2025-07-29 14:16:14
If you think Gen Z doesn’t want your marketing emails, you’re missing out. Here’s how to engage this generation, build loyalty, and boost your startup revenue with the right approach.
Many business owners think they know Gen Z. They assume this generation is glued to TikTok, allergic to email, and impossible to reach through traditional marketing channels. But we don’t really know these people as well as we think we do.
In fact, our assumptions may be costing us opportunities. When I surveyed 1,400 Gen Zers for the Gen Z at Work Report, I found that:
If your startup is overlooking email as a channel to engage Gen Z, it’s time to think again. Done right, email marketing can help you connect with this influential generation and capture more sales.
Here are five tactics you can start using today to delight your Gen Z audience and build a genuine, long-term connection.
Keep your emails short and easy to scan
Attention spans have been declining across all generations – and for Gen Z, this is especially true. They’ve grown up surrounded by a constant stream of digital content competing for their focus, so they expect brands to get to the point fast.
Make sure every sentence in your email earns its keep. If your email needs to be longer, pay attention to your layout:
When your email is easy to scan, Gen Z is far more likely to engage and absorb your message.
Use a conversational tone
If your marketing emails sound like they’re coming from a corporation, Gen Z is sure to tune out. To get their attention, analyze your tone of voice – does it sound human and friendly?
Gen Z values authenticity and they connect with brands that feel genuine. So, skip the corporate jargon and try to make your email sound like it’s coming from a friend. A conversational style builds trust, and your startup comes across as more relatable.
Bonus tip: Before you hit “send,” read your email out loud. If it sounds stiff and dry, rewrite it. Also, consider sharing your email with your Gen Z employees or other Gen Zers you may know. Use their feedback and don’t be afraid to test new approaches in your copywriting.
Make it mobile-first
Your email may look great on your computer, but does it render properly across all devices and email service providers? For Gen Z, it better – they check email on their phone more than any other device.
Design with a mobile-first mindset and use:
Also, test every email you send to ensure it looks good on both desktop and mobile – but also across all popular email providers, like Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook.
Offer real value
Since Gen Z checks email because of FOMO, that means they’re actively looking for things that matter to them. So, make your emails too good to miss instead of sending generic promos.
Think exclusive offers, early access to products or special events, behind-the-scenes content, or useful tips they won’t find elsewhere. A good way to gauge their interest in potential email topics is to test them on social media first. If you notice a certain subject is getting traction on social media, you can expand on it in an email. Being consistently relevant and compelling keeps your Gen Z audience engaged.
Fine-tune your personalization
All generations respond well to messaging that feels personal, but for Gen Z, it’s non-negotiable. To engage them with your email marketing, go beyond using their name in every email – while important, that’s considered basic today.
Instead, use any available data to create mini experiences they remember. Tailor your content based on their interests and past purchases. Also, stay tuned in to the trends they care about, and think of ways your brand can offer fresh perspectives. That’s how you build loyalty and momentum.
Why it’s worth putting in the effort to engage Gen Z
Getting clicks is great, but healthy engagement has an even bigger benefit. It signals to mailbox providers that people want your emails, which helps you stay in the inbox. Low engagement? It can tank your visibility, as it signals the opposite.
Every open, click, and reply tells inbox providers your content matters, so your next email will get through. It’s a cycle that rewards brands that truly connect with their audience.
Reassess your email marketing approach today
You can easily steal the tactics above to make your emails more fun and clickable for Gen Z. One simple step you can take is to rethink your approach. Ask yourself: what small change could we make in our email marketing to boost our metrics?
Gen Z isn’t tuning out email. They’re tuning out emails that don’t speak to them. Take the time to engage thoughtfully, and you’ll not only drive more clicks and sales – you’ll build lasting relationships with the next generation of consumers.
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2025-07-28 14:15:24
Summer is the perfect time to tackle those business projects you’ve been putting off. While your competitors are checking out early for vacation, you can quietly build one of the most powerful marketing assets any business can have: a steady stream of authentic customer reviews.
Here’s the thing about online reviews: they’re not just nice to have. When 98% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses before making a purchase, your review strategy isn’t marketing, it’s survival.
In this article, we’ll walk you through a simple four-step approach that you can implement quickly to start collecting authentic reviews consistently and improving your star rating.
While it’s important to have solid reviews on multiple sites, avoid spreading yourself too thin: instead, focus on one review site and build momentum there.
How do you choose the review site to focus on? For most businesses serving local customers, the ideal home base is a Google Business Profile. Google is often the first place new customers look, making it the most valuable digital real estate for a local business.
If your business doesn’t qualify for a Google Business Profile, search for your top three competitors and see which review sites rank highest for them, then choose the one that’s the best fit. Also, check BrightLocal’s Best Business Review Sites.
If you sell online, you need reviews on your product pages and connect them to Google Shopping along with your products.
For business review sites, spend some time creating a profile that builds trust with visitors. Add a compelling description of your business, upload fresh photos, include links to your website and social media, update your hours, and verify that your contact information is accurate.
The next move is to create an effortless path for your customers to write a review. Find the direct link that takes users straight to the page where they can leave you a review. It’s worth the extra effort to create a QR code of that link, which instantly moves a happy customer from their phone to your review page.
Save that link and QR code. You’ll use these for the next step.
Finally, check the settings and turn on review notifications. This is your vital alert system ensuring you know when a new review arrives.
Once your review home base is ready, it’s time to master the art of asking. Entrepreneurs who collect the most reviews aren’t necessarily the ones with the best products; they’re the ones who prompt for reviews from every customer, every time, using multiple touchpoints.
Start with your existing communication channels. If you already send order confirmations, shipping notifications, or follow-up emails, you’re sitting on great review opportunities. Add a simple, friendly review request with the direct review link to those messages. For service-based businesses, the post-appointment email or text is your perfect moment to ask while the positive experience is still fresh.
Make it part of your in-person routine. Train yourself and your team to weave review requests naturally into customer interactions. When someone is paying for their purchase, and especially when they compliment your service or say they love their purchase, that’s your cue: “I’m so glad you liked it! Would you mind taking 30 seconds to share that feedback online? It really helps other customers find us.” Then show them the QR code on your phone or a printed card.
Put visual reminders where customers can see them. Table tents at restaurants, small signs at checkout counters, or stickers on packaging all serve as gentle nudges. The key is making these displays helpful, not pushy. Frame them as “Help others discover us!” rather than desperate pleas.
Don’t forget your past customers. Reach out to clients who have already ordered from you with a friendly message: “We hope you’re still loving [product/service]. If you have a moment, we’d be grateful for a quick review.” Past customers can become your most enthusiastic reviewers because they’re not being asked in the heat of a sales moment.
Just be careful about your timing. Contact a handful of previous customers each week rather than sending out dozens of requests at once. When review platforms see an unusual spike in activity, they may suspect that some of the new reviews are fake.
Package inserts work wonders for physical products. A small card with your QR code and a personal message from you can turn every delivery into a review opportunity, because customers are holding your product while reading your request.
