Welcome to Procurement Pulse, where we delve into the heartbeat of supply chain and procurement innovation. Hosted by Friddy, Founder of SCOPE Recruiting, this podcast brings you insider insights, expert interviews, and success stories from industry leaders like Google and Cisco. Explore the latest trends in centralized procurement, learn how to attract top talent, and discover strategies to optimize your operations. Whether you’re in procurement, supply chain, or talent management, Procurement Pulse is your essential guide to staying ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.
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Episode 5: Why Companies Struggle to Grow Talent (And How to Fix It)
Season 1 · Episode 5
Tuesday, November 25, 2025 • Duration 23:44
You hire great people. But three months in, they're struggling. Not because they lack talent because nobody showed them how to succeed in your specific environment.
1,800 learning management systems exist in the market. Most companies either don't have one, use an outdated "Stone Age" system, or have a platform that nobody touches after onboarding.
But here's what changed: AI emerged in 18 months and reshaped every job description. The skills your team had last year aren't enough today. And the "just hire ready-made talent" strategy isn't sustainable when unicorns are rare and expensive.
In this episode, Darryl Fitzpatrick, CRO of Intellek, breaks down why L&D infrastructure isn't just an HR nice-to-have, it's a competitive advantage for talent attraction, retention, and performance.
00:00 Introduction
00:28 What is an LMS and how do companies actually use them?
01:29 Why LMS engagement drops after week two
03:22 Why 300-person companies still don't have learning platforms
05:12 When your LMS is built on old HTML and nobody uses it
07:45 What separates Intellek from 1,800 other LMS platforms
09:24 "We're not ready for new software": What companies are actually saying no to
11:30 Why hiring only experts limits your growth
14:03 First impressions matter: How LMS impacts company culture and retention
18:09 The future of L&D: Alignment, AI, and building unicorns internally
About Procurement Pulse: Real conversations with supply chain and procurement professionals who've been on both sides—building teams, solving problems, and staying ahead of what's coming next.
About SCOPE Recruiting: SCOPE Recruiting is a boutique supply chain recruiting firm where every recruiter is a former supply chain professional. Co-founders Friddy and Melissa, both ex-ABB global category managers, built the company after seeing how many “generalist” recruiters didn’t truly understand supply chain, procurement, or logistics roles.
By hiring professionals first and teaching them recruiting second, SCOPE delivers better matches, higher retention rates, and faster hiring results across manufacturing, procurement, logistics, and supply chain leadership.
If you're building a supply chain team and the usual recruiting approach isn't working, check out scoperecruiting.com.
Episode 2: How Filterbuy Built a $280M Manufacturing Powerhouse with AI, People, & Speed
Season 1 · Episode 2
Monday, August 11, 2025 • Duration 31:21
What does it take to walk away from Wall Street and build a $280 million manufacturing company in rural Alabama? And how do you scale culture across 1,000+ employees when half your corporate team works remotely?
In this episode of the Procurement Pulse, host Friddy Hoegener, Co-Founder and Head of Recruiting at SCOPE Recruiting, sits down with David Heacock, Founder and CEO of Filterbuy, who left his finance career to build a vertically integrated, tech-powered manufacturing brand.
David left his Wall Street career to build Filterbuy into a $280 million direct-to-consumer manufacturing company specializing in HVAC filters. But this isn't just another startup success story, it's a masterclass in scaling operations, culture, and people across multiple facilities while navigating the realities of American manufacturing.
Filterbuy operates seven facilities across the US with about 1,000 employees, including 50-60 remote corporate workers. David shares hard-won lessons, why geographic hiring requirements kill your talent pool, and his three-pronged approach to building real corporate culture: Model it, Articulate it, and Incentivize it.
