Ep. 38 - Poker Pro Turned Logistics CEO: What E-Commerce Gets Wrong About Fulfillment - Joshua Hegarty

E-commerce fulfillment is no longer just about storing stock and shipping parcels. Customer expectations are higher, delivery windows are tighter, and fulfillment partners are now expected to operate as an embedded part of the brand experience.KEY CONCEPTS COVERED:- How fulfillment providers differentiate beyond price and basic service- Why customer expectations are reshaping e-commerce logistics- How AI and operational data are changing fulfillment performanceIn this episode of Chain Reaction, Michael Ostroumov is joined by Joshua Hegarty, founder and CEO of Cloud9 Fulfillment, for a practical discussion on what it takes to build a fast-growing fulfillment business in a demanding e-commerce market. Joshua shares his unusual path from professional poker into logistics, explains how Cloud9 approaches customer service and operational performance, and outlines where AI and internal tooling are already changing how fulfillment businesses run.This episode is particularly relevant for e-commerce brands, fulfillment operators, logistics leaders, and anyone looking at how service, technology, and customer expectations are reshaping modern fulfillment. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NNsfHKXDN-o TIMESTAMPS:(0:00) - Introduction and guest overview(1:31) - Joshua's move from professional poker into fulfillment(3:15) - Why logistics appealed: scale, complexity, and problem-solving(5:25) - What makes Cloud9 Fulfillment different(7:34) - Customer expectations in today's fulfillment market(11:29) - Serving both growing SMEs and more complex customer needs(18:08) - Why Cloud9 built its own internal tech tools(21:57) - Practical AI use cases in fulfillment operations(24:50) - Claims handling, automation, and reducing manual touch points(28:12) - The future of AI, logistics, and operational efficiency(31:23) - Co-loading, network efficiency, and smarter logistics models(32:39) - Magic wand question: forecasting growth and planning aheadCONNECT WITH THE HOST & GUEST:Michael Ostroumov - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelostroumov/  Joshua Hegarty - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-hegarty-88345617a/ CONNECT WITH FLOX:Website: https://www.flox.is/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flox-logistics-services/ Related Service Page: https://www.flox.is/services/marketplace/ ABOUT THIS EPISODE:In this episode, Chain Reaction explores the realities of modern e-commerce fulfillment through the lens of a fast-growing UK fulfillment business. Joshua Hegarty of Cloud9 Fulfillment discusses customer expectations, operational discipline, service design, and the role of AI in reporting and workflow automation. The conversation also looks at the challenges of forecasting, scaling with customer growth, and building fulfillment services that feel like a genuine extension of the brands they support.#ChainReactionPodcast #SupplyChain #EcommerceFulfillment #Logistics #AIinLogistics