Supply Chain Now Episode 316

Prefer to watch the podcast in action rather than just listen?  Watch Scott and Paul Noble welcome Hannah Kain to the Supply Chain Now booth at the DMSCA Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona.

On this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott is joined by Paul Noble and broadcasts live from DMSCA, welcoming Hannah Kain with Alom to the Supply Chain Now booth.

[00:00:05] It’s time for Supply Chain Now Radio. Broadcasting live from the Supply chain capital of the country, Atlanta, Georgia. Supply Chain Now Radio spotlights the best in all things supply chain the people, the technology’s the best practices and the critical issues of the day. And now here are your hosts.

 

[00:00:29] Hey, good afternoon, Scott Luton. Back with you here on Supply chain now. Welcome back to the show. We’re pleased to be continuing our coverage here in beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona, of the Dimka annual conference of Dimka. The diverse manufacturing supply chain alliance is not on your radar. It needs to be. You can check it out. DMM, SCA, DOT, U.S. before we get started with what promises to be a wonderful interview. We want to make sure, you know, quick programing note. You can find our podcasts wherever you get your podcasts from. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t mesi thing including our new subscriber love project we’re putting out there.

 

[00:01:07] So stay tuned for that. So let’s welcome in a special co-host here today. Anything special about this episode? We have got Mr. Paul Noble, founder and CEO at Verusen. And you get to keep in mind, not only is Verusen a great partner for us and that and the sponsor of all of our programing here. But on a much more important note. They’re out there fighting a good fight, leading a ad driven data harmonisation journeys for companies globally. That’s right, Paul. Yeah, very much fighting the good fight. And you know, he’s got it. That’s right. He’s got his cape hidden right now. So more on that later. But before we dove into this interview, Paul, what has been like asking and just kind of picking your observations at last interview was a fascinating one with Michel. What’s what’s a recent observation about your time here that you’re going to take home with you?

 

[00:01:59] Yeah, I think. The tightness of this group, the tight knit group here. Big companies coming together. The collaboration aspect is inspiring. And I think that there’s a lot of action. Right. There’s so much talk at some of these types of events. And I just I can see the passion, the action oriented nature of the. Of the event. And I know that there’s gonna be some great takeaways kind of across the board.

 

[00:02:29] And I’ll tell you, I’ve seen people. Hudlin compare notes, solve solving the world’s problems. And of course, I’m I’m kind of saying that limit tongue in cheek, but kind of not kind of not they’re kind of figuring out some things really quickly. Some big topics going on. That’s right. Action oriented.

 

[00:02:45] All right. So real quick. You can, of course, find more about Verusen at verusen dot com b r u s e income, OK. We’ve got a wonderful guest here today. We enjoyed a informal session that went to count the arrival party last night and had a chance to talk with Hannah Kane. So we know you’re in for a treat.

 

[00:03:07] So Hannah is CEO at alarm, a low alarm. I had written that down three times and make sure I get that right, Alar, and we’ll do remedial training.

 

[00:03:21] That’s right. Please, I’ll need it.

 

[00:03:24] Alarm A L O M and she is a very lively industry thought leader and buckle your seat belt. You’re going to enjoy the next 30 or 45 minutes with her. So, Hannah. Good afternoon.

 

[00:03:35] Good afternoon. And thank you for having me. Scott Garrett.

 

[00:03:38] Well, how could we not have you after how much we enjoyed the conversation last night? Of course, you’re so active not just here at Dimka, but with groups like in the National Association for Manufacturers and other industry groups. You’re very active on Twitter, which is one of our favorite social media channels. Loved the picture with you and Supply chain Queen Sheer, Your Highness.

 

[00:03:59] Yes. I mean, yeah.

 

[00:04:01] So welcome to Splotchy now. So let’s get to know you for starters, before we talk shop, before we get to some your industry thought leadership. Tell us who you are. Hannah, where you were, you grew up. And give us a couple anecdotes on your upbringing.

