It's often said that the economic reality on Main Street doesn't match the mood on Wall Street, but right now small business owners are matching the market with increased confidence after a rocky start to 2025. After a significant decline in small business confidence in the second quarter amid President Trump's tariffs policy pronouncements, nearly
While the national conversation around AI often fixates on large corporations and Silicon Valley breakthroughs, AI's impact is also a reality on Main Street. AI is rapidly transforming small businesses and the shift goes beyond just boosting productivity to directly influencing staffing decisions and day-to-day operations. Small business owners across the U.S. are actively embracing
In the face of the anti-diversity, equity and inclusion environment, LBGTQ+ small business owners have remained resilient — and are actually starting businesses in record numbers. Some 10% of entrepreneurs who started their own businesses last year identified as LGBTQ — a "milestone" and a 50% increase from 2023, according to a recent survey from
Chris Schwegmann is getting creative with how artificial intelligence is being used in law. At Dallas-based boutique law firm Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann, he sometimes asks AI to channel Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts or Sherlock Holmes. Schwegmann said after uploading opposing counsel's briefs, he'll ask legal technology platform Harvey to assume the
Here's what to know about the proposed change and who could be impacted. SALT deduction cap 'workaround' Enacted via the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, or TCJA, of 2017, there's currently a $10,000 limit on the SALT deduction for filers who itemize tax breaks. This cap will expire after 2025 without changes from Congress. The SALT
NEW YORK – When Kelly Wu feels sick and wants a delivery of congee, the Chinese porridge she grew up eating, she opts for a platform many may not have heard of. The New York City resident doesn't open apps from multi-billion dollar companies like Uber Eats or DoorDash . Instead, the 22-year-old pulls up
Angel Zheng is relying on the Japanese principle of "ikigai" to turn her passion for matcha — a powdered green tea with a unique taste and purported health benefits — into building what she hopes will be an iconic household brand of the future. At just 25 years old, Zheng has already owned at least
How to tell if you have qualified business income The QBI deduction applies to so-called pass-through businesses, which report profits or losses on individual tax returns. This includes partnerships and S-corporations, along with some trusts and estates. Sole proprietors, such as freelance, contract and gig economy workers, also qualify. For 2025, the tax break starts
The Trump administration's trade truce with China that paused the steepest tariffs on Chinese goods isn't offering much of a reprieve to many importers. Stacking of multiple tariff layers already implemented during the trade war has pushed up costs to import retail goods much higher than the 30% associated with the tentative agreement. "While companies
Across consumers, corporate boardrooms and Wall Street, the feeling of economic optimism that came with the start of the second Trump administration quickly dwindled amid growing uncertainty around the impact of tariffs and a potential recession. Main Street has seen a similar shift, according to the new quarterly CNBC|SurveyMonkey Small Business Survey. Just 30% of
