What happens when AI adoption, tariffs, and interest rate cuts collide with the future of wholesale distribution?

In this lively episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton tackle the jobs report, the Supreme Court’s tariff ruling, and why AI regulation needs a federal playbook, not 50 state ones. You’ll learn how LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ is cracking the code on CRM adoption, why decentralized data may surface economic truth faster than the Fed, and what ethical AI frameworks mean for hiring and sales.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why CRM adoption fails, and how LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ is reframing it as a Customer Enablement Tool
• How decentralized markets like Polymarket highlight flaws in outdated economic data models
• Why the Supreme Court tariff decision could trigger refunds, reboot negotiations, or reinforce continuity
• How state-by-state AI laws risk creating chaos, and why federal AI policy is the only scalable solution
• Why businesses need AI ethics and HR policies before innovation turns into liability

Episode Highlights:

• 04:05 – Moonwalking office chairs, beach fog, and 157 weeks of distribution insights
• 12:20 – Why CRM adoption stalls, and how to build a system for willing adoption
• 23:42 – Jobs report shock: only 22,000 new jobs and what it signals for the Fed
• 35:18 – Polymarket vs. the Fed: can decentralized prediction markets beat outdated models?
• 47:02 – Tariff ruling chaos: Emergency Powers Act, refunds, and six statutory alternatives
• 59:15 – Why state-level AI laws could stifle innovation and confuse distributors
• 01:12:40 – AI in hiring: keyword-stuffed resumes, ethics policies, and the new HR reality
• 01:25:33 – Closing reflections: community, leadership, and why balanced trade matters

Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:

• LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ – AI-enabled CRM + customer intelligence platform
• AI Co-Pilot for Sales – embedding intelligence into daily sales activity
• Polymarket – decentralized prediction market surfacing sentiment
• E³ Model – Experience, Efficiency, Effectiveness as leadership priorities
• AI Ethics Policies – workplace guidelines for safe, compliant AI adoption

Closing Insight:

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What do college football, tariffs, and AI pilots gone wrong have in common?

In this week’s Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton connect cultural trends, economic contradictions, and digital transformation in wholesale distribution. From the E³ Model (Experience, Efficiency, Effectiveness) to LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ and the failure rate of corporate AI pilots, this episode explores why distributors must move from siloed data to customer intelligence platforms that drive real growth.

What You’ll Learn

• Why redefining CRM as a Customer Enablement Tool changes adoption and ROI
• How tariff extensions and Liberation Day shifts affect supply chain planning
• Why most AI pilot projects fail, and how to avoid repeating their mistakes
• How the hidden buyer phenomenon is reshaping B2B purchasing decisions
• Why customer experience investment will be the biggest trend in 2026

Episode Highlights:

• 03:55 – College football, NIL money, and how it parallels short-term vs. long-term strategy in distribution
• 12:40 – LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ and why CRM reimagined means measurable outcomes
• 22:05 – Breaking down GDP growth: why a 3.3% headline hides real 1.6% growth
• 31:48 – Tariffs beyond China: Liberation Day shocks for Southeast Asia supply chains
• 42:15 – The E³ Model: Experience, Efficiency, and Effectiveness as the new playbook
• 53:02 – Why 95% of AI pilots fail and how to set success criteria
• 01:04:18 – Invisible influencers: the hidden buyers shaping B2B decisions
• 01:19:50 – Customer experience as the driver—not the byproduct—of transactions

Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:

• LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ – AI-enabled CRM + customer intelligence platform
• GeniusFeed – AI-driven smart alerts for reps
• E³ Model – Experience, Efficiency, Effectiveness as growth pillars
• Agentic AI Workflows – AI-driven automation with expert oversight
• Hidden Revenue Detection – surfacing untapped opportunities in ERP/eCommerce data
  
  

Closing Insight:

“If you have siloed data, you have siloed AI. The winners will unify data to make supply chains resilient and future-proof.” – Kevin Brown

Leave a Review: Help us grow by sharing your thoughts on the show.

Learn more about the LeadSmart AI B2B Sales Platform: https://www.leadsmarttech.com/

Join the conversation each week on LinkedIn Live.

Want even more insight to the stories we discuss each week? Subscribe to the Around The Horn Newsletter.

You can also hear the podcast and other excellent content on our YouTube Channel.

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What happens when AI-driven workflows, tariff pressures, and shifting B2B buyer expectations collide?

In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton explore the trends redefining distribution: from AI co-pilots for sales and customer intelligence platforms to Fed rate cuts, tariff extensions, and the rise of Millennial and Gen Z buyers. You’ll learn why reframing CRM as a Customer Enablement Tool is critical, and how distributors can prepare for agentic AI, semantic clarity in marketing, and seismic shifts in buying behavior
.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ represents the next evolution of CRM for distributors
• How to prepare for agentic AI workflows by aligning data and processes
• The economic outlook from Jackson Hole: what interest rate cuts could mean for growth
• Why tariff extensions create a window to future-proof supply chains
• The new rules of B2B buying, 8.2 stakeholders, rep-free preferences, and the dominance of social proof

Episode Highlights:

04:10 – How LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ reframes CRM as a Customer Enablement Tool
13:45 – Breaking down Powell’s Jackson Hole speech and the debate over a 3% inflation target
24:05 – Tariffs hit the highest level since 1934—and what it means for supply chain resilience
33:28 – Why B2B lags behind B2C in adopting agentic AI workflows
44:12 – Build vs. buy: navigating low-code tools versus industry-specific platforms
55:40 – AI in the workplace: why 40% of employees admit to using banned tools
01:04:55 – How Millennials and Gen Z are reshaping B2B buying groups
01:20:25 – Closing reflections on resilience, innovation, and AI policy in distribution

Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned

• LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ – AI-enabled CRM + customer intelligence platform
• AI Co-Pilot for Sales – positioning AI as a digital sales assistant
• Hidden Revenue Detection – surfacing opportunities in ERP and eCommerce data
• Future-Proofing Distribution – strategies for mitigating supply chain risk
• Agentic AI Workflows – autonomous decision-making models for B2B processes

Closing Insight

Here's a link to the report we discussed - you can watch it on YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=t2ppETF4oUA&feature=youtu.be

Leave a Review: Help us grow by sharing your thoughts on the show.

Learn more about the LeadSmart AI B2B Sales Platform: https://www.leadsmarttech.com/

Join the conversation each week on LinkedIn Live.

Want even more insight to the stories we discuss each week? Subscribe to the Around The Horn Newsletter.

You can also hear the podcast and other excellent content on our YouTube Channel.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok.