Coaches’ predictions for your business in 2025

The year has just started and whether you’ve already done all of your planning or are still in the middle of it, we need to make sure that our business plans and strategies actually work in 2025. Things change all the time and especially with the rise of AI, we need to stay on top of everything to not get run over.

While I’ve learned a lot about running a business in the past 5 years, I’m not a coach and I can’t tell you how to run your business. What I can do though – and did do – is ask some business coaches for advice on how to navigate running a business successfully in 2025.

The coaches I asked are Kate Stirling, Stefan Thomas and Ceels Lockley. I haven’t worked with any of them but we’ve been connected through the wonderful world of the internet. Let me introduce them to you:

Kate Stirling

Kate Stirling is a Mindset, Life and Performance Coach from London. She works with ambitious, driven entrepreneurs, solopreneurs and creatives who want to earn great money doing the work they love without compromising family life or burning out.

As a certified ICF Coach and NLP Master Practitioner with 23 years experience she integrates her tools from working in the wellbeing/fitness industries and as a professional actor, to help her clients maximise their energy, confidence, presence, communication and self belief. Kate believes we CAN change the world for the better, no matter how small or large the impact. She’s also a Mum so fully understands the challenges this brings, too.

Find out more about Kate’s coaching on her website,  explore her membership Club Thrive or connect with her on Instagram.

Stefan Thomas

Stefan Thomas is the author of Amazon bestsellers ‘Business Networking for Dummies’, ‘Instant Networking’ and ‘Win The Room’. He speaks at conferences for organisations such as BT, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, The Solicitors’ Sole Practitioners Group, Google, Oxford Brookes University, and many others.

A veteran of the mosh pit, having been to over 750 punk gigs since 1981, Stefan lives in Oxfordshire with his wife Sharon with whom he shares a blended family of five grown up children.

You can learn more about Stefan and his work on his website.

Ceels Lockley

Ceels is an Offer Strategist & Business Mentor who helps empower and energise service providers to become industry experts. She teaches her clients the art of creating profitable, sustainable offers that position them as the obvious choice, whilst supporting their personal needs and revenue goals.

You can connect with Ceels on Instagram (or Threads) or learn more about her offers on her website.

What were trends in 2024 that may not work anymore in 2025?

Ceels

One of the biggest trends in our industry in 2024 was the mass migration of done-for-you services to done-with-you. Many service providers moved away from done-for-you services in favour of done-with-you models—think group programs, strategy intensives, and audits where clients handle implementation themselves. While this shift worked well for some, I think those who completely abandoned done-for-you services may find themselves reverting back to it in 2025.

As well as delivery style, AI and GPT’s played a big role in the trends of 2024. Many service providers jumped on AI to help with automating features within their services, but in 2025 I think we’ll see basic GPT’s needing to be replaced with more robust and carefully tested GPT’s that enhance client experiences VS simply being a gimmick.

I also feel that there are a lot long-standing norms in the industry that are starting to feel dated as we move into a new year – for example, the ‘power hour’ was once revered as the best way to sell a consulting session, but consumers have grown tired of buying time alone and want a much more tangible and specific solution to their problems.

Stefan

The world has very quickly got used to AI generated content. Too many businesses are trying to use AI too much, and too lazily. AI generated social media posts are now far too prevalent and, even worse in my opinion, AI generated comments on posts. People are still treating social media as a process which can be hacked, rather than important relationships which should be nurtured.

What are changes in consumer behaviour businesses should pay attention to or address?

Ceels

I think the market is hungry for full pricing transparency on both websites and in sales communications. Whilst a lot of providers work on bespoke pricing or hide pricing behind data capture forms, consumers repeatedly report on the importance of transparent pricing in their decision making and selection of service providers.

Kate

People are craving in person connections, meet ups and events more than ever alongside wanting to have more time and financial freedom.

There are more people wanting to have more impact, connect with those you will be able to collaborate and co-create with. More people are also looking for a better way to balance work/life. Especially those with children. There will be more curiosity in entrepreneurship and an holistic approach to business. In mirroring the global landscape, business owners need to choose a camp – to go down the holistic route or to go down the alienation of diversity route (not advised!). As we enter a Trump presidency there is an undercurrent of “where is the world going”. It is an important time to get clear on your own mission, vision and values to stay strong in bumpy waters alongside being able to ride the waves of success that you will achieve with an holistic approach to your own business life too.

