Supply Chain Saga

Hosted by Mark Taylor

Business Entrepreneurship

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May 2026

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About the show

Welcome to Supply Chain Saga, the podcast that takes you on a journey through the interconnected world of supply chain and logistics. Join us as we unravel fascinating stories and engage with thought leaders, innovators, and operators who are revolutionizing this dynamic industry. Each episode brings you fresh insights, explores cutting-edge trends, and uncovers the technologies that are shaping the way we move goods and ideas across the globe. Whether you're a seasoned professional or simply intrigued by the complex networks that power our modern lives, Supply Chain Saga offers an enriching and enlightening exploration into the ever-evolving realm of supply chain management. Tune in, and let's embark on this epic adventure together!

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21 recent

May 12, 20261 hr 25 min

Total Cost of Service: BJ Patterson on Why Storage Cost Is the Wrong Number, Chargebacks, and How to Select a 3PL | Supply Chain Saga Ep. 021

BJ is founder and CEO of Pacific Mountain Logistics, a full-service 3PL in San Bernardino, California, with 30+ years in warehousing. Recorded April 2026, BJ and Mark cover the state of freight, warehousing, and tariffs — then pivot into a masterclass on total cost of service and what brands should ask when evaluating a 3PL.TOPICS COVERED: - 2026 logistics: ocean freight chaos, tariffs, and the end of the trucking freight recession - CDL enforcement and capacity correction on the truckload side - Record warehouse vacancy and the COVID hangover - Housing starts as the leading indicator for warehousing demand - Brick and mortar resilience vs the e-commerce warehouse play - The death of peak season: the July-to-December cycle barely registers - SoCal lease rates during COVID and the "fleeing effect" to Phoenix, Vegas, and Reno - Workforce productivity: Phoenix labor half as productive as the Inland Empire - Total cost of service: drayage, handling, outbound, chargebacks, and why storage cost is the wrong number - Retail compliance, routing guides, and the "Routing Guide Rodeo" - $400K in chargebacks reduced to $11K in two years - Primary vs secondary vs tertiary distribution markets - Walk the warehouse: what a clean, calm operation tells youCHAPTERS: 0:00 Opening 0:40 State of Logistics: Chaos 1:21 Trucking: End of the Freight Recession 2:44 Warehousing Oversupply and the COVID Hangover 5:37 Housing Starts as the Leading Indicator 8:01 Brick and Mortar Resilience 11:25 Small Box vs Mid-Size Warehousing 14:41 The Death of Peak Season 17:47 Social Media Impact on Brands 20:23 SoCal Lease Rates and the Fleeing Effect 25:06 Workforce Productivity in Outlier Markets 28:57 Breaking Down Total Cost of Service 33:05 Why 40% of US Imports Come Through LA 38:26 Retail Compliance and Routing Guides 41:11 Chargebacks: Punitive by Nature 43:04 From $400K to $11K in Chargebacks 48:54 The TSA Analogy for Routing Guides 51:06 How to Select a Good 3PL 54:33 Tribal Knowledge vs Embedded Processes 58:43 Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Markets 1:04:42 Single-Point vs Multi-Location Distribution 1:08:22 The Supply Pipe Revisited 1:13:17 Walk the Warehouse 1:18:48 "We Only Get Paid to Do It Once" 1:22:29 The Kama Sutra Cookbook Story 1:23:51 Closing ThoughtsABOUT THE GUEST: BJ Patterson is founder and CEO of Pacific Mountain Logistics, a full-service 3PL in San Bernardino, California. He previously held senior roles at Target, Walmart, and NFI. BJ first appeared on Supply Chain Saga Ep. 001.KEY TERMS: BJ Patterson, Pacific Mountain Logistics, total cost of service, 3PL, warehouse vacancy, freight recession, CDL enforcement, tariffs, retail compliance, chargebacks, routing guides, Inland Empire, housing starts, supply pipe, Southern California logisticsSupply Chain Saga is produced by Mark Taylor, CEO of Warehouse Republic, a 3PL serving omni-channel e-commerce brands that sell through marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and Shopify, as well as retail partners like Nordstrom, Scheels, and Bass Pro Shops.Website: warehouserepublic.comPodcast: supplychainsaga.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/warehouse-republicHost: linkedin.com/in/marktaylorHave a logistics question? Email mark@warehouserepublic.com

