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The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. The pandemic fully exposed global supply chains vulnerabilities and inefficiencies. While most brands were agile enough to shift strategies to address the uncertainties of the time, many prioritized speed and cost to meet the pressures of the moment, at the expense of long-term adaptability, resilience, and flexibility post-pandemic. Today, new supply chain pressures like tariffs, trade wars, climate change, and geopolitical uncertainty serve as reminders that complexity and disruptionthe two words used to describe supply chain management in 2025 per Thomson Reuters’ global trade reporthave the potential to once again, impact business and life. As brands and retailers analyze current risks across global operations, they ask: How did we get here again? Create adaptive supply chains A mid-pandemic EY survey found that enterprises were making plans to transform supply chain strategies to become more resilient, sustainable, and collaborative, leveraging technologies like AI, analytics, and automation. But did they? The answer is both yes and no. Once the urgency of the pandemic disruptions cooled, consumer packaged goods and retail companies turned their attention back to revenue generation, workforce optimization, and production. There was certainly some investment in digital transformation. Still, Food Technologys Technology Trends Survey completed in 2024 found that about half of the food, beverage, and ingredient manufacturers surveyed were still in the planning stages, hoping to invest in AI (50%) and/or supply chain tracking systems (48%) as part of their 2025 digital transformation strategies. The time to re-invest in digital transformation is now. Creating and maintaining a resilient operation that can weather costly disruptions and meet shifting consumer expectations requires an adaptive supply chain supported by modern technology. As proven during the pandemic, supply chain breakdowns can derail economies. Short-term changes can be a Band-Aid fix but do not support long-term resilience when the next crisis comes along. Conversely, collaborative supply chains with structural flexibility, end-to-end visibility, and advanced analytics can transform existential threats into manageable challenges and unlock fast, predictive decision-making capabilities, no matter the crisis. As business leaders look ahead, here are the areas that will help organizations meet todays supply chain pressures, and better position companies for long-term adaptability and resilience. Strategic alignment: Supply chains should be viewed as strategic assets foundational to decision making and performance optimization and can provide companies with a competitive advantage, not just as a target for cost-saving initiatives. Importantly, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach; upfront strategic alignment is critical. For example, retail behemoths Amazon and Costco set the gold standard with their supply chain strategies but have distinctive approaches supporting their unique business goals. While Amazon optimizes for endless selection, convenience, and speed, Costco focuses on delivering value through scale, simplification, and operational efficiencytwo different approaches that achieve the same end goal: strong growth and loyal, happy customers. It’s critical for businesses to first align on what they’re trying to accomplish and what their strategic differentiators are and then set a supply chain strategy. Data foundation: Given the complexity of our global marketplace, supply chain visibility and advanced analytics are foundational elements of effective supply chain management strategies. Though many companies currently collect extensive data, it’s not immediately actionable. A yogurt brand, for example, might manufacture its product in the U.S. but rely on ingredients imported from different countries. Especially with looming tariffs, brands need insight into their products bill of materials to determine where each ingredient is sourced and access to clean, real-time, granular data to help them quickly understand the potential impact of tariffs on their operations. A fresh fruit brand could be navigating a food safety incident and need to quickly locate the affected inventory to determine where impacted batches were distributed. Companies must gather, collate, and normalize data from various inputs across their supply chains to inform quick decision making when needed. Cross-functional collaboration: In resilient supply chains, partners at each stage share information to optimize the flow of goods. Starting with the planning stage, accurate demand and supply forecasts allow procurement to source the correct quantities of production inputs from suppliers. It also helps identify which suppliers meet the company’s quality standards and consistently deliver on time so that manufacturing can maintain efficient production schedules. Accurate information on warehouse capacity and logistics resources is needed to ensure on-time delivery. Adaptive supply chains require cross-functional collaboration and real-time data sharing between and throughout organizations so that companies can identify potential issues in advance, such as low inventory or production bottlenecks, and act quickly to avoid disruptions. Cultural commitment: McKinsey data found that only one-quarter of supply chain survey respondents observed regular reporting on supply chain risks at the board level. Resiliency is a muscle that requires regular exercise, not something companies should only pay attention to when crises emerge. Supply chain transformation must be an ongoing change management imperative across the organization and at the highest levels, with strategies and plans regularly revisited and updated. By identifying early warning signals sooner, companies can make decisions faster and revise strategy and plans to mitigate the impacts of future crises. Supply chain disruptions are rarely predictable. The best approach for companies to stay ahead of future disruptions is creating a foundation that allows for agility in daily operations and for significant events, such as tariffs, which require fast decision making. By creating systems and processes that facilitate end-to-end visibility and collaboration, business leaders can focus on supply chain agility now, so we are ready for the next crisis when it occurs. Are Traasdahl is founder and CEO of Crisp.
