Welcome to the Graphite Connect Blog. Check in for frequent articles and podcast episodes that will help your team operate at the highest possible level.
With a strategic approach, procurement teams can build a strong supplier base, which will improve business performance and offer a long-term competitive advantage.
Procurement today goes far beyond buying goods and services. A strategic procurement process helps companies secure better terms, reduce risk, and support long-term goals, so if your team still relies on emails and spreadsheets to manage suppliers, it’s time for […]
SWOT analysis of internal stakeholders can help you prioritize them, allocate resources, and build alliances.
Onboarding new suppliers doesn’t have to be complicated. Download a simple checklist to learn how easy it can be.
Your Legal Team Isn’t the Problem. Your Process Is. In a Jam Session special, legal experts Alissa Harvey Dawson (ex-HubSpot, Gusto) and Ana Erickson (ex-IBM, McKesson) join the hosts, Natasha and Conrad, to tackle the friction between Legal and Procurement. […]
Change any negative perceptions in your organization and earn increased involvement in deals.
Learn five best practices to develop smart procurement project management for your team to deliver significant outcomes.
Learn how your business can save time and shorten supplier onboarding times by eliminating manual processes and simplifying supplier questionnaires.
Negotiate better contracts for impact: tips for success in results-based agreements
Learn how supplier information management, supplier master data management, and vendor master data differ—and how they work together to improve supplier data.
Learn how to govern supplier bank, tax, legal-entity, and certification changes with risk-based workflows that reduce fraud and maintain compliance.
Explore 10 supplier master data management best practices to improve data quality, reduce duplicates, strengthen governance, and maintain accurate supplier records.
Compare the 10 best supplier master data management software options for 2027. Explore key features, capabilities, integrations, and buying considerations.
Learn how vendor master data governance unifies supplier records across ERP, eQMS, and CTMS platforms in Life Sciences to ensure compliance and data accuracy.
Discover how life sciences organizations can transition from static annual assessments to continuous vendor monitoring and supplier compliance to reduce audit risks and maintain audit-ready supplier management.
Discover how life sciences companies can transition from static annual assessments to continuous vendor monitoring and supplier compliance to reduce audit risks.
Streamline HCP engagement compliance with an automated readiness workflow covering license checks, FMV tiering, contracting, and payee activation.
Discover how life sciences leaders accelerate GxP supplier onboarding and qualification without compromising regulatory controls or governance.
Conrad streams from DPW Amsterdam and Zach joins from London to cut through "AI-native" marketing hype. They explain how true AI models will replace clunky middleware with natural language interfaces. After Conrad shares a surfing app he "vibe coded," they debate enterprise AI security. Their advice: stop panic-buying tech and start testing AI internally today.
Conrad, Natasha, and Zach tackle the biggest bottlenecks in cycle times: contracts and risk reviews. They explain how to eliminate redundant approvals and why treating all purchases identically creates time-wasting "risk theater". Learn how to categorize spend, skip unnecessary contracts, and build a strong partnership with Legal to speed up your process.
In Ep. 70, Conrad and former Adobe colleague Adam Lancaster explore the pivot from corporate procurement to real estate entrepreneurship. Adam shares his leadership hiring framework: EQ, data analytics, and critical thinking. They contrast management (execution) with leadership (vision). Adam also reveals how daily affirmations eliminated career "boogeymen" and drove massive success.
The hosts detail strategies to reduce PR to PO cycle times. They identify legal, security, and supplier onboarding as the primary process bottlenecks. Zach and Natasha advocate segmenting purchases by risk, utilizing P-cards and catalogs for high-volume, low-risk buys. Conrad stresses that CPOs must own the operating model and enforce strict cross-functional SLAs.
The hosts detail their executive decision-making frameworks. Zach shares a 5-step analytical process verified by Claude AI, focusing on evidence and flexibility. Natasha relies on intuition and political capital, arguing true altruism doesn't exist amidst short-term quarterly incentives. Conrad outlines a structured problem-solving method based on data and expert believability.
Conrad and Natasha record live to unpack core leadership philosophies. Natasha shares why "everything is rented"—from titles to teams—so leaders must be "great renters" who elevate others. They explore truth-telling over corporate spin, building a "personal board of directors" for peer support, and balancing head, heart, and hands to lead effectively.
Conrad and Zach explore AI's rapid evolution in procurement. They highlight "vibe coding," proving anyone can build custom tools using plain English. Still, Zach stresses that clear human requirements and judgment are irreplaceable.
Conrad, Zach, and Natasha debate AI's impact on executive decision-making. Natasha argues humans must remain the "master" to prevent intellectual laziness. Zach champions autonomous AI agents, believing human roles will naturally evolve to manage tech. Conrad warns against "autopilot" leadership, urging leaders to retain their intuition and accountability.
The hosts break down the core mechanics of executive decision-making. They explore powerful frameworks like Jeff Bezos's "one-way doors," Ray Dalio's believability weighting, and Colin Powell's 40/70 rule. The trio also debates data versus intuition, with Natasha explaining how "gut feelings" are actually rapid biological pattern recognition crucial for navigating tough people decisions.
