Hey there,

Earlier this week, I hosted the first-ever Ask a Brand Strategist workshop, where I opened my doors to your questions. We covered a lot of ground, but one question that’s sticking with me came impromptu: What are you thinking about as we head into 2026?

I wrote about this briefly on LinkedIn, so I won’t bore you with the inner workings of my brain (maybe later)!

But this got me thinking about all the things you’re thinking.

As service-based business owners, we often have the same questions. But as service-based business owners, we’re typically working alone, so we don’t realize that everyone else is circling around the same issues in their brand and business.

Consider this our come-to-jesus meeting.

That’s this week’s issue of Brand Burnout, plus some 2026 predictions for my own business.

I’ve been answering different versions of these three questions all year long (and the year before that and the year before that). And needless to say, I’ve got A LOT OF FEELINGS about them.

I’m not tired of these questions by any means. In fact, I’d love for you to keep ‘em coming by requesting a Free Brand Audit. But I am SO tired of service-providers feeling like we’re alone in having these questions.

Because we’re not.

These questions continue to show themselves in every iteration and season of our businesses. It’s not a sign you’re doing something wrong; it’s a sign that building a business is hard…and building it alone is even harder.

I’ve got multiple businesses, audiences, or services. How do I build the brand?

When this question hits my inbox/DMs/ears, it’s typically attached to a tactic. “How do I showcase both sides of my work on a website?” And before I answer, I ask the asker to take a step back and remove the tactic.

That’s because this isn’t a website problem. It’s a brand problem. Think about it this way: If you’re confused about how to show your expertise, then how do you think your audience feels?

We’re living in the era of multi-hyphenates. Some of that is out of necessity (BECAUSE IN THIS ECONOMY?!) and some of it is because how can we be expected to do one thing for the rest of our lives?

I prefer to live by the words of Ron Swanson, “Never half ass two things. Whole ass one thing.”

WAIT! Before you hit unsubscribe! I’m not asking you to choose one thing for the rest of your life here.

I’m asking you to focus your energy on one thing at a time. And then add the layers of complexity. You want people to understand what you do and who you serve, so they know:

• Is this for me?

• This isn’t for me, so who is it for? (So they know who to send your way!)

If your brand is what people are saying about you when you aren’t in the room, what are they saying? Is it clear?

After you’ve taken this step back, take another step back. And consider that your businesses may not be all that different. Start by asking yourself these questions:

• What skills transfer between both businesses/brands?

• Is there even the slightest overlap in audience?

• Is there the slightest overlap in service?

• Is there an overlap in values?

I guarantee there is some overlap. How do I know? Because YOU are running both businesses. You are the overlap.

This is where personal branding comes into play. What do YOU as a person on this planet want to be known for? It’s likely not the work you do, but possibly the way you deliver your work or the way you lead your life (your values).

It’s a different story if you’re, say, walking dogs and writing website copy. The overlap in audience is likely minimal or purely coincidental. But if you’re a fiction writer and a ghost writer? You’ve got something to work with.

My engagement is going down, down in an earlier round. How do I fix it?

Yes, I did just quote Fall Out Boy. I just wanted to soften the blow before I come in hot with my thoughts on this one.

*Steps on soapbox*

Engagement is less of a you problem and more of a ~gestures wildly~ problem. So please stop stressing about this one so much. Is it important? Sure. Is it everything? Nope.

Social media platforms and algorithms have changed since you first started posting (whether that was ten years ago or ten days ago). If you’ve exclusively built your business on a platform you have no control over…do you even have a brand to begin with?

*Steps off soapbox*

Now, back to the question.

I don’t know that there’s a permanent “fix” for engagement. The best advice I can give is, honestly, shallow: show up consistently with great content people want to read, and hope the algorithm doesn’t change in the process.

The added context that makes this advice a little more actionable: Take more time to understand your audience—their wants, needs, pain points, and misunderstandings—so you can create content people want to engage with. This also means you know where they spend their time and when they’re looking for your solution, so you can spend your precious time in the right places.

But let’s zoom out from social media tactics (which is really what you’re asking if you’re asking this question).

Instead of thinking about engagement, how can you get people off of this platform and into my owned universe? That can look like a lot of things, like:

• having real-time conversations

• growing your email list

• increasing podcast listeners

• getting people to join an interest list

• asking people to fill out an inquiry form

• driving traffic to a landing page

If chasing engagement has left you feeling uninspired and demotivated, remove the tactic from your thought process and instead figure out what parts of it are fulfilling. I call this Finding the Fun Again.

