251: What Actually Worked in 2025 (and What We’re Ditching in 2026)
What do you get when you put seven experienced, introverted, neurodivergent business owners on a Zoom call to reflect on the year?
A conversation that’s part strategy session, part therapy, and all real talk.
In our most recent Weird Hermits roundtable, we cracked open the good, the bad, and the deeply weird parts of running six-figure businesses in 2025. No glossy case studies. No “just manifest it” energy. Just honest reflection on what actually moved the needle and what we’re leaving behind in 2026.
Here’s a taste of what came up:
→ Monica tripled her revenue in the second half of the year by building “Inbox Experiments, ” GPT-powered freebies that sparked hundreds of email replies and real sales conversations.
→ Tara weathered a hard season thanks to her evergreen systems. Her six-month nurture sequence, Pinterest traffic, and SEO kept her business running while she stepped away.
→ Kate stopped chasing 7-figure milestones and focused on high-profit, low-stress systems. One ad she launched in February became her best performer by July, because she kept refining her backend funnel.
→ Steph realized she was outsourcing things she could’ve automated. After simplifying her systems and reconnecting with her love for deep implementation, her profits surged and burnout dropped.
→ Ruth faced a financial reckoning in 2024 and used it to completely revamp her money systems. Now, she’s tracking everything, building reserves, and feeling more in control than ever.
→ Liz let go of a legacy brand (RIP Blogger Breakthrough) and rebranded to Creator Ops Hub. It was scary… but gave her the clarity and alignment she’d been craving.
→ Sage, who hosted the roundtable, shifted from low-ticket tripwires to more premium offers like her Goodbye 9 to 5 Mastermind and saw revenue and energy skyrocket. She’s focusing on what brings her joy: coaching, teaching, and helping her clients hit consistent 10K months.
→ Destini (that’s me!) doubled down on rinse-and-repeat systems and ad strategies. My HobbyScool events continued to deliver consistent results, and I also talked about how I am currently experiencing extreme burnout and what I'm doing to address it.
We also opened up about:
Boundary-setting (and boundary-breaking)
Overthinking vs. making quick decisions
Letting go of overcomplicated funnels
Automating lead gen to buy back time
And reimagining what “success” actually looks like now
🎧 Listen to the full 2026 Planning Roundtable
If you're making moves for the new year and wondering what to change, automate, or simplify, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. It’s unfiltered, encouraging, and full of aha moments you can apply right now.
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Transcript
[00:00:00] Welcome
Dr. Destini Copp:
Welcome to the Creator's MBA podcast, your go-to resource for mastering digital product entrepreneurship. I’m Dr. Destini Copp, helping business owners generate consistent revenue from digital products without constant launching or relying on social media algorithms.
[00:00:45] Panel Introduction
Sage Grayson (Moderator):
Welcome to our 2026 Planning Roundtable! I'm Sage Grayson, life and business coach at sagegrayson.com. We're the “Weird Hermits,” a group of women digital entrepreneurs who regularly gather to strategize and support each other.
Panelist Intros:
Monica Froese: Redefining Mom, Empowered Business, and Empowered Shop (Shopify store).
Dr. Destini Copp: Full-time university marketing professor. Owner of HobbyScool (B2C brand) and her personal brand focused on business growth coaching for digital product entrepreneurs.
Liz Stevenson: Helps online business owners with legal and systems via elizabethstevenson.com and Creator Ops Hub (formerly Blogger Breakthrough).
Steph Blake: Owner of Create and Escape, focused on business automation and inner growth work.
Ruth Pound White: Business and self-belief coach, host of the Soulful Sales Summit and Podcast.
Kate Meyer: Runs Success with Soul, helping entrepreneurs grow without social media.
Tara Reid: Business strategist for introverted entrepreneurs, host of the IntrovertPreneur Summit and Podcast.
[00:06:00] What Worked in 2025
JV Workshops: Liz streamlined them using Airtable and automation to set up in 30 minutes.
Evergreen Systems: Tara and Kate saw revenue from automated email sequences and past content.
Inbox Experiments & GPT Tools: Monica used interactive emails to increase engagement and sales.
Rinse & Repeat Events: Destini leveraged automated, proven launch systems with HobbyScool.
Returning to High-Ticket Offers: Sage and Steph moved away from low-ticket offers to deeper client engagement.
Mindset & Profit Focus: Kate and Ruth emphasized the shift from revenue-chasing to high-margin, sustainable business.
Money Management & Boundaries: Ruth highlighted learning from financial missteps in 2024 and regaining control.
Reduced Capacity Wins: Steph and others credited simplicity and alignment with inner values as keys to success.
[00:21:00] What Didn’t Work & What to Leave Behind
Chasing Arbitrary Revenue Goals: Several panelists ditched the 7-figure dream in favor of profit and joy.
Overthinking & 90% Decisions: Ruth aims to stop hesitating and commit fully.
Over-hiring & Team Misalignment: Steph and Monica trimmed teams and relied more on automation.
Personal Burnout & Lack of Boundaries: Many faced burnout from caregiving, overwork, or personal challenges, prompting deep business and life reevaluations.
[00:32:00] Half the Energy, Same Results: What Would You Cut?
Ads Over Events: Kate and Destini are leaning into profitable ad funnels instead of high-effort bundles or summits.
No More Low-Ticket Everything: Several panelists are consolidating or eliminating low-ticket memberships.
More Implementation Support: Steph found renewed energy from done-for-you implementation work.
Delegating Real Ownership: Ruth emphasized hiring people who can lead—not just take orders.
[00:44:00] Lightning Round: Best Boundary Set in 2025
Sage: No more long payment plans for coaching.
Monica & Destini: Strong family boundaries and protecting work time.
Kate: Monthly solo hotel retreats for mental clarity.
Ruth: Prioritizing sleep and energy.
Steph: Nightly solo time—three hours to recharge.
Tara: Regular boundary check-ins to avoid people-pleasing.
Liz: Instant unsubscribe and blacklist for abusive or rude subscribers.
[00:50:00] Final Thoughts
Sage:
We’ll be sharing the replay and a document with freebies, deals, and more from each of the Weird Hermits. Let us know what future roundtable topics you'd love!