Welcome to This Week’s dispatch

In this week’s edition:

• Will Europe Embrace The Live Commmerce Revolution?

• What is your value proposition?

• Community Round Up

• Join us in Brazil

🗓️ The Week Ahead

What is your value proposition?

A few days ago, someone challenged me and Gustavo during a call.

I come from an athletic background competitive, always pushing

But I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t bug me sometimes.

“What? He didn’t get EVOLVE?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” that was my first gut reaction.

But he was calm, direct, and right.

He pointed out what wasn’t clear.
“Connecting people isn’t enough.”
“Where are your in-person events?
You say they happen, but I can’t find them on your site.”

That call hit hard. Not because it was harsh but because it was true.

And here’s the thing I was reminded of:

When someone takes the time to challenge your thinking, they’re probably more interested than indifferent.
Criticism isn’t rejection. It’s engagement.

We took it seriously.

Two weeks after that call with someone who led partnerships for major SaaS brands in the DACH region and once ran one of the world’s biggest GTM communities we went back to the drawing board.

Gustavo and I rewrote our value proposition.

We’re acting on it immediately.

So what’s changing?

✅ We’ve clarified who we serve:
Our website will now reflect the different ICPs inside EVOLVE:
founders, execs, advisors. Each with clear journeys and content.

✅ We’re showcasing our work:
Photos from past in-person sessions, the full calendar ahead, and the real humans who show up in cities around the world.

✅ A smoother joining experience:
Simplified payments, clearer onboarding, and better transparency on how it all works.

✅ Highlighting our mentors:
We’re opening up about the mentor program that’s already running — and the senior leaders who’ve been supporting our members behind the scenes.

Here’s what EVOLVE is and always has been but now we’re saying it clearly:

And more to come…

The big lesson?

Being challenged is uncomfortable.
But being unclear is riskier.

Never confuse silence for alignment.
If someone challenges you, it’s a gift.

We took the feedback.
We took action.

And we’re just getting started.

Carlos Monteiro -
Founder EVOLVE Commerce Club

What We’re Watching

🌍 Future of Work & Global Careers

1. Days of 4‑Year Degrees Are Over, Says Zerodha Co-founder

Nikhil Kamath emphasized that traditional college credentials are becoming obsolete. He argued adaptability and lifelong learning—especially around AI—will be the determining factors in career success over the next decade

Source: Economic Times

2. AI to Replace Junior Roles on Wall Street, Warns Goldman CEO

David Solomon of Goldman Sachs revealed that AI can draft 95% of an IPO prospectus in minutes. Industry insiders predict up to 30% reduction in junior banking positions, highlighting the need for career resilience and strategic skills

Source: Market Watch

3. Tech Leaders Predict AI Will Increase Hiring, Not Cut Jobs

A Deloitte survey of 600+ CIOs and CTOs showed that 69% plan to expand teams as they scale generative AI—particularly in roles requiring cybersecurity, human-AI collaboration, and critical thinking

Source: Business Insider

4. Cyberattacks Reshape Hiring Priorities

A survey by Per Scholas found that 64% of tech executives rank cyberattacks among the top business risks—prompting 53% to increase cybersecurity hires, especially at junior levels

Source: PR Newswire/Yahoo

Commerce & International Partnerships

1. EuroPA and EPI Unite for Cross-Border Payments

The European Payments Alliance (EuroPA) partnered with the European Payments Initiative (EPI) to expand interoperable mobile payments across Europe — now including Italy, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Greece, and more. This marks a major step toward a Europe-wide payment infrastructure independent of US card giants

Source: Fintechfutures

2. Deutsche Bank × Ant International Forge Global FX & Treasury Alliance

Deutsche Bank has joined forces with Ant International to develop real-time treasury management and FX tokenization services across Europe and Asia, using blockchain-powered stablecoin structures for efficient cross-border finance

Source: Techcircle

3. Ericsson Highlights Fintech Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa

Ericsson’s Mobility Report reveals a surge in fintech innovation and fixed wireless access services in Sub-Saharan Africa, projecting 400 million 5G users by 2030 and highlighting the pivotal role of digital finance in regional development

Source: Ericsson

Community Round Up

Evolve Expert Sessions

Expert Session #67 - Carlos Monteiro & Gustavo Valle

This conversation focuses on the importance of networking within the Evolve community, emphasizing best practices for leveraging connections, clarity in communication, and the significance of follow-ups. The speakers discuss matchmaking, building relationships, and the role of curiosity in networking. They also highlight the importance of elevating others and being responsive to create meaningful connections. The session concludes with insights on how to effectively engage with the community to accelerate networking opportunities.

VOICES Podcast  

#033 - “You will become Disabled”

Stinson Parks III’s journey from executive marketing leader to accessibility advocate is a story of transformation, resilience, and renewed purpose. A health scare shifted his trajectory—now a wheelchair user, Stinson is championing disability rights and inclusive design through advisory work and community engagement. He shares reflections on redefining success, the healing power of art, and why accessibility is the next frontier in responsible marketing. We explore trust in global teams, taking career pauses, and what it means to live a “multi-purpose” life.

Featured Thought - Gustavo Valle

This week, we’re spotlighting a sharp perspective from EVOLVE member & EVOLVE Co-founder - Gustavo Valle. 

Becoming relevant in a new cycle.

We’re entering a new cycle and most advisors haven’t realized how central they’re becoming.

The rules of global growth are changing.
It’s not just about credentials anymore.
It’s about context, trust, and connection.

It’s worth a read.

👉 Follow Gustavo Valle here

👀 Have something worth sharing?

If you’re exploring the future of commerce, procurement, AI or just have a sharp perspective grounded in real experience—we’d like to hear from you.

Our members include senior advisors, operators, and decision-makers across 43+ markets. They come to EVOLVE not for noise, but for signal.

If you want your ideas to reach the right people, reply to this newsletter or message us directly.

We’ll guide you from there.

Learn more

From the Community

Events from our partners
Forum Ecommerce Brasil  

Forum E-commerce Brasil is the largest digital commerce event in LATAM over 30,000 participants across three intense days.

It brings together the entire ecosystem: brands, retailers, tech players, and investors from across Brazil and the region.

This year, EVOLVE will be there.
We’re hosting a private dinner for 40 world-class founders, investors, and senior professionals shaping the future of commerce.

We have limited sponsorship opportunities available for the dinner.

Want to be part of it?
Let’s talk
Check our program

Time to Evolve

We now have an official map of our meetups for 2025:

London.
Berlin.
Copenhagen
Madrid.
São Paulo.
Cairo.
Bucharest.
Dubai.
Riyadh.

Each one is an invitation to step outside the silo and into real conversations with senior operators shaping the future of commerce.

If you're interested in partnering with EVOLVE, sharing your events, activating our community, or co-creating something with purpose
Click below to explore how we collaborate.

No noise. Just alignment.

Keep the conversation going in our WhatsApp group and Exclusive Mighty Networks community, that’s where real connections happen.

Make sure to follow our newsletter, where we highlight what’s shaping our club. In the coming months, we’ll be announcing new partnerships, events, meetups, and the opportunities our members are creating together.