Is it writing you enjoy? Consider starting a blog. Do you love making videos? Consider creating a vlog. Do you love the conversations in your DMs? Consider the role communities play in your marketing ecosystem.

There are so many ways to market a business in 2025 (and will be even more in 2026). You’ve got to find the methods that fit your madness. And know that just like the algorithm, the decisions you make today don’t have to be the same ones you make tomorrow.

Everyone in my industry sounds the same. How do I stand out?

I once did a Brand Quick Fix with a fractional CFO who worked with medical clinic owners. This person was hell bent on standing out in their industry by being abrasive, confrontational, and unpredictable.

It was very “…And you’ll never believe what happened next!”

I’ll save you $399 and tell you how I started our conversation: Do you think your ideal clients are looking for someone confrontational and unpredictable?

The answer was a resounding ¯\(ツ)/¯

A lot of service providers I talk to are hung up on “I’m trying to be different!” But you shouldn’t have to try to be different. Because you already are.

But let’s get back to the first part of this question—Everyone in my industry sounds the same. Why is that? I have two big hunches.

1. The AI-ification of everything. Folks are turning to AI not just to write and create their content, but to tell them how to show up in the world. Asking a robot how to show up as a human….that’s weird, huh?

2. We’re in our own echo-chambers. As a brand and marketing strategist, I talk to a lot of other brand and marketing folks. So, of course, I am seeing the same messages over and over and over again. Because ultimately, all of us in the brand and marketing sphere are trying to solve the same problem. But my clients? They may consistently see messages from one or two other brand and marketing people. My message is familiar to me (and everyone else in my industry) but not familiar to my clients.

“That’s great, Jamie,” you’re saying to yourself, “But how do I stand out?”

By being yourself.

It’s giving Guidance Counselor Poster from the 90s. You know the one: “Be yourself because everyone else is taken.” But it’s true!

When folks are looking for a service provider, they’re considering all sorts of things—Does this solve my problem? Does it fit within my budget? Could I do this myself instead? But we often forget they’re also thinking (whether consciously or subconsciously) about whether they like this service provider and if they trust this service provider.

You’ve got a unique view of the world and your work that’s been shaped by your lived experience. That unique point of view is what’s going to help you stand out (to the right people). It’s also going to be the thing that repels the bad-fit folks (and as uncomfortable as that is, we want that).

TL;DR: Just do you.

What are you predicting for 2026?

I’m not big on predictions. While I am a strategist and like to think in the future, I think great strategy is kind of like a great vacation. You’ve got some things planned, but you’ve built in enough flex to take a side quest or two after having an impromptu conversation with a long-time local.

But there are a few things I’m thinking about in my own business.

Building for flex (with big boundaries)

I’m tired of trying to make my work and my clients fit into a tiny container.

My work zigs and zags, and that’s what makes it good. While we’re all facing some version of the same challenges, the way we solve those challenges is always going to be different. I want to be the kind of strategist who builds brand and marketing plans that see the light of day. Because these plans should make you excited to do the work—even when it’s hard (which it will be sometimes).

Being flexible doesn’t mean being a pushover. And I’ll still run a tight ship when it comes to processes (thanks to my pal Devin Lee!). It means having clear enough boundaries that allow me to make space for the unexpected (which will always arise in this sort of work).

Less robots

I’m tired of AI. I’ve taken a step back from using it, and it turns out my brain still works (it was touch-and-go for a minute)!

It’s time I take my own advice and admit that standing out won’t come from cranking out more content faster. It’ll come from leaning into the parts of my work that feel unmistakably me, not the ones that feel automated or expected.

Connecting in real time…

…and maybe even IRL if we’re lucky!

This year, I’ve been focused on building and maintaining relationships with new folks. I want to continue that in the new year (and hope others do too). I’d love to bring more of this to my community (read: you) and plan to host some more free workshops and virtual conversations in the next 365 days.

I’d love to make a point to do more in-person networking and meet-ups. I’ve had a few conversations with Nashville- and Southeast-based folks about doing in-person workshops, coffee hangs, and more.

How about you?

I’d love to know what hit for you in this email. If I’m being real, I struck a few of my own nerves, too. Hit reply and let me know:

• Have you taken any business advice in the last few years that doesn’t seem to be serving you as we head into 2026?

• What are you thinking about in your business in 2026?

• What questions do you have about building your brand (I’ll record a video answer if you want)!

Thanks as always for reading,