Informed i’s Weekly Business Insights

“HAVE YOU heard of the eye of the storm?” asks a video posted on April 29th by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The centre of a tornado or cyclone can be deceptively calm. But it is actually a “deadly trap”. The world is caught in a similar spot, the ministry argues, thanks to the “tariff storm” America has conjured up.

It is not a bad analogy. The world economy has indeed entered a lull. Danger seems to lie both behind and ahead. When Donald Trump said on April 9th that he would delay his “reciprocal” tariff plan, financial markets stopped howling quite so loudly. Many of Mr Trump’s aides also felt happier. Whereas the president’s original plan had imposed baffling levies on close allies and distant islands, what remained during the 90-day pause was easier to understand: a high tariff on America’s principal rival, China, and a low tariff for almost everyone else.

The calm, however, cannot last. As container ships chug across the Pacific from China, America’s leaders are waking up to the trap they have set for themselves. The status quo, including a tariff of 145% on many Chinese goods, is not “sustainable”, said Scott Bessent, America’s treasury secretary, on April 22nd. That percentage “will come down substantially”, Mr Trump himself said shortly afterwards. America has already exempted many electronic goods, including smartphones, from the highest levies. When Punchbowl, a news outlet, reported that Amazon would display the cost of tariffs alongside the price of some goods, America’s trade warriors seemed appalled by their own handiwork. The White House’s press secretary accused Amazon, which downplayed the proposal, of a “hostile and political act”.

Their disquiet reflects the fact that these unsustainable tariffs were also largely unplanned. When Mr Trump proposed a levy of 34% on China on April 2nd, he did not know that China would match it. And when China retaliated, its leaders did not know for sure that America would be quite so reckless in response.

Could things de-escalate just as quickly? The tariffs doing the most harm to America’s economy are the ones America itself has imposed. The jump in price of many Chinese imports will hurt American consumers, whether Amazon highlights the cost or not. It could also cripple many firms that rely on Chinese components. Mr Trump could contain this damage by lowering his own tariffs unilaterally to a more bearable level. All it would take is an executive order, of which he has already signed over 140 since January. But he wants to avoid looking weak. He has therefore insisted he will wait until China calls first. “The onus will be on them to take off these tariffs,” said Mr Bessent on April 29th.

That stubbornness has given China unaccustomed power over America’s immediate economic fate. If it reaches out to Mr Trump, the worst could be averted. If it does not, the storm will soon return. All signs suggest China’s leaders are not ready to relieve the suspense just yet. They may even be quite enjoying it.

This bravado may not last. China is already in a protracted war against deflation and a property slump. Now exporters are beginning to worry. A monthly survey of Chinese manufacturers released on April 30th showed that new export orders were at their weakest since the end of 2022. To weather the trade war, China needs its cautious consumers to start spending.

But for now China seems reluctant to back down. Although the economic standoff between the two superpowers will hurt both of them—it is what economists call a “negative sum” game—the geopolitical tussle is inevitably “zero sum”. Anything that hurts America helps China. America’s loss of credibility is China’s gain.

Recently the business world has started paying attention to the impact generative AI could have on marketing activities. The most exciting of these is market research, the processes by which firms gather data and generate insights about customers and competitors. In their research, the authors have identified four distinct classes of opportunities. 