 

[00:04:16] Oh, my God. That’s a big Gates to existentialists.

 

[00:04:20] Well, first of all, I want to say I’m excited to be here with Paula, enjoy being with fellow entrepreneurs. So and I might do andstarted in Denmark. I was born in Odin audience in tents in the center of Denmark. That’s a town where Hans Christian Andersen, fairy tale author, was born. And I was born not too far, too far from his birthplace. I’m always saying that’s why I make things up.

 

[00:04:47] And I enjoyed growing up in Denmark. Τhat’s an exciting business. Kaavya I taught at Copenhagen Business School as an assistant professor at one point of time, but mainly I was out in different manufacturing companies and I did some innovative work also in the financial services industry and in. And I had a political career as well. So really? Yes.

 

[00:05:19] You gotta at least elaborate a little bit. Would you say something like that? Was it locally? Was it?

 

[00:05:25] Yeah, I know. I did a number of different things. I ran some and national and pan-European organizations and I ran for parliament first time when I was 21 years old. And then at one point of time, I was in prefectly in the Danish parliament. And I did some European activities as well.

 

[00:05:50] Am So very, very long story short. In 1990, I bought a one way tickets and and immigrated to the U.S. and I was fortunate at that point of time I could actually get the work visa.

 

[00:06:07] I started working at a manufacturer on the East Coast and in 94 my husband and I immigrated to further west.

 

[00:06:18] It’s a Silicon Valley, Silicon Valley, and that’s why I have decided since 94.

 

[00:06:23] So why? Why did you pick Silicon Valley?

 

[00:06:27] Oh, I think Opportunity 8 for, you know, Silicon Valley is a very magical place. Mainly the business energy and the technology savvy and seeing it grow has been just fabulous. Getting all the insights is still attracting some really bright folks that come up with new ideas. It’s super entrepreneurial. So it’s it’s a really wonderful place to be in. Of course, what happens is you get to know more people and it gets even more fun. And especially when you’re. Supply chain I’ve got to say, because Supply chain, in my opinion, is one of lost on technology, so having that deep technology understanding and the resources in Silicon Valley is fantastic.

 

[00:07:16] So in 97, I, uh, I quit my gainful employment and I became an entrepreneur and that’s one of the best moves in my in my life.

 

[00:07:28] And then I started A+B and we were a number of supply chain. And I say this loosely because Supply chain was not really a concept. 97 Rod Supply chain back page is a much different definition timer and we started out doing supply chain for Silicon Valley companies and we’ve grown it. Now it’s 19 locations globally. I have a lot of frequent flyer miles. And those are the hard earned ones.

 

[00:08:03] And we are very active in technology, medical, automotive and a number of regulated industries.

 

[00:08:12] So Paul, I know we were kind of talking about the airline business model and exactly some examples of what it does. All right. 19 locations. Congratulations, by the way.

 

[00:08:22] Yeah, sometimes it’s good sometimes and say, hey, hey, hey.

 

[00:08:28] So we’ll give us in in talking with you last night some the pre-show conversations as well. I know there’s a lot of different things on different capabilities that Islam has as a team. Give us a couple examples of some of things I’ll do.

 

[00:08:42] Yeah. So we. So when I found it, it was idea of excellence in the supply chain and being able to customize it.

 

[00:08:52] The Supply chain globally is speed and accuracy and visibility.

 

[00:08:58] And we were one of the first companies in 97 putting up customer portals. Yeah, I think we might have been the first one, but I cannot document that for sure. But so very technology driven. And you have going back to the first year in business five. I was thinking about it with that 55 percent of our revenue came from floppy disk duplication. And I’m telling I’m telling that now and the audiences and the half of the audience doesn’t know what a floppy disk is.

 

[00:09:31] That’s kind of one. So that we have evolved since then. So this is about evolution. Yes.

