Hey Reader,
Every year, the internet fills up with bold predictions about the future of business. Heck, just the other day, I shared some from Joe Pulizzi in the EDUpreneur Community.
Some are really interesting, but a lot of them feel like recycled trends with new buzzwords slapped on top.
The reality is, EDUpreneurs, creators, entrepreneurs, and small business owners have been quietly pushing back against burnout, noise, hustle culture, and complexity. And the ones paying attention now will have a massive advantage a year from today.
So let me try my hand at this “predictions for 2026” thing.
Overall, I believe 2026 is going to be less about shiny tactics or faster growth. Instead, it’s going to be about correcting our focus, gaining clarity, and making community-driven decisions.
Prediction #1: AI Will Become Less and Less Impressive.
In 2026, “AI-powered” will mean nothing by itself. Everyone already uses AI and it seems like every other day a new “powered by AI” tool comes out, or brands update their existing tools to now “use AI” or be “AI integrated.”
It’s no longer impressive or cool. And in 2026, it will be less impressive. It will become expected.
The thing with AI is that 9 out of 10 tools are the same, using the same AI foundation. The difference comes in how well AI is used.
The winners in 2026 won’t be the people chasing every new tool. They’ll be the ones who learn how to:
- Integrate AI into real workflows that improved efficiency, effectiveness, and customer experiences.
- Use AI to reduce decision fatigue and unlock more time for themselves to focus on their audience and its needs.
- Let AI support clarity instead of chasing every new idea and creating chaos.
In 2026, AI will become infrastructure, not strategy. The impact our use of it has on our audiences will become the differentiator.
Prediction #2: The Creator Economy Will Divide.
I think we’re on the verge of seeing the creator economy start to divide into two groups. Actually, I think this is already happening, but we’ll see it on a much larger scale in 2026.
One group will continue to chase volume, hop on trends, and be focused on constant output on content.
The other group will focus on building trust, depth, and relevance with their core audience.
I believe a few things will happen with content creation:
- Generic content will blend together, even more so than it already has.
- Clear positioning within a niche will be what makes brands/creators/EDUpreneurs stand out.
- Smaller audiences with trust will outperform large, distracted audiences.
EDUpreneurs who know who they serve, why they serve them, and what their customers need, will win. Everyone else will keep posting more and wondering why nothing converts.
Prediction #3: Marketing Will Shift from Persuasion to Permission.
People are tired of being sold to. They’ll get down right sick of it in 2026.
Overproduced launches, funnels with forced (fake) urgency, and manufactured scarcity are going to continue losing their effectiveness. In 2026, they’ll become almost completely ineffective.
Those who win will focus on:
- Teaching instead of convincing.
- Context instead of pressure.
- Invitations instead of manipulation.
Marketing will become quieter, softer. Sales will become more human-centered and focused.
And trust will become what leads to real conversion.
More than ever, people will buy from people they know, like, and trust…and run from those who are not authentic. It will be harder to build that know, like, and trust, but it will be worth it.
Prediction #4: Operational Clarity Will Become Your Most Important KPI.
Revenue used to be the flex. You wanted to show off growth in revenue. Making money was the clear sign of success. It was the most important KPI (Key Performance Indicator).
In 2026, your real flex will be using fewer tools, having clearer systems and SOPs, and a business that don’t fall apart without constant attention.
EDUpreneurs will continue realizing that growth without structure is really just more stress with a cool logo and a business card.
In 2026, clarity and efficiency will become the most important metric for growth.
Prediction #5: We’ll Shift From “How do I grow?” to “What’s worth keeping?"
I believe this will be an incredibly important shift for all of us.
In 2026, we will shift from being obsessed with doing more, to being focused on:
- Protecting our time and our mental health.
- Choosing fewer priorities and eliminating things we’re doing because “everyone does.”
- Building businesses that not only fit into our lives…but that actually improve our lives.
Growth won’t just happen in 2026…it will be intentional and it will be about a lot more than just revenue.
EDUpreneurs who focus on this mindset will last a lot longer than the trends ever do.
2026 Will Reward Clarity, Alignment, and Systems.
In 2026, we won’t be rewarded for louder marketing, more content, or faster output. We’ll be rewarded for focusing on clarity, alignment, and systems that make our work easier and more focused on our audience’s needs.
If you want to win in the new year, stop worrying about AI, putting out more content, and “being everywhere.” Instead, focus on efficiency, work/life harmony, and clarity on what you do, who you serve, and what they actually need from you.
Be picky about where your time goes. Get clear on what’s important. Create and implement efficient systems. Listen to your audience. And be authentic.
In 2026, less will be more. And growth will be measured by the work you do, the life your business creates, and how much your audience trusts you.
What do you think 2026 will bring? Hit reply and let me know your predictions.
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~ Jeff
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I appreciate you.
Jeff Gargas
COO / Co-Founder, Teach Better Team
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P.S. When you're ready, here's how I can help:
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