I think you've added this sentence below (I only added a comma after providers and deleted "right" at the end (now is now):  

I want to see more suppliers, brand marketers, solution providers, and others taking full advantage of the spirit of opportunism and partnership that retailers are embracing now.

As for the transition, maybe "at the outset" doesn't work, as it's the beginning of the third paragraph. Perhaps, "In my business, I'm not a big fan..." or "During my workshops, I'm not a big fan...."