The Tariff Refund Window Is Open. Here Is What Small Business Importers Need to Do.

by Admin | May 21, 2026 | Business Strategy, Economic Insight, SMB Leadership

On February 20, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a category of tariffs called IEEPA tariffs. More than 300,000 U.S. companies that paid these tariffs are owed refunds, totaling roughly $166 billion. U.S. Customs opened the refund process on April 20, and...

Why Many Small Businesses Are Pulling Back Despite Profitability

by Admin | May 14, 2026 | Becoming Bankable, Business Strategy, Economic Insight

The April Bank of America Institute Small Business Checkpoint frames a contradiction worth a closer look. Profitability growth held positive through the first quarter, but small business payroll growth has been negative for three consecutive months, and overall...

Small Business Credit Readiness: Why Lenders Still Say No

by Admin | Mar 26, 2026 | Becoming Bankable, Business Strategy, SMB Leadership

Last week, we discussed how credit shapes small business lender readiness. So, what actually happens when a loan request moves from conversation to credit review? Recently published Federal Reserve data gives us a clearer picture. In the 2026 Report on Employer Firms,...

Small Business Lender Readiness Starts With Credit

by Admin | Mar 19, 2026 | Becoming Bankable, Business Strategy, SMB Leadership

March is National Credit Education Month, making it an ideal time for small business owners to revisit an often-overlooked reality. Many underestimate how much personal credit influences loan review and approval. When lenders evaluate a business loan application, they...

How Small Businesses Can Compete in a Skills-Based Labor Market

by Admin | Mar 12, 2026 | Business Strategy, SMB Leadership, Strategy Planning

In our previous post, we discussed why hiring continues to feel harder than it should. The impact goes beyond recruiting. For many small businesses, labor constraints are shaping growth decisions. When the right skills are not in place, expansion slows. Owners...

Disciplined Execution Is the Final Piece in Growth Planning

by Admin | Feb 26, 2026 | Becoming Bankable, Business Strategy, SMB Leadership

As business strategies for 2026 are tightened, execution is taking center stage. This article concludes a four-part series examining how small business leaders are planning to thrive in the current economic environment and beyond. Insight 1: Business owners are...