As we step into 2026, refocusing is not about doing more but what actually moves the needle.

These principles are especially helpful for starters, but if you’ve been in business for a while and things feel stuck, this might be the reset you need. Let’s talk honestly about what matters.

1. You do need clarity

Even though you don’t need everything figured out, you need clarity. Many entrepreneurs delay progress because they think they must have the perfect plan before starting. You don’t. What you need is a long-term game built around real people you intend to serve for a long time.

In business, clarity equals conversions. If people don’t quickly understand what you do and who it’s for, they won’t buy. It’s that simple. Confusion doesn’t create curiosity; it creates silence. If you confuse, you lose.

Your offer will evolve. Your positioning will tighten. Your messaging will improve with feedback. That’s normal. But at every stage, you must be clear enough for someone to say, “This is for me.” Clarity is not about perfection; it’s about being understood.

2. Pick a real problem for real people

Business does not start with branding; it starts with a problem. A real one. One you are well-positioned to solve because of your skills, experience, or exposure. After picking the problem, package it clearly for your audience and market it.

The simple but powerful framework that has helped me as an entrepreneur are these three steps. First, pick a real problem. What issue do people already complain about? Next, package it clearly.

Can you explain your solution in one or two sentences? And lastly, talk to real people about it. Not hypothetical customers. Actual humans with budgets and urgency.

Too many entrepreneurs build in isolation, guessing what the market wants. The market doesn’t reward guesses; it rewards those who listen or pay attention to them. Interacting with the market will sharpen your thinking faster than brainstorming ever will.

3. Solve the problems, one person at a time

Here’s a hard truth: the market does not pay for ideas. It pays for solutions. And it pays more when the problem feels urgent or threatening to its survival. This is what I call “borderline existential market problems.” So, you don’t need a brilliant idea. You need a repeatable one that addresses your audience’s pain points.

Solve a meaningful problem for one person. Then solve it again, and extend the solution to other contacts within and outside his circle. That’s how businesses are built. After solving Mr. A’s problem, look for more of his kind in the market, and solve theirs in unique and sustainable ways.

The income ceiling of your business is closely tied to the difficulty of the problems you solve. People happily pay for relief, clarity, speed, and peace of mind. Focus there. One person at a time. Never forget that.

4. You don’t need an office, but an offer

Many entrepreneurs and business owners believe legitimacy starts with infrastructure: an office, staff, signboards, branding, and the like. In reality, legitimacy starts with an offer that works for your addressable market.

Pick a niche and skills you have and can applied in real life. I mean something you are good at or have done, not just studied. Find someone who needs it. Turn it into a clear, one-line offer. Then share it confidently. Then share it consistently to build momentum. Do well to maintain it.

You don’t need to sound loud or salesy. Consistency builds trust. Confidence comes from knowing you can deliver. When your offer is clear, the business begins to travel faster than you can.

5. Build for transformation

Every sustainable business rests on three things. They are a real problem people care about, a repeatable way to solve it, and a clear method of delivery.

But here’s the deeper insight the marketplace taught me: people don’t buy your process; they buy the transformation. They want the after. The after should have less stress, more growth, and better outcomes. It should make them better after patronizing you.

This is where authenticity becomes your unfair advantage. You don’t need to compete aggressively when you are genuinely aligned with your work and your audience. As Naval Ravikant puts it, “Escape competition through authenticity.” Say it your way. Serve in your lane. Let your experience speak.

As I conclude, the year 2026 does not require a reinvention of who you are. It requires a refocus on what works. Running a successful business is not magic. It is attention, consistency, and service done well. Therefore, refocus, simplify, and build something that makes sense to you and to the people you serve.

*Tony Ajah is a Business Growth Strategist, and the author of BUSINESS SENSE, and ON BECOMING AN ENTREPRENEUR. He maintains a personal blog, where he shares proven business ideas and principles for SMEs.

Meanwhile, Adobe Express (formerly Spark) reinvented itself in recent years, embedding deep creative power from Adobe’s flagship tools into a lightweight, accessible app. 

The result has been two very different but strong competitors, both serving non-designers who need to produce excellent, brand-consistent content fast.

I’ve used both, tested edge cases, pushed their limits, and here’s my verdict, backed by current features, recent updates, and trade-offs that are important for entrepreneurs in 2025.

The Evolution: Where These Tools Are Now

Canva

Canva has been building for the long game. In the past couple of years, it has leaned heavily into “Magic Studio,” which brings in tools like design resizing, background removal, even a kind of automatic writing assist. 

Its template library keeps growing, and there’s a clear push to support full-brand operations, not just one-person creators.

Thanks to its investment in a developer fund, Canva’s marketplace of apps is expanding fast. It’s a visual tool which is becoming a design ecosystem.

