An Angel Will Be Waiting

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"When you feel lost, pause and look closely around you.  Somewhere, somehow, an Angel will be waiting to guide you home." – Author unknown

TACO

©iStock/istetiana

The term “TACO,” short for Trump Always Chickens Out, has been used to describe how markets tumble on the president’s tariff threats, then rebound when he gives way.  Here's what happened when Trump was asked about it by a reporter. 

Say It Ain't So: Cuts to SCORE and Women Business Centers (WBCs)

Protect SCORE's funding here.  Read Rieva Lesonsky's post for more details here.  Read the budget yourself.  #StandWithSCORE #StandWithWBCs

Your American Home Without China

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Think you can manage your American home without Chinese products?  Many essentials are imported from China – and with tariffs (whether old or new), they're likely to become more expensive.

The New York Times analyzed import data to show where Americans may see product shortages, fewer choices and price increases.

It's surprising where you will be hit hardest.

Tariffs: A Nightmare for Global Small Businesses

©iStock/freehandz

Global small businesses know that tariff rates remain sky high by historical levels and will keep pressuring profits. The 90-day window for a pause on goods from China while negotiations continue offers little clarity on where the levies will ultimately settle, and Trump has warned they could soar again.

Data from the American Bankruptcy Institute showed an April uptick in a type of bankruptcy filing typically used by small businesses, which it said “signals persistent distress.” At the same time, slumping import volumes at the Port of Los Angeles — the nation’s busiest — had warned of a brewing supply shock.

Small businesses that import from China are taking a beating.  Yet, despite this, Trump and his administration write this glorified piece (total misinformation) about how Trump is fixing problems and unleashing a new era of opportunity for small businesses.  If you believe that, then you believe that Pope Leo XIV is not Catholic.

Today in Global Small Business: Biggest Threat to Success is Overthinking

©iStock/Bilanol

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

• Overthinking often slows or even stalls progress by causing muddy thinking and overwhelm. It's aimed at preventing mistakes but overthinking itself becomes a bigger threat to success than mistakes.
• Americans across the country are remembering George Floyd five years after he was killed by police, with special gatherings in the city where he grew up and the one where he died.
• Why the Supreme Court is handing over more and more power to Trump.
• Quote of the week:  “Everything I did in my life that was worthwhile, I caught hell for.” – Earl Warren
• The trade war has turned a spotlight on the artisanal clusters behind glamorous goods, inviting fresh scrutiny of one of the industry’s key selling points.
• Remember the true meaning of Memorial Day.

Pope Leo XIV's Home in Dolton, Illinois

I [Laurel Delaney] was born and raised in Riverdale, Illinois – 4 miles from Dolton, Illinois where Pope Leo XIV (born Robert Francis Prevost) was raised.  I suspect we passed each other on our bikes growing up.

Photo credit (5/18/25):  ©Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.  

Starbucks Avoids Brewing Controversy in South Korea

©iStock/tupungato

Walk into any Starbucks in South Korea right now, and there are some names you definitely won't be hearing.  Six to be exact - and they happen to be the names of the candidates running in the upcoming presidential race.  That's because Starbucks has temporarily blocked customers who are ordering drinks from using these names, which would be called out by baristas.

Oh, let's not forget Starbuck's goal of making sure every customer has a great experience in their coffeehouses.

Big News: A New Family of Products for the Age of Artificial Intelligence

©iStock/Lemon_tm

On May 21, 2025, Sam Altman, OpenAI’s chief executive, said the company was paying $6.5 billion to buy IO, a one-year-old start-up created by Jony Ive, a former top Apple executive who designed the iPhone.  They had already owned 23% of the company and now will own 100%.

The all-stock deal, which effectively unites Silicon Valley royalty, is intended to usher in what the two men call “a new family of products” for the age of artificial general intelligence, or A.G.I., which is shorthand for a future technology that achieves human-level intelligence.

The goal of the partnership, or the blending of the two companies, was to leverage A.I. to help people make some sense of the noise.  Which means a new cool device by Ive.  Ive's design studio, LoveFrom remains independent from OpenAI to work on other projects.

Learn more about what is yet to come:  a new generation of devices.

Pope Leo XIV's Inauguration Mass at the Vatican

Attention USA Small Business Owners: Let's Talk Tariffs on June 11 (wegg® GPS)

©2025 Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

Attention U.S. small business owners! The associates at Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global® invite you to share your experiences, insights, and strategies for tackling the ongoing challenge of tariffs—a persistent issue affecting many. Let’s come together on Wednesday, June l1 at 11 AM CT to Talk Tariffs, the obstacles you face and the solutions you’ve found.

