This July 4th Could Be the Hottest Ever In Parts of U.S.

©iStock/Sabine Hortebusch

This July Fourth could be the hottest on record for millions of Americans as a massive heat wave traps more than half of the United States under a heat dome through the holiday weekend.

Dangerously high temperatures ramped up Wednesday (7/1/26) from the Midwest to the East Coast, forecasters said. Between daily high temperatures and warm overnight lows – which won't be low enough to offer much relief – more than 300 records are expected to be set by Saturday, July 4, 2026.

Where Food Is Exported From and Where It Goes

©iStock/FabrikaCr

Our food systems have become incredibly globalized.  Which countries do we depend on for this wide range of foods?

See how and where food is traded across the world, by viewing this interactive visualization that shows the flow of different types of food from producer to consumer.

The authors provide a walkthrough on how to use the tool with using soybeans as an example.

Fascinating!

Celebrating 4th of July Fireworks (video)

The Small Businesses That Built America

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Let's welcome the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's year‑long series celebrating the entrepreneurs and enterprises that have shaped the nation’s economy over 250 years. 

From colonial‑era craftsmen to today’s tech innovators, U.S. small businesses have fueled growth, creativity, and community across every generation of American life.

Throughout the year, the CoC spotlights historic companies, iconic brands that started small, and the modern founders carrying that legacy forward. 

Join them as we all honor the small businesses that built America – and continue to build its future.

Today in Global Small Business: International Growth Is Being Driven By a New Breed of Business

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

• International growth is being driven by a new breed of business: the emerging multinational.
• How the Shiga Bank is driving regional growth through global strategy, sustainability and SME support.
• How businesses can leverage Hong Kong’s advantages to expand overseas.
• Quote of the week:  “These guys have shut down the Straits of Hormuz.  This is what Iran is saying:  We will shut down the straits, no one can go through, no country in the world can go through unless we allow you to go through, and you have to pay us, but our ships can go through – meaning the Iranian ships – as much as they want.  That’s crazy.  Who would agree to that?" – Secretary of State Marco Rubio (5/5/26)
• Updates from the NY Times on the war in the Middle East.
• Iran asserts sole control of Hormuz, warns challenges will bring more violence.

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! 

Chicago: The Most Beautiful Great City Left in the World

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Eventually, I think Chicago will be the most beautiful great city left in the world." – Frank Lloyd Wright, architect and Oak Park resident

How to Successfully Bring Overseas Brands into the U.S. Market With Top Expert Yvette Laugier

©2026 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

What's the trick to bringing products into the USA market?  Find out during Yvette Laugier's (LIVE) talk – wegginar® – on July 1st at 11 AM CT, "How To Successfully Bring Overseas Brands into the U.S. Market."  Here's a snippet of what she will discuss:

• Understand why the U.S. is not one market and how to identify the right entry point for your brand.
• Learn the five essential pillars every overseas brand must master before launching in the United States.
• Discover how pricing, packaging, and positioning must shift for U.S. consumers and retailers. 

About Yvette Laugier, Founder, YL Advisory

Yvette Laugier has been appointed as Vice President of North America for Dualit Ltd. She is a veteran of the housewares industry, having worked with well-known consumer brands. She opened the North American headquarters of a European manufacturer in 2013 as its Managing Director. and is well-versed in retail distribution across the U.S. and Canada, in both B2B and B2C channels.

She has served on the International Housewares Association’s Board of Directors and remains active with the IHA as a past Chairman. The association is a not-for-profit trade association, based in Rosemont, Illinois, dedicated to maximizing the success of the home products industry with a world class international trade show (The Inspired Home Show held annually in Chicago in March), global e-commerce and a myriad of business development tools for the trade.

She is also a member of IHA’s Government Affairs Committee, Exhibitor Trade Show Advisory Committee and Key Retailer Advisory Committee, and a regular participant in IHA’s regional CORE (Chief Officers Reaching Excellence) meetings across the country.

To learn more and to register free of charge for Yvette's talk, visit:  https://womenentrepreneursgrowglobal.org/2026/06/12/how-to-successfully-bring-overseas-brands-into-the-u-s-market/

Global Economic Uncertainty: Unlocking SME Finance for Investment and Productivity

©iStock/ronniechua

While economies have demonstrated resilience over the past several years, economic uncertainty is weighing on the small businesses which are driving our economies. The cost of finance for SMEs remains high, despite recent decreases in SME interest rates, and banks continue to apply stringent lending terms and conditions to mitigate risk.  

Read the full report here that discusses questions such as:  how ongoing economic and policy uncertainty is affecting SME financing and investment decisions; what policy approaches and market-based solutions can help SMEs invest in productivity-enhancing assets; and, how we can strengthen uptake of digital solutions to enhance access to finance and boost SME productivity.

Costco's CEO Ron Vachris Views AI As a Supplement to Human Value

©iStock/jetcityimage

As executives name AI as one of many reasons for mass layoffs, Costco’s CEO Ron Vachris views AI as a supplement to human value.

Last month Vachris spoke at the Economic Club of Chicago about how AI is—and isn’t—changing Costco’s workforce of 341,000. 

“AI has been extremely good for our company in an assistive nature,” Vachris said. “What we found is, it has worked very well, complementing our employees and the systems that we put in place in the pharmacy, in our gas stations, and in the accounting department that we have. And also in some of our IT. It was writing some code.”

Discover how Costco is using AI to empower its employees rather than replace them.

Architect of the Modern American Economy Dies: Alan Greenspan

©iStock/Sparky2000

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, once hailed as a maestro for directing a booming economy but who later received some of the blame for the housing bust and financial meltdown that occurred after he left office, has died [6/22/26], according to his wife, Andrea Mitchell. He was 100.

Greenspan served five terms as Fed chairman under four presidents.

Today in Global Small Business: Uncertainty Over the Strait of Hormuz

©iStock/PeterHermesFurian

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

• The United States and Iranian militaries have offered conflicting accounts over whether the crucial waterway is open, which impacts business owners who import with continued supply chain shocks, skyrocketing freight and fuel costs, and complex contract disputes.
• We've got a problem ... Iranian state media said 6/21/26 that Trump’s comments violated the preliminary peace deal signed Wednesday, which bars the two sides from attacking or threatening each other.
• Trump threatens fresh attacks on Iran.
• Quote of the week:  “You close it, and you won’t have a country,” Trump said of the Strait of Hormuz (6/21/26)
• Deal or no deal?
• Trump warns Tehran "we will take over your country if the Strait of Hormuz is closed."

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! 

Love Is Never Wrong

©2026 Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Love is never wrong." – Melissa Etheridge