← The Goal Digger Podcast | Top Business and Marketing Podcast for Creatives, Entrepreneurs, and Women in Business
The Goal Digger Podcast | Top Business and Marketing Podcast for Creatives, Entrepreneurs, and Women in Business
940: 10 Marketing Predictions for 2026 (That Won't Make You Want to Quit)
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Today's episode is sponsored in part by Revolve and Spectrum. Revolve is my all time favorite place to shop for my dream wardrobe. Head to Revolve.com forward/gold digger to shop my favorites and get 15% off your first order with the code Gold Digger. Spectrum Business keeps your business connected with reliable service you can count on. Visit spectrum.com forward/free for life to learn how you can get business Internet free forever. As always, you can find all of our amazing deals in the show notes. Now let's get into it. Okay. I have been on this ruthless pursuit to purge any clothes that I'm not actually wearing. Like, if I haven't reached for it in months, it's gotta go. I am trying to be really intentional about what I bring into my closet right now, which means I am only buying pieces that I know I will actually wear and use. Revolve just gets it though. I'm literally wearing my brown Autry sneakers from there right now and and my new suede purse. It fits my laptop in it, so it's basically a fancy shoulder bag that works for everything. I love finding pieces like that, things that look good but also work hard for my actual life. Their holiday shop is live right now with all the good stuff. Sparkly party dresses, cozy sets, cute gifts, everything you need for whatever is on your calendar. And it's all in one place, which makes shopping feel way less overwhelming. Whether it's a weekend away, a big night out or a holiday party, your dream wardrobe is just one clip click away. Head to revolve.com forward/gold digger. Shop my edit and take 15 off your first order with the code gold digger. Fast two day shipping, easy returns. It's literally the only place you need to shop from. That's Revolve.com forward/gold digger to shop my favorites and get 15 off your first order with the code Gold Digger offer available for a limited time. So happy shopping. Take a deep breath. I am not here to tell you about the next app that you need to download or the algorithm hack that you're already late to. I'm here to tell you about what I'm seeing and sensing beneath the surface. The shifts that are happening, whether we're talking about them or not. The moves that the sanest, smartest women I know are already making quietly. And this isn't about keeping up. It's about seeing what's coming and deciding on your terms what you want to build toward. Because I believe the future doesn't belong to the loudest or the busiest. It belongs to the women who built something they can actually sustain, who choose presence over performance. Who said no to the parts of this that were slowly killing them. So let's talk about where I think we're headed. Not so that you can add 10 more items to your to do list, but so that you can exhale, so that you can see that what you've been feeling, it's not just you. It's actually the beginning of something new. All right, let's dive in. I'm Jenna Kutcher, and I help you trade hustle for purpose and build a business that gives you the life you. You actually want to live. From a $300 Craigslist camera to a seven figure business I run from home, I've learned that success isn't just about what you do. It's about how you live. Here, you'll get strategies that work, systems that give you your time back, and steps that turn your effort into results and impact. If you're ready for clarity, confidence, and a business that feels as good as it looks, you're in the right place. This is the Gold Digger podcast. So every year I usually do some sort of trends episode leading into the next year. And I wanted this one to be a little bit different because usually I'm just kind of using my magic crystal ball. Just kidding. I'm just guesstimating what I think will be happening next. But this time around, I wanted to do this a little bit differently. So I rounded up 10 things that I am seeing that I'm sensing that I'm hearing about behind the scenes. And. And I just wanna bring him to the light. And I don't want this to feel like old country buffet where you need to fill your plate with all of these things. I want for you to really think mindfully about which of these resonates with you, if any, and what you want to carry into this next chapter in the new year. And so I just wanna walk through what I'm really predicting. And this isn't just for 2026. I think this is, like, for the future. These are my future predictions. So the first one is this, and I'm calling it the Great Unfollowing. So I feel like we are entering an era where successful entrepreneurs are actually going to be going onto fewer platforms, not more. And what I think is interesting is, is I feel like there's been these different, like, escalations of pressure in terms of, like, you know, be on one platform, be there all the time, do everything right, and then There have also been these seasons where it's like, you need to be everywhere. You need to be, quote, omnipresent as they. And what I'm recognizing and seeing is that the women who are thriving are not necessarily the ones who are showing up everywhere. They're the ones who have picked maybe one or two channels, and then they've gone all in. I feel like we're almost going back to that early idea, and I think there's a reason for it, because, honestly, I feel like nowadays being everywhere means being fully nowhere. And it's interesting because it's almost like we've been wrapped up in this guilt complex of, like, okay, you post on Instagram, but, oh, my gosh, I haven't posted on LinkedIn in a month. And you show up on TikTok, and then you remember you haven't touched Facebook in weeks. And it's really interesting because I feel like the algorithms have gotten so intense, so specific, and every platform is so unique in terms of what works and what they want from you and how to create content that doesn't just perform, but that converts. And so it's really interesting because I feel like it's almost this cycle that has been created where it's like you are showing up literally everywhere. You're spinning plates, and then you're wondering, like, why is nothing moving forward? And it's because it's like that idea, that theory of, like, diluted focus equals diluted results. I think that's what's happened. And so when I think of the Great Unfollowing, it's not necessarily about just, like, opting out of everything. It's about choice. It's about choosing. Like, to me, the ultimate form of freedom is choice. And it's about being able to say, like, I want to go deep here. And I am at peace with all the