Supply Chain Now – "Solving Warehouse Execution Gaps in the SMB Market"

Host: Scott Luton
Guest: Kurt Huesner, CEO, Endpoint Automation Solutions
Date: February 11, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode zeroes in on one of the most pressing bottlenecks faced by small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs): warehouse execution. Host Scott Luton welcomes Kurt Huesner, an industry veteran and current CEO of Endpoint Automation Solutions, for a lively and insight-packed discussion on optimizing warehouse operations, investing in the right technologies, and building trust within SMBs. The conversation blends practical insights, personal anecdotes, and blueprint advice for SMB leaders who want to bridge the gap between inventory management dreams and executional reality.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Warehouses Matter – Especially for SMBs

• Quote:

  "When the warehouse becomes a bottleneck, you just can't do business. It's just that simple. If fulfillment can't keep up with growth, inventory numbers aren't trusted. Leadership is constantly reconciling discrepancies. And the phrase I hear most often is 'the system says we have it, but we can't find it.'"
  — Kurt Huesner [00:00]

• Insight:
  Kurt begins by highlighting how inventory inaccuracy and warehouse delays are existential threats for SMBs—often creating cascading effects through the rest of the organization.

2. SMBs: Direct, Appreciative, and Hungry for Value

• Key Themes:

  • SMB clients offer direct feedback and little bureaucracy; they value what works and are quick to recognize genuine improvement.
  • Kurt finds SMB engagements rewarding because feedback is honest, relationships are meaningful, and value delivered has an outsized impact.

• Quote:

  "SMBs don't buy software for aspiration. They buy it to fix pains that's costing them money today. Time to value is everything for them."
  — Kurt Huesner [09:39]

• Practical Lessons (for vendors and partners):

  • Time to value trumps feature set.
  • Adoption > Architecture.
  • Reliability > Novelty.
  • Keep it simple—especially with lean teams.

3. Evolving Technology for SMBs: Modular Solutions & Integration

• The Evolution:

  • Endpoint began as Scanco, deeply embedded in ERP platforms like Sage and Acumatica.
  • Now, it offers standalone solutions for companies whose warehouse needs surpass what’s provided in typical ERP modules.
  • Flexibility is crucial: sometimes integration with existing ERPs is best, other times a more independent WMS makes sense.

• Quote:

  "Traditional WMSs, you buy all in and you implement everything as one big implementation project … if you could approach it in a more modular way, start with the most measurable problem and expand from there, you're likely to have more success."
  — Kurt Huesner [17:20]

• Contrast:

  • Big-bang implementations versus staged, modular rollouts.

4. People First: Adoption and Change Management

• Core Advice:

  • Always tailor technology scope to team capacity and appetite for change.
  • Implementation must not paralyze operations; "don't stop orders from getting out the door." [18:15]
  • Successful transformation means the people—not solely the process—must be brought along.

• Quote:

  "You have to do it with your people, not to your people."
  — Scott Luton [19:23]

• Hidden Pitfall:

  • Teams without dedicated project/change management resources face unique challenges and need solutions respectful of their operational realities.

5. When Is It Time for a Dedicated WMS?

• Warning Signs (Telltale Red Flags):

  • Warehouse bottlenecks choke growth.
  • Inventory numbers cannot be trusted.
  • "The system says we have it, but we can’t find it."
  • Growth leads to manual workarounds (spreadsheets, extra inventory, overtime).
  • Team tension and manual interventions spike.

• Quote:

  "That’s not an ERP problem... somewhere in the tracking that's happening out in that warehouse is fundamentally where the problem is."
  — Kurt Huesner [32:02]

6. The Role of Barcoding and Classic Technologies

• Historical Context:

  • Barcoding's 50-year legacy—still the heart of warehouse operations.
  • Barcodes bridge the divide between physical action and digital record.

