Articles

A calculator sitting on a table beside a laptop and paperwork, representing loan math and expansion planning.

The SBA Just Doubled the Ceiling on 7(a) and 504 Loans. That Matters If Growth Needs Two Kinds of Money.

The SBA's new policy lets qualified borrowers combine 7(a) and 504 loans for up to $10 million. If your next move needs both working capital and fixed-asset financing, this is the line that matters.

July 27, 2026 · By PRIYA KAPOOR

The FTC Just Put 'Made in USA' Claims Back on the Hot Seat. Small Brands Should Audit Today.

The FTC's latest warning letters are a reminder that domestic-origin claims need real proof. If your packaging, product pages, or reseller copy leans on 'Made in USA,' you need to check it now.

July 27, 2026 · By MARIA SANTOS

A warehouse shelf stacked with boxes, suggesting product origin claims and manufacturing oversight.

TurboPentest's New AI Security Launch Makes Pentesting Feel Like Software, Not a Consulting Project

TurboPentest launched a self-service AI penetration testing platform today, and the small-business implication is simple: security testing is getting cheaper, faster, and much easier to buy on demand.

July 26, 2026 · By ALEX RIVERA

A small business router and network cables, representing AI-driven attack surface testing

SBA's $6 Million Women’s Business Center Competition Is Open. The Deadline Is Aug. 10.

The SBA is funding a Women’s Business Center modernization competition worth $6 million. It is a grant story, but the owner takeaway is about access: more counseling, more training, and more local support if the money lands where the agency says it should.

July 23, 2026 · By TERRY BLAKE

An illustration of women entrepreneurs, a support network, and an Aug. 10 deadline for SBA modernization grants

More in Articles

New York Businesses in the Red Hook Fire Area Have an Aug. 14 SBA Deadline

The SBA says businesses and nonprofits affected by the Red Hook fire have until Aug. 14 to apply for low-interest economic injury loans. The useful part is simple: if you need the money, the deadline matters more than the headlines.

July 23, 2026 · By PRIYA KAPOOR

A Red Hook disaster loan illustration showing a relief packet, deadline notice, and storefront damage paperwork

Meta Is Taking Its AI Pitch to Pakistani Small Businesses. The Real Product Is Training.

Meta says it will train 1,000 Pakistani SMEs on AI tools, digital platforms, and online marketing. The move is less about hype than about who can actually use the tools well enough to grow.

July 23, 2026 · By MARIA SANTOS

A small business owner behind a shop counter, fitting a story about AI training for small businesses

Illinois Changed Local Sales Tax Rates on July 1. Remote Sellers Need to Check Their ZIP Codes.

Illinois changed local sales tax rates on July 1, and the state says remote retailers and marketplace sellers still need to watch business district taxes. The fix is simple: update the rate table before the return does it for you.

July 22, 2026 · By PRIYA KAPOOR

Legal and compliance documents on a desk, representing Illinois sales tax updates

The FTC Put AI Accuracy on the Compliance Radar. Small Businesses Should Pay Attention.

The FTC is asking for public comment on an AI accuracy policy statement. Small businesses that market AI-enabled services should treat that as a warning shot, not a footnote.

July 21, 2026 · By TERRY BLAKE

Business desk with calculator, charts, and financial paperwork for compliance review

SBA Just Opened a Free Month-Long Funding Boot Camp for Founders

If you are building a real product and keep tripping over grant jargon, the SBA's Seed Fund Summit is a surprisingly practical July reset: free webinars, live program directors, and a cleaner path into SBIR and STTR money.

July 13, 2026 · By ALEX RIVERA

Startup team planning funding and product work around a conference table

Pax8 Says Small Businesses Are Splitting Into AI Winners and AI Stuck-Ins

Pax8's latest SMB AI Pulse Report says adoption is broad, but execution is now what separates the businesses pulling ahead from the ones still testing.

