by Janice Marquardt | May 26, 2026 | Conferences, Creative Solutions
For a utility conference, the keynotes were shockingly (refreshingly?) non-utility. I just got back from the Utility Supply Management Alliance (USMA) conference in Florida, and what an interesting conference! I got done typing my notes from the four (!) keynotes at...
by Janice Marquardt | May 5, 2026 | Conferences
Conference season is in full swing! Do you have any good ones on your itinerary? When I was in charge of a team, I used to task team members who went to conferences with coming back and presenting what they learned to the group. We didn’t go to many conferences at the...
by Janice Marquardt | Apr 28, 2026 | Creative Solutions
“AI can draft, or edit, but it can’t do both.” This is the best summary I’ve heard of large language models so far, and struck me as simple and profound. My brother uttered this phrase at a recent small family gathering, where we had gathered to celebrate my father’s...
by Janice Marquardt | Feb 3, 2026 | Definitions, e-Auctions
There’s SO MUCH excitement around this technology. Every other message on internet networks mentions it. Every conference talk has to include it or no one attends or listens. It’s going to revolutionize procurement and change how we serve customers, interact with...
by Janice Marquardt | Oct 21, 2025 | Creative Solutions, Processes
People often tell me starting their own business is their dream. They imagine a world with fewer meetings, more control over their own schedule, and being their own boss. While all these things are somewhat true, there’s definitely a “the grass is greener” effect in...
