I just dropped my latest podcast. Listen now! Most local business owners still believe the best business wins. In 2026, that’s no longer true. The business that gets discovered wins. The business that gets understood wins. The business that gets remembered wins. And that changes everything. Listen here: https://open.substack.com/pub/lisabalthaser/p/the-new-local-economy-attention-first?r=g3165&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

Check out my latest podcast! What are you REALLY competing for right now? https://open.substack.com/pub/lisabalthaser/p/your-competitor-isnt-other-businesses?r=g3165&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Listen to mt latest podcast below: Most local business owners think they have a marketing problem right now. More leads. Better ads. More posting. New AI tools. A new strategy. But that’s not what’s actually happening. What’s happening is something most people haven’t named yet. There is a growing gap between what you think your business is… and what the market now sees it as. And that gap is quietly deciding who grows, who stalls, and who disappears. In this episode, I want to break something open that will probably feel uncomfortable at first, but also clarifying. Because a lot of owners are working harder than ever, yet getting results that feel weaker than before. And instead of questioning their effort, they blame the tools, the economy, or the algorithm. But the real issue is deeper. The type of business you think you are running may no longer match how customers actually experience you in 2026. AI, changing buyer behavior, and a more competitive attention economy have reshaped what it means to be a “local business.” And most owners never adjusted their identity to match it. So today we’re going to walk through something simple but confronting: What business are you actually in now? Not what you started as. Not what you wrote on your website years ago. But what the market is responding to today. Because once you see this clearly, a lot of confusion starts to make sense. And more importantly, you’ll see exactly what needs to shift next. https://open.substack.com/pub/lisabalthaser/p/the-local-business-identity-crisis?r=g3165&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Most local business owners believe better service automatically creates growth. That is no longer true. In today’s economy, visibility drives buying decisions faster than expertise. In this episode, we break down why great businesses are getting overlooked, what changed in buyer behavior, and how to increase visibility without burnout or constant posting. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss and episode! https://open.substack.com/pub/lisabalthaser/p/the-new-local-economy-rewards-visibility?r=g3165&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Check out my latest podcast for tips on getting more systems in your business: https://open.substack.com/pub/lisabalthaser/p/why-local-businesses-need-systems?r=g3165&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web