The key? Make asking feel natural, not scripted. Your genuine appreciation for their business should shine in every request.
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Here’s where many entrepreneurs drop the ball: they get excited about collecting reviews, but then go silent when those reviews arrive. Every review, whether it’s a glowing five-star testimonial or a frustrated one-star complaint, deserves a thoughtful response if you’re serious about your online reputation.
Why responding matters more than you think. When potential customers read your reviews, they’re also reading your responses. A professional, caring reply (especially to criticism) boosts your credibility. It shows you’re engaged, you care about customer experience, and you’re willing to make things right.
For positive reviews, keep it personal but efficient. Thank the customer by name, mention something specific they praised, and invite them back. A simple “Thanks, Sarah! So glad you loved our quick service. Looking forward to your next visit!” feels genuine without eating up your entire day.
For negative reviews, take a deep breath and follow this formula. First, acknowledge their feelings. “I’m sorry you had this experience.” goes a long way. If you agree with their complaint, offer a concrete solution such as a refund or discount. If the issue is complex or you need more details, invite them to continue the conversation privately: “Please email me at [your email] so we can resolve this properly.” If the review is clearly in error or fake, stay professional: “It seems there might be a misunderstanding, because we were definitely open on that day. Please contact me at [your preferred contact channel] so we can figure this out.”
Speed matters, but don’t sacrifice quality. Aim to respond within 24 hours. When setting up notifications at the review site, include multiple staff members where possible so that someone is always available to respond. Train your team and emphasize the importance of quick replies. Quick responses show to the reviewer, to future customers, and to the review platform that you’re actively managing your business.
When you’re stuck for words, get help. If crafting responses feels overwhelming, consider using AI tools to help draft professional replies. The key is to ensure that any response sounds authentically like your business voice, not like a robot wrote it.
Remember: future customers are reading your responses and deciding whether you’re the kind of business owner they want to work with.
As you build your review system, the following considerations will help you work smarter and get better results with less effort.
Use a redirect link for maximum flexibility. Instead of printing your Google review link directly on cards and marketing materials, set up a “redirect link” like “YourBusinessName.com/reviews” that you control. When you want customers to focus on a different review site or run a special campaign, simply change where that link points, without having to reprint business cards or replace table tents.
Think beyond your primary review site. While focusing on one main platform builds momentum, not every customer wants to leave a review on Google. Some customers don’t have a Google account, while others may prefer Facebook or posting photos on Instagram. A great solution is to create a simple landing page on your website (like “YourBusiness.com/feedback”) that gives customers multiple options to leave reviews or valuable user-generated content on their favorite social media channel.
Get feedback privately first. If you’re not yet confident about how your customers feel about your business, it’s a great idea to ask them for feedback before asking them to write a review. You may learn some invaluable things that you can improve, and it’s far better to find this out privately than in a public review! By addressing their issues, you can often turn them into satisfied customers who then leave positive reviews.
Amplify your success everywhere. Once you start collecting great reviews, don’t let them sit hidden on review sites. Boost your brand awareness with customer reviews by displaying them on your website, creating posts about them on social media (and tagging your customer in the post), and including review snippets in email signatures.
Let tools handle the routine work. As your review volume grows, simple automation can save hours each week. Tools can automatically send review requests and follow-up messages, organize customer responses, and even help you craft professional replies. You can start simple with free options, then upgrade as your needs grow.
The goal isn’t perfection from day one. Select one or two of these tips that make sense for you now, and build from there.
Building a strong review system isn’t just another marketing tactic; it’s insurance for your business. Every positive review is working for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week, helping you get found online, building your online presence, and convincing potential customers to choose you over competitors.
Summer is flying by, but there’s still time to build something that will pay dividends for years to come. Your future self will thank you for taking action today.
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2025-07-27 14:07:46
For entrepreneurs and small business owners, most of your time is likely spent juggling multiple jobs, client relationships, marketing, and maybe even a bit of fulfillment. Your natural instinct is (likely) to put in more hours to make more money.
But the reality is that scaling your income doesn’t have to mean scaling your hours. In fact, the most successful business owners have learned how to decouple time from income to help them grow revenue without burning out.
Whether you’re a solopreneur trying to escape the freelance treadmill or a small business owner ready to break through a revenue ceiling, this article will show you actionable ways to work smarter, not harder.
For many entrepreneurs, the early stages of business growth are heavily dependent on time, and that’s normal. At the moment, you’re likely billing by the hour, offering one-on-one services, or managing every task yourself. That’s fine for now, but this model has a ceiling, and hitting it can feel like running full speed into a wall.
There are only 24 hours in a day, and only so many of those you can productively work. Even if you’re charging premium rates, your income is still directly tied to how much time you can actually commit.
Yes, you can hire more people, but they’ll also hit that ceiling at some point, and you’ll need to hire more and more and so on.
The good news is that with more companies now using AI to automate parts of their day-to-day tasks, a huge portion of time-bound work can be offloaded to allow them to focus on income strategies that don’t demand constant effort.
If you’re spending your time doing tasks that technology, automation, or others could handle, you’re effectively capping your own earning potential.
There’s also a personal cost to trading time for money: burnout. Long hours lead to decision fatigue, reduced creativity, and eventually, diminished returns, and not just financially, but mentally and physically.
This is especially true for service-based entrepreneurs. If your business can’t run without you in the chair, you’re going to face burnout and bigger problems further down the line.
Breaking away from trading time for money is one of the smartest moves an entrepreneur can make. To do that effectively, you’ll need to build systems that generate income independently of your daily effort – or ‘make you money while you sleep’. The good news?
Several powerful approaches can help you create diverse income streams, and many of them fall into the category of passive income business ideas.
One of the most accessible passive income ideas is turning your existing knowledge or services into products. Instead of charging by the hour, create digital assets that can be sold repeatedly with little to no additional work. These might include:
These are just a few examples, and all the above can help you earn while you sleep, travel, or focus on other parts of your business. And the demand is there: the global e-learning market is projected to hit $457.8 billion by 2026, showing that audiences are actively seeking expert-led learning online.
Explore how to do this in our guide: How to Turn Your Expertise Into an Online Course
Another great option is to build recurring revenue streams. Unlike one-off transactions, recurring models offer predictability and consistency, ideal when you’re trying to stop trading time for money.
From niche content memberships to curated subscription boxes, this model gives your audience continuous value while providing you with steady income.
If you’re in a service-based field, bundle services into monthly packages. Clients pay a flat rate for ongoing support, eliminating the feast-or-famine cycle.
Plus, according to Zuora’s Subscription Economy Index, subscription-based businesses grew revenues 4.6x faster than S&P 500 companies over the past decade.
Affiliate marketing is a low-effort way to develop another diverse income stream. By recommending tools, software, or products you already use and love, you can earn commissions without having to create anything new yourself.
One study claimed that in 2023, affiliate marketing spending in the United States stood at $9.56 billion U.S. dollars. The source projected it would increase to $10.72 billion in 2024 and further to roughly $12 billion in 2025.
Like we said before, if your business can’t function without you constantly at the wheel, it’s fine in the beginning, but at some point, your time becomes the bottleneck. Technology is what helps you break that constraint.
You don’t need to manually send calendar invites, track form submissions, or copy-paste email responses anymore. You can, but you don’t need to with today’s tech and the evolution of AI.
Software can handle that, and it should. Look out for tools that can connect all the platforms you’re already using (your CRM, your email service, your calendar, etc) so they work together.
Even simple automation, like a pre-scheduled email sequence for new leads, can save you hours every week and offer a smoother experience for your customers. You could even extend this to proposals, invoices and reporting. All of it can be streamlined with the right tools.
But the point isn’t to become a tech wizard. It’s to stop being the only person your business depends on for momentum.
Good news, you don’t need to build a staff of ten to get help.
Hiring freelancers or virtual assistants for the more, repeatable tasks is often more efficient and more scalable. Customer service inquiries, simple design tweaks, social media scheduling are all things someone else can handle while you focus on strategy and revenue.
Delegation saves time and in turns, gives you more time to help you think, plan, and create. It’s what allows you to shift from reactive to proactive. And that’s where meaningful growth starts to happen.
You’ll never scale sustainably if you’re always stuck doing the work.
One of the smartest ways to earn more without working more is to start building or owning things that make money on their own. Not everything has to be tied to your time or your personal output. The idea is to create (or invest in) things that keep earning—even when you’re not working.
This could be something as simple as a blog, a digital guide, or even a short course. If it solves a problem or shares something useful, people will pay for it. The beauty is that once it’s made, it doesn’t need your constant attention.
For example, a well-written how-to guide can bring in steady income through downloads or affiliate links. A short video course on a niche topic can live on a platform like Udemy or Gumroad and keep selling long after you’ve moved on to other projects.
You don’t need to go viral, you just need to be useful.
You don’t need a warehouse or piles of inventory to start an online shop. There are low-maintenance ways to do it: dropshipping, print-on-demand, or selling digital downloads on Etsy. You can set these up with a bit of effort upfront, then keep them running with minimal upkeep.
It might take time to get going, but once it’s running smoothly, it becomes another source of income that doesn’t need you glued to your screen.
The big idea here is simple: don’t just work for your money, let your money and ideas start working for you. You don’t need to build a huge empire. Start small. Build smart.
If you’re a web designer, developer, or run an online business that serves digital clients, reseller hosting can be a quiet but consistent income stream. You don’t need to manage the hardware side of things; you simply offer web hosting as part of your service and earn a margin on every plan sold.
Reseller hosting providers make it easy to set up and scale without needing to be a server expert. You can brand the hosting as your own, manage multiple clients from one dashboard, and even automate billing and support.
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If you want to earn more without constantly working more, the key is to shift your role. Instead of being the person who does everything, start becoming the person who designs how things run. That shift, small at first, can make a big difference over time and should see you gain more freedom and more income.
You also don’t need to make massive changes overnight. Start by choosing one thing like:
Over time, these small moves add up. You’ll stop trading every hour for income and start building something that works beyond your own time limits.
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2025-07-25 14:15:50
In this era of digital interactions, maintaining authenticity in brand messaging is critical to business success. The content available online can be overwhelming for customers. Hence, they tend to ignore or disengage with marketing messages that aren’t relevant to their journey.
A recent global survey of 3,300 consumers revealed the growing demand for relevant content: 96% of respondents shared that personalized messaging can convince them to choose the brand. Simply put一customers want brands to share content that feels relatable, real, and human.
With artificial intelligence, businesses, especially startups, have been able to scale their content production cost-effectively. However, the output may still feel cold or mechanical at first glance. Several AI tools can enhance this messaging to make it sound more personable and human.
These tools amplify the human touch, allowing businesses to communicate with empathy, consistency, and creativity.
In this post, we will throw light on 5 such AI tools that are helping startups humanize their branding. Whether it’s lifelike voiceovers or personalized content, these tools are helping them build a lasting relationship with their target audience.
In this digital era, businesses can strengthen brand loyalty only by building customer trust. Voice is a powerful tool for humanizing digital interactions and bringing consistency to brand communications. It offers a unique personality that customers recognize and come to trust over time.
Murf.ai is an advanced AI voice generator that offers cutting-edge voice cloning services. It creates realistic, emotionally rich voiceovers, allowing startups to bring content to life and add a human touch.
Murf’s AI-enabled platform enables users to create studio-quality voiceovers without requiring professional voice actors or expensive recording equipment. From explainer videos and podcast intros to training modules and customer support prompts, the tool can help brands deliver messages with warmth, clarity, and consistency.
Startups can choose from a wide variety of AI voices or clone a custom voice that becomes part of their unique brand identity. Hence, they can create an engaging and memorable brand experience for their target audience.
Unlike robotic voiceovers, Murf.ai offers lifelike intonation and emotional depth to help create trust and relatability. This feature is especially relevant for startups seeking to establish a genuine connection with their customers and gain a competitive edge.
To maximize the platform’s potential, integrate Murf’s voiceovers across all content touchpoints, including ads, emails, website walkthroughs, and product videos. This will ensure a consistent customer experience, reinforcing your brand’s human touch and fostering a deeper connection.
Key Features:
Startups are increasingly relying on AI to produce content because requirements change rapidly, and the time pressure is particularly high. However, they often struggle with maintaining a human tone.
That’s where tools like Humanize AI Text can help. The platform is designed to refine AI-generated content by making it sound more natural, relatable, and engaging. Thus, the content doesn’t sound mechanical or robotic but more human-like.
Whether a business needs to craft blog posts, social media captions, email campaigns, or product descriptions, Humanize AI Text can polish the language to better reflect the way people speak and connect. The tool softens the overly formal phrasing, removes repetitive structures, and adds subtle nuances that make the content sound conversational and human.
Sharing humanized content builds trust, increasing the likelihood that the reader will engage with the content. In this time when audiences are growing increasingly savvy about spotting automated language, a human tone sets your brand apart.
To get the most out of this platform, use it for the final step of editing after the basic content is ready. Humanize AI Text ensures everything you publish aligns with your brand’s human-first approach while still benefiting from the efficiency of AI.
Key Features:
Without a doubt, video is one of the most compelling and cost-effective content formats for capturing attention and communicating brand value. Data shows that 91% of modern businesses post videos, highlighting the critical role of this content format in engaging audiences and driving business growth.
HeyGen makes high-quality video creation accessible for startups by transforming text into dynamic videos featuring customizable AI avatars. The tool removes the traditional barriers of video production, like actors, studios, and editing. Hence, startups can scale their content production within their limited budget.
HeyGen enables businesses to create a range of content, from onboarding videos that welcome new users to personalized product demonstrations and targeted social media posts. These AI-generated videos don’t just deliver information—they simulate real human interaction, making viewers feel seen and understood.