 

[00:09:37] This is gonna sound kind of crazy, but to your point. Kidding aside, you know, for some of our our listeners that are still in college or there, maybe just to get an industry, a floppy disk was well, I guess there’s a couple there. For example, you have the big large ones. Vetlanta quarter. Yeah. Right. Five and a quarter. UPS. Right. And that was it was rigid plastic and inside a rigid plastic was a magnetic information disk that was kind of like vinyl. Yeah. There we go. And then they would insert that disc unlike what they did years ago which was a magnetic tape. Right. You know they did certain disk into the computer, whether it’s five in and and five and quarter five and a quarter if I have a five undercoat and then three and a half.

 

[00:10:21] Yeah. And then you get you have the micro diskettes. Right.

 

[00:10:25] And that is what drove implimented software, drove games it and now all that’s gone. What’s the cloud.

 

[00:10:34] Right. Yeah I saw that. Well a lot of different things happened that were not so much built in memory in computers at that point of time, it said. But it certainly opened my eyes for the need to innovate. And because if I had been sitting on my behind and just scoring on the floppy disk duplication, I might predict this.

 

[00:10:56] I wouldn’t have a lot of business to be one.

 

[00:11:00] So instead, what we did was we kept evolving. So we went to doing the physical supply chain. So the physical supply chain means we do inventory management deutche. We took configuration management of electronics, we do full foam and we do the vivos Logistics. But we also do have the digital supply chain, meaning of course visibility, which is a big, big a item, but also the entire traceability as well as the content and supply chain. We do a lot of digital duplication, et cetera. So again, related to the floppy disk, we do a lot of u_s_b_, SD card duplication, memory uploads, configuration of hardware. And finally we do the of financial supply chain that’s related to all of this. And keeping it aligned is really what one of the key areas we’re working on all the time and we do that within the framework of work of corporate social responsibility.

 

[00:12:05] So why is that important to you?

 

[00:12:07] Corporate social response are what I think basically three things.

 

[00:12:14] It’s really important to me personally. I’m very committed to leaving the planet a better place than I found it. And I’ll do that on a micro level, and then I’ll do that to the best of my ability, what I can in my role. It’s one of the things I enjoy about being a CEO is the impact I can have for good. And the other one is all customers really looking forward.

 

[00:12:40] And the third one is that infuses everybody’s looking for people to do the right thing the right way for the right reasons. I be a good human. Yeah. Yeah. And, you know, it just makes it more fun than having to sweep bad deeds onto the Rod. By that, I mean, that’s just not me and it’s not my staff members. So. So it’s kind of ingrained.

 

[00:13:03] So if I can speak as CEO of a of a technology firm and a growing company, speak then a little bit. What, what? What. When it comes to CSR and when it comes to, you know, making the industry better make and making the world a better place. How important that you.

 

[00:13:21] Very. I mean, it’s, you know, one of our key principles that we try to utilize internally as well as demonstrate with our customers or enable our customers to do, you know, from a materials perspective, has a huge impact on sustainability and waste. And what we try to, you know. Other opportunities to have what you need, when you need it, where you need it, and enabling organizations to learn how to do that better and more predictably, I think leaves saving resources, that leaves a huge impact on and kind of us.

 

[00:14:07] A domino effect, so to speak.

 

[00:14:09] So that’s a big part of our evolving story as an organization, is our ability to help support at least our part of that.

 

[00:14:17] Yeah, I feel the more responsible. And so you’ll have the authority, you’ll have the most responsibility. You’ll have to do the right thing. Sure. But getting back too quickly.

 

[00:14:27] But I realized I think the politician thing would not really answer your question about I.

 

[00:14:38] So and so. A good example is a program we do for Ford Motor Company. If you have a Ford Motor vehicle, you want the new map for your vehicle, you can go into a Web site. We actually designed this Web site. We are hosting this Web site.

