Good morning!
Here are today’s highlights:
On the latest Dashboard, Shawn Busse talks about AI’s impact on marketing.
Fuel surcharges are yet another expense small businesses couldn’t prepare for and can’t control.
If your inventory is a mess, your business is a mess.
You may not realize you already have access to a bunch of AI tools.
MANAGEMENT
Ami Kassar says that playing it safe right now feels risky: “I read a recent piece about the potential economic impact of the Iran conflict that actually made sense to me. It said that within 90 days, one of two things will happen: oil will be $40 a barrel, and the global economy will be booming, or oil will be $200 a barrel, and we’ll be in a deep recession. That’s it. Binary. And anyone who tells you they know which way it’s going is kidding themselves. That framing stuck with me because it highlights the uncertainty and the need for a clear approach. If the outcomes are so extreme and unpredictable, how should you lead your business?”
“Now, to be clear, there are some businesses that don’t have the luxury of debating that question. If you’re in an industry directly tied to fuel costs, you’re already making decisions. Pricing, margins, contracts—those aren’t theoretical right now. The impact is immediate and very real, and the decisions are practical rather than philosophical.”
“But most of us, including me, aren’t there yet. Our businesses are doing fine today, but the range of possible outcomes feels unusually wide. That’s what makes this moment so uncomfortable. So do you pull back, get conservative, and try to protect yourself in case things go bad? Or do you keep going, maybe even lean in, and operate as if things will work out?”
“What worries me most isn’t being wrong about the economy—it’s making choices that paralyze progress. So for me, the right approach seems clear. We’re staying focused.” READ MORE
THE 21 HATS PODCAST: DASHBOARD
Shawn Busse thinks AI is killing SEO spam and unleashing creativity: Shawn has never been an AI evangelist. If anything, he’s been wary of the hype. But lately, his thinking has started to shift. While it’s still early, Shawn sees AI pushing marketing away from the soul-deadening world of SEO hacks and keyword stuffing—and toward something far more human: real storytelling and authentic brand building. In this week’s Dashboard, he explains what he’s seeing in his own business and with clients, and what it may mean for owners trying to figure out where to focus next.
You can subscribe to the 21 Hats Podcast—brought to you by Grasshopper Bank—wherever you get podcasts.
