small.world Features told through the lens of Silver Lining’s global partners that explore the small business landscape, sharing powerful stories, policies, and innovations from across countries and cultures. Do you know someone who should be writing a small.world feature? Nominate them today! The Missing Middle: Why MENA’s Small Businesses Don’t Need More Capital — They Need Structure Across MENA, small and medium-sized enterprises make up 80 to 90 % of all businesses—about 19 to 23 million operations Read more May 4, 2026May 5, 2026 The Quiet Backbone: What Small Businesses in Kenya Teach Us About Resilience, Building Trust and Community As I sat and reminisced about the african smb ecosystem, I thought about what it takes for us to really change the game and help SMBs succeed. Read more April 27, 2026April 27, 2026 You’re Building Your Business on Borrowed Land A small-business owner in Kingston, Jamaica, gained over 20k Instagram followers, boosted engagement, and increased sales. Then, without warning, an algorithm update cut her content’s visibility, causing sales to drop. This shows how relying solely on social media puts your business at risk. Read more April 20, 2026April 20, 2026 The Issue in Latin America isn’t A Lack of Capital—It’s The Ineffective Delivery of Technical Assistance SMBs are the backbone of the economy. When I say SMBs, I mean small and medium-sized businesses. These are the corner store, the small manufacturer, the family-run service company, or the growing 10-person team trying to stabilize revenue. Read more April 13, 2026April 13, 2026 The Geography of Opportunity: Why the Next Member of Your Team is in Africa For generations, small businesses have thrived on invisible networks: the right handshake, the right alma mater, the right family connection to open doors. Read more March 30, 2026April 1, 2026 Why Small Businesses Often Understand Wealth Better Than Billionaires If you run a small business, you might not see yourself as wealthy, at least not in the way most people use the word. Read more March 23, 2026April 1, 2026 When Discovery Becomes an Answer: What Small Businesses Need to Survive the AI Search Era One morning, I watched a rodent control company lose leads even though nothing was wrong operationally. Read more March 16, 2026April 1, 2026 Small Businesses Build the Global Economy, So Why Are They Left Out of It? In economies where the gap between promises and reality is often the largest, small businesses still create 45% of jobs and serve as the primary engine of growing local communities. This isn’t a niche sector, but the economy. Read more March 9, 2026March 6, 2026 Time to Think: The Less Obvious Impact of AI on Small Business Being busy can quietly prevent progress with your small business. AI has the potential to break this cycle—in business and beyond. Read more March 2, 2026April 1, 2026 Bridging Limitations: How Digital-First Platforms and Ecosystems are Revolutionizing Today’s Business Scene On a humid Tuesday morning in Cairo, a young entrepreneur named Laila unlocks the shutters of her small artisan shop. Read more February 23, 2026April 1, 2026 When the Dream Slows Down: Why Small Business Owners Deserve Real Support Most people start a small business because they have a dream: freedom, purpose, impact, control over their life, or simply the belief that they could build something better than what they saw in the corporate world. Read more February 16, 2026April 1, 2026 ASEAN 2026 in Manila, and the Growth Engine We Keep Walking Past: small.world Economic Series On a normal weekday in Metro Manila, you can see the Southeast Asian economy in miniature. Read more February 9, 2026April 1, 2026 2026 Could Be a Make-or-Break Year for Small Businesses in the United States: small.world Economic Series As we entered 2025, small businesses were coming off a record period. Read more February 2, 2026April 1, 2026 Perspective on the 2026 Forecast and Implications for African Small Businesses: small.world Economic Series The year 2026 is shaping up to be one of cautious optimism for Africa. Economic growth, driven by internal momentum and growing resilience, is projected to reach 4.3% in Sub-Saharan Africa, slightly above the global average of 3.4%. Read more January 26, 2026January 23, 2026 Navigating Uncertainty and Sector Shifts in the 2026 European Market: small.world Economic Series As Europe moves into 2026, the economic landscape is expected to remain shaped by ongoing geopolitical tensions across the region. Read more January 19, 2026January 19, 2026 Why 2026 May Favor the Small and Connected: small.world Economic Series My economic forecast for small businesses in the United States is not one of dramatic acceleration or contraction in 2026, but of durable momentum. Read more January 12, 2026January 14, 2026 ‘I Hate Small Business Saturday’: Silver Lining CEO Carissa Reiniger I should love Small Business Saturday, but I don’t. I think it is a gimmick when buying from a small business should be a lifestyle. I think it is a token gesture when it should be a genuine commitment from all of us to choose community over convenience every day. Read more December 15, 2025December 15, 2025 What Happens When Good Businesses Close? The Fix That No One Is Talking About Most small businesses don’t close because they fail. They close because owners don’t know where to turn when it’s time to move on. Read more December 8, 2025December 8, 2025 Cashbuild Insights Every Small Business Should Know The sustainability space can become very academic. And I worry sometimes that the field remains inaccessible or a little daunting for Small businesses to engage with. Practical examples are necessary and a great way to demonstrate how companies can reap the very real benefits of sustainable business. Read more December 1, 2025November 28, 2025 History, Culture, Legacy: The Fabric