Podcast Summary: SCN Best of 2025 – Amplifying Women’s Voices in Supply Chain: Liz Rahman with Supply Chain Gals

Podcast: Supply Chain Now
Host: Scott Lewton
Guest: Liz Rahman, Founder and CEO, Supply Chain Gals
Date: December 22, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the dynamic pathways of women in the supply chain industry, exploring how technology, mentorship, and inclusive communities are shaping the next generation of leaders. Guest Liz Rahman, a Forbes 30 under 30 leader and founder of Supply Chain Gals, shares her journey through roles at Home Depot, Nike, Amazon, and more, emphasizing the importance of career diversity, finding one’s voice, and fostering impactful industry networks. The conversation delves into actionable strategies for professional development, the importance of representation, and how organizations and individuals can open doors for women and minorities in supply chain careers.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Liz Rahman’s Career Journey

• Nontraditional Supply Chain Roles

  • Liz started in transportation at Home Depot, managed crisis operations during hurricanes [(05:14–06:54)], became a self-taught data analyst, and worked in pricing and assortment planning at Nike [(09:17)].
  • She currently holds a senior tech category manager role, which she calls her favorite due to the blend of all her accumulated skills [(05:14–06:07)].

• Learning and Growth Philosophy

  • Liz prides herself on leaning into discomfort as a growth strategy:
    “I always like to feel that discomfort because I feel like when you're uncomfortable, you're learning, you're growing, you're enhancing your leadership style.” [(07:14)]

2. Defining the Modern Supply Chain

• Liz emphasizes breaking the “traditional” mold:
  • “If you are part of an organization that delivers a product or service, you are part of the supply chain.” [(10:04)]
• The definition now encompasses areas like finance, analytics, and more—encouraging broader participation and perspectives [(10:04–12:01)].

3. The Importance of Being a Well-Rounded Leader

• Liz advocates for mixing operational and strategic experiences:
  • “I want to be in the middle where I understand the operations… and also be part of the forward-looking strategy.” [(13:05)]
• Early career advice was to pick one path, but she’s found blending both leads to more effective, enjoyable leadership [(13:05–13:50)].

4. Women in Supply Chain: The Why and the How

• Origins of Supply Chain Gals
  • Started with Liz posting job tips online for her younger sister; it grew when “so many women started reaching out… saying ‘I've never seen someone who looked like me in supply chain before.’” [(15:06)]
  • Mission: “If you can see it, you can be it.” [(15:06–16:43)]
• Addressing Representation & Empowerment
  • Visibility, mentorship, and creating inclusive spaces accelerate growth and retention for women and minorities [(17:38)].

5. Talent Pipeline and Next-Gen Leaders

• Tech and AI Shaping Entry-Level Roles

  • Entry jobs are “becoming more strategic, they're using more critical thinking” as AI takes over manual tasks [(19:24)].
  • Career development thus requires new frameworks, embracing change and continuous skill-building [(19:24–20:19)].

• Digital Natives and Organizational Expectation

  • Organizations must balance being progressive in tech adoption with effective change management [(21:09)].

• Industry Gaps: Need for Mentorship and Visibility

  • Critical to “provide visibility to the stories of women and allies… and invest the time mentoring others” [(17:38)].

6. About Supply Chain Gals: Mission and Activities

• Overview
  • Started as a media initiative and evolved into a nonprofit and professional association [(22:17)].
  • Hosts case competitions, mentorship circles, networking events, data analytics roundtables, and workshops [(22:17–23:07)].
• Accessible Community
  • “Supply Chain Gals makes it accessible for people who have never had experience supply chain to taste it, to get involved, to meet people, to learn more about it.” [(24:25)]
• Amplifying Voices
  • Not only does the group boost newcomers, but it also helps established professionals find their voice:
    “Speaking at our events has helped them grow their confidence and find their voice so that they can navigate their way to promotions and up the corporate ladder.” [(24:25)]

7. Finding and Using Your Voice

• Life-Changing Benefits
  • “Helping these individuals find their voice is changing the industry but also changing their lives, which is pretty incredible to see.” [(26:37)]
• Actionable Advice
  • Getting uncomfortable is part of finding your voice and growing in your career [(27:04–27:41)].

8. Career & Professional Advice

• Staying Prepared Amid Layoffs and Uncertainty
  • “The best thing people can do is to stay prepared. And I think the best way to do that is by building meaningful relationships, not just quick connections for when you need a referral…” [(27:41)]
• Quality Over Quantity in Networking
  • Meaningful, deeper relationships are more important than broad but shallow networking:
    “Getting to know people on a human level… helps build those meaningful connections.” [(29:30)]
• Career Roadmap Strategy
  • Don’t just focus on your next role—“think about maybe not the next job that you want to do, but the job three or four down the road,” identify missing skills, and invest in closing those gaps [(30:48–31:36)].
• Continuous Self-Investment
  • “It's really important to take that time to invest in yourself and be thoughtful about how you want to allocate your time at work.” [(32:40)]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On discomfort as a tool for growth:
  “When you're uncomfortable, you're learning, you're growing, you're enhancing your leadership style.”
  — Liz Rahman [(07:14)]

• On representation in supply chain:
  “If you can see it, you can be it… I feel like I belong. I feel like I can pursue a career in this now.”
  — Liz Rahman [(15:06)]

• On balancing operational & strategic roles:
  “I kind of want to be a little bit of both. I want to be in the middle where I understand the operations and the execution… and I also want to be part of the forward-looking strategy.”
  — Liz Rahman [(13:05)]

• On building the talent pipeline:
  “I think it's just really important to provide visibility to the stories of women and allies, minorities who haven't traditionally been in supply chain, to make people feel like it's more attainable for them.”
  — Liz Rahman [(17:38)]

• On networking and career preparation:
  “Building meaningful relationships, not just quick connections for when you need a referral or help with an interview. It's planting those seeds now.”
  — Liz Rahman [(27:41)]

• On finding your voice:
  “Helping these individuals find their voice is changing the industry but also changing their lives, which is pretty incredible to see.”
  — Liz Rahman [(26:37)]

Important Timestamps

• 00:00–02:12: Introduction; changes in entry level supply chain due to AI
• 05:14–09:17: Liz’s early career at Home Depot (hurricanes, data analytics) & Nike
• 10:04–12:01: Broadening the definition of supply chain, holistic skills
• 13:05–14:04: Importance of being a well-rounded leader
• 15:06–16:43: Liz’s “why” for women in supply chain and starting the Supply Chain Gals community
• 19:24–20:19: Impact of tech on entry roles and career complexity
• 22:17–23:07: Supply Chain Gals—overview, activities, and events
• 24:25–25:40: Amplifying women’s voices and success stories through community
• 27:41–28:38: Tips for staying prepared in uncertain times—networking with intention
• 30:48–32:40: Career roadmaps and investing in skill development

How to Connect with Supply Chain Gals

• Social: Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn [@SupplyChainGals]
• Membership: Annual and monthly member options with access to resources and events
• Contact Liz: @itslizrahman on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn

Closing Takeaways

This episode delivers practical guidance and inspiration for women and allies navigating the evolving landscape of supply chain. Liz Rahman exemplifies the power of building community, continuous learning, seeking discomfort for personal and professional growth, and leveraging diverse experiences to drive industry change. Her call to action: “Find that voice and share it and get uncomfortable because that's usually a big part of the process of finding that inner voice.” [(27:04)]

Action item from Scott Lewton:
“Take one thing Liz shared, put it into practice. That’s how things happen. Deeds, not words.”