 

[00:14:56] When you going to say, I want my new map, you and I and your VIN number vehicle in and we check with Ford in that database, which vehicle you have and what you need, and we make sure that we then configure a u_s_b_. Yes. That we send to you so that you can use it in your vehicle. It’s a right map for you. It’s got that digital rights management. You cannot copy it and use it for another vehicle. We then say to you, here’s what the cost is, depending on which agreement you have with Ford and we send it out to you.

 

[00:15:31] And they think I’ve used your Web site for my Ford Transit van. You puff up. You I’ve I’ve listened and and and very properly processed your credit. Ivone Thoughtful.

 

[00:15:42] And and if you decide you don’t want it and you return it all, you’ll have problems installing it. You still call us. So you you you think it’s an inducer that you are doing business with Ford? It’s all Ford pointed put on the back end. We are doing all the transactions. So you see that what we’re doing is we have the physical supply chain, we have the digital supply chain where we are going in and checking your rights and we are customizing the product to you and the financial supply chain levy charting your credit card. We are also doing the license management and making sure that the people who created the maps get paid. We’ll also be coinciding over to Ford. So we are managing the entire back end of this and this and the security of all of that. Absolutely. So if you’d asked me what’s one of the key things that you’re watching, Hannah, I’d say cyber security is so vital that the top and cyber security, not just as it relates to us, but in our entire supply chain.

 

[00:16:49] It’s a very heavy investment area for us. We as I mentioned, we have very active in the in the automotive industry. But also in the medical industry. And we certainly have some sensitive data. And I don’t want anybody to be able to access them right now except the feed my staff who need to do it.

 

[00:17:13] And so. So we run a very high level of cyber security. And of course, it’s driven by our desire to do the right thing and keep the data safe, but certainly also our contracts with our customers. It’s very specific about that. This is a big area of concern, as it well should be.

 

[00:17:37] Yeah, it should been. And required to do so. All right. So we’re pick your brain on other global trends or news or developments that you’re tracking more than others. Before we do that, now, we have a sense of what Islam does. Right. You got a sticker for that? OK. Where do you spend your time? Yeah, I think one of my favorite questions asked CEOs is everyone assumes where they spend their time. But it is so different. We’ve found it so different from from person to person. So where you spend your time, number one, that’s one A and one B is what what are your favorite aspects and where you spend your time.

 

[00:18:20] So I. I’m smiling as to asking the question, because this shit for some fellow CEOs recently that I read an article that Howard Business Review put out about. Went through sort of what two CEOs actually do.

 

[00:18:36] And I thought, well, that could be kind of interesting to know what other fields Sheer.

 

[00:18:41] So I’d say I spend a lot of time on an on company culture company conscious. Really important to me. I believe that in the end, when all is said and done, the company culture is the most valuable asset or the biggest a liability. And when I look at acquisition talk, it’s etc.. The culture is fully. Top on my list, very hard to do due diligence on. By the way. Yeah. Yeah. So I spend a lot of time on alignment to company culture thinking about company culture and core values, communicating core values. And and I’d say that’s probably my number one area in alignment then communication and planning.

 

[00:19:34] So if I can. And there’s not there may not be one perfect answer cos there’s so many different things you can do to impact culture as a leader and CEO. But how have you found through through 19 locations now around the world. How have you found. Is there one best practice that you love to do each month run on a regular basis that helps pull that culture together and align it?

 

[00:19:58] Oh, definitely. All hands on hand meetings. And we are very. So we have very infamy nation sharing throughout the company, very important that everybody understands where we’re going and and aligned around it. And so, yes, sharing information and B-school vely high on that.

 

[00:20:20] And I I measure employee engagement. So in the just a month ago or so, got our results from a third party survey that was done. And in Silicon Valley, we scored 90 percent employee engagement. Nice.

 

[00:20:39] So the average the average amount in U.S. companies is 30 percent. Wow. 30 percent. Which to me is how can you even do aluminum?