April 30, 202649 min

Serial Entrepreneur Megan Smith on Pallets, Poshmark, and Why Warehouse Relocation Is the Next Big 3PL Pain Point | Supply Chain Saga Ep. 020

Megan Smith is a serial entrepreneur who has spent 20 years building businesses in the parts of supply chain most people overlook. Recorded live at BGSA 2026 in West Palm Beach, Megan shares her path from launching an eco-friendly boutique in Denver to running Total Pallet Management sites for Publix and CHEP, to growing a 3PL through acquisition, to now disrupting the moving and storage industry with Packgistics and Ray the Mover in Naples, Florida.TOPICS COVERED: - From babysitter to boutique owner to pallet manufacturer: a 20-year entrepreneurial arc - Unity Boutique: eco-friendly fashion in Denver before green was a trend (2006) - Total Pallet Management: how pallets get graded A, B, and C and why it matters - Growing a national pallet network for P&G, Unilever, and Driscoll's - Retail chargebacks: the millions hiding in minutia that new brands never think about - Poshmark boutique with 150,000 followers and the resale economy - Gen Z dupes, Buy Nothing groups, and cultural shifts in consumption - Acquiring a 45-year moving and storage business and why the industry is ripe for disruption - Warehouse decommissioning: the move every 3PL dreads - FF&E, inventory tracking, and order fulfillment during a warehouse relocationCHAPTERS: 0:00 Introduction 0:30 First Impressions of BGSA 2026 at The Breakers 3:27 Megan's 20-Year Entrepreneurial Journey 5:49 University of Denver and Unity Boutique 9:37 From Retail to Pallet Management 13:02 Pallet Grading: A, B, and C 15:11 Chargebacks and the Cost of Minutia 19:44 Just-in-Time, Lean Management, and Breeding Genius 21:52 Micro Supply Chains and Buy Nothing 25:11 Poshmark and the Resale Economy 30:34 Gen Z, Dupes, and Cultural Shifts 33:24 From Pallets to Omnichannel 3PL 35:14 Founding Packgistics and Acquiring Ray the Mover 38:50 Warehouse Relocation: The Move Every 3PL Dreads 45:30 What Drives Megan Today 47:38 How to Find Megan SmithABOUT THE GUEST: Megan Smith is the founder of Packgistics and owner of Ray the Mover, a 45-year moving and storage business in Naples, Florida. She holds a master's in supply chain from Michigan State University and has spent 20 years in supply chain entrepreneurship spanning pallet management, omnichannel fulfillment, and warehouse relocation services.KEY TERMS: Megan Smith, Packgistics, Ray the Mover, serial entrepreneur, pallet management, CHEP, Total Pallet Management, TPM, retail chargebacks, retail compliance, 3PL, warehouse decommissioning, warehouse relocation, FF&E, Poshmark, resale economy, BGSA, omnichannel, P&G, North American Van Lines, CRSTSupply Chain Saga is produced by Mark Taylor, CEO of Warehouse Republic, a 3PL serving omni-channel e-commerce brands that sell through marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and Shopify, as well as retail partners like Nordstrom, Scheels, and Bass Pro Shops.Website: warehouserepublic.comPodcast: supplychainsaga.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/warehouse-republicHost: linkedin.com/in/marktaylorHave a logistics question? Email mark@warehouserepublic.com

April 13, 20261 hr 44 min

21 Years Inside UPS: Glenn Gooding on Small Parcel Strategy, Zone Skipping, and How 3PLs Should Partner with Carriers | Supply Chain Saga Ep. 019

