From challenge to opportunity: real stories from local businesses

At Pixo, we talk with a lot of business owners and decision-makers about the pressures they’re facing in the current economic climate. Lately, there’s a shared theme that keeps coming up: times of uncertainty force us to rethink how we do things. And while that can be stressful, it can also uncover new opportunities for growth.

These aren’t just hypotheticals. We’ve heard real examples from people in our own network about how they’re adapting to change in smart, strategic ways.

Example 1: Navigating changing tariffs in building materials

One purchasing agent we spoke with works for a supplier of kitchen, bathroom, and office remodeling materials. Their biggest clients are commercial contractors who expect stable pricing and reliable timelines. But with recent changes to tariffs, pricing has been anything but stable.

They’ve had to juggle multiple suppliers for the same products, sometimes sourcing 60% of an order from one supplier at one price, and 40% from another at a higher price. Add in shipping costs and dropshipping options to avoid tariffs altogether, and pricing quotes for clients get complicated fast.

But instead of giving up, they’ve adapted out of necessity. Their two-person procurement team now gets quotes from a much larger pool of suppliers for each job, gathering details like pricing, shipping times, tariff costs, product origin, and any bulk order discounts. They compile all of this into a spreadsheet so they can compare options and determine the best way to stay competitive — whether that means mixing suppliers, dropshipping directly to clients, or choosing a source that helps them maintain their margins. It’s a time-consuming process, but right now it’s the only way to respond quickly to changing costs and keep their bids competitive across borders.

Example 2: Competing with overseas suppliers in manufacturing

Another story we heard was from a company that manufactures custom rubber extrusions for garage doors. Traditionally, they’ve focused on small-batch, fill-in orders. Larger orders were usually sent overseas to lower-cost suppliers in China.

But with new tariffs making those imports significantly more expensive, suddenly they’re in a position to compete for bigger orders. They’re not treating it like easy money, though. They’re asking tough questions:

• What pricing can we offer that truly competes?
• Can we source raw materials affordably enough to maintain margins?
• How would we staff and schedule larger production runs?
• What inventory would we need on hand to deliver quickly?

By approaching these questions thoughtfully, they see the chance to transform from a niche supplier into a more significant player in their market.

How we think about solutions in times of change

When we hear stories like these, we start by asking questions — a lot of them. What’s the core problem? Is it temporary or long term? What’s worth solving right now, and what might be better to leave flexible until more is known?

Sometimes we’ll design a quick, functional solution that gets you through a turbulent period, but we’ll build it in a way that can grow into something more permanent later. Other times, we’ll replace just one piece of your system and leave the rest intact — so you can extend its capabilities without breaking what already works.

We’ll also help you look at edge cases: the unusual scenarios that could throw a wrench in your plans. By thinking through those now, we can reduce surprises later. We might aim to solve 80-85% of situations immediately and leave room to tackle the next 15-20% as your needs evolve.

Building solutions for today and tomorrow

When we work with clients in situations like these, our goal isn’t just to solve the problem in front of you. We want to make sure you’re set up for whatever comes next.

That starts with asking the right questions: What’s your core need? What could change? Where can we build in flexibility? We think through edge cases and “what ifs” so you’re not blindsided later.

Sometimes that means creating a quick, functional fix that helps you get through a volatile moment, but building it on a foundation that can grow into a more permanent system later. Other times it means replacing just one piece of your software, leaving the rest untouched, so you can extend its capabilities without breaking what already works.

As software engineers, we believe in keeping software “soft.” It should be adaptable, not locked into one way of doing things. That’s why we design systems you can adjust and expand without starting over. The market will keep changing, and your business will evolve along with it. Your tools should be ready to evolve, too.

At the end of the day, it’s about people helping people…listening closely, understanding your challenges, and creating solutions that fit the way you work.

If you’re facing a time of change and want to explore how technology can help you adapt and grow, let’s talk. We’d love to help you turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities.