2026 is one of the most challenging years to start a new business.
One of the reasons for this is how easy it is to get started.
That’s a good thing, but it also lowers the barrier to entry, meaning everyone does it.
Take for example the crucial step of building one website.
When I started, I had to teach myself HTML and beyond handcode my first websites.
This took months.
With WordPress it became easier, but still a technical task, to launch and grow a website.
Website building tools like Squarespace and Wix and many others made changing layouts easier, but you still had to sit around and write designs and copy.
Nowadays, thanks to AI coding tools, you can ask the AI to both design the website and write the copy for you.
My first AI-built website
I have used Repetition designing a website for a new project.
I typed my idea in plain English, explained what I was selling, what content blocks I wanted on the website, and then waited.
A few minutes later my website was ready.
The design was great, but what surprised me even more was how good the copy was.
My idea and the merits of what I intended to sell were presented with clarity and language that would have taken many hours to write and edit to refine.
I had a landing page for a new business that I could use right away.
I continued to work on the website, adding new pages such as an about page, a help center with frequently asked questions, terms of service and privacy policy, blog articles, a customer dashboard, and more.
The most amazing thing about this process is how little instruction I have to give the AI to build what I want.
I explain a concept or function, and then the AI just knows how it should look and work.
I’ve refined the design, moved elements, changed the text, but I use instructions as if I were talking to a human web designer or copywriter and the AI does the work.
The best thing about this process is how easy and quick it is.
That makes 2026 once again one of the most exciting years, but also potentially the most challenging.
Anyone can build (almost) anything, but that doesn’t mean everyone will succeed.
More than ever, it is the people who can combine a good idea with effective distribution who will win.
How to succeed in an AI-powered world
The first thing you need to do is use AI tools.
Go and set one Repetition take into account and build something.
I am 100% sure that Replit will deliver a much better website, with much better texts.
One of the common challenges I experienced as a business coach was reviewing my clients’ websites.
In almost every case, the design and text weren’t great.
With such a poor and often confusing first impression of a website, it’s not surprising that they never sold anything.
The first thing we talked about during a coaching call was completely reworking the copy and layout, which unfortunately happened very rarely because they had already invested so much time and energy into it.
Just writing better words and changing the design of their website was so difficult that they gave up.
The great thing about AI is that you just ask it to do the revision for you. If you’re not sure what you want, show examples you can follow with a screenshot or URL, or ask for an ‘other version’ and you’ll get it.
If you’re not sure which copy to use, give it a general idea of what you want to focus on and let it write it for you.
The website is simple now, but marketing is still difficult
With Replit and other similar tools, your website is no longer a roadblock.
However, a good website does nothing if no one ever sees it.
Unfortunately, AI also creates more ‘noise’ online.
It’s easier to create articles, videos, images and of course websites.
What is particularly challenging is AI’s ability to create voices and digital humans.
Once again this offers both an opportunity and a challenge.
You can use these tools to improve your marketing, but everyone else is doing it too.
I believe the only way to stand out in this world is to first make sure you’re not left behind and use the tools yourself.
These are actually just the entrance fees.
To actually get customers, you will have to be contextually relevant that a certain segment of the population is forced to listen to you (and buy from your company).
Unfortunately, most of us will only pay attention to a small number of contextually relevant sources, which means that to even have a chance you need to be very clear about two things:
- Who you serve
- What problem you help them solve
Nothing new, but today it is even more important.
The hardest part is gaining the clarity and conviction to become the most contextually specific solution to a problem.
The great thing is that you don’t have to get this right from day one.
Chances are you just can’t.
You do not yet have sufficient information about your customer base.
That’s why it’s crucial to build a website and get people to visit it as quickly as possible.
The sooner you discover what doesn’t work, the closer you get to what does work.
Without a website you have no offer and therefore no feedback.
Don’t let your website be the roadblock in 2026.
Child
#Starting #website #easier