Many people see Bitcoin mining as a boom-or-bust industry driven by price charts and market speculation. But from the inside, it looks very different.

Running a mining operation at scale means managing hundreds of thousands of machines across continents, navigating global energy markets and building infrastructure that needs to perform every single day, regardless of whether Bitcoin is up or down.

I’ve helped build one of the largest bitcoin mining companies in the world in terms of hash rate by focusing on infrastructure, efficiency and long-term thinking. And the more I engage with entrepreneurs, the more I realize the same principles that drive our industry can help founders in any space build more resilient, scalable companies.

Stay ahead by building behind the scenes

Success depends on making long-term investments before the rest of the world pays attention. Standing still means you will eventually fall behind. Every few months, new technologies emerge, operations become more streamlined, and competitive dynamics shift that impact everything from supply chains to customer expectations.

Our approach to staying ahead is continuously testing emerging technologies and optimizing our operational stack to stay lean and responsive. We develop partnerships years in advance, and we’re always refining the systems that keep our infrastructure running at scale.

We double down on innovation and operational improvements during market downturns — times when focused execution matters most. After all, the sharing economy emerged from the ashes of the ’07-’08 financial crisis, and many of the top protocols, platforms and companies in crypto were built during “bear markets.”

Instead of pausing, we use these moments to test new technologies, strengthen internal systems and attract high-caliber talent seeking long-term stability. It’s often in these periods that the most meaningful progress happens. By the time the market rebounds, the companies that invested in their foundation are the ones best positioned to lead.

Don’t wait for demand to arrive before you start building capacity. If you’re not investing when it’s calm, you’ll fall behind when it’s not.

This same lesson applies in traditional tech. Every blue-chip company trading on the S&P 500 had a moment when it went from 0 to 100. Virality. Surging demand. Skyrocketing revenue. A startup typically only gets one shot to prove itself. If it’s not ready to meet the demand of its blowout quarter, there was not enough building and optimization happening when demand was quiet.

Efficiency is growth

There’s a perception that growth comes from big moves such as expansions, new launches and going global. In mining, growth comes from operating a fraction of a percent more efficiently than the day before.

We track uptime on every machine, every hour of the day. We design facilities to maximize energy efficiency, minimize downtime and scale quickly. When something breaks, we fix it fast because small inefficiencies, multiplied across thousands of machines, compound quickly.

Scaling an operation is just as much about the people as it is about the hardware. Finding and retaining high-skill operational talent, especially in remote or emerging markets, requires systems, training and trust. Invest in the processes that let people perform at scale.

Entrepreneurs should think the same way. Are your systems running smoothly? Are your inputs optimized? Are you monitoring the small, fixable problems that quietly eat away at your margins?

Operational excellence might not be flashy, but it’s what separates businesses that scale sustainably from those that burn out chasing the next big thing.

Expand globally, but act locally

Building a Bitcoin mining site isn’t simply planting a flag and plugging in machines. Every new location is a strategic decision based on energy prices, grid stability, talent availability, regulation and infrastructure.

Across the industry, Bitcoin miners are making smarter use of local energy and infrastructure by designing sites that reflect regional advantages. In Texas, miners are helping stabilize the grid by adjusting consumption during peak demand hours, earning incentives while contributing to grid reliability. In the Nordics, miners are leveraging abundant hydro energy, and in some cases, repurposing excess heat to warm greenhouses, homes or public infrastructure.

We’ve launched sites in a variety of environments around the world, and none of them look the same. Each one is shaped by local partnerships, logistics and regulatory strategy.

No matter your industry, the principle holds to treat expansion more locally than globally. Your model won’t translate if you don’t strive to understand the landscape, respect the community and build something that works on the ground.

Build for the long game

Strategic Bitcoin miners build infrastructure that is prepared for every environment. Whether prices are soaring or sliding, the mandate remains the same: Stay efficient, stay resilient, and keep moving forward.

Operational efficiency is the real edge. From managing the large mining machine fleets to power sourcing to downtime response, every decision is about building systems that are cost-effective, scalable and built to last.

We don’t react to market noise; we engineer for consistency. And when momentum returns, we’re not scrambling to catch up. We’re already operating at a level that allows us to scale without hesitation. That’s the difference between short-term growth and long-term advantage.

Entrepreneurs should take note of this. Don’t let short-term market noise drive your strategy. Focus on what’s within your control — your team, your systems, your execution — and build a business that thrives in every cycle.

Build like a Bitcoin mining company

There’s a quiet discipline behind every successful operation and behind every enduring business. It comes down to investing when others are hesitating, operating with precision and building systems that can scale before the market demands it.

No matter what industry you’re in, long-term growth depends on whether you’ve built the foundation for tomorrow’s opportunity — before the market tells you it’s time.

Many people see Bitcoin mining as a boom-or-bust industry driven by price charts and market speculation. But from the inside, it looks very different.

Running a mining operation at scale means managing hundreds of thousands of machines across continents, navigating global energy markets and building infrastructure that needs to perform every single day, regardless of whether Bitcoin is up or down.

One-to-many sounds like the dream to so many founders. You create something once, share it and collect payments while you sit on the beach.

