GoKawiil
Tech News
A franchise owner describes losing a corporate job in 2017 while their franchise business was struggling after a slow launch. They outline six lessons learned during that period, split into emotional lessons about mindset and identity, and tactical lessons about business strategy learned through trial and error.
A 25-year veteran web builder and current CEO of Builderall argues that having a website used to signal professionalism and drive traffic, but that advantage has vanished now that AI can generate a polished site in minutes. He cites Netcraft's March 2026 survey showing roughly 1.43 billion websites exist, yet only about 208 million show signs of active upkeep, meaning most are abandoned or dormant.
Codie Sanchez, founder of Contrarian Thinking, has released a book arguing that buying an existing small business is a more reliable wealth-building path than traditional investing. She discusses common mistakes entrepreneurs make when running businesses informally, or 'cowboying' operations, and addresses how artificial intelligence fits into ownership strategy.
An Entrepreneur contributor argues that most small businesses like restaurants and bars overprice branded merchandise, charging $25 to $80 for items that often cost only $5 to $15 to produce. The writer says this pricing discourages purchases and wastes an opportunity, since customers who love a product or experience are often willing but reluctant to pay high markups for logo gear.
Codie Sanchez, who built a following of roughly 15 million by teaching people to buy overlooked small businesses like laundromats and car washes, has expanded her platform into a larger company called Contrarian Thinking that spans investment, advisory and media work. She credits her success to buying aging owners' established businesses rather than starting from scratch, a strategy she first used over a decade ago and later turned into a bestselling book and online following.
A longtime small-business marketing consultant argues that many companies build attractive websites that fail to turn visitors into customers. He recommends prioritizing clear usability, straightforward instructions and essential information over stylish but unclear design, and suggests using digital retargeting ads and direct-mail postcards to re-engage visitors who leave without converting.
A Maine business that sold fox and coyote urine to hunters as a cover scent noticed an unusually large order from a lawn and garden store outside hunting season. A phone call revealed the retailer's customers were gardeners using the same product to scare rabbits away from vegetable patches, uncovering an entirely new customer base the founder hadn't realized existed.
A Walmart Business survey of over 500 decision-makers at companies with 10 to 500 employees found that 37% spend four to seven hours per week on routine purchasing tasks like comparing prices, placing orders and reconciling invoices. The survey also revealed that 87% of businesses juggle two to five suppliers just for everyday supplies, from office goods to breakroom snacks to tech accessories.
Thryv's 2026 AI and Small Business Adoption Survey found that AI adoption among small businesses rose from 55% to 66% year over year, with 70% reporting revenue gains and 92% saying it saves time. However, 70% of respondents said they still need more AI training, even though 86% describe themselves as comfortable using the tools.
A ZDNET contributor shares how they've been using ChatGPT Work, OpenAI's agentic AI tool, to handle five recurring small-business tasks, including sorting through PR email correspondence from OpenAI and other outlets. The writer describes connecting Gmail to the tool only temporarily for large tasks and disconnecting afterward as a security precaution, while noting prompts often need refinement to get useful results.
A Harvard Business School survey found that about half of U.S. workers favor working from home, with 40% willing to accept a pay cut of at least 5% for the option to telecommute. The trend is fueling interest in launching home-based startups, with several viable small-business ideas requiring no traditional office space.
After a March 2025 executive order targeted the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund for elimination, B:Side Capital CEO faced an existential threat to the SBA-backed lender's operations. Rather than scrambling for a new strategy, the CEO relied on a previously established written code of decision-making principles to guide the organization through the weekend crisis and present a plan to staff and board by Monday.