Claim OwnershipThe Zero100 Podcast
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Welcome to Zero100, the “unboring” supply chain podcast. Each week, Zero100's researchers, analysts, and data scientists deliver sharp takes on the news, delve into new research, and interview leaders at the forefront of supply chain’s digital revolution, giving you the insights you need to drive growth and resilience.
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While Davos headlines focused on Trump and tariffs, Zero100’s CEO Olly Sloboda and Chief Research Officer Kevin O'Marah came back with a different perspective. Fresh from four days of meetings with CEOs, COOs and heads of supply chain, they debrief on what they heard on the ground: why leaders are surprisingly optimistic in a time of turbulence, how the AI conversation has evolved from pilots to full workflow redesigns, and why cybersecurity emerged as a top threat to business continuity – even above geopolitical uncertainty. Welcome to Davos: The vibe on the ground (01:02) What supply chain leaders were actually focused on (02:56) Why leaders are surprisingly optimistic despite uncertainty (04:58) From AI pilots to redesigning workflows for an agentic world (08:54) Cybersecurity: The uncomfortable truth COOs see (12:22) What now? Practical moves for operators (15:57) Final thoughts: Why human connection still matters (18:41)
Think consumers just don’t get supply chain? Think again. Nearly half belong to personas that see its impact – and that awareness is changing how price increases land, how trust holds, and what “value” really means. On this episode, VP, Data & Analytics Cody Stack sits down with Chief Research Officer Kevin O’Marah and Director, Data Science Julia Dahlgren to break down what Zero100 learned from our survey of 14,000 shoppers across seven countries. For leaders still anchored to shelf price alone, this conversation offers a clearer view of what shapes consumer decisions as prices rise – and practical moves to use now.The big question: Can supply chains under pressure keep customer trust? (01:15) Inside Zero100’s 14,000-consumer survey – and where the data surprised us (02:23) Breaking the myth of “the customer”: five emerging personas (04:21) What shoppers are trading off and what’s keeping them loyal (11:54) Keeping customers in a higher-price world: High-impact moves for supply chain leaders (18:36) Where supply chain awareness goes next (22:27)
Is your annual planning cycle obsolete before it's approved? This week, Zero100 VP, Research & Advisory Services Lauren Acoba, VP, Research, Kelly Coutinho, and Principal, Research, Justin Gillebo break down Continuous Planning, a new operating model that shortens the distance between signal and response. They explore what Continuous Planning is (and what it isn’t), where AI genuinely helps, and why coordination matters as decision cycles compress. A practical guide to spotting bottlenecks, evolving planning roles beyond spreadsheets, and knowing where to start.So… what is Continuous Planning? (01:53)The Covid inflection point – and why legacy planning struggles under faster cycles (03:22)Continuous Planning as a system, not a tool (04:57)AI: The magic ingredient for modern planning (06:12)Why planning speed needs orchestration (07:13)The evolution of the planner: From spreadsheet mechanic to orchestrator (13:10)How Novartis is making Continuous Planning work in the wild (17:40)A practical path to Continuous Planning (18:50)What changes next (and what won’t) (21:45)
Tariffs dominated headlines. AI moved from pilot to production. Automation got real. But what did 2025 actually look like for operators on the ground? New Balance COO Dave Wheeler joins Lauren Acoba, VP, Research Advisory Services at Zero100, to reflect on a year of “unpredictable disruption” – and reveal why the companies that thrived weren't chasing efficiency at all costs. From 806,000 square feet of robotic warehousing to the irreplaceable value of human craftsmanship, this is the 2025 year in review you need to hear.2025 in two words: “Unpredictable disruption” (00:54)Made in USA for 75 years – validation or new challenges? (1:41)Private ownership's long-term advantage in a quarterly-obsessed world (3:19)AI moves from pilots to real wins in supplier complexity and sourcing (05:49)Staying the course on sustainability as the pendulum swings (07:51)Robots, AVs, and 100K units per day: Inside New Balance’s new Salt Lake City DC (10:35)What New Balance will never automate: the craftsmanship that defines the brand (13:06)The skills gap reality check (14:38)The 2026 defining move? Breaking out of operations’ four walls (20:00)
