Omar Abuhashish of Reform talks about scaling without increasing operational overheads; why AI isn’t just a tool; & redefining what’s possible in supply chain.

[04.23] Omar’s background and his journey of discovery in supply chain.

“I’m a builder at heart, and I love solving very challenging problems. I went to school and studied the hardware AND the software to see what’s possible and what solutions I can build.”

“I really wanted to go after a foundational industry with a lot of room for improvement, but at the forefront of innovation, where there’s room for opportunity and challenges that can be solved with the best technologies.”

[07.28] The big challenges Omar saw as he became increasingly interested in global transportation networks, and how they led him to establish Reform.

“I really noticed how operationally intensive a lot of the workflows are. There a lot of people doing the same job, the data is siloed, things are living on paper… I just felt there was a clear way to improve all of this.”

[11.21] An overview of Reform – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers.

[14.29] The ideal client for Reform, and why they’re putting a focus on duty drawback providers, having helped one provider reduce process time on a project from 450 hours to 40 minutes.

[19.13] Reform’s vision for AI in supply chain, why it isn’t just a tool to help businesses reach a goal, and how it’s going to transform how both businesses and the industry operate in the coming years.

“Customers deserve much quicker turnaround times, companies deserve higher margins, higher revenues per employee, and employees actually doing what they’re best at.”

[23.34] How Reform’s AI-first platform can help customers automate up to 90% of their manual freight operations.

“Manual flows, looking at a stack of paper, sifting through them, entering data – that’s the first step. The second step is actually synthesizing the data and doing some manipulation and reasoning, before it’s placed in the system. The third is to start taking action.”

[28.00] Some of the key features within Reform’s workflow automation platform, what teams can do with it, and the different sets of teams that can use the platform.

“One of the biggest challenges outside of the manual work is that, even when the work is done, there’s still no visibility, both internally and to the customer. It’s super important to actually make sense of that data.”

[30.09] How Reform can help customers navigate complexity in the midst of disruption and manage exceptions.

[33.34] The impact Reform can have at a business level and, with its mission to transform how freight moves, the impact it will also have on the industry.

[36.02] A case study detailing how Reform helped a mid-size freight forwarder automate manual processes, saving approximately 1500 hours per month, optimizing processes, and allowing them to scale without adding more headcount.

[40.25] Reform’s special offer for Let’s Talk Supply Chain customers.

Head over to Reform’s website to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Reform and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn or X (Twitter), or you can connect with Omar on LinkedIn.

Lina Castaneda talks about her career journey; being an industry rising star, the importance of staying coachable; & why our differences are our superpowers.

[05.00] Why Lina emigrated from Colombia to Canada, and what the move taught her.

“It was a big change, but I saw it as a chance for growth on my own journey. I’ve always believed that stepping outside of your comfort zone is where real growth happens.”

[06.35] How Lina found supply chain, and why she fell in love with the industry.

“I quickly fell in love with the complexity and the impact of the industry. Supply chain touches every single part of our lives – it’s a behind-the-scenes powerhouse that keeps the world moving!”

[07.59] Lina’s journey moving through operations and customer service, and how each role added a new layer to her expertise and developed her leadership style.

“It’s been quite a journey. Tons of learning, tons of growth – and a few surprises along the way!”

[11.41] Lina’s role as Chief Customer Officer at Tai Software.

[13.33] Lina’s take on why customer experience is harder, but also more important, than ever before, and the challenges of balancing personalization with scalability.

“Customers have higher expectations. They’re not just comparing us to other companies in the industry, but to the best experiences they’ve had anywhere. So there’s a constant need to raise the bar.”

[16.04] From technology to collaboration, Lina’s biggest takeaways from Manifest in February.

“Being surrounded by so many passionate creative minds was really energizing.”

[18.29] What it means to be a Certified ScrumMaster and Scrum Product Owner, the importance of staying coachable and continuing to learn, and why that mindset has been key to Lina’s leadership style and success.

“Great leaders are learners forever.”

[20.58] What being named an industry ‘Rising Star’ means to Lina, and why awards and recognition for women are so important.

