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.

50 Promising Business Ideas for 2026 and Beyond

©iStock/Natalya Kosarevich

If you think you have a great business idea that needs to be shared with the world, you’re in good company. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that more than 5 million new business applications have been filed every year since 2021, and entrepreneurs are on track to continue that trend. 

What are the best ideas for 2026?  They are ones that have clear market demand, the potential for scalability and profit, and the ability to adapt to changing technologies and customer demands.

Find out what those are here.

Meanwhile, celebrate Juneteenth!

Nominate an Exceptional Woman Business Owner for the Gail Adinamis wegg® Award for Exemplary Global Leadership® 2026

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

The Gail Adinamis wegg® Award for Exemplary Global Leadership® honors and celebrates Gail Adinamis, who has been crucial to the growth and success of Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global®.

About the award

The annual award honors a wegg stakeholder who has gone out of her way to connect, create, contribute, and collaborate with wegg, and forge alliances that have proven helpful.  These are traits that define an exemplary global leader.

Successful entrepreneur Gail Adinamis was founder and CEO of GlobalCare Clinical Trials, LLC.  Established in 2010, GlobalCare Clinical Trials brings Phase I-IV clinical trials to patients, instead of the other way around.  Today, the company’s in-home and alternate-site nursing services can be found in more than 65 countries.  The company was acquired by LabCorp in July, 2020, further expanding it’s decentralized clinical trials capabilities globally.

True global leaders like Gail Adinamis and many others who will follow in her footsteps are defined not only by their worldly knowledge and connections, nor by the global opportunities they seize, but by how they contribute to the improvement and growth of others.

Past awardees can be found here.

Nominations are now open! Please submit your nomination by no later than February 20, 2026.  

How Small Businesses Will Build, Adapt, and Grow in 2026

©iStock/winyuu

Rieva Lesonsky writes “2026 Predictions and Insights:  How Small Businesses Will Build, Adapt, and Grow.”  She also includes a section I [Laurel Delaney] wrote titled, “Global Trade: Powering the New Global Economic Reality."  Access the article here.

Speaking of trends ... register for Laurel Delaney's Global Trade Trends Report 2026 – a wegginar® taking place free of charge tomorrow, 1/7 at 11 AM CT.

Today in Global Small Business: Times Square New Year's Eve Ball Will Be Looking Gorgeous!

©iStock/Ryan Rahman

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

• New 2026 Waterford crystals installed on Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball celebrating holidays around the world.
• Tech trends that small businesses will focus on in 2026.
• Quote of the week:  "Approach the New Year with resolve to find the opportunities hidden in each new day." – Michael Josephson
  
• Ten New Year's resolutions for small businesses by the BBB.
• 10 crucial insights for small business owners to succeed in 2026—and beyond.
• How your startup or small business can succeed in 2026.
• For all the women business owners out there, let's go global!
• Oh my, to all my Global Small Business Blog readers, collectively, we've hit more than a half-million of you reading this blog every month!  Thank you! 👏