 

[00:20:49] Yeah, but so 98 percent of the employees come to work every day with the intention of giving their best that day. And that that’s a huge focus for me. And as I said, I believe when you look at capabilities, the technologies is really what what drives the competitive advantage. But without that employee engagement and that sense of ownership and it’s set for you cannot drive anything, you cannot drive technology, you cannot drive alignment, you cannot drive customer satisfaction. So and so that’s really important to me to continue that love, that it’s wonderful when someone is a poem.

 

[00:21:31] Put you on the spot again. Okay. You don’t mind. Great. I would have like a sponge dress, right. I’m just Greg White be proud. So before we circle back and get some more trends that you’re tracking. Hanna, when the topic of culture comes up, I mean, what are your thoughts on that? Yes. So important.

 

[00:21:50] Agree with all the things that you’ve said. Hanna, something that I focus a ton of my time on and our leadership team focuses a ton of time on.

 

[00:21:59] It’s a topic at every meeting and and every new hire and where, you know, there’s no time to say it. We’re an early stage company of 15 people now. And even at that level, I mean, the importance of setting that culture to me is paramount. So it’s something we work very hard on and we’ll continue to to maintain as as we grow. So, you know, with you know, as a CEO, you know, make sure we have vision, make sure we have culture, making sure we have money, go well.

 

[00:22:40] Hanna, I liked how you put it about how you can the best basically you can have the best technology. But without those people coming in 98 percent, which is a remarkable score that are there have a sense of mission, have a sense of team. You know, certainly the Sheer to learn that is a that’s part of the secret sauce in business success for sure.

 

[00:23:01] So before we move on. When you think about alarm, alarm, what else makes it unique? What else are you proud of that you’ve put your stamp on as a company to continue to grow?

 

[00:23:16] I think that the staff attitude will be important, but I also think capabilities. I had a, you know, top notch stuff. So when people start companies and I see entrepreneurs make this mistake all the time, they go, oh, I cannot afford somebody who is that good. So they settle for somebody who is not that good. And the and then they decide that that person is probably an idiot because they cannot figure it out.

 

[00:23:45] And I’m the only one who can do advice. And so they never grow the company.

 

[00:23:50] I’ve always, always believed in doing the opposite.

 

[00:23:54] I want to have the very, very best people, people who are smarter than me, who know more than me. But just taking the ball and running with it. And my job is to keep them aligned. Right. But. But. They need to be the best players that you can get in and and really people you are proud of. So I think that that’s the other parameter looking at as as a vehicle of. The team hopefully is always getting the best people and that has allowed me to grow. It’s also allowed me to do a lot of other things that the people don’t think that CEOs can do, such as taking long vacations.

 

[00:24:36] I know what SFI said and what I know because my staff members really, truly have it under control.

 

[00:24:44] I love it.

 

[00:24:45] I love the sense of no compromising that I hear on culture or whether it’s on building the team and some other things. I love that because it comes across. I mean, it’s like you you can feel it. Know come some of our observations last night was we are enjoying some delicious food here at this resort. I can’t here know why I was there. No honor. No one’s involved. Okay, so you’ve already mentioned about one of the trends that you’re really focused on. When you when you survey the global supply chain, an industry is cyber security. What else have you been tracking as a CEO of a global organization?

 

[00:25:26] Of course, a general technology. I mean, as I said, I believe this battle is, one, a lost on technology.

 

[00:25:35] And so I think aligning business and technology, that business drive technology, but the technology elevate business. And so we are looking at the boost, both of productivity improvements, visibility improvements and predictive analysis.

 

[00:25:59] Io t integration and facilitating data into change different ways. We’re just about to release an new tool a in that to make it very, very easy to integrate and a number of different you know, we’re investing heavily in technology. That’s our main focus as we a vehicle in the company love. And the other thing, of course, I’m always looking at the global global trends. Right. So we are global. We actually technically multinational because we’ve got into two different places and.

