Stacker-Small Business

A small business owner has a decision to make. Overtime has climbed for the third month in a row, and the team is stretched. Adding another employee could ease the workload, but it also means adding to payroll at a time when cash flow needs to be watched closely. It’s tempting to look at the

There is a lot of AI in the retail industry. From writing product descriptions, to creating marketing, helping with customer service, forecasting sales, displaying products, etc. While all these are great, what can AI actually help a retailer with? If you have a current POS system, you’re already halfway there. Data is created with each

It’s mid-October. Holiday orders are in with a dozen suppliers, each with different payment terms. The first invoices are arriving, with more in November, but most of the holiday revenue won’t come in until December. That’s an accounts payable squeeze: You owe suppliers for goods that haven’t sold yet. For most retailers, that means inventory

Many businesses are approaching automation exactly like most people approach a new hobby: a lot of enthusiasm but shaky planning. And it’s happening at scale. The majority of SMBs (76%) have adopted some form of automation, ranging from simple rule-based workflows (38%) to AI that makes decisions across multiple systems with limited human input (30%). Unlike hobbies,

A customer opens your returns page. The jacket didn’t fit. They’re disappointed, a little impatient, and one bad experience away from never buying from you again. What happens next could determine whether they become a repeat customer—or move on to a competitor. That’s because a return isn’t just the end of a sale. It’s another

Choosing the right domain name sets the tone for your website. It’s your web address, your first impression and a key part of your brand. A good domain should be easy to remember, reflect your business and help people find you online. “Changing domains down the road can be costly and confusing, so it pays

With data from more than 200,000 active accounts, Bluevine has a unique view into small-business momentum across America. Combining that proprietary perspective with government data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, and other sources, Bluevine ranked the 100 U.S. metros with the most Bluevine customers and identified the top 15 cities for small

The holiday rush can bring in more customers and work than your regular staff can handle. Seasonal employees can help you meet this demand, but that extra help comes with additional expenses, tasks and risks. If you’re hiring for the winter months, maximize your investment. ERGO NEXT looks at how to determine how much extra help you

For most small business owners, tax season does not start in April. It’s year-round, and doesn’t begin until the last weeks of December, when the window closes on many of the moves that shape what they will owe. That window matters more than many owners realize. In the 2026 Small Business Tax Confidence Report from 1-800Accountant, a

Have you ever driven past an empty lot one day, only to find a car wash the next time you pass it? It isn’t surprising, knowing that the car wash market size was estimated at $16.3 billion in 2025 by Grandview Research, and that number is just going to keep on climbing. It’s expected to reach $20.7

The business is growing and it’s finally time to hire someone to help keep things running. When an owner sits down to budget for that first employee, the natural starting point is the salary. The offer letter says $50,000, so that’s what goes into the plan. The real cost is higher, but it’s predictable if

Google Ads conversion adjustments let you correct a conversion after Google has already recorded it, retracting one that should no longer count or restating its value when better information changes what that conversion is worth. They’re especially useful when that first recorded conversion does not reflect the outcome you want Smart Bidding to learn from. A

Small businesses are a pillar of the U.S. economy, generating trillions of dollars in economic output and employing roughly 62.3 million workers. But they are also among the first to feel the pain of an economic downturn. Unlike large corporations, small businesses rarely have the luxury of large cash reserves. When cash gets tight, owners

There was a time when you heard the word subscription and all that came to mind was Netflix and that monthly gym membership you used twice and then never went back to. Cut to 2026, and monthly memberships and subscriptions are ubiquitous. Your car’s remote start needs a subscription, and so does your printer’s ink

For many small business owners, cybersecurity sits somewhere below invoices, payroll, and the customer waiting at the counter. With so much going into running a business, investment in cybersecurity often falls to the back burner. But cybersecurity can often be cheaper and easier than owners think. Below, Xero explores how the highest-return cybersecurity controls are