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Welcome to the Hustle Stack!
As 2026 kicks off, the business world is already settling into some major shifts: AI is moving from experiment to enterprise utility, big tech is launching tools that could change retail and customer experience, and key economic markers like tax season and capital flows are arriving sooner than many expected.
This week’s issue cuts through noise to give you one practical move, one system to steal, and a real tool insight you can put to work by Friday — not someday.
Let’s dive in.
📌 Sections This Week
The One Move That Matters
Steal This System
What Changed This Week (And Why You Should Care)
Tool Worth Using (Or Ignoring)
The Lesson I’d Charge For
🎯 The One Move That Matters
Increase your cold email reply rate by personalising based on recent tech events
Here’s what actually works in early 2026:
Trigger setup: Before you send cold outreach, find a fresh, relevant event tied to your prospect’s industry. For example, many retailers are experimenting with AI-assisted shopping tools this week after Google launched new AI agents for retail customer experience.
Use it in your opening line:
“Noticed your category is experimenting with AI shopping experiences — curious how you’re measuring engagement?”Why it works:
It’s specific, topical, and grounded in real developments — not generic fluff.
💡 Do this for 50 prospects this week.
💵 Steal This System
The 3-step Launch Readiness Checklist
Before you spend hours building something, run it through this quick checklist:
Goal logic check — Define the specific outcome you want (e.g., 10 paying customers this month).
Audience assumption test — Write down what you believe the customer really wants and why they’d pay you.
Micro launch action — Define one action you can take this week that validates demand (e.g., sell 5 spots on a waitlist before building the product).
✨ Start here every time — it keeps you honest and focused on revenue, not busy work.
📰 What Changed This Week (And Why You Should Care)
🧠 AI is shifting from novelty to business infrastructure
At CES 2026 and across tech announcements this week, companies big and small are pushing AI agents into real workflows (like retail assistants and enterprise automation).
Why it matters for you:
When tools move from hype to utility, opportunity follows — especially if you can integrate them into your product, service offerings, or marketing.
Your takeaway:
Experiment with one AI-infused workflow in your business this month — even if it’s as simple as automated AI replies or personalised product recommendations.
⚡Tool Worth Using (Or Ignoring)
Worth Trying:
OpenAI/Google AI Agent integrations for customer engagement
Retailers and service businesses are deploying these now to handle common shopper requests, upsell, and personalise experiences in real time.
Try this: See if your platform supports simple AI agent plugins (e.g., on ecommerce or CRM systems).
Who should ignore:
Anything labelled “AI magic content generator” without a clear business metric — those add noise, not revenue.
⏳ The Lesson I’d Charge For
Start preparing for cycles — not just launches
Taxes, cash flow, customer behavior shifts, and capital movements all follow predictable cycles.
This week the IRS announced the 2026 tax season starts January 26, and new tax law changes are in effect.
Lesson:
Plan your revenue and expenses around known cycles — not just launches.
Example: tax timing can impact when customers buy, when you invest ad spend, and when you close deals.
Fix for next quarter:
Create a simple calendar with 3 economic triggers (like tax deadlines, spending seasons, or funding events) and align offers/promos to them.
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.
👋 Your Action List for the Week
This week’s real moves:
✅ Personalise 50 outreach emails with real events
✅ Run the 3-step Launch Readiness Checklist on your next idea
✅ Test one AI agent tool for engagement (whatever fits your stack)
✅ Mark Jan 26–Feb 10 on your revenue planning calendar
Hit reply if you try anything from this and want feedback — the best ideas often come from your results.
Stay sharp,
The Hustle Stack