The Sourcing Hero

There was a time when the only objective procurement had to satisfy was saving the company money, and the only way to do that was to negotiate tough with suppliers. Today, however, the business’s expectations are much greater - a shift that is raising the bar for procurement professionals in all industries and across categories of spend. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes back Philip Ideson, Founder and Managing Director at Art of Procurement. They take the opportunity to discuss one of the broader themes we are hearing about in procurement today, and that is procurement skill sets and their connection to business outcomes. Phil speaks from his own experience as a procurement professional and as someone covering the space through this major shift: The most important skill procurement can employ while trying to save money and also support the overall business How changes in the procurement operating model and tech stack are affecting the skills needed on the team Differences in category strategy and stakeholder groups and how those (should) impact procurement’s approach Links: Philip Ideson on LinkedIn

While the options available to consumers may make payments seem simple, the underlying complexity is enough to make small to mid-sized business owners’ heads spin. Selecting the right payments provider can set a small business up for success - by allowing them to do what they do best. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Brian Goudie. Brian is the Executive Chairman at Aurora Payments. By providing secure payments solutions, Aurora has built a portfolio of more than 29,000 small and medium-sized merchants that process $12 billion annually. Brian is also a small business owner himself, so he understands the business challenges his clients are facing first hand. Brian pulls back the curtain on payments and shares expertise build up over 30 years in the payments space: How the payment platform has changed, from increased investment and sophistication to the lasting impact of COVID What small to mid-sized businesses should look for in a payments provider What makes payments so complex for businesses to manage Links: Brian Goudie on LinkedIn

How we think about inclusivity in today’s workforce has a lot to do with how we view diversity. The strongest, most resilient teams take the best characteristics, experiences, and approaches that each individual member has to offer, shine a light on those qualities, and then weave them together into an unbreakable fabric. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Andrés Tapia.  Andrés is one of the authors of the book The 5 Disciplines of Inclusive Teams: Unlocking Collective Power to Achieve Breakthrough. Andrés was a Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry for 12 years and now leads the Andrés Tapia strategy group. Andrés speaks about the power of inclusivity and the benefits of teams that continue to grow individually and collectively: Big picture ways to think about being inclusive in the modern workplace What it takes to go from a collection of talented people to a truly inclusive team How every team can become more inclusive than they already are Links: Andrés Tapia on LinkedIn

A Board of Directors plays a critical role in the success of the company they advise. Ensuring that the right members are on that Board, and that each Board has the right mix of personalities, experiences, and functional knowledge is a significant and ongoing challenge - but one that is worth the effort to get right.  In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes James Drury III, the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of JamesDruryPartners. Jim has over 30 years of experience advising Fortune 100 CEOs and senior executives, and has placed hundreds of leaders on the boards of influential companies.  Jim shares his detailed experience with - and insights on: What role a Board of Directors should fill in a company and what their relationship with the C-suite should look like How much a Board should know about the company’s supply chain The information a Chief Procurement Officer or Chief Supply Chain Officer might need to prepare in advance of meeting with the Board Links: James Drury Partners on LinkedIn

Supply chains must be a product of the geography they support, leading to specific requirements around transport modes, temperature control, and even warehousing capacity. This also means that supply chain experts must be as well versed in the infrastructure and logistics of their local area as they are that of their suppliers. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Samah Mahdi Abdulla. Samah is a supply chain professional with over 15 years of experience and a master's degree in Logistics, Procurement, and Supply Chain Management. She is based in Bahrain and has worked in industries as diverse as retail and food production.  Shares her unique perspective on procurement and supply chain: The benefits of specialized - and continuing - education in procurement and supply chain How working from an island nation has shaped her work The speed of business in Bahrain that supply chains must be prepared to support Links: Samah Mahdi Abdulla on LinkedIn

