Small business sales rose 2.4% in June on higher average tickets and a retail rebound. Alex explains what that means for your pricing and customer frequency. Then: back-to-school spending is up, but Walmart now captures nearly 80% of parents, and how a small shop still wins. Plus: a $38 billion swipe-fee settlement and proposed debit-cap cuts that could finally lower your card costs. Three stories, five minutes, done.

Most owners have bought AI tools, but only about 18% use them consistently. Alex explains how to close that gap by mastering one workflow at a time. Then: why ransomware now drives 88% of small business breaches, and the free step that blocks most attacks. Plus: new commerce tools that turn a product photo into a checkout link and meet buyers on social. Three stories, five minutes, done.

Small business health premiums are set to jump a median 11% for 2026, one of the steepest increases in a decade. Alex covers how to walk into renewal with leverage, the 1099-K and 1099-NEC reporting thresholds that just changed, and the Beneficial Ownership filing that still carries a $500-a-day penalty. Plus: why commercial electricity keeps climbing and the supplier switch that can cut your bill. Three stories, five minutes, done.

A new New York Fed study finds nearly 240,000 small importers paid an average of $90,000 more in tariffs in just three months. Alex explains how to size up your own exposure, why 84% of hiring owners still can't find qualified workers, and how to compete without an endless wage war. Plus: the 2026 minimum-wage and overtime rules that can raise your payroll floor through a single remote employee. Three stories, five minutes, done.

The SBA just doubled its cumulative loan limit to $10 million by letting you combine 7(a) and 504 financing, the biggest ceiling in the agency's history. Alex breaks down what that means for capital-hungry businesses, why the Fed's fourth straight rate hold keeps prime at 6.75%, and where SBA rates stand now. Plus: small business optimism is stuck below average ahead of tomorrow's fresh NFIB reading. Three stories, five minutes, done.

Three regulatory shifts that put time and money back in your pocket: the 1099-NEC threshold jumps from $600 to $2,000 and the 1099-K resets to $20,000, the 20% Qualified Business Income deduction is now permanent, and Beneficial Ownership reporting stays paused for most U.S. businesses. Alex explains what each one means and the exact move to make.

82% of small business employers now use AI, running a median of five tools — but the same technology is being turned against them. Alex covers why 88% of ransomware attacks now hit small businesses, why multifactor authentication is the cheapest protection you're probably not using, and how machine-speed attacks are outrunning human-speed defenses.

The Federal Reserve held its benchmark rate for a fourth straight meeting, keeping prime at 6.75% — so stop budgeting for a cut that isn't coming. Alex explains why SBA loan rates are now the lowest since 2022, why the affordable capital is already on the table, and why cash flow — not profit — is the number one challenge for three in four small businesses.

Small business job openings bounced back in June, with 62% of owners hiring or trying to hire — but 84% of them still can't find qualified applicants. Alex covers the soft national jobs report (just 57,000 jobs added), why 3.5% wage growth is losing to 4%-plus inflation, and why owners are pulling back on raises at exactly the wrong moment.

The CBP refund portal for the invalidated emergency tariffs is live, with roughly $166 billion up for grabs — but small importers without a customs broker risk getting shut out. Alex breaks down how to file a CAPE declaration, why 67% of owners say tariffs still squeezed them this year, and why customers are buying early to beat the next price hike.