Rieva Lesonsky

2 days ago | allbusiness.com | Rieva Lesonsky

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro recently said, “Small businesses are facing strong headwinds right now because of the decisions made by the federal government to impose these tariffs.” This point was underscored by the small business owners we talked to, who are impacted by the tariff turbulence. To successfully navigate this storm, don’t go it alone. A small business owner I interviewed said, “We need help surviving this nightmare.” Luckily, assistance is available.

1 week ago | allbusiness.com | Rieva Lesonsky

In almost every conversation I’ve had with small business owners, business experts and advocates, and even a few government employees, the topic of tariffs comes up. And nearly everyone is concerned. Eric Groves, co-founder of Alignable, a business network of 9,000 small business owners, says his members are worried. According to Alignable's April Tariff Report, 44% of SMBs expect reduced sales due to tariffs, up 14 percentage points from February.Of those, 13% anticipate significant revenue drops.

2 weeks ago | allbusiness.com | Rieva Lesonsky

Post sponsored by BILLIt’s long been said that being an entrepreneur can be a lonely existence. Small business owners work hard, often leaving little time for a personal life. They crave solutions that save them time so they can carve out some downtime. According to BILL’s 2025 State of Financial Automation Report, many have turned to automated solutions, especially artificial intelligence (AI).

3 weeks ago | allbusiness.com | Rieva Lesonsky

Recently we celebrated Women’s History Month, and women business owners continue to make history. The inaugural 2024 Impact of Women-Owned Businesses from Wells Fargo shows that women own 39.1% (about 14 million) of all U.S. businesses, a 13.6% increase from 2019 to 2023.

1 month ago | allbusiness.com | Rieva Lesonsky

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has long been pivotal in helping entrepreneurs and small business owners start and grow businesses. I have seen its accomplishments up close, having worked with them, on and off, since the end of the first Bush Administration. The agency has undergone significant transformations in recent months as part of broader federal restructuring initiatives. Notably, it was announced that the SBA would reduce its workforce by 43%, equating to around 2,700 positions.