“Representation matters. So when women see other women being celebrated for their worth, it reinforces that there is a place for them at the table. It breaks down stereotypes, inspires the next generation, and helps create a more diverse, inclusive industry.”

[23.06] Why our differences are our superpowers, and how Lina encourages her team to recognize and leverage their own unique superpowers.

[26.49] Lina’s experience, as a woman and immigrant, moving through the male-dominated worlds of technology and supply chain, and how a sense of purpose was critical to overcoming challenges.

“These fields have historically been male-dominated. Being an immigrant meant I often had to overcome not just gender biases but cultural barriers. I had to work harder to prove myself or make my voice heard, but I focused on what I could control – my work ethic, my ability to adapt, my commitment to learning. And I leaned into my differences.”

[29.50] Lina’s advice to those looking to follow in her footsteps.

[31.39] The future for Lina.

You can connect with Lina Castaneda over on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more women discussing the immigrant experience, check out 422: Women In Supply Chain, Kiran Mann, 437: Women In Supply Chain, Mercedes Pina, 450: Women In Supply Chain, Jenny Perlitch or 207: Women in supply chain, Shana Zheng.

Daragh Mahon talks about driving competitive advantage, the importance of cybersecurity, real-time visibility & their 'Cloud First, Cloud Now' strategy.

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

[04.26] An overview of Werner, what they do, and how they help their customers. “We run all modes of transportation… And we’ve proven over and over again that we’re excellent at every single one of them.” [05.24] Daragh’s reflections on the first half of the year, why 2025 is the year of AI, and how Werner’s digital transformation journey has positioned them for the future. “The first half of the year has been tough, we’re still in this freight recession… There’s a lot of volatility, but it does feel like it’s leveling out a bit.” [12.22] From demand predictability and labor issues to sustainability and cyber security, the biggest challenges faced by Werner customers, the types of technologies they’re looking for to tackle them, and why Werner tech is built around what their customers need most. “You combine all those things, and what you have is a very unpredictable environment. What we have to do… is help level out that playing field and give our customers technology that will help them in all of those places… so that everything is reliable, scalable and secure.” [16.56] Whether data security is being compromised because of increasingly large tech stacks. [20.26] How Werner customers can use their interactive tools to access insights, drive better decision-making and, ultimately, gain a competitive advantage. “Data is more real-time than it’s ever been before… And when you give customers real-time access to visibility, that gives them a competitive advantage.” “It’s crazy what the supply chain looks like today versus 20 years ago… It’s night and day. And the beauty of it is that 20 months from now it will look different, and 20 years from now it will be unrecognizable. That’s why I get so excited – especially at the pace we’re moving at now.” [27.25] Werner’s data access strategy, and how it helps with flexibility, speed, and decision-making support. “I think of data as the great equalizer.” [31.36] The issue of increasing cyber threats and cargo thefts, an overview of Werner’s security and safety solutions and how they’re protecting what matters most to customers. “You have to think about a cyber attack as ‘when’ and not ‘if’ – you have to think about how vulnerable you can be, and how you watch and shut down those vulnerabilities.” [36.46] Werner’s ‘Cloud First, Cloud Now’ strategy, what it means, and how it translates to results for customers. “The tech part is easy. It’s the change management that gets really hard.” [40.42] Daragh’s key takeaways from today’s discussion.

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED: Head over to Werner’s website to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Werner and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or X (Twitter), or you can connect with Daragh on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Werner, check out 446: Keep America Moving, with Werner or 460: Discover the Limitless Value of Dedicated Freight in Today’s Market, with Werner.

Chris Mazza of Shippeo talks about their obsessive focus on data quality, visibility, and how current geopolitical disruptions are impacting shippers.

[03.08] An introduction to Shippeo, who they are, and what they do.

“We answer two foundational, practical questions that almost every supply chain, transportation or logistics manager wants to know: where is my stuff, and when will it arrive?”

[06.21] How current geopolitical disruptions are impacting shippers, and why real-time visibility is crucial in navigating challenges.

