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https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep169-how-2026-is-punishing-the-wrong-business-decisions

🗣 In this in-person Dropship Unlocked Podcast episode, Lewis Smith and James Eardley sit down to talk candidly about what’s really changing as we head into 2026 — and why the next year will reward smart, lean operators while punishing outdated business decisions.

With rising costs, mainstream AI adoption, layoffs across traditional industries, and changing consumer behaviour, this episode breaks down what actually matters if you want to build a resilient, profitable e-commerce business going into 2026 — and what mistakes are quietly killing businesses before they get traction.

🎥 Prefer to watch instead? Watch on YouTube → https://youtu.be/JCZl0oVsEm4

🧭 Topics Discussed
★ Why 2026 will be unforgiving for bloated, slow, high-overhead businesses
★ How AI is changing execution speed — without replacing real business owners
★ The difference between being scared of AI and leveraging it as an advantage
★ Why high-ticket e-commerce is still resilient (even with economic pressure)
★ The skills that won’t disappear as automation increases
★ Why supplier relationships matter more than ever
★ Escaping negative news cycles and focusing energy where it compounds
★ Using data (not passion or guesswork) to validate products and niches
★ Why demand comes before supply — always

🛠 Links & Resources Mentioned
Lewis’s Book → https://dropshipunlocked.com/book
Shopify £1-for-3-months Offer → https://dropshipunlocked.com/shopify
Free Trial of a Professional Phone Line → https://dropshipunlocked.com/circle

💡 Key Takeaways
★ 2026 Rewards Speed & Leverage: AI won’t replace business owners — but it will replace slow ones.
★ The Model Matters More Than Ever: High-ticket, low-overhead businesses have room to breathe and scale.
★ Don’t Manufacture Demand: The safest businesses sell what people are already searching for.
★ Ignore the Noise: Worrying about politics and tax changes doesn’t build profit — execution does.
★ Follow a Proven Path: Strategy beats motivation, and systems beat guesswork every time.

📲 Follow Us
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/dropshipunlocked/
X / Twitter → https://twitter.com/DropshipUnlockd
LinkedIn → https://uk.linkedin.com/company/dropship-unlocked
YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/c/dropshipunlockedlewissmith
Website → https://www.dropshipunlocked.com

🚀 Free Training
🌏 Want to create location, time, and financial freedom?
Watch our free training →
https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep169-how-2026-is-punishing-the-wrong-business-decisions

👉 Ready to start your own online store? Start here → https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep168-if-we-had-to-start-again-in-todays-uk-economy

🗣 In this episode, Lewis Smith and James Eardley run a thought experiment: if they had to start from zero today in the UK — with rising costs, higher overheads, and changing buyer behaviour — what would they do differently?

They break down the “overhead trap” that kills most new businesses, why high-ticket is more attractive in this economy, and the practical blueprint they’d follow to build a resilient store without stock, staff, or a physical premises.

🎥 Prefer to watch instead? Watch on YouTube → https://youtu.be/O5d5bHukNJM

🧭 Topics Discussed
★ The Overhead Trap — Why rent, rates, payroll, stock and fixed costs crush new businesses before they ever get momentum.
★ The Lean-First Principle — Starting online-only, keeping costs tiny, and building from cashflow instead of debt.
★ Why High Ticket Is Easier Right Now — Fewer sales needed, more profit per order, and more margin for error.
★ Using AI the Right Way — Speed up tasks (copy, research, drafts) without outsourcing the strategy to a robot.

🛠 Links & Resources Mentioned
Lewis’s Book → https://dropshipunlocked.com/book
Shopify £1-for-3-months Offer → https://dropshipunlocked.com/shopify
Free Trial of a Professional Phone Line → https://dropshipunlocked.com/circle
Free Training / Roadmap → https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep168-if-we-had-to-start-again-in-todays-uk-economy

💡 Key Takeaways
★ Avoid Fixed Costs Early — Don’t start your business from “minus 10” with rent, stock, staff, and big commitments.
★ High Ticket = Fewer Customers Needed — Build around bigger profit per order so you can reach meaningful income with a small number of sales.
★ Use Live Data, Not Guesswork — Validate demand and price points with real numbers, then commit with confidence.
★ Resilient Models Win in Tough Times — If your model works in a hard economy, imagine what it does when the cycle turns.

📲 Follow Us
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/dropshipunlocked/
X / Twitter → https://twitter.com/DropshipUnlockd
LinkedIn → https://uk.linkedin.com/company/dropship-unlocked
YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/c/dropshipunlockedlewissmith
Website → https://www.dropshipunlocked.com

🚀 Free Training
🌏 Want to create location, time, and financial freedom?
Watch our free training → https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep168-if-we-had-to-start-again-in-todays-uk-economy

👉 Ready to start your own online store? Start here → https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep167-can-chatgpt-make-you-10k-month-ecommerce

🗣 In this episode, Lewis Smith and James Eardley dive into one of the biggest questions people are asking right now — Can ChatGPT actually build you a £10k/month ecommerce business… or is that just clever marketing?

They break down where AI genuinely helps (and where it absolutely doesn’t), why experience and real market feedback still win, and how to blend AI with a proven system so you’re not gambling your future on a fancy prompt.

🎥 Prefer to watch instead? Watch on YouTube → https://youtu.be/vTvaAJYBMOo

🧭 Topics Discussed
★ Can ChatGPT Really “Run” a Business?
Why AI on its own can’t yet run a high-ticket ecommerce business for you — and why treating it as an autopilot business builder sets you up for disappointment.
★ Confidence vs Accuracy in AI Answers
How tools like ChatGPT give confident, persuasive responses that sound right… but often ignore real-world margins, suppliers, and demand.
★ Why Experience Still Beats Automation
How human judgment, pattern recognition, and real-world testing trump theory — especially when choosing niches, validating products, and negotiating with suppliers.

🛠 Links & Resources Mentioned
Lewis’s Book → https://dropshipunlocked.com/book
Shopify £1-for-3-months Offer → https://dropshipunlocked.com/shopify
Free Trial of a Professional Phone Line → https://dropshipunlocked.com/circle

💡 Key Takeaways
★ Use AI for Speed, Not Strategy
Let AI help you brainstorm ideas, write copy, generate FAQs, and test ad angles — but don’t outsource niche selection, supplier choice, or overall strategy to a language model.
★ Don’t Build on Shaky AI Assumptions
If you let ChatGPT decide your niche and products without real validation, you can easily spend months building a business that was doomed from day one.
★ You Set the Direction — AI Helps You Get There Faster
The people winning right now are using a proven roadmap, real supplier partnerships and community support, then layering AI on top as a powerful assistant, not a replacement.

📲 Follow Us
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/dropshipunlocked/
X / Twitter → https://twitter.com/DropshipUnlockd
LinkedIn → https://uk.linkedin.com/company/dropship-unlocked
YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/c/dropshipunlockedlewissmith
Website → https://www.dropshipunlocked.com

🚀 Free Training
🌏 Want to create location, time, and financial freedom?
Watch our free training →
https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep167-can-chatgpt-make-you-10k-month-ecommerce