Why Growing Businesses Quietly Lose Operational Control A specialty consumer products company in the Midwest believed they were finally entering a new stage of growth. After years of slow expansion, the business had recently landed several new wholesale accounts while simultaneously growing online sales through Shopify and Amazon. From the outside, the company looked successful.

How Long Payment Cycles Create Operational Risk — and What Smart Suppliers Do Differently A Korean manufacturer finally landed the deal they had been chasing for nearly a year. The buyer was legitimate.The purchase order was large.The margins looked healthy. Production started immediately. Raw materials were purchased.Workers were scheduled for overtime.Containers were booked. On paper,

Several years ago, I visited a manufacturing company that was growing rapidly. From the outside, the business appeared successful. Orders were increasing.Production lines were busy.New customers were coming in.The leadership team was optimistic about the future. But after spending time inside the operation, something became clear very quickly: The company was losing operational visibility. And