Sales in 2025 were… weird. And this isn’t just a “vibe,” Google actually researched it and is calling it the Messy Middle. So what does that mean for your 2026 content plan?

In this episode I talk about:

• what the Messy Middle looks like in real buying behavior

• why people are taking longer, circling offers, and lurking before they decide

• why trendy content and old funnel templates aren’t pulling their weight anymore

• how to shift your content toward more connection and actual conversations

• the changes I’m making in my own marketing for 2026, including in-person connection

• how to think about “slow” buying without assuming something is wrong with your offer

If you’re planning Q1 and want a strategy that matches how people are actually making decisions right now, this episode walks you through it.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Content to Client Club

Buyer Journey Content Plan

Online business coaching has gotten chaotic in a very specific way. Too many people are selling support they are not qualified to give, recycling the same scripts, leaning on borrowed credibility, and creating this MLM adjacent loop where coaches hire other coaches just to stay afloat. Meanwhile buyers are left confused, pressured, or wondering why something felt off.

In this episode I'm joined by my business bestie Stacy Braga and we talk about why the coaching space feels out of control, how shame gets used to pressure people into programs, how “mindset” gets used to deflect real problems, why so many strategies have not evolved with buyers, and what actually helps you make better decisions before investing in anyone.

Inside the episode we cover:

• How shame gets used as a pressure tactic

• How “mindset” gets positioned as the reason something didn’t work

• Why fake urgency still hooks people who know better

• The inbreeding effect of coaches coaching coaches

• How borrowed credibility shows up in marketing

• Parasocial friendship pressure and why it feels manipulative

• What ethical support actually looks like

• What to ask before you invest so you can protect yourself

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Connect with Stacy online: www.stacybragacopy.com

Listen to Stacy's podcast: CozyPreneur Podcast

Connect with Sydney on Instagram: @sydneyobrien.co

Grab the Buyer Journey Content Map

Holiday chaos is here and your brain is already doing enough.

If posting on Instagram or writing emails feels impossible, this episode gives you the lowest-lift ways to still show up without draining the last 2% of your energy.

You’ll hear:

• why going totally silent from Thanksgiving to New Year’s isn’t the move

• the easiest content to share when you’re fried

• how to reuse old posts, blogs, and podcast episodes so you’re not reinventing anything

• what to focus on if you’re not selling vs what to do if you are

• my own “bare minimum but still strategic” holiday plan

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Content to Clients Club

• Free Buyer Journey Content Map

• DM me on Instagram: @sydneyobrien.co