Phew. The last few months have been a sprint of conferences, client meetings, fl
By Laura Meyer · June 2, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
Phew. The last few months have been a sprint of conferences, client meetings, flights, dinners, and more travel than I care to count.
As much as I enjoy seeing industry friends and meeting new people, I'm looking forward to a travel free June as our team focuses on Prime Day execution and the upcoming release of Envision Horizons' AI solutions we've been building behind the scenes. More to come on that front...
As I reflect on the first half of the year, a few themes consistently surfaced from the main stage to the one on one conversations with founders, operators, marketers, and executives...
• Marketers are far more eager to learn how to win on TikTok Shop than AEO/GEO. Brands need growth now, and TikTok Shop has a clearer playbook. AEO/GEO still feels early, experimental, and difficult to measure.
• The biggest AI conversations aren't about content creation, they're about operations. Leaders want to understand how to structure their data and workflows so AI can be effectively deployed to improve reporting, reduce friction, accelerate execution, strengthen quality control, and eliminate "AI work slop" rather than create more of it.
But the biggest challenege today is implementation. There are no shortages of AI ideas, tools, or solutions. The hard part is driving adoption, establishing new ways of working, and getting teams to consistently embrace the change.
• There is growing concern around a "sea of sameness." Not just in copy, but in creative, branding, and even beauty standards. As AI-generated content proliferates, authenticity becomes an even greater competitive advantage.
• Despite the clickbait headlines that AI is going to replace everyone, demand for top ecommerce and digital commerce talent remains incredibly strong. I lost count of how many times I was asked if I knew someone for an open leadership, retail media, or ecommerce role. AI is changing jobs, but it certainly isn't eliminating the need for great people.
• M&A speculation is everywhere. Agencies, software companies, consumer brands, and service businesses all seem to be part of the conversation. It's become the professional version of cafeteria gossip, except the conversation revolves around rumored deals, valuation multiples, deal structures, strategic buyers, and who may or may not be preparing for an exit.
• The creator economy continues to mature. Brands are looking for scalable affiliate strategies, while founders and executives increasingly recognize that building their own voice and audience is becoming a critical business asset.
And on a personal note, a huge thank you to my husband, Lindsey Gorman, for holding down the fort through the travel, managing two young daughters, and making all of this possible. None of it happens without a great partner in life and in business.
Now it's time to trade conference travel for execution mode. Looking forward to what the second half of 2026 has in store.
#Ecommerce #DigitalCommerce #RetailMedia #Tiktokshop