Social Networks are places where people congregate; making them great sources of Market Research and Revenue. As a result, Social networks are looking for new revenue streams. The latest revenue channel for them is E-commerce.

Facebook is partnering with Shopify to launch Facebook shops. The social network is the latest to get in on the E-Commerce business.

Last year at SMX East, Google and YouTube shared how they are allowing people to shop online for products. Google also shared people’s buying behavior. I have included parts of the article below.

In Google’s Keynote, I learned how businesses can get an edge during the holidays. I also learned of Google’s plan to use Google Images and YouTube for E-Commerce. Google is also allowing businesses to use location-based Ads in Google Maps.

The key insights of the presentation were:

1. According to Google most shopping visits start online.

2. When diners search for a great place to eat the searches are probably happening on a smartphone.

3. When people are online in cars, more than half of them are searching for information on a mobile device making localization and targeting important.

4. 2/3’s of shoppers say that online video has given them insight and inspiration to make purchases.

5. Shoppers use at least 3 channels or more when shopping.

6. Brands need to provide an omnichannel channel experience all year, especially during the holidays.

7. Sales are happening online and offline. As a result of this shift, Brands need to serve customers on the channels of their choice.

Would you shop on a Social Network? Share your thoughts.

Key Ideas from WOBI 2024 In New York

I covered the World Business Forum in New York this past week. World Business Forum or WOBI for short is a global conference that shares the leading trends in Business. WOBI brings industry thought leaders together to share insights on business topics such as Creativity, Marketing, Innovation, being creative, Leadership, Management, and more. 

My favorite talks were from Gary Hamel, Angela Ahrendts DBE, and Jon McNeill.

Gary Hamel shared an idea called Humanocracy which is the title of his latest book. Gary shows that employees and not just executives should lead at all levels to get things done and improve outcomes. Gary states that AI will not solve organizations’ productivity issues instead he says that productivity issues need to be solved by people which is a different opinion.

Angela Ahrendts DBE shared her insights from leading at Apple and Burberry. One point that stood out is that Angela said that Profit and Loss (P & L) statements do not tell the whole story, instead, she said that leaders need to examine the People and Impact (P& I) along with the (P& L) when examining the performance of the organization and its employees. 

Jon McNeill was the former head of innovation at Tesla. He shared how he used innovation when he was tasked with increasing Tesla’s Digital Sales 20X and the steps he took to reduce customer friction in Tesla’s Online Buying Journey; reducing it from 63 clicks down to 10 clicks to achieve his 20X Digital Sales Goal. 

I enjoyed the lunch and learn by Texas Tech where Gary shared even more insights on how his management and innovation ideas improved healthcare outcomes for patients at a healthcare system.

Attendees did more than just go to talks, attendees had a chance to network, connect with event sponsors, meet the speakers, and get their purchased books signed by speakers at the Barnes & Noble station right after their talk.

Additional pictures can be found on Instagram.

I learned so much at WOBI.

WOBI, thank you for having me as your guest.

If you want to learn more about the latest business trends from industry thought leaders, attend WOBI.

Press & Industry Highlights of the 2025 New York International Auto Show

The 2025 New York International Auto Show is at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. The New York International Auto Show is celebrating its 125th anniversary!

I covered the New York International Auto Show on press and industry days. The show opened with the World Car Awards Breakfast.

Congratulations to the other finalists and winners as well!

You can see what it is like to be at the Auto Show on Press Days in this show floor preview. 

I rode along in the Hyundai Ioniq 9 EV on one of the multiple test tracks at the show. It was a great experience!

The show consists mainly of EVs and hybrid vehicles. There are two levels of EV test tracks where you can do a ride-along. You can also ride along on the Jeep and Ford off-road mountain track. I rode along on all of the EV Tracks.

The 2025 Chevy Police Blazer EV also made an appearance.

There were also some new vehicle roll-outs and major press announcements from Kia, Hyundai, Subaru, VW, and many others.

You can see some of them below.

Additional Press Conferences can be found here.

You can find additional pictures posted on Instagram.

The show is open to the public at the Jacob Javits Center located at 429 11th Avenue New York, New York 10001. How to get to the Auto Show. The Auto Show runs from Friday, April 18th, through Sunday, April 27th, 2025. The hours are Monday—Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm, and Sundays from 10 am to 7 pm. General admission tickets are $22 for adults and $8 for children. Tickets can be purchased here.

What are you hoping to see at the auto show?

If you have attended the auto show, what was the most exciting thing you experienced?

Share your thoughts.

Thank you to the New York International Auto Show for having me!