Glenn Gooding spent 21 years at UPS — from package handler to driver to corporate revenue management for Dell, IBM, and Apple. He then spent nearly two decades in third-party parcel negotiation. Glenn shares how carriers price, how they view 3PLs, and what operators must do to compete.TOPICS COVERED: - 21 years at UPS: package handler to corporate Special Pricing for enterprise clients - The Nintendo story: zone skipping 900,000 Game Boys for Black Friday delivery - UPS vs FedEx DNA: Teamster drivers vs contracted operators and the RLA - COVID's impact on the carrier market and the residential volume hangover - USPS losing $9.1B per year and the Delivering for America plan - Amazon, Walmart, and Target building their own delivery networks - How carriers view 3PLs as resellers and why that must change - Zone skipping for 3PLs: peak season strategies and carrier collaboration - Volume thresholds: $2M+ for one carrier, $10M+ to multi-source - Custom corrugated, returns, and inventory positioning as value propsCHAPTERS: 0:00 Introduction 0:19 Glenn's UPS Career: Package Handler to Revenue Management 3:50 The Nintendo Story: Zone Skipping for Black Friday 7:09 UPS vs FedEx: Ground DNA, Air DNA, and the 1997 Strike 12:10 The UPS Driver as Brand Ambassador 17:30 Bird Dog Solutions and Third-Party Negotiation 23:10 Enterprise Pricing: 10% Out of Dell's Costs Year Over Year 28:10 COVID and the Small Parcel Market 33:44 USPS Crisis: Delivering for America 37:03 Amazon, Walmart, Target: Building Their Own Networks 43:01 Multi-Sourcing: Why No Single Carrier Works 48:43 The 3PL Margin Problem and the Carrier Perspective 56:29 Proving Value: Average Zone, Corrugated, Network Efficiency 1:09:03 Zone Skipping for 3PLs: When and How 1:18:05 Returns as a Differentiator 1:29:20 The Fragmented Marketplace and What's Next 1:40:27 Who's Innovating in Small Parcel 1:43:29 Closing ThoughtsABOUT THE GUEST: Glenn Gooding spent 21 years at UPS and nearly two decades in parcel negotiation at Bird Dog Solutions and iDrive Logistics.KEY TERMS: Glenn Gooding, UPS, FedEx, USPS, small parcel, zone skipping, carrier negotiation, 3PL, Bird Dog Solutions, iDrive Logistics, Delivering for America, gig economy, residential delivery, demand surcharges, returns, multi-sourcingSupply Chain Saga is produced by Mark Taylor, CEO of Warehouse Republic, a 3PL serving omni-channel e-commerce brands that sell through marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and Shopify, as well as retail partners like Nordstrom, Scheels, and Bass Pro Shops.Website: warehouserepublic.comPodcast: supplychainsaga.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/warehouse-republicHost: linkedin.com/in/marktaylorHave a logistics question? Email mark@warehouserepublic.com

January 26, 2026Episode 181 hr 15 min

Alternative Carriers, Zone Skipping, and the Future of Small Parcel: Ben Emmrich of Tusk Logistics | Supply Chain Saga Ep. 018

Ben Emmrich spent 10 years at Google managing parcel carrier relationships for Google Shopping before leading carrier partnerships at Shippo for four years. He discovered that alternative carriers could save shippers 30–40% on small parcel — but nobody could access them at scale. In 2021, he founded Tusk Logistics to solve that problem. Recorded live at BGSA 2026 in West Palm Beach.TOPICS COVERED: - From Google Shopping to Shippo to founding Tusk: how Ben discovered the alternative carrier ecosystem - What alternative carriers are: regional operators like GLS, UDS, CDL, and DoorDash that deliver for 30–40% less than UPS or FedEx - Zone skipping explained: when it makes sense, how to back-load trailers with multiple carrier stops, and linking freight tracking to final mile - Volume thresholds: local alternatives first, zone skipping at 10,000+ parcels per day - Chinese 3PLs entering the US market: zone skipping at massive scale with regional last-mile delivery - UPS margin optimization under Carol Tomé: closing facilities, prioritizing margin over volume - The Fast Group collapse: what happens when PE-backed carrier consolidation fails - Anti-fragile shipping: why single-source UPS shippers were panicking during the 2024 Teamsters near-strike - 3PL billing pain: unified invoicing across multiple carriers - Dynamic parcel pricing: negotiating rate caps with carriers who flex down - Ship with Walmart at $6.90 all-in vs. $15 loaded through traditional carriersCHAPTERS: 0:00 Introduction: Live at BGSA 2026 in West Palm Beach 2:30 Ben's Story: Google Shopping, Shippo, and Discovering Alternative Carriers 9:10 What Tusk Is: Shipping Infrastructure for Alternative Carriers at Scale 10:10 China's Inroads: Chinese 3PLs, Zone Skipping, and Regional Last Mile 13:57 Zone Skipping Explained: How It Works and Multi-Stop Trailer Strategy 16:12 Volume Thresholds: When to Start with Local Alternatives vs. Zone Skips 21:43 Tracking Visibility: Linking Freight Tracking to Final Mile Across Carriers 27:04 Rate Comparison: $10 Retail to $6.50 Loaded with Alternative Carriers 30:23 Carrier Consolidation: The Fast Group Collapse and Ecosystem Dynamics 34:12 UPS Strategy: Carol Tomé's Shift from Volume to Margin 37:35 Anti-Fragile Shipping: Why Optionality Beats Single-Source Risk 41:20 3PL Billing Pain: Unified Invoicing and the Smart Zack File 49:01 Dynamic Parcel Pricing and the Future of Rate Shopping 55:35 What Keeps a 3PL Operator Up at Night 1:04:04 When Carriers Pitch Your Clients Direct: How to Handle the Conversation 1:13:18 How to Work with Tusk and Closing ThoughtsABOUT THE GUEST: Ben Emmrich is the founder and CEO of Tusk Logistics. He spent 10 years at Google and four years at Shippo before founding Tusk in 2021 to make alternative parcel carriers accessible at scale.KEY TERMS: Tusk Logistics, alternative carriers, regional carriers, zone skipping, small parcel, GLS, UDS, CDL, DoorDash, Shippo, Google Shopping, FedEx, UPS, USPS, carrier performance, unified invoicing, dynamic pricing, PLD, parcel level data, anti-fragile, Carol Tomé, Fast Group, BGSASupply Chain Saga is produced by Mark Taylor, CEO of Warehouse Republic, a 3PL serving omni-channel e-commerce brands that sell through marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and Shopify, as well as retail partners like Nordstrom, Scheels, and Bass Pro Shops.Website: warehouserepublic.comPodcast: supplychainsaga.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/warehouse-republicHost: linkedin.com/in/marktaylorHave a logistics question? Email mark@warehouserepublic.com

January 5, 202535 min

From Sega to Salesforce: How Jonathan Green Uses AI and Platform Thinking to Transform Supply Chain Operations | Supply Chain Saga Ep. 017

Jonathan Green became VP of Technology at Colliers International at 22 and spent 13 years scaling the company from 40 employees to 15,000 across 122 acquisitions. He went on to build direct-to-consumer systems for medical device companies, reverse engineer claims processing in healthcare, and now runs Health Admins — acquiring TPAs and rebuilding them on Salesforce. In this episode, he shares practical ways any supply chain operator can start using AI tools today.TOPICS COVERED: - From making video games for Sega and Activision to becoming VP of IT at Colliers International at 22 - Building Snap-On Smile's D2C system on Salesforce in eight weeks — from $2M to $18M in revenue - Why Salesforce is the only platform that inherits security, updates three times a year, and interrogates your code - WMS systems are a race to the bottom — why none are leveraging AI effectively yet - Notebook LM for supply chain: upload contracts, manifests, and invoices and ask questions of your data - Custom GPTs: build one for marketing, one for manufacturing, one for logistics - Crystal Knows: AI personality profiling from public data to prepare for any meeting - Make and Zapier: workflow engines that stitch together WMS, Zendesk, Slack, QuickBooks, and Bill.com - Why curiosity and critical thinking matter more than technical knowledge for adopting AICHAPTERS: 0:00 Introduction 0:44 Jonathan's Story: Video Games, Colliers International, and Medical Devices 6:44 The Common Thread: Stitching Together Existing Technologies 9:35 Why Salesforce Is the Only Platform That Verifies Your Code 13:40 Real Estate, WMS, and Where AI Opportunities Exist in Supply Chain 16:31 What Steps Should 3PL Operators Take to Keep Up with AI? 19:11 Getting Started: Notebook LM, ChatGPT, and Custom GPTs 23:23 Stitching Tools Together: Make, Zapier, and Workflow Automation 26:00 Building Your Online Brain: Crystal Knows, Storyworth, and Personality AI 28:59 AI in Real Life: Diagnosing Appendicitis with ChatGPT at 1 AM 31:30 The Big Picture: Starlink, Rural Access, and Why Curiosity Wins 32:13 Tool Recap: Crystal Knows, Notebook LM, Superhuman, Make, and Salesforce 34:52 Closing ThoughtsABOUT THE GUEST: Jonathan Green is the CEO of Health Admins and a technology leader with 30 years of experience. He became VP of Technology at Colliers International at 22 and has built technology systems across commercial real estate, medical devices, and healthcare.KEY TERMS: Jonathan Green, Health Admins, Colliers International, Salesforce, AI, artificial intelligence, Notebook LM, ChatGPT, custom GPTs, Crystal Knows, Make, Zapier, Superhuman, beautiful.ai, WMS, workflow automation, direct to consumer, platform thinking, TPA, claims processingSupply Chain Saga is produced by Mark Taylor, CEO of Warehouse Republic, a 3PL serving omni-channel e-commerce brands that sell through marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and Shopify, as well as retail partners like Nordstrom, Scheels, and Bass Pro Shops.Website: warehouserepublic.comPodcast: supplychainsaga.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/warehouse-republicHost: linkedin.com/in/marktaylorHave a logistics question? Email mark@warehouserepublic.com

