Sent Items #225: Block's 40% AI Cut, The $130B Tariff Scramble & We Turn Two!

Welcome to the March 1st edition of Sent Items.

I just returned from a few days in freezing (but wonderful) Montreal, where I had the privilege of guest lecturing to a couple of entrepreneurship classes at my alma mater, McGill University.

Believe it or not, there was exactly one thing I said that got some pushback. When I encouraged the class to embrace AI - viewing it as an essential tool for efficiency, much like a modern word processor - and to use it "as often as you can," I was given an immediate "SSSSSSHHHHH" by the professor. I can accept that academia has different standards right now.

Ironically, the day after I returned home, I woke up to the news that Block (fka Square) announced a layoff of 40% of their employees, explicitly due to AI. Jack Dorsey even wrote the entire note in lowercase, which just goes to show nothing matters anymore BTW, the stock is up 23% on that news. #YOLO. Read his memo here. 

We're already seeing that the intelligence tools we’re creating and using, paired with smaller and flatter teams, are enabling a new way of working which fundamentally changes what it means to build and run a company. And that shift is accelerating rapidly.

Speaking of building companies, Third Person officially turns TWO this week! When we started this platform to seamlessly connect brands with the right 3PLs, we knew there was a massive gap in the market.

Two years later, the community we've built has exceeded every expectation. We have had over 2,000 brands sign up, we have over 400 3PLs, and we have helped 3PLs generate an incremental $50 Million in contracts. To celebrate the beginning of our third year, we are offering 30% off the monthly rate if you sign up for an annual plan.

While we are blowing out candles, the rest of the industry is scrambling to claw back $130 billion from the government, ocean carriers are signaling a massive year, and the regional parcel carriers are expanding their maps.

Let’s get into it.

— Matt

The $130 Billion Race for Tariff Refunds Following last week’s monumental Supreme Court ruling that struck down the sweeping IEEPA tariffs, the chaotic scramble has begun. The WSJ reports that companies are racing to claim their slice of an estimated $130 billion in duties that were illegally collected. If you are an importer, your customs broker and legal counsel should be working overtime this weekend. The line for refunds is forming, and you do not want to be at the back of it. Source: WSJ

Shipping Industry Sends Strong Demand Signal Are we headed for a massive 2026? The WSJ Logistics Report highlights that the global shipping industry is signaling robust consumer demand for the remainder of the year. Despite the recent dip in spot rates post-Lunar New Year, carriers and forwarders are seeing strong, sustained volume projections from major retailers. If this holds, capacity will tighten up significantly by Q3. Plan your inbound freight accordingly. Source: WSJ

Alternative Parcel Carriers Expand Coverage While FedEx and UPS are busy closing hundreds of stations to shrink their footprints, the alternative and regional carriers are moving in. Supply Chain Dive maps out the aggressive 2026 growth and coverage expansions from the "challenger" parcel delivery companies. As the Big Two focus on margin over volume, the regional players are stepping up to offer the coverage and pricing flexibility that mid-market brands desperately need. Source: Supply Chain Dive

Third Person Updates & Events

We Are Hiring: Brand and Account Manager! As Third Person continues to scale, we are looking for a rockstar Brand and Account Manager to join the team. If you (or someone you know) are obsessed with the intersection of e-commerce, operations, and client success, apply here.

Third Person Updates & Events

We Are Turning Two! (Anniversary Promo) If you are a 3PL operator looking to join the Third Person ecosystem, there has never been a better time. To celebrate our second anniversary, we are offering 30% off our monthly rate when you commit to an annual plan. Head on over to Third Person to get started.

Applications Open: The September Retreat (Sept 28-30) Our upcoming March 16-18 Logistics & Leadership Retreat here in Nashville is going to be amazing, but we all know each iteration gets even better! We have officially opened applications for our fall September Retreat (Sept 28-30). If you are an operator looking to connect with the best in the business, apply now. Remember, it is 100% free for brands (including the 2-night stay at the Soho House) Note: We also have a few select sponsorship opportunities open for September - reply to this email if you are interested.

SOP Community Webinar (Tuesday, March 3) Join me this Tuesday as I host a live webinar for the SOP Community discussing How to Choose the Best 3PL. We are approaching 100 registrations across leading brands and 3PLs. Register here.

Matt's Chats (Wednesday, March 4) Keep the momentum going on Wednesday for our monthly Matt's Chats. I will be joined by Mike Le (Founder of Conative AI) and Kevin Gibbon (CEO & Co-Founder of Cytronic AI). We’ll be discussing the AI-powered warehouse and how robotics and tech are redefining profitability, and answer your questions live. Register here!

Applications Open: The September Retreat (Sept 28-30) Our second Logistics and Leadership Retreat is coming up next month in Nashville, and it is going to be amazing. But we all know each iteration gets even better, which is why we have officially opened applications for our September Retreat (Sept 28-30)! If you are an operator looking to connect with the best in the business, apply now. Recall, this is a completely free trip for brands, including a 2-night stay at the Soho House. (Note: We also have a few select sponsorship opportunities open for September - reach out if interested).

🏙️ SubSummit (Kansas City | May 13-15) I’m heading to KC in May for SubSummit, the biggest event for subscription brands. I have a great deal for brands who want to attend (note: it’s free + you get travel stipend). For vendors/suppliers, I can get you a deal as well. This is one of the highest-value events of the year for DTC operators.

Have a great March!

- Matt

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