As we roll over the calendar to 2026 and start counting down the days to The PPAI Expo – and after it, my term as your Board Chair – it is time to turn the hustle thermostat all the way up.
It’s not because the world had suddenly become predictable. It hasn’t. It’s because our community has a way of reminding you who you are and what you’re capable of. In Vegas, we’ll be standing amidst the most energized, talented and creative people on earth. They (you!) build, solve, design, support, imagine and care for a living. Let’s meet this moment with heart and momentum.
Danny Rosin, CAS
Incoming Chair, PPAI Board of Directors
If 2025 was a year of weirdness, worry and uncertainty, then 2026 is the year we get focused on taking back control.
Yes, plenty around us remains out of our hands. Macroeconomic swings. Tariffs and trade regulations. Material costs that zig when you hope they zag. Freight disruptions and carrier boycotts. Government shutdowns. The Crumbl Cookies flavor of the week. And the trends nobody saw coming or wanted, like tipping for every minor transaction. These things shape our environment, but they don’t define our destiny.
What does define it is everything you can control. You control how deeply you invest in client relationships. You control your financial discipline and the strength of your business fundamentals. You control whether your marketing is creative and intentional or reactive and routine. You control how well you understand your clients, what they’re actually trying to solve and how your solutions make them look like heroes. You control your product knowledge, your commitment to professional development and whether you embrace the technologies transforming the way you work. You set your boundaries. You sharpen your differentiation. You own your reputation. You choose your attitude.
You also control whether you treat uncertainty as an excuse or as the nudge that pushes you to finally evolve, refine and build. As PPAI CEO Drew Holmgreen often says, there is joy to be found in this work and in our wonderfully insatiable medium. That joy doesn’t appear by accident—it shows up when you do.
You don’t have to do any of this alone. One of the greatest strengths of PPAI membership is access to a deep well of resources, backed by a team of smart, caring professionals laser-focused on your growth.
The PPAI Advance platform offers best-in-class education that sharpens your skills and your edge.
In Las Vegas and at events throughout the year, you can spark creativity and connect with people who make you better.
SAGE tools and technologies, a PPAI member perk, will simplify your workflows.
There are business savings and partner programs to protect your bottom line.
PPAI Media offers tons of industry insights plus best practices to help you make confident decisions.
It’s not just PPAI. It’s the whole community. There’s support at your regional level. PromoKitchen’s mentorship program provides one-on-one guidance from experienced leaders. PromoCares initiatives help our industry lead with heart on social and environmental responsibility.
Uncertainty isn’t packing up and moving on any time soon. But neither are your membership advantages. This is the year to stop doom-scrolling and start upskilling. Attend the events. Take the courses. Use the tools. Enlist the mentors. Engage with your peer community. Turn your PPAI membership into the competitive edge it’s designed to be. Do what Hunter S. Thompson says and, “Buy the ticket. Take the Ride.”
We can’t control all the chaos around us. But we can absolutely control our response. At the start of this new year, full of opportunity, look in the mirror. Remember why you chose this industry and then truly get after it.
You’ve got this, friends. And I’m honored to lead alongside you.
