[brudgers]

Cold emailing may require a lot of effort for a particular individual in a particular case. However, it is unlikely to create the impression in the receiver that the sender has engaged in much effort.

The StackOverflow analogy of "What code have you tried?" might not be a bad way to think about the receiver's reaction to requests for their time. People are more likely to be generous with their time when there is a specific problem that a person is in the midst of actually solving. The captain of a ship does not worry about losing five life preservers trying to save a person overboard, but the captain does not hand out life preservers to passing pleasure craft on request.

So my random advice from the internet is just start doing it. Study supply and logistics. Write some software. Write some blogs. Tweet. Get a job in the industry. Attend conferences. Get a degree. Do whatever it takes to break into the industry.

Or don't. It may not be worth that much effort.

Good luck.