114: 2025 Online Business Predictions: Connection over AI, Bold Moves, and the End of Generic Offers

Summary

Courage & Clarity Podcast: Episode 114 Summary

Title: 2025 Online Business Predictions: Connection over AI, Bold Moves, and the End of Generic Offers
Host: Steph Crowder
Release Date: January 6, 2025

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Introduction

In Episode 114 of the Courage & Clarity podcast, host Steph Crowder delves into her predictions for the online business landscape in 2025. With a decade of experience aiding entrepreneurs in building sustainable businesses, Steph shares her insights on emerging trends, challenges, and strategies that will shape the entrepreneurial journey in the coming year. She emphasizes the importance of human connection, strategic listening, and authentic engagement in an increasingly AI-driven environment.

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1. The Rise of Human Connection Over AI

Steph posits that in 2025, prioritizing genuine human connections will be paramount for businesses aiming to stand out. While AI technologies like ChatGPT will continue to advance, they cannot replicate the depth and authenticity of human interactions.

"AI cannot replicate real human connection." [04:35]

Steph explains that AI excels in tasks such as idea generation—creating headlines, podcast topics, and journal prompts—but falls short in fostering meaningful relationships and understanding nuanced human emotions.

"True coach client relationship... AI has not been able to replicate that, and I genuinely don't believe it ever will." [05:29]

She advises entrepreneurs to leverage AI for operational efficiencies while focusing their efforts on building and nurturing authentic connections with their audiences.

“If you focus on connection with your audience, with your clients, with your network, with your contacts, if you focus on genuine connection and genuine conversation, you're going to come out ahead in 2025.” [06:00]

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2. Listening to Customers as a Winning Strategy

Another critical prediction is that businesses which actively listen to their customers will thrive. In a saturated market, understanding and responding to customer needs can set a brand apart.

“People who are talking to and actually listening to their customers will win.” [07:39]

Steph emphasizes the importance of direct customer engagement over relying solely on AI-generated insights. She warns against the pitfalls of assuming customer desires based on AI analyses without real human feedback.

“Don't make the mistake of thinking that you can go and talk to Chat GPT about what your ideal customer wants.” [10:04]

By prioritizing customer conversations and implementing their feedback, businesses can build loyalty and deliver products or services that truly resonate.

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3. The Downfall of Copycats

In 2025, Steph predicts that businesses that mimic others without offering unique value will falter. The abundance of easily accessible information means originality and execution will be the new differentiators.

“Copycats are going to lose big in 2025.” [10:36]

She argues that quality execution and authentic connection cannot be replicated by merely copying ideas, which are becoming commoditized.

“It's not going to be about who has the best idea. It will be about who has the best execution.” [10:48]

Steph urges entrepreneurs to focus on their unique strengths and avoid the trap of imitation, as the market will quickly discern genuine innovation from superficial replication.

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4. Cautious Consumer Spending

Despite the availability of funds, consumers in 2025 will be more selective about their expenditures. Past experiences have made them cautious, leading to more deliberate and thoughtful purchasing decisions.

“People will have money in 2025. Do not let anybody tell you that people don't have money to spend. They do, but they're not willing to waste it.” [12:02]

Steph highlights that consumers will invest more time in the shopping process, seeking assurance and clarity before committing financially.

“They are going to spend a little bit more time in the shopping process. They’re going to want to talk to you... They’re going to want to know how you're different than your competitor.” [12:47]

Businesses must therefore provide clear value propositions and establish trust to convert cautious spenders into loyal customers.

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5. The Struggle of Online Courses and the Shift to Skill-Based Training

While online courses have faced challenges, Steph forecasts that purely informational courses will continue to struggle. Instead, the market will favor skill-based training programs that offer tangible, actionable outcomes.

“Courses will continue to struggle. ... Be skill based or die trying is what I would say.” [13:15]

Steph advises course creators to focus on teaching specific skills that lead to measurable transformations, such as obtaining a particular ability or achieving a professional goal.

“Think about what skill you're teaching. ... General courses like how to have an online business are going to flounder and struggle in 2025.” [13:32]

By aligning courses with practical skill development, educators can meet the evolving demands of learners seeking direct applicability.