 

[00:26:43] And I believe in global trade. But I also believe in India sourcing. I think we’re going to see a trend. India sourcing now where we have had some trade issues over the last couple of years and now enhanced by the Corona virus. I think many supply chain posts are going to sit back and say maybe we should look more at near sourcing. So I feel that that tide is about to turn. And I think it’s a pickup opportunity for smaller and diverse suppliers. Took it into the Supply chain and B have impact locally. You know, India near the markets. And that mean that it’s not just in the U.S., but it’s wherever the markets are. Right. So 96 percent of the consumers are still outside the U.S.. We need to remember that. And so that’s another trend I’m following. I’m suddenly following all the international compliance management. Compliance management is such an interesting area.

 

[00:27:45] And so when you when you’re speaking about compliance management, give us the context. What what aspect of that are you involved in?

 

[00:27:54] Me personally. Oh, well, let me rephrase that. These are great people.

 

[00:28:01] So when we talk about compliance management, are you talking about with your customers with certain. What does that mean for you?

 

[00:28:09] All of the above? I think so. So I think, you know, you look at it, it’s time you upgrade the facility. You have good compliance to local labor laws and other laws pertaining to that facility. Then you produce a product. Is that legal or illegal? You need to get it across borders and into different legal entities. How does that work and how do you do that legally? And what where can you ship it? Where can it be used? And then, of course, is the customer compliance. Right. You know what? What are the customers requirements mostly?

 

[00:28:44] Did mean across the board?

 

[00:28:46] Well, you know, it’s a really complex animal.

 

[00:28:50] And and I mentioned the vertical swin. One of the reasons we are not in even more verticals because our services are really easy to transport, but that’s a compliance manager, meaning. So especially when you look at the food industry, it’s it’s very, very specialized compliance management. That’s not something we do. Other industries. Yes, I guess so. And then, of course, this the entire sustainability, which is part of the compliance management, some in some cases. And and that’s also built into our supply chain management, how we the handle that so many times it becomes a contractual issue between us and all customers. Are the outlining very clearly who’s responsible for what? We don’t always know all the technology that’s built into the product. So then we’ve got to rely on our customers to figure that out. But, you know, I I enjoyed the complexity in Supply chain. I think it’s a big bairey is finding competitors and it’s fun for me. I put them. But certainly it also makes life interesting. It makes technology really paramount. It makes having really pride. People understand that they find the depth of the issues really paramount. And it makes ethics really important as well.

 

[00:30:18] Absolutely. That was a week we could take in the last four minutes. Yeah. And and publish that as a business lesson. Yeah. You gave such a well-rounded definition of where compliance can can rear its and mess up the business right now from the customer to from a geopolitical standpoint to a an industry or sector standpoint. Certainly when you when you when you talk to a medical or or technology products or so many different levels and dynamics to compliance. So thank you for walking me through.

 

[00:30:53] I feel like I’ve got the business less now. Something great. And yeah, especially as we go more and more to a global economy. And it’s it’s going to be required, you know, to do that. What do you see as challenges as you’re working with a lot of different companies? You’re running the supply chain. What what is the challenge of fulfilling it to their customer expectations? You know, each of them have different levels of customer expectations. And how do you manage that? I mean, other than just systems, I mean, there’s a lot other elements built in there.

 

[00:31:28] One of what I think one of the issues in corporate America today is risk adversity and slow decisions. And and I. Shield the customer into this sentiment, and the need in Supply chain today is to make fairly fast decisions and not knee jerk decisions. But if decisions that come in fairly short order and and I see corporate America having problems with that, sometimes it needs to go fairly high up in the organization before you get they knew about who to leave their stick.

 

[00:32:10] Then they go out and and I see that as a main obstacle to maybe meeting customer expectations. I am.

 

[00:32:24] And of course, many organizations are very siloed also with a decision making. So and one of the things we do when we launch a new program for customers is we go to the different departments and areas that maybe should be involved.

 

[00:32:40] Then they add that the stakeholders of business owners don’t always think about, oh, maybe we should have asked them about this.

 

[00:32:48] So trust us. Yeah. Yeah. Talk to your local, you know, all those type of.

