The 5 Opportunities Leaders Can’t Afford to Ignore in 2026
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Key Takeaways
- The CEOs who will win in 2026 will be the ones who use AI strategically, build a strong talent bench and get closer to customers.
- They will also tap into macro trends (like nearshoring and private equity roll-ups) and have the discipline to act on — or shut down — opportunities.
After a year of pessimism and uncertainty, recent research conducted by Vistage and the Wall Street Journal reveals an increase in CEO optimism as we enter 2026. With this improving sentiment comes a variety of opportunities, and the world’s best CEOs are striking while the iron is hot.
The following are five of the most significant opportunities CEOs are seizing as we kick off a new year:
1. AI: the great equalizer
AI and its ability to improve productivity is the single greatest opportunity for small to midsize business leaders in 2026. This is one of the few areas where the largest companies don’t have a built-in advantage. Many artificial intelligence tools are available to all, making AI one of the greatest equalizers we’ve ever seen.
Most forward-thinking CEOs are asking, “How do we turn AI into something that is truly driving productivity and improving the customer experience?” They are now building processes that embed AI in how their teams work, rather than just experimenting with it on the side.
The leaders best positioned to pull ahead of their competitors in 2026 are the most disciplined about using AI strategically to innovate. They know exactly how AI is driving productivity, margin and capacity.
2. Proactively building a strong talent bench
Given the softness of the current labor market, talent is a major opportunity right now. As the unemployment rate ticks up, top leaders are “muscle-building” their talent bench to ensure they are positioned for long-term growth.
The best leaders are focused on creating a business where high performers feel proud and inspired to work. This requires making the company’s mission and impact crystal clear and showing employees how their work connects to something that matters.
3. Getting closer to customers
One of the most overlooked opportunities — particularly in a more competitive environment — is getting much closer to every single customer. In a rapidly changing business environment, the most successful CEOs understand what their customers want to fix, accomplish or avoid.
This level of closeness protects them from surprise defections, creates natural growth through the power of referrals and validates new ideas by allowing business leaders to test whether their strategy will add meaningful value for their customers.
4. The foresight to tap into macro trends
Several macro trends are reshaping the landscape for small and midsize businesses. Effective CEOs have a pulse on how these trends are impacting their business, including:
Nearshoring and tariffs: In 2026, manufacturing is coming closer to home in the U.S. Nearshoring will create more reliable supply chains and decrease exposure to geopolitical shocks. Top CEOs are focused on understanding how nearshoring and tariff policies affect their costs, supply chain resilience, as well as their pricing and margins.
Private equity roll-ups: Private equity is increasingly active in small and midsize businesses. Roll-ups are happening across industries, changing the competitive landscape. The best CEOs are proactively considering how private equity will impact their industry and beginning to calculate whether it may be an opportunity for their business.
Build a strong brand: Digital marketing has undergone a rapid transformation in the last few years. Having the right talent in place to optimize for a changing marketing landscape is central to how businesses grow, reach new customers and tell their story in a crowded market. Building a strong brand is a strategic lever, enabling companies to showcase their values to customers, employees and partners.
5. The discipline to act on (or shut down) opportunities
Before executing on any of the above opportunities, the best CEOs ensure they have the right strategy in place. Rather than simply reacting, they are aligning opportunities to their business needs by outlining the long-term impacts, required investments and resources, and setting clear goals to measure success along the way.
In goal setting, they create clarity around what exactly they are trying to cause to happen and how the new initiative will drive value for customers. Having clear milestones in place allows the team to accurately gauge success. Successful CEOs are also willing to walk away or pivot if the expected results don’t materialize. The discipline going into 2026 isn’t just starting the right things; it’s turning off the wrong ones fast.
Heading into 2026, the environment will continue to shift, from the impact of AI and innovation to changes in policy to the labor market and the economy. The CEOs who win will be the ones who take a strategic approach to using AI, invest in great people, get even closer to customers, stay ahead of macro trends and boldly shut down what isn’t working so they can double down on what is. Leaders who look at every challenge as an opportunity will sharpen their competitive edge.
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Key Takeaways
- The CEOs who will win in 2026 will be the ones who use AI strategically, build a strong talent bench and get closer to customers.
- They will also tap into macro trends (like nearshoring and private equity roll-ups) and have the discipline to act on — or shut down — opportunities.
After a year of pessimism and uncertainty, recent research conducted by Vistage and the Wall Street Journal reveals an increase in CEO optimism as we enter 2026. With this improving sentiment comes a variety of opportunities, and the world’s best CEOs are striking while the iron is hot.
The following are five of the most significant opportunities CEOs are seizing as we kick off a new year:
