Guidesly Unleashes Jack AI, the First Vertical AI for Outdoor Recreation

The software arms race in vertical SaaS just paddled into new territory. Guidesly, the platform powering thousands of outdoor adventure guides, has launched Jack AI™, a first-of-its-kind AI assistant built specifically for the outdoor recreation industry. Its mission? Free up guides from the modern digital grind and let them focus on what they do best: delivering unforgettable outdoor experiences.

Fresh off a $10 million Series A raise in January, Guidesly is turning that capital into product firepower—starting with Jack AI.

The New MVP of the Outdoors: Jack AI™

Whether they’re leading fly-fishing trips or backcountry hikes, today's guides aren’t just wilderness experts—they’re also expected to double as content creators, SEO specialists, and social media managers. Jack AI aims to automate those extra hats.

Guides upload a few photos and notes after a trip, and Jack AI does the rest—generating a trip summary for clients, fresh SEO-friendly website content, and social-ready posts. All automatically. All editable. And all done in minutes.

“The beauty of Jack AI is that in a couple of minutes, the computer is doing what used to take me an hour,” says Rich Adler of Tuna Wahoo Charters in West Palm Beach. “Time is money—and this saves both.”

Built for Guides, by Guides

Jack AI wasn’t dreamed up in a boardroom. It’s the product of five years of real-world feedback from thousands of working guides and the personal experience of David Lord, Guidesly's founder and a lifelong angler himself.

“We built Jack AI to solve the pain points no one else was touching,” Lord explains. “It’s not just AI—it’s Vertical AI designed specifically for the realities of guiding.”

Unlike generic marketing tools, Jack AI is tightly integrated with Guidesly’s proprietary platform. That means the system gets smarter with each trip booked, enhancing personalization, local search visibility, and client re-engagement. Think of it as your marketing intern who also knows how to fish.

Results That Matter

While many companies talk about “AI-powered growth,” Guidesly has the data to back it up:

• 3x increase in bookings for top guides using Jack AI

• Significant boosts in website traffic and social reach

• Hours saved per week, translating into real-world revenue

• $0 cost—Jack AI is free for all registered Guidesly Guides

Why This Matters

The launch of Jack AI signals a broader trend in AI: the rise of verticalized solutions that don’t just offer automation, but deep, domain-specific value. In this case, Guidesly is tapping into a market that’s traditionally been underserved by tech: the $1 trillion outdoor recreation industry, where small operators are the norm.

And in an industry where trust, authenticity, and customer experience are everything, Jack AI’s ability to amplify a guide’s voice without replacing it is key. This isn’t ChatGPT for fishing trips—it’s AI with boots on the ground and reels in the water.

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Zegmenta Launches, Offering Location-Based Marketing Intelligence That Outperforms Clicks and Searches

Zegmenta, a new global marketing data and creative firm, is making its debut with a bold promise: forget cookies, clicks, and search history—real-world behavior is the new gold standard in consumer data.

Led by a powerhouse international team of marketing and PR veterans—including Mike Holtzman, Greg Calejo, and Jaime Eduardo Aleman—Zegmenta is already working with a portfolio of major clients and deploying a proprietary platform that harnesses anonymized location data to connect brands with high-intent audiences based on where they actually go.

From Search to Sidewalk: The Rise of Real-World Targeting

“Search shows curiosity. Location shows commitment,” said Calejo, co-founder of Amplify Partners. And that’s the core of Zegmenta’s strategy: while many marketers still rely on digital breadcrumbs, Zegmenta taps into geospatial insights to paint a more accurate picture of who customers really are—based on their physical movements, not just their browsing behavior.

“Imagine knowing your ideal guests—not based on what they Google, but where they actually go,” said Holtzman, former PR Professional of the Year (PR Week). “That’s a game-changer for brands with real-world touchpoints.”