things I'm not doing. Like, as I'm recording this episode, I feel guilt that I haven't been on LinkedIn in months. Like, I will get this, like, excited creative inspiration. I'll strike. I'll show up every day for an entire week, and then it'll be months. And then I do it all over again. And so it's this idea again of just being okay with, like, hey, this is where my focus is going to be, and I'm okay. I'm at peace with what I'm not able to do. And so I am just arguing for a future that does not require omnipresence. I think what I want in our future and what I'm sensing for our future, especially as women, is not omnipresence, but intentional presence, where it's like you are picking your platform, the one where your people actually are, the one that doesn't make you want to throw your phone across the room, the one that lets yourself be mediocre or lets you feel invisible elsewhere without fomo. That is what I'm sensing in my journey of entrepreneurship. I've seen this time and time and time again that the person who shows up consistently in one place for two years always outpaces the person who is scattered across six platforms for six months before they burn out and then disappear. We've all been there. We've been both versions, maybe if we're lucky. And so I just feel like, what can you do? What is the lowest hanging fruit in terms of, like, what type of work excites you? Where you can commit to showing up consistently and figure out how you want to commit to that. Like, create a practice and a rhythm around that platform and learn to let other things go. Learn to find peace at not being everywhere. I often think of the Little Mermaid. Like, I want to be where the people are. Where are your people? And how can you reach them in a way that is approachable and accessible and easy for you to stay consistent at it? And so here's what I want for you to do if this resonates with you. Look at everywhere you're showing up right now. Like, really look. Like be an investigative journalist in your own life and look at, like, where you are trying to show up and ask yourself, where am I performing out of obligation? Where am I posting into the void? Like, is my post on Facebook even moving the needle? Or is that TikTok, like, stealing my time? Like, figure out what this looks like. Like, get the lay of the land and then cut out one platform. Just cut it out. Maybe it's 30 days, maybe it's 60 days, maybe it's 90 days. Just one. And notice not only how much space that creates, but notice if your results are impacted, because here's what I have found time and time again. We spin our wheels and spend so much time creating content that is not doing anything for us or for the people we're trying to create for. And so I think the Great Unfollowing is very exciting for me because I feel like we can let go of this idea that we're gonna fall if we do less, and we can really subscribe to this idea that we can get ahead because we are actually finishing what we start and that to Me is an exciting prediction. Prediction number two. AI is going to be your intern. It's not your replacement. Okay, don't freak out yet. AI is here. It's not going anywhere. I know. It is a polarizing topic. I know a lot of women are grappling with AI. The future it's going to bring, its usage, its environmental impacts. All of that is incredibly real. But what I am really predicting is AI is not going to go anywhere. But the people who win aren't going to be the ones who let AI replace their voice. They're going to be the ones who are using AI to buy back their time so they can show up more human, not less. Okay, what do I mean by that? So I recently did an episode with Natalie McNeil. It's an incredible episode, and I'm gonna link it for you in the show notes. And I asked her the hard questions about AI and I loved her responses. Like, she stepped up to the plate and hit me back. I even had one of my team members message me. I had her listen to the episode before I aired, and she was like, this might be my favorite episode of all time of your show. And so when we are talking about AI, we have to recognize that you can use it as a tool and not a replacement. We are literally drowning in content that sounds like it has been made by a robot right now. Like, your audience can tell. Like, if you are someone who is copying and pasting a chat GPT caption and calling it a day, it's not going to work. Okay. The thing that makes you irreplaceable isn't what you know, because information is basically unlimited. Like, the barriers to get information is basically gone because of AI, but it's not about what you know. It's about how you make people feel. And so AI can do a million things if you listen to that episode. We talk about a lot of them. It can draft your emails. It can outline your podcast. It can summarize your meeting notes. But what it can do is it can't tell your story. It can't crack the joke only you would make. It can't know why this work actually matters to you on a Tuesday afternoon when you're tired and still showing up. And so we first just have to dismantle this belief that using AI is cheating. And we have to adopt this belief that AI can be the intern you always wished you could afford. Like, let it handle the first draft. Let it do the research. Let it organize your chaos. And then you come in and you inject Your personality, your story and your soul. Because the businesses that thrive in the next few years are going to be the ones that combine efficiency with warmth, speed plus heart, scale plus story. And so here's what I want for you to consider and let me just have a quick soapbox moment here, but I believe that women have been taught to fear AI as another tool to keep us behind. I mean, the patriarchy is at work here and I've never once heard a male peer or colleague apologize for using AI. I've never heard them be afraid of it. They are early and fast adopters of it. And I think it is another way that we are seeing this, the gap widen between women and men. And I don't want you to be left behind. I think we can be conscious users of AI. I think that we can be mindful of the environmental impacts. I think we can use it really wisely and strategically. And so here's what I want for you to do. So look at your work. Look at your life. Maybe there's something on your to do list. Maybe there's something you've been avoiding. Pick one repetitive task that absolutely drains you. Maybe it's writing your social media captions. Maybe it's your email subject lines. Maybe it's your blog outlines and test an AI tool this month and just let it play a role like you would an intern. Tell it exactly what you want it to do. Again, listen to my episode with Natalie because she gives a framework that really helps you understand how to prompt AI better and then just test it out and then edit