A View from the Top of the Deal Table: AI, Supply Chain, and the Next Wave of Value

Supply chain technology has been evolving rapidly, but the biggest shifts in operational excellence may still be unfolding. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton and Wiley Jones are joined by Ben Gordon, founder and managing partner of Cambridge Capital LLC. Together, they explore what it truly means to scale businesses in the global supply chain, from workflow automation and AI-driven predictive pricing to strategic M&A and operational leadership. Ben draws on nearly 25 years of experience investing in, building, and advising supply chain companies, including XPO, Greenscreens, and Everest. He makes the case for focusing relentlessly on “the one big thing,” executing with discipline, and using technology not just to cut costs but to enable growth. He also unpacks how AI and workflow automation are transforming logistics operations, creating triple-win outcomes for teams, customers, and the broader ecosystem. Ben shares the leadership principles that guide him: integrate external insights, be brutally honest in self-assessment, “simplify, focus, execute”, and know when bold, strategic moves are needed. He also highlights the importance of operational rigor and culture, demonstrating how leaders can turn competitors into partners and make businesses indispensable to customers. Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Intro (02:51) Deep Supply Chain Roots (05:08) Advisory vs. Growth Capital (06:38) Three Top-of-Mind Market Trends (11:33) Practical Value of AI in Logistics (14:47) Growth Focused Approach Not Cost Cutting (16:40) Leadership and Operational Discipline Create Value (19:19) Brad Jacobs Scaling Playbook Revealed (24:27) Volatility Demands Focus and Execution (28:21) Investors’ Perspective on Tech Opportunities (31:15) Founder Reality Check Lessons Learned (35:11) Market Skepticism & The SaaSpocalypse (39:56) Who Wins and Scales Long Term (43:39) Final Advice Start With Outside In (48:13) BGSA Deals Pipeline and Highlights (51:59) Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing Additional Links & Resources: Connect with Ben Gordon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bengordon18/ Connect with Wiley Jones: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wileycwjones/ Learn more about Cambridge Capital LLC: https://www.cambridgecapital.com/ Learn more about Doss: https://www.doss.com/ Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/ WEBINAR- The Expanding Role of Supply Chain Optimization Teams in Driving Business Impact: https://bit.ly/3PHRAAf WEBINAR- AI that moves at velocity: Cut through latency with agentic workflows: https://bit.ly/4x4626t This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/top-of-the-deal-table-ai-supply-chain-next-wave-value-1597 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at [email protected]© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.