This level of personalization builds trust, increases viewer retention, and ultimately fosters stronger connections with your audience. The avatars can be adapted to fit the brand’s tone and visual style, ensuring consistency while speaking directly to diverse customer segments.
To get the most out of HeyGen, businesses must integrate it into the key customer touchpoints. Whether you are nurturing leads, explaining complex offerings, or following up post-purchase, tailored videos help your brand come across as more human, approachable, and attentive.
For startups looking to make a lasting impression at scale, HeyGen is an invaluable storytelling tool.
Key Features:
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This tool is ideal for startups seeking to scale quickly without compromising their brand voice. Anyword is an AI-enabled copywriting platform that generates content that aligns with your brand’s tone and predicts how well it will perform.
Whether you are crafting website copy, social media captions, or an email sequence, the tool ensures your messaging remains relevant, sharp, and consistent.
Anyword blends creativity with data to create engaging content and build a unique brand voice. The platform uses predictive analytics to score each content piece based on its potential performance with your target audience. This enables you to make informed decisions about what to publish, reducing guesswork and maximizing impact.
Thus, startups with small marketing teams wearing multiple hats can save time and money without compromising on quality. By maintaining a consistent voice across channels, Anyword helps strengthen brand recognition and trust.
To leverage this platform to the best of your advantage, use it both as a content generator and a strategic guide. Test variations, monitor performance scores, and adjust accordingly to ensure your messaging consistently resonates.
Count on Anyword to communicate like seasoned brands, clear, confident, and with measurable results.
Key Features:
WriteHuman is an AI humanizer tool designed to refine content by enhancing its emotional tone and relatability with the target audience. This tool is ideal for startups who aim to make their messaging feel genuine.
The platform is designed to transform robotic or overly formal AI-written language into warm and conversational content. It is ideal for content in emails, landing pages, or blog posts. The tool can help each piece of content feel like it came from a thoughtful, emotionally intelligent human being.
The strength of this platform lies in its simplicity. When you input AI-generated content, you immediately get a more approachable, empathetic version that not only retains the original intent but also makes it relatable. Hence, this tool is ideal for businesses where resonance is key to driving engagement.
Moreover, this tool enables startup owners and marketers who utilize generative AI tools like ChatGPT or Copy.ai and do not want their content to feel generic. It can fine-tune the emotional tone and make the content feel more natural.
Key Features:
AI tools are deeply embedded in a business’s branding efforts. Hence, companies, especially startups, must prioritize ethical use and transparency.
While AI can amplify human-like messaging, customers are increasingly aware when content is machine-generated. Being transparent and harnessing AI responsibly is critical, as customers value honesty. This will strengthen your brand’s credibility.
Startups that openly communicate how they utilize AI to support, rather than replace, human input are more likely to earn long-term trust. Responsible AI use includes respecting user privacy, avoiding biased outputs, and ensuring that your AI-generated content reflects your brand’s values.
In a digital world saturated with content, ethical transparency becomes a key differentiator that not only humanizes your brand but also makes it more trustworthy and future-ready.
In the coming years, startups can harness the power of AI to enhance, not replace, the human touch. The tools we discussed in this post can help scaling brands create authentic, engaging, and personalized content at scale. They can streamline content creation while maintaining a consistent voice that resonates with the audience.
However, it is essential to leverage AI ethically and transparently to foster trust. Use these tools in combination with a human-first mindset to create experiences that feel personal, credible, and deeply connected with your values.
Image by DC Studio on Freepik
The post 5 AI Tools Every Startup Should Use to Humanize Their Brand in 2025 appeared first on StartupNation.
2025-07-23 14:26:35
Career reinvention is a powerful journey, and this article showcases real-world examples from successful entrepreneurs. Drawing on insights from experts across various fields, these stories highlight the diverse paths to professional transformation. Discover how individuals from law, journalism, tech, and more have leveraged their unique experiences to forge new, thriving careers.
Career reinvention leading to entrepreneurial success hasn’t been a single event, but rather a continuous process. It involves recognizing when the current way of doing things, or even one’s role, is no longer effective in achieving desired results. It’s like breaking out of one shell, only to find oneself in the next one, knowing there’s no going back. This ongoing need to reinvent is particularly impactful because the market is constantly changing, and frankly, the “bar is being raised.” Staying the same person or relying on old tactics simply isn’t enough to sustain growth.
This journey has required actively looking for the “ugly stuff”—the things that aren’t working. A significant part of this reinvention has been about challenging ingrained patterns and mindsets. For instance, moving away from feeling like one has to be the “hero” who fixes everything towards leveraging systems and others. It also increasingly involves using AI as a tool to handle mental effort and labor, dramatically reducing the time it takes to get things done. Instead of relying solely on one’s own capabilities, learning to delegate effectively using frameworks like the 5 W’s, whether to a person or to AI, has become crucial.
The impact of this continuous reinvention has been profound. By embracing the idea that predictable patterns can and should be automated by AI, and by using AI to augment capabilities, one can achieve efficiency levels that were previously impossible. Tasks that used to take hours, like writing a sales page, can now be done in minutes. This frees up capacity and allows the business to pursue greater ambitions. It’s about not just being more efficient, but fundamentally changing how one operates and leads, enabling the team to get significantly more done and overcome the previous limitations imposed by older ways of thinking or doing things.
Jeff Sauer, Co-Founder, MeasureU and ProfitSchool
Like many founders, my entrepreneurial journey started as a side hustle. I was working in Big Law as an M&A attorney—long hours, high pressure, and little room for flexibility. At the time, I was also newly pregnant and running a baby carrier brand with my co-founder. It was something we were passionate about: creating ethically made, size-inclusive carriers that actually fit real parents and didn’t compromise on safety or style.
Then, everything changed. I was laid off while pregnant.
It was the kind of moment that could shake you—professionally and personally. But for me, it was the unexpected permission slip I needed to go all in. Instead of scrambling to find another job in law, I chose to bet on myself and our small business.
That decision changed everything.
Over the next two years, we scaled from a modest six-figure brand to a thriving seven-figure company. We 10x’d our growth not through massive funding or flashy campaigns, but by staying deeply connected to our community and focusing relentlessly on what makes us different: ethical U.S.-based production, inclusive sizing, and babywearing education that empowers every kind of parent.
What made this journey so impactful wasn’t just the numbers (though I’m proud of them!). It was the clarity that came from reinvention. I went from negotiating multi-million-dollar deals for corporations to building something of my own—something that helps real families feel seen, supported, and strong.
This pivot taught me that success isn’t always found on the expected path. Sometimes, it’s the detour—the layoff, the pregnancy, the leap—that opens the door to something far more meaningful. Reinvention isn’t just possible; it can be the most powerful thing you ever do.
Skye Amundsen, Owner, hope&plum
I lost my company in 72 hours, and it made me a better entrepreneur.