May 29, 202439 min

He Invented the Return Label in the Box: Phil Siegel on Newgistics, Private Equity, and 3PL Market Consolidation | Supply Chain Saga Ep. 016

Phil Siegel is a private equity investor and the co-creator of the prepaid return label in the box. He and his wife launched Newgistics (originally I Return It) in 1999 after a trip to Legoland sparked the idea. The company grew to hundreds of millions in revenue before being acquired by Pitney Bowes. Phil now invests in supply chain and logistics companies through his PE firm.TOPICS COVERED: - From the University of Chicago and BCG to founding Newgistics with his wife's brainstorm at Legoland - How the prepaid return label reduced customer service calls by 70–90% - Unintended consequences of easy returns: consumer fraud, gaming, and retailer blacklists - 24,000 3PLs in the US: why the entrepreneurial model works and why European-style consolidation raises prices - PE in supply chain: how firms evaluate risk, diligence, and growth potential in smaller operators - Contracted vs. spot business: why operators should avoid betting on commodities they don't control - Investment timelines, COVID boom-and-bust, and the $80M-to-$10M EBITDA crash - Three types of tech investment: efficiency automation, visibility (now table stakes), and regulatory compliance - Why supply chain outsourcing is still growing at low teens annually — and will for two more decadesCHAPTERS: 0:00 Introduction 0:24 Phil's Background: University of Chicago, BCG, and the Path to Entrepreneurship 1:31 The Legoland Moment: How Phil's Wife Invented the Prepaid Return Label 4:13 Newgistics: Founding, Funding, and Zone Skipping with the Post Office 6:46 Market Opportunity: Catalogs, Early E-Commerce, and Amazon as an Early Customer 8:39 The Aha Moment: Reducing Customer Service Calls by 70–90% 10:46 Returns Fraud: Unintended Consequences of Making Returns Easy 13:44 Returns Today: COVID, Gaming, and How 3PLs Handle It 15:15 Market Consolidation: 24,000 3PLs and Why the US Model Works 21:22 Private Equity in Supply Chain: How PE Firms Evaluate Smaller Operators 25:15 Preparing for Acquisition: What Small Operators Need to Know 27:45 Real Estate vs. Operations: Contracted Business vs. Spot Business 31:56 Investment Timelines and the COVID Boom-to-Bust Cycle 34:08 Automation ROI: Three Types of Technology Investment 37:46 Why Supply Chain Is Still Vibrant for Investing and Entrepreneurship 40:47 Closing ThoughtsABOUT THE GUEST: Phil Siegel co-founded Newgistics (originally I Return It) in 1999, inventing the prepaid return label in the box. The company grew to hundreds of millions in revenue before being acquired by Pitney Bowes. He now invests in supply chain companies through his PE firm.KEY TERMS: Newgistics, I Return It, Pitney Bowes, returns, prepaid return label, zone skipping, Boston Consulting Group, Austin Ventures, private equity, 3PL, market consolidation, contracted vs spot, real estate, automation, visibility, EBITDA, outsourcing, nearshoring, capital intensitySupply Chain Saga is produced by Mark Taylor, CEO of Warehouse Republic, a 3PL serving omni-channel e-commerce brands that sell through marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and Shopify, as well as retail partners like Nordstrom, Scheels, and Bass Pro Shops.Website: warehouserepublic.comPodcast: supplychainsaga.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/warehouse-republicHost: linkedin.com/in/marktaylorHave a logistics question? Email mark@warehouserepublic.com

March 5, 20241 hr 13 min

From Texas Humor to 120,000 Orders a Month: How JB Sauceda Built and Sold a Culture-First 3PL | Supply Chain Saga Ep. 015

