Supply Chain of Thought

The Hidden Work Behind Creating a Physical Product // SCOT Episode #9

Ghaida Alkhaled, founder of Maybliss, joins CPG’s Supply Chain of Thought podcast to share how she turned a personal travel wellness problem into a patented physical product. In this episode, Ghaida discusses the creation of the Bliss Pod, the product development process, prototyping, manufacturing, entrepreneurship, and what founders should know before launching a product-based business. Use discount code CPG on the Maybliss website: https://www.maybliss.la/ [https://www.maybliss.la/] Connect with Ghaida:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ghaida-alkhaled-027814195/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ghaida-alkhaled-027814195/] follow Maybliss on Instagram at @maybliss.la Find us on Faire here: https://www.faire.com/direct/maybliss 📢 Want Expert Supply Chain Support? CPG Sourcing helps businesses across all industries import from China with confidence. With 46+ years of sourcing expertise and a dedicated team on the ground, we secure high-quality products at the best price—delivered on time. Schedule a free consultation at cpgsourcing.com/book-a-call [https://cpgsourcing.com/book-a-call] and mention Supply Chain of Thought for 10 extra resource hours in your first month! 💡 Stay Connected! Enjoying the podcast? Follow us on LinkedIn at CPG Sourcing for more expert insights. Got a sourcing question? Drop us a message—we might answer it on the show! 🚀

She Built a Hit Product… Then It Was Stolen // Episode 8 SCOT

What happens after your product finally takes off? For many founders, that’s when the real challenge begins. In this episode of The Supply Chain of Thought, Laura Dow sits down with Juliette Fassett, inventor of the Flippy Pillow. After years of development and a successful QVC launch, her product was copied and distributed at scale within months. This conversation breaks down what actually happens when your product gets attention and why protecting intellectual property is far more complex than most people expect. If you’re a founder, product developer, or sourcing professional, this episode is a must-watch. It highlights the realities of IP protection, manufacturing, and why having the right strategy and partners in place early can make all the difference. You can also read this episode's transcript here: https://cpgsourcing.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/She-Built-a-Hit-Product-Then-It-Was-Stolen-__-Episode-8-SCOT-Transcript.pdf About Juliette Juliette Fassett is an entrepreneur and founder of Happy Products, Inc., best known as the inventor of the Flippy Pillow—a patented, multi-angle tablet and book stand. With over 30 years in consumer products, she developed Flippy over several years, culminating in a QVC sellout in 2018. Following its success, she faced copycat competition and has since become an advocate for stronger intellectual property protection. She continues to run her business while raising awareness about the challenges independent inventors face. Learn More & Connect * Website: https://getflippy.com [https://getflippy.com/] * Shop Flippy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Flippy/page/610404DF-ED44-4BED-A5E5-7EA014BA18A3 [https://getflippy.com/] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliette-fassett/ 📢 Want Expert Supply Chain Support? CPG Sourcing helps businesses across all industries import from China with confidence. With 46+ years of sourcing expertise and a dedicated team on the ground, we secure high-quality products at the best price—delivered on time. Schedule a free consultation at cpgsourcing.com/book-a-call [https://cpgsourcing.com/book-a-call] and mention Supply Chain of Thought for 10 extra resource hours in your first month! 💡 Stay Connected! Enjoying the podcast? Follow us on LinkedIn at CPG Sourcing for more expert insights. Got a sourcing question? Drop us a message—we might answer it on the show! 🚀

Episode 7: From Kitchen Experiment to Whole Foods With Cecile Largeau

In this episode of Supply Chain of Thought, we talk with Cecile Largeau, founder of La Petite Creme, about building a baby care brand from a kitchen experiment into a growing business with its own factory and nationwide retail presence. This conversation covers entrepreneurship, product development, manufacturing, retail growth, sourcing, and the value of building a business step by step instead of chasing fast growth too early. It is a grounded look at what it takes to create and scale a physical product brand. Connect with Cecile and La Petite Creme: https://www.lapetitecreme.com/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lapetitecreme [https://www.youtube.com/@lapetitecreme] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lapetitecremebaby [https://www.facebook.com/lapetitecremebaby] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/la.petite.creme/ [https://www.instagram.com/la.petite.creme/] X: https://x.com/La_Petite_Creme [https://x.com/La_Petite_Creme] Events mentioned Prego Expo — New York City, March 2026: https://www.thepregoexpo.com/events/2026-new-york/ Prego Expo — Orlando, April 2026: https://www.thepregoexpo.com/events/orlando-prego-expo/ ABC Kids Expo — Las Vegas, May 2026: https://theabcshow.com/ Prego Expo — Dallas, August 2026: https://www.thepregoexpo.com/events/dallas-prego-expo/ Prego Expo — Los Angeles, November 2026: https://www.thepregoexpo.com/events/los-angeles-prego-expo/ #SupplyChainOfThought #CPGSourcing #LaPetiteCreme #CecileLargeau #Podcast #Entrepreneurship #CPG #ConsumerProducts #ProductDevelopment #Manufacturing #Sourcing #SupplyChain #FounderStory #RetailGrowth #WholeFoods 📢 Want Expert Supply Chain Support? CPG Sourcing helps businesses across all industries import from China with confidence. With 46+ years of sourcing expertise and a dedicated team on the ground, we secure high-quality products at the best price—delivered on time. Schedule a free consultation at cpgsourcing.com/book-a-call [https://cpgsourcing.com/book-a-call] and mention Supply Chain of Thought for 10 extra resource hours in your first month! 💡 Stay Connected! Enjoying the podcast? Follow us on LinkedIn at CPG Sourcing for more expert insights. Got a sourcing question? Drop us a message—we might answer it on the show! 🚀