I [Laurel Delaney] will be moderating the call.  We have a handful of experts lined up to guide us during the discussions:

• Joe Maher, Partner, Nixon Peabody
• Ela Baio, Partner, Nixon Peabody
• Lori Novak, VP, FX, Associated Bank
• Ming Chen, President, MSL Global Express Inc.

Join us for a free, collaborative session where together we’ll brainstorm innovative solutions and craft a clear, actionable plan to make a real impact.  Together, we are stronger. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to contribute your ideas and be part of meaningful change!

To learn more and to register, visit: https://womenentrepreneursgrowglobal.org/2025/05/07/tariff-talk-business-owners-share-solutions/

Today in Global Small Business: Bonded Warehouses Are Seeing a Spike in Interest

©iStock/Smederevac

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

• With on-again, off-again tariff policies causing havoc, bonded warehouses are seeing a spike in interest. The facilities are located around the country, but they’re legally outside of U.S. Customs territory. 
• Max Harris, group head of strategy and sustainability at Associated British Ports, the largest ports operator in the United Kingdom, explains how the company is using tech to accelerate the energy transition across industrial sectors—and create new business models.
• Navigating the new tariff landscape.
• Quote of the week:  “Bonded warehouses are a vital part of the global economy, but many people don’t know what they are or what benefits they offer." – Unknown
• Tariffs:  What utilities leaders need to know.
• Seven key issues from President Trump's first 10 days and what's next.

The Joy It Brings Others

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

“A tulip blooms not for itself, but for the joy it brings to others.”

Accelerate Sustainable and Inclusive Growth Globally

©iStock/Alessandra Indino

"Our aspiration is to help accelerate sustainable and inclusive growth globally, and it’s a key metric by which we measure ourselves." – Bob Sternfels, Global managing partner, McKinsey & Company – download report.

Is a Luxury Boeing 747 Jet Gifted From Qatar to President Trump Going Too Far?

©iStock/LIVINUS

I don't know about all of you but I would prefer a big, beautiful new jet made in USA for Air Force One, no matter how long the wait.  After all, isn't there a BIG push for Made In America right now or am I missing something?  The latest is that Qatar wants to give a FREE Air Force One replacement valued at U.S. $400 million to President Trump.  No strings attached.  Got that?  

Yet, the Constitution prohibits federal officials from accepting things of value, or “emoluments,” from foreign governments without congressional approval.  

Democratic Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii said, "Schatz said "it really should go without saying, but no president should be accepting a $400 million gift from a foreign country. It is gross, it is reckless, it is corrupt, and the outrage and condemnation especially on the Republican side should be universal.”

What's your feeling?

Defer (Park) Tariffs For a While With a Foreign Trade Zone

©iStock/werny

The U.S. has roughly 260 foreign-trade zones (FTZs) that allow them to defer tariffs on imported goods and materials, for a while.  Think of it as parking your import in a tax-free foreign trade zone until you are ready to release it.  Good way to manage your cash flow.

Foreign trade zones and bonded warehouses are specially designated, secured storage or manufacturing sites approved by U.S. Customs that allow for the temporary avoidance of tariffs.

Since the start of Trump's trade war, more companies started looking to FTZs, and membership has surged to an all-time high.

Is the U.S. Looking to Hurt China?

©iStock/Rawf8

Under the new agreement, the US is reducing the "reciprocal" tariff on Chinese goods that it announced on "Liberation day" to 10%. But it said the higher levy rate was being suspended for 90 days, rather than removed permanently.

The US is also keeping in place the extra 20% tariff aimed at putting pressure on Beijing to do more to curb the illegal trade in fentanyl, a powerful opioid drug.

Is the U.S. looking to hurt China?

Today in Global Small Business: The Global Small Business Blog Is Now Home to Pope Leo XIV

©iStock/Jorisvo

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

• Pope Leo XIV delivers his first Sunday blessing.  The Global Small Business Blog is now home to Pope Leo.  Added note:  Pope Leo grew up in Dolton, Illinois just a couple of miles from where I [Laurel Delaney] was born and raised, Riverdale, Illinois.  So one could say I now have a direct line to the Pope. 
• How small businesses are handling tariffs (Forbes) and I [Laurel Delaney] am delighted to be included.
• We hope everyone had a very special Mother's Day.  Want to know where all the flowers came from?
• Quote of the week:  “I enjoy relaxing with friends and meeting a broad range of different people. Different people can greatly enhance our lives.” – Pope Leo XIV (2025)
• U.S. and China reach an important consensus.
• A rubber duck museum is migrating to Canada to stay afloat.  Tariff troubles.

Who Believes in Angels?

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Elton John and Brandi Carlile – Who Believes in Angels? Stories from the edge of creation.

