Instacart to Acquire Retail Tech Platform to Fuel International Expansion

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The deal for Instacart to acquire Instaleap will give Instacart a grocery-specific fulfillment solutions services platform.  It will also expand access to established retailer relationships outside of the United States, including with major grocers such as Cencosud in Latin America and Continente in Portugal.

Instacart said the acquisition is part of its efforts to advance its presence internationally and that it is seeing demand outside the U.S. for its enterprise offerings, which include its e-commerce, in-store, advertising and data technologies. 

Set Boundaries to Stay Healthy

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As I wrote over at the Exporting Guide, we set boundaries when we decide on and communicate our personal and professional limits.  To help people enforce their limits in healthy ways, some therapists direct them to books. These five titles offer insights and tools for safeguarding your needs, especially as you grow your global business. 

How Section 122 Tariffs Are Being Challenged

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At least two separate cases have now been filed at the Court of International Trade seeking to stop the Trump administration from utilizing Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act to impose tariffs on all imports into the U.S.

Learn more about Section 122 and ST&R's update.

Today in Global Small Business: Artemis II Crew Reunites with Families

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

• The four astronauts on Artemis II made an emotional return to Houston a day after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean at the end of their 10-day lunar journey.
• Sources say a stalemate persists over the Strait of Hormuz, where the US said it began mine-clearing operations (4/11/26).
• How to not embarrass yourself in a British pub.
• Quote of the week:  “Looking back at Earth…it truly emphasized how alike we are." – Christina Koch
• In the first weeks of the war, the Chicago-born Pope Leo was initially reluctant to publicly condemn the violence and limited his comments to muted appeals for peace and dialogue.  But the Pope has stepped up his criticism.
• Melania Trump throws her husband under the bus. 

Owe To My Angel Mother

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother." – Abraham Lincoln 

6 Leaders On What Is Actually Scaling When It Comes to AI

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Artificial intelligence is finally crossing a threshold. Companies have long talked about AI as a transformational force, but most activity stayed in sandboxes and innovation labs. In 2026, that balance has begun to shift.

As more than 300 corporate strategy leaders gathered in Munich for the World Economic Forum's Industry Strategy Meeting this month, the question was less “Can AI work?” and more "Where is it already changing how we operate at scale?"

Find out more on what it takes to scale with AI.

Eat An Orange. Be Happy.

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Eating an orange a day may lower a person’s depression risk by 20 percent, according to a study led by Raaj Mehta, an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School and a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital. 

That might be because citrus stimulates growth of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (F. prausnitzii), a type of bacteria found in the human gut, to influence production of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine – two biological molecules known to elevate mood.

In this edited conversation with the The Harvard Gazette, Mehta discusses key takeaways from the study.

Superintelligent A.I. Is Arriving Faster Than Anticipated

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You heard it here second, after Thomas L. Friedman, Opinion Column, The New York Times (4/7/26):

"Holy cow! Superintelligent A.I. is arriving faster than anticipated, at least in this area. We knew it was getting amazingly good at enabling anyone, no matter how computer literate, to write software code. But even Anthropic reportedly did not anticipate that it would get this good, this fast, at finding ways to find and exploit flaws in existing code."

Read the entire Opinion Piece here.

Meet Divya Behl and Register For Her wegginar® 4/8/26

©2026 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

How can a company be more than a business?  How can a true company's value extend beyond financial metrics?  How can you always lead with values first, letting principles guide every decision?

Find out during Divya Behl's wegginar® on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at 11 AM CT, Build and Lead a Global Business with Influence (registration is free of charge thanks to wegg's generous sponsors as shown in the graphic).

To learn more about Divya and to register, visit: https://womenentrepreneursgrowglobal.org/2026/03/19/build-and-lead-a-global-business-with-influence/

Today in Global Small Business: Use AI to Expand Your Imagination and Pursue a Meaningful Life

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

• We should teach young people to use AI to expand their imagination and pursue a meaningful life.
• What's your next brilliant move?  Ideas here.
• Swiss industry body says US tariffs on pharmaceuticals will harm patients.
• How can AI scale our capabilities at work?
• Quote of the week:  “Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. It is far better take things as they come along with patience and equanimity." – Carl Jung
• Going global in 2026 – it's possible!
• Understanding e-commerce: The key trends rewriting consumer expectations and experience.

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 February 1, 2026, we have more than 900,000 readers on a monthly basis.

The Gift of Easter

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"The great gift of Easter is hope." – Basil C. Hume 

Contempt Is the Trumpian Way. But It's Not the American Way

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Frank Bruni is a contributing Opinion writer who was on the staff of The Times for more than 25 years.  He writes, "I Hold Pam Bondi in Contempt."  Worth a read.