Let me be blunt: Most service providers and coaches are heading into 2026 with the same problems they had this year. They’re waiting until January to think about what needs to change, making decisions based on emotion instead of strategy, and setting goals that don’t actually fit their vision. I’m not here to sugarcoat it—if what you did this year didn’t work, next year is going to be even harder unless you make some serious changes. So consider this your wake-up call. Here’s what you need to hear before the new year hits.
It’s Getting Harder to Sell Online (And It Won’t Get Easier)
If what you did this year didn’t deliver the results you wanted, I have bad news: It’s probably going to be even harder next year. The online space is more saturated than ever, and you’re going to have to get even more strategic with your marketing and visibility.
Nothing changes if nothing changes. I know that’s an overused phrase, but it’s true. The clients I work with who try to change just a little bit—just the bare minimum—and expect massive results are always disappointed. Sometimes big changes require big action. If you want different results in 2026, you need to be willing to take really big action to get those big changes.
If You Have a Time Problem, It’s Your Job to Simplify
You need to simplify your business if you’re constantly wishing you had more time, if your marketing is always falling through the cracks, if something is always getting dropped. And I mean really simplify it.
This starts with niching down to an ideal client and target market. It means simplifying your offers, how you deliver those offers, and all your systems. When you do this, you’ll free up time that you can spend building authority and marketing your business.
Here’s the reality: I spend at least 50% of my business time on marketing. I’m recording podcasts, sending emails, writing captions, recording content, planning new offers, following up, and sending pitches. The other 50% is client work and behind-the-scenes tasks. That’s what’s required when you have a one-to-many offer.
You need more time to market your business in 2026. Period. And that time comes from having a simple business structure with clear offers, streamlined systems, and focused messaging. People get annoyed when I tell them to simplify their business, but if you’re tired and working too much and still complaining about the same problems, then you don’t actually know—because you’re not doing it.
Marketing Will Always Feel Heavy If You Don’t Love What You’re Selling
If you have resentment around the work you’re doing, if you could take it or leave it, if you’re only doing this because you have to make money and don’t want to go back to a day job—it’s not going to last long-term. And one of the main reasons is that marketing will always feel terrible.
I like talking about what I do and what I sell. I’m not jumping out of bed every morning excited to talk to my camera, but I enjoy and believe in what I teach because I know it delivers results. I know it’s transformative. I want more people to buy from me so they can experience that same transformation.
Energy, excitement, and confidence sell. And you can’t fake it. People feel it even when you think you’re putting on a good show. I had a client tell me that an offer she tried to sell didn’t do well, and when we talked about it, she admitted she didn’t really believe in it that much. She talked about it every day, but people could sense that energy.
You need to have your offer’s back. If there’s dread involved or resentment, something about your offer doesn’t feel aligned. There are levers you can pull—you don’t have to throw out everything. But you need to get close with your offers and restructure what needs to change so you can show up with genuine enthusiasm.
Stop Building the Business You Think You Should Build
If you continue building a business based on what you think you should be doing instead of what you actually want, you’re always going to feel tired. Things will always feel chaotic. You’ll never have enough time.
I had a client tell me she wanted to open a physical store, and I stopped her. “Do you really want that?” I asked. “Because all you tell me is how much you want a simpler business. You’re tired of being in the weeds.” She had to sit with that, and then admitted she thought it was just the logical next step—not something she actually wanted.
Maybe you’ve been telling yourself you need to build a big team or scale to an agency model, but it’s not really what you want. Or maybe it’s something smaller—you don’t want to offer Voxer support more than two days a week, or there’s a service in your retainer you’re done providing.
This needs to be the year you build a business that you actually want to build, the way you actually want to build it. This is one of the hardest things my clients struggle with because they’re afraid their clients will leave or be upset. But let this be the year you build a business that you actually enjoy, that works for you, and that allows you to enjoy your random Tuesday.
If you don’t see a path forward right now, trust me—you just haven’t seen the right path yet. It’s not visible to you, but there is one. About 90% of finding it is going to be mindset work and getting comfortable with making changes. Your comfort zone is not your friend. It’s not doing you any favors, and it won’t help you change anything in 2026.
Your Messaging Cannot Be Vague, Neutral, or Boring
You cannot expect to grow a thriving business and make consistent sales if you sound like everybody else—which now means you sound like ChatGPT. A lot of you are using AI and not tweaking it enough, not adding your own brand to it. You’re being lazy, and your content is getting drowned out.
You need to give your opinions. You need to stand on business. Where’s your stake in the ground? Tell your ideal client the truth. A lot of you are so scared to piss off your audience or be misunderstood. But confidence sells, and there will be more people inspired by you than put off by you.
You can’t sit in the middle. You have to go all in. Be specific with your content. Don’t say “here’s three tips to grow your business”—say “here’s three ways to train your team so you can pick up your kids from school on time.” Not “how to lose 20 pounds”—say “how to lose three inches off your waist and build your booty in three simple steps.”
You can’t be neutral anymore. You can’t be boring or vanilla. Show up with boldness and creativity. Stop giving your content the scraps. Hone in on your ideal client, learn the ins and outs of what they need, and be specific.
You Need to Consistently Bring in New Leads Every Single Day
Every day, you need to be bringing new leads into your audience. I don’t care if you do it through ads or organically—you’ve got to do one or the other.
The conversion rate is low. Bringing in a hundred qualified leads might get you one client. And some of you haven’t grown your accounts in months. You’re not connecting with new people, not networking, not getting on calls. You’re posting content, but you’re not bringing in leads.
Your marketing strategy needs to do three things every day (or at least five days a week): bring in leads, nurture and engage with those leads, and sell. You should be aiming to add a hundred new ideal clients to your audience every single month—minimum. Whether that’s on social media, your email list, or podcast subscribers, you’ve got to be adding new people.
Here’s What You Need to Do Before 2026
Think about each of these wake-up calls. Ask yourself: What do I want my business to look like next year? Does that fit the life I want to live? Does it support where I’m headed?
Get really clear: How much money do I want to make? How many clients do I want to serve? What do I want to sell? How many hours do I want to work? What hours? How do I want to feel? Is there something I’m not available for anymore? What do I want to completely cut out?
Answer these questions for yourself, not for me. Then work back through these wake-up calls and think about what you can change.
The year’s going to end just like that. It’ll be over in a flash just like this year was. Money doesn’t fix all your problems, but it relieves a lot and supports you in ways that change everything. Your business can do this, and you don’t have to work 24/7.
If you don’t have a business that really supports you financially, let this be the year that you change that. Do something different.
Need help?
If these wake-up calls hit home and you’re ready to make 2026 your breakthrough year, I have something special for you. My Black Friday sale is now live, and I go all out for Black Friday. This is one of the times each year when I offer big, bold sales that you won’t see again until next year—and the deals I offer are never repeated.
My membership is normally $147/month with a three-month commitment. Already an amazing price. But for Black Friday, you can join for $97/month with a 12-month commitment. Or you can pay in full for the year at 50% off.
Either option you choose, you’re getting two days of private Voxer coaching with me every single month in the membership. That means in January, you book your two days. Do it again in February. Do it again in March. Those two days are your opportunity to talk with me privately over Voxer, and I check in multiple times a day. There’s a lot we can cover in two days.
Along with those private coaching days, you get weekly group coaching calls, support in our Facebook community, access to the complete framework, and participation in all our challenges. This is the perfect way to ask questions, talk things through, process, and go back and forth on what you need.
This sale hard stops on Cyber Monday, December 1st. After that, we’re back to normal pricing. You won’t see this deal again because when I do Black Friday, I go all out.
