#86: 5 Lessons From 48 Business Owners About What’s Actually Working in 2026

I have just wrapped up the fourth annual Soulful Sales Summit where I spent time with 48 business owners talking about what's actually working and selling for them in 2026. And honestly, what they shared was both reassuring and surprising! So in this episode, I'm breaking down the five biggest lessons I've learned from my speakers, the shifts I'm noticing, and what they mean for those of us who want to sell in a more sustainable and human way in 2026.What really stood out to me is that despite how fast things are changing, so much of what’s working isn’t actually new. It’s about coming back to the basics, but with more intention, more humanity, and more alignment. I found myself feeling grounded in what I’ve always believed about selling, while also noticing some powerful shifts in how we apply those principles right now.In this episode, I’m sharing the patterns I’m seeing across so many different businesses, and how you can take these lessons and make them your own. Because ultimately, it’s not about reinventing everything - it’s about finding what works for you and leaning into that in a way that feels sustainable.🎧 Tune in to hear: Why “boring” strategies still work  Human connection in the AI era  Imperfect visibility as a strength  Implementation over information  Using tech to support your capacity 💭 [06:30] - "The flip side to that is really focusing on what feels good, speaking to desire, speaking to community, to our shared values, acting from that place and speaking from that place in our content."💭 [15:15] - "But in the day-to-day running of my business, I feel really great about the way I am utilising tech and AI to protect my capacity and to help me with the behind-the-scenes stuff so that I don't always have to hold it all."💭 [17:24] - "Think about what boring stuff is helpful for you to keep up with or to outsource to tech so you can keep on showing up. Where can you be more vocal about your values? Where can you show up less perfectly and focus on that human connection? Where can you add an implementation focus?"Links:“Attract the Best, Repel the Rest” offer on creating a values statement (affiliate link)Soulful Sales Summit ReplaysAligned AI Summit ReplaysEpisode #83: Why Selling Feels Different in 2026 (And What Actually Works Now)Soulful Sales Society MembershipQUICK LINKS:👋 Join the free Quietly Ambitious Community on Skool to connect with other heart-led business owners selling their way.✨ Join the Soulful Sales Society for monthly Get It Done Weeks, soulful selling trainings, live Q&As, and community support to help you sell in alignment with your energy, values, and personality.🗣️ Find out more about working with Ruth 1:1 on your business strategy & self-belief to grow your audience & make more sales your way.

 There is so much pressure online to find the one perfect offer and go all in on it. But the truth is there are many ways to build a sustainable business that works, and this episode will help you trust the path that fits you best.In this episode, I’m exploring the real decision behind choosing between one signature offer or multiple offers - and why it’s not as black and white as it’s often made out to be. I share my honest thoughts on what actually works in practice, and why so many of us end up questioning ourselves even after we’ve chosen a path.I also talk about how to create an offer ecosystem that supports both your energy and your income, without falling into the trap of undercharging or overcomplicating things. Most importantly, this is about giving yourself permission to build your business in a way that truly works for you.🎧 Tune in to hear:One offer vs multiple offers mindsetWhy testing offers mattersThe problem with low-ticket overloadCreating a sustainable offer ecosystemChoosing what works for your brain💭 [03:22] - "It's really important, actually, to have offers that don't do well. Well, it's not necessarily important that they don't do well, but it's important to test multiple offers. That is how we figure out what our audience wants."💭 [04:59] - "We all have different brains. We all have different ways that we prefer to work with our clients. Some of us have the right kind of brain to focus on one offer and sell it for years and years, like Denise Duffield-Thomas... But there's a lot of people in my world with ADHD or different ways of thinking, that means we want to be creative, we want to play, we want to get distracted sometimes."💭 [07:37] - "It is very, very hard to make a sustainable income if that is the only kind of price point you have for your offers and you're churning out those kinds of low-ticket offers."Links: The Soulful Sales SocietyQUICK LINKS:👋 Join the free Quietly Ambitious Community on Skool to connect with other heart-led business owners selling their way.✨ Join the Soulful Sales Society for monthly Get It Done Weeks, soulful selling trainings, live Q&As, and community support to help you sell in alignment with your energy, values, and personality.🗣️ Find out more about working with Ruth 1:1 on your business strategy & self-belief to grow your audience & make more sales your way.

