Manage suppliers so they don't sink you

A single supplier who slips is an existential risk. Vet with samples, agree terms in writing, track performance, and line up a backup before you need one.

Your supplier controls your cost, quality, and whether you can ship at all, yet many founders run on one unvetted vendor and a handshake. Solid supplier management means sampling before you commit, written terms (price, MOQ, lead time, defect handling), scored performance, and a backup source. AI drafts the vetting checklist and scorecard; you make the relationship calls.

Your supplier sets your cost, your quality, and whether you can ship at all. Running on one unvetted vendor and a handshake is an existential risk.

The fix: sample before committing, agree terms in writing, score performance, and have a backup. AI can draft the checklist, the terms to nail down, and a scorecard; you make the judgment and relationship calls.

What you'll learn

Sample before you commit
Put terms in writing
Score performance monthly
Always have a backup lined up