What every entrepreneur’s North Star will be in 2026

Adriaan Grové | image supplied

In the real estate sector, and across many South African SMEs, the "future" is being shaped right now by how we handle data, how we treat our teams, and how we choose to show up in a world saturated with connection and “noise”.

Purpose is levelling the playing field

When entrepreneurs are clear on their purpose, they’re not swayed by hype or the next big tech thing but are able to focus instead on what creates measurable and meaningful impact.

Future-fit businesses are those that use tech (AI, in particular) as an equaliser, allowing SMEs to compete with giants by automating the mundane (compliance, syndication, admin) so they focus on what really matters in business - relationship building.

If your service doesn’t solve a clearly defined problem for a clearly defined audience, it risks being swallowed by the next wave of disruption - fading into a copy-and-paste, average model with no reason to exist.

Saying no the “yes-trap”

A key part of steering a sustainable, future-forward business is knowing when to change course and when to say no. In the pursuit of growth, many entrepreneurs fall into the "yes-trap", promising rapid builds to secure deals.

The result, in my experience, is stressed teams and damaged reputations. Integrity is becoming an undeniable brand currency. This means having the courage to be upfront about your core strengths. Saying yes to everything inevitably bloats your product or service, leaving you thinly spread and supporting more than you can sustainably deliver.

Coffee does not equal culture

Having led a fully remote, international team long before it was a global necessity, I’ve learned that culture is a deliberate creation. It has nothing to do with free coffee or fancy office layouts. Culture is how you work, the ability to execute, to deliver consistently, and to hold one another accountable with trust and respect. It shows up in how decisions are made, how problems are owned, and how people are supported when the pressure is on.

As we move forward, "ownership" is becoming the defining trait of successful teams. When a company is self-funded and purpose-driven, that sense of ownership translates into quality. It’s about hiring the right people and then empowering them to lead.

Authenticity, always

In an age of AI-generated everything, human authenticity is the ultimate competitive advantage. Whether in property or any other SME sector, clients can spot a lack of sincerity from a mile away.

Your reputation isn't built on a flashy logo. It’s built on the consistent act of showing up and delivering on promises - that’s authenticity. You don’t market your brand, you live it.

Agility: The entrepreneur’s new superpower

“Agility” has been a business buzz term for ages now, but an agile approach has become crucial for entrepreneurs.

For the first time, AI is driving the cost of intelligence dramatically down, giving entrepreneurs capabilities that were once reserved for large corporations with deep pockets. This shift is fundamentally changing the economics of innovation and signals an era of exponential change across every industry. AI has also fundamentally changed how quickly entrepreneurs can test, iterate, and discard ideas, dramatically lowering the cost and risk of experimentation.

Embracing - and indeed, steering - the future requires an agile vision. Today, lean teams can leverage AI to achieve what once required massive corporate budgets. But agility isn’t just about speed, it's adapting, rethinking, consistency and actually executing.

My experience has shown me that agility can and must be developed, but that it also can. I traded the traffic of the city for the trails of Knysna because real problem-solving requires space for critical thought, but I also choose daily, as an entrepreneur, to not be swayed by the hype, by the next big thing, by what the client wants, but seeks to remain committed to the purpose and the vision, and empowering my team to succeed. The future of entrepreneurship is deeply human, focused and hype-free.