AUTHORGROWTHLAB The Elephant in Every Entrepreneur's Room: Health Insurance in 2026 Happy New Year. Now let's talk about the thing nobody wants to talk about. If you're self-employed, a small business owner, or a freelancer who's been relying on the ACA marketplace for health insurance, you already know. The enhanced premium tax credits expired
AUTHORGROWTHLAB Comprehensive Small Business Grants Guide With Focus on Women-Owned Businesses Happy New Year - now let's get to work. Access to capital remains one of the biggest barriers for women entrepreneurs, particularly women of color. That's not news to any of us. But here's what I know: the money is out there if you know
AUTHORGROWTHLAB Why Your Business Needs Press Releases (And How Much They Really Cost) If you're running a candle company, managing a logistics operation, or building your career as a published author, you've probably heard you "should" be doing press releases. But between managing inventory, coordinating shipments, or promoting your latest book, it's easy to push
AUTHORGROWTHLAB Start Small, Win Big: Why Micro-Purchases and Small Contracts Are Your Government Contracting Gateway Every successful government contractor I know has the same advice for newcomers: stop chasing million-dollar contracts and start winning thousand-dollar purchases. This advice frustrates entrepreneurs who see government contracting as their path to transformative revenue growth. Why waste time on a $5,000 purchase order when agencies award
AUTHORGROWTHLAB The Strategic Guide to Government Contracting: Winning Business at the City, State, and Federal Level Government contracts represent one of the most stable revenue streams available to businesses, yet many entrepreneurs find the procurement process intimidating and opaque. Having navigated both the private sector and public procurement landscape throughout my career, I've learned that securing government contracts isn't about political connections
AUTHORGROWTHLAB How to Build a Sponsorship Package That Sponsors Actually Want During my years in corporate leadership at Nationwide Insurance, I managed a multi-million dollar marketing budget across five states. My role included local marketing, events, sponsorships, grant approvals through the Nationwide Foundation, and speaking engagements. I reviewed thousands of pitch decks and sponsorship proposals. I wasn't writing
Small Business Resources Why Your Vision Board Isn't Working (And What to Do About It) Vision without tactics is a daydream. Tactics without vision are a nightmare. Let me be real with you for a second. Every January, millions of people create beautiful vision boards. They cut out magazine pictures of dream homes, tropical vacations, and six-pack abs. They pin inspirational quotes to Pinterest.
AUTHORGROWTHLAB A Game-Changing Opportunity for Entrepreneurs Serving Underserved Communities The 2025-2026 Truist Foundation Fellowship: Your Pathway to Business Growth and Lasting Impact If you're a small business owner, nonprofit leader, or entrepreneur dedicated to building solutions for underbanked or underserved communities, there's an opportunity you need to know about. The Truist Foundation Fellowship, powered
AUTHORGROWTHLAB Grant Opportunities - December 2025 GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES Amber Grants Three $10,000 Amber Grants are awarded each month to women-owned businesses. Three of the 36 monthly winners get an additional $25,000 Year-End Amber Grant. ($15 application fee). Monthly deadline - https://ambergrantsforwomen.com/ Awesome Foundation $1,000 grants awarded monthly, no strings attached,
makerssystem The Power of Turnkey Manufacturing: Why One-Stop-Shop Service Is Worth Every Penny When I started Fleurty Wick, I made a strategic decision that set us apart from our competitors: we became a full-service, turnkey manufacturer. Instead of just making candles and shipping them out in plain boxes, we handled everything: package design, custom packaging, fulfillment, and shipping directly to customers'
logistics Using Submagic for Video Editing: Your Secret Weapon for Creating Engaging Content If you're creating video content for social media, you already know the challenge: you need to produce engaging, professional-looking videos quickly and consistently. Between recording, editing, adding captions, and optimizing for different platforms, video production can easily consume your entire day. That's where Submagic comes
Small Business Resources How AI Can Help Businesses with Everyday Tasks Artificial intelligence isn't just for tech giants anymore. Small and medium-sized businesses are discovering that AI tools can handle routine tasks that once consumed hours of their team's time, freeing everyone up to focus on work that actually grows the business. Let me walk you
Small Business Resources Stop Dreaming, Start Doing: Your 2026 E-Commerce Roadmap Is Here It's almost 2026, and you're still thinking about starting that business. You've got the idea. You've scrolled through Instagram looking at other people living their entrepreneurial dreams. You've told yourself "next year" for the past three years. You&
makerssystem The Candle Maker's Guide to Label Printers: From Budget-Friendly to Professional Creating beautiful, professional labels is essential for any candle business. Whether you're just starting out in your kitchen or running a full-scale production operation, the right printer can make all the difference in how your products look on the shelf. Let's explore your options from
makerssystem Holiday Marketing Tactics: Your Retailer's Guide to a Profitable Season The holiday season is fast approaching, and for retailers, this represents the most critical sales period of the year. Whether you're a brick-and-mortar store, an online shop, or a hybrid operation, the strategies you implement now will determine your success through the end of the year.