• Quote:

  "Barcodes are simple, reliable, and universally understood. They’ve endured over all the technology cycles ... every scan converts physical work into trusted digital data.”
  — Kurt Huesner [26:11]

• Outlook:

  • Barcoding remains foundational even as RFID, AI, and robotics are layered in.
  • Sequence matters: get your core barcode-driven WMS and trusted operational discipline down before automating further.

7. Community, Learning, and Giving Back

• Peer Community Initiative:

  • Endpoint Automation Solutions is building peer cohorts for SMB learning—connecting execs, managers, and workers to share strategies and real-world experience.
  • Program open for registration: endpointas.com/communities [41:21]

• Grant Program:

  • New grant initiative: Quarterly full-ride (software & implementation) for qualifying SMBs struggling to start their automation journey.
  • Application and documentary storytelling included: endpointas.com/operatorsgrant [45:07]

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• "Time to value beats feature depth every time. Adoption matters more than architecture. Reliability beats novelty. Simplicity wins…"
  — Kurt Huesner [09:39]

• "Options, especially proven options that work, are a great thing, Kurt, huh?"
  — Scott Luton [16:45]

• "Can the people on the team consume it in a way that they can execute in the same way, the same way or better than how they are today? … Start with where is that pain and what's the fastest way to success..."
  — Kurt Huesner [18:39]

• "The ERP is there to keep score. The WMS is there to run execution."
  — Kurt Huesner [20:03]

• "If your core data isn’t accurate, advanced automation just accelerates bad decisions. Start with simple."
  — Kurt Huesner [29:22]

• "Any high performing team… you can see it in them. They just trust each other to perform and they rely on each other and it’s very visible that that trust is there. … Going forward is going to help you to compete with the industry; going backward, probably doesn’t."
  — Kurt Huesner [35:39]

Memorable Anecdotes

• Rolling Stones at Jazz Fest:
  Kurt humorously recalled missing the Stones due to Mick Jagger’s health, only for things to work out the following year—underscoring the unpredictability (and rewards) of patience, both in music and transformation projects. [03:09]

• Barcoding Company Missed Opportunity:
  Kurt nearly started a barcoding-ticket business decades ago with his wife, reinforcing the enduring power of simple tech. [26:11]

Timing Guide to Major Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Opening: Why warehouses often become business bottlenecks | | 05:23 | Kurt's background & passion for SMBs and warehouse automation | | 08:59 | Lessons from scaling SMB-focused businesses | | 14:02 | Unique operational challenges and resource constraints for SMBs | | 15:25 | The evolution to modular, standalone warehouse solutions | | 17:20 | Difference between big-bang and modular WMS deployment | | 19:23 | Adoption and change management in warehouse tech | | 26:11 | The legacy and importance of barcoding in warehouse execution | | 29:22 | Integrating WMS with advanced tech: RFID, computer vision, robotics | | 32:02 | Signs it’s time to invest in dedicated WMS | | 41:21 | Launch of cohort-based learning community for SMBs | | 45:07 | New grant program for SMB warehouse tech adoption |

Actionable Takeaways

• For SMB Leaders:
  • Prioritize immediate, operational value in tech investments.
  • Scope implementations according to true pain points—don’t try to “boil the ocean.”
  • Involve and prepare teams for change, ensuring technology is adopted, not just installed.
  • Keep foundational technologies (barcoding, discipline, reliable process) strong before layering on complexity.
  • Take advantage of peer learning and new support programs (see links below).

How to Connect:

• Peer Community: endpointas.com/communities
• Grant Program: endpointas.com/operatorsgrant
• Connect with Kurt on LinkedIn: [LinkedIn Profile Search: Kurt Huesner]

This episode offers a treasure trove of real-world advice for SMBs battling warehouse execution challenges. With thoughtful, jargon-free wisdom and a genuine passion for customer success, Kurt Huesner delivered not just answers but a roadmap for practical, technology-enabled improvement in warehouse operations.