Your sales should not have to depend on you feeling energetic, being super visible, and being seen everywhere on the internet. So today we're talking about why setting up a funnel might actually be one of the kindest things you can build in your business.And if the word funnel makes you feel a certain kind of way, then hopefully this episode is gonna change your perspective.Psst… join the Soulful Sales Society for just $7 until March 17 to actually build the next step in your funnel.In this episode, I’m reclaiming the idea of the funnel and showing you why it doesn’t have to feel pushy, complicated, or “bro marketer.” At its core, a funnel is simply a path that helps the right people find the support they need when they’re ready for it — without your sales depending entirely on how visible or energetic you feel on any given day.I’m also breaking down how surprisingly simple a soulful funnel can be. You don’t need to build everything at once or create something complicated — just focus on the next step that helps guide people from discovering your work to becoming a buyer, in a way that feels supportive for both you and them. 🎧 Tune in to hear:Why funnels can support your energy and capacityReframing funnels as a simple path for buyersThe three core stages: traffic, trust, salesCreating a minimum viable funnel step by stepTurning new subscribers into buyers sooner💭 [02:04] - "Setting up evergreen systems and funnels behind the scenes in our business gives us breathing room. It means that we don't need to be constantly on. It bridges the gap between the natural ebbs and flows of our energy and the ebbs and flows of our sales."💭 [07:39] - "We are just giving people options. And when people come into a funnel, let's say that they found a freebie about a specific topic and they're signing up for it, it's probably because they want help with that specific topic. And if there's something that we can help them with that is a paid offer, it is in our interests and our customers' interests for us to show them that thing as quickly as possible, which is why I love Tripwire and I want to encourage more people to do it."💭 [12:10] - "Giving yourself a chance to turn free subscribers into buyers more quickly increases the sales you will make in your business in the long term."Links:Click here to join the freebie to buyer tripwire challenge for $7 in the Soulful Sales SocietyQUICK LINKS: 👋 Join the free Quietly Ambitious Community on Skool to connect with other heart-led business owners selling their way. ✨ Join the Soulful Sales Society for monthly Get It Done Weeks, soulful selling trainings, live Q&As, and community support to help you sell in alignment with your energy, values, and personality. 🗣️ Find out more about working with Ruth 1:1 on your business strategy & self-belief to grow your audience & make more sales your way.

If selling your offers has felt a little bit different lately, you are not imagining it. AI has changed the online space, content is everywhere, and buyers are more discerning about where they spend their money, but I promise you, it is not all doom and gloom. And the good news is that you don't need to be creating brand new offers.You just need to be making smart tweaks that help them sell in 2026.Which is what I'm about to share in this episode. And if you want the full story, make sure you go and get your free ticket to the Soulful Sales Summit.🎧 Tune in to hear: Why selling feels different right now The danger of believing the “sales are down” narrative How AI has changed buyer behaviour The power of clear, tangible offer outcomes Small tweaks that help offers sell in 2026💭 [00:12] - "If selling your offers has felt a little bit different lately, you are not imagining it. AI has changed the online space, content is everywhere, and buyers are more discerning about where they spend their money."💭 [02:40] - "If you ever find that being in certain circles where people are presenting changes as all doom and gloom and all of that is affecting how you show up, affecting your confidence, affecting your drive and motivation, then mute and unfollow and get yourself some new inspiration if you need it."💭 [05:33] - "We don't know what we can trust, and it is noisy. And when there's more noise and we can't trust in content as much, people are becoming more discerning, especially about what they are buying. They are slower to trust, they are slower to buy. They might need more information, they might need more connection with us before they decide that something is right for them."Links: Click here to get your free ticket to the Soulful Sales Summit.QUICK LINKS:👋 Join the free Quietly Ambitious Community on Skool to connect with other heart-led business owners selling their way.✨ Join the Soulful Sales Society for monthly Get It Done Weeks, soulful selling trainings, live Q&As, and community support to help you sell in alignment with your energy, values, and personality.🗣️ Find out more about working with Ruth 1:1 on your business strategy & self-belief to grow your audience & make more sales your way.