What We Discuss:
00:00 Introduction
3:31 Why forcing geographic requirements limits your talent pool significantly
5:32 Which manufacturing roles can be remote vs. must be on-site
8:54 The three-pronged approach to culture: Model it, Articulate it, Incentivize it
15:55 How AI is transforming factory operations and data analytics
17:25 Why AI won't take your job, but people who use it will
21:21 The competitive advantage of building custom ERP systems vs. legacy solutions
Episode 1: AI vs Reality: What's Actually Broken in Supply Chain Recruiting
Season 1 · Episode 1
Tuesday, August 5, 2025 • Duration 45:14
Why do so many supply chain hires flame out in their first year? And why does finding good talent feel impossible right now?
In this first episode of the Procurement Pulse, we break down what's actually broken in supply chain recruiting, and what companies that consistently hire great people are doing differently.
Host Friddy Hoegener, Co-Founder and Head of Recruiting at SCOPE Recruiting, along with co-host Evan Cave, Sr. Supply Chain Recruiter, talk about the reality behind the hiring process. Both worked in the supply chain before becoming recruiters.
Evan spent years at Randstad, one of the world's largest recruiting firms, before joining the company. He's seen both sides: the corporate machine that prioritizes speed over quality, and the boutique approach that actually works.
Before starting SCOPE Recruiting, Friddy was a global category manager at ABB, managing $80-90 million in procurement across everything from mobile phone contracts to aluminum casting. He's been the hiring manager trying to find the right person, and now he's the recruiter trying to deliver them.
Together, they explore why the best supply chain professionals never apply to job postings, which roles AI will actually eliminate (and which ones are safe), and the simple scorecard system that stops hiring managers from talking past each other in interviews.
What We Discuss:
00:00 Welcome to The Procurement Post
1:16 Evan's Background: From Gym Manager to Recruiter
3:53 Problems with Large Recruiting Firms
7:44 Why Speed Hurts Quality in Recruiting
AI vs. Supply Chain Talent: Who Wins and What’s Next?
Season 1 · Episode 1
Thursday, November 13, 2025 • Duration 05:53
"Will AI take my job?"
Every supply chain professional is asking this question. But you're asking the wrong thing.
The real question isn't whether AI will replace you, but it's whether you'll learn to use it before someone else does.
AI isn't coming for entry-level jobs first. It's transforming how businesses build systems, make decisions, and compete. And the companies still clinging to SAP implementations and legacy ERP systems? They're about to get steamrolled by mid-sized competitors building custom solutions in weeks instead of years.
In this episode of Procurement Pulse, host and SCOPE Recruiting Co-Founder Friddy Hoegener sits down with David Heacock, Founder and CEO of Filterbuy, who's used custom-built ERP systems and AI-powered development teams to unlock competitive advantages that enterprise software could never deliver.
They discuss why "AI will take your job" is the wrong fear (and what you should actually worry about), how a development team is now shipping code 3-5x faster than two years ago, and why small and mid-sized businesses finally have a weapon against enterprise competitors.
What We Discuss:
00:00 The AI job question everyone gets wrong
02:07 How AI 3x'd development team productivity
02:50 Why custom ERP beats SAP (even for smaller companies)
04:04 The legacy system trap: Making systems work vs. building what works
05:00 Small business advantage: Agility over enterprise bureaucracy
If You Don’t Know What You’re Selling, You’re Already Wasting Money
Season 1 · Episode 4
Tuesday, November 4, 2025 • Duration 08:57
Most companies fail at Lean because the people designing the process aren’t the ones living it every day.
Jared Paget, VP of Operations at ClearOne, explains how giving a voice to the people closest to the work leads to better decisions, smarter production, and a stronger culture.
What We Discuss:
00:00 Why you can't just build products and hope someone buys them — the S&OP foundation
01:32 Tying sales team compensation to forecast accuracy (and why it worked)
03:53 Every moment on the shelf is waste — the three types of waste to eliminate
04:09 The "most infant state" rule: Why customizing too early kills flexibility
05:26 The operator buy-in secret: Don't ask about efficiency, ask about ease
About Procurement Pulse: Real conversations with supply chain and procurement professionals who've been on both sides—building teams, solving problems, and staying ahead of what's coming next.
