Rahmel Wattley [00:00:00]:

It's these truckers, it's these small mom and pop companies who get it done every single day. Everything in front of us, everything that you use on a daily basis is, you know, brought to you by, you know, these good people who are the last line of the supply chain. It's very important to make sure that we represent these folks and every day, especially today. And I'm just excited that you guys chose me to be, to, to, to kind of honor our constituents today.

Scott Luton [00:00:34]:

Welcome to Supply Chain Now the number one voice of supply chain. Join us as we share critical news, key insights and real supply chain leadership from across the globe. One conversation at a time. Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening wherever you may be. Scott Luton and Mary Kate Love with you here on Supply Chain Now. Welcome to today's very special National Supply Chain Day live stream. Mary Kate, how are you doing today up in the wonderful city of Chicago?

Mary Kate Love [00:01:03]:

Doing great. Really excited about this special, special show today.

Scott Luton [00:01:08]:

We are too. I am too. One of my favorite days of the whole year, folks. It's National Supply Chain Day. And I gotta tell you, Mary Kate is really humble. Mary Kate was instrumental right when National Supply Chain Day was getting set up back in the day with our friends at Georgia Pacific. And I tell you to collaborate with you here again and celebrate this industry, this incredible industry that has empowered and enabled global trade and changed the world. And we celebrate it every April 29th.

Scott Luton [00:01:39]:

That is a special honor indeed. Mary Kate, I know that it's a personal passion for you too.

Mary Kate Love [00:01:44]:

Yes. Yeah. And in some ways, you know, back when we first started this with you guys, right? That seems so long ago. From a supply chain perspective, how much supply chain has changed since 2020.

Scott Luton [00:01:55]:

You know, no doubt, no doubt. It's tell you we're moving the velocity we talk about all the time. The velocity that global supply chain, global business moves at these days, it is mind boggling. But folks, better than all of that, we're massive fans, Mary Kate and the whole Supply Chain Now team, all of our incredible guests will be here shortly. Big fans of especially celebrating the people that make it all happen. Yes. Even in this golden age of supply chain tech, we want to say heartily to every single professional out there that helps to engineer, source, make, fix, move, deliver, return and all the many points in between. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Scott Luton [00:02:35]:

So over the next hour, we're going to be diving into a wide variety of topics related to end in global supply chain, including some home run guests. Mary Kate, should be a great show here today.

Mary Kate Love [00:02:47]:

Yep, yep. And super excited. We have people from all different walks of supply chain, which is always really cool to see.

Scott Luton [00:02:54]:

It's cool to see. And it's so critical. It is so critical because there's something for everybody in global supply chain. And better yet, we need you. Yeah, we need you. Whether you're right brain, left brain, whatever your passions are, we need you two quick reminders before we get started here. First off, hey, let us know what you think. Share your comments throughout this very live discussion.

Scott Luton [00:03:13]:

And secondly, if you enjoy this special show here today as we honor and celebrate National Supply Chain Day, be sure to share it with your friend or your network. They'll be glad you did. So in your words, what is the mission of National Supply Chain Day? What's our why here?

Mary Kate Love [00:03:28]:

Yeah, I think the biggest thing that you highlighted already too, Scott, is you. And I love celebrating the people of supply chain today because, you know, all year long we see the headlines, we talk about shipment delays, tariffs lately. Right. And today is really a celebration of the people that have to work through all of these things all year long. So, you know, everything from getting your morning coffee in your hand maybe every day for some people to something as critical as medical supplies. I think it's important that we step back today and we think about the people behind all the headlines. Right. So that's really what we're going to be talking about today.

Mary Kate Love [00:04:07]:

And I think every year on National Supply Chain Day.

Scott Luton [00:04:11]:

Well said. That context is so important. We know that for some of us here, we get to, you know, unplug for an hour and really enjoy each other's company and enjoy this industry. It's incredible industry. While other folks are out there making it happen, they're solving problems or getting through this, this, this really challenging landscape. You know what? Even more so more important while we call time out and celebrate this incredible profession and Mary Kate, with purpose.

Mary Kate Love [00:04:40]:

Yeah.

Scott Luton [00:04:41]:

Now. And to your response and from all the conversations we've had and our team and all, you know, amplifying our industry and enabling others to do the same, which helps to generate awareness and understanding, interest, inbound talent. Right. Entrepreneurship nation. New answers to old and new problems. And all of that rolls up into helping to transform how global blockchain happens. And Mary Kate, that is good news to me. How about you?

Mary Kate Love [00:05:11]:

Yeah, definitely. And I love the highlight on tail end because today is maybe a little bit of a recruitment day too, right? We want to recruit the best and the brightest to supply chain to undoubtedly.

Scott Luton [00:05:21]:

And folks, I wish I had nil funds to do that. Maybe next year. But kidding aside, it's, you know, as we all know, we're battling for the top, all kinds of talent out there, and supply chain industry has its workout cut out to do just that, do it successfully. Okay, Mary Kate, one other question and then we got two quick things to hit before we bring in our esteemed panel. Your vision for National Supply Chain Day in terms of the path ahead.

Mary Kate Love [00:05:49]:

Yeah. So you'll see, I think even from last year to this year, it's growing in terms of reach. You'll see kind of some other people, different ages, celebrating all across the country. And Scott and I have always wanted to see people celebrating National Supply Chain Day in their own way, connected to us, tuning in with us, sharing what they're doing, seeing us as a hub where they can send in, hey, this really cool thing happened with a team member involving supply chain, so we could highlight that, too. So we've always really envisioned people, you know, taking it and making their own and then using this as really the hub where we can all get together the same day every single year.

Scott Luton [00:06:32]:

Well said. Well said, Mary Kate. And I can't wait to grow this with you and grow it with all our friends out there around the globe, because that's how supply chain happens. Okay, folks, as I promise you, we worked hard with, with agents out there, these people's agents, these rock and roll stars, to secure these three panelists here today, which are dynamos in the world of, in the end, supply chain. They are Rahmel Watley, who hosts the Truck N' Hustle podcast. Vic D'Arcy hosted the All Things Circular podcast. And Dr. Stephanie Thomas, a dynamo professor at the top ranked University of Arkansas.

