Welcome to 2026!

If you’ve felt like things are all over the place lately — especially if you run a service business online — you are not alone. The pace of change right now is enough to make anyone feel fried.

So to ring in 2026, I thought I’d spend January sharing some of my observations about larger trends in the business world, and how those are likely to impact small business owners, especially those selling their services and expertise, this year.

First up, let's talk about one of the biggest and most distracting trends for business owners right now: AI.

I’m not saying AI is a trend that’s going to die anytime soon, or ever. But I see too many business owners distracted with AI, trying to make it work and failing to actually grow their business.

So let’s dig into what AI is actually going to be useful for, and where it can just be another shiny object that doesn’t move the needle for your business.

Tune into this episode to hear:

• Why AI is making a lot of businesses busier, but not more profitable
• The difference between efficiency and effectiveness (and why it matters)
• Where AI is genuinely helpful and where it robs you of your authority
• A behind-the-scenes story of how I tried to use AI to write my next book… and why I ultimately had to stop
• What the real differentiators are right now

Resources:

• Get on the Early Readers List
• No BS Clients Lab
• No BS Agencies Mastery
• The Price to Freedom Calculator™
• No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group
• Start reading the first chapter of my book
• Piasilva.com