everything it gives you with your voice. Make it sound like you on your very best day. And so if AI is the pencil, you're still the author. And seriously, if this feels like an interesting topic for you, which I hope it does, go back to how to build your AI dream team without losing the human touch. Natalie McNeil is seriously the queen of helping business owners reclaim their time and use AI with consciousness and integrity and strategy again. I'll link it for you in the show notes. But I think that AI is going to be our intern and we don't need to fear replacing it if we know how to use it. Okay, Number three prediction the death of Just post more. Okay, your most engaged followers aren't the ones seeing every single post you publish. There's, you know, this vibe, this saying of like the tick tock ification of Instagram. It hit this year and it really just shook the way that we use that app, the way that we show up, the way that we Create content. And so when we recognize that our most engaged followers, they are not seeing every single post that we're putting out there, you have to recognize that you have to have other avenues to reach them and other ways to actually control their experience. So those people, they're probably missing a bunch of your content. I mean, I think the stats used to be that like three and a half percent of your audience even sees what you post. And so where are you certain that people will be able to find you and connect with you? These people, they're on your email list, they're listening to full podcast episodes or reading the long form blogs you're writing. We are all exhausted, okay? And your audience is super tired. They are tired of shallow content and you are probably tired of making it. And the algorithm is finally, finally, finally starting to reward depth over volume. Now, I think the algorithm gets a lot of things wrong, but I recognize that it's not a more is more or a more is better. And it's interesting because, like, I used to be the girl who could post every single day. I thought, I'm gonna stay relevant. I could really crank out like three posts a day. It's actually wildly impressive when I think about it. And then I finally became a mom. And if you know our journey. It took me three years to hold our first baby. And it was just a really horrific time in my life and just a time that was really heavy and grief ridden. And so when I finally, finally, finally held my baby, I just made plans to commit to a different way of life. And it was so interesting because not only did my time evaporate, but like, I didn't want to, to be online. I. My desire shifted. Like I didn't want to be on from sunup to sundown. Some people like that. I. That was not for me. And so when I finally just came to terms in peace with like, this is not my life moving forward, and it's only got less and less and less as time has gone on, I recognized that when I pulled back, guess what happened? Nothing. Nothing bad. Actually the opposite. Because the content I was creating, the stuff I actually cared about, was performing, performing better. Because I wasn't creating from this place of volume. I was creating from this place of like, I actually care enough to say this. And so we are in an era and an age and this is only going to grow in the future years of recognizing that like one valuable post or thing will beat 10 mediocre things every single time. Like, people want depth, not with. In this world that we're in where information is so accessible, people want to go deeper. And so when you think about, like writing a comprehensive guide that someone will save or a podcast episode that they'll send to their friends, or a newsletter that they will actually read instead of deleting, this is about making things that don't expire when the scroll does. It's about creating something once and having it work for you for months or years, not just hours. And I literally built my business on this principle before I even really recognized what I was building. But I have talked about Pinterest on this platform so many times, and I just see it is the gift that keeps giving. It is the most forgiving platform of all time. And it is a platform where your results continue to compound. And so when I look back, I'm like, oh my gosh, those pins that I created years ago, those are still working for me. Those are still bringing people to my door without updating em, without thinking about them. They are still working. That is the compound effect of choosing depth, of saying, I want to create something that's going to make a difference a month from now, a year from now, a decade from now. Like, how does that change the way you create? Because it has absolutely shifted mine. And so this death of like, just one more post, just post a little bit more and you'll get seen. I'm so happy for it. I want to throw it a funeral or more like a party, because I don't think more is more. I think that depth is overcoming with and I think that that feels so much more aligned for me. So here's what I want for you to do. If this one resonates with you. Create one piece of valuable, evergreen content. Something that answers a question or solves a problem for the people that you are working with or you want to work with. It could be an ultimate guide of your thing. It could be a podcast episode that covers a topic fully. It could be a resource that someone can return to over and over and over again and then take that one thing and figure out, how can I promote this in as many different ways as I can. I have often taught, like, create one piece of content, find 10 different ways to promote it. Flip Pareto's principle on its head. Because right now what's happening is we're spending 80% of our time creating and only 20% of our time promoting those creations. And when we flip it and we're creating only 20%, but promoting those creations 80%, that's where we start to get traction. And so if you're exhausted, your audience probably is too. So slow down, go deeper and figure out how to get your hard work in front of the people you created for so that it can make the impact that you designed it to make. When I think back to when I bought my first little craigslist camera, I had no clue that it would change my entire life. Like I didn't have this big plan. I just took the first tiny step. And that's what the new year is for. A clean slate. A chance to finally start that business idea that won't leave you alone. If 2026 is your year to launch, Shopify makes it feel doable. You can sell online or in person and they give you everything you need to get moving. Millions of people have taken this leap from total beginners to well known brands. You can pick from beautiful templates, customize them to fit your style, and use Shopify's built in AI tools to write product descriptions, headlines, and even clean up product photos. When you're ready to grow, Shopify grows with you. All from one simple dashboard. In 2026, stop waiting and start selling with Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.com goaldigger go to shopify.com goaldigger that's shopify.com goaldigger Hear your first this new year with Shopify by your side. Look, I've become kind of a systems nerd and anything that gives me more space in my day, I'm all in. 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Services not available in all areas. Number four Permission based selling. Okay, hear me out. This is kind of a hot take, but the aggressive launch tactics I'M talking about like the BRO Marketing strategies are dying and I am here for that death. Now let me say I am a girl who has used these strategies. I have learned these strategies from the people, mostly men, who have created them. And guess what, I mean, they work. They're based on psychology. Like I get it. I mean the fear based urgency, the pushy dms, we have been there and we have also been victim to those strategies. But here's what gives me hope for the future and here is what has helped me build a far more aligned business is the fact that those are dying. And what is rising in its place is something so much gentler. And that is really this idea of asking for permission, of inviting people in, of respecting someone's no. You know what I really think about when I think about this is that our audiences are tired of being sold to like they're marks in a game. And you are probably tired of feeling like you need to become this sleazy salesperson to be successful. And I have changed my beliefs on so many things, but especially when it comes to this. Like I used to think I just had to push harder, I had to create more urgency, I had to manufacture scarcity and all of those things. I mean, they work, right? It sucks, but they work. But those have also been strategies where like, when I really take a step back and think about how do I like to be sold to, how do I want to communicate with my audience? Those types of things make me feel gross. And over time I've noticed that the people who bought that way, like who fell prey to those ways of marketing, those people were usually the wrong fit, like they made the wrong decision. You know, they were the kind of people who are buying out of fomo, not genuine need or desire, right? And so when I started to shift to this idea of like permission based selling, basically, you know, building wait lists, asking who actually wants to hear more, respecting people's timing. When I like would get on a webinar and be like, if you do not buy, that is a okay. The quality of my customers changed completely. Like they showed up more committed, they stayed longer, they got better results. And so if you are looking at this and you're wondering, well, what is this permission based marketing? Like, consider building a wait list instead of having countdown timers. I mean, we still use countdown timers, but way less than we did in the past. Ask someone if they would like to be notified instead of assuming that they want to like let people opt in enthusiastically instead of guilting them into it or Making them feel like they're going to be left behind. Because I need to be clear here. This is not about being passive. There is a level of confidence, a level of chutzpah, a level of, like, showing up and selling because you are confident in that. I don't want you to hear me wrong, but this is about being confident enough to know that the right people will sell. Say yes. When you make something truly valuable, when what you have created is in alignment with what they truly need. And so the permission here is that there is a softer way to do this work, a way that can honor both you and the person on the other side of the screen. And when we lead with intention, instead of this idea of manipulation, we can model a different kind of business, one that is actually rooted in trust and mutual respect. And so maybe what you do, if this is like, a hell yes for you, take your next launch or your offer and flip the script instead of using language that adds in more urgency and scarcity. If it's not truly urgent or scarce, try something like, I'm opening this up to a small group. Do you want to be the first to know? Like, consider, like, how can you build the list of people who are opting themselves in with a full awareness of what's coming? Like, those. Those are your people. Because the people who are bought in are the ones who are going to raise their hand, and the ones who don't, they were never your people anyways. And so this idea is like, less force, more flow. Like, stop chasing and start attracting. Okay, number five, prediction. The profitable introvert era. Here for this. My husband today, we were on a call, and he was joking, and we were talking about traveling, and he was like, yeah, you never leave the house anymore. I was like, guilty. Ever since we built our dream home three years ago, I mean, I literally designed this house with Drew to be a place that I didn't want to leave, and I was highly successful in that. And so one thing that I'm predicting in the future is, like, this idea of being an extrovert is no longer a business requirement. And I think that even, like, people who I will tell them, like, oh, gosh, no, I'm an introvert. They're like, no way. And I think that a lot of people who have built platforms, you just assume, oh, my gosh, of course they're extroverted. Of course they love being out there. I've done episodes about being an introvert on this show, and so I am calling it the Profitable introvert era. Because the next Wave of wildly successful entrepreneurs, I believe, are going to be the ones who built around their energy and who. Who they truly are not against it. Like, I am looking at how people just get really awake to what is the right channel for them, what is the right way to communicate for them when they start to drop all of the things that don't resonate for them, and when they strengthen the filter for which they throw ideas and strategies through. And so I am just excited because I think that it's going to invite people to be fully themselves, whatever version that is, instead of being performers of who they think they need to be to be successful. Like, what's interesting is when I think about business, like, I think half of the successful people you follow are introverts who have been faking extroversion in order to build their business. And no shade to extroverts. If you're listening to this and you're like, well, wait, what about me? I think even extroverts are tired right now. Like, this whole always on, I was visible, I was performing model. It is not successful sustainable for anybody who has a nervous system. And I recently heard a quote where it was just something like, true success is a balanced and regulated nervous system. And I couldn't agree more. Like, I am not someone who wants to be on camera every day. In fact, I, like, hate being on camera. I batch when I need to get ready. And my kids will know when I have to be on camera because I'll sit at the breakfast table with them and do my makeup next to them, and they'll be like, what are you recording today? It's just not in my DNA. I don't want to be accessible 24 7. I don't want to be on camera. I don't want to have to show up. And for years, I thought that that made me less of an entrepreneur, right? Right back into the guilt and shame cycle. That that was just not how I wanted to show up. But then I recognized, like, wait a minute, behind the scenes, like, how I operate. I can build systems. Like, my business has been rinse and repeat for years and years. And I've built it in such a way that I don't have to show up. I don't always have to show my face. There are so many different weeks where I just get to work behind the scenes in the ways that I love. And so I built Evergreen courses. I built out email sequences. I've rocked Pinterest. That's working while I sleep. And I've realized that you can build A massive business from your couch in a small town, just like me in your pajamas. If you build it right, like, there are no factors that keep you from doing this. And so this idea of designing a business that fits your wiring is the next era. It is the way that people will stay in business. It is the way that people will attract the right people. It is a way that we will save ourselves from burnout. And so if something like Live Launches makes you want to vomit, guess what? Don't do them. Then build Evergreen funnels instead. Or if daily Instagram stories drain you, post once a week and focus on your email list. If you're somebody who hates networking events, build relationships slowly through your content or have a podcast and invite your mentors or peers or your idols onto it. It's no longer about who can show up the most. It's about who can build systems that serve people, whether you're online or not. And so what I love about what I see is this next era is that we're actually remembering that there is more than one way to be successful and powerful, and that quiet can actually be as impactful or even, I'd argue, more impactful than being loud. And when we tend to what matters behind the scenes, and we see it just as valuable as being visible all the time, we build a business that supports the way that we want to show up in our lives. And so if this one hits you deep, what I want you to do is identify one performance area of your business that is absolutely, positively draining you. Maybe it's going live every week. Maybe it's hosting coaching calls. Maybe it's being available in your DMs. And ask yourself, is there a way to create a system around this? Is there a way to automate it? Is there a way to use AI for it? Is there a way to do this differently in a way that actually honors my specific energy while also sharing my heart? Because visibility is valuable, yes. But what I would argue beyond that is sustainability is priceless. Okay, number six, being searchable versus being sociable. So as AI search continues to explode and as social media algorithms become increasingly unpredictable, being searchable is going to matter so much more than being likable to an algorithm. When you think about this, Think about this for a minute. Viral is a moment. Searchable is forever. Let me just illustrate this for you. So let's say you spent an hour on a reel, and it gets seen for maybe 48 hours. If you're lucky to be honest, that is going to be less important. Then the content that is still getting seen, found, and working for you in the future. Like that blog post you wrote two years ago that is still bringing you leads every week, or that podcast episode from 2023 that someone just discovered and led them to buy your offer, Right? And so when we start to actually stack up our efforts, the algorithms and real results, we start to see that we can get much bigger results if we're spending our time in a little bit different way. And when we focus on things like being searchable versus being sociable, it changes how we show up. This is the power of search focused content. Because here's what happens. It compounds, right? Your Instagram posts from last month are essentially dead. They're probably not doing much for you. But a YouTube video, a blog, a Pinterest pin, a podcast episode, those keep working. That is the work that I've literally dedicated my life to is work that can keep working for me because I'm so sick of one and done churn and burn type content. And so when you think about search, the platforms that prioritize search, Google, YouTube, Pinterest, podcast apps, and then AI as well, and when you think about those and how you can prioritize them, they become more valuable than the ones that prioritize recency. And this is why, again, Pinterest is a hill that I will die on. This is why podcasting has staying power to me. This is why blogs, the thing that I literally started a free WordPress blog way back in 2011 still matter today, is because you're not just creating for today. You're creating for the person who searches your topic six months from now and finds exactly what they need and gets led down the path to getting to know you more and working with you. Now, I started with a 300 Craigslist camera and learned early that the work that lasts is the work that serves, not the work that performs, not the work that looks shiny. Like when you create with service at the center, search engines will literally reward that. Your results will compound. People will reward that because they're searching for it. Time rewards that. Like when I picture the little emoji of the report with like the graph going up that little red line, that is what search does. And so just think about how can you can focus on staying power and being found through search. So if this one is one that is like, boom, baby, let's go. Here's what I want for you to consider. Write one SEO optimized post this month. I love blogs. Blogging is not dead at all. Answer the question that Your ideal client asks the most. Like, actually create something from the goodness of your heart that serves the people you are dying to work with. Use the words that they actually say, make it comprehensive, and then link to it everywhere. Like that one post can literally bring you clients for years. And so stop optimizing for the algorithm that literally is changing week by week, and start optimizing for the person who's searching for help at 2am Be the answer they find. It will shift the way that you create, and it'll shift the way that you're found. Okay, so this one, number seven, is actually in partnership with Pinterest. I'm a Pinterest educator, and they sent us the 2026 Pinterest predicts trends report before it came out to the world. So essentially every year, Pinterest puts together this report where they analyze billions. That's billions with a B of data points. And they spot emerging patterns and trends. And then what they do is they curate the results and share their predictions on what will be trending. And one trend that I thought was so interesting is Pinterest is showing us that something called Poet Core is rising. So essentially, people are searching for the poet aesthetic. Think like cape outfits and satchel bags and fountain pens, and then they're channeling their inner protagonist with oversized turtlenecks and vintage blazers. And honestly, I am here for it. This is people wanting permission to be complex and literary and thoughtful, like, not just one thing. And the advice to niche down has made so many of us feel like we have to hide parts of ourselves in order to be taken seriously. I have absolutely fallen prey to this. I've had this thought of, like, you have to be one thing and only one thing, and you cannot change or evolve, solve. Like, somehow our range will make us less credible. And so what I'm excited about is I feel like the market is rewarding people who span expertise, not people who are aiming to shrink it. Like, the most interesting businesses exist at intersections. I'm talking like, business plus wellness, marketing plus motherhood, strategy plus spirituality. Your different interests are not diluting your brand. They are defining it. And so the fact that you care about email marketing and mental health, like, that doesn't have to be confusing. That is your unique positioning, the fact that I teach Pinterest strategy, and I also talk about being a mom in a small town, that's what makes me me. That's what connects me to you. Right. And the more that we look at buyer behavior, the more we understand people don't buy from categories. They Buy from people. And being a human is a complex experience. It's multi dimensional. Things get interesting because of their range, not in spite of it. I used to think that I had to choose between, like, the business strategist and the homesteader, right? Or between the podcaster and the mom, between the marketing teacher and the woman who volunteers at the soup kitchen with my grandpa. Those are not separate identities. They're the full picture. And the full picture is what creates real connection. Okay, if this one is hitting you deep, here's what I want for you to do. Write down something that sits at the intersection of two things you care about that maybe you thought or you were told were off brand for you. Whether it's marketing lessons from your garden or business strategy from your therapy sessions, or productivity tips from your spiritual practice, if you need some extra inspiration in finding what that intersection might be, the Pinterest predicts trends are out now. And honestly, it's a goldmine of niches and data that people are actively searching for. Find the spaces where you're answering their questions or you can provide them what they need, need and lean on in the riches aren't in the niches anymore. And I think I've known that all along. But again, I've fallen prey to the conditioning and programming. Because if you go back to my roots, the JK5 roots of picking five different categories and showcasing them and sharing them, I think I've always known we have to show up as our full selves. We have to be the complicated, beautiful, curious humans we are. But I want us to feel more, more free in showing the intersections and the overlaps, the U shaped space that no one else can fill because no one else is you. And so I'm just excited that I feel like the movement is happening and that we can all be the full expressions of who we are and what we care about. All right, number eight. This is a theme on our podcast and something I'm excited to call out. Rest is a competitive advantage. Okay, so hear me out. Burnout is finally getting the rep that it needs, which is being recognized as bad business. Okay. The Always on Entrepreneur. When I see content, cuz there are still a lot of them where they're like, yeah, I have no hobbies and I work all the time and I work 24 7. And that's the life I'm choosing. The Always on Entrepreneur is becoming a cautionary tale, at least for me. It's not looking like a success story. It actually makes me really freaking sad. One thing I've been Thinking about a lot lately is I see a lot of people preaching slowing down, but I also have the honor and privilege of seeing behind the scenes, and they are doing the opposite of it. They are working through the weekend. They are working nights. They are missing time with their families. And, like, I do not subscribe to that. Like, when I look at the through line of everything I've ever done and everything I've ever taught, it's to get you back your time. Not to work more, but to live more. And so the people your audience will watch win in the next few years are the. The ones that have boundaries, that see that boundaries aren't things that keep opportunities and people out of your life. They keep you in your life. Boundaries are these perimeters around what's sacred in your life. I am a girl of boundaries. And so when I look at all of this, and I think about it like, we have all been sold a freaking lie. We have been sold this lie that success requires suffering, that if you're not exhausted, you're not working hard enough, that rest is something you have to earn after you make it. It's not not something you need to make it at all. And there have been stages of my entrepreneurial journey where I've absolutely fallen prey to this. Really. It was the early days when I recognize, whoa, this is not successful to me. This does not feel successful. This is not sustainable. There were times in the early days of my entrepreneurial journey where I wore burnout like a badge of honor. Like, I loved being busy, I worked around the clock. And I've realized that hustle is often required to get the dream off the ground. I'm not gonna lie. It takes a lot of grit, tenacity. It takes, you know, borrowing belief from others to really go for it. Hustle is often a requirement to get it going. But if hustle is the only way to sustain it, I would argue that whatever it is that you're trying to sustain, that might not be the dream after all. Right? And so I have learned something radical. That rest isn't the opposite of productivity. It's the foundation of it. And so if this is resonating, I want for you to go back to an episode that was recent, and it's the relaxed woman revolution, redefining success without the stress. And I want for you to go to listen to that, and I want for you to learn more about why rest feels so hard for women, why female entrepreneurs in particular struggle to, like, turn it off. And then I want for you to hear about, like, the Practical rituals and strategies that we can finally use to make peace with this idea of rest. So I'm gonna link that for you in the show notes. It's a phenomenal episode. But when I look into the future, the businesses that survive the next decade are not going to be the ones built on adrenaline and caffeine. They're going to be the ones built for the long run, for endurance for the founder who's still excited about her work 10 years in because she's never burned the whole thing down. I want you to hear your nervous system is your most important business asset, not your email list. Even though I want to say that. Not your audience size, it's your ability to regulate, it's your ability to recover, it's your ability to step back up, to come back to your work with fresh eyes and flow energy. And the entrepreneurs with boundaries are going to outlast and outperform the ones without them. Not because they worked harder, but because they worked smarter, because they built something sustainable. What's been interesting for me is I have been alcohol 3 for three years now. And it's something my daughter was asking me something about alcohol. And I realized that like she will never remember a version of me who drank. And what I've learned in that clarity for me is that a lot of times we find different ways to cope and numb ourselves, to get through business models that were never meant to be sustained. Maybe it's not alcohol, maybe it's food, or maybe it's other alternatives. But I think a lot of times we've been medicating symptoms that don't work for us instead of looking at how do we change a system. Like what if the business itself could be the healing? What if rest was woven into the fabric of how we work, not something that we collapse into when we've given everything away. And so if this one is speaking to you, I want for you to look at your month, the next month you have and consider blocking off one non negotiable rest boundary. So maybe it's no meetings on Fridays if you have that flexibility. Maybe it's weekends completely logged off of social media. Maybe it's a hard stop at 3pm or not cracking your laptop open again at night. Whatever that is, protect it like you would protect a client call. Because it's more important than a client call. It's the thing that makes the client calls possible. Right? And so just remember, you're not a machine. You cannot outpour what you do not have. And the businesses built on depletion are going to collapse. Rest is not selfish. I'm going to argue it's strategic, especially as we move into the future. My cousin's getting married soon and I haven't been to a wedding since I stopped photographing them seven years ago. We're so excited because we're getting our entire family together and booking a home on Airbnb for the festivities. Coco even asked if she can be the flower girl, so now I need to teach her how weddings actually work. After sending a few options, we found the perfect spot. There's this pool table for my father in law to be a pool shark. Enough room so that we can all actually get decent sleep and plenty of space to make memories together. Where you choose to stay truly has the ability to elevate everything and it got me thinking about the host behind the stay. They make sure the space feels warm and cared for, which makes these special moments even more memorable. And here's something I learned. You don't need to own a vacation property to consider hosting your own home on Airbnb. You can start with the space you already have and that extra income. It can be put towards future travel or a fun splurge item you've been eyeing. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much@airbnb.com host all right, number nine community over audience There is a shift happening and the shift is not looking at how many followers you have, but how many people actually care about what you have to say. It's kind of this idea like instead of broadcasting your ideas and your offers out into the world, it's the shift from broadcasting to belonging, from trying to go viral to building something that actually lasts. And maybe you felt it already. I think there's a lot of hollowness online, especially when you hit different milestones and you're like, wow, this is great, but nobody's even paying attention. Or maybe you've built something or you've posted something that you're so proud of and then you watch it just get buried and nobody actually enjoys it. Or maybe you've recognized like, hey, I don't even own this. I can't control it. Like I am literally building my dreams on rented space. I will argue that depth is going to overcome with and I think that is one of the most exciting things, especially for heart led entrepreneurs. Thinking about things like 10 engaged people in a private community is going to be and feel more valuable than 10,000 passive followers on social because those 10 people, they're going to show up and they're going to buy and they're going to refer and they're going to stick around when the platform changes or dies or pivots or whatever comes next. And so when I think about ownership and assets and I think about depth and not with, I think about the different means that we can do those things like email lists and memberships, private communities, those are going to be your insurance policies into the future. Like when Instagram changes the algorithm again and it will, your email list doesn't care. Or if TikTok gets banned, who knows, Your membership keeps running when the next shiny platform launches and everyone panics about being early. You can opt out because you own your audience. And so this is about building relationships that you can control. Spaces where your voice isn't competing or trying to like, scream and be heard, where people are choosing and opting in to be there, where depth is actually possible. So, I mean, I've helped thousands upon thousands of people build their businesses. And the ones that I've gotten to witness that last, they are the ones who have prioritized connection over clout. They are the people who have built communities that actually feel like gathering spaces, not megaphones. They're people that are deeply nurturing and they're creating these containers where people feel seen and heard and held. And to me, I would argue that is a work that matters and that is more meaningful. And so this one is the one that you're like, yep, sign me up. I want for you to create one insider only experience this quarter. Maybe it's early access to something. Exclusive content, a private group, an exclusive email, like whatever that looks like. Something that makes your most engaged people feel like VIPs, because when you treat them like