The Trust Factor: How Strong Supplier Relationships Can Fuel Growth |
The Trust Factor: How Strong Supplier Relationships Can Fuel Growth
Supply chain experts share how relationships built on trust can help small businesses survive in a time of market volatility.
BY INC. CUSTOM STUDIO
It’s no secret that many small business owners (SMBs) are reeling from uncertainty in 2026. With shifting trade policies, geopolitical instability, and fluctuating consumer demand, SMBs are—understandably—getting whiplash fielding each new challenge.
“The exceptional has become the norm,” says Melanie Hilton, SVP of Customer Success at GS1 US, a not-for-profit organization that develops global standards for barcodes and product identification systems. “Since 2018, we’ve seen one thing after another expose uncharted territory for business leaders. There are so many external pressures that retailers must take into consideration: regulatory obligations, visibility obligations, consumer obligations, and the fact that the world is changing so much every day.”
This high-stakes environment has put supply chains under a glaring spotlight, where even the most minor missteps can have outsized impact on business performance. And in turn, the retailer-supplier relationship is a make-or-break factor for small and midsize brands. Hilton and other supply chain experts share a few ways that retailers can build trust with suppliers, help withstand the stresses of today’s business climate, and set their brand up for long-term growth.
Start small. Don’t rush.
By necessity, most SMBs start with small production runs. Caroline Grace, founder of Product and Prosper, a consultancy firm for consumer brands, points out that the need to start small is one of the........