About SCOPE Recruiting: SCOPE Recruiting is a boutique supply chain recruiting firm where every recruiter is a former supply chain professional. Co-founders Friddy and Melissa, both ex-ABB global category managers, built the company after seeing how many “generalist” recruiters didn’t truly understand supply chain, procurement, or logistics roles.
Episode 4: How to Eliminate Waste and Double Efficiency with One Proven Manufacturing Strategy
Season 1 · Episode 4
Tuesday, October 14, 2025 • Duration 38:00
You cut inventory by 50% and achieve 99.8% on-time delivery. Impossible? One supply chain leader did exactly that, but not by implementing fancy software or hiring consultants.
The secret? Sitting on the factory floor with operators and asking one simple question: "How can we make your job easier?"
In this episode of Procurement Pulse, host and SCOPE Recruiting Co-Founder Friddy Hoegener and co-host Evan Cave sit down with Jared Paget, VP of Operations at ClearOne, who's driven operational excellence across multiple continents and industries.
They dig into why most companies fail at lean manufacturing (hint: it's not about the process), how to tell if a company is serious about change versus just checking boxes, and why the person doing the job eight hours a day knows more than any consultant ever will.
Jared also shares the counterintuitive truth about AI in supply chain - he's been using it for 20 years, just not the way most people think. And why those entry-level tactical jobs aren't disappearing as fast as everyone fears.
What We Discuss:
00:00 Welcome to Procurement Pulse
00:39 Why SNOP is the foundation of supply chain success
03:15 The Nuvea USA story: 99.8% delivery and 50% less inventory
07:22 Keeping inventory in its "most infant state"
10:45 The furniture manufacturing cautionary tale
14:30 How to get operator buy-in without mandates
19:12 "You're just doing this to make yourself look good" — handling resistance to change
23:47 The real KPIs that prove lean is working
Will AI Take Your Supply Chain Job? The Roles That Are Safe vs At Risk
Season 1 · Episode 1
Monday, October 13, 2025 • Duration 05:07
Will AI replace your job, or make you irreplaceable?
Host Friddy Hoegener, Co-Founder and Head of Recruiting at SCOPE Recruiting breaks down what supply chain professionals need to do now to stay relevant as AI reshapes the industry.
The conversation reveals why learning to prompt AI is becoming as critical as knowing Excel, and why professionals spending 80% of their time on manual tasks need to level up fast. It also explores where AI still struggles - particularly with creative judgment in recruiting - and what that tells us about which human skills will remain irreplaceable in the years ahead.
What We Discuss:
00:00 Why learning to prompt AI is the new essential skill
01:54 The 80/20 rule: If you're spending 80% of your time on manual tasks, it's time to level up
02:27 Why AI still struggles with the creative side of recruiting (and what that means for you)
04:05 Why experienced recruiters can spot great candidates instantly (and AI can't replicate that yet)
About Procurement Pulse: Real conversations with supply chain and procurement professionals who've been on both sides—building teams, solving problems, and staying ahead of what's coming next.
The Hidden Risk Lurking in Your Vendor Relationships (And How to Fix It)
Season 1 · Episode 3
Tuesday, September 30, 2025 • Duration 07:35
Most supply chain teams obsess over vendor onboarding - vetting suppliers, negotiating contracts, setting up systems. But there's a critical blind spot costing companies millions: what happens after you stop working with a vendor?
SCOPE Recruiting Co-Founder Friddy Hoegener and co-host Evan Cave discuss the often-overlooked vendor offboarding process with Tiffany Bray, Independent Consultant at Risk Right LLC.
