445: Embrace the Data-Driven Evolution, with GAINS
Amber Salley is the VP of Industry Solutions at GAINS, bringing over 25 years of supply chain experience to her role. Her career began with a college internship coding for a steel company and progressed through management consulting to a 12-year tenure as a research analyst at Gartner. Salley advocates for a paradigm shift in decision-making, urging companies to move beyond using data to confirm instincts and instead adopt a correlation-driven approach where AI and machine learning uncover hidden patterns. She outlines four stages of data-driven maturity and uses a case study with Border States Electric to illustrate how letting data lead can solve complex problems like lead time volatility.
Today I’m joined by leading tech company, GAINS.
GAINS is the supply chain performance optimization company. Its platform drives faster, smarter decisioning everywhere inventory matters. So, with GAINS, supply chain teams can make all the right decisions – at speed and scale – to right-size inventory, strengthen performance, and fulfill customer promises.
Today Amber Salley, VP of Industry Solutions at GAINS, joins me to talk all about being data-driven. We’re going to be diving into the evolution of data-driven thinking and the new paradigm we should be embracing now. We’ll be exploring the misconceptions about being data-driven, and the challenges of emerging technologies like language learning models. And, we’ll be sharing practical applications and the many benefits of letting the data lead.
Guest Bio:
Amber Salley is a distinguished supply chain expert with over two decades of experience in the industry. Currently serving as the Vice President of Industry Solutions at GAINS, Amber leverages her extensive knowledge to help companies optimize their supply chain performance through innovative, cloud-based solutions. Before joining GAINS, Amber was a Senior Research Director at Gartner, where she advised over 1000 clients spanning software vendors, prospective buyers of software, end-users of software, and institutional investors on advancing their supply chain strategies to drive performance. Her insights have been instrumental in helping organizations become more resilient and decision-centric. Amber holds a degree in Suppply Chain Management and Information Technology from Duquesne University and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and she continues to stay at the forefront of industry trends and advancements.
An introduction to Amber, her background, and role at GAINS.
The evolution of data-driven thinking, as technology and mindsets have changed.
The new paradigm in data-driven thinking.
From confirmation bias to managing leadership pride and instinctual approaches, the common misconceptions and challenges around being data-driven.
A case study detailing how GAINS helped a key client to get on top of volatile lead time predictability and utilize full data-driven decision-making.
The challenges of emerging technologies like Language Learning Models.
The four stages of data-driven evolution and what they mean for teams.
The benefits of letting the data lead, for both teams and businesses.
Exactly how GAINS can help organizations to adopt a truly data-driven approach.
Resources & Links Mentioned
- Head over to GAINS’s website to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with GAINS and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, YouTube, or X (Twitter), or you can connect with Amber on LinkedIn.
- If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from GAINS, check out 390: Achieve Real Results And Innovate For The Future, with GAINS, 385: Make The Right Decisions For Your Supply Chain, with GAINS or 374: Achieve Supply Chain Optimization In Record Time, with GAINS.
- Check out our other podcasts HERE.
