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Tech News
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.
Apple has refreshed the Mac mini for the first time in nearly two years, keeping its compact design but adding an M6 chip and notable performance gains. The base price has jumped from $599 to $899, a hike attributed largely to rising component costs driven by AI-related demand.
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.
Ning Xu, an optical engineer at Tsinghua University in Beijing, won Nikon's 2023 Small World in Motion competition with a super-resolution video capturing the abnormal beating of airway cilia in a child with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). His entry topped 346 submissions from 40 countries in the contest, which is a video-focused offshoot of Nikon's long-running Small World Photomicrography Competition.
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.
Mastercard's newly appointed marketing chief is reworking the company's longtime 'Priceless' branding into a global campaign centered on small businesses. The initiative comes as small firms grapple with rising energy costs tied to Middle East conflict, tariff-driven supply chain disruptions, and increasing labor expenses.
Apple has begun bundling Apple TV and Apple Arcade subscriptions into its 50GB iCloud+ plan at no extra cost across more than 100 countries, mostly smaller and price-sensitive markets. Some regions will also gain an 'Apple Music Select' tier with ad-free radio stations, with an option to upgrade to full Apple Music at a discount. Notably, the United States is not among the eligible countries.
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.
As generative AI adoption among small businesses surges—58% now use it, up from 23% in 2023—industry leaders including Michele Jawando of Omidyar Network say access to AI tools is no longer a differentiator. Speaking at a tech discussion, Jawando, Allison Scott of Kapor Foundation, and Katy Knight of Siegel Family Endowment argued that founders must focus on owning proprietary data and intellectual property built through AI rather than simply consuming the technology.
Bluecore Energy, founded by Kofi Asante and based at the Port of Long Beach, has raised an oversubscribed $50 million seed round just two months after emerging from stealth. The startup builds small modular nuclear reactors mounted on barges that can be moved to ports and nearby infrastructure to deliver clean power quickly without new fixed installations. Silverton Partners led the round, with backing from earlier investors like Slauson & Co., Harlem Capital and Chris Larsen, plus new participants including Collab Capital and HartBeat Ventures.
Fast Company has released its 2026 Best Workplaces for Innovators list, recognizing nine companies with 50 or fewer employees for category honors. Judges evaluated these small firms specifically on how well they cultivate cultures that encourage innovation among staff.