Voices of the Network: Elle Shrefler, Senior VP of Operations at Odom Corp

Welcome to Voices of the Network, where we sit down with today’s industry leaders to discuss the state of the industry, their role within it, and how they are working with their teams to shape the future of beverage.

In this insightful interview with The Odom Corporation’s Senior Vice President of Operations, Elle Shrefler, she unravels her journey through the beverage industry, reminisces about the good times and her greatest challenges, and zooms in on the people who inspired passion in her career path. She also shares her perspectives on where the industry’s been, where it’s headed, and how technology is helping the beverage industry grow and thrive. 

Q: Explain your role at Odom. How would you explain it to a first-grader?

A: I am the Senior Vice President of Operations for Odom, where I have the opportunity to lead an incredible team. Odom is a family-owned beverage distributor in the Pacific Northwest. For those unfamiliar with the three-tier system, I explain to people outside of the industry that it’s my job to ensure that the beverages you want to purchase are stocked on the shelves at the store or at the restaurant you’re at.

Q: What is the biggest misconception people have about what you do?

A: I don't think anyone realizes how many people actually touch a case of product before it gets into the consumer's hands. The supply chain needed to get a 6-pk of beer or soda on a shelf is more than most would think.

Q: Tell us about your journey in the industry. How did you get started and how did you get to where you are now?

A: If someone had asked me 20 years ago if I ever thought I'd be in the beverage industry, I would have said absolutely not! It wasn’t even an avenue that I was pursuing. With my undergrad in Finance, and working through High School and College outside of that field, an internship was my best introduction to the world of finance which would unknowingly change everything! With an internship in procurement at MolsonCoors, it was my foot in the door to this industry.

I took in everything that I could learn, continued my internship after the summer, and was hired on as a financial analyst when I graduated. From there, I learned that the only constant about this industry is change! I experienced the JV creating MillerCoors, moved from finance to pricing, then an area sales manager role, business analyst, and project manager supporting import/export and innovation. I was always curious and hungry to learn more. I asked a lot of questions, I was very engaged in networking events and any opportunity to grow my knowledge. I moved into an Operations Manager role, then as a Revenue Director for the Pacific Region before stepping over to the distributor side. Taking all the skills and knowledge from the supplier side, I was able to translate that and learn the distribution side of the business.

It was different, but engaging, and fast with the ability to drive change being very exciting. For me, when the opportunity arose to come to Odom, it was an easy answer. To work for an incredible family with strong roots and a continued desire for growth, the last five years have been nothing short of exhilarating and hard work. Covid showed people the complexity and sensitivity of our supply chain, something we are still working through to this day. I love what I do and the people I get to work with!

Q: Who have some of your mentors been over the years?

A: I would say the first mentor I had in this business was Jami McDermott, she was the Regional Vice President at MillerCoors and an incredibly educated, motivating, encouraging woman who I saw push through barriers and own her business. Mike Pfalmer, from Keg One, took me under his wing and taught me so much about what makes this industry so spectacular. Brian Erhardt, COO MolsonCoors, pushed me to grow and see more within myself. There have been many individuals over the course of my career who have played such important roles in who I am today in my career and as a working mom. Also, having strong, powerful women in my life encouraging, motivating, and challenging me, has been life-changing.

Q: What is the hardest lesson you've had to learn and how has it made you stronger?

A: The hardest choices and decisions put in front of you, end up being the opportunities that drive the most growth and offer the greatest blessings. Change is constant and things outside of our control occur all the time, and what I've learned is it's how you choose to respond to those events that build your character into the best version of yourself. A better person, a better leader, a better co-worker, and a better peer. 

I like to call it failing forward. If you're not trying something new and if you're not doing something new, then you're just stagnant. And if you fail, then take that as an opportunity to have learned something which in turn makes you better in whatever you're doing next. 

Q: What do you believe is your professional superpower and how did you come to this conclusion?