What We Discuss:
00:00 Why "out of sight, out of mind" vendor relationships create massive data security exposure
01:36 Real examples of what happens when offboarding goes wrong (hint: it's not just about data)
02:42 Why you need a business continuity plan for critical vendors (and what happens when you don't)
03:39 What COVID taught us about single-source vendor dependency
04:44 Why many industries are dangerously immature when it comes to risk management
05:22 How to turn your risk management into a competitive advantage and sales tool
Why Geographic Hiring Requirements Are Killing Your Talent Pool
Season 1
Tuesday, September 23, 2025 • Duration 05:46
What happens when you force top talent to choose between their dream job and relocating to a specific city? You lose them to your competitors.
In this episode of The Procurement Pulse, host Friddy Hoegener, Co-Founder and Head of Recruiting at SCOPE Recruiting, sits down with David Heacock, Founder and CEO of Filterbuy, who learned this lesson the hard way when his attempt to centralize remote workers in Atlanta became a "largely failed experiment."
David shares how Filterbuy's $280 million manufacturing company discovered that the best candidates for niche roles often live in completely different zip codes, and why high-performing candidates will exclude companies that force in-office requirements from their job search entirely.
But this isn't just about remote work policies. David reveals his systematic approach to building authentic corporate culture in a distributed workforce, including his three-pronged framework for values that actually work: Model it, Articulate it, and Incentivize it. He also explains why quarterly in-person meetings are non-negotiable and how to hire and fire based on cultural fit even when it means letting go of high performers.
What We Discuss:
00:00 Why geographic hiring requirements limit your talent pool
00:45 The failed Atlanta office experiment
01:46 The difference between managing remote vs. in-person teams
02:08 The importance of quarterly in-person meetings
03:01 Building corporate culture with clear values
04:09 The three-pronged approach to authentic company values
Which Supply Chain Jobs Will AI Kill in the Next 5 Years?
Season 1
Friday, September 5, 2025 • Duration 07:56
Is AI coming for your supply chain job? And which skills will make you irreplaceable when automation takes over tactical work?
In this segment from Procurement Pulse, host Friddy Hoegener, Co-Founder and Head of Recruiting at SCOPE Recruiting, breaks down the brutal reality of AI's impact on supply chain careers over the next five years.
Friddy explores why tactical procurement tasks like issuing POs and following up on invoices will be 90% automated, while strategic work like vendor negotiations and geopolitical sourcing decisions remain human-managed.
What We Discuss:
00:00 AI's impact on supply chain careers
00:27 Which tactical tasks will be automated first
01:15 Why strategic supply chain work stays human
02:28 Skills to focus on for AI-proof careers
03:46 Why AI can't replace human judgment in recruiting
05:01 How SCOPE uses AI for candidate profiling
06:21 Creating scorecards to eliminate hiring bias
About Procurement Pulse: Real conversations with supply chain and procurement professionals who've been on both sides—building teams, solving problems, and staying ahead of what's coming next.
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About Procurement Pulse: Real conversations with supply chain and procurement professionals who've been on both sides—building teams, solving problems, and staying ahead of what's coming next.
About SCOPE Recruiting: Every recruiter at SCOPE is a former supply chain professional. Freddy and Melissa, both former ABB global category managers, started the company because they were tired of recruiters who didn't understand the roles they were filling. The result? Better matches, higher retention rates, and fewer headaches for everyone involved.
If you're building a supply chain team and the usual recruiting approach isn't working, check out scoperecruiting.com.
About Procurement Pulse: Real conversations with supply chain and procurement professionals who've been on both sides—building teams, solving problems, and staying ahead of what's coming next.
About SCOPE Recruiting: Every recruiter at SCOPE is a former supply chain professional. Freddy and Melissa, both former ABB global category managers, started the company because they were tired of recruiters who didn't understand the roles they were filling. The result? Better matches, higher retention rates, and fewer headaches for everyone involved.
If you're building a supply chain team and the usual recruiting approach isn't working, check out scoperecruiting.com
About Procurement Pulse: Real conversations with supply chain and procurement professionals who've been on both sides—building teams, solving problems, and staying ahead of what's coming next.