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6. Embracing Bold and Edgy Messaging Over Generic Offers

Generic marketing and bland messaging will no longer suffice. In 2025, bold, clear, and authentic communication will resonate more with audiences seeking transparency and sincerity.

“Generic is not going to cut it in 2025. The bold will be favored.” [14:45]

Steph connects this trend to a decline in cancel culture, noting that audiences prefer straightforward, courageous messaging over politically correct or watered-down content.

“It's the year of speaking plainly. Stand your business. Be edgy in 2025. Generic is not going to get it done.” [15:20]

She encourages entrepreneurs to find their unique voice and communicate their mission without fear of imperfection, fostering deeper connections with their audience.

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7. Investing in Yourself as a Priority

Finally, Steph underscores the critical importance of personal and professional investment. In a complex and noisy business environment, continuous growth and self-improvement are essential for maintaining clarity and direction.

“Nothing will be more important than investing in yourself.” [15:54]

She advises entrepreneurs to seek support systems, whether through coaching, education, or personal development, to navigate the challenges of 2025 effectively.

“Find a partner you trust who's going to challenge your thinking, who's going to push you on your messaging, who's going to push you on your mission.” [16:30]

Steph believes that those who prioritize their growth and well-being will be better equipped to lead their businesses successfully amidst the uncertainties of the future.

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Conclusion

Steph Crowder's Episode 114 offers a comprehensive glimpse into the future of online business. Her predictions emphasize the enduring value of human connection, the necessity of authentic engagement, and the importance of investing in personal and professional growth. Entrepreneurs who heed these insights and adapt their strategies accordingly are poised to thrive in the dynamic landscape of 2025.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• "AI cannot replicate real human connection." — [04:35]
• "True coach client relationship... AI has not been able to replicate that, and I genuinely don't believe it ever will." — [05:29]
• "If you focus on connection with your audience... you're going to come out ahead in 2025." — [06:00]
• "People who are talking to and actually listening to their customers will win." — [07:39]
• "Don't make the mistake of thinking that you can go and talk to Chat GPT about what your ideal customer wants." — [10:04]
• "Copycats are going to lose big in 2025." — [10:36]
• "It's not going to be about who has the best idea. It will be about who has the best execution." — [10:48]
• "People will have money in 2025... they're not willing to waste it." — [12:02]
• "Courses will continue to struggle... Be skill based or die trying." — [13:15]
• "Generic is not going to cut it in 2025. The bold will be favored." — [14:45]
• "Nothing will be more important than investing in yourself." — [15:54]