of the Nation Singapore was a small fishing village way before it was founded by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819. Read more November 23, 2025 The Day the Earth Stood Still: Rebuilding Hope in Ancient Antioch On the morning of February 9, 2023, the sun rose over the ruins of Ancient Antioch, a city older than Rome yet now silent, smothered in dust. Read more November 17, 2025November 12, 2025 The Global Shift to Real-Time Payments (RTP) Brings New Value to Small Business Real time payments (RTP) are today’s reality and opportunity for improving the health of consumers and small businesses everywhere. Read more November 10, 2025November 8, 2025 The Power Hidden in How You Talk About Yourself: Why Small Changes Change Everything I have always paid close attention to the words people use. Maybe this awareness came from having a writing tutor who taught me, to choose my words carefully in every paper. Read more November 3, 2025October 31, 2025 ‘Buy Local’ and ‘Shop Small’ Aren’t Slogans. They Are Survival “Buy Local” and “Shop Small” are two of the most common rallying cries during the holiday season, Small Business Saturdays, or whenever we’re reminded to support our neighbors. Read more October 27, 2025October 27, 2025 The Unreasonable Business of Startups Every small business owner is “crazy enough.” It takes a rare combination of grit, resilience, and delusion to put your livelihood on the line and decide to build a business from scratch. Some founders lean into the danger a little bit further and pursue creating a startup. Read more October 20, 2025October 23, 2025 How Culture Shapes Entrepreneurship in East Africa Across East Africa, entrepreneurship is not simply a reaction to economic demand. It is the living translation of culture into commerce. Read more October 13, 2025October 10, 2025 Adjusting To Growth: How My Friend Builds Jobs in San Francisco’s High-Cost Market In my day job, I get a front-row seat to small businesses and enterprise organizations across North America and beyond. I see the data, the hiring trends, and the operational headaches owners face every day. Read more October 6, 2025October 6, 2025 Australian Small Businesses Need Us To Energize Enterprise Hope is important for enterprising men and women, but this perpetual optimism is best honored by genuine action that creates the most supportive business environment policymakers. Read more September 29, 2025September 29, 2025 Unlocking Small Business Potential: Why Financial Institutions Must Lead the Way Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the heartbeat of economies. They create jobs, drive innovation, and anchor communities. However, despite their undeniable importance, SMEs continue to face a persistent, and often paralyzing, challenge: Access to finance. Read more September 22, 2025September 29, 2025 Why Connecticut is a Hidden Gem for Women-Owned Small Businesses Connecticut is “women-friendly” and the policies here for female small business owners to excel have expanded in recent years. Read more September 15, 2025September 29, 2025
The Missing Middle: Why MENA’s Small Businesses Don’t Need More Capital — They Need Structure Across MENA, small and medium-sized enterprises make up 80 to 90 % of all businesses—about 19 to 23 million operations Read more May 4, 2026May 5, 2026
The Quiet Backbone: What Small Businesses in Kenya Teach Us About Resilience, Building Trust and Community As I sat and reminisced about the african smb ecosystem, I thought about what it takes for us to really change the game and help SMBs succeed. Read more April 27, 2026April 27, 2026
You’re Building Your Business on Borrowed Land A small-business owner in Kingston, Jamaica, gained over 20k Instagram followers, boosted engagement, and increased sales. Then, without warning, an algorithm update cut her content’s visibility, causing sales to drop. This shows how relying solely on social media puts your business at risk. Read more April 20, 2026April 20, 2026
The Issue in Latin America isn’t A Lack of Capital—It’s The Ineffective Delivery of Technical Assistance SMBs are the backbone of the economy. When I say SMBs, I mean small and medium-sized businesses. These are the corner store, the small manufacturer, the family-run service company, or the growing 10-person team trying to stabilize revenue. Read more April 13, 2026April 13, 2026
The Geography of Opportunity: Why the Next Member of Your Team is in Africa For generations, small businesses have thrived on invisible networks: the right handshake, the right alma mater, the right family connection to open doors. Read more March 30, 2026April 1, 2026
Why Small Businesses Often Understand Wealth Better Than Billionaires If you run a small business, you might not see yourself as wealthy, at least not in the way most people use the word. Read more March 23, 2026April 1, 2026
When Discovery Becomes an Answer: What Small Businesses Need to Survive the AI Search Era One morning, I watched a rodent control company lose leads even though nothing was wrong operationally. Read more March 16, 2026April 1, 2026
Small Businesses Build the Global Economy, So Why Are They Left Out of It? In economies where the gap between promises and reality is often the largest, small businesses still create 45% of jobs and serve as the primary engine of growing local communities. This isn’t a niche sector, but the economy. Read more March 9, 2026March 6, 2026
Time to Think: The Less Obvious Impact of AI on Small Business Being busy can quietly prevent progress with your small business. AI has the potential to break this cycle—in business and beyond. Read more March 2, 2026April 1, 2026
Bridging Limitations: How Digital-First Platforms and Ecosystems are Revolutionizing Today’s Business Scene On a humid Tuesday morning in Cairo, a young entrepreneur named Laila unlocks the shutters of her small artisan shop. Read more February 23, 2026April 1, 2026