Scott Luton [00:07:11]:

All right, so our first guest here for our special National Supply Chain Day live stream 2025, we're dialing in on the critical world of transportation. So Rahmel Watley is founder of Truck N' Hustle, the fastest growing network for transportation and logistics professionals. Podcasts, videos, blogs, social media, freight fest, in person, market visits, you name it. I want to welcome in this dynamo, Rahmel Whatley. But as we do, we're going to share a special, a special message from our friends at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Mary Kate Love [00:07:46]:

From the University of Texas at Dallas.

Scott Luton [00:07:56]:

I love that. I love that, Rahmel. Hey, how about them comments, huh?

Rahmel Wattley [00:08:00]:

That makes me smile, man. I love that.

Mary Kate Love [00:08:01]:

That's amazing.

Scott Luton [00:08:03]:

Well, I'll tell you what makes me smile is following you and seeing the conversations you're having and how you're uplifting the profession, the craft of transportation and logistics. So great to have you here. So we're going to start with this. When it comes to the backbone of global supply chain being transportation and logistics, what should more folks know? Rahmel.

Rahmel Wattley [00:08:26]:

So first, I just want to say thank you for having me on the show. I'm so happy to celebrate National Supply Chain Day with you guys. In terms of your question, I love how you put that being the backbone of the economy. And unfortunately, right now we feel like we're getting our backs broken.

Mary Kate Love [00:08:41]:

Right.

Rahmel Wattley [00:08:41]:

Because it's been tough. There's a lot of uncertainty right now, especially with a lot of small carriers out there. But we truly are the backbone of the economy. From the first to the middle to the last mile, it's these truckers, it's these small mom and pop companies who get it done every single day. And, you know, as everyone knows, and you know, it's cliche to say, but, you know, everything in front of us, everything that you use on a daily basis is, you know, brought to you by, you know, these good people who are the last line of the supply chain. So, you know, it's very, it's very important to make sure that we, we represent these folks every day, especially today. And I'm just excited that you guys chose me to be, to, to, to kind of honor our constituents today.

Scott Luton [00:09:28]:

Well, hey, Rahmel, it's great. I had to go through your agent to get you booked. I'll tell you, busy, you stay busy. But Mary Kate, I love, I love how he responded there.

Mary Kate Love [00:09:36]:

Yeah.

Scott Luton [00:09:37]:

Good people. First off, the overwhelming majority of products, I think somewhere between 70, 80% that are transported by our professional truck drivers, we cannot lose sight of that. And number two, the good people, the good people that makes supply chain happen every day. Your quick response, Mary Kate?

Mary Kate Love [00:09:54]:

Yeah, I think your to your question that you posed earlier. Scott, too. Just something that is invisible at a high level is sometimes the people. Right. The people that are connecting supply chain. And so I think the three of us are all on the same page. They're really wanting to. And Ramel, you use the word honor, too, which I love.

Mary Kate Love [00:10:11]:

Honoring the people of supply chain.

Scott Luton [00:10:14]:

Yeah, no doubt, no doubt. Okay, so we need to have you back for three hours from now because we're not gonna have enough in 10 minutes. But at a high level, what's one or two of the biggest innovative trends impacting the transportation and logistics space?

Rahmel Wattley [00:10:28]:

Mel? Well, I hate to say it, man, because it sounds so redundant, but AI man, it's AI all day. It's unfortunate that we have to keep on revisiting the topic, but it's, it's just, it's, it's what's happening now. It's inevitable. I mean you have these, these companies like the Project44s and Flexports that's you know, you know, kind of giving visibility to, to shippers and, and just, you know, helping on, you know, managing delays and disruptions in the industry. So I mean it's, it's what everybody's talking about, it's where the industry is headed. In addition to that, just robotics, automation, you know, it's, it's one of those things that's, that's scary, but it's inevitable. So we have to learn how to adapt to it, especially the small business owners. But that, that, that's what's happening now, man.

Rahmel Wattley [00:11:08]:

So we have to just kind of adapt to what, what's new and that's what, that's what the new innovations are undoubtedly.

Scott Luton [00:11:15]:

You know, we were talking pre show Mary Kate with Rahmel and we were talking about some dilemmas that any, any homeowner might encounter and Rahmel was like, hey Chat GPT. Yeah, it gave me great advice and we got a, you know, kidding aside, Rahmel training and educating in our own understanding of how AI works and what we can use it for as it, whether it applies to global supply chain or just our everyday lives. I mean that self education perhaps has never been more important. Would you agree?

Rahmel Wattley [00:11:48]:

I definitely agree. I mean like I said, it's all about adapting, right? You have to definitely make sure you use it into your daily life and in your business or else you're going to get left behind in this industry. So I implore everybody to make sure that they have some sort of training on AI, whether it's formal training or just going in YouTube University and just trying to learn as much as you can because it's definitely the future.

Mary Kate Love [00:12:09]:

Yeah.

Scott Luton [00:12:10]:

Yes. Well said, Romeo. Mary Kate, you're like the queen of learning something, you know, cracking the code on. Yeah, you do?

Mary Kate Love [00:12:20]:

I really do.

Scott Luton [00:12:20]:

You do.

Mary Kate Love [00:12:21]:

Yeah, it was just, yeah, I love this. I'm nodding along and you know, one way I use is I have a newsletter I subscribe to every day that gives me a new prompt to use AI. So just like you're saying, right, there's all these new ways to use AI and I mean I feel like if I don't keep up with it every week and think of new ways to use it, I'm left behind. And that's in both personal and professional lives. I mean, planning a trip, use AI. It cuts down about five hours of planning time. You can put, I have free toddlers, they're this age. Where's a good place to go? It's just so, so great for those of different efficiencies.

Mary Kate Love [00:12:58]:

But like you said, Ramel, it's constantly changing.

Scott Luton [00:13:01]:

For sure. Sure is. And of course in supply chain, supply chain planning, oh, goodness gracious. Being transformed by not just AI but modern day supply chain technology. Mary Kay, you've got a billion dollar question to pose to Rahmel.

Mary Kate Love [00:13:17]:

Yes, billion dollar question. So we wanted to kind of bring this back to something high level or maybe even you have an anecdotal story. But one thing you're grateful for within.