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For more insights and discussions, listen to Episode 114: 2025 Online Business Predictions.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign welcome to the Courage and Clarity podcast. I'm your host, Steph Crowder. I'm a former sales training director who's helped thousands of entrepreneurs earn a living doing something they love over the past 10 years. On your journey, you'll need the courage to be bold, to take risks, and to do what looks crazy on paper. You'll also need the clarity, the brass tacks, simple strategies that actually work. And on this podcast, we deliver both in equal measure. Oh, and by the way, we've got absolutely no time for bs, gross marketing tactics or get rich quick schemes. Just sustainable business strategies for good humans with big dreams. If that sounds like you, you're in the right place. Let's go. Hello. Hello my friends. Welcome to the podcast. This is episode number 114 and we are talking today about some 2025 predictions. These are just some thoughts that I've collected for you in me, kind of thinking about a new year coming. I've been in the industry for 10 years now. This will mark 10 full years. And it's safe to say that I've seen some things right? I mean, when I first got started in business, Twitter was the biggest platform and Facebook then came up as the biggest platform. After that, this was before Instagram even existed. We have had Periscope and Anchor FM and Clubhouse and so many trends and so many ups and downs. So many different eras of online entrepreneurship have come and gone. And with that, I think it's always interesting to just kind of pause and make some, you know, make some predictions, just sort of like answer the question, like, where do I, as a business coach who does have a lot of experience, work with a lot of different clients, and has generated over a million dollars in revenue. Now, in my business, what do I see and what are my thoughts? Again, I don't have a crystal ball. I don't know for sure. But these are the things that some of the things, just a short list here. Some of the things that I am thinking of in terms of the moment that we find ourselves in and what I think this year is going to be like. So maybe this episode is just kind of interesting. Again, I'm not trying to be some kind of business Nostradamus. I just think it's kind of fun to think about and who knows, it might inform some decisions that you make or get you thinking about something interesting when it comes to how you want to approach the year in business ahead. I always like to think, I don't think that year, any year is really better than any other year Necessarily. I just honestly think that every year is a little bit different. And if what I can tell you for sure is if there's something that you hate in the industry, there's something that you hate online right now, just give it time because it's gonna go away, right? If you miss something that used to be big and it's not big anymore, I can promise you it's gonna find a way to come back around. I have definitely been around long enough to kind of see like multiple different things come full circle. I think about blogging as an example and sort of like the quote unquote old school blogs, right? We watched those be like absolutely the number one way that people were reaching their ideal readers and ideal audience. And then that kind of went by the wayside. And then more recently, we've kind of had a return to the nostalgia of blogging. Even looking at platforms like Substack are paying homage to the heyday of blogging. And so I can promise you that these things do tend to do a full circle. If something is especially trendy, just know that it probably won't be forever. It always evolves into something else. So without further ado, let's just kind of get into what my thoughts are in terms of what I am expecting and if I had to guess what I think is going to happen, where the focus is going to be and maybe some things to think about as you enter into your business this next year of 2025. So again, in no particular order, the first thing that I'm definitely noticing this is a big theme just coming in swinging here is people want connection.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I think that is going to be kind of thematic through my predictions. And it's just if there's like one thing, well, there's going to be a few big things. But if there's one of the top three things I'm going to tell you, it's this. It's that if you want to stand out this year, if you want to be memorable this year, you would do really well to focus on connection, okay? Focus on human connection. One of the big reasons I'm saying this is probably not going to surprise you is because of AI, right? And no matter how you feel about AI, maybe you're so excited about it, maybe you love chat GPT, maybe you're terrified of it, maybe you're low key scared is going to run you out of a job. No matter where you are on the AI spectrum, the thing that I would focus you on is AI cannot replicate real human connection.

[B]

Okay?

[A]

AI is going to be amazing and it's only going to become more and more amazing for things like idea generation. Right? Coming up with headlines, coming up with podcast topics, coming up with journal prompts. Okay, idea generation, but asking for connection, right? Real human feedback, real human back and forth. That connection, that bonding, that seeing and being seen, understanding and being understood. True coach client relationship. At least to my knowledge, at least so far, AI has not been able to replicate that, and I genuinely don't believe it ever will. At the end of the day, it is the. A stands for artificial. Artificial intelligence. And yeah, it's, it's, it's intelligent, right? And it's only getting more intelligent, which is so mind blowing to think that we're really only in the baby, baby beginning chapters of what AI is going to be. But artificial intelligence is always going to be just that, artificial. And so the more AI is permeating our lives in business and life and everywhere in between, the more you as a human being connecting and doing things that only human beings can do, the more you're going to stand out. And so if you can focus on connection this year, you know, in my last podcast episode, I think it was, I talked about having a word of the year. Connection wouldn't be a bad one. If you're looking for a word. Connection would not. If you focus on connection with your audience, with your clients, with your network, with your contacts, if you focus on genuine connection and genuine conversation, you're going to come out ahead in 2025. It's going to be absolutely huge. I genuinely believe the pendulum will swing back on AI. AI is going to have a moment, my friends, just get on board. Go ahead and get on board right now. AI is going to have a moment. If you think it's having a moment now, I assure you we've not reached the crest of that peak. Right? It's going to have a big moment. But the thing about having a big moment is the pendulum always swings back.

[B]

Okay?

[A]