About SCOPE Recruiting: Every recruiter at SCOPE is a former supply chain professional. Freddy and Melissa, both former ABB global category managers, started the company because they were tired of recruiters who didn't understand the roles they were filling. The result? Better matches, higher retention rates, and fewer headaches for everyone involved.
If you're building a supply chain team and the usual recruiting approach isn't working, check out scoperecruiting.com.
By hiring professionals first and teaching them recruiting second, SCOPE delivers better matches, higher retention rates, and faster hiring results across manufacturing, procurement, logistics, and supply chain leadership. If you're building a supply chain team and the usual recruiting approach isn't working, check out scoperecruiting.com.
28:33 How to tell if a candidate actually knows lean (or just has it on their resume)
32:18 What companies reveal when they can't answer "What's the 6-month roadmap?"
38:55 AI in supply chain: We've been doing this for 20 years
43:20 Will AI eliminate entry-level supply chain jobs?
47:02 The one skill that matters most in operations
About Procurement Pulse: Real conversations with supply chain and procurement professionals who've been on both sides—building teams, solving problems, and staying ahead of what's coming next.
About SCOPE Recruiting: SCOPE Recruiting is a boutique supply chain recruiting firm where every recruiter is a former supply chain professional. Co-founders Friddy and Melissa, both ex-ABB global category managers, built the company after seeing how many “generalist” recruiters didn’t truly understand supply chain, procurement, or logistics roles.
By hiring professionals first and teaching them recruiting second, SCOPE delivers better matches, higher retention rates, and faster hiring results across manufacturing, procurement, logistics, and supply chain leadership.
If you're building a supply chain team and the usual recruiting approach isn't working, check out scoperecruiting.com.
About SCOPE Recruiting: SCOPE Recruiting is a boutique supply chain recruiting firm where every recruiter is a former supply chain professional. Co-founders Friddy and Melissa, both ex-ABB global category managers, built the company after seeing how many “generalist” recruiters didn’t truly understand supply chain, procurement, or logistics roles.
By hiring professionals first and teaching them recruiting second, SCOPE delivers better matches, higher retention rates, and faster hiring results across manufacturing, procurement, logistics, and supply chain leadership.
If you're building a supply chain team and the usual recruiting approach isn't working, check out scoperecruiting.com.
About Procurement Pulse: Real conversations with supply chain and procurement professionals who've been on both sides—building teams, solving problems, and staying ahead of what's coming next.
About SCOPE Recruiting: SCOPE Recruiting is a boutique supply chain recruiting firm where every recruiter is a former supply chain professional. Co-founders Friddy and Melissa, both ex-ABB global category managers, built the company after seeing how many “generalist” recruiters didn’t truly understand supply chain, procurement, or logistics roles.
By hiring professionals first and teaching them recruiting second, SCOPE delivers better matches, higher retention rates, and faster hiring results across manufacturing, procurement, logistics, and supply chain leadership.
If you're building a supply chain team and the usual recruiting approach isn't working, check out www.scoperecruiting.com
About Procurement Pulse: Real conversations with supply chain and procurement professionals who've been on both sides—building teams, solving problems, and staying ahead of what's coming next.
About SCOPE Recruiting: Every recruiter at SCOPE is a former supply chain professional. Freddy and Melissa, both former ABB global category managers, started the company because they were tired of recruiters who didn't understand the roles they were filling. The result? Better matches, higher retention rates, and fewer headaches for everyone involved.
If you're building a supply chain team and the usual recruiting approach isn't working, check out scoperecruiting.com.
About SCOPE Recruiting: Every recruiter at SCOPE is a former supply chain professional. Freddy and Melissa, both former ABB global category managers, started the company because they were tired of recruiters who didn't understand the roles they were filling. The result? Better matches, higher retention rates, and fewer headaches for everyone involved.
If you're building a supply chain team and the usual recruiting approach isn't working, check out scoperecruiting.com.
