From Toilet Paper Shortages to Supply Chain Success: Nathan Chaney’s Journey
The supply chain industry has never been more visible to the general public than it was during COVID-19. Suddenly, empty shelves and toilet paper shortages made everyone an overnight logistics expert. But for Nathan Chaney, founder of Supply Chaney, the pandemic was just another chapter in a career dedicated to connecting people, ideas, and solutions across the supply chain ecosystem.
In a recent podcast conversation, Nathan shared insights into his entrepreneurial journey, the real reasons behind those infamous toilet paper shortages, and how he’s building a multi-faceted business that’s becoming a go-to resource for supply chain professionals worldwide.
The Accidental Supply Chain Expert
Nathan’s story begins with a scholarship application and a bold claim about wanting to reduce the cost of solar panels to make the world greener. While that environmental mission didn’t pan out exactly as planned, it set the foundation for a career focused on making a difference through logistics and supply chain management.
“I got the scholarship and lots of others, and so that all worked out,” Nathan reflects. “But that’s not ultimately what I did. I think it did help tell the future of the fact that I just wanted to make a difference with what I was doing in logistics and supply chain.”
After earning his degree in logistics and supply chain management, Nathan spent his first decade in the industry learning the ropes at various companies, including a stint at Texas Instruments where he experienced Fortune 250 corporate life, and later at an autonomous truck company in Silicon Valley where he ran field operations.
The Entrepreneurial Leap
Two and a half years ago, Nathan finally scratched that entrepreneurial itch. He started with consulting in the 3PL world, launched a freight brokerage, and then discovered his true calling: content creation and community building.
“I started making YouTube videos, and then I realized that all the real content creators had podcasts, so I started a podcast,” he explains. This led to his mission statement for Supply Chaney: to be a “creative, connected and capable supply chain resource.”
Solving the Toilet Paper Mystery
One of the most fascinating parts of the conversation was Nathan’s explanation of why toilet paper, of all things, became the poster child for supply chain disruptions during COVID-19. The answer isn’t what most people think.
“Toilet paper is a super duper commodity that sees no seasonality,” Nathan explains. “There’s not more toilet paper bought at Christmas time than other times of the year. So the production supply chains are optimized for zero variation, no changes in demand and supply signals.”
The real issue was the existence of two completely separate supply chains: commercial toilet paper (those large rolls you see in offices and public restrooms) and residential toilet paper. When everyone stopped going to offices during lockdowns, there was suddenly a massive surplus in the commercial channel and an unexpected spike in residential demand.
“The commercial size products would be at your office, and then the residential size products would be at your home,” Nathan notes. “During COVID, everyone stopped going into public places where the commercial size toilet papers would be, so now there was all this supply going down this commercial channel.”
The production systems couldn’t quickly switch between these different formats, and consumer panic buying amplified the problem. “You bought the equivalent amount of toilet paper as you would in six months, in one trip,” Nathan observed.
Building a Supply Chain Empire
Today, Supply Chaney encompasses multiple components designed to connect supply chain professionals and share knowledge across the industry:
The Supply Chain Social Club features virtual meetings for different specialties:
- Warehousing After Dark
- Global Trade Cafe (positioned at 10am Central to include European participants)
- The Source (for procurement professionals)
- Late Night Freight (transportation focus)
- Revenue Roundtable
The Newsletter takes a unique crowdsourced approach, featuring contributions from subject matter experts across eight different supply chain disciplines. Nathan has assembled contributors with a combined reach of approximately 273,000 supply chain professionals on LinkedIn.
The Freight Brokerage focuses on heavy haul, oversize, high value, and high critical shipments, providing a steady foundation for the broader business.
Event Coverage and Content Creation positions Nathan as the go-to person for supply chain events, with a Monday morning livestream he calls “Good Morning America, but for supply chain events.”
The Name Behind the Brand
In a delightful twist, Nathan reveals that “Chaney” wasn’t his birth name. Born Nathan Gonzalez, he became Nathan Chaney when his stepfather entered his life at age four. The name change became official when a DMV visit at age 15 revealed mismatched documents—his birth certificate said Gonzalez, but his Social Security card said Chaney.
“If I was truly going to be born to do this, then the little sign on the wall back here would say Supply Gonzalez, which doesn’t quite have the same ring to it,” he jokes.
Economic Indicators and Industry Insights
Nathan offers two interesting barometers for economic health. His personal indicator involves driving around at night and counting broken lights in business signs. “If Walmart is just like ‘Wal-whatever,’ then it’s a sign that there’s not money in the system to quickly get those lights back up,” he explains.
More conventionally, he points to rail loadings as a leading economic indicator. “Trains move all the cars, all the lumber, all the infrastructure materials, the iron and coal. How many train loads are being loaded and moved on a given day or given week is an indication” of economic health.
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
For young entrepreneurs entering the supply chain space, Nathan’s advice is refreshingly practical: don’t rush it.
“There’s a time and place where all the pieces of the puzzle start to fall in place, and you’re going to be at the best possible position to go be that entrepreneur that you’ve always wanted to be,” he advises. “Practice those entrepreneurial concepts while you’re working for other people.”
He emphasizes the importance of networking and being open to learning from everyone. Quoting Bill Nye, he says, “Every person you ever meet knows something that you don’t. Never shy away from the opportunity to talk to someone, meet someone new, because you never know when that next conversation is going to be the launch point for the next big thing in your life.”
Finding Work-Life Balance (Or Not)
When asked about work-life balance while managing multiple business components, Nathan’s answer reflects his genuine passion for the work: “I don’t much. I just think and love what I’m doing.”
He references the Japanese concept of ikigai—the intersection of what you’re good at, what the world needs, what you enjoy, and what you can make a living at. “When you find that, it doesn’t feel like work. If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”
The Future of Supply Chain
Nathan’s journey illustrates how the supply chain industry has evolved from a behind-the-scenes operation to a front-and-center business function. As he notes, “Since COVID, everyone’s a supply chain expert. Most guests on my podcast basically say, since COVID time, my parents or my family now know what I do.”
Through Supply Chaney, Nathan is building more than a business—he’s creating a community and knowledge-sharing platform that helps professionals across the supply chain ecosystem connect, learn, and grow together. In an industry that literally makes modern civilization possible, having connectors like Nathan Chaney ensures that the people moving our world forward can learn from each other and build better systems for all of us.
Whether he’s explaining the complexities of toilet paper supply chains or connecting warehouse managers with procurement professionals halfway around the world, Nathan Chaney exemplifies how passion, authenticity, and a genuine desire to help others can transform not just a career, but an entire industry ecosystem.
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