Category:
E-Commerce
The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. In a world with a constant information deluge and a labyrinth of disinformation to continually navigate through, people are exhausted. What is true? Who is honest? Who and what can I believe? Who can I trust to lead in a way where I know they understand what I need? Will anyone do what is best for me? It is no wonder that people are frustrated with those in chargeeverywhere. Politicians, media personalities, business leaders. Our leaders are often out-of-touch elites, or worse, reckless liars. By and large, leaders seem self-interested rather than keeping the needs of those they serve at heart. Compound this with a sound bite society where click bait reigns supreme and memes are a surrogate for journalism, but without the research, context, or analysis. No one can tell person from bot on social media anymore. And peoples worst behaviors lead to the highest monetization on those platforms. Its no wonder people are fed up. Desperate for authenticity All of this is resulting in anger from older generations and disillusionment among younger ones, causing both apathy and a lack of motivation to work toward something better, as it all feels hopeless. But emerging generations futures are threatened as they inherit the fallout from generations of selfish, inauthentic leadership, and are left with only dire economic prospects, unsteady liberties, and a planet literally on fire. Adding insult to injury, they are now asked to try to survive it all and to fix it themselves when leaders havent been or arent interested in doing so themselves. Amid all of this, people are desperate for leaders who are authentic. Leaders who face the hard truths. Leaders who understand the reality of the people they serve. And most importantly, leaders who deliver results for the actual humans they are leading. People are drawn to leaders who get it and who tell it like it is regardless of whether their intentions are altruistic or nefarious, evidence that authenticity is what people crave most right now. What makes an authentic leader? So what are some key elements seen in authentic leaders? Give a damn about those you lead. Genuinely. Deeply reflect on your intentions. If you dont actually care, your people will know it. Understand that leadership is a responsibility. A privilege given to a few. A great leader is a servant. Listen to those you lead to hear things spoken and unspoken. Build structures to make sure you have eyes and ears everywhere to get to your teams truths and feelings. Understand that others rely on you and that you can do nothing without a team of engaged, productive individuals. Admit when you are wrong or when you dont know things. Everyone else will know anyway and not admitting it just looks foolish and stubborn. Overcommunicate to ensure your team knows your intentions, your actions, your decision making. Speak candidly, openly, and transparently. Trust is built on understanding. Make the best, well-informed decisions considering the needs of everyone. Deliver. Rinse and repeat ad infinitum. This all feels so obvious. So why is it so rare? Because it takes far more work and sacrifice than not doing it. First, it all takes time, and sometimes money, which I believe many leaders feel is wasted on this soft capital. And it requires competencies that are not often valued, and sometimes demonized, in our strong-man leader archetype. Listening requires EMPATHY. Collecting feedback requires HUMILITY. Open communication requires THOUGHTFULNESS. Making the best, well-informed decisions requires INTEGRITY. Admitting mistakes and learning from them requires VULNERABILITY. Transparency empowers others to act and therefore requires TRUST. Results for your employees are your own ACCOUNTABILITY. And while my hope is that leaders will be driven to be authentic because they truly give a damn about people around them, I know that many leaders care most about the business value of their decisions. Whats at stake? What is the cost of lacking authenticity? LOST PRODUCTIVITY due to low employee trust and engagement. LOST MOMENTUM due to turnover and attrition. LOST GROWTH due to shallow candidate pipelines as employees seek out authentic leaders. LOST EFFICIENCY due to not developing team members to deliver and respond. LOST FAITH in our social contract, the most expensive of them all. Regardless of the motivations, authentic leaders are in demand and ultimately, the only leaders who will achieve success with the current workforces state of mind. Investing in this soft capital will pay dividends, financially and socially. And frankly, none of us, individually or collectively, can afford not to. Julee Brooks is CEO of Woodcraft Rangers.
