An Entrepreneur contributor argues that Black Friday offers opportunities not just for big retailers but for local 'boring' businesses like bakeries, salons and cleaning companies. The piece cites Tailor Brands data showing cleaning and home-service business formations grew 60% to over 300% in 2026, and notes inBeat reporting that 202.9 million Americans shopped over the Thanksgiving-to-Cyber-Monday period in 2025, up from 197 million in 2024. It recommends tactics such as handwritten offers, AI-discoverable deals, abandoned-cart automation, radio ads and free offers to attract higher-value customers.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-11-10
A contributor writing for Entrepreneur, affiliated with Fix Your Search, argues that small businesses often make the mistake of assigning social media duties to whoever seems comfortable online rather than someone trained in strategy. The piece outlines seven reasons why training a social media team—covering platform knowledge, consistent execution, and understanding what drives engagement—is essential for organic growth. It emphasizes that organic social media can build trust and brand loyalty without ad spend, but only when run strategically.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-11-06
An Entrepreneur contributor argues that many small businesses overestimate their disaster readiness and lays out two concrete fixes: adding a secondary internet connection, such as fixed wireless or a mobile hotspot, so a single line failure doesn't halt operations, and setting up automated cloud backups that are tested quarterly to confirm both file integrity and restore time.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-11-02
Bank of America's 2026 Workplace Benefits Report finds small-business employees report lower financial confidence than workers at larger firms, with 56% saying they feel stressed about their finances. The report also lists staying competitive on pay and getting job offers accepted among small business owners' top concerns for the next five years.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-10-29
Retirement benefits like 401(k) plans were historically limited to larger companies with HR departments to manage the administrative burden and cost. Over the past decade, technology improvements and policy changes have made it easier and cheaper for small businesses to offer retirement plans to employees.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-10-20
A contributor to Entrepreneur outlines eight low-cost marketing strategies drawn from personal business experience and client work, arguing that tight budgets can push business owners toward more creative tactics. The first example details using auctions to sell inventory, citing Bidbus data showing auction prices rise 4.51% with two bidders and nearly 10% with five or more.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-10-15
An Entrepreneur contributor argues that cybersecurity has become a fundamental business concern for small and medium-sized enterprises, not just an IT issue, as digital transformation expands both opportunity and exposure to attacks. The piece contends that most SMEs lack dedicated security teams and instead need practical, integrated guidance built into tools they already use daily.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-10-12
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.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-10-08
An Entrepreneur contributor argues that small companies often rely solely on the owner's memory to explain past decisions, which creates risk when the owner isn't available. The piece recommends three recordkeeping components—a regularly updated business plan, bookkeeping, and corporate records—to document a company's direction, actual financial activity, and the authorization behind key decisions.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-10-06
An Entrepreneur contributor argues that small businesses should treat every customer touchpoint, from storefront cleanliness to website usability, as part of a cumulative experience that builds loyalty. The piece recommends auditing the full customer journey to find hidden friction points rather than assuming where problems lie, and highlights culturally relevant campaigns and consistent service as ways to earn trust.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-10-03
Meta announced that its Muse AI agent is now available to small businesses, with new integrations for Shopify, Dropbox, Slack, Stripe, QuickBooks and other widely used tools. Muse can also connect to Instagram analytics, Facebook Pages and Meta ad accounts to help owners manage operations and find customers. The service is free with usage limits, with paid subscription plans for heavier use.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-29
A Toronto BMW dealership's AI chatbot, named Quinn, texted a customer an offer of CA$27,162.79 to buy back his car — a figure that turned out to be his outstanding loan balance, not an actual valuation. A salesperson later tried to withdraw the offer, and the dealership only honored it again after CBC News contacted them for comment.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-09-25
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