Today in Global Small Business: A Contrast in Style and Substance

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What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• How Obama and Trump made their cases in dueling midterm speeches.
• President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva clung to power in yesterday's presidential election in Brazil.
• Deeply divided Israel braces for pivotal election.
• Quote of the week: “Elections belong to the people. It's their decision.  If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.” – Abraham Lincoln
• Israelis have changed. Will they change their leadership?
• 'You gotta stop!' Blanche, CNN's Bash spar in fiery interview.

Note: The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global. As of May, 2026, we average between 700,000-900,000 readers a month. This month (October, 2026) we crossed over 1 million readers! Thank you for your engagement! All the news fit to blog about.

You Are Beautiful

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"You are imperfect, permanently and inevitably flawed. And you are beautiful." – Amy Bloom

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of May, 2026, we average between 700,000-900,000 readers a month.  This month (October, 2026) we crossed over 1 million readers! Thank you for your engagement!

Small Business 2027 Economic Outlook: Tariff Refunds, Immigration Reform, and AI Regulations

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What does 2027 have in store for American small businesses?  Despite steady consumer spending and business growth, ongoing concerns about inflation, tariffs, and regulatory changes are making it difficult for business owners to plan ahead.

At the 2026 U.S. Chamber of Commerce (CO) – 100 Small Business Forum, Jeanette Mulvey, Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of CO, – sat down with Neil Bradley, Executive Vice President, Chief Policy Officer, and Head of Strategic Advocacy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, for a Small Business Update. 

Read on for Bradley's perspective on key issues to help your small business prepare for the year ahead. 

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of May, 2026, we average between 700,000-900,000 readers a month.  Thank you for your engagement! 

America Is In the Middle of An Affordability Crisis

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Natasha Sarin, a contributing Opinion writer for The New York Times, argues that if Americans agree on anything, it’s that we’re in an affordability crisis.  She points to the evidence:  gas often tops $4 a gallon, home prices have climbed more than 50 percent since the pandemic, and the share of Americans who say their finances are getting worse is the highest she has seen in her lifetime.

Read the entire article, Everything Feels So Expensive. Here’s What’s Really Going On.

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of May, 2026, we average between 700,000-900,000 readers a month.  Thank you for your engagement! 

Michelle Obama Says Exactly What's On Her Mind (Video)

Coming Up on 10/23: The Global Small Business Forum 2026!

©2026 GSBB Media, LLC.  All rights reserved.

Only 4 days away!  Grab your tickets for the Global Small Business Forum:  AI-Powered Exports & eCommerce: Creating Global Value, on Friday, October 23, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. CT. Seats are filling fast.  Let's pack the house!

For many of you, the Forum has become a tradition, and this year it feels like a reunion with so many people I [Laurel Delaney] care about. If you've never joined us, this is the year to start.

Why this year matters: Global buyers are online, yet most businesses still treat cross-border ecommerce as an experiment instead of a scalable growth engine. This Forum hands you a practical export playbook, built on AI and leading platforms, to turn international demand into a repeatable, data-driven business.

Two world-class experts are leading the way:

1.  Fabian Stachelin, Founder, e-traid

2.  Kati Suominen, Founder and CEO, Nextrade Group

They'll share the research, tools, and decisions behind creating value with AI in ecommerce, so you can stop guessing about new markets and start acting on AI-powered insights, tested workflows, and peer experience.

And we have two gifts for you: the Forum is free, and it's fully remote, so anyone, anywhere can join. Bring a friend, a colleague, or a fellow founder.

Old friends and new faces are all welcome.

👉 Register now: https://globalsmallbusinessforum.com/

See you there and looking forward!

Today in Global Small Business: Lego Gives Adults What They Would Love to Build Now

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What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• Lego's marketing chief Julia Goldin says over the past eight years, Lego claims there is a bigger opportunity with adults – not just people who are super-high-affinity fans, but people who maybe built a long time ago or had never built with bricks before – by giving them the things they would love to build now.
• Register for the Global Small Business Forum 10/23 at 9:00 AM CT – only 5 days aways! – to learn about AI-powered exports and ecommerce (free of charge). Sign up here. I [Laurel Delaney] will be there!  This year, we have two world‑class experts – Kati Suominen and Fabian Stachelin – who will share research, tools, and decisions behind creating value with AI and using it in ecommerce.
• Huge riots in France prompt shock and blame game.
• Global economic outlook and financial conditions:  autumn 2026.
• Quote of the week:  "With a bucket of Lego, you can tell any story. You can build an airplane or a dragon or a pirate ship - it's whatever you can imagine." – Christopher Miller
• Global growth remains solid in a challenging environment (PIIE).
• Surprisingly, recent forecasts from international institutions – led by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and global credit rating agencies – point to a significant leap in Saudi Arabia’s economic growth rate next year, with projections reaching 7.9%. 
• Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of May, 2026, we average between 700,000-900,000 readers a month.  Thank you for your engagement! 

Look! Up in the Sky!

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Radio & Cartoons: The iconic line ("Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's [a tarantula 😂] Superman!") first popularized during the 1940s Adventures of Superman radio show and the classic Fleischer/Famous Studios Superman animated shorts.

IMF: Sharp Spikes in Food and Energy Prices Will Likely Become More Common

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Sharp spikes in food and energy prices will likely become more common, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said, warning such crises drive inflation expectations higher for longer, worsen poverty and threaten economic stability.

IMF research recently released examined three decades of strategies used by governments to mitigate price surges, as well as a new economic model that accounts for the higher inflation experienced by poorer households, which spend a higher share of their budgets on daily necessities. 

Read the article, which is part of the World Economic Outlook report, October, 2026.

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  As of May, 2026, we average between 700,000-900,000 readers a month.  Thank you for your engagement!

Globalization Continues to Expand Despite a Decade of Populist Policies

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Globalization has continued to expand despite a decade of populist policies, tariffs and efforts to reshape international trade following Brexit and President Donald Trump's first election victory. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, [Bloomberg news Senior Economics Writer] Shawn Donnan says growing cross-border investment, global supply chains and digital technology demonstrate that the world economy remains increasingly interconnected despite political resistance.

Demystifying Global Trade (and Exporting)

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As a business owner, finding the best opportunities at the right time is critical. Staying profitable, growth, and building a sustainable business are a few of the important elements of owning a business. Exporting complements all those activities and if you aren’t already exporting, here are a few findings that might encourage you consider it. 

Follow along as we demystify global trade!

No Country is a Non-Country

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Just like no president is a non-president.  No country is a non-country.

“The Trump administration’s raid on Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s home is deeply disturbing and raises serious questions about the continued corrupt weaponization of the federal government against Donald Trump’s adversaries,” they [read the article] said.