Back in 2019, I was running one of the most recognized travel companies in Chile. We were in four cities. We had 50 employees. VIP clients like Paul McCartney’s team were calling us. Then the Chilean protests hit. In 72 hours, tourism flatlined. I laid off my entire team. I shut the doors. I went from being “the guy” to unemployed with a mortgage and a toddler.
That collapse forced a hard reset. I asked myself: What do I actually love doing? The answer? Building things, mentoring people, solving messy problems. So I reinvented myself as a Fractional CMO and founded a remote-first consultancy that helps companies grow.
I now build leaner, smarter, more resilient teams. I run everything from a zoo in Kansas. And I never again want to build a business that owns me. That journey was painful, but it taught me the difference between success that looks good and success that feels right.
Peter Lewis, Chief Marketing Officer, Strategic Pete
I started with a deep interest in law, especially ERISA, which deals with retirement plans and fiduciary responsibility.
While in law school, I focused on how fiduciary liability was evolving and even published a paper on the Department of Labor’s early steps toward reform. After graduation, I clerked for the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and later worked in the state’s Office of the Budget, dealing with complex legal and policy issues. That gave me a firsthand view of how regulations shape financial decisions. But something was missing. I wanted to work more directly with people and have a lasting impact on their financial lives. That’s when I made the shift to Langan Financial Group. It was a leap, but it felt right. I applied everything I knew about law and regulation to help clients make smart, informed investment choices.
Within a few years, I became Chief Investment Officer. What made this journey meaningful was using a legal background to navigate the investment world in a way that’s actually helpful to real people. It wasn’t just a reinvention. It was the start of something that aligned with my skills and drive to make a difference.
Alex Langan, Chief Investment Officer, Langan Financial Group
After 20 years in journalism, marketing, and PR, careers built on telling other people’s stories, I never imagined that helping a friend with a resume would lead to building a company. But that request turned into the spark for what would become a business that has continued to grow and flourish for more than a decade.
I had spent years helping executives, brands, and organizations shape their messages, sharpen their voices, power up their reputations, and show up with impact. What I didn’t fully see until then was how naturally those skills translated to helping individuals reposition themselves for what’s next. I partnered with Barry Breit, that friend who asked me to help with his resume. We bring different strengths to the table—his in organizational structure, operations, and sales, and mine in coaching, writing, and executive branding expertise. Together, we launched Pro Resume Center, and over the last decade, we have served thousands of successful executives with various career needs.
We started with the same questions many entrepreneurs ask: Is there a real market? Can we grow this into something meaningful? We dug into the research and saw clearly how many professionals search daily for support with career coaching, positioning, resumes, interviews, LinkedIn presence, and job search strategy. But more than numbers, we saw a gap in quality. Executives didn’t just need help; they needed a trusted partner who could guide them through pivotal transitions with clarity and confidence.
Today, we’ve served more than 2,500 professionals—from startup leaders to global enterprise executives—navigating career changes, launching consulting practices, seeking board seats, or expanding their visibility. At the core of everything we do is one mission: helping people define their value and communicate it with impact, to meet their desired goals.
Career reinvention is about more than switching paths. It’s about timing, readiness, and bringing the full weight of your experience to the table. I couldn’t have built this company earlier in my life. But when the time was right, every chapter that came before gave me the tools to do it well. And it has been the most meaningful work of my career.
Janice Burch, Executive Career Coach, Co-owner, Pro Resume Center, LLC
My journey of career reinvention wasn’t born out of ambition—it was born out of burnout. I started in clinical diagnostics, managing lab operations for a large hospital network. The work was meaningful but rigid, and as technology started to rapidly evolve around us, I realized we were missing an opportunity to bring agility and intelligence into the way healthcare operated.
So, in my mid-30s, I stepped away from the security of a steady role and went back to school, immersing myself in health informatics and later, digital health innovation. The turning point came when I led a project to integrate AI into patient triage workflows. What began as a consulting engagement quickly evolved into a startup idea. I co-founded a digital health platform that leveraged predictive analytics to reduce unnecessary ER visits, a critical issue in underserved communities.
We faced our share of setbacks—funding delays, regulatory complexity, and the uphill battle of convincing traditional providers to adopt new tech. But because I had once been on the inside of that world, I spoke their language. That credibility helped us secure pilot programs in two hospital systems within our first year.
Today, our solution is live in five states, with measurable outcomes: reduced ER overflow, better patient routing, and improved access to care for those who need it most. What made this journey impactful wasn’t just the tech—it was the alignment of personal experience, deep empathy for the end-user, and the courage to start over with purpose. Reinvention doesn’t mean abandoning your past; it means translating it into something that moves the industry forward.
Riken Shah, Founder & CEO, OSP Labs
Leaving behind a well-established career in data analytics to build my company wasn’t a decision made overnight—it was a journey shaped by restlessness, reflection, and an unshakable belief that strategy should serve people, not just profit. I had spent years in high-growth tech environments, delivering insights that drove results, yet something was missing: purpose.
The real shift came when I volunteered to help a struggling nonprofit streamline their operations. What was meant to be a side project sparked something deeper. For the first time, I saw how data could empower not just Fortune 500s but purpose-driven teams craving direction. That realization planted the seed for Insightus—a firm built not on buzzwords but on the belief that clarity is a catalyst.
What makes this journey impactful is that it wasn’t about abandoning what I knew—it was about using that foundation to build something better. Insightus became the bridge between insight and impact, and that transformation continues to fuel everything we do.
Serbay Arda Ayzit, Founder, Insightus Consulting
Back in 1995, I graduated with a degree in performing arts and speech pathology. My goal at the time was to become famous and buy a huge mansion, so everyone in the family could move in.
Let’s just say, it took me five years to realize that would never happen. By 2000, with degrees that were looked at as “useless degrees in soft skills,” I realized I had to figure something out, and fast.
Everyone at the time was saying, “Work for your passion!” And I was thinking, “My passion gets me in trouble. I have to get curious.” So, that is what I did.
From 2000 to 2004, I held jobs that allowed me to travel the country. I was a trade show host, golf equipment sales manager, and even an agent for a sports agency serving athletes with disabilities. I talked my way into many jobs. But eventually, I simply ran out of steam. I had to find something more stable.
My brother helped me get a temp job at an insurance company, which meant putting on a suit for the first time in my life. But I quickly rose from temp to Operations Manager in three years. However, I did not like bureaucracy. I did not like the corporate setup.
I could have played the game, climbed the corporate ladder, and created a stable life for myself. But I was a problem-solver. I could not work in a system where I needed approval from several managers for everything.
In June 2007, I applied to work for a tech startup based out of New York City’s Silicon Alley. The CEO called me right away. Here was the best part: The startup served the performing arts industry and that same summer of 2007, the iPhone was released. Companies started to need this thing called a “social media manager.”
Suddenly, that useless degree from 1995 was back in play! Only this time, I had business experience, too!
So, on this small startup team, I became a QA/Customer Service/Social Media Manager. I worked in Silicon Alley surrounded by young founders of companies like Etsy, Pond5, Upwork, Fiverr, and more. I was surrounded by investors and business leaders. I soaked it all in.