And it makes sense — founders are 30 percentage points more likely to have volatile income in their business than non-business owners, so it is only logical that the promise of a passive income stream steadily supporting your business sounds alluring.

In reality, most founders burn a ton of cash pursuing this because they get swept up in the optimism and aren’t prepared for the reality that one-to-many still takes hard work to get going.

All too often, you see an entrepreneur launch a course no one asked for and run ads for content that doesn’t convert. The problem isn’t one-to-many itself, but instead it’s doing it backwards.

Done right, one-to-many is one of the highest-ROI ways to grow a business. Done wrong, it’s a very expensive hobby.

Here’s how to approach it like an operator, not a content creator, so you get ROI from your pursuit of one-to-many.

Start with understanding your market

The fastest way to waste money is to build a one-to-many offer based on what you think people want, or worse, just building what you want to offer.

The fastest way to make money is to build it based on what they’re already looking for.

Before you create anything, think through your interaction with your market so far. What are people asking you for repeatedly? Think through past clients and what they could have used before they hired you, or to support them after they hire you.

Consider explanations on topics that you continue to give over and over again. Perhaps there is a way to provide an easy-to-digest format to enhance your existing offerings or offer a lower-cost entry point for newer clients.

Protect your ROI by keeping your production lean

High production value often does not beget the best results. In fact, overproducing too early is an extremely common money drain when launching a one-to-many approach.

Focus on keeping your first version of your offer simple and scrappy. Don’t wait on perfection to launch — it won’t sell by sitting in your drafts. Then, regularly update it based on ideas you have and the feedback your clients provide.

Truly — keep it simple. Record yourself on screenshare or with a simple iPhone tripod with some slides, rather than spending a ton on a studio to film in. Keep your emails simply branded instead of overly designed.

Think about it like in this early phase: You’re testing demand. You don’t need to get it perfect because you really don’t know what will work anyway. It’s cheaper and easier to launch and iterate than trying to get it perfect off the bat. Then, you can spend more money once you have the data that proves it’s worth scaling.

Sell it live first

This is non-negotiable if you want to avoid wasting money. Before you record a course and build a fancy funnel for it, you should sell the offer live at least a few times first.

Selling live plays a few critical parts. It validates your pricing early and proves there is true demand. It can also surface objections or awkward parts in delivery that you can smooth over way easier when it’s live versus in a prepackaged version. Selling live also generates some starting cash for the offer, which can help to fund your ongoing build and automation of a lighter-lift version.

Think of it like this: If people won’t buy it when you’re personally explaining it, automation will not magically fix that.

Build one funnel — yes, just one

Another common mistake is trying to do too much at once. One-to-many works best when it’s focused.

Pick one primary funnel with one main lead source, one core asset and one nurturing flow, all wrapped with one single, clear CTA. Get that up and running before you start on anything else.

For example, you could run a newsletter and push readers to a consult call. You could run a webinar and push them to a group program. Whatever it is, focus on getting it up and running and converting before sinking time and money into an additional funnel.

Tracking the right metrics

The metrics that matter in one-to-many are conversion metrics. Things to look at right away are cost per lead and the conversion rate of those leads from each step in the funnel to the next.

Other helpful metrics are the sales cycle length and the total spend per subscriber or customer, so you can get a sense of how long people are deciding for and how much they spend once they do.

One final metric to look for is some measure of retention or repeat purchase. Way too often, customers are unhappy with their one-to-many purchases and don’t stick around — and definitely don’t repurchase. Focus on how many people are getting value from your offer, and therefore are actually sticking around.

Don’t worry about getting the KPIs exactly right either. What’s most important to start is having a directional pulse on how things are going; there’s no need for the perfectly packaged KPI dashboard.

Scale once you have proof

The final place people waste money is scaling too early. Ads, affiliates, partnerships and aggressive growth strategies only work when the core system is already converting, so before you go all-in, here are some things to consider.

Before you invest in scale, you should already be seeing predictable engagement and sales from your offer. You should have a strong, data-driven pulse on client behavior and the metrics that describe that behavior. You should feel confident, based on your proof so far, that this is a repeatable process.

If you are still putting in more to marketing than you’re selling each month, or you don’t have a good grasp on overall total ROI right now, pause and focus on that first.

Once you have it humming, then it makes sense to spend money to invest since that just amplifies what’s already working.

Ultimately, one-to-many is simply a way to get you leverage as a founder. The hit successes you see online around one-to-many are people who have spent months and years testing their offer to get to this point, so don’t be disappointed if it takes some time.

Just like the winners you see online, focus on being data-driven and willing to experiment and iterate. Treating this strategy like a full system is the best chance you have to have the same result.

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One-to-many sounds like the dream to so many founders. You create something once, share it and collect payments while you sit on the beach.

And it makes sense — founders are 30 percentage points more likely to have volatile income in their business than non-business owners, so it is only logical that the promise of a passive income stream steadily supporting your business sounds alluring.

Hustle has become the currency of entrepreneurship. Endless grind is celebrated as a badge of honor, but should building a business cost your health, your time and sometimes your sanity?