AUTHORGROWTHLAB Building Financial Power, and Jobs, Right Here in Louisiana When I first created the Lark & Mimi™ Learn to Save series, my goal was to teach children the language of money early - through storytelling, culture, and creativity. What began as a single coloring book has evolved into Louisiana’s first comprehensive, STEM-integrated financial literacy pipeline, Financial Power for
AUTHORGROWTHLAB How to Start a Drone Business: From Hobby Flyer to FAA-Certified Entrepreneur Drones are no longer just for hobbyists - they’ve become powerful tools across industries like real estate, construction, agriculture, and media. Whether you want to create a side hustle or launch a full-scale business, starting with the right foundation can help you take flight, literally and financially. This guide
makerssystem How to Ship Candles Safely and Keep Your Costs Down Shipping candles looks simple until one arrives melted or broken. Candles are heavy, heat-sensitive, and fragile, so how you package and ship them matters. Here’s a clear step-by-step guide based on what works best for candle makers. 1. Choose the Right Carrier UPS is the most
AUTHORGROWTHLAB GRANT OPPORTUNITIES - UPDATED OCTOBER 2025 Amazon App Store Small Business Accelerator - The Small Business Accelerator Program allows developers that earn less than 1 million USD in total annual revenue in the previous calendar year to access additional benefits up to or equivalent to 20% of Appstore revenue. If eligible, you'll receive a 10%
Small Business Resources Major Changes to DBE/ACDBE Certification: What You Need to Know If your business holds Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) or Airport Concessions DBE (ACDBE) certification, you need to be aware of significant changes that took effect on October 3, 2025. The U.S. Department of Transportation has issued an interim final rule that fundamentally changes how these certifications are evaluated. What&
makerssystem SEO Optimization for Candle Businesses: A Practical Guide Search engines drive high-intent buyers to candle businesses. Strong SEO helps your products rank on Google, increases traffic, and builds long-term sales. This guide breaks down what matters most. 1. Start with Keyword Research Your SEO strategy starts with knowing what people search for. Focus on commercial and
Small Business Resources What Does It Mean to Be EDI Compliant? When you start placing products into retail stores, one of the first requirements you’ll hear is “you must be EDI compliant.” This is not optional. It’s the standard retailers use to manage inventory, orders, and payments efficiently. What is EDI? EDI stands for Electronic Data Interchange. It’s
AUTHORGROWTHLAB How Government Shutdowns Affect Small Businesses: A Complete Guide A government shutdown creates more than political headlines. It slows or halts federal operations, and the effects quickly reach small businesses. Owners often face delays in funding, stalled contracts, reduced demand, and operational disruptions. Understanding these impacts helps you prepare and protect your business during uncertain periods. The Cash Flow
AUTHORGROWTHLAB The Publix-Black Book Bash Controversy: When Corporate Sponsorship Meets Political Climate A Literary Celebration Caught in a Sponsorship Dispute The Black Book Bash, a three-day literary festival celebrating Black authors and culture, was set to open this weekend in Jacksonville, Florida, with much anticipation. Instead, the event found itself at the center of a heated controversy after organizers alleged that
AUTHORGROWTHLAB My VIP Experience at HKTDC Trade Fairs: A Game-Changer for Global Sourcing After attending numerous Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) trade fairs over the years, I can confidently say these events have transformed how I do business internationally. The combination of world-class exhibitions, generous sponsorship programs, and white-glove VIP treatment has consistently delivered exceptional results for my sourcing needs.