This episode wasn’t planned. At all. I’m recording it messy, tired, mid-marathon-training, and deep in summit prep… because the message needed to be said. If you’re struggling with ‘shoulds,’ this one’s for you.🔗 Links:Donate to my London Marathon fundraiserGet your FREE ticket to the Soulful Sales Summit (starts Mar 9)Limited time: Get your free trial of the Soulful Sales Society Membership and complete the 7 day "sell every day challenge" FREE!🎧 I talk about:Honouring real capacity after returning from Thailand (and why this episode is intentionally imperfect).Navigating summit season + marathon training and letting go of “shoulds”A quick update on your London Marathon fundraiser for ActionAid.Why selling feels different in 2026 and the small tweaks that actually move the needle.What to expect inside the free Soulful Sales Summit (including TWO brand new trainings from me about what's working with offers in 2026)💭 [02:24] “I need to be really honest with myself about what my actual capacity is right now.”💭 [06:18] “I’m not gonna lie, I have thought about quitting quite a lot over the last few weeks.💭 [08:05] “I had a really great year in 2025 despite all of this noise… and I was kind of believing things were getting harder until I looked at the numbers.”💭 [10:28] “Even one idea could totally change the trajectory of your business in 2026.”QUICK LINKS:👋 Join the free Quietly Ambitious Community on Skool to connect with other heart-led business owners selling their way.✨ Join the Soulful Sales Society for monthly Get It Done Weeks, soulful selling trainings, live Q&As, and community support to help you sell in alignment with your energy, values, and personality.🗣️ Find out more about working with Ruth 1:1 on your business strategy & self-belief to grow your audience & make more sales your way.

Want to know a secret about selling? The people who feel calmest about it aren’t the ones selling less, they’re the ones who sell more often. And this episode will show you why.In this episode, I’m sharing why selling every day isn’t about being pushy or exhausting yourself - it’s about building momentum and confidence. I talk about how setting a simple “sell every day” challenge has helped me (and my clients) move through perfectionism, overthinking, and fear of annoying people.I also walk you through what selling every day can actually look like in a sustainable, human way - from tiny PS invitations to simple tweaks in your existing content. This is about redefining selling on your terms, making it feel lighter, and remembering that your right people truly need what you offer.🔗 Links:Get your FREE ticket to the Soulful Sales Summit (starts Mar 9)Limited time: Get your free trial of the Soulful Sales Society Membership and complete the 7 day "sell every day challenge" FREE!🎧 Tune in to hear:Why selling more often feels calmerThe real benefits beyond immediate salesHow to redefine “selling every day”Tiny daily actions that build momentumThe mindset shifts that make it sustainable💭 [06:45] “Selling every day doesn't have to mean what you think it means.”💭 [12:50] “Did I make it clear to my right people today that I am open for business and that I have something they can buy?”💭 [19:45] “Selling every day can mean whatever you want it to mean.”QUICK LINKS:👋 Join the free Quietly Ambitious Community on Skool to connect with other heart-led business owners selling their way.✨ Join the Soulful Sales Society for monthly Get It Done Weeks, soulful selling trainings, live Q&As, and community support to help you sell in alignment with your energy, values, and personality.🗣️ Find out more about working with Ruth 1:1 on your business strategy & self-belief to grow your audience & make more sales your way.

Today's special roundtable discussion is a really important one, all about listening to our bodies, setting boundaries and running our businesses in a way that is truly sustainable for the future and not based on how we think we should be able to sustain it.With Sage Grayson, Dama Jue, Kate Kordsmeier, Liz Stapleton, Steph Blake, and Ruth Poundwhite.Pssst... click here to access a free bundle of goodies from us!🎧 Tune in to hear us answer:How do you know the difference between needing a break and avoiding something uncomfortable?When is burnout actually a sign you’ve outgrown a version of your business?What boundaries genuinely protect your energy — not just in theory, but in practice?And how do we listen to our bodies before they force us to stop?Quotes:💭 [12:40] "The universe will throw you a pebble... it'll throw you a rock... or it'll throw a boulder. I have started to notice those warning signs and stop it with a pebble before it even gets to the rock." - Steph Blake💭 [18:30] "I had to make a tough decision to stop working with clients in the way that I was... I asked myself, 'Can I continue the way I'm going?' And the answer was no. So I had no choice." - Ruth Poundwhite💭 [54:38] “Always work on the things that are closest to you getting paid.” - Sage Grayson💭 [58:31] "It takes 10, 20 minutes to set a boundary. It can take weeks or months to recover from burnout." - Dama JueLinks:Click here to access a free bundle of goodies from The Weird HermitsQUICK LINKS:👋 Join the free Quietly Ambitious Community on Skool to connect with other heart-led business owners selling their way.✨ Join the Soulful Sales Society for monthly Get It Done Weeks, soulful selling trainings, live Q&As, and community support to help you sell in alignment with your energy, values, and personality.🗣️ Find out more about working with Ruth 1:1 on your business strategy & self-belief to grow your audience & make more sales your way.

