Rieva Lesonsky
Verified- CEO and Writer, Small Business CURRENTS
- Contributing Writer, AllBusiness.com
California, United States
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Award-winning journalist. Owner: SmallBusinessCurrents.com. #SmallBusiness advocate, influencer, writer, author, & speaker #entrepreneurs
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Articles by Rieva Lesonsky
Before You Pitch Your Business Idea, Put It Through the Idea Maze
At Alibaba’s recent CoCreate event in Los Angeles, I attended a session called “Perfect Your Pitch,” featuring Barry Poznick, a veteran television developer who helped develop Shark Tank. I’ve heard plenty of advice about pitching business ideas over the years, but Poznick introduced a concept I was unfamiliar with: the Idea Maze. His premise is that a great idea doesn’t necessarily start out great. You have to work at it, challenge your assumptions, and be willing to change direction.
How Alibaba.com Is Putting Enterprise Power Into Small Business Hands
When I first started working with Alibaba.com, few entrepreneurs in the United States understood how transformative the platform could be. Suddenly, small businesses had online access to a vast network of Chinese factories and suppliers without having to fly to China to find them. Alibaba.com soon introduced programs such as Trade Assurance to make it easier and safer for American small businesses to work with overseas suppliers.
Small Businesses Using AI Are Hiring Faster
Small businesses are using AI to increase productivity and grow revenue. And companies that embraced the technology were quicker to hire in the 12 months following startup. The findings build on Gusto’s 2025 Main Street Meets Machine Learning survey, which found that small businesses adopting AI were more likely to grow their teams in the year after adoption.
Your Bank May Need You More Than You Think
Are you frustrated by your bank? Many small business owners are. Ironically, many do business with the same bank as consumers and are happier with that side of the relationship. But here’s something your bank may not be telling you: As a small business owner, you’re potentially worth far more to the bank than you are as a consumer. And that gives you leverage to ask for — and expect — more The disconnect stems partly from the way banks see their customers.
Can Your Business Afford a Cyberattack?
Most small business owners know a cyberattack could disrupt their operations. But they may not realize just how expensive that disruption could be. Verizon Business’s 2026 Breach Impact Study (BIS) looked at about 70,000 cyber insurance claims, of which more than half (38,000) were paid to policyholders to cover insurable cyber incidents from January 2019 through October 2025. Cybersecurity Apocalypse The news is not good—the median cost of a cyber breach has almost doubled since 2019.
Women Entrepreneurs Still Lack Access To Capital
Back in the 1980s, my editorial team and I launched a magazine for women entrepreneurs. At the time, women-owned businesses were just beginning to emerge as an economic force. As the saying goes, we've come a long way—but not nearly far enough. According to the latest (through August 4, 2026) data from PitchBook, despite founding nearly half of all new businesses, all-women solo or team entrepreneurs received 6.3% of VC deals this year and 0.8% of VC deal volume.
Buyer Demand Remains Strong Despite Slower Business Sales
The market for buying and selling small businesses sent mixed signals in the second quarter of 2026, according to BizBuySell’s Insight Report for the second quarter. Business sales declined 10% from both the previous quarter and a year ago, but buyer demand remained strong. Instead, buyers, lenders and business advisors became far more selective, placing greater emphasis on cash flow, financial stability and operational resilience than ever before.
The Next Generation of Women Entrepreneurs
Despite economic uncertainty, women launched 44% of all new U.S. businesses last year, down from 2024’s high of 49%, per new data from Gusto. But the biggest story isn’t the overall number. It’s about who is starting those businesses. This decline was not experienced by all women business owners—it was driven by a pullback in the Goods-Producing sector (manufacturing, construction, wholesale trade).
The Entrepreneur’s Paradox: Worried Today, Optimistic About Tomorrow
Entrepreneurship has always required optimism. But according to a new research report from ERGO NEXT Insurance, that optimism often co-exists with real anxiety. One-third of small business owners worry every week that they could be forced to close, yet half are confident they’ll still be in business five years from now.
An Emerging Shift in Workforce Power Dynamics Could Leave SMBs With Employee Shortages
The University of Phoenix Career Institute® recently released a national workforce research study revealing that while workers appear to be “job hugging” in a cooling labor market, many are quietly using AI to build their skills, boost their confidence, and increase career mobility—potentially preparing for their next move and creating new talent retention risks for employers. It would seem that this new AI landscape we’re now living in would help employers and business owners.