1. Supporting Current Practices.  Firms often are frustrated by the relatively high cost and long timelines of collecting customer and market insights. So how might gen AI address both?  Gen AI’s ability to synthesize information, for example, could be leveraged to summarize literature and previous research in the first stage, to extract findings from interviews and new data in the second stage, and articulate takeaways in the third stage. And gen AI could do all those activities far more rapidly than humans could.  In the survey from more than 170 market research practitioners and users it emerged that 45% of them were already employing gen AI in their current data and insights activities; another 45% told us they were planning to do so in the future.  More generally, it will increase the quality, accuracy, and customization of their work.
2. Replacing Current Practices.  One of the most innovative applications of gen AI in marketing is producing and analyzing what’s known as “synthetic data”—artificially generated data that mimics real people’s behaviors and preferences. Firms can do this with any of the widely available gen AI programs, but they can also develop and train their own specialized models using the aggregate data that they’ve already collected from traditional research, syndicated data, CRM systems, and transactional information. The synthetic data can then be used to simulate various customer or competitor responses, highlighting potential pain points and the benefits consumers seek at different stages of their interactions with a product or service. A full 81% of the respondents in the survey told they already use or plan to use gen AI to create synthetic data.  Again, there are positives and negatives to think about: Small gen AI models are mostly limited to structured or semistructured data (data that’s numerical or categorical) and don’t benefit from the public models’ broad training sets, whereas public models can also work with less-structured qualitative data.
3. Filling Existing Gaps.  Even in organizations that profess to be data-driven, practitioners often report that most decisions are made without a formal empirical analysis. There’s simply not enough time or money to do one. But gen AI promises to be an always-on intelligent engine for customer and market insights—one that can offer market researchers instant access to empirical evidence when data isn’t available or is too costly to acquire. Gen AI can be used to test assumptions, pilot concepts and execution strategies, and provide a sounding board for managerial decisions. Firms can even develop “labs” that make customized AI models available to employees in a safe and convenient way to support decision-making throughout the organization.  In the survey 30% of respondents said that their company had used gen AI to guide decision-making that previously wouldn’t have leveraged external data and insights. Overall, 81% of respondents reported using or planning to use gen AI to “listen to the market” and keep their organizations informed about the competitive environment.
4. Creating New Kinds of Data and Insights.  A mantra in content marketing and sales is that you get only one chance to make a first impression. But maybe that’s no longer true.  We say that because content marketers and salespeople are starting to use gen AI to create “digital twins”—virtual replicas of individual customers that are constructed using publicly available information or proprietary data—to test and refine their materials and pitches before presenting them to real people. This approach allows for the meticulous calibration of marketing efforts because digital twins, unlike actual people, never get tired, irritated, or bored when interacting with marketers and their questions.  More than 40% of our respondents said that they’re already experimenting with digital twins.  Another 42% said that they planned to experiment with digital twins in the future.

Gen AI offers marketers a lot, but it still has plenty of limitations, which are important to acknowledge. As we noted earlier, one of the main concerns that our survey highlighted was the potential for biased results, which was cited by 77% of respondents.  Further, given that gen AI models are trained on existing data and insights, it’s not yet clear how good they’ll be at predicting dramatic changes in consumer behavior or anticipating discontinuous product innovations. Gen AI models are also known to be sensitive to prompt architecture.  Concerns have also been raised about gen AI’s ability to simulate responses from a representative sample of the population.

The authors conclude on an optimistic note, by bringing up an idea that Cannon of Outset.ai proposed to them. If gen AI can talk to thousands of people around the world in hundreds of languages every hour, and it can instantly draw all sorts of unique, high-fidelity insights from the data those conversations generate, then our understanding of one another should deepen—and the products, services, and experiences we build will be infused with more humanity, not less.

When is a medical-device manufacturer not just a medical-device manufacturer? When it’s also an online marketplace for consumers to buy wellness products and get advice from healthcare providers. Amid unrelenting pressure from digital-first competitors, McKinsey analysis finds that established companies across sectors are increasingly building new business-to-consumer (B2C) businesses to capture their share of the $25 trillion B2C market.

CEOs who want to dive into B2C business building can start by identifying existing data and assets in their companies that could underpin new consumer offerings. The authors’ research shows that more than 80 percent of companies have at least one underutilized asset that could form the backbone of a new business. This initial analysis is especially important for CEOs of business-to-business (B2B) companies, who may not be used to selling directly to consumers and will need to take measured steps to build B2C businesses that scale effectively. Based on authors’ experience helping build more than 700 new businesses, this article provides proven strategies that CEOs can use to successfully build and scale B2C businesses.

