Happiness Is ...

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Happiness is to hold flowers in both hands." – Japanese Proverb

Every Household Needs This: The Original Honey Hat™

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Love this product and the people behind it – Sarah Purdy and Laurie Aquilina – who are even more amazing.  The Original Honey Hat™ is a joy-inducing new kitchen gadget that catches honey bear and syrup bottle drips to help eliminate sticky messes for good. 

Check it out!

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of May, 2026, we average between 700,000-900,000 readers a month.  Thank you for your engagement!

Inflation Remains a Danger to the U.S. Economy

©iStock/Khanchit Khirisutchalual

Inflation remains a danger to the U.S. economy, so enjoy the good news when you can. That includes data released this week showing that both consumer and producer prices are flattening a bit.

Also encouraging is that the producer-price index released Wednesday (7/15/26) pointed in the right direction. Wholesale prices fell 0.3% month-on-month in June, firmly on a downward trend after a recent peak in April and again led by energy-price declines. Producer prices are often a harbinger of changes that eventually feed through to CPI. 

Read more here.

Tariffs and the Impact on Small Business, Manufacturing, and Supply Chains

©iStock/Andranik Hakobyan

What's the likelihood that small businesses will see tariff relief any time soon?  

Given the Trump Administration’s aggressive response to the Supreme Court’s decision, in which he promised to maintain or increase tariffs on importers of foreign goods using other sections of the Trade Act of 1974, it seems unlikely that material tariff relief for small businesses is coming soon.

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of May, 2026, we average between 700,000-900,000 readers a month.  Thank you for your engagement! 

Tariffs Have Been Particularly Costly for Global Small Businesses

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Summary:  The Federal Reserve reports that small businesses were less likely to be able to avoid tariff costs during 2025 and are more pessimistic about employment and revenue in 2026. 

Small businesses were "particularly challenged by higher tariffs in 2025," reports the Federal Reserve of New York, drawing on last year's annual Small Business Credit Survey.

Most small businesses in the Federal Reserve survey said they responded to higher costs by increasing prices for consumers. Looking ahead, small business owners expressed "greater pessimism about generating employment and revenues in 2026" due to the tariffs.

Tariffs aren't saving American manufacturing or helping Main Street businesses. They are a burden, and the evidence shows that small employers are particularly vulnerable.

Today in Global Small Business: $4 Almond Butter In the U.S. Matters

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What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• How Aldi is taking on U.S. supermarkets with its $4 almond butter (requires subscription).
• Foreign policy hawk South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, dies at 71.
• Trump's verbal flubs are piling up.
• Quote of the week:  “Almond butter is an affordable and easy nutritional powerhouse,” explains Lee Cotton, R.D., author of A Nourishing Perspective.
• Driving global growth through the power of small business.
• AI presents a major opportunity for small businesses but support is needed.

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of May, 2026, we average between 700,000-900,000 readers a month.  Thank you for your engagement! 

From the Journal of Gospel Music to The New York Times: Congrats to Bob Marovich!

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Congratulations to Bob M. Marovich, founder and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Gospel Music for writing such a magnificent article for the global edition of the New York Times, "CeCe Winans Revisits the Simple Power of Worship Music."

Best known for contemporary stylings of praise music that topped charts across genres, CeCe Winans put her new album of pared-down sacred music, 'The Hymns,' back atop the gospel charts.

Magnificent article and well worth a read.

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of May, 2026, we average between 700,000-900,000 readers a month.  Thank you for your engagement!

The Dismal Reality Is That Trump's Border Taxes are Raising Costs and ...

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The dismal reality is that Trump's border taxes are raising costs and have failed to usher in a manufacturing renaissance.

There’s no question his tariffs are raising costs for U.S. manufacturers. At the same time, foreign retaliation has hurt America’s farmers and depressed purchases of agriculture equipment. A slowdown in trade has also dented demand for semi-trucks.

Plus, the uncertainty hanging over the extension of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement is delaying some investments since businesses don’t know what the trade rules or tariffs will be in a few years – or even tomorrow with Trump. 

Americans are unhappy. 

When 65 Days Isn't Enough: The Shelf-Life Squeeze on Shipping

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Some problems J.M. Smucker is facing when it bit (read that as buying Hostess) into the golden, creamy Hostess Twinkie are bedeviling other food makers. Snacking slowed as people cut discretionary spending, and weight-loss drugs and the “Make America Healthy Again” movement gained traction. U.S. snack sales by units are down 4% in the past four years, according to data from market-research firm NIQ. Sales of sweet snacks, generally, have dropped 17%, the data showed. 

Why did Smucker's $5 billion bet on the Twinkie flop?

Was it because of the 65-day shelf life? A blink of an eye compared to the shelf life of many core Smucker products – fruit spreads, canned coffee and dog food – which can last for at least a year. Was it changing consumer habits?  Could execution have played into the problems?  

Find out here.

The World's Most Livable Cities 2026

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The world seems to be changing at lightning speed, so it’s perhaps good to know that some things remain the same – at least when it comes to the most livable city.

Which country ranked No.1?  Find out here.

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of May, 2026, we average between 700,000-900,000 readers a month.  Thank you for your engagement! 

U.S. Commercial Service User Fees Are Going Up Effective 7/22/26

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The U.S. Commercial Service is updating its User Fee Schedule to better align fees with the cost and level of effort required to deliver services and to apply a consistent approach across programs.  The updated structure introduces a standardized pricing model across clients and incorporates services that were not previously reflected in the User Fee Schedule.

The Federal Register Notice (FRN) announced the proposed price increase changes on June 22, 2026. Clients (small business owners) can be directed to the following external page: https://www.trade.gov/user-fees-update. The updated schedule includes adjustments to certain standard service fees and the formal addition of several services now offered across various programs.

Since the fees will be tripling for small businesses beginning July 22, 2026, Friday, July 17th will be the last available date to confirm and pay for a service with the U.S. Commercial Service's current rate structure.

Clients (small business owners) would need to participate in introduction calls prior to July 17th with a overseas colleagues to assess and confirm which service best fits their objectives in the local market. 

In order to manage clients’ (small business owners') expectations, please note many overseas colleagues may already be on summer holiday and may not be available for those calls in time.  The sooner a service request and intro call can be made, the better.

Get on it!   Direct access to the User Fee Schedule.

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of May, 2026, we average between 700,000-900,000 readers a month.  Thank you for your engagement! 

Today in Global Small Business: Entrepreneurship Is For Everyone, Even Later in Life

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What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• It is a myth that entrepreneurship is for the young. Later-in-life business owners are blurring the line between their working years and retirement.
• Smithsonian ponders what it means to be an American.
• AI isn't a substitute for human skills.  It's a multiplier.
• Quote of the week:  “I alone will decide when I'm retiring." – Jupp Heynckes
• From principles to practice: How McKinsey is helping Ownership Works scale employee ownership.
• Leading through uncertainty in the age of AI.

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of May, 2026, we average between 700,000-900,000 readers a month.  Thank you for your engagement!