What do tariffs, Fed rate cuts, and AI-driven search mean for the future of wholesale distribution?

In this milestone episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton break down the latest updates on GDP growth, jobless claims, and U.S.–China tariffs, while exploring how AI Engine Optimization (AEO), digital payments, and LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ are rewriting the rules for distributors and manufacturers.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the latest GDP and job data signal surprising economic resilience despite tariff pressures
• How LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ is reinventing CRM as an AI-enabled customer intelligence platform for distributors
• Why AI-powered search and AEO are replacing traditional SEO as the new driver of high-quality leads
• How digital currencies, stablecoins, and real-time payments will transform B2B transactions by 2026
• The hidden strategies manufacturers use to absorb tariffs and stabilize pricing in volatile global markets

Episode Highlights:

• 02:35 – Milestone reflections: 160 episodes and a growing global audience
• 10:22 – GDP third-round update: AI hardware and business equipment drive unexpected growth
• 23:18 – Jobless claims dip to a two-month low as the Fed debates further rate cuts
• 38:41 – Tariff probes into robotics, PPE, and industrial machinery—and why manufacturers may be absorbing costs
• 54:07 – AI vs. Google: ChatGPT captures 85% of AI-generated leads
• 01:05:12 – B2B buyers demand “free + fast” delivery as drone logistics reshape expectations
• 01:17:44 – Digital currency disruption: agentic AI, stablecoins, and the coming payments revolution

Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:

• LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ – AI-enabled CRM + customer intelligence platform
• AI Engine Optimization (AEO) – new strategies for ranking in AI-powered search
• Agentic AI Workflows – automated processes for smarter decision-making
• Digital Twin Modeling – replicating branches, warehouses, and store layouts for predictive planning
• Stablecoins & Real-Time Payments – faster, cheaper B2B transactions

Closing Insight:

“If you have siloed data, you have siloed AI. Winners unify data to future-proof supply chains.” – 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.

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

Is the Fed too late to cut rates—and what does it mean for distributors?

In this episode of Around The Horn in Wholesale Distribution, hosts Kevin Brown and Tom Burton unpack the week’s economic headlines and explore how interest rate cuts, tariffs, and global supply chain volatility are reshaping the manufacturing and wholesale distribution landscape. From AI-driven sales playbooks to the hidden risks in employment data, Kevin and Tom reveal the trends that matter most for distributors, manufacturers, and independent sales agencies navigating digital transformation.

What You’ll Learn:

• Economic Risk Signals – Why the Fed’s quarter-point rate cut may not be enough to counter labor market headwinds or supply chain slowdowns.
• AI Adoption in Distribution – How smart CRM platforms and industry-specific AI agents are transforming sales enablement and customer intelligence.
• Tariff Strategy & USMCA – How Canada and Mexico are positioning ahead of 2025 trade renegotiations and what that means for North American distributors.
• Future of B2B Buying – Why millennial buyers are shifting to app-based e-commerce and conversational AI instead of traditional catalogs.
• Sales Playbooks that Work – How AI-powered, buyer-centric playbooks outperform static sales scripts in today’s digitally mature market.

Episode Highlights:

• 03:22 – Fed rate cuts and why lagging indicators may lead to late action
• 11:48 – Labor market trends and the rise of “bandwagon layoffs”
• 21:35 – Tariff uncertainty and how distributors are rewriting supplier contracts
• 34:57 – Global Supply Chain Volatility Index: what a negative reading signals for Q4
• 48:29 – How Reddit, Wikipedia, and Amazon shape AI model training data
• 58:12 – AI-driven e-commerce: the shift from website traffic to mobile buying apps
• 01:09:46 – Building dynamic, AI-powered sales playbooks that meet the modern buyer
• 01:21:30 – Why top talent quits when career growth stalls—and how leaders can respond

Meet the Hosts:

Kevin Brown and Tom Burton are lifelong friends, seasoned entrepreneurs, and co-founders of LeadSmart Technologies, the AI-enabled CRM and customer intelligence platform built exclusively for wholesale distribution and manufacturing.

Tools, Frameworks & Strategies Mentioned:

• LeadSmart AI-Enabled Customer Intelligence Platform – A smart CRM built for distributors and manufacturers.
• Global Supply Chain Volatility Index (GEP/S&P) – A new indicator tracking global supply chain stress.
• AI Sales Playbook Model – Dynamic, signal-based playbooks for B2B sales teams.

Closing Insight:

“Today’s layoffs aren’t always about a weak eco

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.

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:

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.