JB Sauceda is a serial entrepreneur who went from commercial photographer to Twitter parody account (Texas Humor) to launching his own retail brand — and when he couldn't find a 3PL that met his standards, he built one. Sauceda Industries grew from a 3,000 SF garage operation to 125,000 SF and 120,000 orders per month before being acquired by Cart.com in a 30-day close in July 2021. JB explains how culture, bootstrapping, and a "yes and" mentality drove every stage of growth.TOPICS COVERED: - From commercial photography (NYT, Wired, Southwest Airlines, Yeti) to launching Texas Humor on Twitter - Why photography and logistics are the same business: vision, budget, timeline, and a rotating cast of people - "Give a Shit" as a core value: writing job descriptions that attract the right people and repel the wrong ones - Bootstrapping from 3,000 SF to 125,000 SF and $13M in revenue with zero outside investment - Employee loan programs, paternal leave, and benefits that create generational wealth at no cost - The 30-day exit to Cart.com: why clean books and an SPA vs. asset sale made it possible - Why the Shopify Fulfillment Network mattered — and how Sauceda shipped the very first SFN package - The 4PL model critique: why "software will take care of that" is never the full answer - Venture capital in logistics: why Convoy failed and why Deliverr wasn't successful for the ecosystem - Customer-centric FP&A as the real competitive advantage — not robots or software layersCHAPTERS: 0:00 Introduction 0:56 JB's Story: From Commercial Photography to Texas Humor to 3PL 8:23 Early Days: From the Garage to a Proper Warehouse in 12 Months 14:36 First Warehouse: Forklift in 3,000 SF and Packages in the Silverado 18:22 Culture as Competitive Advantage: Outsider Perspective in a Traditional Industry 24:28 Job Descriptions, Core Values, and Recruiting for Culture Fit 31:54 Benefits and Employee Programs: Loans, Paternal Leave, and Retention 35:14 Growth Trajectory: From 3,000 SF to 125,000 SF 38:24 The Exit: How Sauceda Industries Sold to Cart.com in 30 Days 47:16 PE, VC, and Logistics: Why Bravado Without Operations Knowledge Fails 54:13 The 4PL Critique: Deliverr, Shopify Fulfillment Network, and Ecosystem Impact 1:06:29 Shopify, Amazon, and the Future of Entrepreneurial Retail 1:12:48 Closing ThoughtsABOUT THE GUEST: JB Sauceda is a serial entrepreneur based in Austin, Texas. He built Sauceda Industries from a garage fulfillment operation into a 120,000 order/month 3PL before selling to Cart.com in 2021. He previously ran a commercial photography studio (Public School) and created the Texas Humor brand.KEY TERMS: Sauceda Industries, Cart.com, Texas Humor, 3PL, culture, bootstrapping, D2C, direct to consumer, Shopify Fulfillment Network, SFN, 4PL, Deliverr, Convoy, venture capital, private equity, SPA, asset sale, quality of earnings, FP&A, Six River Systems, Saltbox, Shopify, customer acquisition costSupply Chain Saga is produced by Mark Taylor, CEO of Warehouse Republic, a 3PL serving omni-channel e-commerce brands that sell through marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and Shopify, as well as retail partners like Nordstrom, Scheels, and Bass Pro Shops.Website: warehouserepublic.comPodcast: supplychainsaga.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/warehouse-republicHost: linkedin.com/in/marktaylorHave a logistics question? Email mark@warehouserepublic.com

January 31, 20241 hr 31 min

Why Your WMS Is Broken and How Soapbox Fixes It: Unified Supply Chain Software with Danny He | Supply Chain Saga Ep. 014

