# #331: 28 Days To Save The World: Lessons Learned from a Pandemic Month of Supply Chain Issues

- Show: [Global Medical Device Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast)
- Published: 2023-08-10
- Length: 1h 01m
- Episode: 331
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2023-08-10-331-28-days-to-save-the-world-lessons-learned-from-a-pandemic-month-of-supply-ch
- Listen: https://podcast.greenlight.guru/episode/331-28-days-to-save-the-world-true-quality-roadshow

## Summary

Dan Purvis, CEO of Velentium, explains how the company pivoted during the early pandemic to help General Motors and Ventec Life Systems scale ventilator production from 100 to 10,000 units per month. He details the extreme supply chain challenges, including buying $2 million in parts without a purchase order and using personal networks to source components, to reopen a GM plant in Kokomo, Indiana. Purvis emphasizes that this crisis validated Velentium's core culture of 'changing lives for a better world,' which enabled the team to commit to 16-hour workdays and deliver 30,000 ventilators over the summer. He argues that strong culture, clear vision, and principles-based leadership are more critical than strategic planning when facing existential threats.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2023-08-10-331-28-days-to-save-the-world-lessons-learned-from-a-pandemic-month-of-supply-ch#t=0) Introduction: Dan Purvis and Velentium's Mission
- [2:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2023-08-10-331-28-days-to-save-the-world-lessons-learned-from-a-pandemic-month-of-supply-ch#t=174) Dan Purvis's Background and Founding Velentium
- [5:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2023-08-10-331-28-days-to-save-the-world-lessons-learned-from-a-pandemic-month-of-supply-ch#t=319) The Pandemic Pivot: Scaling Ventilator Production with GM
- [10:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2023-08-10-331-28-days-to-save-the-world-lessons-learned-from-a-pandemic-month-of-supply-ch#t=618) Supply Chain Crisis: Buying Parts Without a PO
- [14:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2023-08-10-331-28-days-to-save-the-world-lessons-learned-from-a-pandemic-month-of-supply-ch#t=892) Cultivating Company Culture: Right Person, Right Seat
- [19:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2023-08-10-331-28-days-to-save-the-world-lessons-learned-from-a-pandemic-month-of-supply-ch#t=1191) The 'Slow, Fast, Slow' Framework for Leadership
- [27:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2023-08-10-331-28-days-to-save-the-world-lessons-learned-from-a-pandemic-month-of-supply-ch#t=1621) Leadership Philosophy: 'You Decide' and Principles Over Rules
- [39:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2023-08-10-331-28-days-to-save-the-world-lessons-learned-from-a-pandemic-month-of-supply-ch#t=2395) Financing Growth: Cash Flow, Ethics, and Customer Funding

## Topics

- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Velentium (company)
- General Motors (company)
- Ventec Life Systems (company)
- Green Light Guru (company)
- 28 Days to Save The World (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Building for Long-Term Success w/ Ron Speicher and David Craft](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-08-29-building-for-long-term-success-w-ron-speicher-and-david-craft) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [How I Built Resilience: Live with Susan Griffin-Black](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-04-09-how-i-built-resilience-live-with-susan-griffin-black) (How I Built This)
- [How a Strong Company Culture Leads Through Crisis with Dan Stutterheim](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-06-09-how-a-strong-company-culture-leads-through-crisis-with-dan-stutterheim) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [EMS@C-LEVEL Season #1 Episode #3 with Omnics Founder and CEO Akhil Oltikar](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2020-08-19-ems-c-level-season-1-episode-3-with-omnics-founder-and-ceo-akhil-oltikar) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [EMS@C-LEVEL Season #1 Episode #1 with Zollner's Markus Aschenbrenner](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2020-07-31-ems-c-level-season-1-episode-1-with-zollners-markus-aschenbrenner) (EMS@C-LEVEL)

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