Chris Sultemeier is an Operating Partner at NewRoad Capital Partners. Chris has over 30 years of experience in leadership and supply chain operations. Chris served as President & CEO of Walmart Transportation and EVP of Logistics at Walmart, where he was responsible for over-the-road trucking, global shipping and warehousing. In his time at Walmart, Chris developed an extensive network of industry executives across transportation, third-party warehouse distribution and fulfillment and retail companies. In 2007, he was awarded the prestigious Sam M. Walton Entrepreneur of the Year Award on Sustainability. Chris currently serves on the Board of Directors for Duke Realty and Logistics Innovation Technologies. Chris holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He was an Army Airborne Ranger and received his professional engineering license in Civil Engineering.

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:04:00] - Scaling Walmart’s logistics network from $20 billion to $500 billion.

[00:17:00] - The role of AI and sustainability in transforming supply chain operations.

[00:22:00] - Key leadership strategies for navigating supply chain growth and innovation.

[00:28:00] - Doubling fleet efficiency through sustainable logistics initiatives.

[00:35:00] - Practical applications of AI in improving logistics, from picking processes to reverse logistics.

QUOTES:

[00:28:00] - "Sustainability has to have an ROI. It can't be just a hobby; it has to pay back." – Chris Sultemeier

[00:35:00] - "AI gets me excited when I see it used in ways that deliver real payback, like improving picks per hour by 40 to 45% in a fulfillment center." – Chris Sultemeier

[00:22:00] - "Your career doesn’t just go upward. You need to move laterally, gain breadth of experience, and that makes you a better leader." – Chris Sultemeier

[00:29:00] - "Efficiency in logistics is key to sustainability. It's about doing more with less, which is what leads to long-term success." – Ninaad Acharya

[00:17:00] - "If you blend technology like AI with real industry experience, that's when logistics innovation happens. You can’t just Silicon Valley this thing." – Ninaad Acharya

FIND MORE ABOUT THE GUEST:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-sultemeier-263363120/

New Road Capital Partners: https://newroadcp.com/

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Bill Gibson is a seasoned executive in the technology and supply chain industries. He earned his MBA from the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Gibson’s career began in 1993 as an account executive at Manugistics, a leading supply chain software provider. Over the years, he has held significant positions, including Managing Partner at The Albermarle Group, a venture capital firm, and leadership roles at Grotech Ventures. Gibson is currently the CEO of Deposco, a cloud-based supply chain software company that offers solutions for retailers, distributors, and 3PLs. Under his leadership, Deposco has grown significantly and has been recognized multiple times, including making the Inc. 5000 list for several years. Notably, Gibson was honored as one of the Top 50 SaaS CEOs by The Software Report, highlighting his influence and success in the software as a service (SaaS) sector.

HIGHLIGHTS:

[00:03:00] Inception of Deposco and the gap in the market.

[00:07:00] Evolution of e-commerce and 3PLs, noting how brands struggled with operational challenges.

[00:19:00] The importance of real-time, cloud-based solutions for 3PLs.

[00:28:00] Peak season preparation and the common pitfalls brands face during this time.

[00:33:00] Importance of forward-looking planning vs. driving operations based on historical performance.

QUOTES:

[00:28:00] - "Mike Tyson had a quote at a point in time about ‘You got to plan until you get punched in the face,’ right? It's the same at peak seasons—it's the punch in the face for everybody every year." – Bill Gibson

[00:31:00] - "How do you not have your real-time fulfillment system tied into your front-end commerce system? If you can’t supply the order, why are you booking the business?" – Bill Gibson

[00:22:00] - "The future is about how we as practitioners make it easier, faster, and less expensive to achieve the outcomes. It’s not just about the software, it’s about aligning strategy and operations." – Bill Gibson

[00:25:00] - "We’re co-creating. It’s not about the AI toolkit, it’s about how we apply AI to solve real problems in commerce." – Bill Gibson

[00:36:00] – “In logistics, the digital and physical sides of the business need to be joined at the hip. When they’re not, you get failures that damage customer trust.” – Ninaad Acharya

FIND MORE ABOUT THE GUEST:

LinkedIn: Bill Gibson

Website: Deposco

Twitter: @Deposco

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Bill Catania is a seasoned entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of OneRail, an omni-channel fulfillment platform that connects businesses with a vast network of 12 million drivers, optimizing last-mile logistics. Bill's impressive career spans multiple industries, with a focus on leveraging technology to solve complex business problems. He is recognized as a thought leader in logistics technology, having received numerous accolades, including being named a "Game Changer" by the Orlando Business Journal and winning the Supply Chain Leaders in Action Pitch Tank contest. Bill's previous ventures include MDOT, a pioneering enterprise software company that helped transform digital coupon redemption.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

[00:04:00] – Bill’s early entrepreneurial ventures and the start of his career in enterprise software.

[00:07:30] – The pivot moment for OneRail: transitioning from a tech-connected courier to an aggregated network platform.

[00:16:00] – The complexities of aggregating courier networks and matching supply with demand in real-time.

[00:20:30] – How AI and machine learning helped OneRail scale operations and manage thousands of deliveries daily.

[00:28:00] – The acquisition of OrderBot and the future of OneRail’s dynamic fulfillment capabilities.

[00:31:30] – Bill’s advice on raising capital and scaling logistics businesses through data optimization.

QUOTES:

[00:07:00 - 00:07:24] - "The logistics triangle is really about inventory, transportation, and consumer — and these three things must talk in real time to create a seamless delivery experience." – Bill Catania

[00:16:48 - 00:17:31] - "The key to optimizing logistics is building density. With high-volume partners, you get density, and density leads to better optimization and economic advantage." – Bill Catania

[00:11:00 - 00:11:30] - "If you think you have a good idea, just jump in and do it. The fact is, whatever you build initially isn't what will take you to the rocket ship — it will evolve. Avoid analysis paralysis and act." – Ninaad Acharya

[00:22:34 - 00:22:59] - "We always work at the SKU level because inventory, transportation, and consumer data have to align in real time. Knowing item specifics allows us to optimize the entire fulfillment process." – Bill Catania

[00:29:00 - 00:29:30] - "To achieve the 'Amazon experience,' you need real-time decision-making between transportation and fulfillment while the customer is still on the product page. It’s about aligning inventory and transportation seamlessly." – Ninaad Acharya

[00:14:00 - 00:14:29] - "You don’t quit. You pivot, you tweak, and figure out where you can add value. In logistics, finding where you can provide the most value is what keeps you moving forward." – Bill Catania

FIND MORE ABOUT THE GUEST:

LinkedIn: Bill Catania

Website: OneRail

Twitter: @OneRailTech