Get In Front Of Your Target Customers In The Age Of AI

Adam Coffey, founding partner of The Chairman Group . Best-selling author of The Private Equity Playbook. In the not-so-recent past, most businesses had to focus the lion's share of their marketing efforts and resources on strategies like these if they wanted to succeed.

Now, doing so could be a recipe for failure. The AI revolution has touched almost every part of our world, and how we acquire customers is no exception. Across the board, my clients—more than 70 businesses in dozens of industries across the globe—have seen their ROI from traditional marketing strategies decline significantly.

If so, you know that finding a way to get back in front of your target customers is crucial to your continued success. That's why I want to share some actionable steps you can start taking right now to modernize your marketing efforts and begin acquiring customers again. All of this means that ranking highly in search engine results, not to mention paying for clicks, may not be as effective as they were for acquiring new customers.

Let's say you sell portable greenhouses. In the past, your goal would probably have been to rank at the top of a Google search when a prospective customer typed in something like “best portable greenhouse.” Now, though, to stand out from the competition, you should also make sure your company's products are the ones AI references when a customer types in something like: “Can you give me some recommendations for the best portable greenhouses for my area that are durable but don't require electricity?” The same advice applies if you have a service-based business. Let's say you have a chiropractic practice.

Not everyone will be going to Google and typing “chiropractor near me.” Instead, some are asking ChatGPT who the best chiropractor in their area is for the type of pain they're experiencing. When they do, you want your name to be the one it references first. While there are many ways to increase the likelihood of getting referenced, one of the best I've found centers around building your brand's authority. Alternative viewpoints and findings: See here

Sell Shopify Stock At $130?

So should you consider waiting before purchasing this dip? Possibly. There is no foolproof method to time dips accurately. Still, here is another viewpoint on SHOP stock to assist you in making your decision. Historically, the average return for the 12-month span following sharp dips was 59% , with the median peak return reaching 91% . We define a sharp dip as a stock decline of 30% or more within a period of less than 30 days.

SHOP has experienced 6 instances since January 1, 2010, where the dip threshold of -30% within 30 days was met To minimize the risk of a dip indicating a worsening business scenario, it's crucial to assess revenue growth, profitability, cash flow, and balance sheet strength. Individual selections can be unpredictable, but maintaining your investment is what truly counts.

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Collectively, HQ Portfolio stocks have yielded superior returns with lower risk compared to the benchmark index; it has resulted in a smoother ride, as shown in HQ Portfolio performance metrics . Other references and insights: Visit website

Sophia Kianni And Phoebe Gates' Phia Revolutionizes Sustainable Fashion With AI

Mental equilibrium is the quiet foundation upon which every digital empire must be built; it is a necessary stillness in a world that never stops clicking.

A recent industry analysis revealed that 62% of young shoppers prefer brands with ethical resale options, while 1 in 3 Gen Z consumers report feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of online choices.

Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni sat in a Stanford dorm room where the air likely smelled of cold coffee and the peculiar, static electricity of impending logic. They were looking for something. They were looking for a way to make the secondary life of a garment as visible as a neon sign in a dark Tokyo alley. They built Phia. It was a ghost in the machine at first. Now, a $35 million Series A funding round led by Notable Capital has materialized like a stray cat appearing on a porch at dusk, bringing their total funding to $43 million. The valuation hit $185 million.

The money arrived.

Investors like Kris Jenner, Sara Blakely, and Hailey Bieber have joined this digital gathering, placing their bets on a system that attempts to map the chaotic geography of human desire. The startup utilizes artificial intelligence to compare a single item against 300 million others in a database that feels as vast and lonely as an empty library. It seeks the best price. It seeks the secondhand twin. This is a unification process where the machine learns to recognize the curve of a button or the specific weight of a denim hem.

Data is cold.

There is a strange, shimmering confusion in teaching a computer to understand why a person prefers one shade of charcoal grey over another when the difference is invisible to the naked eye. The horrific browser extension. A thousand lines of unrefined code. The Stanford dorm room silence. These were the early markers of a project that Kianni admits was once a horrific product, yet it possessed a magnetic pull that one million users could not ignore.

The algorithm hums.

With this new capital, they are hiring engineers from eBay and Pinterest to refine the machine learning infrastructure that will eventually know your tastes better than the person sitting across from you at breakfast. The focus remains on personalization, a concept that is as complicated as a jazz solo and just as difficult to replicate with pure mathematics. They are building an in-house search engine for the iOS app to ensure that every search result resonates with the unique, subjective rhythm of the individual shopper.

Logic found form.

When Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni founded AI shopping platform Phia from their Stanford dormroom, they knew it was only a matter of time before ...

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'Companies Cocoon Them,' Shopify Co-Founder Tobi Lütke Says—Why Ex-Entrepreneurs Get...

Companies tend to ⁘cocoon⁘ former entrepreneurs rather than elevate them into leadership roles, Shopify Inc. (NYSE: SHOP ) co-founder and CEO Tobi Lütke said during a recent episode of the ⁘Founders Podcast.⁘ Lütke said people who have started companies think and act differently inside large organizations.

