NEWS: A Possible Relaunch of the DeLorean Brand?

Another busy week for small business owners in America is in the books. So, let’s take a look back at what you might have missed.

In the news this week, we learned how a member of the DeLorean family is looking to relaunch the iconic car brand.

Also, there have been interesting partnerships formed between companies that should provide benefits to small business owners, such as Canva acquiring a popular AI platform and a popular POS company joining forces with a food distributor to help the customer experience.

Read about these developments and more in this week’s Small Business News Roundup:

SBA Announces Customer Experience Transformation for Government Contract Certificates

The SBA recently announced a new program called MySBA Certifications, designed to streamline the process for small business owners to apply for and manage certifications for government contracts. The new digital platform, which will launch in September, is part of the SBA’s multi-year effort to modernize the customer experience.

How Kat DeLorean Reclaims Her Family Name and Builds a New DeLorean

This week on The Small Business Radio Show, I talked about family business with Kat DeLorean. His father John created the iconic DeLorean sports car, best known as the time machine from ‘Back to the Future.’ Her mother, model Christine Ferrare wanted her to enter modeling but she gave it up to give her child what she never had—a chance to grow up not famous.

Canva Acquires Generative AI Platform Leonardo to Enhance Visual AI Capabilities

Canva has announced its acquisition of AI productivity platform Leonardo.Ai, marking a significant step forward in its mission to empower everyone to design. This acquisition is part of Canva’s strategy to scale its visual AI technology and continue to innovate in the field of design.

Square Joins US Food CHECK Out Business Tools Program to Improve Restaurant Operations

Square has announced a new partnership with US Foods, the leading food service distributor in the United States. This partnership aims to provide restaurants with advanced technology solutions to streamline their operations and improve growth.

Zoom Introduces AI-Driven Zoom Docs to Improve Team Collaboration and Project Planning

Zoom (NASDAQ: ZM) has announced the release of Zoom Docs, an AI-powered collaborative documentation solution, now available on Zoom Workplace. Zoom Docs, powered by Zoom AI Companion, aims to improve productivity and facilitate collaboration across teams by turning content from Zoom Meetings into actionable documents.

PayPal Launches Fastlane for Faster, Easier Checkout for Visitors

PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL) announced the availability of Fastlane through PayPal for US businesses of all sizes. This new feature aims to improve the guest checkout experience, making it faster and easier, just in time for the holiday shopping season. Fastlane uses PayPal’s multiple payment technologies to allow users to complete their purchases with just one click.

Square Survey Reveals 1 in 3 Consumers Have an Open Relationship with Their Hairstylists

A new survey by Square reveals that one in three consumers are in an ‘open relationship’ with a hairdresser or barber, showing that they are not loyal to just one provider. The survey sheds light on the factors that influence customer loyalty in the beauty and personal care industry.

Salesforce Analysis Finds Businesses Eager for AI But Worried About Trust, Data, and Behavior

A recent Salesforce analysis reveals that businesses are eager to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) technology, yet significant concerns about trusted data, ethics, and organizational policies threaten to hinder progress.

Snapchat+ Reaches 11 Million Subscribers

Snapchat’s subscription service, Snapchat+, has surpassed 11 million subscribers, according to an announcement made today. Launched in 2022 with only six features, Snapchat+ grew rapidly, reaching one million members within weeks. Now, it offers more than 40 special features, including Chat Wallpapers, Custom App Icons, and AI Bitmoji Pets.

Meta Introduces AI Studio for AI Customization

Meta announced the release of AI Studio, a new platform that allows users to create, share, and discover AI characters without the need for technical skills. AI Studio, built on Llama 3.1, gives users the opportunity to design AI characters that can entertain, give advice, generate memes, and much more.

SBA Launches New Business Resilience Guide to Disaster Response

The US Small Business Administration (SBA) has released a Business Resilience Guide designed to help small business owners prepare for and recover from disasters. This comprehensive resource, divided into six sections, includes best practices and templates to assist businesses in disaster recovery and recovery.

Alabama Chiropractor Charged with Tax Crimes

A federal grand jury in Birmingham, Alabama, has indicted Gary Forrest Edwards, a dermatologist in Shelby County, on charges of tax evasion, filing false taxes, and obstructing the IRS. Edwards, who owns the Hoover Health & Wellness Center, is accused of failing to pay $2.4 million in back taxes and attempting to thwart IRS collection efforts.

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