New B2C businesses can take many forms. The authors found three categories to be strong bets for leaders thinking about building new B2C businesses, irrespective of industry sector: 

1. Advice-as-a-service:  Advice-as-a-service businesses solve a growing consumer conundrum: decision overload. These businesses help consumers navigate overwhelming choices on products and services in saturated markets by providing expert recommendations and guidance. Leveraging their established brand reputations, companies can launch advice-as-a-service businesses that provide consumers with trusted, curated content. This is especially true in markets where consumers need specialized knowledge to evaluate multiple product options, such as in healthcare and financial planning.   When exploring advice-as-a-service businesses, CEOs should consider these three proven strategies that can propel consumer adoption and engagement.  Build on the company’s unique strengths before expanding.  Embrace tech but keep humans in the loop.  And make it easy for consumers to join—and keep them engaged.
2. Embedded services: Embedded services businesses integrate third-party functionalities—such as e-commerce, payments, and logistics—directly into a company’s core platform to deliver new services to existing customers or to engage new ones.  CEOs contemplating embedded services business builds can consider these three strategies to drive stickiness.  Prioritize a seamless user experience.  Create win–win ecosystem dynamics. And leverage network effects and data intelligence.
3. B2B2C: The B2B2C business model involves a B2B company collaborating with its business customers to deliver a product or service to consumers.  These businesses allow an enterprise company to connect directly with consumers to create more value for everyone involved in the process, including B2B partners.  To get this type of business build right, CEOs can keep these three strategies in mind.  Look for areas where the industry is underserving consumers.  Leverage partnerships for rapid scaling and flywheel creation.  And explore novel operating models.  

Top-performing companies recognize that building B2C businesses is a key revenue driver. To determine whether B2C business building is right for their organizations, CEOs can ask themselves three exploratory questions.

1. Is there an opportunity to leverage core assets to fuel revenue growth in adjacent areas?
2. Does the company have underutilized assets, such as proprietary data or customer relationships?
3. If so, could these capabilities transfer to consumer markets, thereby diversifying the revenue base and creating long-term customer stickiness?

If the answers to all three questions are yes, then CEOs can confidently embark on B2C business building, choosing one of three proven pathways best aligned to their companies’ strengths and core offerings.

“I want to work in a way that is both productive and brings me joy — what does that look like, and how might I achieve this?”  In reflecting on productivity and joy over the past three years, the author has thought deeply about her own working life. She has surfaced memories from the earliest points of her career and considered the challenges she faced. She has also taken a deeper look at emerging research and spoken to experts. In the process, she has learned more about herself and about the world.

According to her she is now more sure than ever that great working lives are built through the skills we master and how we work with others. These two elements make us productive and give our work meaning. According to the author, those two elements — mastery and cooperation — as threads that hold the fabric of a long working life together. Keeping these threads strong means purposely investing our time, resources, and connections. Now more than ever, technology is transforming work, and external events, like the pandemic and economic downturn, are changing its dynamics. So we must be ever more adaptive and flexible in the ways we prioritize mastery and cooperation.

When you master an area of competence — such as managing projects, leading multinational teams, preparing strategy documents, negotiating complex deals, or coaching others — you are creating a foundation for productivity. If you choose an area of mastery that brings you satisfaction, you have a chance at finding joy and meaning. In her previous column, she reflected on how we develop mastery in ourselves and what leaders do that helps or impedes that growth in others. Here, she wants to focus on the other critical aspect of productivity: cooperation.

Networks help us build the mastery necessary to be productive.  Consider your own networks. At the center is you, and arrayed around you are those strong network ties with the people you’re closest to. Some are similar to you — such as work colleagues you know well and spend time with. If they are more expert than you are, there is much you can learn from them. Because they know what “good” looks like, they are in a position to provide tough feedback. When I reflect on the memories of my own path to mastery, this type of hard feedback from people on the same path of mastery was incredibly important to my development.

You probably have some strong connections with people who are dissimilar to you — perhaps from another part of the company, or from another part of your working life. Some of them may have networks that reach into places yours do not or skills that you lack. If they can help you learn these distinct talents, your own abilities might morph into an adjacent area of mastery.  And then there are weak ties at the outer periphery of your networks. Their sheer number and variety make them rich with potential. Within this diverse crowd could be role models that inspire you to take another pathway — images of the future you.

Many of the experiences from which mastery is created are solitary — you are head down, focused, wrestling a problem to the ground. These self-sufficient times are crucial to productivity. Many of our jobs require periods for focus and concentration to feel the flow of energy and inspiration.  But most of us don’t work on our own all the time. We work sometimes in partnership, occasionally in teams, perhaps as members of much larger communities. These can be some of the most innovative and fun moments of our working lives. That’s why the ability to be good at cooperation is so powerful in creating resilience and productivity.

