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Scott Luton

Passionate about sharing stories from across the global business world

Scott Luton is the Founder and CEO of Supply Chain Now (SCN), a prominent digital media platform dedicated to supply chain management. He has nearly 20 years of extensive experience in the end-to-end supply chain industry and has been recognized as a thought leader by various organizations, including RateLinx and ISCEA.12

Career Highlights

  • Supply Chain Now: Launched in May 2017, SCN features a popular podcast that ranks highly in over 60 countries and covers critical issues, best practices, and innovations within the supply chain sector.12
  • Publications: Scott's insights have been featured in major outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and USA Today.23
  • Atlanta Supply Chain Awards: He founded this initiative in 2019, which evolved into the global Supply Chain & Procurement Awards by 2022.1
  • Veteran Advocacy: A veteran of the United States Air Force, Scott is committed to serving the veteran community through various initiatives.12

Leadership Roles

  • Former Managing Partner at TalentStream: Before founding SCN, he was involved in talent acquisition for engineering and supply chain roles from 2016 to 2019.1
  • APICS Atlanta: He served on the board for over a decade, including two years as president, contributing significantly to local supply chain education and initiatives.12

Scott Luton continues to be a key figure in supply chain discussions and is known for his collaborative approach within the industry.

Highlights

Apr 20 · twitter

"The Key to Better Decision Making in Supply Chain Management" - - #supplychain #tech #news https://t.co/bGMlbYSQze https://t.co/z6AedgXFct

"The Key to Better Decision Making in Supply Chain Management" - - #supplychain #tech #news https://
Mar 21 · twitter

𝐀𝐈, 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐤, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐞’𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐆𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠

Sofia Rivas Herrera & I were joined by Dr. Yossi Sheffi on a recent Supply Chain Now podcast. We had a wonderful time discussing a variety of topics. From AI hype and the sustainability illusion to the brutal reality of risk-taking, this conversation wasn’t just about industry trends; it was about challenging the way we think. And nothing got a harder reality check than AI.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐈 𝐅𝐎𝐌𝐎 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦

AI is everywhere, and companies are scrambling to keep up. But according to Dr. Sheffi, they’re asking the wrong question.

Instead of asking, “What’s our AI strategy?” businesses should be asking, “What problem are we solving?” AI isn’t a strategy—it’s a tool.

Yet many companies treat it as one, just as they did with blockchain and China expansions. Without a clear business case, most AI initiatives are doomed to fail.

The takeaway? AI isn’t a magic fix. It’s only valuable when it has a purpose.

𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐤-𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐯𝐬. 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬

Dr. Sheffi pointed out that big companies often struggle with taking risks because they have more to lose. But avoiding risk altogether? That’s an even bigger mistake.

Amazon, Apple, Walmart, and FedEx all made massive bets that could have backfired. But they weren’t reckless. They tested, refined, and scaled only what worked.

And more importantly, they built cultures where failure wasn’t punished—because when companies punish risk-takers, they discourage not just one person, but everyone watching.

The companies that thrive aren’t the ones that never fail. They’re the ones that learn, adapt, and keep moving forward.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

Sustainability sounds great. Until people have to pay for it. Surveys show that 80-90% of consumers claim they’d choose sustainable products. But when it comes time to check out? Only 7-8% actually follow through.

That’s a wake-up call for businesses. If sustainability efforts drive up costs without delivering financial benefits, they won’t survive. And that's not even to mention the growing dilemma between sustainability priorities & the immense energy needs of AI everywhere.

However, the companies still getting it right aren’t just slapping “eco-friendly” labels on products; they’re baking sustainability into smarter operations. Cutting waste, eliminating empty miles, improving efficiency, etc all doesn’t just sound good. It saves money. And a successful sustainability approach can also create revenue opportunities.

Like AI, sustainability only works when it makes economic sense.

Tune in via YouTube: https://t.co/7r5F6Jt1v9

Or check it out on SCN via Apple Podcasts: https://t.co/5rYhGHaQKY

#supplychain #leadership #AI #sustainability #risk

𝐀𝐈, 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐤, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐞’𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐆𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐫

Related Questions

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Scott Luton
Scott Luton, photo 1
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Location

Atlanta Metropolitan Area