“If you don’t have a good understanding of where your cargo is, what ship it’s on, how it’s routed, you can’t credibly predict how you’re going to manage things like buffer stock, real lead-time or real customer service expectation – without that data, you’re lost.”

[09.29] From an obsessive focus on data quality to an investment in integration options, what sets Shippeo apart in a very competitive and rapidly evolving market.

“We spend a lot of time educating our customers about what can be a credible expectation in this market, because so much of the data that’s out there is of a degraded quality.”

[16.34] Shippeo’s founder story – the industry challenges that helped shape Shippeo’s solutions, and how their growth in Europe helped position them for success in the US.

“The advantage the founders had, because they didn’t come from the industry, was that they could come to the problem eyes wide open.”

[21.03] The ideal client for Shippeo, and the typical challenges those businesses are looking to solve.

[26.57] A case study exploring how Shippeo helped Yamaha achieve greater visibility to improve customer experience and internal operations via ocean and road.

[33.21] How Shippeo is using AI and predictive analytics to help customers move from a reactive to a proactive mindset, and why this technology has been critical in navigating the current ocean challenges.

“It’s still too early to take the human out of the loop with some of these things, like strikes or fires on ships where a human has to say: ‘This is significant’. A machine can’t spot that yet.”

[39.14] The importance of sustainability, and some of Shippeo’s key initiatives.

[43.03] Chris’s advice to help supply chain leaders future-proof their logistics strategies.

Head over to Shippeo’s website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Shippeo and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, or you can connect with Chris on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Shippeo, you can hear Chris Mazza talking to our own Eric Johnson on episode 443: Mastering Visibility: Insights from LogTech Live with Shippeo.

Stephanie Dominguez talks all about the Port of New York and New Jersey, big infrastructure projects, collaboration, sustainability & preparing for the future.

[04.30] An overview of the Port of New York and New Jersey, who they are and what they do.

“We have a long history… Containerization started at our port.”

[05.40] Why organizations should choose the Port of New York and New Jersey, the many factors that give them their competitive edge and how, in turn, that can give companies doing business with them their own competitive edge.

“We’re a world-class gateway port… We’re focused on efficiency and reliability… Today we have 45 weekly ocean carrier services, and we’re the first port of call on 75% of them.”

[11.36] Some of the biggest challenges of the last few years, and why resiliency, communication and collaboration Is key.

[15.43] The Port of New York and New Jersey’s ‘Master Plan’, and how a predicted increase in volume will impact the port and local community, from challenges to investments.

[17.30] From road improvements to improving navigation channels, the major infrastructure projects the Port of New York and New Jersey is focused on right now, and how they work with other key stakeholders.

“You have to have honest conversations. There will be times when you don’t agree, but you’ll find a solution together.”

[22.58] The potential impact of those infrastructure challenges and opportunities, and the Port of New York and New Jersey’s approach to embracing the future.

“This industry is all about flexibility, adaptability – you never know what’s going to happen… We have to be open-minded, and evolve with the industry. So when there’s new emerging technologies or tools, it’s common for people to be scared. But we need to educate ourselves, and work with other best practices.”

[25.17] The Port of New York and New Jersey’s new marine terminal operator leases with Port Liberty New York and Bayonne and the APM Terminals, and why they’re all focused on planning for the future.

[29.22] Why collaboration is so important as the industry prepares for the future, and Stephanie’s advice for other organizations looking to improve their collaborative efforts.

“Your partners are experts in what they do… So when they’re at the table giving you honest feedback, listen… Bring them in at the beginning, proactively not reactively… It takes time, effort, it takes thick skin! But there’s a level of respect and trust that builds out of those conversations.”

[34.33] Key sustainability initiatives for the Port of New York and New Jersey.

[38.04] What the rest of 2025 will bring for the Port of New York and New Jersey.

Head over to the Port of New York and New Jersey’s website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with the Port of New York and New Jersey and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Instagram and X (Twitter), or you can connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more about keeping freight moving, check out 388: See The Future of Transportation, with Win Global, 338: Set a New Standard for Global Trade, with Flexport or 406: Unlock the Opportunities of Cross-Border Ecommerce, with CargoWise.