Big city small businesses express confidence generally, while those in small towns, suburban or rural areas showed increasing concern about their future. These worries stem from factors like workers returning to offices, economic uncertainties, and challenges in securing finances.

A bit of a mixed bag here. Small businesses holding their own for now and generally feeling good about current performance, certainly worried about the future, particularly those in rural areas. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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Reported by Axios fast casual restaurants as they're known are establishments that are not full-blown dine-in experiences, but more of a hybrid between traditional fast food and sit down restaurants. Those like Chipotle and Wingstop, for example, are facing a significant slowdown in business as consumers, especially cash strapp Gen Zers grow weary of the economy and become even more price sensitive as a result. What's significant about this? Well, fast casual restaurants typically have more insulation from a downturn because they target higher income customers than traditional fast food. Rising unemployment and lower discretionary spending is forcing consumers into even more scrutiny over their spending these days.

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Midwest startups has come out with its ranking of the top cities in the Midwest. If you've got a startup, and we've got some highlights for you. Before we get to the rankings though, first, the criteria by which the cities were ranked 43 point half percent of the weight in this ranking was determined by a measure of each city's startup, community, activity and vibrancy, including factors such as the number of active startups. Growth in startup formation over the past few years and other related factors. Access to resources was about 39% of the weight. A measure of how supportive each city's ecosystem is, including the availability of resources that helped startups grow, and again, other related factors. Business climate, 17.5% was the weight of this factor. A measure of how conducive each city's economic environment is to attracting and scaling businesses. So how did they rank? Well, Detroit came in seventh in the Midwest. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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The latest data from Payments, sheds more light on just how they are shopping and what they're shopping for, as well as highlighting what's most important to them when it comes to making their online buying decisions. First, as expected from the digital first-generation Genzer shop and buy on mobile more than any other generation, and what they're shopping for is

influenced by influencers. More than any other source. Clicking is faster than going to a store. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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The US toy industry has returned to growth in the first half of 2025, after a flat 2024. Even with a sales decline in 2023, sales are up 6% year over year in 25, and after three years of stagnation, the average selling price also climbed 3% year over year. Who's driving the growth? Well, believe it or not, it's adults. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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New data from a study from Wonder Kind highlights the following: 53% of those surveyed said, US consumers are paying the financial costs for imported goods. This share was even higher for older people expressed by 67% of boomers and 61% of Gen X as well as women at 55% believe that consumers are the ones bearing most, if not all of the cost increases. Only 10% think retailers take on the cost, and 13% pointed to brands or manufacturers that bear this cost. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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Detroit came in 7th in the Midwest based on the current rankings, Columbus, Ohio at 6th, Ann Arbor moves up from 7th to number 5 in this month's rating displacing both Detroit and Columbus, moving them down each a notch. Pittsburgh at number 4, Indianapolis at 3, Minneapolis at 2, and the number one city in the Midwest for startups as they've been ranked in 2025, Chicago. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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As expected from the digital first generation Gen Z shop and buy on mobile more than any other generation, and what they're shopping for is influenced by influencers more than any other source. Gen Z is health conscious. Nearly 15% of Gen Z's monthly digital transactions are focused on their wellbeing. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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While most small businesses reported increasing revenues in the past year, alongside fewer instances of contracting margins or staffing difficulties. This positive sentiment is countered by many [00:01:00] small business owners. In particular, those in those rural areas that worry about their longtime survival, threatened most of all by what they qualify as concerns over general macro poor economic conditions, which emerged as the overwhelming primary reasons cited by 46% of those rural, small businesses. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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Fast casual restaurants typically have more insulation from a downturn because they target higher-income customers than traditional fast food. Rising unemployment and lower discretionary spending are forcing consumers into even more scrutiny over their spending these days and one area hit particularly hard is this category. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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advertising.