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Liberation Day; Being Relevant; Evolving with EVOLVE
This week's dispatch
EVOLVE Commerce Club
April 06, 2025
Welcome to this week’s EVOLVE Dispatch
In this edition, I’ll briefly share thoughts on what’s become the headline of the week:
Mr. Trump’s “liberation day” and the global reactions it’s already triggered.
You'll also find highlights from our latest expert session, what was discussed, what stood out, and what’s been moving within the club.
This newsletter is meant to keep EVOLVERs informed about what’s happening inside our community, while also spotlighting our members your ideas, perspectives, and expertise to the broader market.
This past week was no joke.
Trump announced his “super tariff” plan, shaking global markets. Some countries have already signaled retaliation. What sparked debate wasn’t just the policy itself, but the way the tariffs were calculated.
Source: Ian Bremmer’s LinkedIn Post
Source: Ian Bremmer
Trump’s team believes the U.S. has long been on the losing end of global trade and is now recalibrating by force.
Our community features senior experts from 42 countries within the global commerce industry, and here you can see what some of our members have shared.
“It’s still too early to grasp the full-scale repercussions of the new U.S. tariffs. But here’s what seems likely:
- E-commerce and digital services will be impacted—if not directly by tariffs- through non-tariff measures like Local-for-Local (L4L) incentives, regulatory constraints, or data localization requirements.
- Industry 4.0 and automation will gain momentum. The push to localize manufacturing will increase demand for robotics and AI-driven production to compensate for higher labor costs.
- Large manufacturing hubs in Asia may lose competitiveness, especially if supply chains start shortening or reshoring accelerates in the U.S. and Europe.
- There may be a consumer perception shift: with shorter supply chains and better quality control, people might expect higher quality and higher prices, because the economics will support that.
- Multinational companies will likely accelerate their risk-mapping exercises, diversify suppliers, and reconfigure logistics to avoid being caught in the next round of political-economic chess.
One big unknown: Will these tariffs trigger retaliation?
If so, sectors like services, digital, agriculture, automotive, and tech could feel second-order impacts fast.”
Tariffs have been well thought through, even though they seem haphazard as with most things in this administration. It is a tool designed for a specific (short to medium term) impact. It has been tried twice ( in the 19th and 20th centuries) before with devastating repercussions economically.
It will give Trump short-term gains in popularity and force some creative reactions: in Europe, it is being used to isolate the UK from the Eu, it seems, for instance. In Asia, where there is a trade surplus in terms of imports being less than export, it will probably ruin the economic growth.
Thus it leaves a world in turmoil with every predictive model being turned on its head.
During the coming week, we will be featuring more of our expert members sharing their thoughts and perspectives on these tariffs and what they mean to the World.
We are already organizing an “emergency session” to invite members and a few experts from multiple countries to ask them how these tariffs are going to affect their customers and respective markets, and what sort of opportunities and challenges they see coming next.
Mr.Trump is changing how the World order has worked so far.
Tariffs are a tool that, if used appropriately, can potentially protect or even enable countries to build certain industries.
Mr. Trump’s administration seems to be using tariffs as a means to inject capital into the North American economy, but while that may benefit the USA in, short term, it is already causing a reorganization in the international board game, with new alliances and potential blocks that are going to emerge.
The tariffs are just one of the multiple tactical actions Mr. Trump’s administration has taken since they have taken office.
Is that good, bad?
We don’t have an answer, but we certainly know the World is changing, and given our international nature, we want to keep a close eye on our members because they are the best ones to share how their markets/countries are reacting.
( more to come…)
The #1 Private Community For Senior Commerce Professionals
2. Expert Session - Breaking Down Go-To-Network
Have you ever wondered how we manage to build such a powerful network?
Building a network is great.
But understanding how to activate your network will give you superpowers and will position you ( and your brand) as a very unique asset.
Gustavo and Carlos Monteiro sat down on Thursday to break down their Go-to-network approach.
Here is the EVOLVE Expert Session Recap
We covered:
How to leverage EVOLVE for real opportunities
How to activate your network the right way
Community best practices that actually drive results
We also had a surprise lineup of top-tier guests:
🔥 Paulo Do Forno – Partner & Global Leader B2B Commerce at Deloitte, who landed a million-dollar deal with Footlocker through relationships and communities.
🔥 Thalles Patello – Marketplace specialist, who’s been using EVOLVE to fast-track connections, including with Luke, VP of Sales Engineering at Marketplacer.
🔥 Viviane Araujo – CIO at Portobello, leading their US expansion, sharing how they adapted their Brazilian community model to new markets.
Carlos wrapped up the session with how VTEX entered CEE through a Go-to-Network approach, turning a handful of relationships into $10M ARR and 8 closed deals in under 24 months (this deserves a session of its own).
Gustavo also posted on LinkedIn, exploring real-world scenarios of how B2B companies can leverage communities for international expansion. Check it out and join the conversation.
The #1 Private Community For Senior Commerce Professionals
3. EVOLVE Voices
Voices #14 - Inside the Hospitality Game- What it takes to succeed
Roland Bitar is the CEO and Co-Founder of Local Host Rentals, a hospitality brand redefining the short-term rental experience across the Middle East and Europe. With a background in entrepreneurship and business strategy, Roland has built a company that merges tech-driven efficiency with high-end hospitality, creating exceptional stays for travelers and business professionals alike. His vision focuses on scaling a premium rental experience, ensuring seamless operations, personalized guest services, and strong partnerships with property owners. As a leader, he continuously adapts to market trends, evolving traveler expectations, and the challenges of the hospitality industry
Voices #15 - On Venture Capital, DEI, and working across Cultures with Tessa Flippin
Tessa Flippin has carved her own path in venture capital with a clear mission: empowering diverse entrepreneurs. Her journey began with a transformative summer internship in Peru, where her passion for connecting cultures first took root. From founding La Plataforma, a fintech platform enabling cross-border payments across Latin America, to leading investments at Capitalize VC, Tessa is committed to reshaping the venture capital landscape for underrepresented founders. She shares her unique perspective on the power of cultural insights, the growing potential of AI and the creator economy, and how her experiences have shaped her investment strategies in global commerce.
Tessa Flippin is the Founder and Managing Partner of Capitalize VC, a Chicago-based firm investing in technology companies that drive global commerce. A Kauffman Fellow, Tessa also serves on the boards of BLCK VC Midwest and Chicago:Blend, both of which are dedicated to increasing diversity within the tech ecosystem.
Time to EVOLVE
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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.
Interested in partnering with EVOLVE? Reach out at [email protected] or [email protected].
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The future is bright. Let’s build it together.
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