The end of the year is always a pivotal time for management teams. The holidays bring both joy and distractions. It’s easy to lose momentum when your team is focused on eggnog and champagne.

Last week’s market volatility served as a reminder that animal spirits remain alive and well. After months of AI stocks climbing with almost athletic confidence—vaulting over every earnings expectation, rumor, or leaked demo—the sector finally took a step back.

In this edition, we’ll explore the economic fallout of dysfunction—namely, how political paralysis may lock us into a long period of low interest rates and stagflation.

In this year’s trend series, we reflect on a business cycle shaping a new set of challenges for Vistage members.

In Part IV of our series, we focus on Economic Trends facing small and midsize businesses (SMBs) in 2026 and beyond.

In Part III of our series, we turn our attention to AI.

We are at a unique intersection in history. Mid-market CEOs don’t have the luxury of waiting for clarity.

It's that time of year again. In our highly awaited trends series, we separate the hype from the headlines and offer insight that helps our clients make informed strategic decisions.

In Part II of our series, we focus on Technology Trends facing small and midsize businesses (SMBs) in 2026 and beyond.