Category:
E-Commerce
The tech industry is often cautious about tying layoffs to performance, even if it might play a role in who gets dismissed during widespread job cuts. But this year has signaled a noticeable shift in how some of the biggest players in tech approach layoffs: Earlier this year, Meta cut more than 3,000 employees in a move that the company framed as non-regrettable attrition. The number of Amazon employees on performance improvement plans reportedly surged in recent years, leading up to layoffsand Microsoft has allegedly cut thousands of employees who were classified as “low performers.” Now Microsoft is giving low performers the option to accept a payout and leave the company rather than being placed on a performance improvement plan (PIP), according to a new Business Insider report. Separation agreement or a PIP An internal email obtained by Business Insider outlined Microsoft’s new performance management system, which the company’s chief people officer described as having “clear expectations and a timeline for improvement.” For those who want to forgo performance management, Microsoft is reportedly offering a separation agreement that would be the equivalent of 16 weeks of pay. (Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment and also declined to comment in response to Business Insider’s inquiries.) Any Microsoft employees who are eligible for a buyout reportedly have five days to accept the offer; if they opt to get on a performance improvement plan instead, they forfeit the option to voluntarily resign and receive a payout at a later time. A previous Business Insider report also claimed that Microsoft is now barring low performers who leave the company or get terminated over performance issues from rejoining for at least two years. Shifting strategies for low performers Microsoft’s new strategy for managing low performers is not unheard of in the tech industry. Amazon uses a program called Pivot that presents similar options to employees who are deemed low performers, and Meta reportedly also employs a “block list” of former employees who should not be hired back by the company. But navigating performance-based layoffs can be tricky: At Meta, some employees who were affected by the recent job cuts claimed they had received high ratings on their performance reviews and expressed frustration over the fact that they were publicly characterized as low performers. (Meta did not comment on all such claims, but in response to one report, a company spokesperson said: “Simply because someone had a history of meeting or exceeding expectations, does not mean they continue to consistently meet the bar.”) It’s possible that some of these employees were impacted to meet the 5% quota Meta reportedly set for layoffs across departments, in spite of their performance reviews. Even otherwise, experts say relying solely on performance ratings to determine layoffs can put certain employees at a disadvantage, given the potential bias that is baked into the process. There is also quite a bit of variability across managers and departments, and in some cases employees may not have been performance-managed properly. At a moment when many tech companies are already facing employee dissent and low morale over culture issuesincluding strict return-to-office mandatesresorting to performance-based layoffs could also engender further mistrust.
Category:
E-Commerce
Rare cosmic events can feel like being smiled down upon from up above. However, on the morning of April 25, an actual smiley face will appear in the skykind of. Venus, Saturn, and the moon will align in a pattern called a triple conjunction. Given the moon will be in its crescent form, the lineup will resemble a smiley face, but only for a short time on Friday morning. “Venus is higher above the eastern horizon with Saturn lower, and a thin, crescent moon a bit lower and a little farther north,” Brenda Culbertson, NASA solar system ambassador, told Kansas TV station KSNT. “The thin, crescent moon looks like a smile. To some people, the triangle of bright objects may appear as a smiley face.“ But that’s not all: Near the smiley face, two more planets, Mercury and Neptune, could also become visible to sky-watchers, in a rare alignment that’s been dubbed a “planet parade.” Here’s everything to know about the packed celestial event. When can I see the triple conjunction smiley face? Sky-watchers will need to wake extra early on Friday to catch the smirk in action. The event will take place at around 5:30 a.m. EDT, and smile down at the early morning risers for about an hour. “If you look toward the eastern horizon about an hour before sunrise, youll see the old crescent moon rising,” according to EarthSky. “Its just two days from reaching new moon phase, so it will be about 8% lit. You might also see the dark part of the moon gently glowing with earthshine, which is light reflected from Earth.” Are the smiley face and planet parade worth all the fuss? The smiley face won’t be perfectly configured, therefore, you’ll have to use your imagination just a bit, EarthSky says. The smiley face will be tilted on its side, with one eye (Venus) brighter than the other. But how often do the planets smile down at us? The alignment is extremely rareand given it will be viewable all over the world, the event may feel a bit like a celestial call for unity. Mercury and Neptune will be nearby, but the brightness of the triple conjunction will mean they’ll be tough to spot. What’s the next event for sky-watchers? If you can’t make it out of bed earlyeven for a glimpse at a cosmic grinthis spring will bring lots of other special celestial happenings. In early May, the Eta Aquarids meteor shower will reach its peak. NASA says that will be a smile-worthy sight, too. “Fast meteors can leave glowing ‘trains’ [incandescent bits of debris in the wake of the meteor] which last for several seconds to minutes,” the agency shared. “About 50 meteors can be seen per hour during the peak of the Eta Aquarids.”
