This week, the Small Biz Breakdown team is back to talk about technology, specifically AI, and its impact on America’s small business owners.
The debate was sparked by the attendance of several tech billionaires at President Donald Trump’s inauguration last week, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg. After discussing how these three and others will influence the 47th president, our panel of experts discussed AI, its future, its accessibility, and how small businesses are using AI. We begin a long discussion about whether it can and should be used.
But through the discussion, a central theme emerges. If your business doesn’t have customers, AI doesn’t really matter. And AI cannot solve the persistent struggles faced by small and medium-sized businesses, whether they leverage AI or not.
Check out this great discussion and feel free to join by leaving a comment after watching the latest episode of Small Biz Breakdown.
Small business news summary – January 25, 2025
Here are the headlines that will grab the attention of small business owners last week, including big announcements from companies that provide important services and products to entrepreneurs.
Smartsheet report highlights the pressure on marketing teams to prove business impact
According to Smartsheet’s 2025 Pulse of Marketing Report, marketing and creative professionals are under increasing pressure to prove their worth to business outcomes.
Wix integrates with YouTube Shopping to power social commerce for sellers
Wix has announced a new integration with YouTube Shopping, allowing sellers to sell products directly through the platform. This move expands Wix’s social shopping capabilities, allowing sellers to leverage YouTube’s extensive user base to reach a wider audience. This integration allows Wix sellers to seamlessly display their products in a store format on their YouTube profile.
Adobe announces major updates for Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Frame.io
Adobe introduces significant updates to its flagship tools Premiere Pro (Beta), After Effects (Beta), and Frame.io, designed to streamline workflows and reduce time-consuming tasks for video professionals. has been introduced. This update comes just ahead of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and aims to support filmmakers and motion designers with new AI-powered tools and enhanced performance features.
Samsung Galaxy S25 series redefines AI-integrated smartphones with multimodal innovation
Samsung announces the highly anticipated Galaxy S25 series, positioning the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 as cutting-edge devices that integrate advanced artificial intelligence to create a personalized and intuitive mobile experience . Pre-orders begin today, with general availability scheduled for February 7th.
Upwork reveals the most in-demand skills in 2025, highlighting the growth of AI and the role of human-centeredness
Upwork Inc. (Nasdaq: UPWK), the global platform that connects businesses and independent talent, releases the 2025 In-demand Skills Report, highlighting the rapid growth of advanced AI capabilities and the need for human-centered expertise. revealed the rise. The findings reflect the evolving priorities of companies as they adapt to technological disruption and changes in the global workforce.
Zoom introduces redesigned team chat sidebar and AI companion enhancements
Zoom announced updates to its Team Chat platform with a redesigned sidebar and new AI-powered features to improve productivity and streamline collaboration. This update, now available to Zoom Workplace users, aims to provide a more customizable and efficient workspace for managing communications and tasks.
WSFS Bank Survey Reveals Optimism Among Small Business Owners Despite Economic Challenges
A new survey conducted by WSFS Bank highlights growing optimism among small business owners about the year ahead, with 60% of respondents expecting little or a lot of revenue in 2025. is expected to increase. Despite the economic hurdles of the past two years, many small business owners will pursue financing to invest in growth and operational improvements.
Rising oil prices are driving up gas costs despite low demand, AAA reports
With oil prices hovering around $80 a barrel, the national average price for a gallon of gasoline has risen 4 cents over the past week to $3.10. The increase came even as domestic gasoline demand fell to 8.32 million barrels per day (b/d) last week, according to AAA.
Salesforce introduces Agentforce for Retail and Retail Cloud with modern POS to revolutionize retail operations
Salesforce introduces two new AI-powered innovations, Agentforce for Retail and Retail Cloud with Modern POS, aimed at increasing productivity and delivering personalized shopping experiences across both physical and digital channels. Announced.
Small Business Breakdown: What does President Trump’s second term mean for small businesses?
President Donald Trump’s second term has begun. There are many questions about what will happen, what will be different, and what will stay the same from President Trump’s first term.
TikTok goes dark
TikTok went black. Access to the site was blocked on January 19th. When I try to access the mobile app, I get a black screen and a white dialog box that says, “A law has been enacted to ban TikTok in the United States. Unfortunately, this means that TikTok is not available to you at this time.”
Gateway Funnel Pros launches WooCommerce payment processing for health and wellness entrepreneurs
Gateway Funnel Pros has introduced a comprehensive payment gateway and merchant account service tailored specifically for WooCommerce entrepreneurs selling health and wellness products. This service addresses the challenges faced by businesses in this niche and ensures secure and efficient credit card processing within the WooCommerce ecosystem.
ScoutLogic Survey Finds Employees Prioritize Travel and Flexibility as Job Perks
A recent survey by ScoutLogic revealed a significant shift in the perks that employees value most in their jobs. Analysis of Google search data reveals a growing preference for lifestyle benefits such as travel opportunities, flexibility and personal development over traditional perks such as retirement plans and stock options .
