From Stage Talks to Warehouse Floors: What I Learned at ECF Live and in Client Visits

Hey there,

Let me walk you through:

5 Biggest Lessons From This Week

1. Tariffs are never “just a cost.”
   They’re a strategy problem. The brands that restructured invoices or shifted origin recovered 15–30% in margins.
   

2. Freight cutoffs decide your BFCM margins.
   Miss one sailing, and you’re suddenly paying $15K+ in air freight. The smartest founders pre-book capacity weeks before.
   

3. One warehouse = one point of failure.
   Multi-node routing shaved 3–5 days off delivery timelines for brands preparing for BFCM.
   

4. Vendor dependency is fragile.
   If you’re still relying on a single factory, you’re gambling with your Q4. Backup vendors aren’t optional anymore.
   

5. Resilience beats speed.
   Founders who grow sustainably are the ones who build buffer stock, diversify suppliers, and scenario-plan for tariffs — not just scale ads faster.

👉 Want to test your own setup? Start with our Logistics Prep Checklist — it’s the same one I used with clients this week to stress-test their BFCM plans.

From ECF Live to Client Visits

Last week, I was in a room full of founders at ECF Live.
This week, I’m sitting across from clients in person.

At ECF Live, the conversations were big picture:

• Tariffs that cut 30% of margins overnight.
  

• Freight delays that forced brands into $15K+ air shipments.
  

• Vendor dependencies that looked safe… until they broke right before BFCM.

Everyone was worried about the same things, but the tone was still abstract.
Almost like, “This is a risk — we’ll cross that bridge if we get there.”

From Big Picture to Real Numbers

With clients, the tone changed. The conversations were sharper, and the stakes were real.

• “What happens if November tariffs add 25% to my landed cost?”
  

• “How do I stop my 3PL from breaking when orders double during BFCM?”
  

• “What’s my backup if my main supplier misses the cutoff?”
  

You can feel the urgency in those rooms.

Margins weren’t just ideas on a spreadsheet.

They were containers, invoices, and contracts — the things that decide if a launch happens or dies.

👉 If you’re asking yourself the same questions, start by running the numbers. We built a free Air vs Ocean Calculator that shows whether air freight is worth it for your next shipment.

The Lesson I Keep Coming Back To

The founders who win aren’t the ones scaling ads the fastest.
They’re the ones who build resilient supply chains first.

Because growth doesn’t die in your marketing funnel.
It dies when your boxes don’t move.

And that resilience doesn’t happen by accident.
It comes from:
✅ Building backup vendors
✅ Pre-booking freight capacity
✅ Reviewing landed cost structures before tariffs hit
✅ Pressure-testing your 3PL’s peak season capacity

📊 One brand saved $18K in freight simply by adjusting POs and consolidating shipments. I documented the exact steps in our 3-Step Logistics Playbook.

What You Can Do This Week

If you’re scaling a DTC brand and Q4 is keeping you up at night, here’s where to start:

1. Audit your top 3 SKUs. Ask: “If tariffs doubled tomorrow, what’s my Plan B?”
   

2. Run the numbers. Use the [Air vs Ocean Calculator] before you rush to book freight.
   

3. Stress-test your logistics. Walk through what happens if your supplier misses the cutoff.
   

🎥 Want to see this in action? I shared real examples from ECF Live and client visits on my YouTube channel.

Closing Reflection

Flying from Manila to the U.S. is never just a trip.
It’s a reminder that supply chain is human.

It’s the stress in a founder’s voice when they realize margins are slipping.
It’s the relief when they see there’s still a way to save their launch.
It’s the quiet confidence that comes from having a Plan B before you need it.

That’s the work.
That’s why I show up in these rooms.

And if there’s one takeaway from this week, it’s this:
Don’t wait for chaos to show you where you’re weak.
Test it now. Strengthen it now.

📩 Next week, I’ll share 3 overlooked supply chain moves every founder should make before BFCM. Make sure you’re subscribed to Unboxed Weekly so you don’t miss it.

See you next week,
Lara