3 Economic Signals Small Business Owners Can’t Ignore Right Now
The Federal Reserve’s October 2025 outlook reveals three economic signals converging right now that require a strategic playbook. On October 6, Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid highlighted these shifts directly impacting your business strategy. Signal 1:...
The Margin Squeeze: What’s Really Driving Up Costs for Small Businesses in 2025
Are rising costs squeezing your business margins? You’re not alone. 75% of small businesses cite rising costs as their top financial challenge, according to the Federal Reserve’s 2024 Small Business Credit Survey released in March 2025. The key to...
Small Business Credit Quality Is Declining: What It Means for Borrowing Power
A Persistent Decline in Credit Quality For the 13th consecutive quarter, banks are reporting a decline in small business credit quality, according to the recently published Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s Q2 2025 Small Business Lending Survey. While interest...
SBA Refines Loan Options for Manufacturers with FY 2026 Fee Waiver
The Small Business Administration (SBA) has introduced the Manufacturing Loan Program (MLP), a dedicated track within its existing loan system. Rather than creating a new product, the program brings together two long-standing SBA tools, the 7(a) loan and the 504 loan,...