Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

What does it take to navigate tariffs, rate cuts, and AI disruption all at once?

Hosts Kevin Brown and Tom Burton break down the week’s headlines that matter most to manufacturers and distributors, from the U.S. government shutdown and Fed policy to the emerging reality of AI‑driven decision‑making and agentic commerce. Discover why contextual intelligence is now a core leadership skill and how data strategy can turn economic uncertainty into competitive advantage. 

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the shutdown’s “fix” is really a delay until January 31, and how prediction markets like Polymarket quantify that risk 
• The truth about tariffs and refund rumors, and why smart pricing beats policy guesswork
• What the Fed’s next decision means for capital, lending, and distribution growth plans 
• How AI‑enabled CRM and customer intelligence platforms deliver clarity from chaos 
• Why leaders who blend economic awareness + data fluency will own the next decade of wholesale innovation 

Episode Highlights:

• 03 : 12 –  The shutdown “ends”… or does it? Budget reset and political realities behind the deal 
• 16 : 40 –  Prediction markets vs. traditional polls: how Polymarket nailed its forecast 
• 31 : 25 –  Rate‑cut drama: inside the Fed meeting math and the Burton Market prediction 
• 48 : 07 –  Tariff talk decoded, methodology matters more than headlines
• 01 : 03 : 14 – Refunds or fantasy? Legal complexity of tariff paybacks explained
• 01 : 14 : 58 –  AI and contextual intelligence: from theory to tool sets inside LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ 
• 01 : 28 : 47 –  Final takeaways, leadership, data literacy, and the new rules of economic resilience 

Meet the Hosts:

Kevin Brown and Tom Burton are co‑founders of LeadSmart Technologies, creators of LeadSmart Channel Cloud™, an AI‑enabled Customer Intelligence and Smart CRM platform purpose‑built for manufacturers and distributors. They bring decades of experience in distribution operations, software engineering, and data strategy to help leaders turn siloed information into growth insight.

Tools & Frameworks Mentioned:

• LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ — Unified AI CRM for distributors & manufacturers 
• Context Engineering — Aligning AI systems with business intent 
• Agentic Commerce — Autonomous AI workflows for B2B transactions 
• Prediction Markets (Polymarket) — Crowdsourced economic signal analysis 
• Customer Intelligence Framework — Transforming ERP and CRM data into actionable insight 

Closing Insight:

“AI doesn’t replace relationships, it reinforces them by removing friction.” — Kevin Brown 

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What happens when tariffs, rate cuts, and AI forecasting collide in the world of wholesale distribution?

In this episode, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton break down the latest economic, technological, and policy shifts affecting distributors and manufacturers.

From the longest U.S. government shutdown in history to the Supreme Court’s pending tariff ruling, they unpack what these changes mean for margins, pricing, and the role of AI-driven customer intelligence in building resilient distribution networks.

What You’ll Learn:

• How government shutdowns and rate changes create ripple effects across distribution
• The true meaning of a 17.9% average tariff rate, and why not everyone feels it equally
• Why tariff refunds could take years (or never happen at all)
• How AI-enabled CRM and contextual intelligence are helping distributors gain visibility into customers and pricing gaps
• What smart distributors are doing to balance efficiency, inventory, and profitability heading into 2026

Episode Highlights:

• 03:10 – The U.S. government shutdown “ends”… or just gets delayed until January 31
• 15:25 – How prediction markets like Polymarket are shaping economic forecasting
• 27:40 – The Fed’s next move: dissenters, inflation targets, and “The Burton Market”
• 43:05 – Tariff talk: why the Supreme Court ruling isn’t really about tariffs
• 55:18 – Mark Brohan’s article on the 17.9% effective tariff rate and what it means for distributors
• 01:07:34 – Why smaller distributors dependent on wholesalers face steeper challenges
• 01:16:55 – Final thoughts: AI, efficiency, and the future of pricing power

Meet the Hosts:

Kevin Brown and Tom Burton are co-founders of LeadSmart Technologies, creators of LeadSmart Channel Cloud™, the industry’s first AI-enabled Customer Intelligence and Smart CRM platform built exclusively for manufacturers and distributors.

Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:

• LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ – Unified customer intelligence platform for distributors and manufacturers
• Polymarket – Decentralized prediction market for economic forecasting
• Yale Budget Lab Study – Analysis of U.S. tariff rates and macroeconomic effects
• Context Engineering – Aligning AI systems with business intent
• Customer Intelligence Framework – Turning siloed ERP, CRM, and eCommerce data into actionable insights
  
  

Closing Insight:

“AI doesn’t replace relationships, it reinforces them by removing friction.” — Kevin Brown

From tariff volatility to AI-driven opportunity, this episode explores how distributors can navigate uncertainty with smarter strategy, deeper data, and stronger customer connections.

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.

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You can also hear the podcast and other excellent content on our YouTube Channel.

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What do college football, tariffs, and AI pilots gone wrong have in common?

In this week’s Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton connect cultural trends, economic contradictions, and digital transformation in wholesale distribution. From the E³ Model (Experience, Efficiency, Effectiveness) to LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ and the failure rate of corporate AI pilots, this episode explores why distributors must move from siloed data to customer intelligence platforms that drive real growth.

