October News Bulletin: What's New for Small Businesses and How The Sandpiper Group Can Help Cut Costs
October's been quite a month for small business news, hasn't it? From major retail opportunities to new AI tools and shifting financial regulations, there's plenty happening that could directly impact how you run your business. We've been keeping a close eye on the developments that matter most to small business owners, and we thought it was time to share what we're seeing.
Let's dive into the key stories that caught our attention this month, and more importantly, how they might affect your bottom line.
Major Retail Opportunities Are Opening Up
Walmart's 2025 Open Call Event
On October 9th, Walmart held their annual Open Call event, and this year's focus was particularly exciting for small manufacturers and product creators. The retail giant put a spotlight on boosting U.S. manufacturing while giving small businesses a real shot at securing shelf space in their stores.
What does this mean for you? Well, if you're in the product business, this represents a genuine pathway to scale. Walmart's Open Call isn't just about getting your product noticed – it's about supporting American manufacturing and helping smaller companies compete with larger brands.
The timing couldn't be better either. With consumers increasingly interested in supporting local and small businesses, having a presence in major retail chains can provide the credibility boost that many small companies need.
Technology Is Becoming More Accessible
IBM's New AI Workflow Tool
On October 13th, IBM launched Watsonx Orchestrate, and while the name might sound technical, the implications are quite practical for small business owners. This tool is designed to provide reliable AI workflows that can help streamline various business processes.
Now, you might be thinking, "AI sounds expensive and complicated," but that's exactly what's changing. These tools are becoming more accessible and user-friendly, which means even smaller operations can benefit from automation and improved efficiency.
Think about it – if you could automate some of your routine tasks, how much time would that free up for you to focus on growing your business? That's the real opportunity here.
Advertising Opportunities Are Expanding
PayPal's Small Business Initiative
Also on October 13th, PayPal announced efforts to help small businesses tap into billion-dollar advertising opportunities. This is particularly significant because it suggests that advertising channels previously dominated by larger corporations are opening up to smaller players.
For many small business owners, advertising can feel like an uphill battle. You're competing against companies with massive budgets and dedicated marketing teams. But when platforms like PayPal start actively working to level the playing field, it creates new possibilities for reaching your target audience without breaking the bank.
The key is understanding how to make the most of these opportunities, which we'll touch on later in this post.
Financial Regulations Are Shifting
CFPB Lending Rule Delays
On October 11th, concerns were raised about delays to a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule that provides fair lending protection for small businesses. While this might sound like regulatory jargon, it actually has real implications for how easily you can access credit.
The delay has been viewed as potentially weakening protections that small businesses rely on for equitable access to funding. This means it's more important than ever to have multiple funding strategies and to work with financial partners who understand small business needs.
If you've been considering expansion or major purchases, it might be worth accelerating those discussions while current lending conditions remain stable.
What These Changes Mean for Your Business Operations
Looking at these developments together, a few clear themes emerge. First, there are more opportunities than ever for small businesses to access larger markets and better tools. Second, the competitive landscape is shifting in ways that could benefit smaller, more agile companies.
But here's the catch – opportunity without execution is just potential. The businesses that will benefit most from these changes are those that act quickly and strategically.
The Access Challenge
While doors are opening, they're not necessarily easy to walk through. Getting into Walmart's system, effectively using AI tools, or maximising new advertising opportunities all require knowledge, planning, and often, upfront investment.
The Competition Reality
As these opportunities become more accessible to small businesses, they become more competitive. It's not enough to just participate – you need to stand out.
How Smart Advertising Can Cut Your Costs
This brings us to something we're passionate about at Matt Prosper – helping businesses make their marketing spend work harder. When advertising opportunities expand (like the PayPal initiative we mentioned), the businesses that succeed aren't necessarily those with the biggest budgets, but those with the smartest strategies.
Focus on Efficiency, Not Just Reach
Many small business owners think they need to match larger competitors' advertising spend to compete. That's simply not true. What you need is more efficient advertising that reaches the right people with the right message at the right time.
We've seen businesses cut their advertising costs by 30-40% while actually improving their results, simply by focusing on more targeted, strategic approaches rather than trying to be everywhere at once.
Leverage the Platforms That Work for You
With new advertising opportunities emerging regularly, it's tempting to try everything. But spreading your budget too thin across too many platforms often leads to mediocre results everywhere. Instead, we recommend identifying the two or three channels where your ideal customers are most active and dominating those spaces.
Make Data-Driven Decisions
One advantage small businesses have over larger competitors is agility. You can test new approaches, measure results, and pivot quickly based on what you learn. This flexibility, combined with the right measurement tools, can dramatically improve your return on advertising investment.
Practical Steps You Can Take Right Now
Given everything that's happening in October, here are some concrete actions you might consider:
1. Evaluate New Opportunities
If you have products that could work in retail, research Walmart's vendor requirements and start building the documentation you'd need for next year's Open Call. Even if you're not ready now, starting the preparation process puts you ahead for future opportunities.
2. Assess Your Technology Stack
Look at your current business processes and identify the biggest time-wasters. Could some of these be automated? Even simple automation tools can free up significant time that you can reinvest in growth activities.
3. Review Your Advertising Strategy
With new platforms and opportunities emerging, now's a good time to evaluate whether your current advertising approach is still the most effective. Are you reaching the right people? Are you measuring the right metrics? Are you getting the best possible return on your investment?
4. Strengthen Your Financial Position
Given the uncertainty around lending regulations, make sure you have multiple funding options available. This might mean building relationships with different lenders, improving your credit profile, or exploring alternative funding sources.
The Competitive Advantage of Moving Fast
One thing we've noticed working with small businesses is that speed often trumps resources. While larger companies might have bigger budgets, they also have more bureaucracy and slower decision-making processes.
When opportunities like the ones we've discussed this month emerge, the businesses that benefit most are often those that can evaluate, decide, and act quickly. This is where working with the right partners – whether for advertising, technology, or other business services – can make a significant difference.
We understand that staying on top of all these developments while running your day-to-day business can feel overwhelming. That's exactly why we focus on helping small businesses create advertising strategies that don't just work, but work efficiently.
If you're interested in exploring how to make your marketing budget work harder in this changing landscape, we'd love to chat about your specific situation. The opportunities are there – it's just a matter of positioning your business to take advantage of them.
After all, October's shown us that the business landscape is full of possibilities for companies willing to adapt and act strategically. The question isn't whether opportunities exist – it's whether you're ready to seize them.