Small Business Saturday falls on Nov. 29, and this year, 80% of consumers plan to participate in the key event designed to spotlight and support local independent shops. To capitalize on this, small-business owners should use social media strategies such as teasing exclusive deals early, collaborating with local businesses or influencers, sharing behind-the-scenes content and running engaging giveaways. They should also interact with their audience to understand their preferences and increase posting frequency to maximize visibility and drive sales.

Small Business Saturday can bump online sales and traffic for companies that optimize their websites, since more than half of consumers shopped online for the event 2023, according to a report from American Express. Tweaks to a website can accelerate loading, increase trust in a company and ease online purchases for the day, which is Nov. 29.

Content testing should be an integral, ongoing part of the workflow rather than a quarterly task after campaign launches, writes Innervate's Mitchell Weisman. Weisman recommends using AI to generate creative options quickly, automating multivariate tests across formats and audiences, and real-time optimization to promote top-performing content.

Pinterest Rich Pins offer a powerful but often overlooked way to boost organic traffic through content repurposing. Marketers can enhance their Pinterest Pins with Rich Pins that automatically pull metadata from their websites, adding titles and prices. Utilizing tools like Tailwind for automation can maintain the circulation of these Pins across multiple boards, resulting in sustained traffic over time. This approach is quick, cost-effective and has enabled businesses to elevate Pinterest as a leading organic channel, surpassing traditional platforms.

Small-business owners are increasingly turning to generative AI to streamline operations, experimenting with tools like ChatGPT and Google's NotebookLM to manage operations, customer service, marketing and coding, often developing their own use cases without formal guidance. This trend is reshaping how small businesses approach daily challenges and is credited with driving greater accessibility to advanced technology.

Employers can reduce employee stress and turnover by offering low-cost benefits such as flexible work hours, paid overtime and mental health days, a Resume.io survey says. The company's Amanda Augustine says employers should prioritize balance, stability and a sense of belonging in benefit design. A compressed, four-day work week is particularly attractive to Generation Z members, according to the survey.

From sister publication Kiplinger: Successful founders stay true to their business's core purpose to avoid "drift," or deviation from the intended path, write business consultants Geoff Tuff and Steven Goldbach, authors of "Hone: How Purposeful Leaders Defy Drift." They advise business owners to make continuous, purposeful adjustments, or "honing," to maintain focus, and to be wary of external pressure to grow rapidly, as it can compromise consistency and lead to failure.

The holiday season can bring up unresolved tensions, particularly if family members are in business together. Issues such as succession planning, fairness in ownership and generational differences can lead to conflict if not managed properly. Kendall Rawls of Rawls Succession Planners advises starting small to resolve issues and seeking third-party guidance to maintain harmony and ensure stability.

Marketing, financial management and sales are the three engines that power businesses that build wealth for owners, writes Melissa Houston, a certified public accountant. Each plays a critical role: marketing drives visibility and builds trust, sales converts attention into predictable revenue, and financial management ensures that profits are intentional and sustainable.

Creative benefit management and continual employee education can help small-business owners control health care costs, which are expected to increase by 9.5% and exceed $17,000 per employee in 2026, writes Gene Marks, a small-business owner and financial consultant. Level-funded plans, Health Reimbursement Arrangements and the Small Business Health Options Program are some alternative options.

Hawaiian lei makers in Washington state have blossomed into a vibrant cottage industry over the past several years, but face challenges such as tariffs on flowers, competition from big-box stores and rising material costs. Nevertheless, entrepreneurs like Tanya Iwalani Jose of TJ's Lei Stand & Flower Cart and Aleena Kehaulani Arakaki of Ka Pua Hulu craft lei using fresh flowers, feathers, clay, and ribbon, each offering unique takes on the traditional garland. While some, like Jose, have turned lei-making into full-time work, others operate as side ventures, using social media and community events to reach customers. Seattle's Hawaiʻi General Store remains a longstanding hub for lei, but new makers are bringing modern twists and expanding the reach of this cherished Hawaiian tradition.