Danny He is the founder and CEO of Soapbox (soapbx.com), a unified supply chain platform that combines WMS, OMS, TMS, shipping, and returns in one native tool. After managing 52 CPG brands and discovering that every software solved only one piece of the puzzle, he built Soapbox to give 3PLs and brands real-time visibility across their entire fulfillment network — no integration headaches, no data reconciliation lag.TOPICS COVERED: - From IBM and Royal Caribbean to managing 52 CPG brands — and why no existing software could tie the ecosystem together - Why the WMS should be prescriptive: standardize operations first, handle exceptions as exceptions - Soapbox as a unified platform: OMS, WMS, TMS, shipping, and returns on one data layer - The beverage company doing 10M units/month on pen and paper — and how Soapbox went live in five days - Why Soapbox started as a 4PL to drink their own juice — and why they stopped - The Shopify-Deliverr-Flexport theory: was Deliverr always a play for Flexport equity? - Why venture capital in supply chain creates unsustainable models: subsidized fulfillment and gig-work warehousing - 80% of Amazon third-party sellers are Chinese manufacturers — what that means for US brands and FBA capacity - Section 321 cross-border fulfillment: how it works, who lobbies against it, and Soapbox's first Mexico border warehouse - TikTok fulfillment, Walmart's infrastructure play, and the future of marketplace logisticsCHAPTERS: 0:00 Introduction 1:47 Danny's Background: IBM, Royal Caribbean, and 52 CPG Brands 6:05 The Problem: Why No Software Tied the Supply Chain Together 14:11 Standardization vs. Customization: What a True 3PL WMS Should Do 25:01 Soapbox for 3PLs: Onboarding, Integration, and Real-Time Visibility 33:28 Real-Time Data vs. Batch Updates: Why Seconds Matter 37:25 The Beverage Company: 10M Units on Pen and Paper 44:32 From 4PL to SaaS: Why Soapbox Stopped Operating and Went Software-Only 50:00 Venture Capital in Supply Chain: Subsidized Fulfillment and Gig-Work Warehousing 1:06:29 Industry Trends: Amazon, Walmart, Shein, Temu, and the Marketplace Wars 1:13:38 Amazon and Chinese Sellers: The 80% Problem 1:23:36 Section 321 Fulfillment and Cross-Border Logistics 1:28:00 TikTok Fulfillment and Closing ThoughtsABOUT THE GUEST: Danny He is the founder and CEO of Soapbox (soapbx.com), a unified supply chain platform. His background spans IBM, Royal Caribbean's digital transformation, and operations leadership for a $300M CPG conglomerate with 52 brands.KEY TERMS: Soapbox, soapbx.com, WMS, OMS, TMS, unified platform, 3PL software, order management, inventory management, real-time visibility, 4PL, Deliverr, Flexport, Shopify, FBA, Amazon, Walmart fulfillment, Section 321, cross-border, Shein, Temu, TikTok fulfillment, venture capital, gig work, NetSuite, FedEx Consulting, API integrationSupply Chain Saga is produced by Mark Taylor, CEO of Warehouse Republic, a 3PL serving omni-channel e-commerce brands that sell through marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and Shopify, as well as retail partners like Nordstrom, Scheels, and Bass Pro Shops.Website: warehouserepublic.comPodcast: supplychainsaga.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/warehouse-republicHost: linkedin.com/in/marktaylorHave a logistics question? Email mark@warehouserepublic.com

January 3, 20241 hr 1 min

From Techstars to the NBA: How James Garvey Built Self Financial to Help 100 Million Americans Build Credit | Supply Chain Saga Ep. 013

James Garvey founded Self Financial in 2015 to help people build credit through a savings-backed loan. He grew it from a Techstars accelerator to 600 employees, $127M in venture capital, and 1.3 million active customers. Mark met James at Techstars and explores what operators can learn from his fundraising discipline and team building.TOPICS COVERED: - How Self Financial works: a small-dollar loan deposited into a CD that builds credit and savings simultaneously - Why 100 million American adults have no credit score or a subprime score — and how that affects jobs, insurance, and housing - Why the smartest people in banking said it would never work — and how millions of customers proved them wrong - Weekly investor newsletters: seven years of Saturday updates that built trust from seed through Series E - Fundraising strategy: warm intros beat cold emails and repeat investors are the holy grail - The team evolution problem: why early-stage risk takers may not fit at Series C - How a random employee connection led to the San Antonio Spurs jersey patch deal - Mentors at different stages: why your advisory needs change as the company scalesCHAPTERS: 0:00 Introduction 0:16 James Garvey's Story: From Hurting His Credit Score to Founding Self Financial 6:39 How Self Financial Works: The Credit Builder Product 8:56 Credit Scores in America: Why Half the Country Is Subprime or Invisible 12:22 Serial Entrepreneurship: Identifying the Opportunity 17:34 AI, Automation, and Why Warehouse Workers Need Credit Tools 21:48 Fundraising from Seed to Series E 29:14 The Weekly Investor Newsletter: Seven Years of Saturday Updates 34:40 Fundraising Strategy: Warm Intros and Building the Right Team 43:27 The Team Evolution Problem: Risk Takers vs. Scale Operators 45:28 Mentors and Peer Networks 51:13 The San Antonio Spurs Jersey Patch Sponsorship 55:36 Economic Outlook and Parting ThoughtsABOUT THE GUEST: James Garvey is the founder and former CEO of Self Financial. He raised $127M in venture capital through Series E, grew the company to 600 employees, and secured a jersey patch sponsorship with the San Antonio Spurs. He and Mark met at Techstars in 2015.KEY TERMS: Self Financial, credit builder, credit score, fintech, Techstars, venture capital, fundraising, Series A, Series E, investor updates, San Antonio Spurs, jersey patch, Moody Center, secured credit card, subprime, startup, accelerator, team building, mentorshipSupply Chain Saga is produced by Mark Taylor, CEO of Warehouse Republic, a 3PL serving omni-channel e-commerce brands that sell through marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and Shopify, as well as retail partners like Nordstrom, Scheels, and Bass Pro Shops.Website: warehouserepublic.comPodcast: supplychainsaga.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/warehouse-republicHost: linkedin.com/in/marktaylorHave a logistics question? Email mark@warehouserepublic.com