Rahmel Wattley [00:13:27]:

Supply chain, man, you know, I've been in this industry for a long time. I've been in the industry for 20 years. I've done anything, everything from, you know, getting to cdl. I learned I wasn't a driver, so I quickly, you know, got out of that. But I've worked for small mom and pop businesses. I worked for Ryder for about seven years, which is, you know, everybody knows Ryder and I. And I'm an entrepreneur as well. And I think through all of that, man, I'm just grateful for the people that I've, I've met throughout my, throughout, throughout my tenure in the industry.

Rahmel Wattley [00:13:56]:

It's just a lot of great people and I've built a lot of amazing relationships. So I'd have to say the people is what I'm the most grateful for. Because at the end of the day that's what's most important is the people. So I'm grateful for my friends and just the network I've built in this industry.

Mary Kate Love [00:14:12]:

I love it.

Scott Luton [00:14:13]:

I love it too. Relationships, it's amazing. Relationships should be one of the newest renewable energies that we should be researching because it really powers not just global supply chain, but in our communities and you know, across, across industry. I love that response, Ramel. All right, so Truck N' Hustle, you were just talking about your whole journey, I'll tell you. And I really wish I could be a truck driver. I don't think I've got the skill set. And, and these days they're technologists.

Scott Luton [00:14:42]:

Many, many truck drivers. I tell you what. But tell us what Truck N' Hustle is all about and how folks can track down and connect with the one and only Rahmel Wattley. Yeah, for sure.

Rahmel Wattley [00:14:52]:

So you can Google Truck N' Hustle. T, R U C K N. The letter N Hustle, go to our website, trucknhustle.com and ultimately, man, we're here to just empower small business owners in transportation and logistics through networking, through resources, through education, through training and just information. We want to learn from, you know, real people who are actually have success stories and who have, you know, bumped their heads. And, you know, that's kind of how we started the platform, through a podcast where we were telling stories and people just really gravitated towards that. And that's what we continue to do. It's all about just kind of telling those stories of the industry and then just creating an environment for people to learn and, and help small businesses grow. So that's what we're all about.

Rahmel Wattley [00:15:30]:

You can find us everywhere. And that's really what all our content is, is kind of based on.

Scott Luton [00:15:36]:

I love that you keep it real every day, every conversation. Mary Kate, I was on a live stream of his in the audience a couple weeks ago and Ral, there was probably 2,000 people from across your social channels tuned in, commenting, just eating up the conversation you were having. So, folks, we're dropping the links where you can learn more about Truck N' Hustle here. You can connect with Rahmel on LinkedIn. We encourage you to do that. And Rahmel Watley, we look forward to collaborating again with you soon. Thanks for being here. Thank you, Mary Kate.

Rahmel Wattley [00:16:05]:

Thank you, Scott.

Mary Kate Love [00:16:06]:

Thanks so much.

Scott Luton [00:16:06]:

I'll see you soon. All right, Mary Kate, Rahmel delivered here today would. And we got, we got two more outstanding guests. So, so stick around for the rest of the show here. Mary Kate, I'll tell you, Rahmel set the bar. We got two folks that are going to be doing cartwheels over it. You ready for our second guest?

Mary Kate Love [00:16:25]:

I'm ready.

Scott Luton [00:16:26]:

All right. Our second guest, Mary Kate, is going to be shining a big old light into a world that many people are unfamiliar with reverse logistics and returns management. Now, Vic D'Arcy is a circular economy strategist, business advisor, founder, keynote speaker, and much, much more. She's also host of the All Things Circular podcast that you can find wherever you get your podcast from. So I welcome in Vic D'Arcy. But as we do, we're going to share a special, special message from our friends at California State University, Long Beach.

Mary Kate Love [00:17:00]:

Happy National Supply Chain Day from Cal State Long.

Scott Luton [00:17:11]:

Hey, I love that message from the for our friends at the beach. That's the new brand there at, from what I hear at Cal State University Long Beach. But Vic, how you doing? Great to see you here today.

Stephanie Thomas [00:17:23]:

Hi.

Vic D'Arcy [00:17:24]:

Thanks for having me. Okay. Thanks for Having me, Scott, this is my first national supply chain. I can I say I'm delighted I got the beach right, because I don't remember it generally rains, so it's wonderful and what a great opener. So thank you very much.

Scott Luton [00:17:38]:

Oh, you bet. The, the, I'll tell you, the energy in those just first two clips, we need to hook it up to the power grid and it can drive cities here and there. But Vic, wonderful to have you here on National Supply Chain Day. And let's start with this, that reverse logistics world in a nutshell. Again, it deserves its own multi hour conversation, but tell us about what folks should understand about the reverse logistics world.

Vic D'Arcy [00:18:04]:

Okay, so in the nutshell, it's everything that happens after you've sold the product, the asset, the whatever it is, the service, it's what happens after. It's the return of it, it's the repair of it, it's the refurbishment of it, it's the recycling, it's the resale of it. So it's, you know, it's everything that happens to that product after its first journey. We've got actually a great metaphor because if you think of traditional supply chains a bit like a paper airplane, you know, what you're really saying is that paper airplane has to land perfectly every single time. And we know the world does not work like that. It's not that simple. So what reverse does is in reverse catches that paper airplane, it picks it up, it repairs it, it repurposes it and it sends it off on another flight. And not just one flight, it could be two flights, it could be three, three flights.

Vic D'Arcy [00:18:59]:

So reverse is really is everything that happens after, but it is the value in the product after because there are these huge misconceptions that, you know, returns is scrap, returns is a cost. And actually, you know, it, it's far from the truth. You know, the, the reverse engine is value recovery and there is value in the repairing, the refurbing, the recycling, the reusing, the be selling. And we have to kind of really want to help educate people out of that mindset that they think reverse is about fixing mistakes. It's not. It's a profit sensor. So yeah, that's what reverse is.

Scott Luton [00:19:39]:

Brilliant. And you know, as you explain that and as you're looking to change those mindsets, which is really an important mission that we all need to be on, it reminds me of the revolution, the re economy which is blowing up left and right, right, remanufactured, repaired, reused. I mean it's in demand and we're seeing that in data after data. Mary Kate, respond to what I'll tell you, Vic, put all of that in pretty. An effective nutshell, huh?

Mary Kate Love [00:20:09]:

Yeah, I think that's genius to look at reverse as a profit center.

Vic D'Arcy [00:20:12]:

Right.