Sure, hustle can get you started. There are moments when putting in extra hours is necessary. But after building and scaling multiple companies, I’ve learned that sacrifice without structure eventually breaks you—and leaves nothing sustainable behind.

Many entrepreneurs exhaust themselves yet accomplish less of the work that actually moves the business forward. Hustle traps people in a cycle where busyness is mistaken for growth. Motion doesn’t always create momentum.

Why hustle fails

Hustle may deliver quick wins, but it rarely creates long-term results. Businesses fueled solely by founder grind collapse under pressure.

• Burnout: The World Health Organization classifies burnout as an occupational issue. Prolonged stress erodes focus, decision-making, and creativity. Your energy is your most valuable resource, and once it’s gone, you alone bear the cost.
• Inconsistency: Hustle relies on sprints, not marathons. Short bursts of effort eventually lead to stalled growth, leaving employees and customers in the fallout.
• Unscalable growth: You can’t replicate a business that depends on late nights. When your growth model is tied to personal sacrifice, progress stops when you stop sacrificing.

The myth of the lone genius

The media loves the story of the lone founder willed into existence through sheer determination. It’s appealing, but mostly fiction.

Real businesses with staying power are built by teams, systems and networks of support. Apple didn’t grow on Steve Jobs alone — designers, engineers and operators turned vision into execution.

The danger of the “solo hero” myth? It glamorizes overwork and isolation. Growth isn’t about hustling harder — it’s about designing systems and empowering teams.

What works instead

Entrepreneurs who succeed long-term don’t rely on hustle — they design systems that carry the business forward. When you move from glorifying busyness to structuring your business for sustainability, everything changes. Three levers are particularly powerful:

1. Automation: Work smarter, not harder
Automation isn’t about replacing humans — it’s about freeing them to do the work that matters most. From scheduling emails to handling repetitive social media posts, the right tools save hours every week. For example, I’ve seen small business owners implement simple workflows that auto-assign client onboarding tasks, send reminders and track payments — all without manual intervention.

The result? Less stress, fewer missed deadlines, and more time for strategic thinking. Automation doesn’t just save time — it reduces the mental load on the founder, which is often the hidden cost of hustle culture. Think of it as compounding productivity: every minute saved can be reinvested into growth activities that actually move the needle.

2. Delegation: Empower your team to act
Delegation is more than offloading tasks — it’s activating your team to execute with purpose. Effective delegation starts with clarity: define outcomes, set parameters and trust your team to take ownership. Micromanaging kills both efficiency and morale; delegating well amplifies results and creates leaders within your organization.

For instance, in one of my companies, I delegated weekly client follow-ups to a junior team member. Initially, I worried about quality, but with clear guidelines and support, she exceeded expectations, freeing me to focus on strategy and new business development. Delegation is the bridge between founder effort and organizational scale — without it, growth plateaus, no matter how many hours you work.

3. Rituals: Create predictable rhythms that reinforce purpose
Rituals aren’t just for culture — they’re structural anchors that create alignment, predictability and focus. A simple weekly review, a quarterly strategy session or a daily standup can transform chaos into clarity. Harvard research shows that consistent team rituals boost engagement and make employees feel their work is meaningful — motivating them to go the extra mile without the grind of hustle.

Rituals also give founders a reliable pulse on the business. Instead of reacting constantly, you can anticipate challenges, track progress and course-correct before small issues become crises. Over time, these routines compound: your business starts running on systems, not on adrenaline.

Bringing it all together
The magic happens when automation, delegation and rituals work together. Automation frees time, delegation multiplies impact and rituals create predictability. Combined, they form a self-sustaining engine for growth. Unlike hustle, this approach is scalable, measurable and repeatable.

Entrepreneurs who embrace systems see results not just in numbers, but in well-being. Teams are more engaged, customers experience consistent quality, and the founder avoids burnout. Essentially, systems are what allow a business to grow without the founder breaking under pressure — the opposite of traditional hustle culture.

Conclusion

The future belongs to entrepreneurs who build systems, not those who rely on endless hustle. Being busy isn’t the same as building. Motion alone doesn’t create momentum — designing structures, empowering teams and creating predictable rhythms do.

Ask yourself: what system can you put in place today to ensure your business grows without burning you — or your team — out? The brands that succeed in 2026 will be the ones built on structure, not sacrifice.

Sign up for the Entrepreneur Daily newsletter to get the news and resources you need to know today to help you run your business better. Get it in your inbox.

Hustle has become the currency of entrepreneurship. Endless grind is celebrated as a badge of honor, but should building a business cost your health, your time and sometimes your sanity?

Sure, hustle can get you started. There are moments when putting in extra hours is necessary. But after building and scaling multiple companies, I’ve learned that sacrifice without structure eventually breaks you—and leaves nothing sustainable behind.

Entrepreneurs in crypto and beyond are often tempted to chase the loudest trends. Crypto markets move quickly, and attention can appear to equal progress. Yet it is increasingly clear that products built to surf hype cycles rarely become the ones users rely on when the stakes are high. If a tool cannot perform under pressure or fails to solve a real problem, it loses relevance as soon as the excitement shifts elsewhere.

