Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Nolan’s Notes: The Changing EMS Landscape

When I was growing up, my parents would occasionally make the long, two-and-a-half-day drive from Oregon to Minnesota. My preferred seat in our station wagon was at the very back, facing backward like a tail gunner, taking in the panoramic view as I sat perched on top of my duffel bag of clothes. My parents would give me my own AAA roadmap because they knew I liked to chart our progress and alert Dad to upcoming rest stops and roadside attractions. I was the voice-only guidance system of the 1970s and a handy tour guide for my parents to where we could find the best bumper stickers and souvenirs. To this day, I can conjure up mental snapshots from the plains of South Dakota to the forests of Montana.

In the early 2000s, taking my own family on long road trips looked quite different. The kids packed their flip phones and mobile game devices and had a DVD player mounted to the ceiling of our minivan. Once we were on the road, the kids drew the side curtains, and the movies started to play. For them, this was an uninterrupted opportunity to experience a rolling theater room and the back of the minivan seemed more like first-class accommodations on a plane that simply taxied them all the way from Oregon to Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Disneyland, or our other favorite destinations.

As I drove my family across those many miles, I’d reflect on my own road trips as a child, and how different the experience was for my kids: They were generally focused inward rather than outward. They immensely enjoyed the ride, but I would ponder about what they were missing. Just like in my younger days, I still acted as the tour guide for everyone in the car, calling out upcoming sites as I occasionally demanded my kids open the curtains and take breaks from their devices. I wanted them to experience the open road like I had, practically begging them to help me navigate those long stretches between cities. But they would have none of it.

In our day-to-day work, we might feel like we focus too much on internal operations. Like my children, we settle in for the long ride, tending to stay in our comfort zone where we can immediately fix the problem in front of us. But for a better perspective, sometimes we need to throw open the proverbial curtains, look out the window, and watch the constant—and changing—landscapes.

My role as an editor is to track the changing landscape for you. I spot the trends, consult with a variety of industry voices, and alert you to what’s over the horizon. I’m a tour guide and a mapmaker at the same time. With so many changes in our industry, it often feels like we’re charting our course minute by minute.

The basis of chaos theory is a key concept known as the “butterfly effect.” It’s the idea that a small event in one place (a butterfly flapping its wings in Spain) creates a cascading set of follow-on events that just might turn into a storm across Africa that becomes a hurricane striking Florida. The connections between cause and effect are not always obvious, but nevertheless are there—if you look for them. Again, choosing to look outward rather than inward.

We’ve felt the butterfly effect, especially in recent years. Just one little change can turn into ever larger and cascading repercussions. What are some of those small changes that are bringing about big results? In this issue of SMT007 Magazine, we talk about supply chain issues, workforce shortages, post-tariff and geopolitical shifts, and new opportunities in other countries.

EMS consultant Mark Wolfe addresses these changes. He wonders if we’ve been in survival mode for too long. Columnist Mike Konrad helps us understand the differences between critical and distracting decision-making. Alison James, IPC senior director of European government relations, shares what’s happening across the pond while IPC VP of Government Relations Chris Mitchell tackles the issues in Washington, D.C. Looking to our neighbors in the south, the leadership team from Milwaukee Electronics represents strong solutions for EMS providers in Mexico. We also have a column from Preeya Kuray about nearshoring that includes her personal interview with MacroFab, a company also making headway in Mexico.

As we take this opportunity to look out the window, I’ve shared just a few highlights from this issue, but I encourage you to consider what it means for your business. How would you benefit by “turning off the DVD player” and surveying your own landscape? What would you find? What changes could you make that will lead to a stronger business strategy? How can you manage this butterfly effect?

Finally, what has your company done to solve a problem or respond to a challenge? Share your ideas for what SMT007 Magazine should cover. Who knows? Your short email just might be the flutter of butterfly wings.

This column originally appears in the June 2024 issue of SMT007 Magazine.