Mary Kate Love [00:20:12]:

That's a totally different mindset on it. And you know, my mind as you're talking goes to me as a consumer, right. And I'm automatically thinking about, you know, the returns I do, regrettably, on a weekly basis, probably. Right. But also just thinking about, you know, thinking about some of these other companies like Nuuly, that has started where their whole business is basically on you renting clothes and returning it and then turning it around for profit. Right. And I, I think that's genius and that's the way that a lot of people are going instead of, you know, for a lot of different reasons. Right.

Mary Kate Love [00:20:48]:

Purchasing clothes every month. But they're certainly seeing. Right. Reverse as a whole business too. So I think that's such a smart way to look at it.

Vic D'Arcy [00:20:58]:

It's a really interesting one you pick up there, Mary Kay, actually, because do you know that in the United States, 85% of clothing ends up either in landfill or incinerators. Wow, 85%.

Mary Kate Love [00:21:11]:

That's crazy.

Vic D'Arcy [00:21:12]:

So, but then let's look at some brands that are doing really good in this space at Patagonia. Patagonia is a great example. They've got two programs. The first one's called Worn Wear. And it's where you would take an item that you would sell on vinted or another platform, which is it's still wearable, it's still usable, it's ready for that second owner, and they take that product back in and they give you up to 25% voucher off a new purchase. Right. Really smart. Because that's brand loyalty.

Vic D'Arcy [00:21:45]:

You know, you're bringing that customer in and they're going to spend 20, you know, 75% on the new item. But they may buy two. But here's the really, really smart one. They've got one underneath that which is called Recrafted. Now, Recrafted is where they take those items that actually can't be reworned, you know, as a whole product. And they create new products out of them. They create new items out of them. They're almost bespoke, but they're reuse and that stop products going into landfill.

Vic D'Arcy [00:22:13]:

You know, Bravo, Patagonia. Right. You know, we, we really need to start thinking about this, Vic.

Scott Luton [00:22:19]:

Love that. And I'm gonna give you another factoid of why we've got to very Intentionally wrap our heads around how to do reverse and returns management better and inject more circularity into our business model. Check this out. According to the National Retail Federation and happy returns for 2024, $890 billion in products were returned. And that's just for US retailers alone. 890 billion. And that represents about 17% of total sales. So, Vic, that begs a question.

Scott Luton [00:22:56]:

We need more Patagonias to your example. But how can we, and why should we, and how can we inject more circularity thinking and doing into global supply chain?

Vic D'Arcy [00:23:06]:

Okay, so supply chain traditionally reverse. This is step one. Okay? You know, we get the products to the customer. But if we really want to build circularity into the supply chain, it's got to start at the design level. The products need to be designed for reuse. They need to be designed to be returned. Those return processes need to work. They need to be revalued.

Vic D'Arcy [00:23:29]:

There's a great statistic actually on cell phones. For a customer to trade in a cell phone, I think you've got the attention span of five questions. And they have to be really quick. I think it's about 40 to 45 seconds. That's all the customer will spend before they close the window down and that phone goes back into the drawer to be forgotten about for the next few years. And of course it loses value. So we need to actually build for these models. We need to be conscious about these models because circularity is a continuous loop.

Vic D'Arcy [00:24:00]:

It's the ouroboros. You know, it's the repair, it's the reuse, it's the remanufacture of it. And to your point, to the why we're running out of resources. I'm just actually going to say that again. We're running out of resources. Now let's just take AI was brought up, right? There is 400 billion, I think was announced in February from the US government of investment into data centers. UK did the same within the same week, only 40 billion. So, you know, the size of the economy is different.

Vic D'Arcy [00:24:32]:

But if you were just to look at the semiconductors that are needed to power those data centers, they require what are called hard metals. Hard metals are, well, they're scarce, right? They're scarce in the Earth's crust. They're very difficult to get out. They're extremely difficult to recycle. And we haven't got enough of them. So I'm just like, okay, so you want to build $400 billion a day, so where are you getting those critical elements from? If we don't start building true circular models. And just to add into that, 90% of rare earth elements are controlled by China. So not only are we looking at scarcity, we're looking at volatility.

Vic D'Arcy [00:25:15]:

And that volatility is, you know, it's scarcity, it's price copper. People don't realize we're staring down the barrel of a gun with copper. We're looking at a 30 metric ton shortfall. We haven't built a new copper mine for 20 years. The copper that we're getting out of the existing mines is not as good a grade. It's degraded, you know, and the biggest copper mine at the moment is, it's in Chile, I think it's in the Andes. You want to stand up a mine and 5,000 meters above sea level, good luck. And you know, so, so, yeah, there's lots of reasons why no, it, you.

Scott Luton [00:25:51]:

Know, I admire your passion and you know, we've talked here long before here today. I love, more importantly, what you're doing out there. We're going to touch on your podcast in a minute because we got to make the industry and folks outside the industry more aware and educate them so we can, we can do more and take action on these. On the why that you're posing here today. So, Mary Kate, we shift over. What's your billion dollar question you're posing to Vic here today?

Mary Kate Love [00:26:18]:

Yes, I'm excited to hear your answer. So we're asking everyone, what's one thing you're grateful for in supply chain?

Vic D'Arcy [00:26:25]:

So you'll probably understand why when I say this is to my personality, I'm grateful for disruptors. I'm grateful for the brave, the people that stick their neck on the line, the people that say, hang on a minute. The people that challenge the status quo, the people that look introspectively at themselves, maybe look at their children and go, actually, no, we have to stop these behaviors for the good of the collective. It may not seem like the easy choice of the business, although there are absolute paths to, you know, making reverse and making the circular side of business profitable. It may not be the easy choice though. And it's those people that stick their hands up and say, no, we're going to walk forward with purpose.

Mary Kate Love [00:27:08]:

Yes.

Scott Luton [00:27:09]:

Oh, Vic, Mary Kay, that's almost poetic. Yeah, that's true. A great gauntlet to throw down here today. And I captured some of that. I'm gonna go back and have to review the tape. But the disruptors, the brave, those that challenge a status quo, folks, if you're outside of supply chain right now, but that appeals to you. Jump on board. We need you.

Scott Luton [00:27:28]:

Mary Kate, your quick reaction to what Vic is grateful for.

Mary Kate Love [00:27:32]:

Yeah, I think the disruptors feel the pressure of everything. Vic, you just said they're the ones that are looking ahead, so they see this. You know, our resources are dwindling fast, right. So disruptors see ahead and they're able to kind of beat everyone else to the punch. Right.

Scott Luton [00:27:49]:

And they're help. They help to find a better. There is a better way. That's the good news, folks. There's. There's a better way to address everything that Vic has shared here today. There is a better way. But it to your point, Mary Kate, what I heard you say is we got to find more disruptors that want to kind of push aside how things have always been done, because that's not what.

Scott Luton [00:28:10]:

What's going to help us address those challenges Vic has shared. Vic, we want to make sure again, we need a couple more hours for each of our outstanding guests here today. But the good news is also, folks can learn a lot more on your podcast, All Things Circular. So tell us, tell us what that your primary mission is there and how folks can connect with you.

Vic D'Arcy [00:28:31]:

Okay, so, yes, I'm co host of the All Things Circular with my esteemed colleague, Mr. Rich Bulger, who is well known in the supply chain and reverse logistics world. What we're about, really, we're about taking the whole circular economy and busting myths. You know, it's not just about the theory. It's about examining what's really happening. We want to break down the circular economy into real world stories, but also make it actionable. And that's the good and the bad. We don't want it to be sycophantic.

Vic D'Arcy [00:29:05]:

We want to come in and have tough conversations to really begin to challenge the way that linear economies are working. We have guests which are leaders from sustainability, from logistics, from commercial officers to finance people across all sorts of industries. We talk about their success stories and their setbacks. So, and I think it's kind of, it's the first real one of its kind that I know of, where we are taking the. The viewpoint and say, okay, how can we help people action something? How can we inspire somebody to be the disruptor to put their hand up and go, actually, I think my business could benefit from that. I'm going to put it forward.

Scott Luton [00:29:51]:

I love that Vic. And folks, I'm telling you, Vic's done it. It's not just passion. She's been there and done it and Rich, like Vic said, he wrote the book Going Circular. If any of this appeals to you, go find Going Circular wherever you get your favorite books from. Hopefully your. Your local bookseller. But also you can learn more at allthingscircular.com.

Scott Luton [00:30:16]:

tune in those conversations Vic and Rich and Damien have been leading. And one more call out that I bet you're a fan of. Vic, I was connecting yesterday with my dear friend Tony Sharota in the Reverse logistics association, the rla.org that's a great resource for many of these conversations too. Would you agree, Vic?

Vic D'Arcy [00:30:33]:

Oh, yeah. We interviewed Tony. Great episode.

Scott Luton [00:30:36]:

Outstanding. Outstanding. Okay, well, Vic D'Arcy with All Things Circular. Check out the podcast. Vic, thanks so much for being here today.

Vic D'Arcy [00:30:47]:

Thank you. Can I leave you on one thought?

Scott Luton [00:30:49]:

Sure.

Vic D'Arcy [00:30:50]:

Okay, so if we think about it and, and I just like people to just take this one thing away from them. The linear economy built the supply chains of today. The circular economy will build the world that we want to live in tomorrow.

Scott Luton [00:31:04]:

Oh, I like that, Vic. I like that. To a Vic D'Arcy. All Things Circular. We'll have you back soon, my friend. Have a great afternoon.

Mary Kate Love [00:31:12]:

Thanks, Vic.

Vic D'Arcy [00:31:13]:

Cheers. Bye.

Mary Kate Love [00:31:14]:

Bye.

Scott Luton [00:31:15]:

Oh, Mary Kate, I tell you what, between Rahmel and Vic.

Mary Kate Love [00:31:18]:

Yeah.

Vic D'Arcy [00:31:18]:

Wow.

Scott Luton [00:31:19]:

I'm telling you, you know, if, if, if you're, you're kind of bogged down in the challenges and the pain and the pressure of where we are here today on April 29, 2025, you got to tune in to folks like Rahmel and Vic and this next speaker, Stephanie, because it will, it'll uplift your spirits and help, you know, better times are ahead as our industry changes. Mary Kate, would you agree with that?

Mary Kate Love [00:31:43]:

Yeah. And totally. And reminder, I'm on maternity. Le been bogged down in a different way and this has just been a really good way. A reminder of all the things that are happening in supply chain in the future of supply chain. So it's been such a great discussion so far.

Scott Luton [00:31:59]:

I'm with you. I'm with you. All right, so folks, also you can connect with Vic on LinkedIn. So we encourage you to do that. Mary Kate, we have got an outstanding third guest here today. Are you ready to join?

Mary Kate Love [00:32:13]:

Yes.

Scott Luton [00:32:15]:

So for our third guest who's doing big things to create Eureka moments for the incredible new talent coming into the supply chain industry, Dr. Stephanie Thomas is an extraordinary professor with the top ranked supply chain program at the University of Arkansas. Prior to her current role, Stephanie spent time as a supply chain practitioner with companies like Lowe's, IBM and Stanley Tools. She also runs founded WISE Folks Women Impacting Supply Chain Excellence. Love that acronym and that organization. I want to welcome in Dr. Stephanie Thomas. But as we do want to share a special message from our friends at the University of Arkansas.

Vic D'Arcy [00:32:55]:

Happy National Supply Chain Day from the.

Scott Luton [00:32:58]:

University of Arkansas WISE. I love that, Stephanie. I love that. Great to see you here today. How you doing, my friend?

Mary Kate Love [00:33:10]:

Doing wonderful.

Stephanie Thomas [00:33:11]:

Thanks for having me, Scott. Mary Kay.

Scott Luton [00:33:12]:

Yeah, thanks, Mary Kate. Go Razorbacks. AKA those hogs. Sui. Pig Suey. Is that how it goes? I think Mary Kate.

Stephanie Thomas [00:33:22]:

Pig Suey.

Mary Kate Love [00:33:23]:

I was gonna say that. I don't know. Woo.

Scott Luton [00:33:26]:

Pig Suey. I'm getting it right.

Stephanie Thomas [00:33:28]:

We'll have a tutorial later for that.

Mary Kate Love [00:33:30]:

Yeah.

Scott Luton [00:33:31]:

Well, great to have you back. Hey, Stephanie, really quick. You, you, you, you meet with the movers and shakers across global supply chain all the time. How great was it to hear from Rahmel and Vic earlier? Did you catch any of that?