Adobe Express

Adobe didn’t just maintain Express as an afterthought. In fact, since rebranding, it has sewn in Firefly, its generative image engine, directly into Express workflows. That means you can generate images from text, apply “smart” fills or effects, and do it all with content that’s commercially safe.

In 2024, Adobe launched Express for Enterprise, which adds brand controls, bulk creation, and custom Firefly models, ideal if you’re scaling content production across teams or regions.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison: What Actually Works for Non-Designers

Here’s a critical look at how Canva and Adobe Express stack up, in ways that are important for people building businesses, not just designers.

1. Ease of Use & Learning Curve

• Canva: The interface feels instantly familiar. Dragging, dropping, resizing, it just works. For someone who designs occasionally, it’s forgiving and fast.
• Adobe Express: Slightly more structured. There’s more toolbox presence, but once you get used to it, you benefit from Adobe’s precision. For first-timers, there’s a small learning hump, but not a wall.

Hence, Canva takes the first place for absolute beginners, and Adobe Express gives you more management without being overwhelming.

2. Generative Tools & “Smart Design” Features

• Canva Magic: Magic Studio includes Magic Design, Magic Resize, Magic Write, and Magic Eraser. These let you auto-generate layouts, refine images, and even write short copies.
• Adobe Firefly in Express: Firefly, built into Express, allows text-to-image creation, style transfer, and generative fills. There’s even support for “content credentials”, a way to tag generated content to show its origin, which adds a layer of trust.

And here’s a very recent update: Adobe Express now supports Google Gemini’s “Flash Image” model inside Firefly, meaning you can generate up to 20 free images via that route (for now).

So, Adobe Express has more generative muscle, especially for brand-led content, and Canva? It’s simpler and usually faster.

3. Templates & Flexibility

• Canva: Millions of templates across social posts, pitch decks, ads, and more. Very adaptive.
• Express: The template set is smaller, but it leans into high-quality, professional layouts, the kind you’d expect from Adobe.
• Customising is powerful in both, but Canva gives more ease; Express allows more customisation.

Verdict: If you want speed and variety, go with Canva. If you care about refined, brand-polished output, Express edges ahead.

4. Brand Kit & Consistency

• Canva: Lets you set brand colours, fonts and logos, then auto-apply them across designs. Useful when scaling from solo to a team.
• Express: With Express for Enterprise, you get stronger brand governance. You can lock elements, create brand templates, and even train custom Firefly models to generate on‑brand visuals.

For a single founder or small business, Canva’s kit is already extremely strong. For teams or agencies, Express’s brand management features are more powerful.

5. Collaboration & Workflow

• Canva: Real-time editing, team folders, and comments, very smooth for small or growing teams.
• Express: Also supports collaboration, but its strengths are in integration with Adobe Creative Cloud. For example, a marketer can spin up a design in Express, and a designer can refine it in Photoshop or Illustrator. Express also supports bulk content creation, very handy for campaign work.

Canva is fantastic for small teams, and Express provides workflow continuity into more serious Adobe creative tools.

6. Video & Motion

• Canva: Basic video features; good for short social clips.
• Express: More capable for video editing, thanks to integration with Adobe’s video heritage. You can add animations, transitions, and more complex layouts for social video.

Hence, Express brings more finesse when you need video, especially for more than just “quick social video”.

7. Integration Ecosystem

• Canva: Works well with marketing tools, content schedulers, and social platforms.
• Express: Because it’s part of Adobe’s ecosystem, it plugs more deeply into Creative Cloud, Acrobat, Illustrator, InDesign, and more. Also, Express Enterprise supports bulk export, brand-asset reuse, and cross-app workflows.

Use Canva if you’re building content from scratch. Use Express if you’re already working in Adobe or need enterprise-level integration.

8. Mobile Experience

• Canva: Very good mobile app. Almost all desktop design tools translate over realistically.
• Express: Has a mobile version too, though some users report it’s heavier. Still, generative features and editing work reliably on the go.

Pricing & Value

Here’s a comparison of cost, especially important for entrepreneurs trying to keep design spend lean.

Canva is better value if you’re working solo or in a very small team, and Express is cost-effective too, but its real value shows when you scale or integrate deeply with Adobe.

Performance & Reliability

In my testing:

• Export speed: Canva is snappy, though very complex designs or large files can lag.
• Cloud save / autosave: Very reliable on both, but Canva seems slightly less “heavy” and more graceful when my Wi-Fi isn’t the strongest.
• App stability: Some Express users (especially mobile) report occasional UI sluggishness. Meanwhile, long-time Canva users have posted about crashes after its newer updates.