Turning Footprints Into Funnels

Whether it's attendees of Broadway’s Hamilton or visitors to luxury hotels, Zegmenta helps clients build campaigns around verified patterns of behavior. One example? The Island of Nevis is tapping Zegmenta to identify and target people who’ve attended Hamilton productions globally—leveraging the island’s historical tie as Alexander Hamilton’s birthplace.

Other potential use cases include:

• Hospitality: Targeting travelers who frequent competitor hotels or nearby attractions

• Sports & Entertainment: Reaching fans who attend live events, not just stream them

• Retail & QSR: Geofencing competitor locations to win back foot traffic

• Cultural Brands: Connecting with visitors to museums, heritage sites, or festivals

Zegmenta’s creative services team then converts these insights into compelling campaigns, seamlessly aligning marketing messages with real-world consumer journeys.

Why This Matters Now

As marketers scramble for alternatives to cookies and grapple with tightening privacy regulations, location intelligence—when anonymized and responsibly sourced—offers a privacy-safe, opt-in-friendly path forward. Zegmenta’s platform ensures no PII is used, while still allowing granular targeting across digital, social, and OOH channels.

“Consumers might search for ‘boxing matches,’” Holtzman added, “but attending a UFC event is a true indicator of passion. That’s the moment to engage.”

The Zegmenta Edge

Zegmenta enters a crowded marketing data space, but its proposition is clear—and differentiated:

• Superior Data Quality: Location-based signals rooted in real-world behavior

• End-to-End Execution: Strategy, targeting, and creative under one roof

• Cultural Insight: A global leadership team with deep ties to both Western and emerging markets

• Zero-Guess Targeting: Campaigns driven by verified intent, not assumptions

As third-party data becomes increasingly unreliable, Zegmenta is betting that the best customer signal isn’t on a screen—it’s on a map.

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Gen Z Is Rewriting the Rules of Brand Discovery, SOCi’s 2025 CBI Finds

The buyer’s journey is no longer linear—especially for Gen Z. According to SOCi’s newly released 2025 Consumer Behavior Index (CBI), younger consumers are ditching traditional search funnels in favor of a chaotic, cross-platform journey that favors authenticity, peer content, and visual validation over brand loyalty or legacy trust.

“Legacy marketing models weren’t built for today’s buyer,” said Monica Ho, CMO of SOCi. “Gen Z doesn’t follow a path—they create one.”

A New Model of Local Discovery

Forget the traditional Google-first approach. For Gen Z, local discovery might start on TikTok, detour through Reddit, cross-reference on Yelp, and finalize with Google Maps—a tangled path that brands can’t afford to ignore.

Key Gen Z discovery trends from the CBI include:

• Platform Hopping: Buyers use multiple sources before making a decision—each one influencing brand perception.

• Peer-Powered Validation: Reviews, Reddit threads, and TikTok videos rank higher than brand-originated content.

• Visual Content Wins: Visuals (images and video) carry more weight than text when assessing trust and quality.

The Trust Shuffle: AI vs. UGC

The data suggests trust is fluid and increasingly decentralized. While traditional tools like search engines still hold credibility, AI-driven platforms are being tested cautiously, and user-generated content (UGC) is emerging as a major trust-builder.

“There’s no single source of truth anymore,” added Ho. “Consumers are assembling the full picture themselves—platform by platform.”

Brand Loyalty in Decline

Among the most striking findings: brand loyalty is eroding, especially among younger demographics:

• 32% of consumers aged 18–24 say they’re less loyal to brands than just a year ago.

• 35% of 25–34-year-olds report the same.

• For Gen Z, brand reputation ranks ninth in purchase decision-making—well below price, quality, convenience, and customer reviews.

In short: your legacy brand equity won’t save you if your presence and content aren’t credible across the platforms that matter.