Long story short, this startup went from $500K in revenue to $15M in five years, and sold for $25M in 2018.
The experience, to this day, has made me a secret weapon for any CEO looking to start a company.
And it also taught me a valuable lesson: ALL knowledge has value. It does nothing for you. But if you keep presenting it to the world, everything you’ve learned in life will serve you and your next company!
Steven Lowell, Sr. Reverse Recruiter & Career Coach, Find My Profession
I started my career as a software developer, and I was most comfortable coding on my own. For several years, I thought I was moving in the right direction. Over time, however, I became interested not only in creating products but also in implementing them. I started reading a lot of literature on entrepreneurship to learn about product development and the relationship between companies and their customers.
I was most interested in marketing, even though it was almost the opposite field from where I started. This curiosity led me to change jobs—from back-end specialist to businessman—and to create and implement products and form an audience. Through this work, I can combine my analytical skills and attention to detail with my desire to communicate with people and build valuable relationships.
This transition taught me to think outside the box and to be resilient under stress because creating an app from scratch is not the same as creating a company from scratch—finding a team, customers, and analyzing the market. I achieved entrepreneurial success when I stopped viewing technology as a goal in itself and started using it as a tool to solve real problems for our users. For me, reinvention meant finally embarking on my own career path instead of just watching from the sidelines. My desires and goals have hardly changed, but my perspective on them has.
Dmytro Kudrenko, Co-founder & Email Marketing Expert, Claspo
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With a Ph.D. and an MBA, I transformed my leadership into a scalable, fulfilling business that works for me—not the other way around.
After more than 30 years of leading organizations, building high-performing teams, and creating systems that deliver results, I came to a realization: my work had impact—but my reach could grow.
I didn’t want to leave the role I loved. I wanted to expand it. So I launched my company—not as a career pivot, but as a platform to multiply the leadership lessons, tools, and strategies I’d sharpened over decades.
Armed with a Ph.D. in Leadership and an MBA in Healthcare Administration, I had the experience and expertise to help others lead with clarity. But as any entrepreneur quickly learns—what you know isn’t enough. It’s how you build around it that matters.
At first, I ran on hustle. I over delivered, over customized, and tried to do it all. I had the passion—but no scalable structure.
Then I embraced two critical truths:
That shift changed everything.
I refined my offers, designed streamlined workflows, and built a team that lets me focus on the work I love most—coaching executives, creating leadership content, facilitating growth experiences, and helping driven professionals scale with purpose. The result? I’m more energized, more present, and more fulfilled than ever before.
This reinvention didn’t require walking away from success. It required redefining it. My business now reflects the leader I’ve always been—just scaled, structured, and supported in a way that sustains long-term impact and protects my energy.
So if you’re a high-capacity leader wondering what’s next, hear this: you don’t have to burn out to break through. Build with intention. Lead with vision. And grow something that works for you—not just because of you.
Gearl Loden, Leadership Consultant/Speaker, Loden Leadership + Consulting
After 15 years of climbing the corporate ladder in tech companies, I realized my success wasn’t about titles or paychecks—it was about impact. I loved making the workflow smoother for my colleagues. I was always on the hunt for operational inefficiencies. The expectations of my role were high. The men in charge (they were always men) usually appreciated what my teams did for the business. But in my heart, I knew I was only helping them build their dreams. I wanted to build something of my own, to impact women who were pursuing their dreams.
So, I left my executive role to start my own business. I decided to focus on women who, like myself, believed self-care was an indulgence, a kind of reward for all the hard work. I set out to change the hearts and minds of the women who lean in, the ones who believe that burnout is a badge of honor. I knew that our self-care was far more important than the work we did. In fact, it was essential to the work.
The pivot wasn’t easy. I traded a cushy salary for navigating the perilous journey of small-business ownership. But starting a business was the least of my challenges.
Women, especially entrepreneurs, often believe that self-sacrifice is necessary to advance in their careers. We learn from a very early age that self-care is indulgent. If we are going to make it in a man’s world, then we need to put everyone else first. I set out to change that narrative. I work only with women-owned small businesses. I offer products that support self-care rituals. All the products are ethically sourced and sustainably made. Together, as a community of entrepreneurs, we focus on holistic wellness and self-care as a necessity, not a luxury. Our message is that women who prioritize their own care make better decisions for themselves and their loved ones.
A year after we launched, we became a B Corp Certified business. Now, I measure success not by revenue but by the strength of the community we’ve built. We are women lifting each other up, proving that self-care isn’t selfish—it’s the foundation of resilience.
Reinvention isn’t about starting over. It’s about believing in yourself and pursuing what’s in your heart.
Renee Trepagnier, CEO, Here I Am
Changing jobs has meant a lot to me, and it’s allowed me to reach success as an entrepreneur that surprised me. I began my career with an office job, just like others do, then realized I didn’t want that life. I realized that supporting others, gathering people together, and building relationships excite me most. Furthermore, I then started looking into digital tools and brought people together, which led me to launch my business.
Traveling to unfamiliar places caused great challenges for them. As an entrepreneur, I regularly tried to manage leading my business, resolving technical problems, and dealing with doubts. Each problem I faced encouraged me to build a platform that truly supported creators and influencers.
It was the increased sense of why I was doing this that made it so special. Not only did I want to make money from the business, but I wanted to give others an open place to achieve their best and connect with fellow creators. The success of users, as they achieve what they’ve set out to do and add members to their communities, keeps me energized every day.
Over the years, I have come to understand that being an entrepreneur involves much more than earning money. It means focusing your work on what you truly care about and staying true to what’s important to you. It’s my motivation to help others and see the benefits pass to more people around me. Even though you’ll learn more every day, one thing I’m sure of is that following your passion and staying strong makes achieving success your own special experience.
Alex Saiko, CEO & Co-founder, MiraSpaces
I left France and law school to become a six-figure astrologer in Canada.
I had a fairly conventional beginning. My father was an entrepreneur, my mother a housewife, and like my siblings, I attended college. I pursued a Master’s in Law in Paris until I had to decide whether to pass the bar exam. At that point, I realized I absolutely hated law. I didn’t want to become a lawyer or return to school for something else. I had no idea what I wanted, but I knew it wasn’t that.
The turning point
So I did something bold: I packed my bags, sold everything, and moved—alone—to Canada. I worked in hospitality because my French Law degree meant nothing here. But secretly, I had a passion: Astrology. Back then, it was taboo, almost embarrassing. That was in 2017, a time when people interested in Astrology were still considered eccentric and a little strange. Nevertheless, I studied it obsessively. Then one day, out of nowhere, I was fired. No explanation. I went home in tears, humiliated. That day I made myself a promise: I would never work for anyone else again.
The next day, I drew three columns in a journal: 1) My skills, 2) My non-negotiables, 3) Career ideas that aligned with both. I wrote things like: freedom, creativity, intellectual stimulation, writing, psychology. And suddenly it clicked: Astrology! I Googled “how to start a blog” and began writing. I taught myself everything: website design, SEO, marketing, social media. Within months, I had thousands of daily readers and a fully booked calendar of one-on-one consultations.
