The Supply Chain Has Never Been Sexier with Katie Date, Founder of Women in Supply Chain

COVID-19 changed everything for everyone, but no industry was as dramatically impacted as the supply chain. The pandemic brought supply chain issues to the forefront, helping people understand not just what the industry is, but also how stagnant it had become. Now we're in an exciting time where innovation is booming in this space, and investors are jumping at the opportunity to get in on the ground floor.

The supply chain has never been sexier and it's a fantastic time to be a founder in this industry—and wherever there's innovation and budding startups, I'll be there. As part of that effort, I'm heading to Manifest conference in February, the innovation hub for all things logistics & supply chain.

I have the honor of interviewing Katie Date, their SVP of Industry Relations & Strategic Initiatives. She has an impressive resume, starting at MIT's Center for Transportation & Logistics, where she spent a decade researching. She then went on to found the Women in Supply Chain initiative.

I was thrilled to pick her brain on all these changes and innovations in the industry. This episode is perfect for anyone who's considered starting a company in supply chain—it's a great download into what's happening in the industry right now and how to succeed in it.

Katie is also sharing practical tips for those in D2C. Since logistics makes up a huge portion of these businesses, we're providing actionable tips to help you reduce costs and improve efficiency.

I was especially excited to discuss how and why Katie founded the Women in Supply Chain initiative. Her advice on climbing the ladder and finding success in male-dominated industries is fascinating. She walks you through how she founded this initiative—so if you've been thinking about doing something similar for your industry, you won't want to miss this.

Katie is an academic, but she's also a doer. She's incredibly inspirational and wonderful to chat with. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did.

Here are the key takeaways from the episode:

1. COVID-19 increased awareness of the supply chain & highlighted the inefficiencies

2. Innovation in supply chain is booming right now

3. The supply chain has never been sexier

4. Diverse suppliers showed agility during the pandemic

5. Women in supply chain need supportive networks

6. International experience enhances leadership skills

7. Empathy is key in modern leadership

8. Relationships are crucial in supply chain success

9. Technology is transforming supply chain operations

10. The future of supply chain is focused on innovation

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