Stephanie Thomas [00:33:43]:

Oh, I loved it. And I'm having a little bit of an inferiority complex because all of y'all are in the podcast and I am not. I just drone on to undergrads and try to tell them that you're basically.

Mary Kate Love [00:33:56]:

Hosting a podcast every day in a classroom.

Scott Luton [00:33:58]:

That's right, because I think y'all got.

Stephanie Thomas [00:34:02]:

Better voices for this than I do.

Scott Luton [00:34:03]:

Not at all. A very consequential podcast at that, Mary Kate. But, hey, Dr. Rod Thomas, Dr. Stephanie Thomas, y'all both joined us on a podcast not too long ago. We have to drop the link. And your daughter, Catherine Thomas is doing great things already in global supply chain. So what a household here.

Scott Luton [00:34:24]:

So I want to ask you this, Stephanie, a couple of things from your perspective that hiring managers got to keep in mind with engaging with what we call the now generation.

Stephanie Thomas [00:34:35]:

I could speak for like, three hours on this, but a couple things that I think are really valuable for companies to think about are a lot of the now generation really want to make an impact. So they want to do things that they feel like are meaningful, and they're going to ask why a lot. And that, I feel like, is different than maybe some previous generations where we kind of were told kind of what to do and then went off and executed. They're wanting to know that there's a purpose behind what they do. I know a lot of organizations feel challenged, just like everybody has since the beginning of time. Each generation kind of has their own nuances. But one of the best practices that I think really strong companies that are having great success do is lean into reverse mentoring, where they will pair, you know, whether it's an intern or an entry level employee with someone more senior. And they have very open conversations about the perspective.

Stephanie Thomas [00:35:33]:

So one of the things that I think a lot of companies are kind of trying to figure out is what a work schedule looks like. Is it fully in office, Is it hybrid, is it work from home, what all those different options are? And I've heard a lot of people say, we know all the young generation wants to work from home. They don't.

Mary Kate Love [00:35:54]:

Right.

Stephanie Thomas [00:35:55]:

A lot of them want to be in the office and they want to make those connections and they want to have feel like they have a sense of community at the place that they work. So make sure that you're really checking in and seeing like, are we offering what's. Now. We all like a little flexibility. That's nice. But I can talk about students that I know really well that have had fully remote internships and they just talked about. They're like, okay, I did it and got some experience. But I know for myself, that is not how I want to start a career.

Stephanie Thomas [00:36:28]:

I think organizationally, some of us that may have been around a while longer that might like to work from home a little more, need to make sure we are going into the office and engaging with the younger generation. I know a lot of these students, as they're coming out, they like some type of career roadmap. And we haven't always done a great job of saying, here's where you can go in this career. And it doesn't have to be 100%, even if you can just say, here's the options. And I know with a lot of young professionals and students, culture is a big deal. And I think as organizations, it's gotten a lot easier to leave companies.

Mary Kate Love [00:37:10]:

Yeah.

Stephanie Thomas [00:37:11]:

And we're not taking care of our employees if they don't feel like they, you know, inclusion was mentioned earlier. If they don't feel like they belong, it's very easy to go somewhere else, especially if they are in remote roles where they're not having to move or make big significant life changes to make it happen.

Scott Luton [00:37:29]:

Yeah, man. Well, that's quite an opening salvo. Mary Kate, would you hear there from Stephanie?

Mary Kate Love [00:37:36]:

Yeah, I'm just. I love this topic, actually, when at an ASCM conference last year, we did a whole entire panel about mentorship and these exact topics came up. And the. The reverse mentorship. Right. Is super important. But this really special time of when you start off your career, it's impossible not to be successful without mentorships, both formal and informal. Right.

Mary Kate Love [00:38:01]:

And a lot of that comes from in person and just simple things like observing the culture, like you said, becoming part of the culture, having those informal mentorships with a variety of ages. And I love this idea that mentorship is not someone starting off their career in the CEO. That's really not what it is. Right. You can have a mentor your same age, you can have someone younger, someone older. I think it's required for all ages of your career, but especially that very special time. Your first job right out of college or out of your first training program I think is super important.

Scott Luton [00:38:41]:

Well said, well said. And the first part of your response, America, you mentioned ascm. Hey, big thanks to our friends at the association for Supply Chain Management. You can learn more@ascm.org appreciate their support and getting the word out about National Supply Chain Day. Okay, Stephanie, this is going to be. I bet you could speak for hours about this next question I want pose to you. But what excites you the most about the future of global supply chain, especially based on all your hourly interactions with students. Your thoughts there, Stephanie?

Stephanie Thomas [00:39:15]:

So personally and professionally as a professor, I love the fact that I can say I'm in supply chain management and people don't give me a blank stare anymore as much. I'm not saying there's not some of that, but for a long time nobody knew what supply chain management was and so Covid helped and a lot of other things that have been going on in the world. While there are challenges that as supply chain professionals we have to figure out and deal with, they have increased awareness. And through that increased awareness, supply chain as a career and the different opportunities is more top of mind than it's ever been for students. And that's not just at the university level with say, undergraduates. More and more you're seeing high schools and even middle schools start having conversations about supply chain management, which I think is huge because as we all know, there's lots of different jobs in supply chain. You can go through an undergraduate career while you're working in supply chain. So you're working it, learning it and developing skills, paying for it, and then still getting the degree on top of it.

Stephanie Thomas [00:40:27]:

It doesn't have to be an either or or you don't have to just find a, a job that may be not giving you skills that are furthering your development. And you know, I just, it's so fun to see the excitement and the enthusiasm. These kids when that light bulb goes off and they're like, wow, this is, this is cool. I can make an impact. I can contribute to the success of an organization, I can help solve big problems. There's not textbook answers that we've got to. Now they have to sometimes rewire their learning for a textbook answer. But it's the adults don't have it all figured out.

Stephanie Thomas [00:41:03]:

So there's still room for me to make a contribution. And that is so powerful.

Scott Luton [00:41:09]:

Well said, Stephanie and Mary Kate. You know, one of the things that Stephanie mentioned there made me think of, you know, the global supply chain ecosystem is so broad and so wide and there's so many different career paths based on what you want to do, where your passions and your, your skill sets are. But you don't have to have a, a pilot's license, you know, to flip like you do have to do to fly a plane. You don't have to have a cpa like you have to have to be an accountant in so much of, of different roles and positions within supply chain. And that is a beautiful thing. It's very empowering in many ways and unlimiting in many ways. But Mary Kate, your thoughts on Stephanie's excitement about the bright future of global supply chain?