Category:
E-Commerce
It was only a matter of time: The official Trump store has just released a Trump 2028 hat, and it proves that the Presidents comments about running an unconstitutional third term were not an empty threat. The new hat appeared online today on President Trumps merch store. It retails for $50 and comes in classic MAGA red and white, with some added stars in a large sans serif font that takes up nearly the entire front face of the hat. The hat is yet another example of how Trump uses merch to walk an ultra fine line between joke and reality, leveraging products to both provoke his political opponents and normalize his dodgy behavior. By this point, Trump’s merch strategy has worked to desensitize many Americans to his more extreme commentsbut if Trumps past merch is anything to go by, its clear that while his messaging may seem lighthearted, it would be a mistake to take the Trump 2028 hat lightly. [Screenshot: Trump Store] Why Trump merch matters Merch has always been a crucial mode of messaging for Trump. In 2016, the bright red Make America Great Again trucker hat was practically unavoidable. According to a report from Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, the hats were pulling in up to $80,000 a day during the campaign. But when the red MAGA hat first debuted in 2015, no one was taking it seriously. As Fast Company has previously reported, the New York Times style section disregarded it as an ironic summer accessory in September 2015. When the Trump campaign revealed that it had spent $3.2 million on the hats, Esquire wrote that they may well go down as the Trump campaigns only lasting contribution to the political history of the Republic. Today, though, it would be difficult to find anyone who would argue that the MAGA hat is merely ironic. Its become a universally recognized symbol of Trumps ideologya form of public resistance for some, and, for many others, a propaganda-laden shorthand for intolerance. Since 2016, Trumps merch strategy has become a bit more layered, but no less on the nose. His store has expanded with dozens of hat options, including one recent iteration which read, Trump was right about everything. During the 2024 campaign, he turned a visit to a McDonalds into a T-shirt. The merch even when meta, when a surrealist hat design featured a tiny image of a MAGA hat printed onto another hat. And, in December of this year, Trump also turned the suit that he wore during his mugshot (taken before he was found guilty on 34 felony counts) into purchasable NFTs, as well as a $25 mug and $36 shirt. He further glorified the mugshot on rally posters and even in his official presidential portrait, which now hangs in the White House. Products like the surrealist hat-on-a-hat might seem like offhand jokes, but Trumps merch strategy is clearly also a powerful political tool. The endless stream of products keeps Trumps message front and center both IRL and online. And, by merch-ifying moments like Trumps mugshot, his campaign reframes, and even legitimizes potentially damaging moments to followers while desensitizing everyone else. Trump’s plan to hard-launch a potential third term Trump has been talking about running for a third term for months, initially by floating the idea as what seemed like a joke. At a speech before the Congressional Institute in January, the President said, I think Im not allowed to run again. Im not sure. Am I allowed to run again, Mike [Johnson]? I better not get you involved in that argument. Since then, hes repeatedly doubled down on the idea. In late March, Trump told Meet the Press host Kristen Welker that a lot of people wanted him to serve a third term, and that there were methods to skirt around the two-term limit established in the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution. He even added that he was not joking about the idea, for good measure. Per the 22nd Amendment, no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twiceand its unclear to experts what methods Trump has in mind to get around the unambiguous limit. But what is clear, based on the Presidents new merch launch, is that hes now outfitting his own followers in his campaign for an illegal third term. And if theres anything we shouldve learned from Trumps past merch strategy, its that we need to take him at his hat.
Category:
E-Commerce
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