What Brands Must Do

The 2025 CBI is a clear signal: if brands want to earn the trust—and business—of younger consumers, they need to show up everywhere with proof, not promises. That means:

• Investing in authentic, platform-native content

• Encouraging peer reviews and UGC

• Maintaining real-time relevance across multiple platforms

• Treating each platform as a front door, not a secondary touchpoint

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Applied Manufacturing Technologies Debuts Intuitive, Mobile Cobot Palletizer for Lean, High-Mix Production

Applied Manufacturing Technologies (AMT), a FANUC Level V Authorized System Integrator and leader in advanced robotics for manufacturing and logistics, has introduced a plug-and-play collaborative palletizing system powered by the FANUC CRX-30iA robot. The solution is designed for manufacturers facing tight labor markets, limited space, and high-mix production demands—without compromising speed, safety, or uptime.

Built for Fast Setup and Operator Autonomy

At the core of AMT’s new system is an easy-to-use interface that allows operators to enter case dimensions, select pallet patterns, and begin palletizing in minutes—no coding or engineering support required.

“Ease of use was our top priority,” said Ben Kurth, Director of Engineering at AMT. “That flexibility is a game changer for dynamic production environments.”

Key Features of the AMT Collaborative Palletizer:

• Collaborative robot safety: Powered by the FANUC CRX-30iA with built-in force-limited sensing and no need for safety fencing

• High payload capacity: Handles up to 30 kg, with a 1,889 mm reach and IP67 rating for industrial durability

• Custom UI and pattern flexibility: End users can configure, adjust, and redeploy the system on the fly

• Space- and labor-saving: Compact footprint with quick mobility between lines; designed for facilities with space constraints

• Rapid ROI: Systems start at $120K and typically pay for themselves in under 12 months

• Cross-industry compatibility: Ideal for food & beverage, logistics, pharmaceuticals, and packaging operations

“Cobot technology finally gives manufacturers a way to automate palletizing where industrial robots simply won’t fit,” added Kurth.

Solving the Labor Gap with Smart Automation

AMT’s cobot palletizer reduces ergonomic risk, increases throughput, and maintains operational continuity—especially in plants operating with lean staffing or high turnover. Its mobile design allows fast repositioning and redeployment, ideal for environments with frequent product or layout changes.

“Cobots are ideal for repetitive, high-precision tasks like case handling,” said Craig Salvalaggio, President of AMT. “Our system delivers the speed, safety, and flexibility manufacturers need to stay competitive—especially as labor challenges persist.”

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Elanders Taps Bergen Logistics CEO to Spearhead Global Operations

Elanders has named Charles Ickes as its first-ever Group Chief Operating Officer (COO), a move aimed at aligning its global logistics and supply chain systems under a unified, AI-enhanced operational framework. Ickes, who currently leads Bergen Logistics—an Elanders-owned U.S. subsidiary—will now take on the dual mantle of Group COO while continuing in his CEO role at Bergen.

Why does this matter? Because the $1.3 billion (approx.) global supply chain player is signaling it's ready to modernize at scale. With clients increasingly demanding fast, data-transparent, and sustainable logistics solutions, Elanders’ choice of a seasoned operator with digital chops reflects an industry-wide urgency to evolve.

Bridging Strategy with Systems

The newly established role gives Ickes the mandate to harmonize tech infrastructure and push AI and data-driven decision-making across Elanders’ Supply Chain Solutions division. That includes integrating platforms, optimizing logistics workflows, and likely rethinking how warehouses and delivery ecosystems are monitored, forecasted, and managed.

CEO Magnus Nilsson called Ickes “central in building a unified, technology- and AI-driven logistics platform with global reach.” Translation: The company wants to move faster, think smarter, and shed operational silos—and Charles Ickes is the man to do it.

Elanders’ AI Inflection Point

The timing tracks with a broader logistics trend: legacy supply chains are finally getting their digital upgrades. Giants like DHL, GXO, and Maersk have already begun investing heavily in predictive analytics, robotics, and AI-powered route optimization. Elanders’ appointment of a COO who already scaled Bergen Logistics—especially in high-demand sectors like fashion and e-commerce fulfillment—suggests the company is ready to compete on intelligence, not just infrastructure.

