Gorgeous Girls In Supply Chain: Lexi Farris-Coomes
Welcome to our series celebrating the incredible women in Supply Chain and Logistics! In a traditionally male-dominated field, it's important to shine a light on the inspiring women who are making a significant impact. Through a mix of insightful and fun questions, we’ll explore their journeys, challenges, and successes. While we acknowledge the contributions of everyone in this industry, this series aims to elevate the voices and stories of women who often get missed. Lexi Farris-Coomes is our next feature.
LEXI FARRIS-COOMES
Lexi and I are relatively new friends, but she sent me a super supportive message one day and I was like, this woman is my people. She's smart, witty and refreshingly honest, and a fellow reality TV fan, which is how I knew we'd get along. Lexi is Head of Operations at Chain, and she landed in this industry the way so many of us did, completely by accident, jumping from financial sales into a 3PL office. By her own admission, she's spent years staying out of the women in logistics conversation because she'd rather just be known as someone who's really good at her job (which she is), but lately she's decided that staying quiet isn't helping either, and I'm here for it. Plus she has three fur-workers named Tod, Leo and Oreo, so obviously we align.
What is your current role and company?
Head of Operations at Chain
How did you end up in the world of supply chain?
I was working in financial sales when I was recruited to join Worldwide Express, a 3PL with its truckload office in Overland Park, Kansas. I made the switch knowing virtually nothing about logistics and had to learn the industry from the ground up. I joined right around the time ELDs were being introduced, and I remember not even understanding why they were such a big deal to drivers, which tells you just how much I had to learn.
Looking back, a 3PL was one of the best places I could have started because it exposed me to so many different parts of the logistics process. Before I was even allowed to start selling, I spent time with billing, carrier sales, pricing, logistics coordinators, and other teams, actually learning their jobs before stepping into my own. That experience gave me a much broader understanding of the industry than I realized I was getting at the time, and it built the foundation for everything I’ve done in logistics since.
What is your favourite part of your work day?
My favorite part is probably the variety. I love being able to identify a problem or an opportunity and then figure out how to make it better. Working at a startup means my day can look completely different from one day to the next. I might be working on an event, digging into reporting, building a new process, helping our sales team, or jumping into something I had no idea would be on my plate that morning. I really enjoy getting to work across different parts of the business and seeing an idea turn into something tangible.
What is the least favourite part of your work day?
My least favorite part is probably having to prioritize. I tend to see a lot of things I want to improve or ideas I want to run with, and there are only so many hours in a day. Especially at a growing company, there is always something else you could be building, fixing, or making better. You have to focus on the non-sexy things before the fun-sexy things.
What is a systemic issue in your part of the supply chain that concerns you currently?
One systemic issue that concerns me is how often technology is sold before it is truly ready to solve the problem it promises to solve. This feels especially relevant with the number of AI startups entering supply chain right now. There is so much pressure to move fast and make big promises, but customers shouldn't be paying to beta test a product or waiting 12 months to see an ROI.
I think the research has to happen before you build and sell. Talk to the people doing the work, understand where the actual pain points are, and build something that solves a real problem from day one. From there, absolutely continue to grow and evolve with your customers, but there should already be tangible value in what you're selling today.
How would you address it if you had the power, money, or influence?
If I had the influence to change it, I’d push for more transparency from technology companies and more diligence from buyers. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having a roadmap. Technology should continue to evolve, and your customers should absolutely influence where it goes next. The problem is when there isn’t a clear distinction between what is built and working today and what is planned for the future. Buyers should be asking harder questions about what is live today, what results current customers are actually seeing, and what is still on the roadmap. On the other side, technology companies should be comfortable saying, “We don’t do that yet,” rather than selling a future version of the product just to close a deal. Customers should know exactly what they’re buying today and be able to see value from it without waiting a year for the product they thought they already bought.
What is one piece of advice you have for young women entering your field?
