Apkudo's Podcast

Could a "Carfax for phones" eliminate billions in waste from the device supply chain?  Flavio Rossi, Apkudo advisor and wireless industry veteran with experience at T-Mobile, Asurion, and as co-founder of Rexy Resale, discusses the critical work of the CTIA Reverse Logistics and Service Quality Group. The challenge? Multiple grading languages create confusion and erode trust in device trading. "Yo...

Join Apkudo’s Allyson Mitchell (VP of Sustainability) as she welcomes Andrew Kroeger, Co-Founder of CypherBlk. Andrew reveals how his company solved what seemed impossible: testing and grading Apple Watches without a physical port. When Apple removed diagnostic ports from the Series 7, reverse logistics companies faced a crisis. Manual processes destroyed margins. Kroeger's background in data cent...

What happens when two specialized companies share data to create a complete technology ecosystem?  Join Apkudo’s Allyson Mitchell (VP of Sustainability) as she welcomes Josh Beasley. Josh serves as partner and president of both Quick Ship Brands and Early Upgrade, two companies operating within the Powered by Apkudo ecosystem. With over 20 years of combined company experience, Quick Ship specializ...

How do you successfully implement automation solutions across 30+ countries with different regulations, logistics challenges, and cultural expectations?   Join Apkudo’s Allyson Mitchell (VP of Sustainability) as she welcomes Charles Stewardson, Head of EMEA Implementation at Apkudo, who brings three decades of tech services experience to discuss the complexities of automation implementation. With...

How is real-time data keeping more phones out of landfills and in customers' hands? Join Apkudo’s Allyson Mitchell (VP of Sustainability) as she welcomes John Hebert, Executive Vice President for Technical Program Management, and Stephen Mattson, Director of Support and Training at Apkudo. The team reveals the complex world of device repair vendor management. With over 20 years in telecommunicatio...

How can data standardization drive both operational efficiency and environmental benefits?   Join Apkudo’s Allyson Mitchell (VP of Sustainability) as she welcomes Tim Esteb (Director of Customer Experience) back to the podcast to explore how one global tech enterprise revolutionized its IT asset recovery process. From warehouses filled with unused devices to a streamlined, automated system for man...

What happens when second-life tech becomes second nature for businesses and consumers?   Join Apkudo’s Allyson Mitchell (VP of Sustainability) as she introduces Second Sense, the newly rebranded podcast from Apkudo that dives deep into the complex world of mobile device supply chains and sustainable technology solutions. Allyson introduces this fresh take on device lifecycle management, exploring...

What if your sustainability initiative could simultaneously reduce costs, increase asset recovery, and support educational opportunities for underserved communities?     Join Apkudo’s Allyson Mitchell (VP of Sustainability) as she speaks with Ben Jones, Executive Vice President of Enterprise Takeback, about a transformative device recovery program implemented for a major US airline. Ben shares how...

"There's a huge opportunity to reclaim scarce resources through urban mining of what's inside these phones, tablets, laptops. We have to move away from the linear consumption model - take, make, waste - that we've had for 250 years." - Tony Altmann, Head of Circular Innovation at Apkudo   Join Apkudo’s Allyson Mitchell (VP of Sustainability) as she speaks with Tony Altmann, Head of Circular Innova...

How are leading companies transforming quality management from a cost center into a strategic advantage?   Join Apkudo’s Allyson Mitchell (VP of Sustainability) as she welcomes Manoj Sabhnani, Chief Operating Officer at Apkudo. With over 25 years in the wireless industry, Manoj illuminates the critical role quality managers play in determining a device's fate between its first and second life. Wit...

What simple technology integration nudges employees to return their old devices without disrupting their workflow, and how could it save your company thousands in lost assets?   Join Apkudo’s Allyson Mitchell (VP of Sustainability) as she chats with Mariel Wilding (Sr. Customer Experience Manager) about how a Fortune 100 company enhanced its sustainability initiatives with Apkudo’s Reco software....

Curious about why Europe lags behind the US in automated phone processing (15% vs 85%)? Hear how one company is bridging this technology gap.   Fergal Donovan, CEO and co-founder of Cyculus, joins us to discuss revolutionizing phone recycling and refurbishment through automated processing. Drawing from his 25 years of experience in the mobile industry, including significant roles at Motorola, Brig...

How does balancing human judgment with robotic precision revolutionize the device grading process in the secondary market?   In this episode, host Allyson Mitchell, VP of Sustainability at Apkudo, and Asa Gismervik, Apkudo’s Director Of Quality Assurance, discuss the challenges associated with cosmetic grading. The reality is that humans don't agree, which means humans and robots won't agree eithe...

In this episode, host Allyson Mitchell, VP of Sustainability at Apkudo, dives into a compelling customer story with guest Manoj Sabhnani, the COO of Apkudo. The conversation explores the transformation of connected devices, highlighting Apkudo's innovative automated device testing solutions that simulate real-world scenarios to preemptively address issues, thereby reducing costly returns and enhan...

Grant Cushny, Senior Director of Technical Delivery Management at Apkudo, takes us through his remarkable journey across continents and industries. In this episode: 0:00 Introduction and background Grant Cushny 1:09 Grant Cushny on the Connected Device Ecosystem 4:41 Significance of Q4 and Industry Impact of New Device Launches 10:36 Collaboration and Role of Returns Processors in Launches 17:10 O...

Consumer demand for sustainable products is at an all-time high, with 77% favoring eco-friendly options. In this episode, host Allyson Mitchell welcomes guest Tony Altmann, Leader of Circular Innovation at Apkudo. Allyson and Tony explore the critical role of circularity in the connected device industry and share how Apkudo delivers a sustainable solution for connected devices that benefits our cu...

Allyson Mitchell and Chad Gottesman, President of Apkudo, explore how effectively leveraging data in the connected device supply chain can help you gain a data advantage and propel your business forward.     Chad and Allyson discuss a case study demonstrating how machine learning and predictive modeling can drastically reduce device theft, translating into substantial annual savings. The conversat...

What if you could save money while being sustainable with your tech gadgets? Tim Esteb, Director of Customer Success at Apkudo, joins Apkudo’s VP of Sustainability, Allyson Mitchell, to unravel the untapped potential of employee purchase programs for connected devices. From their inception in 2017, these programs have transformed the management of remotely connected devices, gaining even more sign...