AI in the Small Business Workplace
A new study from LendingTree reveals that 19.8% of U.S. businesses have used AI in the past few weeks, and 22.8% plan to adopt it in the next six months. But there’s a widening gap in AI adoption between large corporations and small businesses, suggesting the AI revolution isn’t arriving equally.
From the World Cup to Taylor Swift: The Economic Power of Big Events
The World Cup is in its second week, and 1.24 million international visitors are expected to descend on U.S. host cities (Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey, Dallas, Atlanta, Seattle, Miami, Houston, Philadelphia, Kansas City, and Boston) during the tournament. Small businesses in these host cities are already facing increased consumer demand. The World Cup Effect Luckily, according to new data just published by Gusto, savvy small business owners were ahead of the game.
How To Connect With Consumers in an Era of Digital Fatigue
Are consumers tiring of our always-on digital world? A recent report from global market intelligence firm Mintel says they are: “Constant notifications, algorithm-driven feeds and the pressure to stay connected across work, social and entertainment platforms have created a new challenge: digital fatigue.” This, says Mintel, is both a risk and an opportunity for businesses.
Top Issues Facing Small Business Owners
I just got off the phone with a good friend of many years—a small business owner—who says things are “tough” and “complex,” citing tariffs as one of the issues his wholesale and e-tail company has to deal with. He’s not alone. The State of Small Business: Navigating Uncertainty in 2026 report, recently released by First Horizon Bank, shows a drop in small business optimism.
What the Shein-Everlane Deal Says About the Future of Retail
For years, Everlane built its reputation around sustainability, transparency, and ethical sourcing, positioning itself as an alternative to fast fashion. So, when news broke that Shein—the ultra-fast-fashion giant known for low prices and mass production—had acquired the brand for $100 million, the reaction across retail and social media was immediate.
Business Ownership: A Generational Transition Is Coming—Are You Ready?
One of the most consequential—and underreported—issues facing small businesses right now is succession planning. New Chase data reveals a striking gap between when owners expect to exit and how prepared they are to do so. • 40% of small business owners plan to retire within the next decade. • 70% are in early-stage planning or have no formal succession plan. • Only 8% report being fully prepared to transition ownership.
Forget Gen Z—Gen X Is Driving Beauty Sales
Forget Gen Z—Gen X Is Driving Beauty Sales Rieva Lesonsky Rieva Lesonsky Published May 4, 2026 For years, many brands in the beauty industry have catered to baby boomers (products for mature skin and hair) and the younger Gen Z and Gen Alpha.
Sustainability Isn’t Optional for Small Businesses Anymore
Last week, we celebrated the 56th anniversary of Earth Day. This year’s theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” underscores that “Environmental progress is built through everyday action—from communities protecting ecosystems to innovators advancing solutions.
Are the Smallest SBA Loans Disappearing?
For decades, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has been one of the most important sources of capital for America’s entrepreneurs—especially those just starting out or operating on a small scale. But recent lending trends suggest the program may be drifting away from the smallest businesses it was designed to serve.
The New Power Spenders
Small businesses that want to thrive need to understand not only who their customers are today—but also who they are likely to be tomorrow. A report from Circana says that although baby boomers and Generation X currently dominate retail spending with a combined 65% share, millennials are poised to become the wealthiest generation in history as a massive transfer of wealth reshapes the economic landscape.
Small Business Owners Plan to Spend More on Marketing in 2026
Small Business Owners Plan to Spend More on Marketing in 2026 Rieva Lesonsky Rieva Lesonsky Published Feb 16, 2026 The just-released Small Business Now report for Q1 from Constant Contact reveals that small business owners are meeting today’s economic headwinds with aggression rather than retraction.
How to Start a Small Business in an Urban Area
Recently, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about starting a business. That’s not surprising. Startups are on the rise. Last month, I reported that QuickBooks’ annual Entrepreneurship Report revealed that 33% of adults plan to start a business or side hustle this year—up 94% from 2025. One note before anyone asks: Yes, that’s a staggering jump. And it explains why my inbox keeps filling up. The other day, a young man wrote asking about starting a business in a large urban area.
Welcome to the Era of “Interest Media”
Every January, the National Retail Federation (NRF) hosts Retail’s Big Show in New York City. In one of the breakout sessions at this year’s show, serial entrepreneur and marketing expert Gary Vaynerchuk discussed how social media has shifted, and how businesses need to update their social strategies and tactics to keep pace. While this was obviously an event aimed at retailers, Vaynerchuk’s valuable advice would be helpful for most small business owners.
