336: Women in Supply Chain, Liz Decker

In today’s episode of Women In Supply Chain™, I’m joined by Liz Decker, a truly passionate and dynamic leader at one of Inc’s Best Workplaces in America. Liz has a decade of broad experience across supply chain, having honed her expertise in all modes of logistics, covering international import/export, domestic truckload, drayage, customs brokerage, LTL, and air freight. From leading continuous improvement projects for Fortune 500 companies to leading SMB entrepreneurs through their first-ever international shipment, Liz is as versatile as she is dedicated. And she’s currently bringing her expertise and passion to her role as Director of Client Success at NorthPoint Logistics. Today Liz will be talking to us about her career so far; her passion for social causes; the importance of putting a focus on client success; and why she’s proud to say that she’s a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to supply chain. Plus, she’ll be sharing her experiences as a woman in supply chain, as well as her words of advice for all of the women following in her footsteps.   SHOW SPONSOR:   Women fuel the success of some of the world’s most successful businesses, yet barriers still exist. SAP is committed to supporting and elevating a new generation of women to profoundly lead and impact global supply chains and are proud to support the Women in Supply Chain™ Series and its efforts. Supply chains need to evolve from low-cost and optimized to risk-resilient and sustainable and SAP can help. SAP Digital Supply Chain solutions connect the entire process — design, planning, manufacturing, logistics, maintenance, and service; connecting your supply chains to the rest of your business and all your contextual data; supporting your efforts in alleviating risk in your supply chains. SAP is the market leader in enterprise application software and for the last 50 years has been helping companies to run better. Find out more at sap.com/scm   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [06.45] Liz’s early years: how her first job exposed her to a variety of different people and taught her to be adaptable, and how networking opened the door to supply chain. “I’m a Mid-West girl – I’m the youngest of three, so I learned quickly that I needed to advocate for myself!” [09.08] How the pandemic threw Liz into the deep end of supply chain; the highs and lows; and what she learned along the way. “In 2022, I was having conversations with clients that were ‘I don’t care what it takes. I need my product, and I need it now.’… so it forced me to be creative, and learn the different aspects of our business.” [14.43] Liz’s current role as Director of Client Success at NorthPoint Logistics; her experience of building a team from the ground up; and why she loves building relationships. “There’s no playbook of what client success looks like in the logistics industry – an industry that has traditionally been transactional.” [17.58] The biggest challenges that Liz's client success team face, and the importance of tackling obstacles with strategic thinking. “My team's role is to advise. Here’s what we’re seeing, here’s what we’re hearing, here’s some data we can provide.” [23.24] Liz’s thoughts on the cyclical nature of supply chain trends, and what the next few years might bring for the industry. “It’s a people industry. As technology gets better, and as people adopt technology (because we are lagging), our scope will change… but no matter how much technology we have, someone has to be there.” [26.22] The importance of good workplace culture, and what Liz has learned working at NorthPoint Logistics - one of Inc’s Best Workplaces in America. “Culture isn’t something that you just check a box and it’s there. You have to make a conscious effort every single day… but it’s so easy for culture to slip away. Being vulnerable and transparent has been so important for me.” [30.13] Liz’s passion for volunteering and charity work, and why more organizations should be supporting social causes and local communities. “We talk about advocating for ourselves as women… and here’s my chance to advocate for someone who maybe can’t for themselves, or has some obstacles that I don’t have.” [34.20] Why people are Liz’s passion and daily inspiration. [35.08] Liz’s experience as a woman in supply chain; the power of social media; and her words of advice for women in the industry. “I never had a mentor, but social media is a great thing.” [39.30] The future for Liz.   RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:   You can connect with Liz over on LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from women who are passionate about client success, check out 305: Driving Your Parcel Performance: Check Engine Light, featuring Elle Brown, Senior Client Success Manager at Sifted, or 255: Women In Supply Chain, featuring Mardi Tegmeyer, Customer Success Manager at Emerge. Check out our other podcasts HERE.