Q4 Unsung Heroes

A friend reminded me that I had not posted in a while. He asked if I had run out of things to say. If you know me - that's never the case. It's just that working in a fast growing startup is intense. The creativity needed to solve challenges and support a team that needs fast responses and quick resolutions tends to zap that creativity. And now we are in Q4 - the time when all of our planning is supposed to make things easier. But the reality is that Q4 in supply chain and startups hits differently. I'll do my best to get back to posting regularly. For now - here is what is on my mind.

When you’re supporting DTC, foodservice, and CPG all at once - it’s controlled chaos. Forecasts shift. Orders spike. Trucks get delayed. And somehow, the product still has to arrive on time and in full.

This time of year, it’s less about perfect plans and more about problem solving in real time. Pulling the rabbit out of the hat time and time again (except in many cases the ask is to pull an elephant out of a hat). And this is where true professionals thrive. Year of experience means that we don’t panic - we pivot. We communicate fast, make decisions faster, and somehow find a way to keep everything (and everyone) moving forward. And we do it all without broadcasting to the world that we pulled off another miracle. Not because we do not want to but because we are already onto the next request for an elephant.

There’s a certain adrenaline that comes with it. The long days, the last-minute carrier calls, the scramble to fill a foodservice order while DTC sales are climbing — it’s a grind, but it’s also what makes this field so rewarding.

Q4 reminds me that supply chain isn’t just about logistics - it’s about resilience, creativity, and teamwork under pressure.

To everyone out there keeping products moving during the busiest stretch of the year - I see you. You’re the unsung heroes of every brand.