Cooperating isn’t always easy, though. The connections that make cooperation possible can be fragile. I’ve discovered that this fragility often takes two forms. The first is indifference/busyness: There is nothing that really holds the cooperative partnership together, and you each go your own way. The second is unproductive conflict: The relationship deteriorates as you lose trust in each other and your differences overwhelm your shared interests.  According to the author’s experience, these two tricky challenges to cooperation can be tackled with focus and intent.  

Acknowledge that our being cooperative is a fragile state that is easily overwhelmed by indifference and busyness and easily hijacked by unproductive conflict. Finding an igniting question that overcomes indifference and developing a cooperative mindset that challenges unproductive conflict will be key.

Psychological science clearly shows that respect is the cornerstone of sustainable relationships and effective leadership. However, many business and political leaders treat respect as an optional leadership add-on.

Interpersonal interactions break down when respect is lacking. When respect is present, achieving personal and professional goals is much easier, especially when those goals require working with others.

The Workplace Is Ground Zero For Respect.  Respect is a core driver of trust, collaboration, and innovation. However, according to recent Gallup research, just 36% of American employees strongly agree that they feel respected at work. This means fewer employees feel respected than disrespected! In 2024, workplace respect hit a record low.  Disrespect imposes a high cost. A recent Pew Research Center study found that 75% of employees who voluntarily quit their jobs said they felt disrespected. Without respect, teams become less likely to speak up, offer new ideas, or trust one another. People leave disrespectful situations – whether it’s a job, a personal relationship, or a diplomatic endeavor – because they feel underappreciated.  The impact is especially sharp for frontline workers. The National Education Association reports that school support staff, such as custodians and bus drivers, equate respect with fair wages and the chance to be heard. Respect is not about perks; it’s about treating people with dignity and recognizing their work, they say.

The Power Of Respect Doesn’t Stop At The Office.  Respect is also a fundamental element that holds our communities together. However, in today’s polarized culture, it’s in short supply. According to Pew Research, 65% of Americans believe that political debate has become less respectful.  At the same time, economic inequality persists and is increasing in the United States. In systems marked by inequality, respect often becomes a luxury rather than a standard practice.  Younger generations, such as Gen Z, are particularly attuned to tone and dignity in both work and society.

Global Leadership Runs On Respect.  Respect matters in government relations, too. While treaties are formal, the trust needed to get to the signature stage is personal. However, research indicates that we cannot reach trust without passing through respect, which is a precursor to trust.

When influential figures model respect and prioritize it over dominance, it sets a standard for other leaders, executives, managers, and community leaders to emulate. Here’s a simple model, the R-E-S-P-E-C-T EthosTM, that any leader can use to demonstrate respect effectively. The elements of the model remind leaders that giving respect is simple. Leaders can learn how to do it, model the way, and enable those they lead to follow suit. Like many things, respect needs to begin at the top.

Leaders who want to operationalize respect can turn to the R-E-S-P-E-C-T EthosTM – a research-informed, practical framework for making respect visible and actionable. To implement the R-E-S-P-E-C-T EthosTM , start by acknowledging and rewarding others’ contributions, both formally and informally, so people feel seen. Then, empathize by seeking to understand others’ perspectives and challenges, even if their experiences differ from yours. Share knowledge, tools, and support to help others grow and succeed. Partner by inviting collaboration and sharing decision-making power. Empower people with autonomy by delegating responsibilities and encourage idea-sharing by fostering an open environment without fear of retaliation. Celebrate individual strengths and create space for people to shine in ways that align with their unique talents. And finally, thank others—frequently, publicly, and sincerely—for their work and effort. Respect isn’t just a value; it encompasses a series of everyday actions, such as acknowledging contributions, empathizing, sharing knowledge, and empowering others, that leaders can choose to take.

According to the author every week, he speaks to 20 to 30 founders who are operating in the trenches, fighting to scale, fundraising under pressure, or wrestling with whether to pivot or pull the plug. The themes he hears are rarely about unicorn valuations or splashy exits. They’re about burnout, breakpoints, and the uncomfortable silence that follows a failed product launch or missed payroll. 

He comes to believe that the most valuable entrepreneurial asset isn’t intelligence or capital—it’s resilience. Not the motivational-poster kind, but the hard, gritty ability to get back up when your ego’s bruised and your bank account is bleeding money. 

