What happens when Supreme Court tariff rulings collide with AI governance, agentic commerce, and the future of wholesale distribution?

In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown, Tom Burton, and Nick Pericle unpack the legal shockwaves from the IEEPA tariff decision, the 150 day Section 122 pivot, and what it really means for distributors, manufacturers, and B2B buyers.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the Supreme Court’s IEEPA tariff ruling does not mean tariffs are over and how Section 122 changes the timeline
• Who ultimately pays tariffs in a B2B supply chain and why potential refunds could create massive downstream complexity
• What AI governance actually means for wholesale distributors beyond just “using Copilot”
• How agentic AI and autonomous commerce could reshape B2B eCommerce expectations
• Why API first architecture, data integration, and disciplined procurement are now competitive advantages
• How to drive organic growth through white space analysis, cross sell strategy, and AI powered revenue expansion
  
  

Episode Highlights:

• 03:45 – Supreme Court rules against IEEPA tariffs and what Section 122 means for distributors
• 12:20 – If tariffs are refunded, who actually gets the money in a multi layer supply chain?
• 24:10 – AI governance versus cybersecurity: what distributors are missing
• 36:55 – Agentic AI in action: autonomous purchasing and the future of B2B commerce
• 49:30 – Why ERP is not the single source of truth anymore
• 58:40 – Organic growth, white space strategy, and becoming a “Moneyball distributor”
• 01:08:15 – Robotics, humanoid automation, and the warehouse of 2030
• 01:18:50 – Long term economic outlook: deficit reduction versus stimulus

Meet the Guest:

Nick Pericle is Founder of Tenexity, where he helps wholesale distributors build AI governance frameworks, digital transformation strategy, and execution roadmaps. He works closely with distribution leaders navigating AI adoption, technology procurement, and long term competitive positioning.

Tools, Frameworks, and Strategies Mentioned:

• AI Governance Frameworks for distribution organizations
• Agentic AI tools such as Perplexity Comet, OpenAI Atlas, and Claude browser agents
• API first integration strategy across ERP, CRM, WMS, and eCommerce platforms
• Revenue Expander and white space analysis for organic growth
• Moneyball distribution strategy using predictive analytics
• Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 and IEEPA tariff authority
  
  
  

Closing Insight:

Tariffs may dominate the headlines, but the deeper story is discipline. Discipline in technology procurement. Discipline in AI governance. Discipline in organic growth. And discipline in building systems that integrate data instead of fragmentin

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What happens when the Supreme Court strikes down the legal foundation behind sweeping U.S. tariffs?

In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton break down the 6–3 SCOTUS ruling overturning tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and what it means for distributors, manufacturers, contractors, and the global supply chain.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the Supreme Court ruled that tariffs under IEEPA exceeded presidential authority, and what that signals about executive vs. congressional power
• Whether tariff refunds are likely, and why the “food fight” over who gets repaid could last years
• How Section 122 (temporary tariffs), Section 232 (national security), and Section 301 (unfair trade) may reshape the next phase of U.S. trade policy
• What the ruling means for existing trade agreements with Japan, Taiwan, China, and other partners
• How wholesale distributors should think about tariff surcharges, price increases, and downstream customer expectations

Episode Highlights:

• 03:18 – Breaking news: The Supreme Court strikes down tariffs under IEEP
• 08:42 – Presidential authority vs. congressional taxing power: Why this ruling matters beyond tariff
• 15:57 – The refund question: Who actually paid the tariffs, and who gets the money back
• 28:11 – Distributor dilemma: What happens if tariff costs were already passed through the channel
• 39:36 – NAW’s response and the call for swift tariff refund
• 47:20 – Section 122 explained: Can the administration impose 10–15% temporary tariffs immediately
• 58:04 – Trade deals in play: Will Japan, Taiwan, or others renegotiate
• 01:10:15 – Are tariffs a strategic tool, or an economic drag?

Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:

• IEEPA (International Emergency Economic Powers Act)
• Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 (temporary tariff authority)
• Section 232 (national security tariffs)
• Section 301 (unfair trade practices)
• NAW (National Association of Wholesalers and Distributors) policy response
• Tariff surcharge line-item strategies in distribution pricing

Closing Insight:

“Has it been an effective stick? Yes. But is it good for the economy right now? That’s where the debate begins.”

For wholesale distributors operating on thin margins, this ruling isn’t just political, it’s operational. From pricing strategy to vendor negotiations to long-term sourcing decisions, the implications ripple through every layer of the B2B supply chain.

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What happens if tariffs reshape the U.S. deficit, AI runs procurement, and humanoid robots stock your warehouse, all at the same time?

In this episode of Around the Horn in Wholesale Distribution, Kevin Brown and Tom Burton break down the Supreme Court tariff ruling uncertainty, rising GDP versus “vibecession” sentiment, AI-driven commerce protocols, Amazon’s data marketplace strategy, robotics in warehouse operations, and the accelerating consolidation in building materials distribution.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the Supreme Court’s pending tariff decision could reshape trade policy, inflation, and the federal deficit
• What “vibecession” means — and why consumer sentiment doesn’t match GDP growth
• How Amazon’s AI content marketplace and Universal Commerce Protocol could redefine B2B eCommerce
• Why structured data architecture matters more than “just building a data lake”
• How robotics, shelf-scanning AI, and humanoid automation will transform warehouse operations
• What QXO’s $2.25B Kodiak acquisition signals about consolidation in building materials distribution

Episode Highlights:

• 03:40 – Tariff revenue surges 300% and the Supreme Court uncertainty
• 12:15 – Inflation data, CPI trends, and the economic impact of tariff refunds
• 21:30 – Consumer sentiment vs. GDP growth: understanding the “vibecession”
• 33:45 – Amazon’s AI content marketplace and the future of proprietary data monetization
• 45:10 – Universal Commerce Protocol and AI agents completing complex B2B orders
• 58:20 – Data lakes vs. data readiness: why structure, governance, and context matter
• 01:07:35 – Robotics in wholesale distribution: shelf-scanning AI and warehouse gamification
• 01:18:50 – QXO acquires Kodiak Building Partners: what consolidation means for distributors
• 01:28:15 – Leadership insights: communication phrases that strengthen teams

Tools, Frameworks, and Strategies Mentioned:

• Unified data platforms for wholesale distribution
• Smart CRM and aggregated ERP integration
• AI-driven commerce and machine-readable product data
• Data lakes vs. structured data architecture
• Warehouse gamification performance dashboards
• AI shelf-scanning robotics
• Universal Commerce Protocol for agentic B2B transactions

Closing Insight:

“The longer uncertainty lingers, the more strategic clarity matters.”

Tariffs, AI, robotics, consolidation, none of it is slowing down. The distributors and manufacturers who win in this environment will not be the ones waiting for perfect conditions. They’ll be the ones building structured data foundations, modernizing commerce workflows, and preparing for AI-native operations today.

Leave a Review: Help us grow by sharing your thoughts on the show.

Learn more about the LeadSmart AI B2B Sales Platform: https://www.leadsmarttech.com/

Join the conversation each week on LinkedIn Live.

Want even more insight to the stories we discuss each week? Subscribe to the Around The Horn Newsletter.

You can also hear the podcast and other excellent content on our YouTube Channel.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok.