luton Scott Luton

  1. How can folks — Kevin, I’m going to get your patent, the key takeaway here in just a moment. But I want to make sure folks can connect with Caroline Troit, senior vice president, Salon Centric Integrated Supply Chain with L’Oreal Group. Caroline, how can folks connect with you?

Caroline Troit (38:26):

Well, I’m in the obvious LinkedIn team. I’m there like everybody else. And yes, let’s stay connected. Thank you to you for animating our group of supply chain passionate people. I love what you guys are doing. And thank you for doing it and bringing us all together.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (38:43):

Thank you.

Scott Luton (38:43):

Caroline, hey, we’re working on our licenses, too. So, we’ll see you again really soon. But — Caroline Troit, again, senior Vice President, Salon Centric Integrated Supply Chain with L’Oreal. Thanks so much for being here, Caroline.

Caroline Troit (38:56):

All right. Thanks to you both. Much appreciated.

Kevin L. Jackson (38:59):

Thank you.

Scott Luton (39:00):

All right. Kevin, that was quite a conversation, just like we promised folks. So, before we get into a couple final questions I’ve got for you, what is your key takeaway from today’s discussion?

Kevin L. Jackson (39:10):

Well, I really love the way they had a focus on a small business. It’s family to them, but they’re leveraging technology to really, you know, take stock of that last mile of the supply chain, that delivery so that they can make their customers, these entrepreneurs look good.

Scott Luton (39:32):

Yes, I love that. They’re empowering those bold dreams and big ideas for all of their entrepreneurial customers out there. So — all right. before we go, Kevin, we just got to talk about some of the really cool things that Microsoft is doing out there in the exciting world of retail. What you got?

Kevin L. Jackson (39:48):

Yes, absolutely. You know, the Microsoft Cloud is really focused on elevating the shopping experience. They want to transform it through data analytics and store technology to strengthen those customer relationships. You know how Caroline was really focused on relationships.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (40:07):

So, they’re building a real time supply chain to create resilient and sustainable supply chain by connecting data access across your entire ecosystem. And she’s going to be mad at me, but no, Caroline, she was talking a lot about how data supported her decisions. I really liked that. And Microsoft understands the importance of empowering the store associate to equip the workforce with retail solutions that improve productivity, collaboration, and customer satisfaction. Caroline was focused on that product score, right, to make sure that all her customers were satisfied.

Scott Luton (40:56):

Yes, well said. Using technology to empower the queen and the rest of the royal family of KPIs that make things happen. I love that, Kevin.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (41:04):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (41:05):

All right. What a great conversation here today. Let’s make sure folks can connect with you and find Digital Transformers out there. It’s a real popular series, Kevin.

Kevin L. Jackson (41:12):

Oh, yes. Absolutely. I mean, we’re exploding. And on our next version of Digital Transformers, we’re going to be highlighting the importance of artificial intelligence. Well, we look at that all the time because it’s really driving digital transformation across every industry. So, don’t miss it.

Scott Luton (41:31):

Don’t miss it at all. I hope to sit down and interview your digital twin out there doing big things in the A.I. space soon. But I — kidding aside, Kevin, always a pleasure. And folks, find Digital Transformers wherever you get your podcasts from.

 

Scott Luton (41:43):

Folks, big thanks to all of our listeners and viewers across the globe. What a great conversation here today. Big thanks to Caroline Troit with Salon Centric and L’Oreal. Big thanks to our collaborative partners, as we’ve mentioned over at Microsoft, helping us to bring these wonderful, inspirational stories and leaders like this one to our global audience.

 

Scott Luton (42:01):

Kevin, always a pleasure to knock out these conversations with you.

Kevin L. Jackson (42:03):

No, thank you very much. I really enjoyed. This really hit the mark.

Scott Luton (42:07):

Oh, it sure did. But listeners, folks, you aren’t off the hook. All right. The challenge now falls to you. You got to take something from this conversation, at least just one thing, and put it into action. Your team’s ready to do business different and be more successful. Empower them, change the business, transform the business, and we’ll all be better off.

 

Scott Luton (42:25):

So, with all of that said, on behalf of our entire team here at Supply Chain now, Scott Luton challenging you and all of our listeners to do good, to give forward and to be the change that’s needed. And we’ll see you next time right back here at Supply Chain Now. Thanks everybody.

Intro/Outro (42:39):

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

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Featured Guests

Caroline Troit is a highly accomplished professional with extensive experience in operations and supply chain management. She has a proven track record of driving efficiency, cost savings, and operational excellence in the beauty industry. Caroline has held various leadership roles at L’Oréal, where she has successfully managed large-scale operations and supply chain functions for multiple divisions and brands. In her current role as SVP of Operations for SalonCentric, Caroline is responsible for overseeing the operations of the $1.5 billion in sales Professional Products division retailer. Prior to this, she served as SVP of Operations for L’Oréal’s Luxe division, where she managed the end-to-end operations for all North American brands, including Kiehl’s, Urban Decay, IT Cosmetics, Ralph Lauren, and Youth to the People. Caroline’s achievements in this role include fast integration and internalization plans, expansion projects, successful launch of Amazon FBA model, and securing sales with the right suppliers. Caroline’s expertise in supply chain management extends beyond North America. She has also held leadership positions in L’Oréal’s London and Paris offices, where she successfully integrated new brands, increased distribution center capacity, and implemented cost-saving strategies. Her ability to drive collaboration, upskill teams, and lead through challenging times has been instrumental in maintaining business continuity and achieving sustainability goals.

Caroline holds a master’s degree in Material Engineering from Nancy Ecole des Mines and a Master of Mathematics from the University of Nancy. In her spare time, Caroline is an avid runner and swimmer, and a mom of two. Connect with Caroline on LinkedIn.

Hosts

Scott W. Luton

Founder, CEO, & Host

Kevin L. Jackson

Host, Digital Transformers

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Kim Winter

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).

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Joshua Miranda

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.

Donna Krache

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.

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Vicki White

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.

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Katherine Hintz

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.

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Kim Reuter

Host, The Freight Insider

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.

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Kristi Porter

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.

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Sofia Rivas Herrera

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.

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Demo Perez

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.

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Mary Kate Love

VP, Marketing

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.

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Adrian Purtill

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.

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Kevin Brown

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.

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Jose Miguel Irarrazaval

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.

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Nick Roemer

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.

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Allison Giddens

Host, Logistics with Purpose

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.

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Billy Taylor

Host of Dial P for Procurement

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.

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Tandreia Bellamy

Host, Supply Chain Now

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).

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Mary Kate Soliva

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.

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Scott W. Luton

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.

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Greg White

Principal & CMO, Supply Chain Now
Host of Supply Chain Now and TECHquila Sunrise

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.

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Chris Barnes

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.

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Tyler Ward

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!

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Kevin L. Jackson

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 CiscoMicrosoft, 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 UniversityO’Reilly MediaLinkedIn Learning, and Pluralsight.  Mr. Jackson retired from the U.S. Navy in 1994, earning specialties in Space Systems EngineeringCarrier 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.

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Enrique Alvarez

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.

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Kelly Barner

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’.

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Constantine Limberakis

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.

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Amanda Luton

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.

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Clay Phillips

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.

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Trisha Cordes

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.

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Chantel King

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.

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Lori Sofian

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.

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Katherine Hintz

Sales and Marketing Coordinator

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.

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