?? U.S. Pharma Shift + Tariff Shock—Is Your Supply Chain Ready?
Let's Talk Supply Chain
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What's happening in the Supply Chain world this week?
?? U.S. Faces De Minimis Dilemma as Supply Chains Brace for Impact
Donald Trump and Joe Biden may have different political views, but they agree on the need to tackle the influx of cheap, duty-free Chinese imports. While Biden has made initial changes, Trump’s more aggressive approach could disrupt global supply chains. Currently, U.S. de minimis rules allow imports of up to $800 per day without tariffs, a loophole exploited by Chinese retailers like Temu and Shein. On February 3, Trump revoked this rule for Chinese imports but delayed implementation until "adequate systems" are in place for processing tariffs, signaling potential changes for companies reliant on affordable Chinese manufacturing. Ram Ben Tzion, CEO of Publican, noted that this marks a significant shift in the e-commerce landscape. Read more here!
?? Trump orders reciprocal tariffs on all countries
President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday establishing a reciprocal tariff policy for all current and potential U.S. trading partners. He stated that the U.S. will match any tariffs imposed by other countries. The policy will focus on tariffs on U.S. products, including value-added taxes and any unfair limitations on market access for U.S. businesses, according to a White House memo. Learn more here!
In other news:
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PODCAST: Women in Supply Chain with Jenny Perlitch
“Engineering is the closest thing to magic.”?
How do you look at supply chain?
Do you see nuts and bolts, problems and solutions – or inspired curiosity, a way of touching another universe??
Today’s guest never planned for a career in supply chain. But, when she took an intriguing summer job, she discovered a whole new world.?
And now she’s dedicated to making it even better.?
Dive into today’s inspirational episode of our woman in supply chain series to hear how Jenny Perlitch is breaking the complex down into smaller parts, automating them, and putting them all back together like a 'beautiful puzzle.'
Plus:
?? The skills Jenny learned from her immigration journey, from Ukraine to Germany to Cananda
?? Why it’s so important to recognize your strengths and weaknesses – and empower a team to fill in the gaps ?
?? The challenges of founding and running her own businesses, and Jenny’s unique approach to overcoming them
How do you sprinkle a touch of magic over your supply chain? ? Let us know in the comments!
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Upcoming Events:
Live Events:
?? February 18th: Thoughts and Coffee: TPM 25, Rising Freight Rates & The Corn Syrup Takeover—Join Us!
?? February 19th: Supply Chain Unfiltered: L’Oréal’s Supply Chain: Agility, Digitalization & External Manufacturing
?? February 19th: LINKEDIN LIVE: Using Warehouse Automation to Achieve Long-Term Success
?? February 26th: On The Margins: Solving the Problem of Change Adoption
In-person:
? March 2-5, 2025: TPM25!
? May 21 - 22, 2025:Home Delivery World 2025
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In case you missed it:
?? Thoughts and Coffee: Malls, Machines & the Gen Z Revival: AI & the Future of 2025
Missed this Thoughts and Coffee episode? ????? Sarah Barnes-Humphrey and Audrey Ross unpacked how AI agents and AI governance are reshaping retail, plus the Gen Z mall revival and what’s ahead in 2025.
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?? TPM TODAY: The Future of Smart Containers: What It Means for Supply Chain
?? How will smart containers reshape shipping? ??
In this episode of TPM Today, Eric Johnson sat down with Kevin Valsi of OpenTrack to break down ocean freight visibility, tech adoption, and key takeaways from Manifest & TPM.
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Manifest 2025: A Gathering of Supply Chain’s Brightest Minds
Last week, industry leaders, innovators, and shippers from around the world gathered in Las Vegas for Manifest: The Future of Supply Chain & Logistics—one of the most anticipated events of the year. The energy was electric as attendees explored the latest trends, heard from hundreds of thought leaders, and connected with professionals shaping the future of supply chain.
Throughout the event, Let's Talk Supply Chain was on-site capturing key insights, including an exclusive podcast interview with Brian Adams, founder of Retail Reworks—stay tuned for that episode!
Beyond the sessions and networking, Manifest was also about community and connection. While in Vegas, Sarah Barnes-Humphrey hosted an intimate Women in Supply Chain dinner, creating a space for support, conversation, and inspiration. These moments served as a powerful reminder: showing up matters—for ourselves, for our peers, and for the future of this industry.
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Honored as a "Woman Pioneer of Circular Fashion" in NYC
This past week in New York City, Sarah Barnes-Humphrey was honored as a "Woman Pioneer of Circular Fashion" by RHOBH star Sutton Stracke and Retail Reworks Founder Brian Adams, alongside Rachel Van Metre Kibbe.
The event, hosted by Sutton Brands, celebrated leaders driving sustainable fashion forward, and it was an unforgettable night filled with inspiring conversations, meaningful connections, and powerful recognition for the work being done in supply chain and sustainability.
Beyond the honor itself, the highlight of the evening was being surrounded by friends and industry peers, including meeting Merlinda Comas-Lucas from the Let’s Talk Supply Chain team in person for the first time.
To top it all off, Sutton shared her trust in our team to produce a podcast episode on circular fashion, showcasing the impact of sustainability in retail.
A huge thank you to everyone who made this night so special—a true reminder to celebrate every win, big or small!
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That is it for today!
As always, thank you for reading and being with us this week!
???What’s the biggest shift you’re seeing in your supply chain right now??Let’s talk about how we’re all adapting to stay competitive in this fast-paced world! ?? Don’t miss the upcoming events—grab your coffee and join the convo! ???? Enrique Balcázar Scott Winstead Tim Andreae
??? Founder of Let's Talk Supply Chain? - Top 1% of Podcasts Downloaded Globally | Host of Women in Supply Chain? & Blended - Helping Underrepresented Voices Be Heard | Self-Worth Advocate | Award-Winner
3 周Woot woot! So many exciting updates and features Let's Talk Supply Chain
Senior Buyer | MBA | Writer
3 周Looking forward to recaps from Manifest 2025!