2026 Predictions From Growth-Minded Entrepreneurs

Successful entrepreneurs are heading into 2026 with more information, more noise, and more uncertainty—but also with a clearer sense of what truly moves the needle.

We spoke with Strategic Coach entrepreneurs across multiple industries and growth stages to ask them what predictions they could share about entrepreneurism in 2026. Their answers to three simple questions kept repeating the same themes:

• What will matter more than ever to entrepreneurs in 2026?
• Where will they need to invest more of their time and attention?
• What will they need to let go of to keep growing?

What came through was simple: the entrepreneurs who feel most confident this year are the ones who stay adaptable, use new tools wisely, and don’t try to do it all alone.

Adaptability over rigid, long-range plans.

Across the conversation, entrepreneurs kept coming back to adaptability: staying relevant, updating processes, and responding quickly to changing conditions.

As member Britt Kornmann put it, you can’t keep running your business on “old processes and old motivations” and expect it to thrive in 2026.

Another shared that “five‑month plans, even five‑week plans, might be a little too much” when events are shifting quickly.

Instead of over‑engineering fixed, multi‑year plans, these entrepreneurs are keeping their goals clear but their steps flexible. That looks like shorter planning cycles, more direct contact with clients, and regular check‑ins to adjust course.

The underlying message aligns with a core Strategic Coach principle: your plans still matter, but your ability to change them intelligently matters more. Improve your confidence by treating planning as a living capability, not a static document.

Using AI and technology—with judgment and protection.

AI and technology came up in almost every conversation. Several members said AI deserves real “focus and attention” because it’s already driving productivity and opening up new ways to run their businesses. They see it as a way to save time, make better decisions, and create new value—not as something to fear.

At the same time, they were honest about the risks of clinging to manual processes or ignoring digital threats like fraud and data exposure. One member warned that relying on old, manual habits while fraud and automation accelerate around you is a dangerous mismatch.

The consensus was that entrepreneurs need a clear growth strategy for using tools, protecting their companies, and freeing themselves from work that no longer requires human effort so their best thinking can stay focused on creativity, judgment, and leadership.

Community, collaboration, and real conversations.

Many members talked about collaboration, peer groups, and earnest conversations as essential to staying grounded and creative when markets are shifting.

One theme we heard again and again was that being in a high‑level mentorship or strategic group gives you leverage you simply don’t get when you’re on your own. In an environment flooded with content, they’re choosing curated communities where they can compare notes, borrow strategies from other industries, and get honest feedback on their thinking.

Several entrepreneurs described mentorship groups and strategic communities as their “secret weapon” in a volatile world. They pointed to very specific advantages: better decisions, faster pattern recognition, and the courage to make bolder moves because they’re not thinking in isolation.

That’s exactly the role the Strategic Coach community plays for many of them. It’s a place where ambitious entrepreneurs can test ideas, share tools, and build confidence about their next moves, every 90 days.

Edge, differentiation, and letting go of old identities.

A striking number of comments pointed to “edge”—the distinct story, perspective, or way of operating that sets an entrepreneur apart. As community member Shaan Reis put it, “You don’t want to be the best; you want to be different,” and that difference often exists in the parts of your story you’ve been tempted to hide. Another chose “edge” as their word of the year because that’s where Unique Ability and real differentiation live.

To make that real, they were clear about what must go: outdated ways of thinking, workaholism for its own sake, ego, and the idea that you have to know or do everything personally.

Several members mentioned that unlearning will be more important than learning in 2026. In practice, that means building a stronger team, delegating more of what drains you, and structuring your business so it supports your life and your bigger future—not the other way around.

Human leadership in an automated world.

Underneath all the predictions was a shared belief: in a more automated world, human leadership matters more, not less.

Entrepreneurs talked about hiring people who really understand AI, upgrading key roles, and refusing to tolerate mediocre performance in positions that drive the business.

They also spoke about the emotional side of running a company in a high‑change environment: avoiding burnout, managing stress, and not building a business that only works if they push harder every year. As long-time member Kary Oberbrunner framed it, unlearning old ways of thinking and work patterns is now part of the job description if you want to grow without burning out.

The entrepreneurs who will thrive in 2026 are designing for resilience—clear minds, strong teams, and structures that don’t depend on them being the hero every day.

What these predictions mean for your 2026 focus.

Taken together, these 2026 predictions create a practical checklist for your own focus.

• Are you building adaptability into your plans, or defending processes that feel safe but dated?
• Are you using AI and technology as strategic tools while protecting your data and attention, or still relying on manual systems that drain time and increase risk?
• Are you intentionally surrounding yourself with other growth‑minded entrepreneurs, or trying to figure everything out in isolation?
• And are you willing to let go of old identities, roles, and habits so you can double down on the skills and habits that create the most value?

None of these questions are theoretical; they arise directly from how entrepreneurs in the Strategic Coach community are thinking about 2026. Their answers point toward a way of operating that is calmer, more focused, and better equipped to turn uncertainty into momentum.

Step into a community that’s already thinking this way.
If these themes sound familiar, you don’t have to wrestle with them on your own. You can see how other entrepreneurs are navigating the same challenges by reading stories from our members about transformation, where they describe how clarity, community, and better tools changed their trajectory.

In a year where uncertainty is a constant, choosing the right community and way of thinking may be one of the most important decisions you make.

Check out this video from Strategic Coach members we interviewed in January 2026 to hear what they’ve got to say about what entrepreneurs will need to change up in 2026!