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STEVE ROBINSON
2025 Over → 2026 Just Beginning\
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As we close out one year and look toward the next, here are the effluences and shifts that defined 2025—and the ones that will matter even more in 2026. These come from working with clients, evolving AI trends, and emerging pressures on SMBs, especially in retail, CPG supplier/brand, and the creative industries. 1. From AI Tools to Agentic Co-Workers 2025 Over: Playing with ChatGPT on the side. 2026 Just Beginning: AI agents customers will use AI agents to shop, and you w
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Death of a Sales Manager\
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Willy Loman was the central character in Death of a Salesman , Arthur Miller’s epic play depicting a bewildered man who lost his place in a world that changed faster than he did. Today, the same is happening across the entire sales process, driven by market need, consumer behavior, and AI. Brands want direct relationships with the consumer, retailers need supplier partnerships—not sales tactics—and Agentic AI is changing the way work gets done for all of us. This isn’t a simp
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AI Adoption is Non-Negotiable\
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Here’s the deal: AI is here to stay. So, what are you waiting for? Why don’t you have a plan for your company? Are you still on the fence? Are you approaching AI with trepidation, suspicion, fear, or naïveté? Because if you are, you are at risk of getting smoked by someone who is using AI to work better, smarter, faster. While you continue to work hard the way you always have, your competitor may be learning how to operate a leaner, more profitable business by changing the wa
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One Click That's All it Takes\
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Imagine this. You wake up on launch day for your new product without a worry in the world. One click—just one—and your brand's latest campaign goes live across the country. Your post hits Facebook and Instagram. It's your brand voice, your message, your content. But within minutes, that same post—with local details and custom calls to action—also appears on the feeds of your twenty best retail partners. Same campaign. Same story. Now 20X the reach! Automatically. You've just
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SMB AI Adoption- The Time is Now!\
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According to the most recent 2025 surveys from Salesforce, Thryv, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, SMBs are using AI to save time, grow...
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It's Not Business, It's Personal\
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Why SMBs Must Make It Personal to Survive When it comes to competing with big-box chains, online marketplaces such as Amazon and Temu,...
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Retail Reality: Why “Product Teaching” Declined—and How SMB Stores Can Pivot\
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Due to technology, in-store product 'teaching” has declined as consumers now do their homework before they walk in. What changed (fast): ...
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When One Window Closes, Another Opens!\
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61% of shoppers say they’d rather buy from local independents. That’s the good news! People don’t just want products, they want...
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The Missed Opportunity Hiding in Plain Sight: Why CPG Brands Should Rethink Their Indie Retail Strategy\
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As a manufacturer building a brand, your playbook likely emphasizes distribution: getting your products on as many shelves as possible,...
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The Shop Local Renaissance\
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I see the future of locally-owned retail as a recent Renaissance of consumerism. Sparked by the post-COVID desire to slow down, there is...
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SMB AI and the Future: Two Moves That Define Survival\
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Through the lens of one industry — art and craft materials — Think Between the Lines has been focused on two themes: Rethinking the...
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The Missed Opportunity Hiding in Plain Sight: Why CPG Brands Should Rethink Their Indie Retail Strategy\
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As a manufacturer building a brand, your playbook likely emphasizes distribution: getting your products on as many shelves as possible,...
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AI Transformation Comes From the Bottom—If Leaders Can Stay Out of the Way\
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Executive Summary This essay challenges the prevailing wisdom that AI transformation must be driven from the C-suite. We will utilize...
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Saving Local Independent Retail\
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Of all the small to medium-sized businesses in the US, approximately three million are retailers, and about 600,000 are manufacturers...
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The Future of Retail Isn't More Products—It's More Experiences\
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Retail is no longer about adding more SKUs—it's about emotions. We don't just shop to buy—experience matters. Education, entertainment,...
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From Overwhelmed to Optimized: Leading Change with Confidence\
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Steven Robinson The pace of change is unrelenting and completely overwhelming. Especially everything AI. It's everywhere and can do...
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The Truth About AI Agents\
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By Steve Robinson, AI Assisted Summary of Section Post interview of Lutra AI co-founder and CEO Jiquan Ngiam You may have heard people...
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Post-NAMTA Reflections: Innovation and Opportunity in the Face of Change\
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NAMTA Creativation 2025 I just returned from the NAMTA show and conference, and wow—what a ride. It's been six years since I last...
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Is your Data Safe with AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini?\
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By Steve Robinson – Creativity Consulting We're in the golden age of generative AI — but with great power comes great responsibility. One...
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Back to Basics for Small Businesses\
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12 Smart Strategies for Small Business Success (and How AI Can Help) Does running your business sometimes feel like navigating a winding...
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STEVE ROBINSON
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