they are, they will show up for you. They are the ones that matter. And so in a recent episode called Survive and Thrive, why collaboration is the new secret weapon for business owners. This episode can really help you with tangible ways to build community and collaborate with others. This is one that I love and I am taking notes from and I'm building out what we talk about in this episode because I just think it's brilliant. And so I just want you to remember loyal beats loud every single time. So stop counting your followers and start counting your true fans, like the ones who would be disappointed if you disappeared. Those are your people. Build for them. All right, last but not least, number 10, the portfolio business model. Okay, so the era of having one signature offer, one way I'm going to argue is over. The women who are building sustainable businesses are building ecosystems, a course plus A membership plus affiliate income plus maybe a small service component. Not because they're hustling, right, don't hear this as like more, more, more, but because they're diversifying. Relying on one income stream is absolutely terrifying in the world that we're living in. And you would know this if you've ever had a launch flop or you've lost an affiliate partnership, or you've had a platform change tank your reach. When everything depends on one thing working, the pressure is absolutely paralyzing. But when you have multiple smaller streams feeding into one river, you can breathe. Like one thing can slow down, it's not gonna break you. You have options, you have choice, you have flexibility, you have sustainability. Again, this isn't about doing more, it's about building smarter. It's about creating offers at different price points so that everyone can work with you at the level that makes sense for them. And it's not about like leaving money on the table because you only have this one entry point. Maybe you have a course for DIYers and then you have a membership for ongoing stuff support. And then maybe you have a small group coaching program for people who want and need more attention. And then you promote affiliate products you genuinely love. Like, each stream is manageable, but together they create stability. Like I have had a quote, boring business that is so reliable, so sustainable and so stable because of this idea. And so when I think about my life, I've joked that like I've eliminated chaos from my life because of the stability. I run a multi seven figure business from my home for from Duluth, Minnesota. I have chickens and bees and gardens and foster dogs. I have daughters who are in school. And part of the reason why I can do all of that is because I've built multiple revenue streams over the years that do not require me to show up live right going back to the introvert in me. Like I have built this up in a way that supports my life, my rhythms, my energy. Some months the course does well, other months affiliates carry more weight. The podcast provides steady income. It all works together. It all supports the life that I want to live. So if this is exciting to you, consider how you can add one low lift revenue stream this year. Maybe it's an affiliate partnership with something you already use and recommend. Maybe it's a small digital offer, maybe it's a group offer instead of a one on one pick one thing that diversifies without overwhelming you. Because stability does not have to come from one perfect offer, it comes from multiple legs. Build a business that can withstand a storm, because storms are going to come. But I want for you to be prepared. Wow, we made it through the 10. Now, I want you to know these predictions aren't really about, like, marketing tactics, right? They're about a philosophical shift. Something I'm sensing, something I'm seeing. It's this move away from hustle and a move towards sustainability. And believe me when I say I can absolutely get behind this. Like, let's move away from performance. Let's step into presence. Let's move away from doing it all. Let's move towards doing what matters. This is the future I want for you. This is the future I want for me, for all of us. A future where you can actually build something significant without losing your mind, without sacrificing your sanity. Where your business serves your life instead of consumes it. Where your success is measured not just by revenue, but by how you feel at the end of the day when you go to rest your head, by whether you made it to dinner with your family, by whether you still like yourself when you look in the mirror. The women building businesses right now have this opportunity to do it so much differently than it's been done before. We have this invitation to reject models that broke the generation before us, to create something so much more humane, more sustainable, more alive with the lives that we actually want to live and enjoy living. This isn't about building better businesses. It's about building a better world. Because when women build businesses that are honor, rest, that prioritize presence, that value community over competition, we are not just changing our own lives. We're changing the paradigm. We are showing the next generation that there is another way and you can choose it. Now, let me remind you, you do not have to implement all 10 of these. I know the perfectionist in you wants to get straight to work. Pick two or three that made you exhale, that felt like just gold in your soul. The ones that feel like the permission you've been waiting for. The ones that align with where you're headed, not where someone else thinks you should be going. Okay? The future does not belong to the people doing everything. It belongs to the people who have figured out what matters and built their entire business around that. Let me just remind you, you're not behind. You're not missing anything. You're right on time. Welcome to what's Next. And thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Gold Digger podcast. Thanks for listening to the Gold Digger Podcast. I hope today left you inspired and equipped with something you can put into action as you build a business that truly supports your life. If this episode resonated with you, here's how you can help this show reach even more entrepreneurs. Hit follow. Share it with a friend who's building something meaningful. And if you're feeling generous, leave us a review. Those reviews help other listeners discover these conversations when they need them the most. This show has become so much more than I ever imagined, and it's because of listeners like you who show up and share. You are helping build something that will inspire entrepreneurs for years to come. For show notes, links, and resources, head to gold diggerpodcast.com keep digging. Your biggest goals the world needs what you're building.