Neon question mark glowing on dark background
There is still no more certainty or consensus on where the economy is headed in 2024. Talk of an imminent recession has been about as constant as rising prices over the last 18 months. Certainly on a narrower scale, many businesses, including e-commerce, retail distribution and service businesses have seen growth slow and even decline.… Read More
Workers managing inventory in a modern warehouse
Many sectors in the U.S. economy right now are experiencing bloated levels of inventory as the supply chain has caught up and demand in spots has cooled, leading to a bit of a perfect storm. Seemingly long forgotten are the persistent supply chain bottlenecks that disrupted the flow of just about every good resulting from the pandemic.… Read More
Two professional women engaged in a discussion at a desk
As I interact with business owners on a daily basis, I’ve noticed there seems to be no consensus on just how severe of a recession we will see or what the impact will be. Thus far, the effects of a slowdown have varied greatly by industry.… Read More
Roller coaster loop with blue sky and sunburst
Like it or not, as a business owner, you bought a ticket on a wild roller coaster. The only constant in today’s economy is information overload, often resulting in seemingly contradictory conclusions. More and more economists are pointing toward a recession, and perhaps a steeper one, yet, small businesses are, in many respects, not yet slowing down.… Read More
Diverse team collaborating in a modern office
There has been talk of a recession for some time. Depending on the data you look at, we may already be in one. CEO confidence has dropped to levels not seen since the beginning of the pandemic. Fear is plentiful, but bravery in the face of headwinds could result in tremendous opportunities.… Read More
Asian businessmen and businesswomen meeting brainstorming ideas about creative web design planning application and developing template layout for mobile phone project working together in office.
Kinks in the supply chain have proven to be far more disruptive and lasting than most businesses have anticipated, and according to the latest survey by the National Federation of Independent Business, the outlook is not expected to improve in the near-term.… Read More
Business team discussing project in modern office
Businesses today are navigating a strained supply chain. To manage this disruption, I have already discussed pricing and planning as two key tools small businesses can leverage. Beyond these, it is also vital for small businesses to understand the multiple levels and aspects of their supply chains.… Read More
Two professional men collaborating with tablet in office
The supply chain disruption is an ever-present part of the morning headlines. Even more concerning is that there are signs on the horizon of the problems getting worse, not better. And unfortunately, because of the perfect storm of headwinds creating the chaos, recent trends are suggesting that the supply chain may not return to normal levels until 2023.… Read More
Elderly couple shopping with empty grocery store shelves
Disruption in the supply chain is nothing new, and you don’t have to look hard to find data published daily on it. Unfortunately, there is no one simple solution as the current challenges are a perfect storm of multiple factors. Overseas manufacturers are still unsettled from the pandemic, ports are full and there are not enough truckers to move the necessary loads of goods.… Read More
Business professionals discussing work in office meeting
This year brings with it new challenges, new plans, new small business support and a lot of new questions. It is particularly difficult for business owners to navigate the flood of new information daily, coupled with the uncertainties of the economy and lingering pandemic.… Read More