Navigating Economic Uncertainty: Key Insights from Kyla Scanlon
If you've been feeling like the economy doesn't make sense lately, you're not alone.
Kyla Scanlon, the economic commentator who coined the term "vibecession," recently joined us to talk about why everything feels so uncertain right now (and what business leaders can actually do about it).
Kyla's made a name for herself translating economic chaos into plain English (she's written for everyone from the New York Times to Bloomberg), and as an upcoming skucamp keynote speaker, she had some solid advice for navigating tariffs, AI disruption, and the general weirdness of 2025's economic landscape!
Policy Over Headlines
Kyla's biggest piece of advice for business leaders?
Stop knee-jerk reactions due to daily news cycles. She pointed out that media companies are optimizing for clicks, not clarity, which means following headlines can scatter your focus without helping your business decisions.
Instead, she recommends going straight to policy sources like the Tax Foundation for actual updates on tariffs and trade regulations. For promotional products businesses dealing with import uncertainties, this approach helps you plan based on real policy changes rather than media speculation.
Attention is the New Currency
One of Kyla's most striking observations was about the attention economy: we're all competing globally for literal seconds of people's focus.
Kyla shared that understanding attention as a genuinely scarce resource changes how you approach everything from client presentations to marketing strategy. It's not just about being louder, it's about being more intentional with every interaction.
Train Corporate Culture, Don't Assume It
Kyla brought up something many business owners are experiencing but might not know how to address: new workforce challenges.
She explained that recent graduates missed crucial workplace socialization due to pandemic-era remote learning, and they simply haven't learned traditional corporate communication and behavior norms. Her solution isn't to write off this talent, but to build corporate culture training into onboarding processes. These employees have incredible skills, they just need guidance on workplace dynamics.
Stay Nimble in Uncertainty
When asked about the best mindset for navigating current economic challenges, Kyla emphasized agility over everything else. Downturns often present the best investment opportunities: marketing costs drop, competition decreases, and strategic moves can capture significant market share. For promotional pros, this nimbleness is actually a competitive advantage since smaller businesses can pivot faster than larger corporations when economic conditions shift.
Final word? Focus on what you can control
Economic uncertainty isn't going anywhere, but with the right strategies, you can thrive. Whether it's filtering economic noise, investing in your team's development, or staying agile in your approach, the key is focusing on what you can control.