SEA 2, EP 95 – A Family Perspective on Supply and Demand Planning

What’s better than one supply chain professional? Two supply chain professionals! Allison and George are a couple who met at a supply chain conference and both work in different areas of logistics. Allison mostly works on strategy and supply, whereas George works in the tactical planning of merging technology and software.

As a family working in supply chain, Allison and George complement each others backgrounds and regularly work together to solve supply chain challenges. In fact, they have white boards around the house where they discuss any issues they’re facing. This extends to their children, who also get involved and are understanding the huge role logistics have in getting products to our door.

Their advice to next generation supply chain professionals? Get deep technical expertise early on and don’t wait too long to switch into the supply chain industry. Start working with products, learn the technical aspects and build a repertoire of skills. As Sarah says herself, always keep your options open and try different departments to see where you fit best. Allison and George are both minorities in supply chain, and although diversity has improved, Allison admits that women need more support not just from leaders, but also from other women. She also recommends finding your own personal board of directors to challenge you and to be your cheerleaders.