July 13, 2026 · By MARIA SANTOS

A small business team listening to a presentation in a startup-style office

Mastercard Says AI Agents Could Give Small Businesses a Better Shot at Competing

Mastercard's latest message is that AI is no longer just a productivity story. It is becoming a commerce story, and small businesses may benefit if the rails stay trusted.

July 10, 2026 · By MARIA SANTOS

A small business checkout with a card reader and a customer paying at the counter

The SBA's Fraud Sweep Just Hit Wisconsin. Small Businesses Should Check Their Pandemic Loan Records.

The SBA says 7,800 Wisconsin borrowers are tied to $375 million in suspected PPP and EIDL fraud. The bigger lesson for owners is to keep every pandemic-era loan file in order.

July 9, 2026 · By PRIYA KAPOOR

Legal and compliance documents on a desk, representing loan record review

The SBA's New $10 Million Cap Changes the Math on Expansion Loans

The SBA just doubled the combined 7(a) and 504 ceiling to $10 million. For capital-hungry owners, the big shift is flexibility, not just size.

July 9, 2026 · By PRIYA KAPOOR

Business loan documents and financial paperwork on a desk

SBA and USDA Just Opened a Direct Line for Producers to Report Costly Rules

A new SBA and USDA agreement gives farmers, ranchers, rural communities, and small businesses a direct line to report regulations and rules that are driving up costs.

July 8, 2026 · By SAM OKAFOR

Rural farm field and working land representing producers and rural businesses

Queens and Nearby Counties Just Got SBA Disaster Loan Relief After the May Floods

The SBA says low-interest disaster loans are now available for businesses, nonprofits, and residents in Queens and five neighboring counties after severe flooding on May 20.

July 8, 2026 · By PRIYA KAPOOR

Rainy urban street scene representing storm and flood recovery

OpenAI's GPT-5.6 Launch Is Bigger Than a Model Drop. It Is a Pricing Signal for Small Businesses.

OpenAI says GPT-5.6 will go public Thursday after a government-delayed rollout, and the three-tier pricing could matter more to small businesses than the benchmark scores.

July 8, 2026 · By MARIA SANTOS

Person working on a laptop with business software open

Illinois May Force Video-Gaming Sales Brokers Onto Payroll

Illinois regulators are proposing a rule that would stop licensed video-gaming sales agents and brokers from working as independent contractors. If you use outside reps in this market, the contract review window is now.

July 7, 2026 · By SAM OKAFOR

Small business counter with payment terminal and customer transaction

Upwork Says AI Is Increasing Demand for Fractional Talent

Upwork's 2026 skills report says AI is not wiping out freelance work. It is changing what owners buy: more specialized help, more task-sized projects, and more work that sits alongside AI instead of trying to beat it.

July 6, 2026 · By JADE KIM

Independent professionals collaborating around laptops at a work table

Your Contractors Are Already Using AI. Ask How They Work.

MBO Partners says 74% of independent workers now use generative AI and many save about nine hours a week. For owners who hire freelancers, the better question is no longer whether they use AI but how they handle judgment, review, and client data.

July 3, 2026 · By JADE KIM

Xero Just Put Its AI Bookkeeper Inside Microsoft 365

Xero is bringing live accounting data into Microsoft 365 Copilot, turning a finance workflow into something owners can ask about in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Copilot Chat.

July 2, 2026 · By DANNY KOWALSKI

Business owner reviewing receipts, invoices, and bookkeeping documents

Small-Business Hiring Is Slipping, But the Work Is Not

QuickBooks says small-business employment dipped again in May. Upwork's 2026 skills map shows owners are still buying the same operational work, just more flexibly.

July 2, 2026 · By MARIA SANTOS

Small team working together in an office, representing hiring and staffing needs

The FTC Just Turned AI Accuracy Into a Compliance Question

The agency is asking for public comments on a policy statement that treats distorted AI outputs as potentially deceptive. If you sell AI to owners or use it in customer-facing promises, your claims just got riskier.