Eventually, the workload burned me out. That’s when I pivoted to teaching astrology in group settings—and it exploded. I launched a school, built a six-figure business, and eventually landed a literary agent. This year, my first book “Astrolographs” was published, with more to come.
My greatest lesson? No one will hand you freedom; you have to design it. My career was born from rejection, but also radical self-trust. You don’t need permission to start over. You just need the courage to bet on yourself. You do need to know yourself really well. Both my decision to quit Law and to become a digital entrepreneur came from the same strength: My radical self-knowledge and self-trust.
Julia Topaz, Founder, Look up The Stars Astrology
My career reinvention journey has been both challenging and deeply rewarding. After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 2016, I held roles at PwC and blackcircles.com. Things were progressing well—I had structure and stability and was on track to become a CFO at a young age. But over time, I felt something was missing. Despite career success, I found myself asking, “Is this it?”
I realized I craved more than just titles and targets. I wanted my work to make a broader impact. A mentor once suggested I might suit a COO role, recognizing my interest in different parts of the business. That planted a seed: I could thrive in an entrepreneurial environment.
I began reading about entrepreneurship and reflecting on how to pivot. In 2019, while working full-time and raising a young child, my husband and I co-founded our company. Born from a simple desire to make people feel appreciated, especially in remote workplaces, the platform lets users send group cards and collect gifts to celebrate others.
What began as a side project grew into something more. I had to embrace being a generalist and build confidence in unfamiliar territory. The transition wasn’t easy, but I discovered that I had the skills and mindset to succeed.
Our mission goes beyond business. I wanted my company to reflect my values—appreciation, human connection, and purpose. For every 10 Thankboxes sold, we plant a tree. During Mental Health Week, we donated 20% of sales to Mental Health UK. These efforts are small but meaningful ways to give back.
Shifting from a stable corporate career to entrepreneurship was a huge leap, filled with learning, resilience, and uncertainty, especially while balancing family life. But I wouldn’t change a thing. Every challenge has shaped me.
Ultimately, this journey taught me that success isn’t just financial. It’s about the positive impact you have—whether that’s a thank-you message that brightens someone’s day or supporting a cause that matters. For me, building my business has been about finding purpose and fulfillment in work that truly matters.
Tsvetelina Hinova, Co-founder and Director, Thankbox
I began my career in music—DJing, producing, and marketing events. At the time, I didn’t realize I was laying the foundation for my entrepreneurial future. Through these experiences, I learned how to build audiences, generate demand, and lead with creativity.
As my life evolved, so did my ambitions. I transitioned from music to the world of technology and startups. This shift wasn’t gradual; it was a complete reinvention. I had to teach myself business strategy, product development, and finance, all while bootstrapping my first fintech company.
That company went on to process over one billion dollars in payments. More importantly, it gave me a front-row seat to what it really takes to build something from the ground up without an MBA or a safety net.
What made this reinvention so impactful was that it wasn’t just a change in industry. It was a transformation in identity. I transitioned from being a creative artist to a strategic builder, from making noise to designing systems, from relying solely on intuition to supporting intuition with data.
Today, I run a consultancy that helps entrepreneurs and startups turn chaos into clarity. I draw from both worlds—the creative and the analytical—to help others scale with purpose.
Reinvention isn’t a luxury. It’s the path to relevance. And the sooner you embrace it, the faster you move forward.
Steven Khuong, Principal / GTM Advisor, Steven Khuong Consulting
I never set out to become famous—I just wanted to get dinner on the table quickly. As a busy mother of eight (yes, eight!), I’ve never been one to enjoy cooking. Between time-consuming meal prep, expensive takeout, and the rising cost of eating out, I was frustrated and tired. So, when I first picked up an air fryer, it wasn’t because I loved kitchen gadgets—it was because I liked technology and needed a solution.
To my surprise, this little appliance was a game changer. Not only did it help me whip up quick meals that actually pleased my picky eaters, but for the first time in a long time, dinnertime felt… manageable. On a whim, I recorded a few videos on my phone and uploaded them to YouTube. I figured maybe a few other parents out there could use the same help I needed.
Fast forward to today, and my life looks completely different. I’ve earned the nickname “Queen of Air Fryers,” built an audience of more than 800,000 followers, and my videos have been viewed over six million times. I’ve sold 35,000 cookbooks, and my digital platforms now attract more than a million monthly visitors.
What started as a reluctant experiment has turned into a real business—and a real mission. I now help others (especially those who don’t love cooking) feel confident and capable in the kitchen. I also consult with businesses on YouTube strategy and digital marketing, using what I’ve learned along the way to help others grow.
This whole journey wasn’t planned. It wasn’t polished. But it’s proof that with a little creativity and a lot of authenticity, you can build something meaningful—sometimes out of the very thing you thought you’d never love.
Cathy Yoder, CEO, EmpoweredCooks.com
After choosing biology for post-secondary education instead of following my dream of studying the arts, I boldly pivoted into photography after losing my father at age 25. Grief cracked something open within me. I no longer knew how to operate in the world without him, but I knew I needed to find purpose. I had no roadmap—just my camera and a gut instinct that creativity could lead me somewhere meaningful. That instinct became the foundation of a 15+ year career in photography.
I’ve since built a successful portrait business, mentored emerging photographers, led workshops, and spoken on how curiosity and creativity unlock potential. Reinventing my path wasn’t just about changing careers—it was about coming home to myself. This path has allowed me to help others embrace their own transitions and find power in creative expression.
Jen Allison, Speaker | Photographer | Creative Educator
My own journey from construction worker to multiple six-figure ghostwriter still surprises me sometimes. Five years ago, I was breaking my body doing construction work in Canada. I’d wake up at 5 AM, drive to job sites in freezing weather, and spend 10 hours doing physical labor that paid well but was slowly destroying my body.
The turning point came in late 2019 when a fashion brand I was managing on Instagram asked me to figure out LinkedIn for them. I knew nothing about LinkedIn, so I started watching Gary Vaynerchuk videos about social media platforms that were about to blow up.
When I started exploring LinkedIn, I was shocked by how boring and corporate it was. Every post followed the same format, used the same jargon, and blended together into a sea of corporate sameness.
So I made a crazy decision.
I decided to be completely myself—unfiltered, sometimes irreverent, and totally authentic. I shared selfies, memes, and strange stories about pizza and bacon while everyone else was posting “professional” content.
The response was shocking. CEOs and executives started reaching out, asking if I could write content for them. They were tired of sounding like robots and wanted some of my authentic energy for their own profiles.
My first ghostwriting client paid me $500 for a month of content. Within a year, I was charging $2,500 per month. Today, my minimum engagement starts at $5,000.