Mary Kate Love [00:41:48]:

Yeah, Well, I think it's personally exciting to hear that, you know, people young in their career are thinking about supply chain, really view supply chain as a way they can make a difference. Because I obviously couldn't agree with that more as well as I couldn't agree with the sentiment that there's a lot to figure out in supply chain. And so I think being able to attract students and people that are wanting to make a change, supply chain is a really great career path to go down. And you can have so many jobs in supply chain and you can keep changing jobs in supply chain. So it's just a really exciting career.

Scott Luton [00:42:23]:

Well said, Mary Kate. Well said. All right. So Mary Kate, back to gratitude, your thoughts?

Mary Kate Love [00:42:28]:

Yes. So is it time for the million dollar question? All right, it's time, Stephanie. One thing you're grateful for in supply chain.

Stephanie Thomas [00:42:37]:

So I think that Rahmel and Vic gave great answers with the people and then taking the people and talking specifically about disruptors. And so I like this kind of one word thing. So I'm going to go with collaborators and connectors because I think I'm grateful for the increased awareness like I talked about. But what I'm really grateful for are people like you guys and Rahmel and Vic and others who are making information and discussion about important supply chain management topics accessible to all because I think there's, you know, a lot, not everybody studied this or not everybody knows what's going on or their organization may be at different stages. And so having access to powerful resources can be huge for an individual in their career as well as the decisions that they make within, you know, an organization. And so thank you to all those. And I also put a special shout out to. I'm grateful for all my professor colleague friends all over that are continuing to turn those light bulbs on, as you said, Scott, with students all across, not only just the US but across the world.

Mary Kate Love [00:43:47]:

Yep.

Scott Luton [00:43:47]:

Hey, that's, that's you and me and primary Kate both. You know, I tell you, it's got to be really neat to have you or Dr. Rod Thomas as a professor. Y'all strike me as some of my favorite professors that had done it when I was in school at South Carolina. And Dan Barry comes to mind. I don't think Dan's with us any longer, but great to have y'all doing what you do. And Mary Kate, how difficult it is for our ac, our friends in academia to keep up with just how fast industry is, is transforming itself to have to take that, you know, kind of process it and then, you know, educate it. It's got to be a big challenge.

Mary Kate Love [00:44:28]:

Yeah, yeah. That's huge. I mean, I can barely keep up with it. And this is our full time jobs.

Scott Luton [00:44:33]:

Right? Right.

Stephanie Thomas [00:44:35]:

Well, it's definitely one of those topics that I know at a lot of universities it's, it's going to change things. It is changing things.

Mary Kate Love [00:44:43]:

Yeah.

Stephanie Thomas [00:44:44]:

What is the right way to use it to educate so that you're, that students are ready, but also that they're using it in responsible ways. And it's a huge kind of balance there that everybody's trying to figure out what's the right way to do it. But we also appreciate industry partners that come in and make sure as faculty we remain relevant by spending time in the classroom or sponsoring projects or speaking at a student organization. So my plug would be if you're out there and near a university somewhere that has a supply chain class or program program, reach out and see if you can engage somewhere.

Mary Kate Love [00:45:22]:

It's a great idea.

Scott Luton [00:45:23]:

That's right. Great idea. And clearly you are cracking the code because according to Gartner, you're still the number one ranked supply chain undergraduate program in across the U. S. There's some stiff competition as we've seen programs really explode and invest in themselves in recent years. Hey, we're going to wrap with Dr. Stephanie Thomas in just a minute, but folks here, you can check out me and Stephanie and Rod get together on a previous Recent podcast. So Stephanie, you've got a really big event coming up in the fall.

Scott Luton [00:45:54]:

Women Impacting Supply Chain Excellence. Right? Women Impact. Oh did okay. WISE Future Leaders Symposium. That's the event right? September 18th and 19th there at the University of Arkansas. Tell us more.

Stephanie Thomas [00:46:10]:

So it's this will be the seventh year for the event. It's a day and a half event were students from universities across the country. We're anticipating 35 universities participating this year spend making connections, growing personally and professionally, learning more about the wide variety of roles available and working on leadership skills. And while they come here and hear amazing speakers and stuff, there's also a ton of engagement with industry partners. Partners. And so I'm always looking for individuals and organizations that would like to get involved and connect with the future now generation.

Scott Luton [00:46:49]:

Love it. I love it. So folks, mark your calendars. September 18th and 19th there at University of Arkansas, 35 universities. If you want to get in touch with and and conversate and network with the top talent that's already oftentimes already in industry because they're doing internships and whatnot. But certainly coming in, mark your calendar and be there. And as Stephanie mentioned, she welcomes anyone to be a part so and better yet, we've got to make it really easy. Mary Kate and Stephanie, there's a link right there to learning more about WISE.

Scott Luton [00:47:20]:

And you can also connect with Stephanie right there on LinkedIn. We try the one Click challenge is what we're after. Stephanie and Mary Kate, the One click challenge make it really easy for folks. Big thanks. Dr. Stephanie Thomas with the University of Arkansas and with WISE. So great to have you here. Stephanie.

Stephanie Thomas [00:47:39]:

Thank you for having me. It's been a pleasure.

Mary Kate Love [00:47:41]:

Thanks.

Scott Luton [00:47:42]:

Have a great National Supply Chain Day and see you soon my friend.

Stephanie Thomas [00:47:45]:

You both as well.

Mary Kate Love [00:47:45]:

Thanks.

Scott Luton [00:47:47]:

All right, Mary Kate, just too much to get to here today. Too much to get to. We're calling out some folks like University of Wisconsin, ASCM and rla all have been a great supporters of National Supply Chain Day. One more folks Manifest. If you hadn't been out in the manifest yet, they just I think it was a fourth conference this year earlier in Vegas this past late January, early February. Great work they're doing there and really appreciate the support Manifest has been giving National Supply Chain Day too. Yeah. Rahmel, Vic and Stephanie.

Scott Luton [00:48:21]:

What I'll tell you one heck of a trio of dynamos. But Mary Kate, it's takeaway time. It's takeaway time. What's a couple of your favorite takeaways from our trio of Guests here today.