July 2, 2026 · By SAM OKAFOR

Business compliance paperwork and financial documents spread across a desk

Microsoft Just Made Copilot a Permanent Small-Business Bundle

Microsoft's Copilot push for small businesses is no longer a promo. As of July 1, the company has made its new SMB Copilot bundles permanent, which changes how owners will buy, budget for, and think about AI inside Microsoft 365.

July 1, 2026 · By DANNY KOWALSKI

Business team discussing strategy in a meeting room

Washington Quietly Changed the Business Filing Rules. Owners Should Check the Fine Print.

Washington just updated several business filing rules. Most owners can ignore the headline and still miss the part that matters - the filing they forget to update.

June 27, 2026 · By SAM OKAFOR

Business filing paperwork and forms on a desk

A Tokyo AI Startup Just Exposed a New Gap Small Businesses Can Actually Use

Sakana AI's new Fugu model is not just a geopolitics story. It is a reminder that small businesses want AI they can afford, control, and deploy without waiting on a single U.S. vendor.

June 27, 2026 · By MARIA SANTOS

A small tech team gathered around monitors in a startup office, suggesting an AI product launch and rapid product iteration

California Just Built an AI Layoff Tracker. Small Businesses Should Read It as a Warning Light.

California's new AI workforce tracker is not just a policy experiment. It is a signal that the state thinks AI job shifts are now real enough to measure.

June 27, 2026 · By ALEX RIVERA

Office team working together at laptops, representing workforce changes

The New SBA Scorecard Is a Bigger Deal Than It Looks for Small Businesses

The SBA says federal agencies awarded nearly 28% of prime contracts to small businesses in FY25. That is not just a headline. It is a reminder that government work is still one of the biggest channels most small firms ignore.

June 26, 2026 · By ALEX RIVERA

A team reviewing charts and paperwork at a conference table, representing federal contracting and procurement results

The FTC Just Made a Loud Point About Noncompetes. Small Businesses Should Listen.

The FTC's new order against Rollins stops enforcement of noncompetes against more than 18,000 workers. That is a labor story, but it is also a reminder that retention built on restrictions is fragile.

June 26, 2026 · By SAM OKAFOR

A worker reviewing a signed contract beside a pen, symbolizing employment agreements and noncompete rules

BrowserAct Shows Why The Next Useful AI Tool Might Just Be a Better Browser

BrowserAct is on Product Hunt as a browser layer for AI agents. The useful part is not the hype. It is that it can help AI do real work inside real websites instead of just talking about it.

June 26, 2026 · By DANNY KOWALSKI

A person working on a laptop with code on the screen, representing browser automation and AI workflows

The FTC Just Cracked Down on a Subscription Trap Factory. Small Businesses Should Read This Twice.

The FTC says a sprawling enterprise ran misleading internet subscription schemes, billed people without permission, and made cancellation hard. That is consumer protection news, but it is also a warning for any small business that sells subscriptions.

June 24, 2026 · By SAM OKAFOR

Hands using a phone and credit card during checkout, representing billing and subscription payments

The FTC Just Fined a Media Company for Selling 'AI That Listens to Your Customers.' It Was a Lie.

May 22, 2026 · By MARIA SANTOS

Smartphone and smart speaker on a desk, representing voice-activated devices

Google Is About to Start Calling Your Business for Your Customers. Here's What That Means.

May 20, 2026 · By TERRY BLAKE

Small business owner at a retail counter looking at a tablet while talking on the phone

The FTC Just Seized Yachts, 8 Mansions, and a 15-Carat Diamond Ring from a 'Trading Academy' MLM. Here's the Warning Every Aspiring Entrepreneur Needs.

May 15, 2026 · By ALEX RIVERA

A wooden gavel on a desk representing a legal judgment or court ruling

The FTC Just Fined Shutterstock $35 Million for Making It Hard to Cancel. Every Small Business Paying for a Subscription Should Read This.

May 14, 2026 · By ALEX RIVERA

Person reviewing a confusing invoice or billing statement at a desk

Canada Just Put $500 Million Behind Small Business AI Adoption

April 25, 2026 · By SAM TORRES

Small business owner reviewing financial documents at a desk