September 10, 2018
Thanks to Elizabeth Warren for hosting the informal Southern CA group, the Ladies of Logistics (LOL) as we had a fabulous time and made amazing connections. Where else can you go and see every key connection related to trucking, the ports, freight forwarders, logistics, global trade and all related parties (such as education partners, the media etc.)? I had great conversations with old friends as well as I met new colleagues. Business is more successful – and fun- when we come together to celebrate and connect.
Where do you go to find out what’s happening with your industry? When it comes to the global marketplace, there were insightful conversations at LOL with perspectives from the following: 1) Recent graduates from the global public policy program at USC/ University of Hong Kong 2) Freight forwarders 3) Several different roles related to the ports. 4) CSULB Center for International Trade & Transportation 5) BCO (Beneficial Cargo Owner) 6) Logistics industry professionals 7) Public policy professionals 8) And many more.
I learned quite a few interesting trends which I’m planning to turn into episodes of my new series, “The Resilient Supply Chain”. How do you stay on top of global trends?
One tip to implement this week:
There are many ways to stay on top of global trends (or any trends you’d like to keep track of that relates to your industry). You can get started immediately by implementing any of the following strategies: 1) Attend a networking event such as LOL 2) Read an industry magazine such as the Journal of Commerce. 3) Participate with a trade association such as APICS-IE, ISM, CSCMP and more (all of which were represented at the LOL event). By the way, if you are interested in global trends, put APICS-IE’s executive panel & networking symposium on “Advancing Innovation & Navigating Global Trends” on your calendar. 4) Ask your colleagues, customers and suppliers. You’d be surprised what you can learn by asking a few key questions! 5) Attend a chamber of commerce or related event that focuses on your area of interest. For example, in Southern CA, the L.A. Chamber and the IEEP both focus on logistics. 6) Do some interest research. 7) And many, many more.
Just choose one and get started!