AmiSights

According to The Wall Street Journal , entrepreneurship is surging again. In January alone, 532,000 new business applications were filed—up nearly 37% year over year. Meanwhile, the number of people listing themselves as “founders” on LinkedIn is up 69%. What’s driving it? AI—both the threat and the opportunity. Fear of layoffs and automation is pushing more workers to rethink job security. At the same time, AI tools are dramatically lowering the barriers to starting somethin

Before Alice ever reached Wonderland, she had to do something uncertain... she had to fall. In Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Alice’s adventure begins the moment she follows curiosity down the rabbit hole. She doesn’t know where it will lead. She simply chooses to go. That moment feels familiar to many of us. Whether you’re starting a business, changing careers, pursuing a new goal, or simply stepping outside your comfort zone, growth often begins the same

Five months into the federal fiscal year, SBA lending is slowing in an unexpected way. From Oct. 1 through the end of February, lenders approved $11.8 billion  in SBA 7(a) loans, down from $14.6 billion  during the same period last year — a decline of about 19.6 percent . But the more striking number isn’t the dollars. It’s the number of loans . At this point last year, the SBA had approved 34,105 loans . This year, the number is 21,638  — a 36.5 percent drop . That means loa

Dutch Bros has become the third-largest U.S. coffee chain, but ~90% of its sales are cold beverages, especially custom energy drinks, not hot coffee. Its Rebel energy lineup and 40+ flavor mixes are drawing younger customers, while Starbucks and McDonald’s move into the same space. According to The Wall Steet Journal , Dutch Bros is expanding fast, leaning into loyalty rewards, more food options, and broader geographic reach — turning a coffee brand into a custom beverage lif

An entrepreneur I know recently went through a serious cash crunch. Fortunately, he secured a $150K SBA 7(a) loan to help stabilize the business. Now that he’s through the tight spot, he asked an interesting question: What should I invest the money in? Like many entrepreneurs, his instinct was to start something new. But the truth is, the business doesn’t need a new project. It needs more sales. And he’s still the best salesperson in the company. So instead of deploying the m

The remote-job boom has cooled: available roles are limited, competition is fierce, and pay is adjusting. According to The Wall Street Journal , remote job listings have stabilized around 8% of openings, well below pandemic peaks, yet 40% of applications target them — making remote roles roughly four times harder to land than in-office or hybrid jobs. Employers are now more selective, requiring strong proof of independent productivity and often adjusting pay based on cost of

“The greatest gift of leadership is building a team that wants each other to win.” Great leadership isn’t just about strategy, vision, or results. The real gift of leadership is building a team where people genuinely want each other to succeed. In many workplaces, individuals focus on their own performance. But the most effective leaders create a culture where success is shared. When team members celebrate each other’s wins, offer help without being asked, and take pride in c

Small business owners today operate within two distinct yet increasingly interconnected capital systems. The first, SBA, is structured, regulated, and taxpayer-backed. It moves deliberately. It asks for tax returns, projections, personal financial statements, and explanations. It is built around the idea that capital should be repaid over time from sustainable cash flow. The SBA’s mission is clear: expand access to capital so small firms can succeed. But loans must be repaid,

Once believed to be a luxury or unattainable goal, small businesses are now offering retirement plans to employees at a higher clip. According to The Wall Street Journal , t he number of workers at small businesses with access to 401(k)-style plans has grown by nearly six million since 2019, citing a recent report published by Gusto, a payroll and benefits provider. Although many small businesses lagged behind larger ones in offering 401(k)s due to factors like cost and time