by Admin | Jan 29, 2026 | Business Strategy, Economic Insight, SMB Leadership, Strategy Planning
As 2026 begins, the pressure shaping small business decisions is changing. Inflation dominated conversations for much of the last two years. Pricing pressure has not disappeared, but it is no longer the issue driving most planning decisions. More business owners are...
by Admin | Nov 13, 2025 | Economic Insight, SMB Leadership, Strategy Planning
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:...
by Admin | Oct 30, 2025 | Economic Insight, SMB Leadership, Strategy Planning
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...
by Admin | Oct 23, 2025 | Becoming Bankable, Business Strategy, Economic Insight, SMB Leadership
The latest NFIB Small Business Economic Trends report shows that optimism among small business owners declined in September for the first time in three months. The Small Business Optimism Index fell to 98.8 (down 2.0 points from August), while the Uncertainty Index...
by Admin | Sep 25, 2025 | Becoming Bankable, Economic Insight, SMB Leadership, Strategy Planning
In a recent post, we highlighted a paradox in the small business landscape: optimism was climbing, but investment lagged. The latest NFIB Small Business Economic Trends report (August 2025) shows the same pattern playing out in financing. Borrowing Is at Its Lowest in...
by Admin | Aug 28, 2025 | Business Strategy, Economic Insight, Profitability, SMB Leadership
The small businesses that pay tariffs directly to US Customs saw their costs jump 170% since January 2025, serving as an early warning system for the broader economy. These direct importers are essentially economic canaries in the coal mine. They feel policy changes...