Most professionals have had the opportunity to work for both wonderful and less-than-wonderful leaders at one time or another. But while we are likely to notice the difference, being able to explain what makes one individual more successful than another may be challenging. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Dr. Shanda Gore. Dr. Gore is the Founder and CEO of Mays Associates, and the author of a new book titled The PinLeader Path: Identify, Engage, and Develop Effective Human and AI Leadership for Your Organizational Culture. Dr. Gore has been studying and coaching leaders to find out what characteristics make the greatest difference to their company and team. Dr. Gore talks about the idea of being a “PinLeader” in today’s corporations: Three major attributes that are present in all successful leaders How leadership intersects (or clashes) with company culture The role that AI is playing in companies, on teams, and on behalf of leaders Ways we should think about business etiquette today Links: Dr. Shanda Gore on LinkedIn

Communication is a complex craft. It involves speaking clearly and with a consistent message, actively listening to see how the message is received, and - the ultimate test - if we are communicating to persuade, watching to see if that message has the desired motivating effect. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Liz Milan. Liz is a former procurement executive and adjunct at the University of Portland Pamplin Business School where she teaches a course on Negotiation and Persuasion. She is currently doing board work for Open Adoption and Family Services. Liz speaks about why persuasive communication is so critical for procurement: Never forgetting the bigger picture dynamics that may be at play when making recommendations about supplier contracts Creating opportunities to learn as much as possible from the sales side of the business The sacrifice that may be required of anyone who aspires to hero status Links: Liz Milan on LinkedIn

Procurement thinks sales is always trying to sell them something that isn’t what they want, is over priced, or won’t live up to the hype. Sales thinks procurement is deliberately trying to throw a wrench in a long proposal process, only cares about price, and has no feelings at all. What if they are both wrong? In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Mike Lander. Mike is the CEO of Piscari, a coaching firm that helps sell-side teams improve their negotiating skills, better understand procurement buyers, and - ultimately - arrive at better commercial deals. Mike speaks from his experience in both sales and procurement about: How the two sides perceive each other and why those perceptions are dangerous for everyone The importance of understanding where you fit in the other side’s worldview, and how they see your company in return The conditions that have to be in place for sales and procurement to create value for both companies at the same time Links: Mike Lander on LinkedIn

"It ain't about how hard you get hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward." - Rocky Balboa Supply chain professionals know how to take a hit. In most cases, they are strong enough to get back up time and time again. How quickly they are back on their feet each time is an indication of resilience, an essential quality that can be improved through reflection, examination, and analysis. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Sunder Balakrishnan. Sunder is the Director of Supply Chain Analytics for LatentView Analytics, where he specializes in consumer products, retail, technology, and industrial automotive. His background includes roles focused on process and data, all with the end goal of solving some of the biggest challenges facing companies today. Sunder takes on both the idea of resilience and the effort to make our supply chains more so: Where the majority of disruptions take place in supply chains today The level of visibility most companies have into their multi-tier supply chain at the beginning of their resilience journey How to focus on getting back up faster, putting processes and systems in place to offer supply chain teams a much-needed boost Links: Sunder Balakrishnan on LinkedIn

It is common for business strategy discussions to start with a definition of ‘Why?’ This makes it easier for leadership teams to formalize and articulate the reasons behind a set of decisions, and to share that vision with the rest of the company. As hard as it is to define a shared ‘Why?’ pairing that with an effective ‘How?’ may be even harder.  In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Tara Milburn. Tara is the President and CEO at Ethical Swag, a Certified B Corp and the leading on-line distributor of sustainably sourced promotional products in North America. Tara speaks about how she and her team combine their ‘Why?’ and ‘How?’ across everything they do: The ‘North Star’ that guides the company from the top, but also by empowering each employee to keep the team on track How digital advancement is creating opportunities for companies to align with change in families and communities What “meaningful work” looks like in practice, and the benefits of creating these kinds fo opportunities Links: Tara Milburn on LinkedIn

