Between Two Ferns – A Parody

 

If you’ve ever seen the show Between Two Ferns, with Zach Gailfankias, you may already know where I’m headed with titling this Between 2 Screens. For those of you who don’t, let me explain.

It’s a brilliant Emmy-Award winning show, where Zach very awkwardly interviews guests like Bradly Cooper, Hillary Clinton, Will Ferrell, and other celebrities.

The set intentionally resembles a low-budget amateur production for public-access television, with on-screen graphics containing deliberate comedic errors.

It’s a fun and quick-witted show where Zach and guests share insults, jabs, and inappropriate moments. Which made me think, why hasn’t someone tried to do this in the business world?!

It’s the perfect idea for making the seemingly boring business interview, a rollercoaster ride that keeps you hanging to the edge of your seat!

So check out Ms. Category Management’s (MCM) written version titled – Between 2 Screens! Which just might turn into a video series, interviewing some of your favorite business professionals!

Between 2 Screens with Victoria Vitale

(No Relation to Queen Victoria)

 

Q – You started fresh out of college with a career in procurement as a Sourcing Manager, despite a degree in Business Administration (Marketing and Accounting). What drove you to make such a mistake?

V – Well, technically I had one job before I started working in procurement. But still, you’re right, I’ve spent most of my career in procurement… a function that I hadn’t known existed, Long story short- I worked for a supplier as the on-site operations manager for Johnson & Johnson’s (outsourced, obviously) contingent labor program. I had an opportunity to do a special project within procurement supporting the global contingent labor category, and I did some cool shit and worked with some cool people. 

 

Q – Knowing a procurement career wasn’t your best decision, what has kept you in the role for almost 8 years? 

V – This is easy. First of all, procurement saves money, who doesn’t love that? Procurement is also an on-going cycle of learning new things, communicating well with people, and knowing the numbers. 

 

Q – What’s the biggest deal or largest amount of money you’ve negotiated out of the starving pockets of suppliers?

V – My first big RFP was for 150 million dollars of talent mobility services. But one of the coolest RFPs I’ve ever supported was a one billion dollar global contingent labor RFP… that one shook shit up. 

 

Q – Do you feel bad for exposing business partners 10-20 years your senior, who are horrible negotiators and deal makers?

V- LOL – No! I don’t think they’re bad negotiators at all! Some, if not all, of the best negotiators I’ve learned from, were those who had way more experience than me. 

 

Q – You’re a writer in procurement, what motivated you to create your own website and continue to write/build your brand? Do you regret that choice?

This may sound weird but I think about procurement all the time. What won’t sound as weird is that not a lot of my friends want to talk about procurement. So I started writing articles to at least get the thoughts fully baked and out on paper. Then I posted them and random people liked them. That’s when I realized procurement skills are good for every/any one to know… negotiating, evaluating, contracting, relationship building. So I just kept writing. I also try to keep my writing relatable so it could be helpful to anyone reading it, not just people in procurement. 

 

Q – You’re part of the infamous generation of Millennials in the workplace. Do you think Millennials get a bad rap and do you feel bad for your contribution to it?

V – Yes and yes. I’m actually a really old soul but I am also a blatant millennial. You can’t fault us for our odd sense of  – entitlement, we are victims of our circumstances growing up with the crazy access to information and technology. But you have to admit that millennials are ballsy AF and that fearlessness can lead to a big payoff or a huge miss, but that’s a risk millennial are willing to take. 

 

Q – You moved from NJ to SF and started a new job in the middle of a pandemic – what advice do you have for others wanting to do the same and put their lives at stake for a new position?

V – Drama queen up in here with these questions! I don’t think you’re putting your life at stake by moving during a pandemic. And to be honest I’m really lucky to have been able to move and start my new job when a lot of people were being furloughed and laid off. My only real advice would be, masks/gloves/Lysol wipes and take route 80. 

 

Q – What advice would you have to other women in the workplace? Brush up on their typing skills? Make sure to wear make-up even on zoom calls? 

V – Honestly, I don’t even know that I’m ready to give advice on this yet because I’m still figuring it out myself. What I will say is that I’ve been lucky enough to see a lot of awesome female leaders in procurement, and I take that as a good sign. 

 

Q – You remind me of myself, but ten years younger, better looking, and further ahead in her career. Therefore, I have to ask – how much pressure do you feel in being my protégé?

V – HAHA! It’s a lot of pressure to be completely honest. But as you know our weird love of procurement keeps me going.

That’s it for the first-ever version of Between 2 Screens!

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