For over a decade, IoT failed to live up to the hype. Now? It's quietly become one of the most transformational forces in operations — not because the buzz came back, but because sensors got cheap, 5G arrived, and edge computing actually works. Join Zero100's VP, Research Advisory Services Lauren Acoba and Principals, Research Caroline Chumakov and Jenna Fink as they unpack why visibility tech is suddenly delivering ROI, where companies are still collecting data they'll never use, and how the best operators are moving from "find this thing" to preventing problems before they happen.Why IoT endured when other hyped tech faded (1:01)RFID vs BLE: When 4 cents beats $30 (03:36)How edge computing finally unlocked IoT's promise (07:11)IoT wins from Caterpillar, Maersk and Walmart (9:41)Why connectivity is now a strategic differentiator (13:49)"Instrumentation without intention": The expensive data trap (15:08)Measuring ROI — beyond visibility (17:55)
What did Zero100 get right about 2025 — and what's coming in 2026? Chief Content Officer Matt Davis sits down with VP, Research Advisory Services Lauren Acoba and Principal Research Caroline Chumakov to grade last year's boldest predictions before mapping the forces that will reshape supply chains over the next 12 months. From AI agents moving into planning and sourcing, to clean energy as competitive advantage, to India's manufacturing rise and humanoid robots entering the workforce— this is your annual roadmap of trends worth watching and moves to make now.Grading 2025: How Zero100's predictions held up (01:43)Can AI move faster without cleaner data? Spoiler: probably not (05:25)Nuclear's next mission: Powering the data center boom (06:29)How AI agents are reshaping planning, sourcing, and orchestration roles (10:31) Could India be manufacturing’s next superstar? (16:34) Humanoids find their footing in real-life operations (18:36)
DoorDash isn't just delivering dinner – it's transforming how small businesses run. This week, VP, Strategy & Operations Parisa Sadrzadeh joins Zero100 Chief Content Officer Matt Davis to take us inside the systems powering the restaurant experience today. From the new Going Out feature blending digital and in-person moments to partner-first design principles that work across thousands of kitchens, Parisa reveals what supply chain leaders can learn from frontline food ops.Inside the DoorDash playbook: delivery, dine-in, and everything between (01:22)Building for the moments that matter: why restaurant tech must respect craft over complexity (04:13)How Gen Z is pushing commerce and omnichannel into new territory (07:09)Why great tech starts with understanding your partner's operating "heartbeat" (10:05)How working the floor leads to better tech solutions (11:55)On Shake Shack, growth, and meeting customers where they want to be (17:32)Earning trust without authority: aligning incentives and building for partners (23:36)
The best questions come from the messy middle of transformation. Join Zero100’s Principals, Research Caroline Chumakov and Jenna Fink, and Chief Research Officer Kevin O'Marah as they answer the questions keeping supply chain leaders up at night in our first mailbag episode: How do you balance quick AI wins with paradigm-shifting transformation? What actually measures Copilot's impact? And to what degree can organizational resistance slow change? Real questions, actionable answers.Introducing the Zero100 Mailbag (00:05) Balancing incremental vs transformational AI strategy (1:06) Manufacturing transformation: task automation or systems redesign? (5:00) Measuring Copilot productivity and AI ROI (10:02) How to manage organizational resistance and the quintile problem (13:42) What data improvements are needed before AI implementation? (18:10)
The hype is high for agentic AI – but what's the reality on the ground? Fresh off Zero100’s Live 2025 events in London and San Diego, the Zero100 team reveals what's actually working in supply chain transformation. Spoiler alert: it’s not about deploying AI and declaring victory. It's about the unsexy fundamentals – data ownership, fusion teams, and the Translators who bridge tech and ops. Featuring: VP, Data & Analytics Cody Stack, VP, Research Advisory Services Lauren Acoba, and Account Executive Jen Smith. Live in a nutshell: Bold vision meets pragmatic action (00:53) Taking Live international: Impressions from London and San Diego (2:10) Content that resonated: Translators, fusion teams, and scaling AI pilots (5:00) What is “data readiness” really? (7:11) Sustainability meets efficiency: The cost-carbon connection (9:02) Real-world AI use cases, from document parsing to personal leadership development (11:07) Key takeaways: Unconstrained thinking, hard work, and why humans aren't going anywhere (20:09)