In 2024, I seriously messed up the money side of my business and it came with a lot of stress, shame, and some very real consequences. But it also became one of the biggest periods of growth I’ve ever had as a business owner.In this episode, I’m opening up about exactly what happened, what it taught me about managing my finances as a limited-company owner, and the mindset shifts that helped me move from “I’ve completely failed” to feeling steady, confident, and back in control.🎧 Tune in to hear:The money mistake I didn’t see comingWhy shame kept me stuck longerFinancial habits that changed everythingSeparating business money from personal moneyTrusting myself with bigger numbers💭 [5:43] “I can't tell you how much shame I felt when this happened…”💭 [12:07] “That is so not the way that a successful business owner operates.”💭 [16:15] “ No matter what situation you are in with money, it is never too late to start making positive changes.”Links:Free class happening Feb 12: AI Shortcuts for Soulful Sales in 2026Limited time: Get your free trial of the Soulful Sales Society MembershipQUICK LINKS:👋 Join the free Quietly Ambitious Community on Skool to connect with other heart-led business owners selling their way.✨ Join the Soulful Sales Society for monthly Get It Done Weeks, soulful selling trainings, live Q&As, and community support to help you sell in alignment with your energy, values, and personality.🗣️ Find out more about working with Ruth 1:1 on your business strategy & self-belief to grow your audience & make more sales your way.

If you’re thinking ahead to 2026 - whether you’re just starting to dream or wanting to put a solid plan into place - today’s extra special roundtable discussion is for you!In this discussion we talk about what worked and what didn’t in 2025, what we are setting our sights on for 2026, plus the number 1 thing we’d focus on if we had to make more money with less time and effort.With Destini Copp, Monica Froese, Sage Grayson, Kate Kordsmeier, Liz Stapleton, Steph Blake, Tara Reid and Ruth Poundwhite.Pssst... click here to access a free bundle of goodies from us!🎧 Tune in to hear:What worked and what didn’t in 2025How we’re planning for 2026 with intentionMaking more money with less time and effortCapacity-first business decisionsLetting go of what no longer fits💭 [21:00] “Getting really clear on my numbers and what I actually need each month has been incredibly motivating” ~ Ruth Poundwhite💭 [26:40] “I stopped focusing on sounding impressive and started focusing on having a high-profit business that actually feels good to run.” ~ Kate Kordsmeier💭 [28:30] “I would much rather have high profit and enjoy my life than chase some arbitrary revenue number that only stresses me out.” ~ Monica FroeseLinks:Click here to access a free bundle of goodies from The Weird HermitsQUICK LINKS:👋 Join the free Quietly Ambitious Community on Skool to connect with other heart-led business owners selling their way.✨ Join the Soulful Sales Society for monthly Get It Done Weeks, soulful selling trainings, live Q&As, and community support to help you sell in alignment with your energy, values, and personality.🗣️ Find out more about working with Ruth 1:1 on your business strategy & self-belief to grow your audience & make more sales your way.

If selling felt heavy this year, if you didn’t meet all your goals, or you’re ready to call in more for 2026 this bonus episode is for you! I’m sharing the three shifts that can set you up for more soulful sales next year. But be quick, this is a limited episode, only available to listen to until the end of Saturday December 13th.Links:Soulful Sales Society MembershipQUICK LINKS: 👋 Join the free Soulful Sales Community on Skool to connect with other heart-led business owners selling their way. ✨ Join the Premium Soulful Sales Society for monthly Get It Done Weeks, soulful selling trainings, live Q&As, and community support to help you sell in alignment with your energy, values, and personality. 🗣️ Find out more about working with Ruth 1:1 on your business strategy & self-belief to grow your audience & make more sales your way.