Connected Commerce Council (3C)

Merz Apothecary has been adapting for 151 years. Today, AI is helping the Chicago business operate more efficiently, pursue bigger opportunities, and grow its team. Owner Anthony Qaiyum shared that story with the U.S. House Committee on Small Business this week, including how the business has added 10 employees since adopting AI-powered tools. Read Anthony’s message to Congress on what small businesses need to make the most of AI ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/exddiVEB

Today, Anthony Qaiyum, owner of Chicago’s 151-year-old Merz Apothecary, testified before the House Small Business Committee about how AI is helping his business save time, strengthen operations, support employees, and compete. His message to Congress was clear: keep AI tools affordable and accessible, establish a balanced national framework, and help more small businesses and workers learn how to use them to grow. “AI is a competitive and bandwidth advantage. By using AI, my team is able to go after bigger opportunities and help our business grow.”

Neuro’s story is a good reminder that building a business rarely follows a straight line. Kent Yoshimura and Ryan Chen started with no experience creating a product or building a brand. They kept learning, testing, and finding new ways to reach customers, and today Neuro is sold in tens of thousands of stores nationwide. We’ve seen firsthand what’s possible when small businesses have the digital tools to reach customers, build their brand, and scale. Read their story in Entrepreneur Magazine ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/gUJ6shhc

🇺🇸 Happy Fourth of July! As America marks 250 years, we’re celebrating a classic American story: small businesses adapting, innovating, and powering our economy forward. 🍻 A Queens tavern that opened in 1829. ⚕️ A Chicago apothecary serving customers since 1875. 🎣 A Maine fly rod maker using AI to grow a handcrafted business. For 250 years, small businesses have found new ways to reach customers and keep moving forward. Meet the businesses carrying that legacy today ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/ePXhfQpx

Four years ago, Hyacinth Tucker, MBA, PMP launched The Laundry Basket, a Bowie, Maryland-based business offering full-service laundry pickup, cleaning, and delivery across the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Today, The Laundry Basket washes nearly 7,000 pounds of laundry each month for busy individuals and families, as well as for gyms, spas, medical practices, and government facilities throughout the region. Digital tools helped fuel that growth. Personalized discounts help Hyacinth reach new customers, reward loyal ones, and keep her business growing. But a new Maryland law could make those discounts harder to offer by requiring warning labels alongside certain digital promotions — a change Hyacinth worries could confuse customers and undermine trust. “We use personalized discounts to bring in customers and build loyalty,” Hyacinth says. “I’m concerned that these new requirements could make that harder, slowing our growth and hindering our success.” Read more about The Landry Basket ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/eQ8X5SFD

🇺🇸 For 250 years, America’s small businesses have adapted, innovated, and powered our economy forward. From Neir’s Tavern using digital ads to reach new customers, to Merz Apothecary selling nationwide through e-commerce, to Maine Fly Company using AI to grow faster, today’s entrepreneurs are building on that legacy in new ways. Read how Neir’s Tavern, Merz Apothecary, and Maine Fly Company are carrying that legacy into the future ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/ePXhfQpx

🎣 Inspired by his father’s love of fly fishing, Mainer Jeff Davis started hand-crafting fly-fishing rods as a hobby. Today, his small-batch fly rod business, Maine Fly Company, sells to fly-fishing enthusiasts across the country and around the world. In a new Q&A, Jeff shares how e-commerce, digital ads, and AI tools like Google Performance Max and Gemini have helped him save time, reach customers, and grow Maine Fly Company into a seven-figure business. He also talks about his experience as a small business advocate — and why policymakers need to understand how important AI and digital tools are to small businesses. “Regulations need to be carefully balanced so they minimize risk while allowing small business owners like me to leverage the tools we need to grow, compete, and reach customers,” he says. “There’s no way we’d be where we are without these tools.” Reel in Jeff’s full Q&A here! https://lnkd.in/eyYeCJdQ

Great food gets people talking. Digital ads help get them in the door. Erik Forsberg, owner of Devil’s Advocate in the Twin Cities, knows that running a restaurant takes more than a strong menu. It takes smart, affordable ways to reach local diners and keep regulars coming back. For Erik, digital ads help level the playing field. They let him reach nearby customers, track what’s working, and stretch every marketing dollar further than traditional TV or radio ever could. That matters, especially when independent restaurants are already dealing with rising costs. Earlier this year, Minnesota lawmakers considered proposals that would have taxed social media platforms and digital ads, making one of Erik’s most cost-effective tools more expensive. Thankfully, both proposals failed before the legislature adjourned. As Erik put it: “At a time when almost everything is getting more expensive, lawmakers should be trying to help small businesses cut costs — not making our most affordable, effective tools more expensive, too.” Pull up a chair and read Erik’s story: https://lnkd.in/eUy35pFA

New from 3C: What would AICOA mean for small businesses? Higher costs. More complexity. Greater uncertainty. Our latest blog breaks down how the American Innovation and Choice Online Act could disrupt the integrated digital tools small businesses choose to use to reach customers, sell online, manage logistics, and stay competitive. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e7yYcWRd

Jerilynn Pintar, owner of Michigan-based Suburban Bolt and Supply, recently joined us in Washington, DC to meet with Senator Slotkin’s office and share how digital tools help her industrial-supply business reach customers, streamline operations, and compete. As policymakers consider tech policy issues, it’s critical that they hear from small business leaders like Jerilynn. Read more about her advocacy in The Macomb Daily.  https://lnkd.in/eNhXxZAg