Defining and achieving "planning excellence" | Michael Rossiter @ Atomic Supply

Defining and achieving "planning excellence" | Michael Rossiter @ Atomic Supply

In this episode of Blue Ocean by StartOps, we sit down with Michael Rossiter, Co-Founder and CEO of Atomic — an AI-native inventory management platform used by a growing number of omnichannel brands. Built by former Tesla planners who lived through the Model 3 ramp, Atomic is a unit-level simulation engine that reconciles demand and supply constraints in real-time — offering the control of spreadsheets with the power of enterprise-grade planning software. We dive into Michael's experience managing Tesla's Sales & Operations Planning during hyper-growth and how those hard lessons shaped what Atomic is today. Michael has fresh and interesting answers to questions like: * Why do planning teams always end up back in spreadsheets? (Hint: it has to do with what he calls "the trust deficit") * What does "planning excellence" really look like? * Will inventory planning end up dominated by vertical or horizontal AI SaaS? * What is the actual cash impact of implementing planning software? Whether you're a CEO, a CFO or a planner, you'll find some useful gems in this episode. Learn more about Atomic or get in touch here: https://startops.network/companies/atomic [https://startops.network/companies/atomic]

Inside the world of 3PL real estate matchmaking | Summit Hogue @ Growe

In this episode of Blue Ocean by StartOps, we sit down with Summitt Hogue — Managing Partner at Growe, a commercial real estate firm helping 3PL operators and e-commerce brands find the right partners and warehouse space to scale. Growe isn’t your typical brokerage. With a hyper-focus on representing 3PLs, they’ve become trusted growth advisors to their clients, offering site selection, labor insights, post-deal support, and even matchmaking with brands — all without charging the clients they serve. We dive into Summitt’s approach to building partnerships that go beyond square footage, including: * Growe’s thoughtful approach to aligning incentives between 3PLs, brands, and landlords * What it takes to serve the 3PL space as a broker * How Growe’s 3PL-brand matchmaking process works (and where it’s going in the future) * Summitt’s top tips for both 3PL and brand operators If you’re a 3PL operator trying to expand or a brand looking for your next 3PL, this one is for you. Learn more about Growe or get in touch here [https://startops.network/companies/growe].

Amazon logistics, tariffs, and what's coming next | Blair Forrest @ AMZ Prep

In this episode of Blue Ocean by StartOps, we sit down with Blair Forrest, Co-Founder and CMO of AMZ Prep — one of the fastest-growing logistics providers for Amazon and e-commerce brands worldwide. Blair’s story starts in a college dorm room with just $2,000. Today, AMZ Prep operates over a million square feet of warehouse space, serving hundreds of brands with everything from FBA prep to international fulfillment. We dive into the wild ride of building a logistics company from scratch and how Blair is helping brands navigate: * Why inbound Amazon shipments are still broken (and how to fix them) * What Seller Fulfilled Prime looks like today — and who it’s right for * The 3 hidden fees operators overlook that are killing margin * How to prep for Q4 and avoid being bottlenecked at the ports If you're an operator trying to get ahead of Amazon fees, scale your 3PL partnerships, or optimize inbound freight, this is the episode for you. Learn more about AMZ Prep or get in touch here [https://startops.network/companies/amz-prep].

How to build a frictionless customer experience | Jonathan Wu @ Cavalry

In this episode of Blue Ocean by StartOps, we sit down with Jonathan Wu, Co-Founder and CEO of Cavalry — a platform for e-commerce brands who want to automate customer support without sacrificing the human touch. Cavalry isn’t just another AI chatbot. It’s a dynamic policy engine that helps brands resolve complex customer issues at scale, integrating directly into the tools they already use, like Shopify, Zendesk, and Gorgias. We dive into Jonathan’s journey from COO of a nine-figure brand to building a platform that helps operators solve the hardest customer service problems: * Why traditional AI alone can’t fully replace human support * How Cavalry automates 60% - 80% of tickets while competitors can only achieve 20% * The difference between rigid workflows and flexible, real-time issue resolution * Why customer loyalty is about more than just quick responses If you’ve ever wrestled to configure a workflow in a CX tool, you should tune in to hear about this new approach. Learn more about Cavalry or get in touch here [https://startops.network/companies/cavalry].

Unlocking operations visibility through 3PL invoices | Jason Bang @ Implentio

In this episode of Blue Ocean by StartOps, we sit down with Jason Bang, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Implentio — a platform built by and for operators to help reconcile 3PL invoices and uncover hidden costs. Implentio isn't your typical auditor. They’re one of the few software platforms that allows brands to audit their 3PL invoices. And instead of contingency fees, they offer flat-fee pricing and a guaranteed ROI. We dive into Jason’s deep operations background and how his team’s firsthand pain with 3PLs led to building Implentio: * Why warehouse management systems (WMS) fall short on financial accuracy * Why operators are underserved by tech and rely too much on ERPs * The difference between a tech platform and a traditional auditor * How 3PLs are responding positively to transparency and auto-approved invoices * What KPIs matter most for ops teams: cost per order, time to fulfill, storage trends If you're a supply chain operator looking to clean up messy invoices, cut costs, and stop living in spreadsheets, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss. Learn more about Implentio or get in touch here [https://startops.network/companies/implentio].