The discussion about how much technical category knowledge procurement should have is ongoing - and the right answer depends a lot on the company in question. When close collaboration is needed between procurement, R&D, and suppliers, technical expertise is a must, but so are humility and curiosity. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Chuck Shehadi. Chuck is the COO at Solugen, a chemical manufacturing company based in Houston, Texas. When it comes to the skills required to be considered a talented procurement professional in his world, that means technical - highly technical - and with the right level of category specialization. In this interview, Chuck talks about the unique backgrounds he and his team have and how they put them to work: Why former engineers and PhDs would choose to pursue a career in procurement How they balance having that knowledge with the experience brought by R&D and suppliers His advice for someone in procurement looking to become more technically proficient or someone in engineering that might want to step into procurement Links: Chuck Shehadi on LinkedIn

For most procurement professionals, the only contact they have with finance is when their savings projections are being audited or approved for internal communication. Those are hardly the circumstances under which collaborative relationships form - but that doesn’t have to be the extent of their contact. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Mark Gilham. Mark is the Vice President and Head of the Enable Advisory practice. Most of his past positions have been strategic finance and accounting roles, allowing him to develop a first hand perspective that can certainly help procurement teams today. In this interview, Mark talks about the opportunity that exists for finance and procurement teams who can work together: What it looks like when finance takes a broader, more commercially-minded perspective Forms of value beyond savings that finance can help procurement make the business case for achieving The number one thing procurement should never (ever) do to finance Links: Mark Gilham on LinkedIn

Procurement is the kind of job where success is largely fueled by the strength of your relationships. Having trust and respect between procurement and the business, as well as between procurement and suppliers, can often make or break an effort. But it all starts with the team dynamic that exists within procurement. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Dr. Cindie Burkett. Cindie is the Vice President of Procurement for Specialty Dental Brands where she is busy building out her procurement team and forging relationships with suppliers for the good of the organization.  Cindie shares her point of view on relationships, and why they are so critical to business success: Healthy ways individuals can process their mistakes in a way that everyone benefits Why having close relationships with suppliers doesn’t reduce procurement’s leverage at renegotiation time or when there are performance issues How procurement can resolve perception-based issues that the business has with a supplier’s performance Links: Dr. Cindie Burkett on LinkedIn

Procurement has come a long way over the last few decades, but the fact that they always want to achieve more shouldn’t lead them to discount or overlook how good they have it today. Whether that means the quality of supplier relationships, the speed of spend analytics, or the regard they enjoy from stakeholders, there is a lot to be grateful for. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes John Latham. John has a really interesting mix of experience - deep category expertise on the buy side of the procurement process, but also business development and account management roles as well. In this interview, John shares lessons from his many years working in and around procurement: Why today’s procurement professionals should appreciate the digital support they may take for granted Knowing when it is valuable to have category expertise in house and when it is not necessary What procurement and sales professionals should both remember about the objectives they share Links: John Latham on LinkedIn

Activewear company Under Armour unveiled a line of regenerative sportswear at Milan Fashion Week in 2025. This is their first collaboration with recent acquisition Unless Collective, a producer of zero-plastic, plant-based fashion.  The effort to remove non-degradable textiles from landfills is admirable, but will it work? In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes back Kris Lance, Vice President and Senior Director at Una, for a monthly conversation about current news stories. Kris has experience in multiple industries and has his finger on the pulse of the trends and topics that procurement, sourcing, and supply chain professionals need to be aware of. In this month’s discussion, Kris and Kelly talk about Under Armour’s decision to experiment with plant-based clothing:  Consumer first impressions to new innovations, and how the best of intentions don’t always work as planned Being aspirational about brand identity, while staying firmly rooted in reality How we can ensure space for experimentation, suspending disbelief  long enough to allow new ideas an opportunity to prove themselves Links: Under Armour, Unless partner on plant-based sportswear collection Kris Lance on LinkedIn Subscribe to Una’s Procurement Newsletter, “The Sidekick” Episode 208: All Cracked Up - Understanding Today’s Egg Prices Episode 204: Hot Times in the Arctic Circle Episode 200: Fostering the Conditions That Lead to Success Episode 196: The Best of Kris Lance in 2024      

