A Business Ecosystem Connects while Corporations Confine

Networks Outperform Companies for Quality and Speed – AKA the 31.5-Hour Solution

In supply chain and logistics, speed matters. But so does quality. If you build the right business ecosystem, neither metric suffers.

The old adage of moving fast and breaking things leaves things, well, broken. Moving fast can create costly mistakes and inefficiencies, along with missed opportunities. The right team can move quickly, and yes, leaders can put a team together in a split second. But often, companies in a rush accept people with good general skills rather than the best people for the job.

That’s a recipe for expensive rework, delays and lost value.

But what if you could move fast and still get the best? That’s the power of an effective ecosystem like Tompkins Ventures. An ecosystem that put a team in place for a critical reverse logistics and circular economy project team in just 31.5 hours – not six months.

We have been building that B2B matchmaking ecosystem since 2020. Because, as Benjamin Franklin said (supposedly): “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”

This wisdom applies directly to how we build teams, partnerships and ecosystems. You don’t wait until a project arises to start looking for talent. You identify, vet and engage with top experts long before you need them.

With the right insights and a good ecosystem strategy, you can plan for disruptions and opportunities ahead of time.

What Is a Business Ecosystem?

First off, when most people use the term “ecosystem,” they’re referring to habitats, biology, ecology – living things. The ecosystem business model is a living thing, too. This dynamic network of companies, individuals and organizations can create value in ways no single entity could achieve alone.

A few years ago, I realized that assumed certainty has become known uncertainty. For business leaders, this means that traditional supply chains and corporate structures do not work. You need members of an ecosystem that interconnects. For big projects and tough problems, you need a B2B matchmaking network where partners, suppliers and innovators work together to drive efficiency, innovation and scalability.

A well-structured business ecosystem enables rapid problem-solving, accelerates growth and enhances resilience against disruptions. By integrating logistics providers, technology firms, manufacturers and market specialists into a seamless network, companies can adapt faster, execute better and outperform competitors.

And if you have the insightfulness to build an ecosystem that includes the right team members, you can scale solutions quickly. Whether you need to build a world-class supply chain team overnight or navigate global trade uncertainties, a successful ecosystem prepares you for the future.

How to Build a Circular Supply Chain Team Overnight

Recently, one of our Business Partner presented an opportunity for a critical reverse logistics and circular economy project.

A global company wanted a reverse logistics solution. Their forward supply chain was already running at scale, but the challenge lay in getting product materials back for reuse – a critical step in building a circular economy.

They wanted to reduce waste, cut down on raw material use and establish a circular economy for their raw material. All while building a logistics solution across multiple countries.

But executing on these goals required a highly specialized team with logistics expertise, 3PL capabilities and deep regional knowledge.

As chairman and CEO, I’ve created such multinational teams before. But vetting talent and navigating company hierarchies and bureaucracies takes six months, if you’re lucky. And you often don’t wind up with the right talent.

This time, instead of acting as a chairman or CEO, I basically acted as an ecosystem orchestrator. With an extensive network of companies and people spanning the globe, I simply plugged the opportunity into our B2b matchmaking ecosystem.

An Ecosystem Makes Building a World-Class Team a Breeze

I found out about the opportunity at 8:30 a.m. on a Tuesday.

It took a few emails, a few phone calls and a few Zoom meetings. With a nimble ecosystem and an extensive network of partners, we put the team together in just 31.5 hours.

By 4 p.m. on a Wednesday, we had the team.

Why so easy? Well, it wasn’t. This 31.5-hour project was years in the making. As an ecosystem leader, I could tap into a highly connected global network of pre-vetted experts, all ready to engage. This B2B matchmaking system gave us a team with:

• A seasoned supply chain consultant with deep experience in the region
• A logistics expert with knowledge of country-specific distribution challenges
• A business leader with cross-border expertise and firsthand operational experience
• A technology strategist with a track record in reverse logistics solutions
• A global logistics coordinator to ensure seamless execution

Why We Were Able to Move This Fast

Many organizations would struggle to move at this speed. Not because they lack talent, but because they start too late. You don’t build your network after you need it; you build it before.

Think about hiring. If a company only starts collecting resumes when a position opens, they lose valuable time. The same applies to supply chains, procurement and planning for disruption.

Right now, business leaders around the world are uncertain about potential new tariffs. Will they happen? Where? We don’t know.

But that uncertainty is no excuse for inaction. The time to plan for tariffs is before they are put in place. Companies that wait for a tariff announcement to plan their procurement, transportation and fulfillment strategies will struggle. This is similar to companies that wait for a crisis to strengthen their supply chains.

Why Networks Beat Traditional Corporate Structures

A traditional company approach would have been slow and bureaucratic.

But a network approach is fluid, fast and highly effective. Instead of going through a rigid corporate hierarchy, we leveraged:

• Pre-existing relationships
• Pre-vetted experts
• Decentralized decision-making

This level of agility is the process itself. This is the kind of business environment that will provide competitive advantage and win the future.

Your Network, Not You, Will Define Your Company’s Future

This initiative isn’t about one project. It’s one more proof of concept for how a business ecosystem drives efficiency.

I have seen this type of governance model work beyond my wildest dreams over the last five years. Finding working capital without diluting equity. Integrating transportation solutions that cut costs and improve service levels in weeks. Finding manufacturing and transportation capacity where none seems to exist.

All of these success stories are testaments to the power of B2B matchmaking networks over corporations. This is what happens when expertise is connected rather than confined.

Because the future of supply chain and business success requires being ready when the challenge arrives.

Want to connect with such an ecosystem? Reach out – I would love to discuss your most vexing challenges. Winning tomorrow requires preparing before the opportunity even exists.

Because in today’s world, it’s not who you know. It’s not even who you are. It’s who you are connected to.

Related Reading

• From Assumed Certainty to Known Uncertainty
• Reverse Logistics is Really a Different Omnichannel
• Curated Success, B2B Matchmaking – and Fashion Accessories?