Across crypto ecosystems, there is a widening gap between what gets attention and what earns trust. Traders operate in environments defined by volatility, speed and limited information. Their needs are practical, immediate and consistent. This makes crypto an excellent testing ground for entrepreneurs who want to learn how real users behave when conditions are fast and unforgiving. What stands out is that the products that succeed are the ones that observe user behavior closely and iterate relentlessly to reduce friction.

There are clear lessons here for builders in any sector: speed, clarity, simplicity and fairness. These qualities matter even more in markets where milliseconds influence outcomes. Entrepreneurs should ask themselves: How quickly does my product allow a user to take action? How easily does that user understand what is happening? Complexity is rarely impressive to the people who rely on a tool. What they remember is whether it helps them act with confidence, speed and safety at the right moment.

Engineering-led design and feedback-driven growth

This is where engineering-led product design becomes important. A strong technical foundation is not simply a matter of performance. It directly influences trust. In crypto, this means developing systems that include meaningful protections such as MEV mitigation, non-custodial flows and checks that prevent malicious contracts from harming users. In other industries, the specifics may differ, but the principle is the same. Safety cannot be treated as a marketing message; it must be a core part of the product architecture.

Entrepreneurs should also rethink how they approach growth. It is common to assume that more marketing will solve a plateau in adoption. In practice, sustained traction comes from listening carefully to real usage patterns. Feedback loops built from user behavior are far more powerful than any campaign. By watching where users hesitate, fail or create workarounds, entrepreneurs can identify where the product is not meeting expectations. Small, frequent refinements based on these insights will outperform large launches that take months to ship.

Designing simplicity that scales

Usability is another area where crypto offers lessons with broad relevance. Many traders prefer simple interfaces, such as messaging-app tools or clean web dashboards, even when they are engaging in complex activities. This preference is not unique to crypto. Across sectors, users gravitate toward products that reduce friction and simplify the user’s decision-making process.

Entrepreneurs should consider whether their products offer layers of complexity that only appear once a user is ready for them, rather than overwhelming new users with advanced functionality from the start.

Understanding user psychology is just as important as understanding infrastructure. Memecoin markets, despite their volatility, provide real insight into how people react under pressure. Decisions happen quickly. Users weigh potential reward against limited information. Emotional factors influence action.

Entrepreneurs in any space can benefit from studying these patterns. They highlight the importance of removing unnecessary steps, delivering reassurance through safety features and offering clear signals that help users avoid costly mistakes.

These lessons point to a simple conclusion. Sustainable growth comes from addressing authentic user needs through a disciplined and iterative development process. Entrepreneurs who focus on usefulness, safety, performance and clarity will build products that remain relevant long after public attention shifts to the next trend. The challenge is to resist the pull of short-term excitement and commit instead to solving everyday problems that users face repeatedly.

A practical road map for business leaders

For business leaders, this approach offers a clear, actionable road map:

• Start with observation, not assumption — watch how users actually behave under pressure.

• Identify the real sources of friction in your product, especially in moments of stress or urgency.

• Build safety into the core of your system, not as an afterthought.

• Foster a culture of rapid iteration rather than waiting for perfect plans.

• Design interfaces that meet users where they already are, instead of forcing new behaviors.

• Treat trust as an outcome of consistent performance, not a message to be communicated through branding alone.

Crypto offers a unique lens for studying behavior in high-pressure environments, but the lessons extend far beyond digital assets. When users rely on a tool during their most demanding moments, they reveal what they value most.

Entrepreneurs who pay attention to these signals will have a significant advantage. They will build solutions that endure because they are shaped by real needs rather than temporary excitement.

The future of Web3 and of many other industries will belong to those who innovate with discipline, listen with intention and build for the people who depend on their products.

Entrepreneurs in crypto and beyond are often tempted to chase the loudest trends. Crypto markets move quickly, and attention can appear to equal progress. Yet it is increasingly clear that products built to surf hype cycles rarely become the ones users rely on when the stakes are high. If a tool cannot perform under pressure or fails to solve a real problem, it loses relevance as soon as the excitement shifts elsewhere.

Across crypto ecosystems, there is a widening gap between what gets attention and what earns trust. Traders operate in environments defined by volatility, speed and limited information. Their needs are practical, immediate and consistent. This makes crypto an excellent testing ground for entrepreneurs who want to learn how real users behave when conditions are fast and unforgiving. What stands out is that the products that succeed are the ones that observe user behavior closely and iterate relentlessly to reduce friction.

I live and work in the health and wellness space. I’ve spent years alongside doctors, scientists, nutritionists, mental health experts, elite athletes and founders building products and systems designed to help people perform better and live longer.

I understand metabolic health, VO₂ max benchmarks, blood biomarkers and recovery data both in theory and in practice, and I stay close to the science because it shapes how we live and operate at a high level.

With that background, I arrived at Canyon Ranch’s Longevity8 retreat with a clear intention: to stay open, curious and present. I was not there as an evaluator, but as a participant. I was not there to audit the experience. I wanted to take it in fully.

