BTW EP 24: Phil-out Season Finale: A Procurement Roast With Purpose

After 23 episodes of dissecting procurement's incentive flaws, behavioral blind spots, and structural contradictions, the "Buy: The Way…To Purposeful Procurement" podcast team closes season one with something different: reflection, humor, a little chaos, and a first look at what comes next.

In this episode, Rich Ham seizes the mic for a surprise "hostile takeover," pulling Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner into a rapid-fire look back at the most memorable moments of the season. What follows is part game show, part roast, and part highlight reel. In short, the perfect way to close a project built on saying the quiet parts out loud.

Rich counts down his "top seven" insights from guests like Martin Chilcott, Thomas Udesen, Kate Vitasek, and Omid Ghamami, and the topics they discussed, from decarbonization realities to incentive design failures, from short-termism to purpose-driven procurement. 

The list captures what this season repeatedly revealed: procurement isn't held back by a lack of talent or ambition, but by systems and incentives that don't reflect the impact leaders know they can deliver.

This episode isn't just a retrospective. It also marks the transition from discovery to design. 

After months of interviews, research, and internal debate, the team announces what's next: The Buylaws – a set of guiding principles for a healthier, more purposeful procurement incentive system. Early 2026 will bring a new mini-series dedicated to unpacking each one of these recommendations.

As we've learned, procurement's potential is enormous, but potential becomes purpose only when incentives, behavior, and business outcomes finally align.

Links:
Rich Ham on LinkedIn
Learn more at FineTuneUs.com