Is the U.S. Administration Being Fair Minded?

©iStock/Jacob Wackerhausen

Steven L. Taylor discusses what anti-DEI really ends up meaning.  In it, he says:

I also want to acknowledge how tired I am that people like myself who are inclined to be fair-minded, find themselves in a debate with an administration that has no interest in being fair-minded, but rather wants to play semantic games that ignore the consequences of their actions.

Read his interesting commentary here.

The Best of Sting (Music)

Women Are Making a Lasting Impact on the Global Stage

©iStock/Jacob Wackerhausen

At SUCCESS® magazine, their reach extends worldwide, and they are proud to honor women from diverse backgrounds and industries who are making a lasting impact on the global stage.

In a world where we are experiencing so much change politically, economically, socially and in the consumer marketplace, there’s one constant that keeps us going: women.

Women are using their platforms to advocate for important causes, drive meaningful change and provide solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues. From launching international businesses to leading grassroots campaigns, the women featured in SUCCESS' 2025 Women of Influence are demonstrating that leadership knows no borders. Their influence is felt across continents, and their impact is shaping the future of industries, communities and societies around the world.

Check out SUCCESS' 2025 Women of Influence.  Be inspired.

Marcy McKenna Demystifies Live Shopping (wegginar® 5/7/25)

©Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.  All rights reserved.

Think Live Shopping is for you and your business?  Find out from the pro Marcy McKenna, Founder and CEO, The Live Shopping Academy, when she discusses, "Live Shopping Demystified:  Unlock the Hidden Power of Today's Fastest Growing eCom Marketing Strategy," Wednesday, May 7th at 11 AM CT.

Here's what you can expect:

• Discover the five biggest reasons ecommerce brands are diving into live shopping in record numbers.
• Find out if your product is right for live shopping and what the potential could be for your bottom line.
• Learn the hidden benefits of live shopping that you can start taking advantage of today
• Get step-by-step guidance for getting started with live shopping.

About Marcy

Marcy McKenna is an accomplished product innovator and entrepreneur having successfully designed, developed, marketed and launched over 40 products via live shopping, ecommerce and big box retail.

With over 14 years of experience in the Live Shopping space–both as a brand on HSN, QVC, and Amazon, and as a product spokesperson/influencer on today’s most popular live commerce platforms, Amazon Live, Pinterest TV, Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Grommet Live, etc., Marcy has seen firsthand the power live shopping can bring to product based businesses, both big and small. With that in mind, she recently created and launched The Live Shopping Academy with the goal of teaching ecommerce brands, Amazon Sellers and product entrepreneurs how to harness the power of Live Shopping to build their brands to heights never before thought possible.  And there's more ...

To register (free of charge) for this extremely popular wegginar®, visit here.

Today in Global Small Business: The Economic Impact of Tariffs and Global Trade on Business

©iStock/Stanislav Gvozd

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

• Tariffs and global trade:  the economic impact on business.
• By declaring a trade war on the rest of the world, President Donald Trump has panicked global financial markets, raised the risk of a recession and broken the political and economic alliances that made much of the world stable for business after World War II.  Is it a sign of dominance or weakness?
• South Korean exports show signs of weakness and global trade tensions.
• Quote of the week:  “The benefits of a tariff are visible. Union workers can see they are "protected." The harm which a tariff does is invisible. It's spread widely. There are people that don't have jobs because of tariffs but they don't know it." – Milton Friedman
• U.S. showed signs of weakness even before trade tensions escalated.
• A look at U.S. exports to China 2025.

Flowers Don't Tell

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Flowers don't tell, they show." – Stephanie Skeem

About Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney

©iStock/Captured by Keeleigh

What I have learned so far from Mark Carney is that Trump will not be adding Canada, Greenland or Panama to the US Territory anytime soon.  He also said Canada would "never" yield to the United States as he declared victory in federal elections early Tuesday, April 29, 2025. 

A little bit about Mark Carney.

Cheers! Happy National Small Business Month!

©iStock/EyeEm Mobile GmbH

It's time to celebrate National Small Business Month.  May is a month to applaud and recognize the contributions of small businesses to the economy. And right now, they (myself included) are experiencing a tough time due to our current economic environment.  Yet, because we are hard working, fierce, resilient and brave, we are the backbone of our economy.

Despite having a challenging time to find something uplifting to report out on relative to small businesses, I thought this post by the Export-Import Bank of the United States is perfect.  It talks about beer (that's where the cheers come in) and how craft brewers can go global with government support.  Yes, you read that right.

Check it out here.  Cheer's to all of us – global small businesses – for navigating extremely turbulent waters right now.  There is no other choice than to come up with creative solutions and keep moving forward.