 

[00:32:56] So. Yeah. So we have a long checklist we go through and sort of paying off discreetly to it forces. But yeah that is so it is a mid-sized player in the industry.

 

[00:33:11] I’m personally not thinking that lots organizations add as much value as a small and mid-sized players just because. No, I believe the world is neat, neat companies and decisions that are NYPL. Yeah, and I feel strongly resourceful in simple. One of the things we get her point.

 

[00:33:34] Okay. So as we start one down, the interview would love to get you to weigh in on. I know you’re a regular at Dembski events. Why are you here? What’s the value in 1912?

 

[00:33:47] Johnson saw in twenty twenty.

 

[00:33:51] Okay. I’m not that old in 2012.

 

[00:33:57] Dunston and Johnson invited us to join the scan. We went to the Dems program and went the the certification program.

 

[00:34:06] We got to the highest level you can ID within that program and it really brought us different value both internally as we sort of took middle management food to a training process, but also a in terms of relationship with corporations and with fellow diverse suppliers.

 

[00:34:34] So I’m a big believer in diverse supply. We run really high, diverse supply spent. We have probably one of the companies of the diverse companies with the highest diversity supply, Aspen.

 

[00:34:47] We do have contracts where we run 40, 50 percent, which is very hot when you do technology.

 

[00:34:55] And so we are very involved in the in this community and very excited to be here. Well, okay.

 

[00:35:03] So let’s make sure our listeners know how they can learn more about Islam. So where can you give us a u._r._l? Give us where in a year? You’re very active on the association’s circuit. How can folks connect with your company and connect with you?

 

[00:35:20] Well, we have, of course, a Web site. It’s a lumped outcome, Aiello and dot com. And, uh, we are very active on social media. So both on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and and you can also reach me. Hadnot Kane at the UN Linked-In and at Twitter, a user may find me on Instagram.

 

[00:35:46] A Supply chain Hana is how I’m passionate about Supply chain. So what can I say?

 

[00:35:52] I love it. And that passion comes right through. I had one quick question, and if you’re looking to wrap up and it’s fascinating to me because as an entrepreneur that was in supply chain management in the corporate world and kind of fell in love with Supply chain early, see it as kind of I always call it this like honey hole of opportunity.

 

[00:36:09] Right. And obviously saw that and started the business. You did a lot of things as you explained earlier in the show. What led you to make that jump and choose Supply chain as the place to do it?

 

[00:36:24] Oh, I was I I was involved in different supply chain activities and really effectively worked with the what was at that time propably a competitor when I and started down. And I you know, it was interesting because as you well know, the first.

 

[00:36:42] Hoff Yeah, it’s it’s it’s it’s yeah, yeah, no, totally different, so trying to make everything look to create some structure and fun thing, you name it. And. But vey soon I felt that I had come home. This was what I was meant to do. And I I’ve been really excited about grown the company. It’s changed my job functions also.

 

[00:37:09] And it gives me great job satisfaction. And as I said, my biggest satisfaction in being a CEO is so impact. I can have that good. I can do both for employees, for the greater community, for the planet, for a number of different things. I really feel very gratified with the with what I can do.

 

[00:37:30] So I always feel like right now getting this company out there is outstanding and a pleasure, just like we thought it would be.

 

[00:37:40] I appreciate what you do and the passion and enthusiasm and leadership with as it relates to your approach. So wish you continued success. We’re going to have to have you back, Owen, as who knows. But Tom, we’ve talked with you. This time next year, you might be in 100 plus locations around the world.

 

[00:37:57] I’m not you know, I value quality over quantity. So I don’t think there’s going to be going so far.

 

[00:38:05] Hey, the view that the fun place to go and I plan on keeping on. All right.

 

[00:38:12] Right. We’ve been chatting with Hannah Kane, CEO at. And you can learn more at alum dot com. Right? Aiello AMW.com or across the social media stratosphere. Okay. Paul, what a great hits. Keep coming with interviews here. Right? Many great leaders here. This has been awesome. So big. Thanks for your Tom Hannah and your Tom Paul course.

