We are based in a sprawling master planned community north of Los Angeles. It’s a place where roads are wide and traffic flows. The school district is one of the best in the state. Paseos, parks and walking trails abound.

As we head into 2025, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) face a clear choice: embrace AI or compete with it. While large-tech dominates the news, executives and knowledge workers grapple with an overwhelming array of AI-enabled tools. But 2025 isn’t merely about keeping up—it’s about reimagining business models to harness AI’s potential and gain a competitive advantage.

Our practice is based in Los Angeles. We have many friends and colleagues impacted by the historic devastation here. There were shocking visuals of human despair and heroism.

As the confetti settles and 2025 begins, individuals and companies alike are filled with hope for a new year.

While the stock market often commands attention with its volatile highs and lows, the bond market quietly wields unparalleled influence over the global economy.

See Marc Emmer’s annual Vistage Trends Webinar covering the economy, geopolitical risks, technology and AI, and social and employment trends.

To project into the future, we must first understand the past. Much of the last year’s narrative has been about the Federal Reserve trying to cool inflation. Its root cause was certainly formulaic — part short-term reaction to supply chain shocks rooted in the pandemic, and some in the form of fiscal stimulus.

After the most contentious U.S. election of our lifetime, we find ourselves in familiar territory—pundits scratching their heads, polls falling short, and business leaders wondering what it all means.

According to a recent PwC study, 64% of chief executives report their companies have not completed an acquisition in the last three years, but 60% plan to complete one in the next three. There is tremendous pent-up demand in mergers and acquisitions (M&A).