Imposter syndrome is real, and one of the biggest things I’ve learned is that feeling uncomfortable doesn’t mean you’re not capable. A lot of the people you look up to or assume have everything figured out have had those same moments of questioning themselves.
At the first startup I worked for, I was basically handed a laptop and a HubSpot login. I had to learn the product, figure out how to sell it, and eventually build a repeatable sales process around it. There were plenty of moments when I felt like a fraud and wondered if I was actually qualified to be doing what I was doing. Eventually, the things that once made me uncomfortable became the things I was an expert in, and that experience led to my first leadership opportunities.
So my advice would be to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Be honest with yourself about what you don’t know, but don’t let that convince you that you don’t belong. Find people you respect who are willing to be honest about their own experiences, learn from them, and keep putting yourself in situations that stretch you. A lot of the time, you don’t realize how much you’re growing until you look back at the things that used to scare you.
What are your top 3 podcasts? (do not have to be industry related)
I might be one of the only people who doesn’t listen to podcasts regularly! When I do, I like Journey Delivers with Will Jenkins for industry stories. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, I love pop culture and trashy reality TV that rots my brain, so if there’s something extra spicy happening in the reality TV world, I’ll tune into The Viall Files for the recap. And mainly because of the guests and the KC connection, I watch a ton of clips from New Heights. So apparently my podcast taste is logistics, reality TV drama, and the Chiefs.
Who are your top 5 women in supply chain to follow on LinkedIn?
Hannah Feldhacker Mensi — No one knows how to throw an event like Hannah! She has such a talent for bringing people together and creating experiences people actually want to be a part of.
Kristen Klein — One of the most down-to-earth and genuine sales executives I know. She keeps it real, shares pieces of her life along the way, and genuinely cares about the people she works with and her clients.
Kristin Ruder — She knows STL (Small Truck Load) inside and out, but she’s also local to KC and one of my favorite people to grab a glass of wine with and catch up on all things life and logistics.
Jamie Berman — Jamie has taught me so much about graphic design, tech, and product over the years. She’s incredibly well-rounded and one of those people who seems to be able to figure out just about anything.
Lindsey Sheridan — A social media guru I’ve been lucky enough to work with on several projects, and now one of the people I genuinely look forward to talking to every week.
How do you deal with creeps you encounter in your work day?
I trust my instincts and don’t feel obligated to give uncomfortable interactions more time or energy than they deserve. Luckily, it’s not something I deal with in my current work environment, which has also reinforced for me how much culture matters when choosing where you work.
What is your favourite way to unwind?
Takeout, a glass of wine, and some “personal” Claude time. My husband and I recently bought a house, so my version of relaxing is apparently dreaming up new projects, obsessing over design ideas, and deciding which room I want to do next.
What have you recently changed your mind about?
I’ve recently changed my mind about staying quiet. For years, I’ve stayed out of a lot of the conversations around women in logistics because I’ve never wanted to frame myself primarily as a “woman in logistics.” I’m a person who works in logistics, and I’ve always believed the goal should be to get to a place where seeing women in leadership, on panels, or in the room is so normal that we don’t have to point it out.
But lately I’ve realized that staying quiet doesn’t necessarily help us get there. It’s 2026, and we’re still having conversations about whether women are represented because they simply aren’t raising their hands for opportunities.
At some point, I think we have to be willing to question that. I still don’t believe in checking a box or giving someone an opportunity simply because of their gender. In fact, I think constantly framing women as “women leaders” or “women in logistics” can sometimes reinforce the very distinction we’re trying to move past. But I’ve changed my mind about speaking up when something doesn’t feel right. The goal isn’t to make everything about gender. The goal is to make representation so normal that eventually it doesn’t have to be about gender at all.
Must haves to get you thru the day?
Coffee made by my husband in the morning
An organized to-do list
My three fur-workers: Tod, Leo, and Oreo
Texting with my mom
Clorox wipes and hand sanitizer. I’m not saying I’m a germaphobe, but I’m definitely a germaphobe.
Social media for Lexi:
