Essential Business by Francis Mella
@essentialbusiness.bsky.social
The channel delivers clear, practical insights drawn from real-world experience in business management, marketing, accounting, and leadership.
Companies that master this balance don't just survive volatility.
They gain market share while competitors scramble.
The question isn't cost OR resilience anymore.
It's BOTH.
And the companies that figure this out first will define the next decade.
They gain market share while competitors scramble.
The question isn't cost OR resilience anymore.
It's BOTH.
And the companies that figure this out first will define the next decade.
November 15, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Companies that master this balance don't just survive volatility.
They gain market share while competitors scramble.
The question isn't cost OR resilience anymore.
It's BOTH.
And the companies that figure this out first will define the next decade.
They gain market share while competitors scramble.
The question isn't cost OR resilience anymore.
It's BOTH.
And the companies that figure this out first will define the next decade.
You can copy this playbook.
Start with a resilience score for your top 20 suppliers.
Weight price by risk factors.
Tie awards to service levels.
Budget for buffers like you budget for insurance.
The next shock is coming.
Start with a resilience score for your top 20 suppliers.
Weight price by risk factors.
Tie awards to service levels.
Budget for buffers like you budget for insurance.
The next shock is coming.
November 15, 2025 at 4:04 PM
You can copy this playbook.
Start with a resilience score for your top 20 suppliers.
Weight price by risk factors.
Tie awards to service levels.
Budget for buffers like you budget for insurance.
The next shock is coming.
Start with a resilience score for your top 20 suppliers.
Weight price by risk factors.
Tie awards to service levels.
Budget for buffers like you budget for insurance.
The next shock is coming.
The old playbook of chasing lowest cost is dead.
The brief experiment with resilience at any cost is ending.
What's emerging is more sophisticated.
Cost-efficiency combined with adaptive capacity.
Both built into your DNA.
The brief experiment with resilience at any cost is ending.
What's emerging is more sophisticated.
Cost-efficiency combined with adaptive capacity.
Both built into your DNA.
November 15, 2025 at 4:04 PM
The old playbook of chasing lowest cost is dead.
The brief experiment with resilience at any cost is ending.
What's emerging is more sophisticated.
Cost-efficiency combined with adaptive capacity.
Both built into your DNA.
The brief experiment with resilience at any cost is ending.
What's emerging is more sophisticated.
Cost-efficiency combined with adaptive capacity.
Both built into your DNA.
The companies winning this transition do three things:
Map complete supply chain transparency
Add climate risk to supplier scorecards
Measure total value, not just cost savings
They're building supply chains that FLEX without breaking.
Map complete supply chain transparency
Add climate risk to supplier scorecards
Measure total value, not just cost savings
They're building supply chains that FLEX without breaking.
November 15, 2025 at 4:04 PM
The companies winning this transition do three things:
Map complete supply chain transparency
Add climate risk to supplier scorecards
Measure total value, not just cost savings
They're building supply chains that FLEX without breaking.
Map complete supply chain transparency
Add climate risk to supplier scorecards
Measure total value, not just cost savings
They're building supply chains that FLEX without breaking.
This matters more now than ever.
145% tariffs on Chinese goods.
Climate disasters hitting 14 of 15 vulnerable manufacturing regions.
76% of nearshoring employers can't find qualified talent.
Cheap is breaking supply chains.
145% tariffs on Chinese goods.
Climate disasters hitting 14 of 15 vulnerable manufacturing regions.
76% of nearshoring employers can't find qualified talent.
Cheap is breaking supply chains.
November 15, 2025 at 4:04 PM
This matters more now than ever.
145% tariffs on Chinese goods.
Climate disasters hitting 14 of 15 vulnerable manufacturing regions.
76% of nearshoring employers can't find qualified talent.
Cheap is breaking supply chains.
145% tariffs on Chinese goods.
Climate disasters hitting 14 of 15 vulnerable manufacturing regions.
76% of nearshoring employers can't find qualified talent.
Cheap is breaking supply chains.
We tied awards to SERVICE LEVELS, not just price.
Suppliers compete on uptime, not pennies.
The result?
Expedites dropped 40%.
Fill rates stayed stable when competitors scrambled.
Our customers noticed the difference.
Suppliers compete on uptime, not pennies.
The result?
Expedites dropped 40%.
Fill rates stayed stable when competitors scrambled.
Our customers noticed the difference.
November 15, 2025 at 4:04 PM
We tied awards to SERVICE LEVELS, not just price.
Suppliers compete on uptime, not pennies.
The result?
Expedites dropped 40%.
Fill rates stayed stable when competitors scrambled.
Our customers noticed the difference.
Suppliers compete on uptime, not pennies.
The result?
Expedites dropped 40%.