Below are five lessons that emerge repeatedly in these conversations—truths forged from failure, not theory. Each lesson is grounded in real stories from founders who’ve been knocked down but emerged sharper than before.

1. Treat failure like data.  Eric, a founder who raised nearly $2 million for his real estate analytics startup, had great branding, a sleek interface, and a clean investor deck. But 14 months in, Eric still couldn’t find a product-market fit. The tool was too sophisticated for mom-and-pop landlords and too simplistic for established institutions. He shut it down.  When we spoke, Eric didn’t sound defeated—he sounded analytical. He had mapped every marketing campaign, support ticket, and customer churn pattern into a playbook for what not to do. Six months later, he launched a new property tech company with a simpler model, clearer user base and secured his first paying client in week one.  The lesson: Treat failure like telemetry. It’s not an ending. It’s just feedback from the field. Winners process it faster.
2. The right people matter more than the right idea.  In 2022, the author connected with Ashley, a brilliant technical founder who had built an AI workflow automation tool. Technically, it was flawless. But internally, things were unraveling. Her cofounder avoided hard conversations. Hires were made based on friendship, not skills. The business shut down after a series of legal disputes.  Ashley told the author, “I spent two years optimizing code but never optimized our team dynamic.” That moment changed how she hired. Her next venture started with a COO who was her opposite—operationally obsessed, emotionally intelligent, and ruthless about culture. That business is now cash-flow positive with a loyal customer base and a cohesive team.  The lesson: The product won’t scale if the people don’t mesh. Resilience is a team sport. Surround yourself with people who challenge you and will stay even when things get messy.
3. You can’t control timing.  Mark built a home-sharing platform—think Airbnb for vacationers with niche lifestyle needs—right before COVID-19 hit. He had raised funds pre-seed, tested the minimum viable product, and had traction in three states. Then: total collapse when COVID hit. Bookings evaporated, users went dark, and investors froze.   He shut it down, took a job at another startup, and quietly watched the market. When travel rebounded post-2021, Mark noticed a new trend—luxury workcations. He revived his platform with a new angle and landed a partnership with a boutique hotel chain in Costa Rica. Now, he’s profitable and on a new funding track.   The lesson: Great ideas fail when the world isn’t ready—or when it’s already moved on. The best founders don’t just read spreadsheets. They read the room. Even with the perfect ownership structure, your startup can still fail if your timing is wrong.
4. Burnout is a business risk.  During a call with Leah, an e-commerce founder, she admitted she hadn’t taken a day off in 18 months. She ran logistics, answered support emails at 2 a.m., and juggled single parenting. She didn’t realize the extent of her exhaustion until her co-founder staged an “intervention.”   “I had internalized the belief that rest was laziness,” Leah said. But her leadership team couldn’t follow someone who was spiraling. She stepped back, took a one-month break, and restructured the company to reduce her personal bottlenecks.  The lesson: Burnout doesn’t just hurt you. It fractures culture, slows decision-making, and clouds vision. Build your company like you’ll be around to run it for decades, not just until next quarter.
5. Your next venture will be smarter.  One of the most humbling conversations I’ve had was with Carlos, a founder who’d lost his business to fraud. His own developer had siphoned customer data and exposed him to legal liability. The startup tanked. Carlos spent months repaying debts and repairing trust with former clients.   But that painful chapter gave him a sixth sense for risk. He rebuilt, this time in fintech compliance, and used his story to create a platform that proactively audits security risks for early-stage SaaS companies. His transparency landed him partnerships with companies twice his size.  The lesson: Scars become your sharpest tools. Your reputation post-failure matters more than your reputation during growth. If you bounce back with integrity, others will follow you, even more devotedly than before.

Most solopreneurs and small businesses don’t see themselves in the same league as startup founders. You’ve got clients who pay you. They’ve got pitch decks and kombucha on tap. Different worlds, right?  Wrong.  That scrappy, growth-obsessed mindset that turns garage projects into billion-dollar companies? It’s not just for the tech bros in hoodies. It’s available to you, too. And you don’t need co-founders, investors or a trendy open office to make it happen.

