This week on Small Business Breakdown, our expert panel is back and talking about headlines saying that consumers are turning their attention to small businesses over bigger retailers.
Is this actually happening or just something someone is saying? Our panel discusses.
They also tackle the topic of creative companies and their use of AI. If these companies do rely on AI technology to provide their products or services, should they be charging less for those products and services?
Check out what they have to say on these topics and more in this week’s episode of Small Business Breakdown …
Small Business News Roundup – March 8, 2025
Here is a look at the top headlines for small business owners from the past week …
Mailchimp Introduces Enhanced Popup Forms and New Marketing Features
Intuit Mailchimp has announced a series of product enhancements, including a completely redesigned popup forms experience, now in beta. The new popup forms aim to help marketers effectively target and engage site visitors using branded, interactive forms for improved lead generation and customer growth.
Gas Prices Hold Steady as Oil Costs Decline
The national average for a gallon of gasoline has declined slightly, dropping one cent from last week to $3.11, according to AAA. The decrease is attributed in part to lower crude oil prices, though market fluctuations and the seasonal transition to summer-grade gasoline may impact prices at the pump in the coming weeks.
Salesforce Unveils AgentExchange, Expanding the Digital Labor Market
Salesforce (NYSE: CRM) has launched AgentExchange, a new marketplace integrated into its Agentforce platform, aimed at expanding opportunities in the $6 trillion digital labor market. The company announced that AgentExchange debuts with over 200 partners, including Google Cloud, Docusign, and Box, offering trusted AI solutions that businesses can use to build AI agents efficiently.
Adobe Brings Photoshop to Mobile
Adobe (Nasdaq: ADBE) has launched Photoshop for iPhone, bringing its widely used image editing and design application to mobile devices. The new app, available starting today, delivers Photoshop’s core tools, including layering, masking, and Firefly-powered Generative Fill, in a mobile-friendly interface. An Android version is set to launch later this year.
ADP National Employment Report: Private Sector Adds 77,000 Jobs in February
The private sector added 77,000 jobs in February while annual pay increased by 4.7% year-over-year, according to the latest ADP National Employment Report released in collaboration with the Stanford Digital Economy Lab. The report, based on payroll data from over 25 million U.S. employees, offers a high-frequency measure of employment trends in the private sector.
NFIB Supports Bipartisan REPAIR Act to Aid Independent Auto Shops
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has announced its strong support for the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Rep. Neal Dunn (FL-02).
West Virginia Ambulance Business Owner Sentenced to Three Years for Tax Crimes
A West Virginia man has been sentenced to three years in prison for failing to pay employment taxes withheld from his employees’ wages and for obstructing the IRS’ efforts to collect those taxes, the Department of Justice announced.
Zoho Launches Notebook AI Across Multiple Platforms
Zoho Corporation has announced the release of Notebook AI, an AI-powered note-taking assistant now available on iOS, Android, web browsers, and macOS. Users can activate a 15-day trial to explore the app’s features before purchasing, with pricing set at $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year for individual consumers.
Wix Launches Native Print-on-Demand Integration with Printful
Wix has announced a new native integration with Printful, a leading print-on-demand company, to provide Wix users with direct access to Printful’s fulfillment services. This integration allows merchants, self-creators, and agencies using Wix to create and sell custom-branded merchandise without leaving the Wix platform.
Small Biz Breakdown: A New ChatGPT, the Death of Skype … and More
The Small Biz Breakdown crew is back this week with more fascinating discussions on some of the hottest topics in small business. Our panel talks about the latest model release from OpenAI, ChatGPT-4.5, and they’re always open to talking about how AI is taking over more aspects of our lives. The crew also talks about the death of Skype and how it will (or won’t) impact their lives.
OpenAI Unveils GPT-4.5, Its Most Advanced AI Model to Date
OpenAI has introduced GPT-4.5, a research preview of its latest and most advanced AI model, which is now available to ChatGPT Pro users and developers worldwide. The model represents “a step forward in scaling up pre-training and post-training,” according to OpenAI. GPT-4.
NSBA Survey Finds Tax Complexity a Major Burden for Small Businesses
The National Small Business Association (NSBA) released its 2025 Small Business Taxation Survey, highlighting the challenges small businesses face due to federal tax laws. The report underscores concerns about the expiration of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which many small businesses fear will result in significant tax increases.
Community Bank & Trust Introduces Refund Anticipation Loan for Self-Employed Tax Credit
Community Bank & Trust has launched a Refund Anticipation Loan for the Sick Leave and Family Leave (SLFL) tax credit, also known as the Self-Employed Tax Credit (SETC), providing immediate financial relief to self-employed individuals.