The Supply Chain Challenges That Shaped How We Operate

When we started Izba, the goal wasn’t to build a consulting firm.

It was to help teams make things work—when they weren’t.

Over the last 10 years, we’ve stepped into moments of pressure:

when inventory didn’t line up, when factories slipped, when growth outpaced structure.

And in parallel, the world changed.

What used to be edge cases became common.

What used to be stable became volatile.

This isn’t a list of trends.

It’s a reflection on the environments we’ve worked through—and how they’ve shaped the way we build.

1. COVID-19 Disruption and the Aftermath

This was the moment everything broke at once.

Demand surged unpredictably. Supply stalled. Lead times doubled, then tripled.

Teams were making decisions without visibility—and living with the consequences months later.

We spent a lot of time helping teams stabilize:

• Reworking forecasts weekly, sometimes daily
• Finding capacity where none seemed available
• Building structure in the middle of uncertainty

What it taught us:

You don’t need perfect data. You need a system that can adapt when the data changes.

2. Post-COVID Inventory Whiplash

Right after the shortages came the opposite problem.

Too much inventory. In the wrong places. At the wrong time.

We worked with teams sitting on months—sometimes years—of excess stock.

The challenge wasn’t just financial. It was operational:

• Warehouses full
• Cash tied up
• Planning cycles distorted

What it taught us:

Inventory isn’t just something you manage on the way in. You need a plan for when it doesn’t move.

3. U.S.–China Trade War and Tariffs

This wasn’t a one-time disruption. It became part of the baseline.

Costs changed. Then changed again.

Long-term sourcing decisions became harder to commit to.

We saw teams rethink supplier relationships, pricing strategies, and margin expectations.

What it taught us:

Cost stability is no longer a given. Your model has to account for change.

4. The Shift to “China+1” and Nearshoring

Diversification moved from theory to reality.

We supported brands expanding into new regions—often while still managing their existing suppliers.

It wasn’t simple:

• New factories required onboarding, training, and trust-building
• Capabilities didn’t always transfer cleanly
• Timelines stretched

What it taught us:

Redundancy isn’t inefficient. It’s what allows you to keep operating when something breaks.

5. Freight Market Volatility

At one point, shipping costs became one of the biggest drivers of margin.

Rates surged. Space disappeared. Planning became guesswork.

Then it normalized—quickly.

We worked with teams to:

• Reevaluate landed cost assumptions
• Adjust pricing and margin expectations
• Build more flexible transportation strategies

What it taught us:

Anything you treat as “fixed” will eventually become variable.

6. Port Congestion and Infrastructure Strain

Even when product was ready, it didn’t mean it would move.

Ports backed up. Containers sat. Timelines slipped without clear answers.

We helped teams navigate:

• Rerouting strategies
• Alternate port options
• Downstream capacity planning

What it taught us:

A supply chain isn’t a sequence. It’s a system—and it only works when every part moves.

7. Global Chokepoint Disruptions

The Suez Canal blockage. Red Sea rerouting.

Moments that seemed rare—but had outsized impact.

We saw how quickly a single disruption could cascade across timelines, costs, and availability.

What it taught us:

If your network depends on one path, it’s not a network. It’s a risk.

8. E-commerce Boom → Normalization

During COVID, demand accelerated faster than most teams could plan for.

Afterward, it corrected.

We worked with brands that had built infrastructure for peak demand—and needed to reset:

• Right-sizing fulfillment networks
• Rebalancing inventory
• Aligning cost structures with reality

What it taught us:

You don’t build for the peak. You build for what’s sustainable.

9. The Rise—and Correction—of DTC Models

For a period, growth was the priority. Capital supported it.

Then expectations shifted.

Profitability, cash flow, and operational discipline came back into focus.

We helped teams reconnect the full system:

• From demand generation to fulfillment
• From growth metrics to margin reality
• From expansion to control

What it taught us:

A supply chain that supports growth has to also support profitability.

10. The Shift from Efficiency to Resilience

For years, efficiency was the goal.

Lean inventory. Just-in-time. Optimized networks.

That worked—until it didn’t.

Over time, we’ve seen teams move toward:

• Diversified sourcing
• Strategic buffers
• Scenario-based planning
• Better systems and visibility

What it taught us:

Resilience isn’t overbuilding. It’s designing for uncertainty.

What 10 Years Comes Down To

None of these challenges existed in isolation.

They compounded. Overlapped. Reinforced each other.

And through all of it, one thing became clear:

The teams that navigate this well don’t just react faster.

They operate differently.

They have:

• Clear systems
• Defined decision-making
• Visibility across the network
• The ability to adjust without starting over

How It Shaped Us

These weren’t just moments we observed.

They’re the reason we work the way we do.

We don’t focus on quick fixes.

We build structure that holds when things get messy.

We don’t aim to stay.

We aim to leave teams better equipped to run without us.

We’re not here forever. We’re here to leave it better.

Looking Forward

If the last 10 years have shown anything, it’s that disruption isn’t the exception.

It’s part of the system now.

The goal isn’t to avoid it.

It’s to be ready for it.

That’s the work.