In a world drowning in data and AI hype, the leaders who win aren't the ones with the best algorithms – they're the ones who can tell the best stories. Join Zero100’s Chief Research Officer Kevin O'Marah and Principal Research Caroline Chumakov as they explore storytelling as a critical leadership strategy for digital supply chain transformation and provide practical tips for winning over skeptical boardrooms. The neuroscience of storytelling (02:53) Why storytelling matters more than ever in the age of AI (04:18) The essential ingredients: Conflict, emotion, and a hero at the center (05:50) What we can learn from Indra Nooyi, Sara Blakely, Paul Polman, and Jim Rowan (08:44) The Golden Nugget: How to win over boardrooms with data and narrative (14:10) Understanding storytelling as a change management strategy (19:10) Amazon's PR/FAQ framework: A practical tool for driving multi-year transformations (22:25) Making it stick: How to practice storytelling and build it into your leadership development (24:29)
Once known for low-cost production, the Asia-Pacific region now sets the global pace in digital integration, real-time orchestration, and AI-powered operations. From China’s consumer-driven factories to Singapore’s strategic investment in talent, APAC has created supply chains where data, decisions, and execution move as one. On this week’s episode of the podcast, the Zero100 team unpacks what’s driving this momentum – and why leaders everywhere can’t afford to ignore it. Featuring: Principal Research, Suzanne Lindsay, Senior Research Analyst, Jalen Thibou, and VP, Research, Kelly Coutinho. What’s driving APAC’s digital edge in supply chain? (00:50) Inside the factories syncing data and decisions at speed (03:19) How real-time orchestration is pushing the region ahead (04:23) Cross-industry collaboration wins in policy, tech, and talent (07:22) The infrastructure powering APAC’s smart production model (10:20) When AI meets skilled labor on the factory floor (15:31) The big lessons global supply chain leaders can’t afford to miss (18:59)
In the age of AI, the most powerful investment you can make has nothing to do with technology – and everything to do with your org chart. Enter fusion teams: cross-functional powerhouses that combine tech and ops expertise to deliver digital products at scale. In this episode, the Zero100 team looks at the personas that drive success and unpacks how to build, empower, and measure the success of these teams across the supply chain. Featuring: VP, Data & Analytics Cody Stack, Principal Analyst Caroline Chumakov, and VP, Research Lauren Acoba.What are fusion teams, exactly? (00:58) Meet the key players: Citizens, Translators, and Wizards (01:32) How to spot and grow Translators in your organization (05:50) Fusion team archetypes in action (08:48) From pilot to practice: making fusion teams stick (12:19) How to spot success, and why “failure” is a key ingredient (14:37) What’s next for fusion teams in the age of AI? (19:42)
The recent digital tech boom has reshaped how supply chains operate – and the skills that powered the last era aren’t the ones that will define the next. This week, Bonnie Fetch, EVP and President, Operations at Cummins, sits down with Caroline Chumakov, Principal Analyst at Zero100, to explore how leaders can develop and empower the supply chain talent of tomorrow and build fusion teams that drive the best tech solutions.The role of humans in an automated world (03:05) Spotting and developing tech-ops “Translators” (05:36) Why fusion teams are crucial for innovation (10:11) The human skills that matter most in a tech-driven era (12:47) Learning and development in the age of AI (15:31) Data cleanliness, the limits of AI, and knowing where to scale (18:36) Building a fulfilling supply chain career for the future (21:02)
Six months after Trump declared “Liberation Day,” tariff revenues are up, and major US investment pledges are rolling in. But at the same time, costs are rising, and global sourcing strategies are shifting fast. This week, the Zero100 team explores reshoring readiness, friendshoring alternatives, and the role of AI and robotics in turning volatility into opportunity, outlining the steps supply chain leaders must take to build resilience in a reshaped global market. Featuring: Chief Research Officer Kevin O’Marah, VP, Research, Geraint John, and Principal Analyst Caroline Chumakov. Breaking down Trump’s tariff playbook (00:05) What the numbers really say about trade deficits and tax revenue (02:01) Moving manufacturing back to the US: Political theater or a real shift? (03:38) The roadblocks slowing a reshoring push (10:17) Non-stop negotiation: How global trade partners are reacting (15:44) Inflation, resilience, and what supply chain leaders must prepare for next (19:14) Trump’s tariffs: a win or a miss? (25:01)
