Value Chain Insights

Everyone wants a perfect supply base. But perfection doesn’t exist. If you source a unique, differentiated product, you’ll gain pricing power but sacrifice flexibility. If you rely on commoditized inputs, you’ll gain leverage but give up exclusivity. Push for rock-bottom cost and you’ll sacrifice service. Prioritize speed and you’ll pay a premium. Strategic sourcing is never about getting it all. It’s about knowing which tradeoffs you’re willing to make. Welcome to The Value Chain Advantage . Each week, I share hard-earned strategies to help ambitious companies unlock clarity, protect margin, and scale without chaos. From sourcing to sales, procurement to planning, this newsletter is for founders, revenue leaders, and operators working to strengthen every link in their value chain.

The government spends trillions a year across federal, state, and local agencies. Opportunities are everywhere, but most firms still treat RFP pursuit like a scavenger hunt. They manually check sites. They forward PDFs across departments. They scramble at the last minute to piece together a response. It works until it doesn’t. The reality: you can’t out-hustle the volume, complexity, and compliance requirements of government contracts. Without a system, even strong firms hit the wall. Welcome to The Value Chain Advantage . Each week, I share hard-earned strategies to help ambitious companies unlock clarity, protect margin, and scale without chaos. From sourcing to sales, procurement to planning, this newsletter is for founders, revenue leaders, and operators working to strengthen every link in their value chain.

Prices are rising. Resin, freight, labor, tariffs. When the cost stack rises, you’ve got two choices: React like everyone else Build a system that turns volatility into advantage. The first path keeps you alive. The second helps you win. Most companies respond by tightening the belt. They cut, delay, or freeze. That’s defense. And while defense might buy time, it rarely builds momentum. The best operators take a different path. They use volatility as the moment to play offense. Welcome to The Value Chain Advantage . Each week, I share hard-earned strategies to help ambitious companies unlock clarity, protect margin, and scale without chaos. From sourcing to sales, procurement to planning, this newsletter is for founders, revenue leaders, and operators working to strengthen every link in their value chain.

Government contracts represent billions in annual spend across federal, state, and local levels. Yet most sales leaders still struggle to turn access into wins. The problem isn’t always volume. A lot of clients we work with already see plenty of RFPs. The real challenge is deciding which ones are worth the chase .  Welcome to The Value Chain Advantage . Each week, I share hard-earned strategies to help ambitious companies unlock clarity, protect margin, and scale without chaos. From sourcing to sales, procurement to planning, this newsletter is for founders, revenue leaders, and operators working to strengthen every link in their value chain.

Expanding internationally to new countries like Vietnam can feel daunting. The costs — travel, marketing, tariffs, freight — add up quickly, and many businesses assume exporting is out of reach. Here’s the good news: the U.S. government wants small and mid-sized companies to go global. In fact, there are multiple grant programs funded by national and state governments that in some cases, can cover up to 75% of your export-related expenses. Welcome to The Value Chain Advantage . Each week, I share hard-earned strategies to help ambitious companies unlock clarity, protect margin, and scale without chaos. From sourcing to sales, procurement to planning, this newsletter is for founders, revenue leaders, and operators working to strengthen every link in their value chain. Curious about how programs like the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) or the Market Access Program (MAP) can help supplement your expansion? Keep reading to find out how to make exporting cheaper!

Tariff shifts create big export opportunities. Discover 5 signs your business is ready to go international—and how to prepare for global growth.

Global trade agreements continue to shift, but there’s one tariff agreement that could give American exporters unprecedented access to one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing consumer markets: Vietnam. The U.S. and Vietnam are on the verge of finalizing a new tariff deal, and one standout provision is already emerging: Vietnam is set to drop import tariffs on U.S. goods to 0%. Want to be first to market when the agreement takes effect? Here's what you need to know. Welcome to The Value Chain Advantage . Each week, I share hard-earned strategies to help ambitious companies unlock clarity, protect margin, and scale without chaos. From sourcing to sales, procurement to planning, this newsletter is for founders, revenue leaders, and operators working to strengthen every link in their value chain.

Most firms miss RFP wins due to poor systems, not services. Learn how to build processes that capture more bids and drive real growth.