Use Cases (How I’d Use, and Recommend, Each Tool)

Here are a few scenarios where each tool really shines:

• Solo Founder/Content Creator: I’d lean Canva. I need ads, carousels, pitch decks. Canva gets me there fast, especially when I don’t want to waste time stressing about alignment or layout.
• Small Marketing Team/Agency: Express wins. The brand management/controls, the bulk-create feature, and the ability to hand off to professional designers make it much more scalable.
• Video Marketer/Social Media Strategist: For campaign videos or recurring motion graphics, Express gives more flexibility and quality.
• Brand-First Business: If maintaining design consistency is essential (colours, fonts, campaigns), both tools are good, but Express gives more agency-level governance.

What Both Tools Get Wrong (or Could Improve)

I don’t buy into commendation without critique. Here are some of the downsides I encountered:

• Canva:
  • Magic features are powerful, but not always precise.
  • Very heavy templates or complex designs can make the interface lag.
  • Some advanced functionality (especially brand controls) is locked behind Pro/Teams.
• Adobe Express:
  • Firefly generation is great, but learning to control prompts well takes time.
  • Collaboration is improved, but it’s not as seamless for non‑Adobe users.
  • Mobile app is powerful, but performance depends heavily on your device; some users report clunkiness or crashes.
  • Bulk creation and brand lock are primarily Enterprise‑tier, not accessible to everyone.

Finally, What Should You Choose in 2025?

If I were building a lean startup or side hustle and needed design speed, flexibility, and ease, I’d pick Canva. Its simplicity and depth make it a go-to for entrepreneurs who just want “good, fast, on-brand” without the headache.

But if I were part of a growing team, working with marketing, sales, or design professionals, especially if I already use Adobe tools, I’d go for Adobe Express.

Its power, especially in generative design and brand consistency, scales in a way Canva can’t easily match when you start producing at volume or with tight brand rules.

But when done poorly, it can do quite the opposite, drawing criticism, confusing customers, and in some cases, damaging brand loyalty built over decades.

Here, insolvency practitioners Liquidation Centre look at some of the most talked-about rebrands that left audiences less than impressed, with expert commentary from Director Richard Hunt on what businesses can learn from their mistakes.

1. PrettyLittleThing – 2025: A Step Too Far Into Minimalism?

In March 2025, PrettyLittleThing unveiled a sleek new visual identity, swapping its signature bright pink branding for a minimalist black-and-white look. The rebrand was part of an effort to reposition the fast fashion giant as a more mature, elevated label.

The shift was seen by many as a dramatic departure from the bold, playful aesthetic that helped build the brand’s popularity among younger shoppers.

By removing the distinctive elements that made PLT instantly recognisable, the rebrand sparked a wave of commentary suggesting the company had lost touch with its audience.

“The black-and-white logo feels like watching your fun best friend suddenly turn corporate,” one user commented on TikTok – a sentiment echoed widely online.

Richard Hunt, Director at Liquidation Centre, says:

“Rebrands can really shake things up, but if a brand loses what made people fall in love with it in the first place, it can backfire. Moving too far from what made the brand popular can risk alienating loyal audiences and undo years of goodwill.”

2. Jaguar Land Rover – 2023: A Heritage Brand Reworked

In 2023, Jaguar Land Rover revealed a major rebrand. The company became JLR, with Jaguar, Range Rover, Defender and Discovery positioned as separate brands.

The goal was to modernise and appeal to the luxury electric market. But the change didn’t land well with many fans. Dropping the Land Rover name confused customers and drew criticism for overlooking one of the most recognisable names in British motoring.

Long-time supporters said it felt like the brand was turning its back on its roots. Others felt the new JLR logo lacked character and identity.

Richard adds:

“Legacy brands need to evolve, but not at the cost of what makes them iconic. If customers feel you’re erasing history, the brand can lose more than it gains.”

3. Twitter – 2023: X Marks the Miss

In 2023, Elon Musk rebranded Twitter as X, replacing the famous bird logo and iconic name with a stark, minimalist identity. The move was part of his wider plan to transform the platform into an “everything app”.

The reaction was swift and largely negative. Users and branding experts criticised the decision for scrapping over a decade of global recognition. Two years on, in 2025, most people still call it Twitter and continue to refer to posts as “tweets”, showing how little traction the new brand has gained.

“Changing a well-known brand name should never be rushed. When people still use the old name years later, it’s a sign the new identity hasn’t stuck.”

4. Hyundai – 2023: A Lesson in Saying It Right

In 2023, Hyundai launched a UK campaign to change how people pronounce its name. The brand had been widely called “Hyun-die” for years, but the company pushed to correct it to “Hyun-day”, in line with the global pronunciation.

The adverts were light-hearted, but the move sparked mixed reactions. Some appreciated the effort to honour the brand’s Korean roots. Others felt the change was unnecessary and confusing, especially when the old version was so widely used and recognised.

“Even something as simple as how people say your name is part of your brand. But if you try to change it after years of people saying it a certain way, it can feel a bit forced. You’ve got to meet customers where they are.”

