Keep Calm, Head to Key West

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Keep calm, head to Key West." – Unknown

Accelerated Global Growth

©iStock/Robert Way

Roblox is announcing five new roles to position the company for accelerated global growth. John Ciancutti is joining as Roblox’s first Chief Growth Officer (CGO). Also joining are four regional General Managers (GMs): Joost Hagesteijn for Europe, Sunil Rao for India, Diego Dzodan for Latin America, and Mohamed El Sheakh for the Middle East, North Africa, and Türkiye. 

Read more here. 

Dear U.S.A. Government, Please Return the $160 Billion ASAP

©iStock/thitivong

The government must return about $160 billion, plus interest, collected from duties deemed illegal and potentially more if it loses a related tariff case.

The money is reserved largely for businesses that imported goods, not for American families, though both have faced rising costs as a result of Mr. Trump’s trade war. 

The refund process comes at a difficult political moment for Mr. Trump, who arrived in China on Wednesday, 5/13/26, for high-stakes trade talks. Just last week, a panel of federal judges found that the president broke the law when he replaced his illegal duties with a 10 percent tax on nearly all imports.

Customs officials indicated in a court filing on Tuesday that they had taken steps toward sending billions of dollars in additional, approved refunds to the Treasury Department for payment. The Trump administration has said it is still working to expand its system for processing refund requests.

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 February 1, 2026, we have more than 900,000 readers on a monthly basis.

A Fast-Melting Antarctic Glacier at the End of the Earth

©iStock/staphy

Ten people.  Eight weeks.  Three-thousand feet to pierce a fast-moving Antarctic glacier.  The hole in the ice at the end of the earth.

How to Prepare, Approach, and Sell Your Products to the World's Leading Retailers with Jim Debetta

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

Up next, 5/13/26 at 11:00 AM CT – free of charge wegginar® with Jim Debetta, President of DeBetta Enterprises, "How to Prepare, Approach, and Sell Your Products to the World's Leading Retailers." 

To learn more and to register visit here.

Today in Global Small Business: How Starbucks Is Turning Around

©iStock/M. Suhail

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

• Here’s what most turnaround stories get wrong: They focus on the result and skip the method.  Not Starbucks.  They did things differently.  See how.
• Key US export controls considerations for global data center projects.
• State of US tariffs (as of 4/8/26).
• Quote of the week:  “Growth doesn't require us to become something new, it requires us to be exceptionally good at who we already are." – Mike Grams, Chief Operations Officer, Starbucks, on the focus of the turnaround
• AI and the self you left behind.
• Advancing communications skills in the age of AI.

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.  In April, 2026, we had more than 2,920,000 – yes, 2.9 million – readers visit our blog.

Everything Has Beauty

©2026 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." –  Confucius

Find Your Calm

Global Expansion Simplified

©iStock/peshkov

“Internationalization” can seem an overwhelming concept for SMEs, but the relationship between the two has never been so significant. In the face of worldwide economic disruptions, SMEs’ role in the global trade ecosystem has remained resilient, contributing significantly to economic growth, innovation, and job creation.

In this article, find out:

• How to develop a structured pathway for business growth
• Nine key building blocks for international expansion
• Free whitepaper: Global Expansion Simplified: The Ultimate Guide for SMEs

It's all here.

There Is No Silver Bullet

©iStock/Nikolay Chekalin

President Trump keeps looking for the magic formula that will deliver him victory in Iran.  There is no silver bullet here.

Risks to the Global Supply Chain: Critical Raw Materials

©iStock/BJP7images

Critical raw materials are facing rising export restrictions, increasing risks to the global supply chain.

The annual update of the OECD Inventory of Export Restrictions on Critical Raw Materials tracks export restrictions and supports analysis of their impact on availability, prices and global supply chains. 

The OECD continues to monitor these measures over time.

Today in Global Small Business: First Female Trainer to Win the Kentucky Derby 2026!

©iStock/Thomas Kelley

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

• On Saturday, 5/2/26, Golden Tempo sprinted to victory at the 2026 Kentucky Derby, becoming the latest long shot to win. But the impressive win was also a historic one: With Golden Tempo beating out co-favorite Renegade at the finish line, trainer Cherie DeVaux became the first female trainer to win at the Kentucky Derby.
• One of the world's remote nations opens up.
• Spirit Airlines loses its spirit and ceases operations after escalating financial struggles.
• Quote of the week:  “Horse racing is a sport that transcends all boundaries. It's a celebration of speed, strength, and the indomitable spirit of the horse." – Anonymous
• What would the founding fathers say about Trump?  A guest essay by Stacy Schiff.
• AI isn’t a substitute for human skills. It’s a multiplier.

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.  In April, 2026, we had more than 2,920,000 – yes, 2.9 million – readers visit our blog.

Stick With Love

©2026 Laurel J.Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear." – MLK

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.  In April, 2026, we had more than 2,920,000 – yes, 2.9 million – readers visit our blog.

The U.A.E. Pulls Out of OPEC

©iStock/Dmitrili Pichugin

The United Arab Emirates’ (UAEs') decision to withdraw from OPEC marked a new alignment in the Middle East, where the tiny but fantastically wealthy Persian Gulf country becomes more tied to Israel and the U.S. than the Arab world.

The U.A.E. has practical reasons to pull out of OPEC. 

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.  In April, 2026, we had more than 2,920,000 – yes, 2.9 million – readers visit our blog.