Let's Talk Supply Chain

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Quinn Nelson of Reveel & Tony Villanova of Paccurate talk about the 2026 General Rate Increase; the current parcel shipping landscape; & keeping costs down.
 
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
 
[02.16] An introduction to Quinn, his background, and role at Reveel.
[02.49] An introduction to Tony, his 25-year industry career, and role at Paccurate.
[04.23] The current parcel shipping landscape, and the key industry factors that have led us here.
"Carriers are incredibly focused on generating revenue, specifically increasing the revenue per shipment of all packages in their network."
[06.09] The 2026 GRI, why it looks different to previous years, and why it's more important than ever to have strong transportation technology and packaging partnerships.
"Although the increase is that same 5.9% we've seen historically, the carriers are actually moving to non-stop pricing changes throughout the course of the year… They're coming with a 'death by a thousand cuts' mentality."
[11.52] The changes carriers have made to target large and inefficient packages in their network, and how good data visibility and packaging can help mitigate these price increases.
"Carriers are narrowing their ideal package profile, as much as they're trying to narrow in on their ideal customer, to get those inefficient packages out of the network."
[16.57] The 'what, where, and how' of solving problems with data visibility, the power of continuous improvement in partnership, and how data visibility and packaging optimization solutions can work in tandem to drive results.
"The improvement is cyclical… It doesn't matter which way the data is coming, we feed each other."
[19.50] Why it's typically been so difficult to make changes to packaging, and how Paccurate makes it easier.
"Packaging touches everything – warehouse layouts, automation, labor… But not many companies have packaging engineers that can look at this dynamically. So you end up static."
[24.38] How improved transportation data visibility is helping businesses identify and realize opportunities for cost saving, and the power of negotiation capital.
[28.51] Why transportation networks are like onions, and how 'peeling back the layers' can help you fully understand your costs and the underlying reasons for them.
[30.20] Where AI will have the greatest impact on the transportation data visibility and optimization space.
"The transportation industry is really well situated to get a lot out of AI."
[32.07] How a combination of real-time data, agility, and packaging optimization can bring a real competitive advantage.
"We're in such a rampantly changing environment. Every day there's something new. So using technology solutions and data visibility to stay on top of what's changing allows you to be a proactive shipper instead of a reactive one."
"An educated shipper is a carrier's worst nightmare."
RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:
 
Head over to Reveel's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Reveel and keep up to date with the latest over   on LinkedIn, Facebook or X (Twitter), or you can connect with Quinn or Tony on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Reveel, check out:
474: Leverage Data-Driven Optimization to Mitigate Tariffs, with Reveel
453: Driving Supply Chain Innovation with Reveel and Deposco
357: Leverage the Power of Shipping Intelligence, with Reveel
You can also hear more from Paccurate: 297: Make Smarter Packing Decisions, with Paccurate.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Troy Shen of Cervo AI talks about what they do; simplifying customs, compliance & tariffs; people & tech; & how Cervo is changing the narrative for startups.     
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
[03.28] An introduction to Troy, his background, and how the U.S.-China trade war – and the power and fragility of global trade – ultimately inspired him to build Cervo AI.
"My Dad came to the US with $50 in his pocket, and the American Dream."
[06.21] Why logisticians are tired of being burned by tech start-ups, the impact on trust across the industry, and what sets Cervo apart.
"With every wave of innovation, there are many companies that over-promise and only a few that actually deliver on those promises."
"Ultimately, building a world-class solution in this industry isn't achieved by just being good at the technology or just having the domain expertise. It really requires a combination of tech expertise and an obsession with the problem space."
[08.00] The range of business ecosystems across the industry, from digital-first to manual and paper-based.
[09.48] An overview of Cervo AI – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers.
[10.30] The ideal customer for Cervo AI.
[12.25] What the current customs landscape means for forwarders and brokers and, from tariffs to compliance, the biggest challenges making an impact right now.
"It's a crazy time in the customs world. Entries that used to take minutes can now take hours or even days because of the constantly-changing complexity… And this introduces more compliance risk, which creates further downstream cost for both customs brokers and forwarders."
[14.19] How Cervo AI are helping to give control back to their customers in this complex, changeable landscape.
"Teams can process three to four times more entries on the customs side or they can save about 30 minutes per shipment on the operations side."
[17.16] The balance between people and technology as AI replaces manual work, what the human side of logistics is going to look like, and the Japanese principle that guides the team at Cervo.
[19.39] The problem with change management, and Troy's advice for leaders looking to drive change and build AI-enhanced operations that actually make an impact.
"AI isn't the right fit for every company today. But the biggest barrier is rarely the technology. It's often the internal alignment within the organization."
[23.16] A case study detailing how Cervo AI helped a key customer achieve over 80% reduction in manual processing time with over 95% accuracy and position for a longer-term transformation, and why AI is a service enhancer, not a detractor.
[25.27] What the integration and onboarding process looks like with Cervo AI, for both technology and operations.
"It's about being a partner, not just a vendor."
[27.44] Cervo's predictions and focus areas for 2026.
 
RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:
 
Head over to Cervo AI's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Cervo AI and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, or you can connect with Troy on LinkedIn.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Valentina Jordan of Nauta talks about what they do; making data simple & actionable; being AI-native; & going beyond visualization to modernize execution.
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
[02.01] An introduction to Valentina, her background, and how she came to co-found Nauta.
"I really enjoy working and building with technology and engineers – and what's more exciting than building in supply chain, one of the biggest industries in the world?"
[03.04] An overview of Nauta – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers.
"We're seeing a lot of companies and initiatives around AI, but the reality is that most people still don't talk enough about the foundations. And the foundation of all of it is data."
[04.40] The ideal client for Nauta.
[05.26] What it means to be AI-native, and the power in having solutions that are built with AI from the ground up.
"For us it's a mindset. It's understanding that the world has evolved, and in order to build scaleably, test fast, and capture a company's context, you need to choose and use the tech that's available – and right now, that's AI."
[06.56] Why shippers still spend most of their time in emails and Excel, and how Nauta capture and unify that disparate data.
[07.37] Why operations are still 63% manual, and why it's so important to leverage technology to support the transactional nature of supply chain.
"Our operators are working for technology, the technology isn't working for them. The tech stacks they have are systems of record, and there's nothing more transactional than supply chain."
[08.20] How Nauta brings all data sources together through integrations and stakeholder connections and centralizes it in an AI context engine.
[09.28] The importance of timely decision-making, and how Nauta leverages their understanding of the day-to-day life of operators to remove noise, add value, and turn visibility into action.
"If it drives me as crazy as my phone, it won't work!"
[12.20] What decision latency means for businesses, how Nauta can help with both cost savings and revenue generation through automation, and why a top down approach to change management is critical to success.
[14.16] Why companies are leaving money on the table if they don't go beyond visualization to modernize execution.
[14.59] How Nauta is helping customers decrease complexity and turn data chaos into clarity, to tell clear business stories.
"We help our clients get to know themselves inside out. Everyone understands how their high level operations work, but what tells the story of a company is their data."
[17.38] A case study exploring how Nauta helped a client spending $30,000 per day on penalties dig deeper to understand and solve the real issues behind the cost.
[20.53] The future for Nauta.
[22.20] Valentina's experience at Manifest, and what it says about supply chain in 2026.
"It's a celebration that the industry is growing… It's looking for change, it's ready to adapt, and we need to stop seeing supply chain as an antiquated industry that isn't ready for transformation."
RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:
Head over to Nauta's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Nauta and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn or YouTube, or you can connect with Valentina on LinkedIn.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Paula Natoli of Google Cloud talks about 2026 supply chain challenges & opportunities; AI & data; and what teams can do now to build a better tomorrow.    
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
[04.20] An introduction to Paula and her decades-long supply chain career.
[06.15] The single biggest mindset shift supply chain leaders need to make this year to stay ahead of the curve.
"2026 is going to be a pivot point... Decades ago our brains, as supply chain professionals, were wired to solve for least cost… But now it's not just a cost center mentality… It's a mindset shift that has exploded into a new foundational element that gets away from traditional siloed thinking, and moves us into a value creation model."
[10.39] Why organizations need to move past a focus on resilience, the next frontier for competitive advantage, and how Google Cloud is guiding leaders to think beyond just surviving disruptions.
"The move from just efficiency to overall agility becomes key."
[13.42] Why companies are still struggling to turn data into action, and how Google Cloud helps bridge the gap.
"We're not short of data! We're capturing and storing data at crazy amounts but, as organizations, we still haven't fully unlocked the value associated with that."
[17.18] The role of technology, particularly AI and data, in helping companies meet aggressive sustainability goals, and why achieving a unified data platform is critical.
[20.52] Why powering its own global supply chain is a big advantage for Google, and how it informs customer conversations around making their operations more resilient, efficient, and sustainable.
"It establishes a level of proven solutions and credibility."
[23.31] The multi-layered approach that sets Google Cloud apart and makes them the ideal partner for companies dealing with immense complexity.
"It's the full stack that allows us to work with customers wherever they are on their AI journey."
[27.21] How Google Cloud is making powerful AI and analytics tools accessible to the everyday supply chain planner or logistics operator.
"It's really being democratized. This AI is being injected into the tools and technologies that supply chain professionals and frontline workers are using every day."
[30.26] Beyond faster insights, how Agentic AI is fundamentally changing how supply chain teams interact with their data and systems.
"We're moving from a passive level to actually executing things… Don't just tell me what my options are. Find the right option, and execute it."
[34.05] As AI takes on more of the analytical heavy lifting, how the role of the human supply chain professional is going to evolve, and the new skills that will be most valuable in 2026 and beyond.
[36.07] Paula's one piece of advice for C-Suite Leaders and Chief Supply Chain Officers who want to build a truly AI-driven, future-ready supply chain.
[39.54] The combination of emerging technologies that will have the biggest impact on supply chains in the next five years.
[41.09] The one thing every supply chain professional needs to do differently today to start building a better supply chain.
 
RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:
 
Head over to Google Cloud's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Google Cloud and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, X (Twitter) or YouTube, or you can connect with Paula on LinkedIn.
If you want to hear more from Google, check out 507: Logistics Providers: Ready For An AI-First Approach? Then Discover Your Biggest Opportunity, with Google Cloud.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.