What would it feel like if all of the tasks, meetings, obligations, and pressures of work were suddenly… gone? Would it be a relief or would the stress associated with making the decision to step away from work be so strong that it ruined your newfound freedom? In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Vytas Sliesoraitis. Vytas is a career procurement professional with experience at companies like Intel, Google, Epic Games, and Gilead Sciences. That said, it is the time he has spent away from the office, taking a deliberate sabbatical, that has taught him the true value of time. In this interview, Vytas shares some of the details of his sabbatical experience: How he structured his time, balancing family, professional development, and Ironman training What he learned about himself during this period How it has changed his outlook now that he has returned to the professional world Links: Vytas Sliesoraitis on LinkedIn

A career is a heck of a thing to manage - especially when it is your own. You change with each phase of growth and new experience, and your job prospects change as well. The better you know yourself and what makes you happy - yes, HAPPY - at work, the more successful you will be in your next endeavor. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Gale Daikoku. In addition to having deep experience in the procurement space and the global influencer marketing space, Gale is a highly professional networker. She is constantly commenting on other people’s content and always knows someone else to pull in on the topic. Gale shares what she has learned by managing the twists and turns of her own professional journey: What you need to know about yourself Taking a big picture view of compensation Why relationships are one of the most important parts of any job Links: Gale Daikoku on LinkedIn

While procurement often thinks about purchase price as equal to cost, some purchases come with a longer term cost to own and maintain. Being able to understand the concept of total cost of ownership (TCO) and factor that into sourcing and award decisions will ultimately determine whether procurement’s negotiated savings reach the bottom line or evaporate into costs for waste, downtime, and maintenance. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Louis Bastone. Louis is the Senior Indirect Procurement Category Manager - Real Estate and Facilities at ASML. After holding sourcing specialist and manager roles in the pharmaceutical industry, Louis made the jump to manufacturing where he works to drive cost savings and improve strategic processes within construction, site services, and utilities categories. Louis shares his experience with TCO management: The role that specifications play in reducing total cost How to win stakeholders over to the variability associated with individual supplier innovations Which categories best lend themselves to a first-time TCO-driven sourcing project Links: Louis Bastone on LinkedIn

Could how you think - about yourself - change the way you experience the world around you? We all have past experiences that we carry with us, often for life. Those experiences and how we process them not only become a part of who we are, they influence how we process later events and circumstances. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Ryan Christensen. Ryan is a professional hypnotist specializing in peak mental focus and performance. After 23 years of experience in the intelligence community, he’s now worked with hundreds of high-achievers and neurodivergent professionals to radically transform their mindset and shift their subconscious beliefs towards inevitable success. In this interview, Ryan talks about his own experiences dealing with emotion and how he now helps others do the same: Why many ‘healing methodologies’ fail to reach below the surface Why emotions can be so challenging to process Changing how we relate to our own emotions and becoming our best selves Links: Ryan Christensen on LinkedIn

Hard boiled. Over medium. Scrambled. Poached. Deviled. There are lots of ways to enjoy eggs, one of the most popular and least expensive sources of healthy protein available, but lately there has been only one way to describe them: expensive. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes back Kris Lance, Vice President and Senior Director at Una, for a monthly conversation about current news stories. Kris has experience in multiple industries and has his finger on the pulse of the trends and topics that procurement, sourcing, and supply chain professionals need to be aware of. In this month’s discussion, Kris and Kelly talk about gradual rise and sudden fall of egg prices in America:  What factors have contributed to the high and rising cost of eggs over the last few years Whether we are starting to see signs that those costs - and prices - are on their way back down Why procurement and supply chain professionals are uniquely positioned to be rational about supply shocks and the impact they have on consumers  Links: Kris Lance on LinkedIn Subscribe to Una’s Procurement Newsletter, “The Sidekick” Episode 204: Hot Times in the Arctic Circle Episode 200: Fostering the Conditions That Lead to Success Episode 196: The Best of Kris Lance in 2024 Episode 192: The Surging Power of the Podcast Format