Q

The Latest in: Operations

Overhead view of a commercial space undergoing renovation, with furniture covered in plastic sheeting and a woman holding a laptop standing on a wooden floor. The scene reflects preparation or transition, symbolizing investment and change, aligning with capital spending trends.

Is Now the Right Time to Invest in Your Business?

While many owners are currently investing, future plans show a sense of caution.
Two smiling baristas, a woman and a man with Down syndrome, stand side-by-side in a cozy coffee shop, both wearing aprons with arms crossed. The image highlights an inclusive workplace, showcasing the benefits of hiring people with disabilities in small businesses.

Untapped Potential: The Benefits of Hiring People with Disabilities

Research indicates that businesses that prioritize disability inclusivity outperform their competitors in several metrics.
Focused middle-aged man in glasses and a vest reviews financial data on a computer screen at a well-organized desk, symbolizing the importance of avoiding retirement planning mistakes for small business owners.

Retirement Planning Mistakes to Avoid as a Small Business Owner

The demands of running a business can make it easy to push your own financial future to the back burner.
A warehouse worker wearing a blue hard hat and high-visibility vest moves a stack of cardboard boxes on a red pallet jack across a concrete floor, surrounded by rows of industrial shelving filled with boxes. This scene illustrates the operational environment addressed by the Warehouse Worker Protection Act.

The Warehouse Worker Protection Act: A Small Business Guide

New legislation is making its way through Congress that could significantly change how warehouses and distribution centers operate.
Close-up of hands cutting eco-friendly labels on a blue surface, featuring messages like '100% Recyclable' and 'Reusable,' emphasizing sustainability for small businesses. Scattered labels and a cardboard box in the background highlight a focus on sustainable packaging practices.

Cut Costs and Go Green: Sustainability for Small Businesses

Using motion-sensor lighting and eliminating single-use plastics are just a couple of easy ways to be more sustainable.
A close-up of hands opening a brown cardboard box with a utility knife, cutting through clear packing tape. The box features a delivery note label with order details. The person wears a striped shirt, a watch, and a ring. The image illustrates the end of the de minimis exemption in the United States and the resulting impact on small businesses.

The End of De Minimis: What Small Businesses Need to Know

This change affects millions of small businesses and e-commerce operations that rely on international suppliers or serve international customers.
Three individuals in a warehouse setting engage in a positive business interaction. Two workers wearing white hard hats and orange safety vests stand beside a man in a suit, shaking hands and smiling. A table in the foreground holds a white hard hat, scanning devices, and a clipboard, emphasizing workplace operations. The industrial background features tall shelves stacked with boxes and pallets. This scene illustrates collaboration and success, highlighting the importance of employee incentive programs for small businesses in fostering teamwork and productivity.

Is Your Team Motivated? A Look at Employee Incentive Programs

Paired interests mean that your employees have a vested stake in the success of your business. When they win, you win.
A busy woodworking workshop representing small business sectors hit hardest by tariffs. Two workers in motion, one carrying a wooden panel and another operating machinery, surrounded by tools, raw materials, and industrial equipment, highlighting the challenges faced by small businesses in affected industries.

These Are the Small Business Sectors Hit Hardest by Tariffs

Construction companies represent the hardest-hit sector, with 78% reporting direct tariff impacts.