China's electric vehicle manufacturers are changing the game with seamless ecosystems that blend digital and physical production – and they're scaling without friction. This week, the Zero100 team explores how companies like BYD and Xiaomi are producing high-quality EVs faster and cheaper than Western competitors, and breaks down the operating lessons every supply chain leader needs to know. Featuring: Principal Analysts Suzanne Lindsay and Jenna Fink, and VP, Research Kelly Coutinho. The three waves of China’s EV innovation (00:51) How robotics help Xiaomi produce 1,000 cars a day with just 2,000 workers (02:28) Unpacking BYD's battery advantage (04:26) How STEM talent powers China's automotive transformation (06:03) Understanding China’s EV glut and export strategy (08:54) What Western supply chains can learn from China’s “seamless scale” approach (12:10)
The hype around agentic AI is real, but it’s not the only tech worth watching. This week, the Zero100 team shares the innovations they’re most excited about, including vibe coding, simulation, and AI-enhanced wearables. Tune in to find out how they're being leveraged to cut costs, boost safety, and empower problem solving across supply chain. Featuring: Chief Research Officer Matt Davis, VP, Research Lauren Acoba, and Principal Analyst Caroline Chumakov. Simulation, digital twins, and ”hacking uncertainty” (05:40) How vibe coding is revolutionizing supply chain innovation (09:26) The AI wearables that could transform human capability (14:14) All together now: Building the next supply chain stack (17:18) “Innovation just got cheaper”: First steps and takeaways (19:20)
Join Jim Rowan, former CEO and President of Volvo Cars, and Kevin O’Marah, Chief Research Officer at Zero100, as they discuss how supply chain leaders can navigate today's business environment. Jim shares his framework of six interconnected technologies for future relevance, explains how AI is reshaping organizations into dynamic neural networks, and offers practical advice for leaders seeking to become strategic partners to their CEOs. CSCO/COO evolution: From support to strategic partners (01:00)The six game-changing technologies that will drive future relevance (03:27)Agentic AI’s potential impact on strategy and the org chart (08:20)How software-first thinking transforms supply chain strategy (11:31)What’s next for Big Tech’s big players? (15:39)US-China tensions and Europe’s role in the tech ecosystem (20:06)How ops leaders can be effective partners to their CEOs (30:46)
AI is here. Your job is changing. But what skills will actually keep you ahead of the curve? This week, El Iza Mohamedou, Head of the OECD Centre for Skills, shares her insights on the most critical skills needed to thrive in an increasingly automated world, and the role executives must play in developing the workforce of tomorrow.Three critical skill categories Fortune 500 CEOs can’t ignore (00:56)The “soft skills” origin story (06:40)How countries and companies are tackling rapid skills development (09:10)What Singapore’s SkillsFuture policy gets right (12:01)What it takes to lead a true AI skills transformation (14:29)Emerging goldmines for AI-ready supply chain talent (18:41)The workplace preparation watch-out executives are missing (21:46)
AI can accelerate a fully digital supply chain, but it can also bring cyberattacks, ethical dilemmas, and sustainability risks. Zero100 Principal Analyst Suzanne Lindsay and VPs, Research Geraint John and Kelly Coutinho explore the threats faced by leaders today and what they can do to protect their organizations.Why cybersecurity is the CSCO’s problem after all (02:47) Fighting AI threats with AI (06:29) A blueprint for cyber-resilient supply chains (09:10) Can AI power true sustainability? (12:01) Safeguarding the human workforce in the agentic AI era (18:01) The dark side vs the gains: Striking the AI balance (20:24)
Tim Cook has generated more than $3 trillion in shareholder value as Apple’s CEO, yet tariff pressures and the AI arms race are putting his operational rigor to the test. On the Zero100 Podcast, Chief Research Officer Kevin O’Marah and VP, Research Geraint John dissect whether Cook’s “balanced excellence” can keep Apple relevant and resilient in a morphing trade landscape. Tim Cook vs Steve Jobs: Who was the better CEO? (00:35) From leader to laggard: Apple's product innovation downturn (02:42) Trade, tariffs, and Trump (06:42) The plausibility of a US-made iPhone (09:26) Reflections of Cook’s big bet on China (11:59) What aspiring COOs can learn from Cook’s legacy (14:09) Is it time for Cook to pass the baton? (19:18)
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