November 1, 20231 hr 27 min

WMS as the Source of Truth: How Extensiv Connects 3PLs, Brands, and the Future of Fulfillment with David Miller | Supply Chain Saga Ep. 012

David Miller, VP of Strategy at Extensiv (formerly 3PL Central), has spent 25 years at the intersection of logistics and technology — from coding a SaaS-based TMS in the early 2000s to running warehouse operations for C.H. Robinson to helping build the Extensiv platform. He explains why the WMS is the source of truth for every warehouse, how 3PLs can grow through network partnerships instead of capital-heavy expansion, and where the industry is headed over the next 2, 5, and 10 years.TOPICS COVERED: - From building a SaaS TMS in the early 2000s to running warehouse ops for C.H. Robinson to 13 years at Extensiv - Why the WMS is the source of truth: all billing, inventory, dock scheduling, and staffing decisions flow from it - The evolution from on-premise databases and fax machines to API-first cloud platforms - How Extensiv built their API first, then developed on top of it — so customers use the same API they do - CartRover (integration manager) and Skubana (order management): how acquisitions extended the platform - Network Manager and 4PL billing: how two Salt Lake City 3PLs split B2B and ecommerce for shared customers - Why specializing in an ideal customer profile (ICP) beats trying to be everything to everyone - The tier-two WMS play: why Manhattan ERP customers use Extensiv for ecommerce fulfillment - Liquidation, the boneyard, and UCC 7210: what happens to unsold inventory in a 3PL - Industry outlook: automation and data-driven decisions (2 years), delivery as an experience (5 years), blockchain visibility and AI-actioned logistics (10 years)CHAPTERS: 0:00 Introduction 3:00 David's Career: From Coding a SaaS TMS to C.H. Robinson to Extensiv 10:00 The WMS as Source of Truth: Why Every System Feeds Off the Warehouse 16:00 From On-Premise Databases to API-First Cloud Platforms 22:00 Ecommerce Fulfillment: How the Industry Shifted from Pallet In/Pallet Out 27:00 3PL Network Partnerships: Growing Without Capital-Heavy Expansion 34:00 Network Manager and 4PL Billing: How Extensiv Connects Partner Warehouses 40:00 Competing with Amazon: Specialization, ICP, and the Tier-Two WMS Play 47:00 Liquidation and the Boneyard: What Happens to Unsold Inventory 52:00 Industry Outlook: Two Years, Five Years, Ten Years 1:02:00 Blockchain, Sustainability, and the Future of Warehouse TransparencyABOUT THE GUEST: David Miller is VP of Strategy at Extensiv, where he has spent 13 years helping build the platform from a small startup into a 250-person fulfillment technology company. He has 25 years of logistics technology experience spanning WMS development, warehouse operations at C.H. Robinson, and technology consulting for UPS customers.KEY TERMS: Extensiv, 3PL Central, WMS, warehouse management system, source of truth, API, cloud computing, CartRover, Skubana, order management, integration manager, network manager, 4PL, 4PL billing, multi-party billing, ideal customer profile, ICP, ecommerce fulfillment, small parcel shipping, distributed inventory, Manhattan Associates, QuickSight, automation, robotics, machine learning, blockchain, sustainability, UCC 7210, liquidation, returns managementSupply Chain Saga is produced by Mark Taylor, CEO of Warehouse Republic, a 3PL serving omni-channel e-commerce brands that sell through marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and Shopify, as well as retail partners like Nordstrom, Scheels, and Bass Pro Shops.Website: warehouserepublic.comPodcast: supplychainsaga.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/warehouse-republicHost: linkedin.com/in/marktaylorHave a logistics question? Email mark@warehouserepublic.com