Mary Kate Love [00:48:34]:

Yeah. Number one is I've been thinking about how there's this underlying theme about creating your network of people in supply chain. And so we've talked about people in supply chain this whole segment, every National Supply Chain Day. But I think creating a network of people or having those people, someone brought up the word trust, people that you trust in supply chain is a bit old school, but it's never going to go away. Right. We were talking about going in office to create connections. We're talking about having good partners in supply chain. So that network that you create for both yourself and the organization you're working with, I don't ever see that being replaced by any technology ever.

Mary Kate Love [00:49:17]:

So that's always going to be important.

Scott Luton [00:49:19]:

Love that. Love that there's so many there. I mean, from Rael referencing the good people that make supply chain happen. Right. That, that conjures up my brain. Like you ever heard people talk about pillar assault when they're talking about really good people. You find so much of that across global supply chain. Of course, Vic talking about the.

Scott Luton [00:49:42]:

Celebrating the disruptors and the brave, as she put it here on National Supply Chain Day. And of course, Stephanie. Who wouldn't want to be in one of Stephanie's classes? Not only for what you. Yes. What we, what you learn, but you know, there are. We all need to wear shades because the future supply chain, despite the challenges, that's, that's inherent in the industry. It's what we all sign up for. It is very bright and it's amazing.

Scott Luton [00:50:07]:

The transformation, it's probably going to be a lot harder and more challenging to, to meet that. Yeah, dead on. As technology continues to get more and more capable. Would you agree, Mary Kay?

Mary Kate Love [00:50:20]:

Yeah, I totally agree. I mean, I think that's a question that hasn't even fully been defined on how to do it. Right.

Scott Luton [00:50:29]:

Excellent point, Excellent point. We've got one more video, folks. One more video. And we love seeing these members of the now generation celebrating National Supply Chain Day. Oftentimes it's the career they're going to go ahead and do big things in, if they aren't already. All right, so, Mary Kate, this is a special one for you. It is from our friends here at the University of Illinois, home of the fighting. Ilana, you're an alumnus.

Scott Luton [00:50:54]:

Yes, There. So let's play this video.

Mary Kate Love [00:50:57]:

Happy National Supply Chain Day from the University of Illinois.

Vic D'Arcy [00:51:09]:

Wow.

Mary Kate Love [00:51:10]:

You know, I'm saying we saved the best for last. I can say that.

Vic D'Arcy [00:51:14]:

Right?

Scott Luton [00:51:16]:

You get, you'd get, there'd be some debates There maybe all four. And of course, kid, all four. Remarkable.

Mary Kate Love [00:51:23]:

Yeah.

Scott Luton [00:51:24]:

I've got so much respect and pride in what students and young professionals, whatever the right term is, that are learning but doing at the same time. Mary Kate, it is such a wonderful aspect, huh?

Mary Kate Love [00:51:40]:

Yeah. That always reinvigorates me on today is thinking about the future of supply chain, as you said and as Stephanie highlighted, how these students want to make change and have ideas and want to make connections and want to get going.

Scott Luton [00:51:55]:

That's right. So, Mary Kate, what's to come? What do you think? If you had to break out your crystal ball and look at next year and beyond, what can folks expect?

Mary Kate Love [00:52:03]:

You know, I could see even more people celebrating and sending in videos like the ones we saw across the country. Right. And maybe we highlight some challenges that were overcome by specific, specific people in supply chain next year and maybe we do an in person event. Just maybe.

Scott Luton [00:52:21]:

I like that. I like that. You know, it's funny as I'm shaking my crystal ball. That's exact. All that is exactly what I see, especially market visits, doing things in person as we celebrate a global industry. So love that. Mary Kate, appreciate your leadership and, and, and forward looking leadership at that. So really appreciate that.

Scott Luton [00:52:43]:

Okay, I want to issue a challenge, Mary Kate, before we wrap. I'll give your last word in just a second. But folks, we got a challenge out there that we need to spike the football. And I love what we've done over the last hour. All the great comments, all the folks could be here. Our panelists hearing from Mary Kate, big shout out to Amanda and Joshua behind the scenes. But, but folks, we got a lot more work to do, you know, because it's about what we do in our neck of the woods, not just virtually, but in person to serve as critical ambassadors for our industry. And even more important, it's about showing gratitude for all the wonderful people that make supply chain happen each and every day.

Scott Luton [00:53:22]:

Folks, y'all know it. There's always a lot of pressure on the people of our industry to deliver and make things happen. And especially right now as global trade tensions. I don't have to say this to anybody. Y'all know it. Global trade tensions have become elevated. There's no time like the present though to keep finding new ways to lift supply chain professionals up and recognize the extraordinary work that they do every single day. Mary Kate, I bet you're kindred spirits in this regard.

Scott Luton [00:53:51]:

Your thoughts?

Mary Kate Love [00:53:51]:

Yes, I think say thank you to someone, connect with someone in supply chain. You know, I think it's always good to take a step back like we did today and think about the bigger picture.

Scott Luton [00:54:03]:

That is right. That is right. Taking a step back, thinking about everything else going on. Maybe out, maybe in your blind spots, maybe stop to think about the future when we solve a lot of the current ills and and sharing. Showing gratitude, folks, that next deliver, the next UPS delivery you get stop and thank that driver that works their tail off every single day. And that's just one element out of many. But Mary Kate, again, appreciate you being here. Big thanks to Rahmel Watley, Dr.

Scott Luton [00:54:37]:

Stephanie Thomas and Vic D'Arcy. Folks, make sure you check out their podcasts and their events and of course, of course, connect with them on social. Folks, hopefully you enjoy this conversation as much as I have. Happy, Happy National Supply Chain Day to all of you out there. So we're going to leave this show and we're all going to be on a mission to uplift our industry and its people. And you know what powers that it's deeds and not words. On behalf of Mary Kate, love our entire team here at Supply Chain Now, we challenge you. Do good, get forward, be the change that's needed.

Scott Luton [00:55:08]:

Happy National Supply Chain Day and we'll see you next time right back here on Supply Chain Now. Thanks everybody. Join the Supply Chain Now community. For more supply chain perspectives, news and innovation, check out supplychainnow.com subscribe to Supply Chain Now on YouTube and follow and listen to Supply Chain Now wherever you get your podcasts.