News

  by Jackie Navarrete In 2025, small businesses are having a tough time. Costs are going up. Fewer people are shopping. And things like high interest rates, inflation, and new tariffs are making it harder for them to survive. As a result, many small shops are cutting jobs and trying to save money wherever they … Read more

  by Jackie Navarrete Earlier this year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced it would be sending out more than $2.6 million in refunds to small business owners. Why? Because a major payment processor—First American Payment Systems—was caught engaging in deceptive and downright shady business practices. Thousands of small business owners got locked into expensive … Read more

  by Jackie Navarrete As Big Chain Restaurants Close Their Doors, a Rising Economy and Bold Diners Open New Opportunities Something is happening across America’s dining landscape. The once unshakable titans of the restaurant world—Red Lobster, Hooters, Chipotle, On The Border, TGI Fridays—are folding, restructuring, or shrinking. Places that once buzzed with the clatter of … Read more

  by Jackie Navarrete Can strange signals predict a recession? When economists start sounding alarms about a potential recession, most people turn to traditional indicators: GDP decline, rising unemployment, and stock market drops. But there’s a whole world of quirky, seemingly unrelated signs that can suggest an economic downturn is coming. They’re strange, sometimes funny, … Read more

  by Jackie Navarrete Trump’s No-Tax Tip Pledge: What It Means for Small Restaurants What’s in the Proposal? Trump’s promise, first made during a campaign rally and later repeated in public addresses, aims to: Eliminate federal income taxes on tipped wages, which would mean workers keep 100% of their reported tips. Stop taxing Social Security … Read more

  by Jackie Navarrete Springing forward: How to reawaken your business for the season of growth. When spring arrives, it doesn’t knock—it bursts in like a friend who’s had too much cold brew. And it’s not just your lawn or garden that needs tending. Your business can bloom too, if you know how to harness … Read more

  by Jackie Navarrete So what does the egg price rollercoaster mean for the economy and small businesses? Just when you thought eggs couldn’t possibly make more headlines, they’re at it again. After a stretch of being outrageously expensive—causing some of us to reconsider every omelet we’ve ever made—egg prices are finally cooling off. But … Read more

  by Jackie Navarrete Introduction in Turning Uncertainty Into Opportunity: Every Struggle Prepares You for Strength In the world of business, there’s a simple truth: growth comes through struggle. That may sound cliché, but it’s never been more relevant than in 2025. The stock market has been bouncing around like a rubber ball, and it’s … Read more

  by Jackie Navarrete How Trump’s Push to Dismantle the Dept. of Education Relates to Your Business (and Your POS System) Okay, let’s be real. At first glance, former President Trump’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education and your small business’s credit card processing needs might seem about as connected as pineapple on pizza … Read more

  by Jackie Navarrete President Trump’s Tariffs: What They Mean for Small Business Owners—and How to Respond When President Donald Trump introduced sweeping tariffs during his time in office, he reignited a long-standing debate over global trade, manufacturing, and economic nationalism. Designed to protect American industries and level the playing field, these tariffs came with … Read more