5. Tropicana – 2009: When Packaging Goes Pear-Shaped

In 2009, Tropicana decided to give its orange juice packaging a fresh new look. The brand replaced its familiar orange-with-a-straw image with a clean, minimalist design. But instead of being seen as modern, the new look confused shoppers and led to a sharp drop in sales.

Customers struggled to spot the product on shelves, with many saying it looked too generic and had lost its recognisable identity. Just weeks after the rebrand, Tropicana reversed the decision and brought back the old packaging.

“This shows how powerful familiarity is. A design might look dated to a brand team, but to customers, it’s part of what they trust. Change it too suddenly and you risk breaking that connection.”

Richard Hunt comments on how brands and businesses can rebrand successfully by balancing fresh ideas with what customers already know and trust:

“To plan a successful rebrand, businesses need to start by understanding how their brand is currently seen and what they want to achieve. Research is key; talking to customers and analysing the market helps spot what’s working and what isn’t. It’s also important to involve people throughout the process and test new ideas before going live. Clear communication about why the change is happening can build support, and after launch, brands should keep a close eye on feedback and be ready to adapt. Thoughtful planning like this makes a rebrand much more likely to succeed.”

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Flam is building the infrastructure to make that possible. The company has raised $14 million in Series A funding to scale its AI Infra, making it easy for marketers to turn any touchpoint into an interactive, app-less digital and 3D experience.

The round was led by RTP Global, with participation from Dovetail and other existing investors, bringing Flam’s total funding to $22 million.

To date, Flam has been transforming advertising by turning traditional ads into interactive MR experiences. A simple QR code Scan or a link will let users instantly immerse in an experience that can showcase a product, tell a story, or unlock a deeper layer of the brand — all without needing to download an app.

Flam’s platform allowed brands to launch interactive content via QR codes or link on any touchpoint – Digital, Broadcast TV, Mass Media, Retail, OOH, packaging, even WhatsApp messages.

One scan or a link click, and consumers are instantly immersed in an experience that can showcase a product, tell a story, or unlock a deeper layer of the brand — all without needing to download an app.

Starting this year, Flam has been accelerating R&D on its app-less GenAI infrastructure that enables brands to create, publish and measure high-fidelity MR, 3D & Digital experiences in <300 ms on any smartphone.

The same infra already powers campaigns for Google, Samsung, Emirates and hundreds of global enterprises and agency powerhouses.

“Our mission is to turn every touch-point — Digital, Broadcast TV, Mass Media, Retail, Stadium Fan engagements —into an interactive digital experience,” said Shourya Agarwal, co-founder & CEO of Flam.

“We are laser-focused to ship the GenAI tools that brands and enterprises have been yearning for. Flam has galvanised marketers around the world now we’re taking it to the next level with a full stack enterprise suite of products across channels; to make them engaging, measurable, interactive.”

The platform is already being used by 100+ global brands, including Google, Samsung, Emirates, Britannia, and Mahindra, with real-time mixed reality campaigns that have reached over 380+ million users.

From turning product packaging into shareable stories to activating 3D demos on TV ads and billboards, Flam is helping brands create experiences that feel native to how people consume media today.

Flam will expand its partner program for creative studios and global platforms, enabling Fortune 500 brands to move from pilot to rapid global roll-out. Upcoming product development includes GenAI-driven 3D asset generation, Democratising MR deployment at scale, Enterprise Suite of Products across Industries, and Infrastructure for broadcasters and fan engagement.

With its Series A secured, Flam aims to redefine how consumers interact with ads, retail aisles, live broadcasts and fan moments—turning content and interfaces into shoppable, shareable experiences that deliver measurable ROI. 

“This capital unlocks the next chapter of Flam’s deep‑tech roadmap. Our edge‑compute architecture already streams hyperreal mixed‑reality in under 300 ms; the next milestone is a fully generative pipeline that lets brands create, personalise, and publish Digital & 3D experiences on the fly—secure and at scale,” Amit Gaiki, co‑founder & CTO, added. 

Nishit Garg, partner at RTP Global, commented: “The time for MR is now — and Flam is uniquely positioned to lead this wave. What excites us is not just the technology, but the clarity of vision and speed of execution. Shourya, Malhar and team are building a category-defining company—and we’re excited to be part of their journey in this next phase of growth”.

While, Amal Parikh, managing director at Dovetail added: “With Limitless applications, strong execution and clear vision we believe Flam is set to redefine how brands connect with consumers.” 

Flam currently employs 120+ people across engineering, AI, creative tech, and go-to-market teams. The company expects to grow to 180+ employees by the end of 2025, with expansion across the U.S., Europe, and Asia already underway.

“The World is meant to be experienced. Immersive media shouldn’t just be a video,” added Shourya Agarwal. “That said, the creation of immersive media should be as easy and ubiquitous as a video. Flam is here to power enterprises precisely for this.”