⁘I feel it's a very special thing,⁘ he told host David Senra , adding that ⁘companies reject it. Companies cocoon them.⁘ Instead of being elevated, he said former founders are often moved away from decision-making roles. He said these employees are frequently placed on the ⁘outskirts⁘ and assigned to so-called skunk work teams.

⁘It's day care for people who tell you that your sh*t doesn't smell right. And your sh*t does smell,⁘ Lütke said. Lütke told Senra he noticed this dynamic at Shopify during the pandemic. ⁘No, you don't get to put them in like founder day care,⁘ he said. He said he responded by making founders from acquired companies more visible internally, sometimes elevating them above other managers.

Lütke said he created a dedicated Slack channel with those founders and regularly asks them for help. At OpenAI, Barret Zoph , a longtime artificial intelligence researcher, was put in charge of the company's enterprise push, The Information reported , citing an internal OpenAI memo. Lütke said on the podcast that he has a simple way to spot employees who perform well in crises.

He asks one question: ⁘Have you started a company before?⁘ Shopify has acquired several startups in recent years, including logistics firm Deliverr and influencer marketing startup Dovetale in 2022, followed by workplace messaging platform Threads in 2024. Founders of Dovetale and Threads remain in product roles at Shopify, while Deliverr's CEO moved on after about a year, according to Business Insider. You might also find this interesting: Check here

Runner AI Launches The First Self-Optimizing Ecommerce Engine

Runner AI today unveiled the industry's first AI-native ecommerce engine designed to autonomously test, learn, and optimize conversion rates without human intervention. While a new wave of ⁘vibe coding⁘ tools has simplified website creation, Runner AI goes a step further: it combines conversational storefront generation with a self-optimizing backend that continuously experiments to maximize sales.

For decades, the barrier to building a competitive online store has been prohibitively high. Merchants are often forced to hire expensive agencies for design and development, or struggle through complex DIY builders that require significant technical upkeep. Even after a store is launched, the challenge intensifies: true Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) remains a luxury reserved for enterprise brands with large data science teams.

For most merchants, running A/B tests to improve sales is a costly, manual process involving expensive third-party software and complex statistical analysis. As a result, storefronts often remain static, relying on intuition rather than real-time data, and leaving significant revenue on the table. ⁘Ecommerce merchants shouldn't need to be technical architects or pay ⁘app taxes' just to run a competitive store,⁘ said Weizhi Li, Founder and CEO of Runner AI . ⁘We didn't just add AI features to a legacy builder.

We built an AI-native engine where the store itself creates hypotheses, runs A/B tests, and improves its own conversion rates without human intervention.⁘ Autonomous Conversion Optimization: The engine constantly analyzes every click and scroll, automatically initiating tests on content, layouts, and checkout flows.

Operating 24/7 to improve conversion rates, it goes beyond simple A/B testing by dynamically customizing the user journey based on the visitor's specific campaign, traffic source, or profile. From Prompts to Full-Stack Store: Users can launch a conversion-ready storefront and backend just by chatting with AI. Runner AI translates natural language prompts into a complete technical operation—handling design, checkout logic, and inventory systems—allowing anyone to launch a sophisticated business without writing a single line of code.

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Fortitude In The Face Of Change: A Warren Buffett Approach To Navigating Modern Commerce

The Fortitude of Modern Commerce

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a brand in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a resilient strategy to navigate the impending year. Markets shift. While the previous season of 2025 presented a series of trials that might have overset a less sturdy constitution, the industry demonstrated a most remarkable vigor. One cannot but admire the elegance with which global advertising revenue surpassed the initial prognostications of WPP Media. Such financial resilience.

The acceleration of artificial intelligence. Trade wars lingering like unwanted guests at a winter ball. To find oneself amidst a tense economic climate requires a particular strength of character. It is a period of great sensibility. The 2025 revenue triumphs. The momentum carries us forward into 2026 with a most optimistic countenance, though the path remains cluttered with the complexities of human ingenuity and mechanical progress. Emerging channels everywhere.

The Artifice of Intelligence and Creator Propriety

Generative AI remains a most singular fascination. Some find it a source of great agitation, yet its integration into our daily discourse is quite inevitable. An algorithmic heart. The creator's role in brand storytelling has matured into a position of significant influence, much like a well-placed relation in a country house. This evolution of the narrative. Marketers must now court the public with a sincerity that transcends mere transactional interest. To be truly heard, one must possess a voice that is both unique and constant.

Obstacles persist. The muddle of global trade. A persistent digital fog. Marketers find themselves firmed up for the challenges of 2026, armed with the knowledge that their previous triumphs were not merely the result of good fortune, but of a steadfast dedication to the principles of growth and adaptation. Such a bustling marketplace. The industry’s disposition remains bright, even as it stares into the complexity of a machine-led future.