Longevity8 is a fully immersive, highly personalized, one-week program built around eight core pillars of longevity, spanning physical health, metabolic fitness, cardiovascular health, mental and emotional well-being, recovery, movement, nutrition and purpose. The medical testing is as comprehensive as others have reported, but the true value lies in how seamlessly everything comes together — under one philosophy, in one setting, with an exceptional level of care.

Image Credit: Canyon Ranch

From the moment I arrived, the experience felt thoughtful and human. Daily surprise gifts in my room and staff who remembered my name, my schedule and my preferences set the tone. The days were fully booked yet well-paced with medical appointments, movement, education and recovery, making time fly productively.

Evenings slowed down with nutrient-forward cuisine from an exceptional culinary team, creating an atmosphere that felt more like a curated dinner party than a wellness retreat.

Specifics on the agenda included hikes across the stunning desert landscape, a DEXA scan, comprehensive bloodwork, VO₂ max testing, mobility assessments, personal training sessions and deep conversations with clinicians who had already reviewed my data before I walked into the room. It was the definition of concierge medicine: precise, personalized and deeply attentive.

The experience extended well beyond diagnostics. Massage therapy was thoughtfully included as part of the program, and I chose to treat myself to a collagen facial — something I would normally skip or rationalize away. In this environment, it didn’t feel indulgent; it felt integrated. Recovery, restoration and nervous system regulation were treated as non-negotiables, not extras.

What makes Canyon Ranch different is credibility. Wellness retreats are on the rise, but not all are created equal. Canyon Ranch is vetted. Their medical practice is rigorous, professional and grounded in evidence, yet delivered in a way that is warm and deeply pleasant. You get the full 360-degree experience: physical, mental, spiritual, sexual and emotional health, without anything feeling forced or performative.

An alarming but proactive experience

One moment during the week reinforced how valuable this level of care can be.

During routine testing, the medical team identified inverted T-waves on my electrocardiogram (ECG), a test that measures the heart’s electrical activity. I’ve always had strong health markers and, surprisingly, had never undergone an ECG before. The physician expressed appropriate concern and acted immediately, arranging an off-premise consultation with a trusted cardiologist for an echocardiogram, an ultrasound that provides a detailed view of the heart’s structure and function.

Once I returned home to San Diego, I completed additional follow-up testing, including extended cardiac monitoring with a Bardy Diagnostics CAM Patch and an exercise treadmill stress test. The conclusion was reassuring: while my T-waves are indeed abnormal, my overall heart health is sound.

This pattern can occur in endurance athletes and may also be influenced by heart positioning. Given my history as a marathoner and triathlete, my doctor explained that this finding is not uncommon and that my heart function and oxygen delivery were normal.

What mattered most was not the outcome, but the process. I wasn’t even testing for this. There were no symptoms. And yet, because someone was paying close attention, something potentially significant was identified, evaluated thoroughly and ruled non-threatening.

That knowledge alone is invaluable. If something had been serious, it would have been caught early. That is preventive medicine done right.

Image Credit: Canyon Ranch

Longevity8 is a meaningful investment

Longevity8 is undeniably a luxury. It is not covered by insurance, and the investment is meaningful. But as someone who writes about entrepreneurship and leadership and lives the realities of running SMACK! Media, building Anything Brands, investing in and managing properties, and raising two teenage boys — I see the return clearly.

I’m not exhausted or burned out because I’ve learned to fiercely protect my sleep, workouts, nutrition and time with my family. When you feel energetic, grounded and clear-minded, you operate differently. You make better decisions. You lead with more patience. You show up better for your work and the people around you.

The value of the experience extends well beyond the week itself. The follow-up from Canyon Ranch is substantive as physicians and physiologists remain accessible, helping translate insights into sustainable habits once you return home. Rather than a one-week reset, Longevity8 establishes a longer-term relationship with your health.

Just as importantly, the lessons are transferable. A leader who understands the tangible impact of sleep optimization, recovery and stress resilience can bring those frameworks back to their team, shaping a culture that elevates performance across an entire organization. If operating from a foundation of health makes you even ten percent more effective, the return becomes clear.

That sense of shared investment carried through the group as well. The other attendees were equally impressive, thoughtful people who arrived curious and left more informed. Everyone discovered something, whether it was reassurance, a new area to improve or a habit to prioritize. I left with new friends, a deeper confidence in my health and a clearer understanding of what deserves my attention going forward.

For those with the ability to invest in it, Longevity8 is worth every penny. It offers something far more valuable than a reset or an escape: insight.

The kind that comes from slowing down long enough to look under the hood, often revealing exactly what you need to know, even if you didn’t yet know to ask. In health, as in leadership, that level of clarity changes everything.

I live and work in the health and wellness space. I’ve spent years alongside doctors, scientists, nutritionists, mental health experts, elite athletes and founders building products and systems designed to help people perform better and live longer.

I understand metabolic health, VO₂ max benchmarks, blood biomarkers and recovery data both in theory and in practice, and I stay close to the science because it shapes how we live and operate at a high level.

