As many of you know, I teach graduate-level marketing and management courses at the university.

While preparing this week’s lecture, something struck me. We were unpacking the difference between strategic planning and strategy itself and I realized how often entrepreneurs blur the two.

Planning is about steps.
​Strategy is about direction.

Planning answers what to do next.​
Strategy answers why you’re doing it in the first place.

When you start planning without clear strategy, you end up busy, but not effective. Your calendar looks full, but your results feel flat.

That’s why before you start mapping projects for Q1, I want you to pause and think about direction first.

Ask yourself:

• What do I want my business to become in 2026?
• What does success actually look like for me this year?
• Which part of my business system is slowing growth the most right now?

If you’re not sure, that’s exactly what Sloan was built to uncover. 👇

💡 Start Here: Sloan = Strategic Direction

Sloan is your AI business strategist. Designed to help digital product creators, coaches, and experts figure out why their growth has plateaued.

In just a few minutes, Sloan diagnoses your weakest system inside the Creator’s Growth Flywheel (Attract, Engage, Nurture, Retain, or Advocacy) and gives you:

• A clear explanation of what’s happening
• A personalized AI Fix Prompt you can use immediately
• A next step to start rebuilding momentum

👉 Run Sloan (free diagnostic)​

Sloan tells you where to focus: that’s your strategy.

Then the Creator’s MBA Playbook System shows you how to execute: that’s your plan.

And the Creator’s MBA Lab gives you support and accountability: that’s your implementation system.

🎧 NEW EPISODE

When your business feels off, it’s not panic time — it might be pivot time.

In this episode, I walk you through the exact process I’d follow if I were pivoting in 2026: how to clarify your audience, audit your offers, and rebuild momentum without starting from scratch.

You’ll learn:​
• The first question to ask before any pivot
• How to tell if your niche is really the problem
• The four types of pivots — and which one fits you
• Why “burn it all down” rarely works
• How to test your pivot with a minimum viable offer

🎙️Listen in here: Website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

👋 If you enjoy the show, hit “Follow” in your favorite podcast app so you never miss a training.

🧩 Upcoming Live Workshops

Creator’s MBA Lab

November Workshop: Behind the Scenes: How I Use AI to Save Hours Each Week (Beyond ChatGPT)

Get a real look at the AI tools I use across all my brands to save hours, stay consistent, and simplify workflows for 2026.

📅 Wednesday, November 12 1:00–2:30pm ET

December Workshop: Q1 Planning Session: Map Your 90-Day Growth Flywheel Plan

Set your direction first. Then pick projects that actually move the needle in your business.

📅 Wednesday, December 10 1:00–2:30pm ET

💡 Bonus: Anyone who purchases the Creator’s MBA Playbook System will also get access to attend this December workshop live.

Newsletter Profit Club

November Workshop: The 2026 Profit Plan: Build Your Newsletter Income System

Map out your monetization streams, set smart revenue goals, and plan your quarterly profit cycles for a profitable 2026.

📅 Thursday, November 14 1:00–2:30pm ET

December Workshop: Newsletter Metrics That Actually Matter

Learn which newsletter metrics truly drive growth (and which ones you can ignore) so you can focus on what moves the needle next year.

🎯 Bonus: I’m building a new app with Lovable that will automatically pull your newsletter metrics and analyze them for you.

📅 Thursday, December 12 1:00–2:30pm ET

👉 Join Newsletter Profit Club to attend live →​

⚙️ BOOKMARK WORTHY

Most people think planning is strategy, but they serve completely different purposes.

Planning is tactical — your to-do list, launch calendar, and content schedule.
​Strategy is directional — it defines why you’re doing those things and where they lead.

When you skip straight to planning, you fill your schedule but lose traction.

Before you plan Q1, ask:

• What do I want my business to become in 2026?
• What does “winning” actually look like this year?
• What stage of my Growth Flywheel needs attention right now?

If your goals keep changing but your direction never feels solid, it’s time to re-establish your strategy.

We’ll do this together inside the December Q1 Planning Workshop in the Creator’s MBA Lab.

👉 Run Your Free Growth Diagnostic with Sloan →​

Strategy gives you clarity.
Planning gives you structure.
Implementation gives you momentum.

As you head into year-end, give yourself the space to think strategically, then let Sloan, the Playbook, and the Lab help you turn that direction into predictable growth for 2026.

💪 You’ve got this,
Destini
Business Growth Coach & Graduate Marketing Professor
Host, Creator’s MBA Podcast

​

P.S. This Black Friday, I’m bringing you five offers designed to help you plan, systemize, and scale with clarity in 2026 with juicy bonuses. Start now with the Creator’s MBA Playbook System so you’re ready to make the most of what’s coming.

​

P.S.S. I had a great chat with Megan on the Eat Blog Talk podcast to talk about how to turn your expertise into income through scalable digital products.

If you’ve ever wondered where to start, or what to do when a product flops, this episode walks you through steps to identify your best idea, simplify your tech, and build funnels that actually sell.

🎧 Listen to Episode 765: “Turn Your Expertise into Income” here. ​

​

Dr. Destini Copp Certified Business Growth Coach for Digital Product Entrepreneurs

WORK WITH DR. DESTINI COPP

If you’re ready to grow your business with more strategy, systems, and AI, here’s how we can work together:👇

🧾 The Creator’s MBA Playbook​
Your 90-day business planning system for consistent growth: part textbook, part planner, part strategy guide.
→ Get the Creator's MBA Playbook System​

🎓 The Creator’s MBA Lab​
Build rinse-and-repeat systems that create predictable revenue using AI and the Creator’s Growth Flywheel.
​Join The Lab →​

Not sure if the Creator’s MBA Lab is right for you?
Book a short 20-minute Fit Call and we’ll review your goals, pinpoint what’s blocking your growth, and see if the Lab is your next step.

👉 Book Your Fit Call →​

💌 Newsletter Profit Club​
Turn your weekly newsletters into a profit center with affiliate marketing, sponsors, and your own offers.
​Join Newsletter Profit Club →​

🎨 The $1M HobbyScool Experiment​
Follow along as I publicly build HobbyScool into a $1M+ creative wellness brand — and steal the systems, tools, and lessons along the way.
​Join the $1M HobbyScool Experiment →​

💬 1:1 Coaching (Limited Spots)​
Get unlimited Voxer support + a monthly Zoom session focused on your business growth plan.
→ Perfect if you want personalized accountability and a thought partner on call.​
​Apply for Coaching →​

🏢 For Learning & Development Firms​
Custom AI consulting and implementation to modernize your training programs, systems, and internal processes.
​Learn About AI Consulting →​