One way of looking at it is what are you missing as a business owner? What do you love about other businesses? What do you love or loath about human behaviour in the world right now and what impact do you want to have? Your clients and consumers will be craving very similar things. Trends not only look at technological advances but also human needs in relation to the world. We will see more individuals being driven by impact alongside profit and indeed, people will be looking to spend on money that deliver both. In a way, the harder news of the past 12-18 months will impact us, in years to come. We will see more women and non binary individuals rising up against what feels like a strong restrictive force to prove wrong what the divide in the media is telling us is possible about minorities.

Stefan

In my sector – business to business services  – it is a very crowded world. Businesses aren’t in competition just with other businesses who do the same as them, but with any other business competing for budget. Staying visible still requires effort and commitment. Keeping up to date with changing trends in social media and marketing is vital and maintaining business relationships, with as much effort as that takes, is one of the keys to keeping ourselves and our businesses front of mind when someone does need our services.

What’s the best or your favourite growth-strategy for businesses in 2025 and why?

Kate

Focus on the human connection. Where does your consumer base hang out? Who are they? How can you connect with them? Think connection and conversations before sales – the sales will come as a result of the connections you create. Get out and about as much as possible!

We often go straight to thinking about the plans and what we need to do with marketing but some of the best ways to find your people is to figure out too who you want to work with. If you are not a personal brand, how clear are you on your positioning the market? Get super clear on this by understanding why you are different so you can really own the spotlight of your work.

So much is shifting in the technology around us and as business owners it is best to make choices that best give you energy. Platforms like Instagram rely on us upping our game across the board with our marketing but only if we want. Is that going to give you joy or drain you? Are you better getting uncomfortable and joining a few communities and networking that way? Connection is increasingly important (genuine ones). And allow your passion to shine through.

Stefan

Networking and maintaining relationships really is the ultimate growth hack. I can send so many ‘warm’ emails inviting people to work with me purely because I’ve put the effort into keeping those relationships alive over the years. I’m not just getting in touch when I have something to sell!

Any other insight into the business world in 2025 do you have that we should pay attention to?

Stefan

AI will make a number of tasks, such as research and planning, a lot quicker to achieve than they are right now. Taking advantage of that is vital and will give the businesses who do a very short term advantage, but don’t jump on the bandwagon and you’ll be left behind.

Kate

I love to remind clients that any business started from a creative thought, an idea. At the heart of business is creativity. Understand what energy your business needs to thrive too, financially, energetically even emotionally. Just like us, our businesses can experience burnout. To not just survive ’25 but thrive you need to pace yourself. Don’t let the negative news cloud what you believe is possible with the impact you can have. Things are constantly changing. The term business can distract from what you’re doing on a simple level – making money as a result of having an impact. Focus on the impact over the money, and the money will come.

But also:

• It is increasingly important to stand out against the noise.
• Consumers are savvy now – gone are the days of being able to just put together a quick PDF lead magnet. Your time is your most valuable asset, within your strategy look for a variety of ways to cut through the noise and make it count.
• Think of the long game but be flexible to see what works, keep it and discard what doesn’t.
• And finally, company culture is important. People will not hang around if you don’t appreciate them anymore either, they’ll start up on their own, so make sure you are appreciating the hard work of your staff and freelancers alongside your visions for growth.

To sum up, it looks like business in 2025 is all about working smarter, not harder. I remember thinking that last year already (and the year before) but maybe it’s time to really implement that!

Our coaches above, who generally seem to have a great grasp of industry developments and needs highlighted that some of last year’s big shifts like moving entirely to done-with-you services or overusing AI might not hold up anymore. People want real connections, not generic automation. Authenticity, transparency, and a clear mission matter more than ever.

Instead of chasing every trend, focus on what actually works for you and your audience. Build relationships, simplify your strategy, and make sure your business aligns with your energy and values. The businesses that stay flexible, intentional, and human will be the ones that thrive.

So, what are you going to do differently this year? Can you use the ideas and tips above to shape how you run your business in 2025?

If you liked what you read above, please feel free to reach out to Stefan, Kate or Ceels for further support. Ceels and Kate also have their own podcasts for you to dive deeper into their world: Listen to Kate’s Club Thrive Podcast or Ceels’ Sold out Offers.