People are going to be really hot on it. It's going to be really cool. There's going to be some inevitable backlash that ends up being not ideal. And people are going to be like, oh, this is feeling too, like futuristic. I just. There's going to be a. I guarantee you there will be a mass sort of not exodus, but like swinging back to, oh, we went a little too far into the artificial. Right. I want to go back to sort of old school human connection. So if you can be optimizing for that, it's going to make you stand out and with that kind of going hand in hand is the second one. People who are talking to and actually listening to customers will win. People who are talking to and actually listening to their customers will win. If you want to talk about winners and losers in 2025, these are going to be your winners. Your winners are going to be people who are not just talking, talking, talking, talking. And it's going to be so much talking in 2025, right? People talking, AI talking, lots of inputs. But those of you who can listen, those of you who can work on the skill of listening and not just listening, but actually hearing what your customers are saying, hearing and implementing and creating recognition, you are going to win if you can do that and if you want help with that Same day sales is my program that teaches you the skill of selling through learning how to co create and listen to your customers. I've been talking about this, Y'all know I've been talking about this since 2015. Customer conversations. There's no AI that's going to be able to be a substitute for true human conversation. And it is going to be such a brush of breath of fresh air for your customers to feel truly and genuinely listened to. So people who are talking to and actually listening to their customers will win big. I think a lot of brands and a lot of businesses are not going to do a very good job listening this year. They're going to assume that they know. They're going to think that they know what their customer wants. Because you want to know why? Because they asked AI. Because they asked ChatGPT. But you know who they forgot to ask? The actual customer. So don't make that mistake. You will win big if you like. Certainly use your chat GPT and your AI, like I said, for headlines and for beginning points of ideas. But do not make the mistake of thinking that you can go and talk to Chat GPT about what your ideal customer wants.

[B]

Okay?

[A]

Doesn't work like that. You still need to go to your ideal customer and have those conversations and listen in 2025. And I would argue it is the most important year for customer conversations. So that's who's going to win. You want to know who's going to lose? Copycats are going to lose big. Copycats will lose big in 2025. The reason I think copycats are going to lose so big in 2025 is because what copying really is is looking at other people's ideas and trying to take their ideas and pretend that they're their own.

[B]

Okay?

[A]

It's going to Fall flat. It's going to fall flat in 2025 because information is cheap. And honestly, I would even go as far as to say is ideas are cheap. Ideas are kind of being cheapened. By 2025. It's not going to be about who has the best idea. It will be about who has the best execution. It will be about who implements and it will be about who connects. Again, going back to connection, copycats won't be able to replicate. True connection, okay? Copycats won't be able to replicate. You will be able to tell who's cutting corners. It's going to be very, very obvious who's cutting corners. Your lane. Don't copy. If you see people copying, I promise you it's going to come back and bite them. It's not going to work in 2025. Copycats are going to lose big. So don't be one of them and don't despair when you see them. There's going to be a lot of copying because there's going to be a lot of panic, which is going to come from a mix of AI fear and economy fear. So people, when they get freaked out, do desperate things, including copying. Don't fall into it and don't worry about it. It will not work long term. It might work for a hot second, but it's not going to work. Okay, fourth thing, absolutely love this one because I'm seeing it over and over again. People have money. People will have money in 2025. Do not let anybody tell you that people don't have money to spend. They, they have it.

[B]

Okay?

[A]

But, but, but, but they will be extra choosy about how they spend it. They have it, but they're not willing to waste it. They have it, but they're not willing to throw it away. They have it, but they've been burned before and they don't care to repeat that experience. So people are shopping with money in their pocket and they're going to spend. My prediction, they're going to spend a little bit more time in the shopping process. This is a year of crossing your T's and dotting your eyes as a consumer. They're going to want to talk to you, okay? Get on board with that. They are going to want to ask you questions. They're going to want to know how you're different than your competitor. They're going to want to know how, if you're a coach, you're not going to co. Cause coach harm like their last coach.

[B]

Okay?

[A]

They've had bad experiences at this point and they aren't happy to invest in themselves. They recognize the value of investing in themselves, but they're not going to do it willy nilly. And they need to know that you are their person. And you're going to have to spend some extra time and energy communicating that and showing them that if you can figure out how to do that again, you're going to win big in 2025. Next thing is courses will continue to struggle.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

We saw some struggle with online courses in 2024. That is going to continue to be the case. Again, back to information and ideas. The value of those kind of being on the decline. Right. However, there's some good news if you're a course. I'm not saying you can't create courses and be successful.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I. I have clients doing it. In a lot of ways, I'm doing it same day. Sales is like a. Is sort of like a course, but it's really more like a training program. Here's the rub. Be skill based or die trying is what I would say. If you have a course or something resembling a course, you need to think about what skill you're teaching. Think about training people on a skill. I do still think people are buying skill based training. Skill based programs that will help them obtain a particular skill that will get them the result of something. Having more money, being able to do some particular thing, getting a promotion. Right. What is the skill that they need to get the transformation? If you have an online course, I would be thinking about being skill based. General courses like how to have an online business are going to flounder and struggle in 2025. You want to think about what skill you are actually teaching. Next one. I love this one. I think things are going to get very fun in 2025 in this regard. Generic won't cut it. Okay. Generic is not going to do it in 2025. The bold will be favored.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

The bold will be favored in 2025. I think this pairs with the decline of cancel culture.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I don't think, I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm sure that there are still gonna be. There's still gonna be cancellations. But these big sort of like cancel, you know, this banding together and canceling people. This sort of like say stick to the script or be canceled. Stick to the script, fall in line or you're gonna. Or off with your head. We're seeing less and less of that. I think we are in an era of speak plainly.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Like say your piece, stand on it, stand on business. That's what I'm seeing. And people with bold messaging, outlandish, like, off. Like, you can be off the wall. I mean, go for it if that's your. If that feels good to you. But, like, you don't need to be. To be shocking, just to be shocking. But I have personally been pushing myself and pushing my clients to find their edge, and it's paying off, okay? Be edgy in 2025. Generic is not going to get it done. We've seen generic. We've seen vanilla, We've seen PC. People are over it, okay? People want you to be bold. Not inflammatory, not rude, not offensive. Although some of those people are profiting. But you don't have to be that in order to be bold. What I mean by bold is like courageous. Boldly. State your case. Don't mince words. No sugar coating, okay? 2025 is not the year of sugar coating. It's the year of lovingly. Loving is the key word lo calling out your people. People are down, are kind of down to be called out right now. They're like, oh, shoot, she went there. That's the kind of vibe that 2025 is going to have when it comes to your content. And then the last prediction that I want to share is this. It's always been true, but I think it's even more true in 2025. I know I'm taking this one majorly to heart. Nothing will be more important than investing in yourself, okay? There was. There is. This is not the time to skip on getting support, okay, Specifically for your business and for your mind and for your growth. Because I think 2025 is going to be a noisy year, okay? There's a lot of things I could say about why I believe that's the case. I think AI is up there. I think the changing of the guard, if you're in the United States, presidentially speaking, there's just a lot of moving parts and pieces. There's a lot of dust that needs to settle. And it's going to be really easy to lose your footing and to have your North Star be obscured, okay? To lose the plot and to get off track. And so there will be nothing more important than investing in yourself. I'm saying this for myself as well. I am someone who, when I get stressed and when I start to feel messy, I accidentally start leaning away from vulnerability. I start, like, not going to my coaching calls with my coaches as much. I start to stop raising my hand because I feel like I look like a mess. This is not the year to do that. This is the year to double down on investing in yourself. It's not the year to go rogue. It's not the year to go 2020. You could have managed that. Okay, 2025, you need strategy. You need mindset, you need support. This is not the year to be trying to read the Coke bottle from inside the bottle. This is the year to find a partner you trust who's going to challenge your thinking, who's going to push you on your messaging, who's going to push you on your mission to get it out there in the world and stand out from the chitter chatter and the noise. And so nothing will be more important than investing in yourself this year. If you're not going to regret that, you will not regret investing in yourself and investing in your growth. Take that for however it makes sense for you. For some of you, it might be your. Your. Your health that you need to invest in. For others, it's your business. For some of you, it's your money. You know, you need to think about how you want to invest your money. For some of you, it's your time. How do you want to invest your time this year? I think we all need to be really ruthless and meticulous about how we are investing in ourselves next year, really making intentional investments. And then here's the kicker. Showing all the way up to those investments is going to be absolutely huge as well. And so, my friends, I want to keep this one short and sweet. Okay? But those are my predictions. That is what I see coming down the pipeline for us in 2025. Tell me what you think about these. Message me on Instagram. I'm at hey, Steph Crowder. Or reply to any of my emails. What do you think I missed? What do you think I got right? Where do you think I'm off? What resonates with you? We will see. Nobody knows for sure, but this is my best guess, and we're in it together. So let's find out. And yeah, can't wait to hear what you think. And if I'm. Yeah, like I said, if I miss something, if there's like a big trend that you are seeing, I would love to hear your thoughts. I will see you in my next episode. And until then, I am wishing you the courage and the clarity to go after what you love.