Quality, Contracts & Communication: Advanced China Sourcing in Practice: Episode 6 #SCOT

In this episode of The Supply Chain of Thought, Laura continues her conversation with Michael DeClerk, Founder & CEO of CPG Sourcing, as they dive deeper into CPG’s upcoming ebook, An Advanced Guide to China Sourcing and Procurement. Building on Episode 5, this discussion walks through three critical chapters of the book: -Quality assurance in China – from prevention to precision -Contract negotiation and legal enforceability in China -Communication as strategy across cultures, languages, and time zones You’ll hear real-world stories from decades of China sourcing: -When quality was “too good” and the buyer asked to lower quality -A famous toy recall case that shows why specification detail matters -Why “I trust my supplier” is not a contract strategy -How a simple misunderstanding turned a Pantone-red pump into royal blue inventory -Why communication failures create downstream supply chain disasters In this episode, we cover: 00:00: Intro & recap of Part 1: Chapters 1 & 2 01:36: Chapter 3 Quality Assurance in China  02:12: The “three essentials” of China sourcing: price, quality, on-time delivery 03:50: Durability: from 50¢ spatula to $5,000 aerospace component 12:20: CPG’s three-tier quality assurance system (regulatory, functional, aesthetic) 20:45: Chapter 4 Contract Negotiation 25:10: Seasoned buyers with no contracts 30:28: Chopped contracts 38:48: Six core pillars of a strong China sourcing contract 40:41: NNN agreements, tooling/molding contracts & master service agreements 43:10: Chapter 5: Communication as strategy: culture, language and “saving face” Get notified when the ebook is released and access more resources on China sourcing: Visit our website: https://cpgsourcing.com/ If you'd rather read than listen, you can find the full transcript here: https://cpgsourcing.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Podcast-EP6-Transcript.docx.pdf 🎧 Subscribe to The Supply Chain of Thought for more deep dives on China sourcing, contracts, risk management, and international supply chains. #ChinaSourcing #SupplyChain #QualityAssurance #ChinaManufacturing #Procurement #SourcingStrategy #Contracts #NNNAgreement #QualityControl #GlobalTrade #CPGSourcing #SupplyChainOfThought If you're enjoying this episode, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. We share supply chain news, sourcing tips, industry updates, and more. Just search for CPG on LinkedIn and join the conversation. Or use this link: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cpgsourcing/ 📢 Want Expert Supply Chain Support? CPG Sourcing helps businesses across all industries import from China with confidence. With 46+ years of sourcing expertise and a dedicated team on the ground, we secure high-quality products at the best price—delivered on time. Schedule a free consultation at cpgsourcing.com/book-a-call [https://cpgsourcing.com/book-a-call] and mention Supply Chain of Thought for 10 extra resource hours in your first month! 💡 Stay Connected! Enjoying the podcast? Follow us on LinkedIn at CPG Sourcing for more expert insights. Got a sourcing question? Drop us a message—we might answer it on the show! 🚀

An Advanced Guide to China Sourcing: Key Lessons from Chapters 1 & 2: Episode 5 #SCOT

In this episode, we open "An Advanced Guide to China Sourcing and Procurement": CPG’s first-ever ebook. Chapters 1 and 2 lay the foundation for smarter sourcing: understanding the modern China supply landscape, supplier psychology, and how to position your business for long-term success. Be sure to subscribe and stay tuned as we release this valuable tool soon that will help you learn how to identify reliable manufacturers, avoid common pitfalls, and apply proven frameworks that elevate sourcing efficiency and profitability. Ideal for sourcing managers, procurement leaders, and importers who want to gain a strategic edge in direct-from-China operations. #ChinaSourcing #Procurement #GlobalTrade #SupplyChain #Manufacturing #ImportExport #SourcingStrategy #BusinessGrowth 📢 Want Expert Supply Chain Support? CPG Sourcing helps businesses across all industries import from China with confidence. With 46+ years of sourcing expertise and a dedicated team on the ground, we secure high-quality products at the best price—delivered on time. Schedule a free consultation at cpgsourcing.com/book-a-call [https://cpgsourcing.com/book-a-call] and mention Supply Chain of Thought for 10 extra resource hours in your first month! 💡 Stay Connected! Enjoying the podcast? Follow us on LinkedIn at CPG Sourcing for more expert insights. Got a sourcing question? Drop us a message—we might answer it on the show! 🚀