 

[00:38:35] Thanks for the Verusen team for sponsoring our coverage here of the Dembski event. Make sure not only stay tuned for all of our the remainder of our interviews here throughout the event, but you can learn more about Dimka at DMM SCA, a DOT U.S. sipper. From that, you can check out some of things we’ve got coming up. Supply chain. Now we’ve got in-person events. We’ve got a global digital events, a variety of partners from E.M.T. Rorters Events to Automotive Industry Action Group Resilience 360 and Moto X for that matter. If you can’t find somebody looking for on our events tab or webinar tab at Supply Chain Now Radio dot com should a note to our CMO Amanda at Supply Chain Now Radio dot com and we will get you hooked up. Big thanks once again to Hannah and to Paul. Stay tuned. We continue our coverage of the conference here, the dembski conference here in beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona. Scott Luton here on behalf of Untaught and tartine. Have a wonderful week ahead and we will see you next time on. So much amount of picture about.

Hannah Kain is President and CEO of ALOM, a global supply chain company she founded in 1997 headquartered in Fremont, California. Hannah was born in Denmark and immigrated to the US in 1990. She taught at Copenhagen Business School and holds three university degrees. Hannah is a Board member of the National Association of Manufacturers and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). She serves on the Advisory Council of Heritage Bank of Commerce and The Michelle R. Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford University. Kain is a member of the exclusive invitation-only Committee of 200 for executive women. She has received numerous awards, including SDCE Supply Chain Pro-to-Know, 2019 WBEC-Pacific Pinnacle Award, 2017 Woman of The Year in Manufacturing Gold Stevie Award, been named a 2017 Connected World Magazine Women of M2M / IoT honoree, and won the 2017 Silver Stevie Award for best global woman-owned business. She has been honored as a Top 25 Champion of Diversity in STEM, won the Manufacturing Institute STEP Ahead Award, the YWCA Tribute to Women Award, inducted into the Silicon Valley Capitol Club wall of fame, won the global Vistage Leadership Award, and named a WBENC Business Star. ALOM has earned numerous quality certifications, including ISO 9001, ISO 13485, TL 9000 and DMSCA CMP Level 3.0.

Paul Noble is Founder and CEO of Verusen, a technology firm that uses AI to predict inventory and harmonize data organizations in a variety of industries. Verusen automatically integrates to your ERP and disparate data sources — single or multiple systems, one or many locations. Then, the platform’s Artificial Intelligence learns from your own inventory experts and encodes their knowledge to provide seamless inventory harmonization. With Verusen, you get automatic naming and categorization with 99% reliability at scale — a true material master. Paul’s passion for entrepreneurship has always shaped his approach for go-to-market strategies and tools, which was the driving force behind pursuing his dream of launching Verusen to improve the availability of easy-to-use technology for optimizing the supply chain for materials and MRO. Learn more about Verusen here: https://www.verusen.com/

 

Scott W. Luton is the founder & CEO of Supply Chain Now. He has worked extensively in the end-to-end Supply Chain industry for more than 15 years, appearing in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Dice and Quality Progress Magazine. Scott was named a 2019 Pro to Know in Supply Chain by Supply & Demand Executive and a 2019 “Top 15 Supply Chain & Logistics Experts to Follow” by RateLinx. He founded the 2019 Atlanta Supply Chain Awards and also served on the 2018 Georgia Logistics Summit Executive Committee. He is a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and holds the APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) credential. A Veteran of the United States Air Force, Scott volunteers on the Business Pillar for VETLANTA and has served on the boards for APICS Atlanta and the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance. He also serves as an advisor with TalentStream, a leading recruiting & staffing firm based in the Southeast. Follow Scott Luton on Twitter at @ScottWLuton and learn more about SCNR here: https://supplychainnowradio.com/

 

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