For a company with operations in over 20 countries, Elanders’ next phase depends on turning fragmented networks into a single, data-fueled supply chain brain. Ickes will be tasked with making that happen—efficiently, and at global scale.

Textellent Redefines Business Texting, Leaving CRM SMS Add-Ons in the Dust

In a digital world where immediacy drives engagement, businesses are discovering the hard way that tacked-on CRM texting tools just don’t cut it. Enter Textellent, a long-time leader in business SMS, which today announced powerful new enhancements to its platform — reinforcing its position as a purpose-built SMS solution for growth-minded organizations.

While many CRM and marketing platforms offer SMS features as an afterthought, Textellent doubles down on the channel’s unique power. “Smart businesses are realizing that SMS is too important to be bundled in with second-tier tools,” said Chris Vaughan, Head of Marketing at Textellent. With open rates near 98%, texting is arguably the most responsive channel in a business's communication stack — and it deserves tools built for the job.

CRM SMS: The Hidden Weak Link

Textellent’s latest push highlights a growing pain point in the market: CRM-integrated texting isn’t built for performance. Among the most common pitfalls:

• Weak deliverability and compliance risks that can result in blocked messages or legal exposure.

• Throttled scalability and escalating message costs that make high-volume campaigns unsustainable.

• Limited conversation capabilities, especially in managing two-way messaging or dynamic responses.

• Bare-bones automation, often lacking support for logic-based drip campaigns or segmentation.

• Patchy analytics, making campaign success hard to measure — and harder to repeat.

For businesses relying on speed, personalization, and compliance, that’s a risky foundation.

Textellent’s Dedicated Approach

Textellent’s platform enhancements directly address these gaps with enterprise-ready capabilities:

• One-click CRM integrations with 800+ apps — bringing SMS power to tools businesses already use.

• Advanced automation including intelligent responses, drip campaigns, compliance rules, and scheduling.

• No-code/low-code workflows, allowing marketers to build logic-based campaigns without engineering support.

• Scalability for multi-location businesses, including franchise support with parent-child account structures.

• 10DLC compliance support, opt-in/out management, and a mobile-first app experience.

“We’re giving businesses the intelligence and control to manage customer conversations at scale,” said Majeed Ghadialy, CEO and founder of Textellent. “Relying on CRM SMS is like using a toolbox with the most important tools missing.”

Why a Specialist Matters in 2025

Textellent’s relaunch comes at a time when SMS is outperforming nearly every other digital channel. As email open rates fall and voicemail becomes a relic, texting remains personal, direct, and wildly effective. Yet too many businesses still treat it like a sidekick.

With its latest enhancements, Textellent aims to shift the market’s mindset: SMS is not just a feature — it’s a strategy.

Textellent provides robust business texting and scheduling tools designed to increase engagement and customer retention. With patented technology and accolades from SourceForge, Capterra, and SoftwareSuggest, the platform blends automation, personalization, and compliance to turn texting into a revenue driver.

NicSRS Rolls Out DigiCert VMC to Help Brands Stand Out—and Stay Safe—in the Inbox

In an age where phishing scams and inbox clutter are a daily reality, NicSRS is raising the bar on email security. The digital certificate provider has announced the addition of DigiCert Verified Mark Certificates (VMCs) to its portfolio—an upgrade designed to make emails more secure, more recognizable, and far more trusted by recipients.

The move reflects a growing trend: organizations want more control over how their messages appear—and how they’re perceived—before users even click.

What’s a VMC, and Why Should You Care?

A Verified Mark Certificate lets companies display their official brand logo next to authenticated emails in supported inboxes—think of it as a verified checkmark for your emails. It works hand-in-hand with the DMARC protocol, which already helps filter out spoofed or fraudulent emails.

But VMCs go further: by visually signaling trust, they help customers instantly spot which messages are the real deal. And in an era of rising phishing attacks, that instant recognition isn’t just nice—it’s essential.

