The Queen's Gambit, ChatGPT, & Trying to Stay Three Moves Ahead
There’s a little bit of irony in the fact that I’m currently watching The Queen’s Gambit while sitting on my couch researching how to stay a few moves ahead in business.
If you know me personally, you probably know that I (Kristen 👋) spend a lot of my time behind the scenes at Tullia Sage. If you only know us through the shop or Instagram, you may not realize just how much happens behind that shop door that has absolutely nothing to do with folding tiny clothes.
And Tullia Sage isn’t my only world.
In addition to running the business, I also work as a Partnership Manager for a technology organization, and I’ve spent more than 13 years working in IT.
So I’m definitely no stranger to technology. I’m no stranger to AI
I’ve watched cloud technology evolve, watched buying behavior change, watched companies completely rethink how they operate, and spent years working alongside people who are constantly trying to understand what’s next.
But even with that background, watching how quickly consumer behavior is changing right now is honestly mind-blowing to me.
And as a small business owner?
It can feel a little overwhelming.
Because keeping up today doesn’t just mean posting consistently on Instagram or making sure your website looks good.
It means trying to understand where your customers are searching, what influences their buying decisions, what platforms they trust, how they’re discovering new brands, and now… whether they’re asking AI tools what they should buy before they ever open Google.
Something interesting is happening.
For years, the answers felt pretty predictable.
Google. Instagram. Facebook. Word of mouth. Walking past a storefront. A friend telling you, “You HAVE to go there.”
Those things obviously still matter.
But recently, while looking through our website traffic and how new customers are finding Tullia Sage, I started noticing something I wasn't expecting.
More people are finding us through ChatGPT and other AI-search platforms
Which is honestly kind of wild.
Someone could be sitting at home asking:
“What should I buy for my friend’s baby shower?”
“What are some good baby brands that aren’t on Amazon?”
“Where can I find cute baby clothes from a small business?”
And instead of opening Google or Instagram, they're asking an AI tool for recommendations.
That shift has completely fascinated me.
So naturally... I started going down a rabbit hole.
I've been researching how people are using AI to shop, discover brands and make decisions and what that means for small businesses like ours.
And I think what fascinates me most is that this isn’t some distant “future of retail” conversation anymore.
It’s already happening.
That’s the part that gets me.
I can spend my day working in technology and talking about innovation, partnerships and where the market is going, and then come home and see those same shifts showing up in the analytics of our little retail store.
Two completely different worlds suddenly colliding.
But the more I research it, the more I realize there’s something much more important than understanding an algorithm:
Understanding you.
Because I can read all the reports in the world, but I'd much rather know what our actual customers are doing.
Especially the moms.
Imagine you're a brand-new mom. You suddenly need to know which bottles to buy, what your baby actually needs, which pajamas are worth the money, what makes a good baby shower gift, where to find activities nearby, and approximately 9,000 other things no one handed you an instruction manual for.
Where do you go?
Do you Google it?
Search Instagram or TikTok?
Ask another mom?
Join a Facebook group?
Scroll Reddit?
Ask ChatGPT?
Walk into a local shop and ask someone?
And maybe even more importantly: what do you wish existed that would make finding those answers easier?
This is where I need your help.
Consider this my very unofficial Tullia Sage market research.
Whether you're a customer, a mom, a fellow small-business owner or some combination of all three...I would genuinely love to hear how your habits are changing.
- Where are you discovering new brands and businesses?
- When you need a product recommendation, where do you go first?
- Have you ever used ChatGPT or another AI tool to help you decide what to buy?
- And for the moms: what resources do you actually trust when you're looking for recommendations for your kids?
Tell me on Instagram. Send us a DM. Tell me the next time you're in the shop.
I really do want to know.
Because as much as I'm interested in figuring out where technology is taking us next, I don't think the answer for a small business like ours is simply chasing the newest marketing trend.
It’s figuring out where our customers are going and making sure Tullia Sage is there when you need us.
And maybe giving ourselves a little grace when it feels impossible to keep up with all of it.
Apparently, I'm just trying to figure out our next move.
Which brings me right back to The Queen’s Gambit playing in the background.
Maybe I picked the right show after all. ♟️
— Kristen