What You’ll Learn

• Why redefining CRM as a Customer Enablement Tool changes adoption and ROI
• How tariff extensions and Liberation Day shifts affect supply chain planning
• Why most AI pilot projects fail, and how to avoid repeating their mistakes
• How the hidden buyer phenomenon is reshaping B2B purchasing decisions
• Why customer experience investment will be the biggest trend in 2026

Episode Highlights:

• 03:55 – College football, NIL money, and how it parallels short-term vs. long-term strategy in distribution
•  12:40 – LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ and why CRM reimagined means measurable outcomes
•  22:05 – Breaking down GDP growth: why a 3.3% headline hides real 1.6% growth
•  31:48 – Tariffs beyond China: Liberation Day shocks for Southeast Asia supply chains
•  42:15 – The E³ Model: Experience, Efficiency, and Effectiveness as the new playbook
•  53:02 – Why 95% of AI pilots fail and how to set success criteria
•  01:04:18 – Invisible influencers: the hidden buyers shaping B2B decisions
•  01:19:50 – Customer experience as the driver—not the byproduct—of transactions

Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:

• LeadSmart Channel Cloud™ – AI-enabled CRM + customer intelligence platform
• GeniusFeed – AI-driven smart alerts for reps
• E³ Model – Experience, Efficiency, Effectiveness as growth pillars
• Agentic AI Workflows – AI-driven automation with expert oversight
• Hidden Revenue Detection – surfacing untapped opportunities in ERP/eCommerce data
  
  

Closing Insight:

“If you have siloed data, you have siloed AI. The winners will unify data to make supply chains resilient and future-proof.” – 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.

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You can also hear the podcast and other excellent content on our YouTube Channel.

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Did you miss ISA Summer Sessions? Then we've got you covered! This week, Tom & Kevin are joined by Kristin Kraai-Keely and Brandon Breen, who organized these informative ISA sessions. We'll review the most important topics and key takeaways from these talks and get you up to date. And if you were able to attend, you won't want to miss these unique, personal insights from the sessions' organizers. 

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.

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According to a recent Digital Commerce 360 survey, B2B eCommerce growth is continuing in the wholesale distribution sector...yet only 17% of those surveyed said they offered full end-to-end integration of commerce transactions. Is your company one of those, and are you missing out on this exciting growth trend? This week, Tom and Kevin dive into the facts and figures to show the trends in B2B eComm growth. Additionally, we take a look at the contraction in U.S. manufacturing, and how the pace might be stabilizing at lower levels.  And of course, we wrap it up with the latest news in AI, and how important it is to use platforms that are officially sanctioned.

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Learn more about the LeadSmart AI B2B Sales Platform: https://www.leadsmarttech.com/

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Manufacturing activity in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region grew at its strongest pace since April 2022, as new orders surged amidst robust consumer demand. But at the same time, government data reveals that for the first six months of 2023, all distribution and manufacturing sales were flat at about $10.93 trillion. What's the deal here? To find out, we brought in manufacturing consultant Bart Schwartz to help give us an insider perspective on the current state of the manufacturing economy. We also discuss how AI is being used for recruitment, and even take a look at the idea of luck: what do lucky people do that makes them lucky?

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Learn more about the LeadSmart AI B2B Sales Platform: https://www.leadsmarttech.com/

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 Understanding the relationship—and unintended consequences—of how economic factors intertwine is not an easy thing to wrap your head around. But this week, Tom & Kevin are joined by Ian Heller, founder of Distribution Strategy Group, to talk about how ongoing economic changes impact wholesale distribution. We also discuss the risks associated with lower prices and deflation, and how "data Quality" really matters for your business. In our ongoing look at artificial intelligence in wholesale distribution, we ask if AI should be a feature or a strategy, and take a closer look at Amazon's AI review tool and ask what could be next!

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Is the metaverse just the next wave of video gaming, or the future of wholesale distribution? The industrial metaverse enables more resilient supply chains and localized manufacturing through the use of existing tools such as digital twins. In an interesting contrast, four in ten people expect AI to improve work quality and creativity, while three in ten expect a deterioration. This week, Kevin and Tom take a deeper look at the metaverse, AI, and the promise that technology may (or may not) hold for the future of wholesale distribution. We also take a look at new economic data: manufacturing has slowed in 2023, yet small businesses are noticing slightly better business conditions, creating a less pessimistic outlook about the economy’s future. So why the contrast? 

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Learn more about the LeadSmart AI B2B Sales Platform: https://www.leadsmarttech.com/

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Believe it or not, we've been producing Around The Horn in Wholesale Distribution for a year now! To celebrate, we're joined by David Gordon, President of Channel Marketing Group, to take a look at the state of wholesale distribution. Consumer confidence is up, unemployment is down, but fears of recession are still on the horizon. How does that make sense? Are those fears regional, national, or global? Kevin, Tom, and David take a deep dive into the news to separate the soundbites from the data points and reveal some true insights. Oh, and happy birthday to us!

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.

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Some distributors are choosing to go beyond the traditional e-commerce channel and venture into the B2B marketplace space, and they are seeing a massive ROI as a result. Are you prepared to make the same leap? This week, Kevin and Tom discuss how your data—and the way you manage it—is key to making successful eComm moves. Spoiler alert: if distributors are not willing to adapt to the changing needs and wants of customers, they’ll be leaving money on the table and losing customers to more forward-thinking competitors. We also take a look at mergers & acquisitions for the month of June...with some surprising results.

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.

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