Loren Feldman

1 week ago | 21hats.substack.com | Loren Feldman

Good Morning!Here are today’s highlights:Shopify has released a tool to help merchants cope with the tariffs. “The kicker is this is all so unnecessary!” says the owner of a French cafe in Cleveland. Thanks to the tariffs, Chinese exports are surging around the world. “Business is a grind—every single day,” says Lou Mosca in this week’s video. Success doesn't happen by accident; it results from constant effort: one call, one meeting, one client at a time.

1 week ago | 21hats.substack.com | Loren Feldman

Good Morning!Here are today’s highlights:A growing number of restaurants are turning to AI bots to answer the phones. We planned for tariffs, but we didn’t plan for a full-on trade war, says the founder of a company that sells products for children with special needs. One toy mogul is advocating for a three-year tariff reprieve that would let U.S. toy manufacturers catch up instead of going out of business. Clarence O. Smith convinced mainstream advertisers that Black women were a viable market.

1 week ago | 21hats.substack.com | Loren Feldman

Good Morning!Here are today’s highlights:Alan Pentz says he initially dismissed the AI hype. Now he thinks it’s changing everything. Actually, says Josh Patrick, accepting an earnout when you sell a business is even worse than you think. The owner of a roofing business says his clients have shifted from growth mode to no-spending mode. Having trouble finding skilled workers? Stop waiting for someone else to solve your problem, says a former CEO.

1 week ago | 21hats.substack.com | Loren Feldman

Good Morning!Here are today’s highlights:President Trump says small businesses don’t need protection from his tariffs. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce puts the cost of tariffs to small businesses at more than $24 billion—and rising by $9,000 every second. Republicans are working on bills intended to eliminate taxes on overtime and tips. The rules for employing independent contractors are changing again.

1 week ago | 21hats.com | Loren Feldman

Introduction:This week, a new regular, David Barnett, joins the podcast along with Jaci Russo and William Vanderbloemen. David, who has been a guest on the podcast before, helps people buy and sell businesses—but, as he explains, he’s not a business broker. He’s found a different business model.