Business owners are heading into 2026 with cautious optimism — and a clear appetite for growth. According to Bank of America’s latest Business Owner Report, 74% expect revenue to rise in the coming year, and nearly 60% plan to expand their businesses. Confidence extends beyond their own operations: More than half believe local economies will improve, and nearly half expect national and global conditions to strengthen.

But optimism alone isn’t a strategy. To turn confidence into sustainable success, entrepreneurs must prepare for an environment still shaped by inflation, supply chain challenges and shifting policies.

Here are five actionable steps to help business owners thrive in the second half of the decade.

1. Balance confidence with economic realities

Looking ahead to 2026, business owners are showing strong confidence, with 74% anticipating increased revenue and nearly 60% intending to expand their operations. Their optimism also reflects broader economic expectations, with 53% expecting local conditions to improve, 48% predicting national growth and 45% confident in a stronger global economy.

At the same time, they remain mindful of potential challenges that could influence their strategies, including inflation (70%), tariff policies (64%) and the U.S. political climate (64%).

As they look ahead to the coming year, entrepreneurs would benefit from preparing for a range of possible economic outcomes. Evaluating strategies against both optimistic and challenging scenarios can help ensure they stay adaptable as conditions evolve.

2. Retain and attract the right talent

Hiring remains a priority: 43% of owners plan to add staff, and only 1% expect layoffs. But talent isn’t just about headcount — it’s about finding and keeping high performers who can drive growth. Competitive pay matters, but so do professional development opportunities, compelling workplace benefits and technological investments that make work easier and more rewarding.

Business owners should develop comprehensive talent strategies that include, but go beyond, competitive compensation. By investing in tactics like professional development and technology, they can make their employees’ jobs easier and increase retention. Creating a culture of recognition and open communication further strengthens employee engagement and loyalty.

Additionally, offering flexible work arrangements can help attract a wider pool of talent and accommodate diverse needs. Finally, regularly assessing workforce metrics ensures that strategies remain effective and aligned with both employee satisfaction and business goals.

3. Embrace the digital imperative

Entrepreneurs are embracing digital tools as a growth engine — 77% of business owners have already integrated AI into their operations to support marketing (50%), content production (38%) and customer service (37%). Looking ahead, an overwhelming 91% of business owners plan to utilize digital tools, including AI, in the next five years.

Emerging technologies are enabling business owners to automate routine tasks — like scheduling, invoicing and inventory tracking — allowing employees to focus on more strategic, value-added work. This shift is especially valuable for companies navigating labor shortages, which affect 61% of businesses.

At the same time, as digital adoption grows, nearly one-third of businesses (30%) are prioritizing enhanced cybersecurity measures, including stronger authentication and data protection, to safeguard both operations and customer trust while supporting expansion.

If they haven’t already, business owners should consider strategically investing in digital tools that improve efficiency and customer experiences. A strong digital strategy, designed to fit an individual business’s needs, can boost productivity, create personalized customer experiences and give entrepreneurs a competitive edge.

4. Strengthen financing and cash flow strategies

Even with an optimistic outlook, business owners are navigating a high-cost environment. 77% of owners have experienced rising costs in the last 12 months, with costs increasing an average of 18%. To combat this, 76% have raised prices, averaging a 12% increase.

Additionally, 83% of business owners plan to obtain funding in the next year through business credit cards (53%), personal savings (41%) and traditional bank loans (32%).

To help navigate the current environment, entrepreneurs should develop robust cash flow forecasts and actively track and manage their expenses. Engaging early with a banking partner can also help business owners explore tailored financing options, understand rate implications and optimize their capital structure for stable growth.

5. Build more resilient supply chains

Supply chain disruptions continue, and they are affecting 75% of business owners in some capacity. In turn, many business owners (52%) have had to raise their prices, while 32% are facing difficulties sourcing materials.

To combat disruptions, entrepreneurs should diversify their supply chains and consider local or regional sourcing, where possible. Building strategic inventory buffers and maintaining flexible supplier relationships can also help reduce challenges.

Looking ahead

The late 2020s will reward businesses that combine optimism with discipline. As entrepreneurs look ahead to 2026, they are prioritizing sustainable expansion and pragmatic choices, with a clear willingness to invest in areas that deliver real impact. Many are turning to digital platforms and AI to improve customer experience and increase operational efficiency.

At the same time, they are sharpening their focus on cash management in response to ongoing cost and supply challenges and adopting a more long-term mindset around capital planning and succession to preserve and build on the value they’ve created. Entrepreneurs who stay nimble, invest in technology, prioritize talent and manage finances proactively will be best positioned to turn today’s confidence into tomorrow’s success.

Business owners are heading into 2026 with cautious optimism — and a clear appetite for growth. According to Bank of America’s latest Business Owner Report, 74% expect revenue to rise in the coming year, and nearly 60% plan to expand their businesses. Confidence extends beyond their own operations: More than half believe local economies will improve, and nearly half expect national and global conditions to strengthen.

But optimism alone isn’t a strategy. To turn confidence into sustainable success, entrepreneurs must prepare for an environment still shaped by inflation, supply chain challenges and shifting policies.