Record-Setting Holiday Sales Season
December Retail Monitor data experienced “a sharp surge in growth as consumers continued prioritizing holiday spending on family and friends,” says NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “Continued economic momentum helped land 2025 holiday sales near the top of NRF’s forecast, reaffirming that consumers remain on solid footing.” The NRF defines the holiday sales season as November 1 through December 31, and during that period, holiday sales grew by 4.1%.
Will There Be an Entrepreneurial Surge in 2026?
As tumultuous as the economy is, the answer to that question is surprisingly “yes,” per Intuit QuickBooks’ annual Entrepreneurship Report, released late last year. It’s not that American entrepreneurs are blind to the state of the economy. But they’ve run out of patience, are no longer waiting for the economy to improve, or the perfect moment to launch.
2026 Predictions & Insights for Small Business Owners
If there’s one word that captures how small business owners are feeling right now, it’s uncertain. Technology is moving fast, AI is everywhere, costs remain stubborn, hiring feels frozen in some industries and overheated in others—and yet, optimism hasn’t disappeared. In fact, it’s quietly reshaping how entrepreneurs think about growth, work, and opportunity heading into 2026.
Thanksgiving Shopping Weekend Shatters Records
A record-breaking 202.9 million consumers shopped during the five-day holiday weekend from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday (TDCM), according to a just-released survey from the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics. This number surpassed NRF’s initial expectations of 186.9 million shoppers over the holiday weekend.
New Consumer Holiday Shopping Behaviors
If you’re a retailer—in-store or online—are you preparing for the surge of shoppers headed your way? If you’re concerned about consumers not shopping in this increasingly shaky economy, remember this: people plan to spend more this holiday season.
How to Convince Customers to Shop Small
Last week, we discussed how consumers plan to spend more this holiday season. After conducting its survey, Intuit QuickBooks (and its sister company Mailchimp) shared several tips to help small business owners attract customers this holiday season. AI has become part of everyday life for many, and the holiday season is no different, as the number of consumers planning to use AI tools to help with their gift buying has increased by 70% from last year.
Consumers Plan to Spend More This Holiday Season
A few weeks ago, we discussed a report about the positive outlook for online sales this holiday season. To build on this base of knowledge, Intuit QuickBooks just released its Holiday Shopping Report, revealing consumers’ new shopping behaviors, spending trends insights, and how they’re utilizing AI this year.
Behind the Brand: How Operational Innovation Keeps BrüMate Growing Strong
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What Small Businesses Can Learn from Luxury Brands
As I noted several weeks ago, the Lipstick Index reveals when consumers can’t afford to buy actual luxury products, so they spend more on small luxuries, like expensive coffee or lipstick.
🔒 Protect Your Small Business From Fraud
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ð Protect Your Small Business From Fraud
Years ago, I met a friend for lunch who had been a smart, successful small business owner for years. Over coffee, she told me sheâd recently closed her companyâand the reason floored me. A trusted, long-time employee had embezzled so much money that the business couldnât recover. Sadly, that wasnât the only time I saw it happen. At the company where I worked, senior management revealed that someone in accounting had been stealing funds.
It Will be a Jolly Holiday for Online Businesses
Adobe just released its 2025 holiday season online shopping forecast, covering the period from November 1 to December 31. Adobe expects U.S. online sales to hit $253.4 billion this holiday, up 5.3% from 2024. Consumers are likely to spend over $5 billion in a single day, 10 times this holiday season, up from seven days last year.
Why Automation Is the Unsung Hero of Small Business Growth
Over 10 years ago, I interviewed a young entrepreneur who was launching a payroll service for small businesses. When I asked why—given how many established players already existed—he said something that stuck with me: “Most small business owners are still doing payroll by hand.” His company took off. That story feels just as relevant today—because small business owners are once again standing at the edge of a major shift: the digital transformation.
Emotional Branding: How to Do it Right
“Connecting with consumers on a rational level is no longer enough,” according to Mintel, a global market intelligence and research agency. Instead, it’s key for businesses to embrace emotional branding, to attract customers who “seek more than simply transactional value in their purchases.” Mintel defines emotional branding as the practice of forming an emotional connection [through branding] to build lasting relationships between consumers and businesses.
The First 5 Years in the Life of Solopreneurs
Solopreneurs are thriving, according to a new report from @Gusto. Rieva Lesonsky Rieva Lesonsky Small business journalist. thought leader & advocate. Published Sep 29, 2025 Gusto recently released a report on solo entrepreneurs in conjunction with its launch of Gusto Solo, a platform that helps solopreneurs “navigate S-Corp status, unlock financial advantages, and simplify compliance.” According to the report, solopreneurs are thriving.