Why DigiCert’s VMC Matters

By integrating DigiCert’s VMC offering, NicSRS aims to give businesses a sharper edge in both security and customer engagement:

• Better visibility: Showcasing a verified brand logo means customers can spot your message quickly—and know it’s legit.

• Phishing prevention: Branded authentication reduces the risk of impersonation, a major source of financial and reputational damage.

• Higher engagement: Messages that look credible get opened more often, clicked more frequently, and trusted more deeply.

• Customer confidence: VMCs signal that a company takes security seriously, helping build lasting loyalty.

CRM-Level Engagement, Enterprise-Grade Protection

“Email security is more important than ever,” said Andrea Cao, BD Director at NicSRS. “With phishing and online fraud on the rise, our new DigiCert VMC offering helps businesses communicate with clarity and authority—right in the inbox. When customers see a trusted logo, they’re more likely to engage, and less likely to fall for a scam.”

Why Go with NicSRS?

NicSRS isn’t new to this space. The company has helped hundreds of thousands of businesses strengthen their online presence with SSL certificates, code signing, S/MIME, and now VMCs—all available through its one-stop reseller platform. Whether you're a startup or a sprawling enterprise, NicSRS delivers enterprise-grade cybersecurity tools without the enterprise-level hassle.

And with the launch of VMCs, NicSRS reinforces its commitment to giving businesses smarter, more integrated ways to reduce risk, build brand authority, and improve digital trust in every inbox they enter.

RedWood Digital Redefines eCommerce Development with Custom, Scalable Online Store Solutions

As the online retail landscape grows more competitive and complex, RedWood Digital is stepping up with a fresh initiative aimed at helping businesses build future-ready eCommerce platforms. The company, known for its tailored digital solutions, is offering a structured, high-performance alternative to the cookie-cutter store templates that dominate the market.

With consumer expectations around speed, security, and usability at an all-time high, brands can no longer afford to cut corners on their digital storefronts. RedWood Digital’s latest offerings aim to fill that gap by combining technical excellence with deep user understanding—a blend that’s become essential in today’s digital-first world.

A Modern Answer to an Overloaded Market

Unlike one-size-fits-all platforms, RedWood Digital’s development model emphasizes scalability, data privacy, and mobile-first design, ensuring that each build meets the unique operational and experiential needs of the business it supports.

“Consumers are demanding seamless, responsive, and trustworthy experiences—and rightly so,” said a spokesperson for RedWood Digital. “We help brands meet those expectations through platforms that are built to scale, adapt, and thrive.”

Built for Growth, Not Just Launch

Where many services stop at deployment, RedWood Digital continues the journey. Their development process includes:

• Custom architecture that scales with business needs

• Multilingual and accessible design to serve global and inclusive audiences

• Integrated payment systems and mobile-first UX/UI

• End-to-end post-launch support for evolving functionality

• Compliance with data privacy and security standards

With engineers, designers, and project managers working in lockstep, RedWood avoids the trap of digital fragmentation and focuses instead on delivering cohesive platforms designed for real-world business demands.

More Than Technology—A Digital Strategy Partner

Beyond the tech, RedWood Digital helps clients navigate the larger digital commerce ecosystem—offering insights into analytics integration, performance optimization, and platform sustainability. As eCommerce shifts from "nice to have" to "mission critical," this guidance can make the difference between surviving and scaling.

Their customer-first approach has proven especially valuable during periods of digital acceleration, such as pandemic-driven shopping shifts or emerging market expansions.

An Invitation to Future-Proof Your Storefront

For businesses still tethered to legacy platforms or boxed-in by generic eCommerce builders, RedWood’s message is clear: it’s time to move on. With rising cybersecurity risks, fast-evolving consumer behaviors, and growing pressure for global accessibility, investing in a robust, flexible platform is no longer optional.

RedWood Digital’s latest initiative positions it not just as a service provider, but as a long-term partner in digital transformation—offering the infrastructure and insight businesses need to compete in a hyper-connected marketplace.