Frequently Asked Enquiries

• What is the general disposition of the advertising market for 2026?The outlook is one of considerable optimism, as the industry’s growth streak is expected to persist despite the presence of several formidable obstacles that might otherwise dampen the spirits of the less courageous.
• How did the previous year’s performance influence current expectations?The year 2025 served as a testament to the industry's resilience, for global advertising revenue exceeded the expectations of esteemed firms such as WPP Media, thereby establishing a foundation of confidence for the coming months.
• What particular complexities must a marketer navigate in this modern era?One must contend with the acceleration of artificial intelligence, the lingering tensions of trade wars, and an economic climate that demands both caution and a most daring spirit of innovation.
• Is the role of the creator truly significant in brand storytelling?Indeed, it is a most vital element; creators have assumed a role of great importance, shaping the way stories are told and ensuring that a brand’s message is delivered with the necessary charm and authenticity to win the public's favor.
• What must be the primary focus for strategies in 2026?A firming up of strategies is required, focusing on emerging channels and the thoughtful application of generative AI to ensure that one’s message remains both relevant and delightful to the intended audience.
• Should one be alarmed by the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence?While the pace is indeed swift, it should be viewed as an opportunity for refinement rather than a cause for distress, provided one maintains a steady hand and a clear vision of one’s objectives.
• How does the economic climate affect the resilience of the industry?A tense economic climate necessitates a greater degree of fortitude, yet history has shown that the industry is quite capable of maintaining its momentum even when the financial winds are less than favorable.
• What are the emerging channels mentioned in the forecasts?These are the new avenues through which a brand may communicate, requiring a marketer to be ever vigilant and ready to embrace new methods of engagement with a most gracious flexibility.
• Can we expect a continuation of the growth streak observed recently?All indications suggest that the growth streak will continue, provided that marketers remain resilient and do not allow themselves to be distracted by the many complexities of the modern world.
• What part does WPP Media play in these observations?WPP Media serves as a source of authoritative projections, and their initial figures have been most pleasantly surpassed by the actual performance of the global market.
• Is the acceleration of technology a burden or a blessing?It is a mixture of both, presenting a challenge to those who prefer the old ways, but offering a bounty of possibilities to those who approach it with a curious and optimistic mind.
• How does one maintain resilience in such a changing landscape?Resilience is maintained through a combination of careful planning, a willingness to adapt to new circumstances, and an unwavering belief in the value of one’s endeavors.

Advertising's growth streak is expected to continue this year, but marketers will need to remain resilient to navigate persistent obstacles.

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Surviving The Amazon Algorithm: A Cautionary Tale From Elon Musk To Everyday Sellers

The Myth of the Passive Storefront

Conventional wisdom dictates that the digital marketplace is a set-it-and-forget-it paradise for the modern entrepreneur. This is a fallacy. Beneath the polished interface of the world’s largest retailer lies a labyrinth of shifting mandates and invisible tripwires. The algorithm never sleeps. While many view Amazon as a static vending machine, it has evolved into a sentient regulatory entity that demands constant vigilance from those who walk its digital halls.

The Numerical Hegemony

The scale is staggering. Consider the data harvested from the current retail landscape:

• Amazon captures 40% of all U.S. e-commerce revenue.
• Third-party sellers now account for 62% of all units sold.
• In 2010, independent merchants controlled only 33% of the platform’s volume.

This massive migration of commerce means the stakes are no longer supplemental; they are existential. The marketplace is the core. Revenue streams that feed families now depend entirely on the grace of a silicon judge.

The Semantic Executioner

The code is judge. A merchant uploads a description for a high-performance athletic shirt, innocently using the term "anti-microbial" to describe the moisture-wicking fabric. In an instant, the automated sentinels of the Seattle-based giant detect a linguistic anomaly. The digital guillotine falls. To the machine, "anti-microbial" translates to "pesticide." Suddenly, a garment is classified alongside industrial poisons. As David Holmes of Red View Ventures notes, these keywords trigger reviews that can paralyze a business in seconds. The logic is opaque. A sudden silence. No more sales. The account locked. The complexity of these automated interpretations creates a landscape where a single adjective can lead to financial ruin.

The Human Cost of Algorithmic Law

The anxiety is palpable. Rosenbaum & Segall, P.C., witnesses the fallout when these automated enforcement actions strike without warning or human nuance. It is a tragedy of the modern age. To see a decade of meticulous brand-building erased by a misunderstood syllable is a heavy burden for any soul to carry. The weight of uncertainty. The fear of the unknown. We must recognize the profound vulnerability of the independent seller who operates at the mercy of a machine that lacks empathy. Yet, there is a path forward. Knowledge is the lantern in this dark corridor.

Navigating the Digital Labyrinth

Hope remains for those who master the lexicon of the machine. By understanding the intricate classification rules that govern diverse product categories, sellers can fortify their positions. Success requires a new kind of literacy. It demands a fusion of marketing brilliance and legal precision. The future belongs to the vigilant. Those who adapt to the cryptic requirements of the platform will find themselves standing on the threshold of unprecedented opportunity. The labyrinth can be mapped.

Amazon accounts for 40% of U.S. e-commerce revenue . While the online retail giant's dominance has continued to grow for more than two decades, the ...

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