Fill rates stayed stable when competitors scrambled.
Our customers noticed the difference.
The resilience scorecard tracks five factors:
Supply concentration risk
Lead time variability
Financial health of supplier
Geographic exposure
Recovery time capability
Each supplier gets scored before awards.
Supply concentration risk
Lead time variability
Financial health of supplier
Geographic exposure
Recovery time capability
Each supplier gets scored before awards.
November 15, 2025 at 4:04 PM
The resilience scorecard tracks five factors:
Supply concentration risk
Lead time variability
Financial health of supplier
Geographic exposure
Recovery time capability
Each supplier gets scored before awards.
Supply concentration risk
Lead time variability
Financial health of supplier
Geographic exposure
Recovery time capability
Each supplier gets scored before awards.
The shift happened when we changed what we measured.
Unit price ignores VOLATILITY.
We built a resilience-adjusted cost metric.
Price weighted by supply concentration, lead time spread, and recovery time.
The cheapest option stopped winning by default.
Unit price ignores VOLATILITY.
We built a resilience-adjusted cost metric.
Price weighted by supply concentration, lead time spread, and recovery time.
The cheapest option stopped winning by default.
November 15, 2025 at 4:04 PM
The shift happened when we changed what we measured.
Unit price ignores VOLATILITY.
We built a resilience-adjusted cost metric.
Price weighted by supply concentration, lead time spread, and recovery time.
The cheapest option stopped winning by default.
Unit price ignores VOLATILITY.
We built a resilience-adjusted cost metric.
Price weighted by supply concentration, lead time spread, and recovery time.
The cheapest option stopped winning by default.
Here's what was breaking:
We awarded contracts to the lowest bidder.
Then paid it all back through stockouts, expedite fees, and service penalties.
The math looked good on paper.
The reality was bleeding cash.
We awarded contracts to the lowest bidder.
Then paid it all back through stockouts, expedite fees, and service penalties.
The math looked good on paper.
The reality was bleeding cash.
November 15, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Here's what was breaking:
We awarded contracts to the lowest bidder.
Then paid it all back through stockouts, expedite fees, and service penalties.
The math looked good on paper.
The reality was bleeding cash.
We awarded contracts to the lowest bidder.
Then paid it all back through stockouts, expedite fees, and service penalties.
The math looked good on paper.
The reality was bleeding cash.
The strongest position isn't knowing what's next.
It's being ready for whatever comes.
Launch small. Learn fast. Adjust constantly.
That's how you prepare for a technology-driven future.
It's being ready for whatever comes.
Launch small. Learn fast. Adjust constantly.
That's how you prepare for a technology-driven future.
November 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
The strongest position isn't knowing what's next.
It's being ready for whatever comes.
Launch small. Learn fast. Adjust constantly.
That's how you prepare for a technology-driven future.
It's being ready for whatever comes.
Launch small. Learn fast. Adjust constantly.
That's how you prepare for a technology-driven future.
Stop asking "What technology will dominate 2030?"
Start asking:
"Can our team learn fast enough?"
"Do we have the flexibility to pivot?"
"Are we building for change or for a single outcome?"
Start asking:
"Can our team learn fast enough?"
"Do we have the flexibility to pivot?"
"Are we building for change or for a single outcome?"
November 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Stop asking "What technology will dominate 2030?"
Start asking:
"Can our team learn fast enough?"
"Do we have the flexibility to pivot?"
"Are we building for change or for a single outcome?"
Start asking:
"Can our team learn fast enough?"
"Do we have the flexibility to pivot?"
"Are we building for change or for a single outcome?"
Real preparation isn't about predicting the future.
It's about building the capacity to respond when it arrives.
Early signal detection matters more than perfect forecasting.
Adaptability beats accuracy every time.
It's about building the capacity to respond when it arrives.
Early signal detection matters more than perfect forecasting.
Adaptability beats accuracy every time.
November 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Real preparation isn't about predicting the future.
It's about building the capacity to respond when it arrives.
Early signal detection matters more than perfect forecasting.
Adaptability beats accuracy every time.
It's about building the capacity to respond when it arrives.
Early signal detection matters more than perfect forecasting.
Adaptability beats accuracy every time.
The businesses that win by 2030 won't be the ones with the best predictions.
They'll be the ones with:
• Teams trained for adaptation
• Systems built for iteration
• Culture that rewards learning over perfection
They'll be the ones with:
• Teams trained for adaptation
• Systems built for iteration
• Culture that rewards learning over perfection
November 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
The businesses that win by 2030 won't be the ones with the best predictions.
They'll be the ones with:
• Teams trained for adaptation
• Systems built for iteration
• Culture that rewards learning over perfection
They'll be the ones with:
• Teams trained for adaptation
• Systems built for iteration
• Culture that rewards learning over perfection
Most companies will waste resources chasing predictions.