Recent trends indicate a significant shift towards direct-to-fan engagement. According to Patreon’s State of Create 2025 report, over half of the $290 billion creator economy now comes from direct revenue streams such as subscriptions, courses and donations — not from platform-based monetization. Creators are moving away from closed ecosystems toward independence.  And with the rise of platforms enabling fractional work, personal brands and borderless services, solopreneurs can design businesses that fit their lives — not the other way around.

Ultimately, what defines this golden era is that freelancers, experts and merchants are becoming more independent than ever. They’re leaving behind all-in-one platforms — where someone else controls the traffic and the audience — and instead are learning to orchestrate their own stack of services and AI agents. This gives them full control over the entire business cycle: from customer acquisition and traffic buying to retention and reactivation. That’s a real shift in power, and it’s just the beginning.  That’s why you can use the best startup strategies and apply them to your one-person show.

1. The startup mindset: What solopreneurs can learn.  Your office? Kitchen table. Your team meetings? Talking to your dog. Your funding rounds? PayPal notifications. Your marketing department? Whatever free trial hasn’t expired yet.  But guess what? The mental frameworks that drive startup success can transform your solo business — no ping-pong tables required.  Lean startup principles, initially developed for tech companies burning through venture capital, work even better for solopreneurs risking their own money and time.
2. Fail faster, win sooner: The experimentation edge.  Startups build-measure-learn their way to success. Your solo operation should do the same — minus the beanbag chairs.  The most successful startups validate ideas through rapid testing cycles.  Your willingness to change direction based on real feedback separates a growing business from a stagnant one.
3. Tech leverage: Work smarter, not solo-er.  Modern solopreneurs multiply their impact through smart tech. Businesses using automation report a 30% productivity boost. And in 2025, over 41% of companies plan to reduce their workforce through AI automation. There’s no reason why you can’t achieve similar results without hiring.
4. Minimum viable product: Launch ugly, win anyway.  Perfection is the enemy of profit. The first version of your small business or product should make you slightly uncomfortable and even embarrass you a little. If you’re completely satisfied with your first version, you probably waited too long to launch it.  The Minimum Viable Product (MVP) approach focuses on core value — what’s the simplest version that solves your customer’s primary problem?  Your MVP must address three questions: Does anyone care about this problem? Will my solution work? Will people pay for it? Everything else is a decoration you can add later.
5. Failures are features: Why stumbling makes you stronger.  Winners fail faster and adjust quicker. Your missteps become your map.  Companies adopting “fail fast” mentalities report 40% faster time-to-market for successful products. Why? Because each failure eliminates wrong directions, narrowing your path to success. Every dead end tells you where not to go next.  Successful solopreneurs run rapid experiments — quickly testing multiple ideas to identify what works. They use objective metrics rather than gut feelings to evaluate results. When data suggests a change in direction, they pivot without emotional attachment to original plans.
6. Scaling like a startup: Growth strategies for solopreneurs.  While startups throw money at growth, you don’t have the advantage of a blank check or venture capital. That’s why you need to creatively and strategically think outside the box.  Consider these five proven growth tactics that work without a war chest of money or a marketing department.     A) Build a direct line to customers with automated sequences that nurture relationships while you sleep. Unlike social platforms that can change algorithms overnight, your email list remains yours forever.  B) Turn happy customers into your sales force with structured referral programs that reward them for spreading the word.  C) Create useful or entertaining material that people can’t help but share. One viral piece can deliver more value than months of regular posting — focus on quality over quantity.  D) Partner with complementary businesses to tap into their audiences without competing. A wedding photographer teaming up with venues, florists and caterers creates a referral network that feeds everyone.  E) Automate personalized outreach on platforms like LinkedIn, create micro-tests of different audiences for your ads, or build simple landing pages for specific customer segments to maximize conversion rates.  The most common mistake is trying to scale by doing more instead of doing differently.  Another mistake is avoiding “boring” things like systems, documentation or pricing strategy.  And finally, trying to scale alone.
7. The power of networking and community.  Not every solopreneur needs funding, but if you do, there are more options than ever. From friends-and-family support to presales, grants and platform-based financing, solo founders can raise capital without chasing traditional VCs. Many of these methods are faster, aligned with your audience and don’t require giving up equity.  The most powerful startup tool isn’t venture capital or a team of engineers — it’s the willingness to think bigger than your current circumstances. And that doesn’t cost a dime.