Episode 356: Fresh Start Energy and What's Possible in 2026

[00:00:00] Music Intro

[00:00:06] Bobby: Hi, friends, it's Bobby. Happy New Year, and welcome to 2026. I love this time of year in our industry. There's something about a fresh calendar that just feels full of possibility. The slate is clean, the goals are set, and there's this energy, this sense that it could be an incredible year. Instead of an interview on the skucast with a guest on today's show, it's been a while since I've shared with you directly about all the things going on at commonsku.

[00:00:28] Bobby: So today I thought I'd cover a few things in just under 10 minutes. Number one, where you can connect with us at the PPAI Expo next week. Number two, a few of the features we just shipped for you that we're really proud of. And number three, some resources for you and your team to take you into the new year.

[00:00:44] Bobby: Alright, first, if you're headed to Las Vegas next week for the PPAI Expo, here's where you can find us. But before the rundown, I want to say something about why we show up to these events the way we do. Community matters to us, like really matters.

[00:01:04] Bobby: commonsku isn't just software. It's a network of people building something together. The distributors and suppliers in this industry aren't just users of a platform. They're colleagues, collaborators, and some of our best ideas, our best features, our best content comes from conversations with people like you.

[00:01:21] Bobby: So when we show up at Expo, we're not there just to demo features. We're there to connect, to listen, and to learn what's happening in your business so we can keep building things that matter. With that said, here's the rundown. On Monday, January 13th, we've got two sessions during the education day at the PPAI Expo.

[00:01:38] Bobby: Charlie Moscoe, our VP of Product, and Aaron Kucherawy, our VP of Customer Success, are co-leading a session called "Connecting Your Workflow: Maximizing Power of commonsku." If you're a current user, you'll walk away with tips to get even more out of the platform. If you're not a customer yet, this is a solid overview of what we do and why it matters. That's at 1:30 PM in Room 1, Mandalay F.

[00:02:00] Bobby: Then at 2:30 PM in Mandalay Bay C and D, I'll be presenting a session on "AI and Promo: The Trends and Tools Every Pro Needs Now." And we're going to dig into how AI can transform your creative work in 2026. I'll share real-world applications and examples, the tools we use, and more.

[00:02:17] Bobby: Now, on Tuesday morning, January 14th, we're hosting the Breakfast Club at Libertine Social in Mandalay Bay from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Now it's right on your way to the show floor, so enjoy coffee, tea, light breakfast, and some commonsku merch. This is one of my favorite things we do because it's all about connection.

[00:02:33] Bobby: No agenda, no sales pitch, just good people starting the day together before hitting the show floor. It's come and go. It's on your way. So plan on your first cup of coffee by dropping by to hang with us. Now on Wednesday afternoon, January 15th, we're doing Community Happy Hour, also at Libertine Social from 5:00 to 6:30 PM.

[00:02:52] Bobby: After the show floor closes, come grab a drink and decompress with our team and the rest of the community. And throughout the show, January 13th through the 15th, you can find us at Booth 2310. That's Booth 2310. All these details plus RSVP links at commonsku.com/expo. Again, that's commonsku.com/expo. We'll drop that link in the show notes for you too.

[00:03:13] Bobby: Now in our last few minutes together, I want to share two features we just dropped. First, Shopify Connected Shops. Now here's the reality a lot of you face. Your clients love Shopify. They want a storefront that feels modern, that they recognize, and your team runs on commonsku.

[00:03:30] Bobby: So until now, saying yes to Shopify often meant running a second system, reentering orders by hand, losing visibility into production. Growth started to feel a little complicated. But Shopify Connected Shops changes that. Orders processed in Shopify automatically import into commonsku. Their team manages approvals, production, suppliers, and fulfillment exactly as they already do.

[00:03:52] Bobby: Shopify handles the customer experience. commonsku runs the business. That's it. If you've been saying maybe to Shopify requests because of the operational headache, this lets you say yes without hesitation.

[00:04:00] Bobby: Second feature, Split Ship Taxes. Now, I know taxes don't sound real exciting, but if you've ever managed a multi-destination order, maybe it's corporate programs shipping to dozens of offices or event merch going to venues across the country, then you know the tax calculation piece can be brutal.

[00:04:18] Bobby: Tracking down the right rate for every state, city, county—hours disappear, and there's always the fear of getting something wrong. With Split Ship Taxes powered by our Avalara integration, we automatically calculate accurate taxes for every destination in a single project. So you upload your shipping details and the system handles it.

[00:04:36] Bobby: No more spreadsheets, no more late nights researching obscure tax jurisdictions. For teams handling volume or complex orders, this is a game changer. And finally, beyond Expo, let's talk about ways for you and your team to stay connected and inspired in 2026. Now we have a few key newsletters you might not know about. One on merch trends and one on AI.

[00:05:00] Bobby: The AI Promo Brief is our newsletter focused specifically on AI developments that matter to the promo industry. Now, I write it myself, along with my colleague Ritz, and it comes out every other week. Now we cover what's actually useful: tools, trends, what's hype, what's real. And if AI feels overwhelming, this is designed to cut through the noise, so you can find it at commonsku.com/aipromobrief.

[00:05:15] Bobby: Our second newsletter is called The Backpack. This is our merch trends newsletter. It drops on the first and third Friday of each month. It includes cultural insights, emerging trends, and curated content to keep you ahead of what's happening in the merch world with some of the most inspiring stories happening with brands and merch.

[00:05:37] Bobby: Now, this is a great one for your entire sales team, so subscribe at commonsku.com/thebackpack. And of course, this show, the skucast. We talk to distributors, suppliers, industry leaders about what's actually working. Real stories, real strategies.

[00:05:57] Bobby: Here's what I want to leave you with. 2025 was a big year for the community. Over 930 companies are now on commonsku. Together, you submitted more than 1 million POs through the platform, a 126% increase in ePOs submitted. You created over 320,000 presentations and launched more than 12,000 shops. And get this, over 50% of ASI's Power 50 companies are now a part of commonsku, and more than 20% of PPAI's Top 100 distributors are on commonsku.

[00:06:18] Bobby: Now, those aren't just numbers. That's you. That's the work you're doing every day, and work we are so proud to empower. 2026 is going to be even bigger. AI is moving so incredibly fast. The tools are getting better. The expectations from clients are evolving, and the teams that embrace this potentially monumental year in tech are the ones who are going to build something remarkable.

[00:06:45] Bobby: And we are excited to build this remarkable year with you. If you're at Expo, come find us. Booth 2310, the Breakfast Club, Happy Hour. Come join my session on Monday afternoon. Whatever works for your schedule. And if you're not making it to Vegas this year, that's okay too. We're here. skucast is here. The newsletters are here. We're not going anywhere.

[00:07:02] Bobby: Thanks for listening. I'm Bobby Lehew. This show is produced by me and my colleague, Ritz. Cheers to you. We can't wait to build with you in 2026.