They'll add AI features nobody asked for.
They'll invest in tech before understanding the problem it solves.
They'll confuse innovation with preparation.
They'll add AI features nobody asked for.
They'll invest in tech before understanding the problem it solves.
They'll confuse innovation with preparation.
November 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Most companies will waste resources chasing predictions.
They'll add AI features nobody asked for.
They'll invest in tech before understanding the problem it solves.
They'll confuse innovation with preparation.
They'll add AI features nobody asked for.
They'll invest in tech before understanding the problem it solves.
They'll confuse innovation with preparation.
Everyone's talking about AI, quantum computing, and IoT.
But here's what they're not telling you:
The gap between knowing a trend exists and building a business ready for it.
But here's what they're not telling you:
The gap between knowing a trend exists and building a business ready for it.
November 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Everyone's talking about AI, quantum computing, and IoT.
But here's what they're not telling you:
The gap between knowing a trend exists and building a business ready for it.
But here's what they're not telling you:
The gap between knowing a trend exists and building a business ready for it.
The question isn't whether to allow side hustles.
It's how to turn them into your competitive advantage.
Before your competitors figure it out first.
It's how to turn them into your competitive advantage.
Before your competitors figure it out first.
November 13, 2025 at 2:04 PM
The question isn't whether to allow side hustles.
It's how to turn them into your competitive advantage.
Before your competitors figure it out first.
It's how to turn them into your competitive advantage.
Before your competitors figure it out first.
Innovative organizations flip the script.
They create frameworks to:
• Support employee ventures
• Capture learnings
• Apply insights internally
• Build innovation culture
They create frameworks to:
• Support employee ventures
• Capture learnings
• Apply insights internally
• Build innovation culture
November 13, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Innovative organizations flip the script.
They create frameworks to:
• Support employee ventures
• Capture learnings
• Apply insights internally
• Build innovation culture
They create frameworks to:
• Support employee ventures
• Capture learnings
• Apply insights internally
• Build innovation culture
Think about it:
Your employee is maintaining insurance and salary while building something new.
They're taking a real risk.
Learning REAL lessons.
All without costing you a dime in training.
Your employee is maintaining insurance and salary while building something new.
They're taking a real risk.
Learning REAL lessons.
All without costing you a dime in training.
November 13, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Think about it:
Your employee is maintaining insurance and salary while building something new.
They're taking a real risk.
Learning REAL lessons.
All without costing you a dime in training.
Your employee is maintaining insurance and salary while building something new.
They're taking a real risk.
Learning REAL lessons.
All without costing you a dime in training.
The reality?
Hybrid entrepreneurs bring back insights about:
• Customer validation
• Lean operations
• Creative problem-solving
• Resourcefulness under constraints
Hybrid entrepreneurs bring back insights about:
• Customer validation
• Lean operations
• Creative problem-solving
• Resourcefulness under constraints
November 13, 2025 at 2:04 PM
The reality?
Hybrid entrepreneurs bring back insights about:
• Customer validation
• Lean operations
• Creative problem-solving
• Resourcefulness under constraints
Hybrid entrepreneurs bring back insights about:
• Customer validation
• Lean operations
• Creative problem-solving
• Resourcefulness under constraints
These are precisely the skills organizations desperately need.
But instead of leveraging this learning...
Most managers see it as a distraction.
But instead of leveraging this learning...
Most managers see it as a distraction.
November 13, 2025 at 2:04 PM
These are precisely the skills organizations desperately need.
But instead of leveraging this learning...
Most managers see it as a distraction.
But instead of leveraging this learning...
Most managers see it as a distraction.
Here's what these companies don't understand:
Employees running side businesses learn to create VALUE from new ideas.
They test markets.
They iterate fast.
They solve real problems.
Employees running side businesses learn to create VALUE from new ideas.
They test markets.
They iterate fast.
They solve real problems.
November 13, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Here's what these companies don't understand:
Employees running side businesses learn to create VALUE from new ideas.
They test markets.
They iterate fast.
They solve real problems.
Employees running side businesses learn to create VALUE from new ideas.
They test markets.
They iterate fast.
They solve real problems.
A Leadership Pulse survey found that only 30% of companies support hybrid entrepreneurship.
24% actively DISCOURAGE it.
That's a lot of wasted innovation potential.
24% actively DISCOURAGE it.
That's a lot of wasted innovation potential.
November 13, 2025 at 2:04 PM
A Leadership Pulse survey found that only 30% of companies support hybrid entrepreneurship.
24% actively DISCOURAGE it.
That's a lot of wasted innovation potential.
24% actively DISCOURAGE it.
That's a lot of wasted innovation potential.