If you have your eyes on a Tesla Model S or Model X, you’d better act fast. Company CEO Elon Musk announced Tesla will stop producing both vehicles next quarter to make room for humanoid robots. “It’s time to bring the Model S and X program to an end with an honorable discharge, because we’re really moving into a future that’s based on autonomy,” Musk said.

Tesla is converting its production space in the company’s Fremont factory into a facility for manufacturing Optimus humanoid robots, with a long-term goal of producing 1 million units.

The Model S has been in production since 2012, while the Model X SUV launched in 2015. But the newer Model 3 and Y now dominate sales. Musk announced earlier this month at the World Economic Forum that Tesla will start selling Optimus to the public by the end of next year, calling it bound to become the “biggest product of all time.”

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If you have your eyes on a Tesla Model S or Model X, you’d better act fast. Company CEO Elon Musk announced Tesla will stop producing both vehicles next quarter to make room for humanoid robots. “It’s time to bring the Model S and X program to an end with an honorable discharge, because we’re really moving into a future that’s based on autonomy,” Musk said.

Tesla is converting its production space in the company’s Fremont factory into a facility for manufacturing Optimus humanoid robots, with a long-term goal of producing 1 million units.

The Model S has been in production since 2012, while the Model X SUV launched in 2015. But the newer Model 3 and Y now dominate sales. Musk announced earlier this month at the World Economic Forum that Tesla will start selling Optimus to the public by the end of next year, calling it bound to become the “biggest product of all time.”

Read more

Leaders across industries are producing more thought leadership than ever. Nearly 90% of decision-makers and C-suite executives say they are more receptive to outreach from companies that consistently produce high-quality thought leadership, yet engagement continues to decline.

LinkedIn posts flatten. Long-form content gathers dust. Events feel predictable. The effort is there, but the impact is not.

This reflects how people engage with ideas. We now operate in a zero-click world, where audiences rarely leave the platforms they are already on. They skim. They scroll. They trust less. Ideas are assessed quickly, often without a second chance, and judged in the moment they appear.

As a result, thought leadership is entering a new phase. One that relies less on volume and more on experience. Ideas now need to do more than exist — they need to be felt and remembered.

This new phase is experiential thought leadership.

The practice of experiential thought leadership

Rather than relying on a single report or article, experiential thought leadership brings insight to life through moments that engage attention and hold it. This can include interactive webinars, in-person sessions, immersive events, podcasts or installations designed to pull audiences out of their usual distractions. The thinking remains serious, but the delivery is designed to engage, not just inform.

Experiential thought leadership challenges the status quo by asking a simple question: If every brand activates its ideas in the same way, why would an audience choose yours?

The old system is breaking down

Thought leadership remains powerful, but the way it is activated no longer delivers the same impact.

For years, long reports and gated content worked when audiences had time to focus. Today, even interested readers start a report and get pulled away by emails, meetings or notifications before they reach the end.

At the same time, most brands activate thought leadership in the same way. A report is published, shared on social media and supported by an email campaign. When everything follows the same pattern, strong ideas blend and become easy to ignore.

If a report can be summarized in ChatGPT in seconds, why would someone spend time reading it? Whether we like it or not, that behavior signals that the experience is no longer holding attention.

Contrast that with moments like the Cannes Lions B2B Festival, where thought leadership is experienced rather than consumed. Live discussions, immersive sessions and dedicated spaces remove everyday distractions and keep audiences focused on the ideas in front of them, making those ideas far more likely to stick.

The cost of blending in

B2B has a lot to learn from B2C.

Consumer brands understand that attention is earned through experience. They take people out of their usual environments, remove distractions and create moments that leave an impression. B2B audiences are no different. They are just as time-starved and just as influenced by how an experience makes them feel.

The assumption is that experiential means big budgets and complex builds.

It doesn’t.

It means designing moments where people are engaged, not distracted, whether that happens on a large stage or in a smaller, more controlled setting.

Events like Thought Leadership for Tomorrow show how this can work in practice. Built around a clear community and shared challenges, this intimate event takes people out of their day-to-day routines and into an environment designed for conversation and connection.

But not every experiential moment needs to be an event. For example, Korn Ferry’s Briefings podcast brings thought leadership closer to home by focusing on realistic leadership scenarios instead of expert monologues. Listeners hear situations they recognize, which makes the insight feel immediately relevant rather than something to file away and forget.

None of this works without a deep understanding of the audience. Organizations cannot create meaningful experiences without understanding who they are for. Experiential thought leadership depends on cross-department collaboration, with marketing, sales, leadership and customer-facing teams aligned around real pain points and priorities. When that alignment exists, experiences feel relevant rather than performative.

Making thought leadership memorable

Design thought leadership as an experience, not an asset:

Start by identifying where your insight currently lives only as a document or article. Then ask how that thinking could be experienced instead. This might mean turning a report into a live discussion, a workshop-style webinar or a small in-person session where the idea is explored rather than read. The aim is to create focus and memory, not just push something out into the world.

Think big, but design within your means:

Experiential thought leadership does not require a large budget. Begin with one well-defined moment where attention is protected and distraction is reduced. A tightly curated virtual roundtable, a half-day in-person session or a focused hybrid experience can be more effective than a large-scale event if it is designed intentionally and run well.