When the Dream Slows Down: Why Small Business Owners Deserve Real Support Most people start a small business because they have a dream: freedom, purpose, impact, control over their life, or simply the belief that they could build something better than what they saw in the corporate world. Read more February 16, 2026April 1, 2026
ASEAN 2026 in Manila, and the Growth Engine We Keep Walking Past: small.world Economic Series On a normal weekday in Metro Manila, you can see the Southeast Asian economy in miniature. Read more February 9, 2026April 1, 2026
2026 Could Be a Make-or-Break Year for Small Businesses in the United States: small.world Economic Series As we entered 2025, small businesses were coming off a record period. Read more February 2, 2026April 1, 2026
Perspective on the 2026 Forecast and Implications for African Small Businesses: small.world Economic Series The year 2026 is shaping up to be one of cautious optimism for Africa. Economic growth, driven by internal momentum and growing resilience, is projected to reach 4.3% in Sub-Saharan Africa, slightly above the global average of 3.4%. Read more January 26, 2026January 23, 2026
Navigating Uncertainty and Sector Shifts in the 2026 European Market: small.world Economic Series As Europe moves into 2026, the economic landscape is expected to remain shaped by ongoing geopolitical tensions across the region. Read more January 19, 2026January 19, 2026
Why 2026 May Favor the Small and Connected: small.world Economic Series My economic forecast for small businesses in the United States is not one of dramatic acceleration or contraction in 2026, but of durable momentum. Read more January 12, 2026January 14, 2026
‘I Hate Small Business Saturday’: Silver Lining CEO Carissa Reiniger I should love Small Business Saturday, but I don’t. I think it is a gimmick when buying from a small business should be a lifestyle. I think it is a token gesture when it should be a genuine commitment from all of us to choose community over convenience every day. Read more December 15, 2025December 15, 2025
What Happens When Good Businesses Close? The Fix That No One Is Talking About Most small businesses don’t close because they fail. They close because owners don’t know where to turn when it’s time to move on. Read more December 8, 2025December 8, 2025
Cashbuild Insights Every Small Business Should Know The sustainability space can become very academic. And I worry sometimes that the field remains inaccessible or a little daunting for Small businesses to engage with. Practical examples are necessary and a great way to demonstrate how companies can reap the very real benefits of sustainable business. Read more December 1, 2025November 28, 2025
History, Culture, Legacy: The Fabric of the Nation Singapore was a small fishing village way before it was founded by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819. Read more November 23, 2025
The Day the Earth Stood Still: Rebuilding Hope in Ancient Antioch On the morning of February 9, 2023, the sun rose over the ruins of Ancient Antioch, a city older than Rome yet now silent, smothered in dust. Read more November 17, 2025November 12, 2025
The Global Shift to Real-Time Payments (RTP) Brings New Value to Small Business Real time payments (RTP) are today’s reality and opportunity for improving the health of consumers and small businesses everywhere. Read more November 10, 2025November 8, 2025
The Power Hidden in How You Talk About Yourself: Why Small Changes Change Everything I have always paid close attention to the words people use. Maybe this awareness came from having a writing tutor who taught me, to choose my words carefully in every paper. Read more November 3, 2025October 31, 2025
‘Buy Local’ and ‘Shop Small’ Aren’t Slogans. They Are Survival “Buy Local” and “Shop Small” are two of the most common rallying cries during the holiday season, Small Business Saturdays, or whenever we’re reminded to support our neighbors. Read more October 27, 2025October 27, 2025
The Unreasonable Business of Startups Every small business owner is “crazy enough.” It takes a rare combination of grit, resilience, and delusion to put your livelihood on the line and decide to build a business from scratch. Some founders lean into the danger a little bit further and pursue creating a startup. Read more October 20, 2025October 23, 2025
How Culture Shapes Entrepreneurship in East Africa Across East Africa, entrepreneurship is not simply a reaction to economic demand. It is the living translation of culture into commerce. Read more October 13, 2025October 10, 2025
Adjusting To Growth: How My Friend Builds Jobs in San Francisco’s High-Cost Market In my day job, I get a front-row seat to small businesses and enterprise organizations across North America and beyond. I see the data, the hiring trends, and the operational headaches owners face every day. Read more October 6, 2025October 6, 2025
Australian Small Businesses Need Us To Energize Enterprise Hope is important for enterprising men and women, but this perpetual optimism is best honored by genuine action that creates the most supportive business environment policymakers. Read more September 29, 2025September 29, 2025
Unlocking Small Business Potential: Why Financial Institutions Must Lead the Way Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the heartbeat of economies. They create jobs, drive innovation, and anchor communities. However, despite their undeniable importance, SMEs continue to face a persistent, and often paralyzing, challenge: Access to finance. Read more September 22, 2025September 29, 2025
Why Connecticut is a Hidden Gem for Women-Owned Small Businesses Connecticut is “women-friendly” and the policies here for female small business owners to excel have expanded in recent years. Read more September 15, 2025September 29, 2025