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According to KPMG, getting goods into the hands of consumers in 2023 will not be easy nor cheap. Consumption mechanisms and channels continue to increase, costs are on the rise, there is a prevalence of last mile delivery challenges, and a reliance on suppliers that are often experiencing difficulties also—all of which means retailers may need to assess their inventory distribution network and determine how best to create a seamless delivery experience around a unified commerce approach.

When shippers describe what success looks like in their jobs they use words like “satisfied,” “accomplished,” and “relieved.” It’s not surprising. With driver shortages, price fluctuations, weather events, and other macro-level factors at play, being a shipper in today’s dynamic supply chain world can be a challenge.

E2open is powered by a strong global network of problem solvers and innovators who are driven by strong values and our company culture. Together, we are focused on doing what’s right in business, and in our communities. Every month, we will shine a spotlight on an exceptional team member who is helping us transform the supply chain industry. This month, we held a Q&A with Katie Koster, Human Resources Business Partner at e2open.  

We all know that being a leader takes a lot of strength, courage, discipline, and patience. As Vince Lombardi once said, "Leaders aren’t born. They are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work." I believe Coach Lombardi’s concept—leaders are formed, developed, and forged through education, training, practice, and experience.

If you’re in the business and don’t realize the benefits of digitizing your operations—I give you my condolences. Digital freight forwarding is to logistics as Amazon is to retail. The retail graveyard is littered with companies that were too slow to pivot and adapt to digit-first business processes; to operate with digital dexterity. While Amazon is approaching 30 years of digital disruption in retail, digital transformation in other industries is happening much faster. And it’s happening in the freight forwarder space.

By this point, there probably aren’t many people left who don’t know what an “influencer” is. It seems like no matter where you look, there’s someone in your social media feed plugging a business or service. While at first glance this may seem like yet another simple social media trend, the truth is that influencers can serve a very important purpose in a brand’s greater marketing strategy.

The number and impact of supply chain disruptions are increasing every year. In 2021, 432 extreme weather events caused more than $252B in economic damages in the United States alone, and the blockage of the Suez Canal held up $9B worth of cargo daily. As tensions between China and Taiwan continue to rise, many pundits and politicians have predicted a Chinese invasion within the next few years that could impact the supply chain of hundreds if not thousands of companies worldwide, affecting billions of dollars in global trade.

“Male-dominated industry” is a term we’ve heard for far too long, used to describe far too many businesses. While it seems like we as a global culture have made progress on this front, there is still a long way to go toward achieving our goal of true equality and inclusivity.  

E2open is powered by a strong global network of problem solvers and innovators who are driven by strong values and our company culture. Together, we are focused on doing what’s right in business, and in our communities. Every month, we will shine a spotlight on an exceptional team member who is helping us transform the supply chain industry. This month, we held a Q&A with Heloise Szabo, Account Director of New Logo EMEA.