The Modern Supply Chain

This is The Modern Supply Chain, the show where we break down the modern supply chain strategies that help e-commerce brands shift from staying above water to predictably scaling. Each episode, we’ll chat with industry experts who will help give you the tools and insights to take control of your supply chain. Just smarter, faster ways to keep your business moving.

The Modern Supply Chain is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 0 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts The Modern Supply Chain, a business show with 0 episodes published.

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  Episode #17

  How e-commerce brands can recover revenue from returns

  Oct 1, 202632 min

  Returns get messy fast. They create extra work, delay resale, increase receiving costs, and quietly eat into your margins. In this episode, Izzy Rosenzweig sits down with Eric Banister , Senior Vice President of Operations at Happy Returns , to discuss how brands can build a more profitable returns operation. Eric shares why reverse logistics requires its own processes, technology, and infrastructure. He also explains how item verification can reduce fraud, how consolidation lowers costs, and why getting products back into sellable inventory should be done as quickly as possible. In this episode, you'll learn: How to make returns more profitable What it takes to manage millions of returns consistently Where robotics and automation fit into reverse logistics Highlights (00:00) Meet Eric Banister (02:26) Reverse logistics differs from outbound fulfillment (04:47) How Happy Returns handles the full returns journey (07:42) Item verification and fraud prevention (10:35) The economics of convenient returns (19:15) How much money brands can lose on returns (26:03) Which brands are the right fit for Happy Returns (27:46) AI and automation for the future of returns Resources : Izzy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/izzy-rosenzweig-13653846/ Eric's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericbanister/ Happy Returns website: https://happyreturns.com/

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  Episode #16

  How to balance growth, cash, and inventory risk

  Sep 17, 202634 min

  The same DTC strategy that prints cash in one category can drown another in inventory risk. In this episode, Izzy Rosenzweig sits down with Jon Blair , Founder of Free to Grow CFO and former COO and CFO at Guardian Bikes . Jon breaks down the three common DTC models: high-LTV consumables, high-SKU apparel, and durable goods with little repeat purchase. Each one carries its own cash flow trap, and knowing which model you're running determines everything else about how you should manage growth. He also explains how to make risk-adjusted growth bets, why profitable brands can still run short on cash, and why lower unit costs do not always lead to better financial outcomes. In this episode, you'll learn: How the three DTC models scale differently The hidden costs behind changing suppliers How AI could change financial decision-making for DTC brands Highlights (00:00) Meet Jon Blair (04:45) Why growing brands lose sight of cash flow and profitability (06:19) The three DTC growth models and their risks (11:13) How profitable brands can still run out of cash (13:22) Financial warning signs in the data (16:00) What to consider before changing suppliers (20:35) Negotiating vendor terms (26:16) Make smarter inventory bets as you scale (30:15) How AI will make DTC brands leaner Resources : Izzy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/izzy-rosenzweig-13653846/ Jon's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathon-albert-blair/ Free to Grow CFO's website: https://www.freetogrowcfo.com/

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  Episode #15

  How successful DTC founders think about cash, inventory, and margin

  Sep 3, 202624 min

  Every e-commerce founder knows supply chain decisions directly affect the bottom line. The harder part is knowing which choices protect margin, free up cash, and reduce inventory risk. In this special episode, Izzy Rosenzweig brings together e-commerce founders, operators, and supply chain experts who have made these decisions at scale. Nik Sharma , Taylor Holiday , Brian Berger , Darwish Gani , Isaac Hetzroni , Travis Wright , and Aaron Alpeter break down the inventory, fulfillment, and quality control decisions you can apply to protect margin and scale into new markets. In this episode, you'll learn: How top operators balance cost, speed, and flexibility Supply chain costs that quietly erode margins How to expand globally without overstocking Highlights (00:00) Where e-commerce brands lose margin (01:26) Profitable growth requires cash flow (03:05) Making smarter inventory bets with your capital (09:19) Expanding globally without trapping inventory (13:31) This is why you never skip quality control (18:31) Testing products faster and investing in winners (20:35) Why profitable supply chains matter for an exit Resources : Izzy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/izzy-rosenzweig-13653846/ Nik’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrniksharma/ Taylor’s LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/taylor-holiday-a169b322 Brian's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-berger-7101aa/ Darwish’s LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/darwish-gani Isaac’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaac-hetzroni/ Travis’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wright-travis/ Aaron’s LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/aaron-alpeter

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  Episode #14

  The supply chain strategies behind Mack Weldon’s growth

  Aug 6, 202628 min

  The wrong inventory strategy can slow down a growing brand. In this episode, Izzy Rosenzweig sits down with Brian Berger , Founder and CEO of Mack Weldon , to discuss how inventory decisions shape supply chain resilience. Brian shares how he built a diversified manufacturing network, managed inventory risk, and created a supply chain that could adapt as the brand expanded. Learn how to make smarter inventory bets, balance cash flow with product availability, and reduce supply chain risk as your business grows. In this episode, you'll learn: How to build flexibility into your supply chain before problems happen Why product expansion requires more than just customer demand Why omnichannel matters when building a sustainable consumer brand Highlights (00:00) Meet Brian Berger (05:16) Going all in on entrepreneurship (09:25) How D2C shifted from growth to profitability (13:06) Building a diversified supply chain (15:06) Managing product expansion and inventory risk (18:06) How flexible materials shorten lead times (20:36) Locking prices during tariff uncertainty (25:03) Brian's advice for future founders Resources : Izzy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/izzy-rosenzweig-13653846/ Brian's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-berger-7101aa/ Mack Weldon’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mack-weldon/ Mack Weldon's website: https://mackweldon.com/

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  Episode #13

  Product design lessons every DTC founder should know with Henrik Johansson

  Jul 23, 202627 min

  Even a great factory can't fix bad product design. In this episode, Izzy Rosenzweig talks to Henrik Johansson , Co-Founder and President of Gembah , to discuss what it takes to prepare a product for manufacturing. Henrik shares how thoughtful product development, technical documentation, and early collaboration with manufacturers help brands avoid costly mistakes and bring better products to market. If you're launching a physical product, this episode provides a blueprint for getting product development right before production starts. In this episode, you'll learn: What founders can do before manufacturing to set their products up for success How prototypes should be used throughout the product development process How to structure factory relationships so you own your product design Highlights (00:00) Meet Henrik Johansson (05:04) What is a good tech pack? (09:03) Sampling problems aren't about bad factories (11:37) The factory conversation brands skip (16:54) Factories should be partners, not vendors (20:05) Where AI can't be trusted with tech packs (23:58) How to spot your next product Resources : Izzy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/izzy-rosenzweig-13653846/ Henrik's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hjohansson/ Gembah’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gembah-inc/ Gembah's website: https://gembah.com/

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