Taking Your Marketing from Effort to Impact
Last year, I wrote about the 2024 Small Biz Now report from Constant Contact, which revealed that many small business owners were overwhelmed by marketing needs. This year’s report shows that small business owners are moving ahead and “investing more in their marketing and using new tools.” Yet only 18% feel “very confident” in their marketing effectiveness—down from 27% in 2024.
How to Make Digital Transformation Work for Your Small Business
Digital transformation is a hot topic today, but what does it mean for small businesses? Eric Lamarre, Kate Smaje, and Rodney Zemmel, senior partners from global management consulting firm McKinsey, have a book coming out in June that addresses how companies “can build and flex their muscle by leveraging the power of AI, enhancing customer experience, and driving profitability through an ever-evolving process of transformation.” They were recently interviewed for McKinsey’s “Author Talks” series.
Beauty is Booming. Does that Mean a Recession is Coming?
Do you remember the “lipstick index?” Also known as the “lipstick effect," it is an unproven economic theory that says when consumers sense the economy is in or heading for a downturn, they buy "affordable luxuries,” like lipstick, nail polish, and perfume. The Lipstick Index is not just about lipstick. Rather, at times like these, with still high inflation and higher prices due to increased tariffs, consumers can’t afford to buy a car or a house but can afford small luxury goods.
Americans Want it Hot and Spicy
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How Major Concerts and Sports Events Drive Small Business Growth
When Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour boasted record-breaking global ticket sales of $2,077,618,725, that was not only good for Swift, but for the cities her concerts were held in. Beyoncé’s more recent Cowboy Carter tour generated over $400 million in revenue globally. Indeed, when global superstars like Beyoncé and Swift take the stage—or when the Super Bowl, World Cup, or the Olympics come to town—it’s not just stadiums that get a spotlight.
Gen Z is Changing Retail: Are You Prepared?
Last week, we discussed how Gen Z has become a “formidable force in the retail world,” according to the US Gen Z and Millennial Online Shopping Behaviors Consumer Report 2024, published by Mintel, a global market intelligence firm. But Gen Z’s power goes beyond that. It is essential for small business owners to understand that these young adult tech-savvy shoppers are changing the retail industry.
Shopping Habits of Gen Z
Generation Z is now a “formidable force in the retail world,” according to the US Gen Z and Millennial Online Shopping Behaviors Consumer Report 2024, from Mintel, a global market intelligence firm. Small business owners should understand their shopping habits.
Taylor Swift’s Marketplace Power Unleashed
Whether you’re a Swiftie or not, you cannot deny the power Taylor Swift commands in the marketplace. And that power is about to be unleashed, likely starting today (Wednesday, August 13th —Swift plans a lot of her events around the number 13—the day she was born). On Tuesday, August 12th, at 12:12 a.m., Swift announced her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, in a promo for the New Heights podcast.
What the Heck Is Summerween? How Holiday Retail Marketing Is Changing
I live in Southern California, where the heat of the summer actually begins in August and lasts well into October. So, California consumers are used to going from buying sunscreen to pumpkins in the space of a week. But that’s atypical for the rest of the country, where the standard “rules of retail” kick off the summer season in May and Halloween in September. But maybe those retail rules are antiquated. In June, I first noticed Pottery Barn marketing emails featuring ghosts and goblins.
Consumer Spending Shows “Modest Growth” in July
The Fiserv Small Business Index for July 2025 shows that consumer spending ticked up in July (up 1% from June), “reversing a three-month trend of softening consumer spend.” Foot traffic, however, “remained relatively flat,” rising 0.1%.
Just In: Retirement Solutions, Training Camp, and Shipping Summit for Entrepreneurs
I literally receive hundreds of emails every day announcing new programs and tools for small business owners, and this week I thought I’d share a few with you. JPMorganChase just launched Solo 401(k), a retirement solution for the self-employed and solo entrepreneurs, expanding its existing Everyday 401(k) program.
How are Small Businesses Navigating the “Roller Coaster” Economy?
Two recently released surveys reveal the almost dizzying state of the small business economy. BizBuySell is just out with its Insight Report for the second quarter of 2025, and the news is not good. Business-for-sale transactions slowed “modestly” in the second quarter, and sale prices trended lower. BizBuySell, which tracks and analyzes U.S. business-for-sale transactions and sentiment from business owners, buyers, and brokers, reports that demand has shifted in favor of buyers.
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