What made this journey impactful wasn’t just the financial transformation (though going from construction salary to six figures in two years was life-changing). The true impact came from three realizations:
Today, I run my business from South America, work when I want, and choose clients who energize me. I’ve helped dozens of entrepreneurs make similar transitions by leveraging their unique voice online.
Luke Matthews, Copywriter, AI Writing Lessons
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2025-07-22 06:02:40
Since 2020, small business owners have faced a parade of economic pressures, from pandemic disruptions and inflation to rising wages and tightening credit. The passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill in 2025 may offer the promise of relief.
But while H.R. 1 is packed with eye-catching provisions, corporate tax breaks, investment deductions, and innovation credits, it remains conspicuously light on addressing the daily operational burdens squeezing SMBs hardest: labor costs, payroll pressures, and mounting regulatory obligations.
For small business leaders already stretched thin by relentless cost pressures, the message is becoming unavoidably clear. And entrepreneurs who are listening closely are already pivoting toward new strategies, recognizing that waiting for government support may no longer be a viable option.
Key Takeaways of OBBB:
The OBBB may have delivered eye-catching corporate tax breaks but, for small business owners, the relief only skims the surface.
For instance, 100% bonus depreciation allows businesses to immediately write off large capital purchases, like machinery or equipment (instead of reducing the value gradually). This means the entire cost of the asset is deducted from taxable income and results in an immediate and significant income tax reduction.
However, this is of limited help to lean SMBs whose primary costs are wages, insurance, and compliance, not capital-intensive investments.
Similarly, the restoration of immediate R&D expensing, instead of amortizing them over five years, benefits companies that invest heavily in innovation and research. Such are costs most that small businesses either don’t have or can’t prioritize in the face of daily operational pressures.
The OBBB may be touted from the rooftops, but it is quite subtle, especially in how it shifts responsibility for internal and external cost management squarely onto small business owners. Historically, policymakers haven’t relied solely on direct tax incentives like bonus depreciation.
Previous stimulus packages offered regulatory relief, SBA loan guarantees, and targeted infrastructure investment that reduced overhead costs and improved hiring conditions. These levers didn’t show up as line-item subsidies, but they helped business owners access credit, simplified compliance, or encouraged upskilling of their teams. As such, legislators often leveraged indirect tools to reduce the operational burdens on small businesses; thus, shouldering some of the financial burden on entrepreneurs.
By focusing narrowly on capital investment incentives, H.R. 1 ignores structural challenges and operational inefficiencies.
For low-capital investment firms already stretched thin, the omission of these indirect supports means they must accept the responsibility of managing both internal and external costs arising from circumstances beyond their control. This makes the OBBB feel more like a tax strategy than a growth and sustainability blueprint.
Even if H.R. 1 is intended to be a tax strategy, it appears to be at odds with the interests of small business owners.
Although the bill introduced tax deductions for employees on overtime pay and tips, it offers no parallel reduction in payroll taxes for employers. In other words, SMBs still fully shoulder payroll tax burdens, leaving this highly publicized benefit largely irrelevant for small business budgeting. Not even the tax credit for businesses offering paid family and medical leave is all sunshine and roses.
This credit only covers between 12.5% and 25% of paid leave wages. Given the rising labor and benefit costs, many SMBs find the credit insufficient to meaningfully offset the total expense, limiting their ability to offer competitive leave programs.
This absence of direct labor cost relief in the OBBB reveals a deeper shift in policymakers’ expectations. Unlike past stimulus measures, the bill offers no wage subsidies, hiring incentives, or payroll credits tailored to small employers.
This leaves founders absorbing inflation-driven wage increases without a compensating mechanism in federal policy. For entrepreneurs, the message is clear: operational efficiency isn’t just a goal, it’s a necessity.
Given that policy support feels increasingly thin, many small businesses are taking this silence as their cue to pivot and evolve. This subtle but powerful shift is already reshaping hiring practices.
Small business owners are navigating a cascade of operational pressures, but none looms larger right now than rising labor costs. According to the NFIB Jobs Report, more employers now cite labor costs as their top concern, overtaking access to credit for the first time in years.
This concern is compounded by shrinking cash reserves and tightening lending conditions, as discussed in the article about the Federal Reserve. Businesses that once relied on credit lines to bridge payroll are now being forced to operate leaner, with fewer financial safety nets.
Faced with growing expenses and fewer buffers, many founders are rethinking the fundamentals of how they hire, structure teams, and allocate labor.
Rather than doubling down on full-time staff, founders are shifting to modular teams and flexible roles. Cross-training employees, leveraging part-time specialists, and exploring asynchronous work are becoming common practices.
A recent Corpay survey found that 44% of small business leaders are offering remote or hybrid flexibility to retain and attract talent, which also opens the door to more agile team structures.
Additionally, 66% of U.S. businesses outsource at least one function, often citing cost control as the primary driver. These adjustments are less about temporary survival and more about building a new operational norm.
While this leaner, modular approach clearly offers cost advantages, it also introduces new risks small businesses can’t ignore. By minimizing full-time commitments and emphasizing flexible roles, small businesses may find it harder to attract top-tier talent seeking long-term security and growth paths.
This talent dilemma is pushing some founders to get creative, pairing internal upskilling with global sourcing to fill skill gaps affordably.
It’s not about replacing domestic talent, but about balancing quality, agility, and cost in an environment that demands all three. These evolving strategies signal that resilience is not just nice-to-have but becoming the core of how small businesses are designed.
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To navigate the new economic reality shaped by H.R. 1’s omissions and ongoing cost pressures, small business owners can take these immediate, strategic steps:
1. Audit Your Hiring Model
2. Enhance Operational Flexibility
3. Explore Strategic Outsourcing
4. Invest in Upskilling and Automation
5. Stay Ahead of Regulatory Changes
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This evolution in hiring and team structure goes beyond mere adaptation. Small business owners are actively rewriting the rulebook of operational strategy. With little in OBBB that addresses the everyday pressures of running a lean team, entrepreneurs are no longer looking to policy for relief. They’re focused on building smarter, more flexible operations that can handle what the market throws at them.
This shift isn’t about surviving one downturn or reacting to one piece of legislation. It’s about embedding agility into the business model itself. The businesses successfully navigating today’s challenges must go beyond cost cutting. They’re rethinking roles to be more dynamic, building teams that excel in hybrid work, and creating leaner operations that still manage to outperform.
Put simply, the OBBB provides valuable tools if, and only if, you have cash to invest or significant profits to shield. But for everyday SMBs battling payroll spikes, compliance headaches, and inflation-driven cost pressures, the bill’s celebrated incentives provide little immediate, tangible relief. The silence on these practical operational realities might be Washington’s loudest message yet: small businesses are largely on their own.
In that sense, resilience is no longer a trait. It’s a strategy. The smartest small businesses aren’t growing for growth’s sake; they’re building with intention, investing in versatility, and defining success on their own terms. And in this new playbook, the businesses that survive won’t be the ones that waited for help – they’ll be the ones that moved first.
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The post A Big Bill That’s Not So Beautiful for Small Business appeared first on StartupNation.
