Detroit Manufacturer and Longtime Amazon Seller to Advocate for AI, Robotics and Productivity-Enhancing Technology Investment for American Small Businesses

DETROIT — August 2026 — Reed Sportswear Manufacturing Company announced today that CEO Nati Mazor has joined the National Small Business Association (NSBA) Leadership Council and will also participate in the Small Business Technology Council (SBTC).

Mazor plans to use his participation in both organizations to advocate for policies that expand opportunities for American small businesses to invest in artificial intelligence, robotics, automation and other productivity-enhancing technologies.

As CEO of Reed Sportswear, a Detroit-based American manufacturer and longtime ecommerce seller, Mazor brings the perspective of a small business operating at the intersection of U.S. manufacturing, ecommerce, technology and global competition.

“My primary goal is to help advance opportunity for small businesses as AI and robotics rapidly change the way companies operate, manufacture products and compete,” said Mazor. “Large corporations have substantial resources to invest in new technology. We need to make sure small businesses and small American manufacturers have the same opportunity to participate in this transformation.”

A major area of Mazor’s advocacy will focus on helping policymakers understand the needs of the more than one million entrepreneurs and businesses selling through Amazon, many of which are small and family-owned companies representing virtually every sector of the economy.

“Amazon sellers provide a unique window into the challenges facing modern small businesses,” Mazor said. “They manufacture products, manage inventory, advertise, fulfill orders, compete globally and respond to changing consumer behavior every day. I hope to help bring that real-world small-business perspective into conversations about technology, ecommerce and economic policy.”

Making AI Accessible to Small Business

Mazor believes artificial intelligence could become one of the most important productivity tools ever available to small businesses.

AI can increasingly help smaller companies perform work that previously required large internal departments, including demand forecasting, inventory planning, marketing, product-content creation, localization, customer service, advertising optimization, data analysis and identifying new market opportunities.

“The question should not only be how quickly AI develops,” Mazor said. “We also need to ask how we make sure millions of small businesses can actually use these technologies to become more productive and competitive.”

Through his involvement with NSBA and SBTC, Mazor hopes to support policies that make it easier for small businesses to adopt and invest in productivity-enhancing technology, including improved access to capital, research and innovation programs, workforce development, tax incentives and other initiatives that lower the barriers to technology investment.

AI, Robotics and the Future of American Manufacturing

A second major priority will be the adoption of AI-enabled robotics and advanced automation by small U.S. manufacturers.

For decades, sophisticated industrial automation often required the scale and capital resources of a large corporation. Mazor believes the convergence of AI, computer vision, robotics and increasingly flexible manufacturing systems could dramatically expand what is economically possible for smaller American factories.

“We are entering a period where robotics can become more intelligent, flexible and affordable,” Mazor said. “That could be transformational for small American manufacturers. Instead of competing globally primarily on labor cost, we have an opportunity to compete through technology, productivity, quality, speed and innovation.”

Mazor believes encouraging technology investment among small and midsized manufacturers can strengthen the domestic industrial base while allowing American companies to compete more effectively with highly automated manufacturing operations around the world.

“America is leading much of the innovation in artificial intelligence,” Mazor added. “One of our challenges now is making sure that innovation reaches the factory floor and the millions of small businesses that make up such an important part of the American economy.”

Bringing a Small-Business Operator's Perspective to Washington

The NSBA Leadership Council brings together small-business leaders to engage with Congress, federal policymakers, state and local officials and the media on issues affecting small businesses.

Mazor said he intends to contribute the perspective of an active business operator rather than approach policy solely from an academic or theoretical standpoint.

“I deal with these issues every day—as a manufacturer, employer, ecommerce seller and small-business owner,” Mazor said. “My goal is to bring that practical experience to the table and help advocate for policies that allow small businesses not simply to survive technological change, but to benefit from it and grow because of it.”

Mazor will participate in both the NSBA Leadership Council and SBTC, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence, robotics, ecommerce, advanced manufacturing and policies supporting technology investment by small businesses.

About Reed Sportswear Manufacturing Company

Reed Sportswear Manufacturing Company, home of Reed® Leather, is a Detroit-based American manufacturer with a long history in the leather apparel industry. The company combines traditional manufacturing experience with modern ecommerce and marketplace distribution, including a significant presence on Amazon.

Today, Reed continues to explore how artificial intelligence, automation and emerging technologies can help small manufacturers increase productivity, improve ecommerce operations and compete more effectively in the global marketplace.