Stop relying on personal opinion to decide what works:

Replace internal debate with observation. Test ideas in small ways, pay attention to how audiences respond, and use that feedback to guide what you scale. If a short session sparks more discussion than a long presentation, that is a signal worth following. Let audience behavior, not senior preference, shape future decisions.

Take calculated risks, not comfortable ones:

Identify one element of your thought leadership that feels overly familiar and change it. This could be the format, the setting or the way people participate. Pilot new approaches on a small scale, review what held attention and what did not, and adjust quickly. The goal is to learn fast without putting the entire program at risk.

Build experiences around real audience understanding:

Do not rely on marketing insight alone. Bring sales, leadership and customer-facing teams into the planning process to surface real buyer questions, objections and moments of hesitation. Those teams hear what audiences care about every day. When that perspective shapes the experience, thought leadership feels relevant rather than staged, and trust builds more naturally.

Sign up for the Entrepreneur Daily newsletter to get the news and resources you need to know today to help you run your business better. Get it in your inbox.

Leaders across industries are producing more thought leadership than ever. Nearly 90% of decision-makers and C-suite executives say they are more receptive to outreach from companies that consistently produce high-quality thought leadership, yet engagement continues to decline.

LinkedIn posts flatten. Long-form content gathers dust. Events feel predictable. The effort is there, but the impact is not.

According to the internet, startups are running entire companies on AI. Founders have AI sales teams closing deals while they sleep. AI agents are supposedly replacing full departments overnight.

Meanwhile, your agents stall out. They make questionable tool calls, get stuck in loops and fail to complete tasks reliably.

That doesn’t mean you’re behind. It means you’re operating in the real world.

Your AI agents interact with real customers, real enterprise systems and real constraints. When they make mistakes, those mistakes don’t disappear into a demo — they cost time, money, and credibility.

You’re not alone

Research from MIT helps explain why this gap exists.

Tools like ChatGPT are now ubiquitous. MIT found that roughly 90% of employees in surveyed companies use large language models regularly at work. Coding agents such as Claude Code, Cursor and Codex have become standard in many developer workflows.

But the area with the most excitement is also the area with the least success: AI agents designed to automate tasks — and eventually entire business functions.

MIT’s research found that 95% of pilot projects involving task-specific or embedded generative AI failed to deliver sustained productivity or P&L impact once deployed to production.

Why? Because today’s AI works well for simple tasks but breaks down when the stakes are higher. Users turn to ChatGPT for quick answers, then abandon it for mission-critical work. What’s missing are systems that can adapt, remember, and improve over time.

Researchers are paying attention

This limitation hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Research teams from institutions including Stanford and the University of Illinois have published studies showing that most AI agents struggle to adapt based on their own experiences. Google DeepMind has explored the same problem through its work on Evo-Memory, which evaluates how well an agent learns and evolves while operating.

My own research has focused on this gap as well. In a research paper I co-authored with Virginia Tech’s Sanghani Center for AI and Data Analytics, we proposed a new approach to agent memory called Hindsight. The research showed how using memory pathways to store and reflect on agent experiences allows agents to learn from those experiences.

Together, these efforts point to an important shift: the emergence of adaptive agent memory.

Why this matters in the real world

Today, when an AI agent fails, engineers fix it manually. They tweak prompts, rewrite instructions, change tool descriptions or add examples. These changes can help — but they don’t scale.

Prompts grow longer and more fragile. Fixes for one issue can break something else that was working. And once an agent is live, the problem compounds.

Real users behave unpredictably. Interaction volumes increase. Failures become harder to track and diagnose. A single error is manageable. Dozens of failures a day are not.

Without a way for AI to learn from these interactions, progress remains incremental — and expensive.

Why memory is the missing piece

To understand why this matters, consider a simple question: what would Albert Einstein have accomplished if he had all his intelligence but no memory?

That’s essentially the state of today’s AI.

Modern language models are incredibly knowledgeable, yet they repeat the same mistakes because they don’t learn from experience. A customer service agent that issues a refund incorrectly today is likely to make the same mistake tomorrow. An agent that answers questions correctly 70% of the time has no understanding of why it fails the other 30%.

Early “memory” solutions didn’t solve this. They simply searched past conversations for context.

The next generation of adaptive agent memory is different. These systems allow agents to separate facts from experiences, reflect on outcomes, and ask a critical question: How can I do better next time?

The founder takeaway

For founders building an AI-powered workforce, this shift is significant.

The future isn’t just AI agents that execute instructions. It’s agents that improve themselves, reduce errors over time, and become more reliable the longer they operate.

That’s how AI moves from impressive demos to durable business impact — and how startups turn experimentation into a real competitive advantage.

Sign up for the Entrepreneur Daily newsletter to get the news and resources you need to know today to help you run your business better. Get it in your inbox.

According to the internet, startups are running entire companies on AI. Founders have AI sales teams closing deals while they sleep. AI agents are supposedly replacing full departments overnight.

Meanwhile, your agents stall out. They make questionable tool calls, get stuck in loops and fail to complete tasks reliably.