ADVERTISEMENT
Top Story
Illustration of a green hand reaching into a purple computer screen to take the word "password" off the computer.
(MirageC/Getty Images)
Small businesses face rising threat from cyberattacks
Small businesses are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks, as highlighted by a July incident involving Chinese hackers exploiting Microsoft SharePoint servers. Many affected businesses were small enterprises and family businesses, not large corporations. Enabling multifactor authentication, training staff regularly and backing up data are all ways to increase protection and avoid reputational and monetary issues.
You're stuck as Padawan until…
…you're not. Enter the Bonus Path and you'll fulfill your destiny. Test your skills against new challenges, old threats and maybe a few ghosts from failed backups past. This is the way (to bragging rights). Play to Unlock.
ADVERTISEMENT:

Problem. Solved.
Women entrepreneurs use resilience to drive growth
Women entrepreneurs are turning setbacks into opportunities for growth, demonstrating resilience and adaptability in the face of challenges like tariffs, access to funding and scaling operations. Karla Trotman of Electro Soft maintained her team by reducing hours during tariff and supply chain crises, ultimately steering the company toward defense contracts and workforce development. Dee C. Marshall of Diverse & Engaged responded to a slowdown in diversity work by shifting to AI-driven training services and expanding her client base geographically.
A Network That Drives Innovation
Retailers are deploying innovative technologies that need a powerful network. Learn how fixed wireless access (FWA) offers a cost-effective and flexible alternative to cabled internet connectivity in this paper.
ADVERTISEMENT

Marketing
How to enhance your marketing for better engagement
Content that is visually engaging, leveraging user-generated content and utilizing interactive elements like quizzes can significantly boost interaction rates. Additionally, tapping into current trends and hashtags, running live events, and collaborating with influencers can broaden reach and build credibility. These tactics not only increase visibility but also foster a strong sense of community and customer loyalty. Incorporating infographics, customer testimonials in visual formats, and trending audio further amplifies shareability and retention.
Meet Retail's Best at Shoptalk Fall!
Join our Hosted Meetup at Shoptalk Fall to connect with top retail suppliers in curated, double-opt-in meetings. It's your chance to build powerful partnerships and unlock real business value, fast, focused, and face-to-face in Chicago! Get tickets.
ADVERTISEMENT

Free eBooks and Resources
Free eBooks and resources brought to you by our sponsors

Management
AI-generated emails can't replace human connection
If you're relying on AI to write emails or summarize meetings, you could be missing emotional nuances and team dynamics that can point to underlying frustration or disengagement among your teams, writes Debra Roberts, an interpersonal communications expert. "Your success as a leader still depends on how you listen, engage, resolve conflicts, give feedback and respond to questions. It will always depend on how you connect with others," Roberts writes.

Your Money
N.C. small businesses seek grants for Helene recovery
Small businesses in Western North Carolina have suffered significant losses from Tropical Storm Helene, averaging $322,000 per business, according to the recently released 2025 Local Business Impact Survey. Nearly a year after the storm, 86% of surveyed businesses are still operating at or below pre-storm levels. While the SBA has distributed over $400 million in disaster loans, officials say their hands are tied when it comes to offering forgivable loans or grants, highlighting the agency's limited authority without legislative intervention.

Today's Economic Indicator
Minutes: Fed officials see risks on both sides of dual mandate
Federal Reserve officials expressed concerns about inflation and the labor market during their most recent policy meeting, although they ultimately opted to keep interest rates unchanged, according to minutes from the gathering. "Participants generally pointed to risks to both sides of the Committee's dual mandate, emphasizing upside risk to inflation and downside risk to employment," the minutes show. Two officials dissented from the decision to leave rates unchanged.

What Your Peers Are Reading

Just for Fun
Brain-computer interface decodes inner monologue
Digital generated image of abstract sliced multicoloured head with swirl spline connections inside. Technology and AI concept.
(Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty Images)
Researchers have developed a brain-computer interface that enables individuals to communicate by decoding their inner monologue, according to a study in Cell. This new system uses electrodes implanted in the brain to detec