What This Year Taught Us About Leadership

In partnership with

Leadership rarely follows a straight line. Markets shift. Plans change. Teams work through moments that test direction and confidence. The leaders who stay present in these moments create space for better decisions and steadier movement forward.

This article explores the leadership habits that helped us find clarity in a year that refused to stay predictable. Curiosity opened new understanding. Clarity guided teams through uncertain stretches. Reflection created insight. Hope kept momentum alive. These ideas shaped the way we navigated pressure and change.

We carried these habits into our work with clients all year. They helped us ask better questions, communicate with intent, and support teams through real challenges. They shaped the way we showed up when the path felt unclear.
This is the thinking behind this piece.

These leadership lessons matter because they give you a way to move through uncertainty without losing direction. They help you understand your choices with more honesty. They support better decisions and steadier progress in the moments when leadership feels heavy.

👉 Read: Leadership Lessons from a Year of Figuring It Out

If you want stronger positioning as you enter the new year or you’re shaping your next phase of growth, we’d love to help you find clarity. If you’re navigating decisions that feel high stakes or want support refining your leadership rhythm, we’re here to talk through it with you.

Book a complimentary discovery call and let’s grow together.

The Future of Shopping? AI + Actual Humans.

AI has changed how consumers shop by speeding up research. But one thing hasn’t changed: shoppers still trust people more than AI.

Levanta’s new Affiliate 3.0 Consumer Report reveals a major shift in how shoppers blend AI tools with human influence. Consumers use AI to explore options, but when it comes time to buy, they still turn to creators, communities, and real experiences to validate their decisions.

The data shows:

• Only 10% of shoppers buy through AI-recommended links

• 87% discover products through creators, blogs, or communities they trust

• Human sources like reviews and creators rank higher in trust than AI recommendations

The most effective brands are combining AI discovery with authentic human influence to drive measurable conversions.

Affiliate marketing isn’t being replaced by AI, it’s being amplified by it.

Download the full report to see what this means for your brand.