A: My professional superpower is tenacity. It's the leadership trait I rely on most because it often makes the crucial difference between success and failure. When faced with adversity and chaos, my response is marked by unwavering determination, courage, persistence, and strength. I thrive in problem-solving scenarios where quick action is essential, leveraging my tenacity to drive solutions forward swiftly and effectively. In every challenge, I embody genuine character, believing it to be the ultimate source of power.

Q: What would you choose if you had to pick one drink to drink for the rest of your life? And what about one drink you wish you had never tried?

A: Coffee and Coffee! I didn’t start drinking coffee until my early 30s and now I can’t start my day without it. There's something comforting about having a morning ritual, especially when it involves a warm cup of coffee.

Q: What do you believe is the most important trend in the industry, and why?

A: Data. There's so much out there and continues to be such a commodity with value. So many different solutions are available to evaluate every part of the business, and while that can be beneficial to the bottom line, we can lose sight of the bigger picture. Decisions have to be made, and not in silos of data. The beverage industry has been behind the IT curve for years, and now it seems like everyone is jumping in to provide insights.  

From a product standpoint, SKU proliferation is an ongoing trend that will continue to evolve. One area where we must improve, particularly as CPG companies have already done, is in phasing out underperforming products. We often hesitate to discontinue products due to concerns about losing niche customers. However, if a product is not profitable and does not align with our strategic objectives, it is essential that we remove it from our portfolio.

Q: What trend do you feel will be old news in the next couple of years?

A: The beverage industry is ever evolving with some trends that are here to stay, and others that become stagnant, so to speak.  Health and wellness, low or no-alcohol, and premiumization will continue. Non-traditional beverages, such as ready-to-drink cocktails, hard seltzers, and plant-based milk alternatives will continue to penetrate the market as well.

One trend that is likely to become "old news" in a few years will be warehouses trying to go with more automation and the current limitations that WMS or RAS have by not being able to easily integrate.

Q: What steps have you taken to create a better work environment for yourself, and your team—how has technology been involved in that?

A: Focusing on working smarter, not harder, has been key to improving our work environment, and technology has played a significant role in that. As our company has grown, so have the expectations of our team members. It's important to remember that we’re in the business of selling amazing beverages—while our work is important, it's not life-saving. This perspective helps us set healthy boundaries and maintain balance.

We leverage technology not as a crutch but as a tool to simplify our tasks and make our lives easier. It's designed to enhance efficiency, so we actively use the available systems, data, and tools to improve our processes. It also allows us to reallocate resources to more value-add positions. Being a large organization, we have the flexibility to pilot new technologies on a smaller scale, refine them, and then implement them more broadly across the company.

Q: How do you see technology changing to advance the industry?

A: One of the most significant advancements technology will bring, particularly for Odom, is the ability to break down silos within the organization. While there are impressive analytics and dashboarding tools available, they often present only a partial view of the situation, which can lead to biased interpretations. By integrating all data into a unified system, we gain a comprehensive perspective that enables us to see the entire picture. From an operations standpoint, this holistic approach enhances accountability, allowing us to pinpoint exactly where issues occur and address them more effectively.

Q: Where do you see the most promising opportunities for growth in the industry?

A: One of our key focuses should be simplifying our business operations. We've overcomplicated various aspects, and it's time to return to the basics—whether in portfolio management, purchasing strategy, technology, or revenue management. It's crucial that we prioritize effectively. While Odom is committed to exceptional customer service, we must also consider the costs of over-servicing and evaluate where the true value lies. As an industry, we're collectively navigating these challenges, and it's important that we collaborate to find balanced solutions.

About The Encompass & Odom Partnership:

In 2023, The Odom Corporation, a family-owned business distributing premium beverages in Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Hawaii, selected Encompass Technologies as their strategic technology partner to provide a platform of next-generation beverage solutions. The Encompass platform includes full enterprise management applications for the supply chain including resource planning, warehouse management, logistics, eCommerce, sales execution and optimization, and more. Marking a new chapter in Odom’s mission to market and distribute premium beverages for the mutual reward and growth of their customers, suppliers, and employees, Odom decided to deploy the platform to support Odom’s 27 locations and over 1,935 employees. 

Visit encompasstech.com/the-odom-corporation for more information.