Good morning!
Here are today’s highlights:
Morning Report subscribers get a 25-percent discount on ZingTrain seminars.
Appeals from alternative lenders are overwhelming small businesses trying to survive the tariffs.
A restaurant chain raised its prices and saw an increase in traffic.
The Trump administration says it’s implementing the largest act of deregulation in U.S. history.
THE 21 HATS PODCAST
Almost every growing business experiences a moment when success starts creating as many problems as it solves: Sales are up. The team is bigger. The product line is broader. And suddenly, the systems that got you here start to break. That’s where Liz Picarazzi finds herself right now. “We’re in the valley of death,” she says. “And we really need help.” Liz’s company, Citibin, made the most recent Inc. 5000 list, but Citibin has also hit that dangerous in-between stage—too big to run on improvisation, too small to have put in place all of the processes it needs.
So Liz is trying to grow her way out of the valley. She’s hired a marketing agency. A growth consultant. And two AI advisors. She’s testing new domestic fabricators. And she’s rebuilding her website from the ground up—because right now, it’s generating no more than 10 percent of sales, and she knows it can do better. The site hasn’t kept up with her expanding product line, and it isn’t even optimized for search engine discovery, let alone for generative AI discovery.
Talking it through with Paul Downs and Jaci Russo, Liz confronts some uncomfortable questions: How much copy is “enough” for AI? How transparent should pricing be—especially for a premium product whose prices could scare away some customers? And who has a better feel for the company’s story—the owner who’s lived it or the agency that has more experience helping businesses connect with customers? Not surprisingly, Liz and Jaci have different instincts on that one. What follows is a candid look at what it takes to rebuild a growing business at the dawn of a new era.
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THE 21 HATS RESOURCE GUIDE
These folks know what it’s like to wear 21 hats, and they would love to have your business. If you too would like to list your business here and reach the owner-operators of some of America’s most impressive small businesses, reply to this newsletter to get more information.
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Morning Report subscribers get a 25-percent discount on ZingTrain seminars: Wishing you could take your customer service to a legendary level? Aspiring to be a leader who motivates and inspires others? Looking to empower staff to improve business results? Tackle the big-picture topics and day-to-day obstacles you’re facing, gather insight and inspiration, and leave with ready-to-implement tools to make meaningful changes when you join ZingTrain’s in-person two-day seminars.
Offered a few times each year, these immersive leadership learning experiences are taught by dynamic trainers at their training facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan. These business training seminars are for any owner, manager, or aspiring leader looking to enhance culture, improve systems, and reach their goals. Prepare to enjoy the Zingerman’s service and food that made them famous, while you chart your course to the improvements that will set you and your organization apart. Enter the code 21HATS25 to claim your 25-percent discount.
