Solopreneur Boom: Nearly 30 million Americans now run one-person businesses, and Opus Virtual Offices says AI is letting solo owners deliver “real business” presence without hiring. AI & Small-Firm Competitiveness: A new report warns small businesses may fall behind if they don’t organize and use their own operational records as AI adoption rises. Trade War Pressure: U.S. and Canada talks collapsed and the U.S. imposed 50% tariffs on Canadian goods; USTR blames Canada for last-minute demands while Canadian leaders vow dollar-for-dollar retaliation—sparking fears of layoffs and disrupted sales for cross-border small retailers. Construction Labor Crunch: Data-center demand is pulling skilled trades from homebuilding, worsening delays and costs for builders. Hemp Legal Fight: Texas hemp retailers sued over a THC ban that they say wiped out tens of thousands of jobs. Public Contracting Rules: A Houston-area court ruling against race-conscious contracting programs raises compliance headaches for contractors facing mixed federal/state rules. Brand Lawsuits: Buc-ee’s is suing a small Ohio store over alleged trademark/branding confusion. Rural Development: USDA swore in Glen R. Smith as Under Secretary for Rural Development. Tech for SMBs: Global Payments launched “Genius World” in Las Vegas to showcase commerce tools for merchants.