Why Spreadsheets are Killing Your Supply Chain

Spreadsheets are no longer fit for purpose in modern supply chains, and the cost of clinging to them is measured in lost revenue, excess inventory, and missed growth opportunities. Justine Kohli, co-founder of True Gradient, reveals that the real problem isn’t data scarcity—it’s decision-making paralysis caused by fragmented, manual systems. Drawing from her experience at Amazon and Walmart, she explains how mid-market brands are trapped between enterprise-grade tools that are too expensive and spreadsheets that can’t handle dynamic demand, multiple channels, and real-time pricing shifts. The solution? AI-native planning systems that connect demand, inventory, and pricing in a single, intelligent operating system. True Gradient’s mobile-first, agentic AI approach transforms supply chain planning from a periodic, desk-bound chore into a continuous, conversational, and action-driven process—putting enterprise-grade intelligence in the palm of a founder’s hand. The future belongs not to those with the biggest warehouses, but to those who make smarter, faster, and more connected decisions. The episode delivers a clear call to action: stop treating inventory planning as an operational task and start viewing it as a strategic decision-making challenge. Founders must shift from reactive, spreadsheet-driven cycles to proactive, AI-empowered orchestration.