Artificial intelligence is transforming industries nationwide, and America’s small-business community is no different. Kelly Loeffler, who heads the U.S. Small Business Administration, recently said small businesses will be the “biggest beneficiaries” of AI — a “huge leveler of the playing field for America.” Working with and on behalf of the National Association for the Self-Employed, I have spent more than four decades as a certified public accountant advising small businesses — companies that, according to the SBA, employ nearly half of the private-sector workforce. I hear daily from our community, more than 33 million strong, that owners are using AI more and more. The question is no longer whether they will adopt it, but whether they will use its full value.
Nicole VanHaaren is the owner of VanHaaren Designs, a web and graphic design business based in Charlotte, Michigan. In addition to web and graphic design services, Nicole also offers photography.
With a passion for creativity and working with people, Nicole started VanHaaren Designs to gain experience in web design while helping other small businesses strengthen their online presence. She currently balances running her business with a full-time job and pursuing her master’s degree.
Posted on
Sep 28, 2026
With the midterm elections five weeks away, Congress has largely closed up shop until November. The House left town September 16 after leadership canceled its final two scheduled weeks of votes, and the Senate is using its last few days to move a handful of bills before its own October break. Both chambers are due back November 9 for a lame-duck session scheduled to end December 18. Here’s where things stand on the issues that matter most to NASE members. No Shutdown — For Now
Six months into 2026, America’s roughly 34 million small businesses and self-employed workers are navigating a landscape of genuine policy wins undercut by real economic strain.
The Optimism Rollercoaster
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index tracked a volatile path through the first half of the year — dipping to 95.3 in May, its lowest reading since the post-election surge, before climbing back to 97.4 in June and then jumping to 99.8 in July, the highest level since August 2025. Hiring plans and capital expenditure intentions drove the July rebound, even as the Uncertainty Index stayed well above its historical average, with owners citing labor quality and availability as their top concern.
In 2026, the NASE awarded five Dependent Scholarships totaling $15,000. The NASE Dependent Scholarship Program is designed to help ease the financial burden of higher education for legal dependents of NASE Members between the ages of 16 and 24 by providing five $3,000 educational scholarships.
Since 1989, the NASE Scholarship Program has awarded more than $1.8 million to members’ dependents in support of their educational goals. This year, our review team evaluated 25 outstanding applications, and we would like to thank everyone who took the time to apply.
Posted on
Aug 24, 2026
The Real Problem Isn’t What You Think
Motivation is a terrible business partner. Some days it shows up. Most days it doesn’t. And when it’s absent, everything feels harder: returning calls, sending invoices, doing the strategic work that builds your future.
In the 2025 Mental Health in Freelancing Report by Leapers, 68% of self-employed professionals reported this same struggle: stress and mental fatigue sabotaging consistent execution. At NASE, many members fight this battle.
Here’s what we’ve learned: The battle itself is the problem.
Posted on
Aug 24, 2026
The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE), the nation's leading advocate and resource for the self-employed and micro-business community, today awarded $15,000 in scholarships to five dependents of NASE members — including three who are heading to college with plans to start or expand a business of their own.
Posted on
Aug 17, 2026
NASE member Knikki Hernandez is the founder of Turning The Tide Tutoring LLC in Ruckersville, Virginia, where she helps students become confident, independent writers by teaching them to turn their ideas into clear, effective writing.
With more than a decade of experience as a high school teacher, Knikki has worked with students of all skill levels and recognized that many understand concepts better than they can express them. Her structured, step-by-step approach helps students build confidence, strengthen organization, and develop critical thinking alongside their writing skills.
Through her four-stage program, students progress from learning the basics of clear expression to becoming independent thinkers who can communicate with confidence in school, college, and beyond.
Posted on
Jul 30, 2026
The House is adjourned for the August recess, the Senate is likely to recess the first week in August, what awaits when they return for the very short period post August and the midterm elections.
Here is what is on deck:
Every business owner starts out the new year with grand ideas. Whether your goals included rapid growth month over month, or just a more sustainable way of working that featured plenty of days off, you might not quite be experiencing the success you had envisioned.
But that’s okay. There’s always time to make adjustments and fine-tune your small business to inch closer to your objective. This post is going to break down how you can use a mid-year review and reset process to figure out what is working, what’s not, and how to make more progress on the things that matter.
Posted on
Jul 29, 2026