EP # 232 - 2026 Predictions: How Service Businesses Scale with AI + Human Connection

Marketing is louder, clients are pickier, and AI is making it easier to create content—but harder to build trust. In this episode, Maggie shares the key shifts she sees for 2026: scaling won’t be about doing more. It’ll be about building a business that runs better and feels more human.

In This Episode

• Why your personality/personal brand becomes the differentiator in a world of AI content
• Why customer loyalty + lifetime value beats constantly chasing new clients
• Why short-form video still wins—and how series content builds depth and trust
• How personal touch becomes a premium advantage again
• How to use AI as operational leverage (SOPs, proposals, follow-ups, meeting notes) without sounding robotic
• Why community + strategic partnerships become your most reliable pipeline

Quick Action Steps

1. Pick 3 words you want to be known for (check testimonials for clues).
2. Ask: “What’s the next problem my best clients have after I solve the first one?”
3. Create a 3-4-part content series addressing a single core client problem.
4. Add 1–2 personal touchpoints to your customer journey—and systemize them.
5. Identify 10–15 strategic partners and activate one relationship per month.

Connect With Maggie

Website: https://stairwaytoleadership.com/