GoKawiil
Tech News
Owners of small business websites say they are being hit with heavy traffic from Meta's AI web crawlers, straining servers and disrupting normal operations. The complaints follow Meta's announcement of upcoming terms changes that would expand how AI crawlers can access data from business accounts.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology released a new white paper, Small Business Cybersecurity: Non-Employer Firms, aimed at the roughly 28 million U.S. solopreneurs who run businesses alone. The guide updates an earlier, broader publication on small-business information security and instead focuses specifically on protecting digital systems, using plain language drawn from the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0.
A longtime small-business owner writing for Entrepreneur outlines seven lessons learned from two decades of using independent contractors, warning that savings from avoiding payroll taxes and benefits can be offset by higher hourly rates, turnover and other hidden costs. The piece advises comparing the total cost of a contractor versus an employee for each role rather than assuming contractors are automatically cheaper.
The founder of medical supply company MedLab International says they started the business using only an $8,000 credit card, with no outside investment. With limited funds, they personally handled warehouse packing, inventory management, supplier negotiations, deliveries and customer support rather than hiring staff.
A Fiverr survey of 6,000 small business owners released in May 2025 found that 77% use generative AI for business, personal needs, or both. Fiverr's more recent June 2026 Business Trends Index shows searches for AI-related freelance services surging, including a 278% jump in Video & Animation, 94% in Programming & Tech, and 938% for Claude Code specialists, comparing November 2025–April 2026 to the prior six months.
Fiverr's 2025 Economic Impact Report finds that small business hiring of freelancers has grown 260% in recent years, with freelancing now contributing $319 billion to the U.S. economy. The top outsourced roles include voice-over work, website development, SEO, video editing and social media marketing, with average freelancer earnings reaching $52,000 annually in top markets.
In a contributed column for Entrepreneur, the author of 'The Small-Business Money Game' describes a recurring pattern where growing companies hit 'breakpoints' — points at which the systems, leadership and habits that drove earlier success stop working. The piece identifies roughly the $2 million revenue mark as a common threshold where founders who still make every decision themselves begin to struggle, even as customer demand and revenue keep rising.
A new OnDeck analysis of Annual Business Survey data from census.gov ranked U.S. industries by the share of business owners without college degrees. Construction topped the list at 67%, followed by personal, home and automotive services at 64%, and transportation and warehousing at 62%. ZipRecruiter data cited in the report shows construction business owners can earn up to $339,500 annually, with average pay around $127,973.
Antima Jain and Pooja Choudhary, friends who met 11 years ago in Minnesota, used their own savings to launch a Color Me Mine paint-your-own pottery studio franchise in Edina in March 2025. The pair, both immigrants from India, bonded over shared interests before deciding to start a business together as their children grew more independent.
A business columnist for Entrepreneur argues small businesses should build a 30-day cash flow plan to spot payroll shortfalls before they hit, citing Xero data showing U.S. invoices are paid about eight days late on average and Canadian ones about 11 days late. The piece also cites Canadian government survey data showing roughly 45% of small businesses seeking debt financing needed it for day-to-day operations like payroll, while only 40% say payroll data informs their decision-making.
An opinion piece from a veterinary hospital network leader argues that businesses facing rising costs should raise prices gradually and transparently rather than suddenly. The author cites a survey finding that 52% of pet owners skipped needed veterinary treatments, with 71% of those citing cost as the reason. The piece recommends improving workflows and supporting staff before implementing price increases.
Five small-business concepts that can be launched from a home setting are highlighted, reflecting a trend where nearly half of U.S. small enterprises operate from residences. This shift is driven by reduced commuting preferences and the desire to lower startup costs, with telecommuting facilitating various entrepreneurial ventures.