Building on a love for baking, Betty Halpenny and Eleanor Monroe opened Ramona Susan's Bakeshop in 2016, which temporarily transformed into a takeout operation during the pandemic. The business is now supporting Pride Month with rainbow-themed cupcakes.

Reflecting on the results of the Kearney Brand Trust Survey, Pamela Danziger outlines what it is small-business owners can do to build trust with consumers. It starts with choosing the right message, understanding what sets their businesses apart and following through on promises.

Consumers have gravitated toward convenience and value during the coronavirus pandemic, along with virtual trials and brand purpose, writes Mark Jeffreys, CEO of 4Sight. Jeffreys offers marketers signs to look for with each trend to determine if and how consumers are shifting their behaviors as COVID-19 vaccination rates rise and economic activity increases.

With optimism in the recovery rising, there are several ways small-business owners can get focused on growth during the remainder of the year, writes Jeffrey McKinney. It's important to step up your social media marketing strategies, put a priority on what drives the biggest results in your business and seek new strategic partnerships.

Successful leaders "listen twice as much as they talk" and talk more in terms of "we" and "us" than about themselves, writes Steve Keating. "Authentic Leaders want the people who work with them to believe they can accomplish anything, even one day surpassing the leader," he writes.

To fund the business you've always wanted to own, Charles Alexander, director of the Tennessee Small Business Center, outlines some of the options available. Citing personal savings as the easiest option, Alexander also explains why to avoid credit cards, says investors can be challenging to find, and that he's yet to meet someone who has successfully crowdfunded.

Recommended morning habits such as journaling, creating a to-do list or eating a slow breakfast can be counterproductive when they feel mandatory or forced, writes Seraphina Seow. "When you put contingencies around what your morning 'should' look like, this can make you anxious about doing everything perfectly -- then anxious if things don't go as planned," Seow writes.

As companies make moves for employees to return to work, there's more to stay in work life after the COVID-19 pandemic than video calls. Leaders highlight listening to customers and employees more and implementing flexible work arrangements.

Almost 80% of LGBTQ small-business owners expect to recover from COVID-19 losses in 2022, while the same percentage lacks succession planning, according to a CNBC and Acorns survey. Justin Nelson of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce says it's crucial to build a succession plan, and financial planner M. David Goldstein reminds owners to pay themselves first.

Executives discuss how workplaces and culture could now be affected by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's announcement that vaccine mandates and incentives are legal, with some caveats. 4A's Mark Piazza suggests agencies work with employees to meet the needs of both groups, and cautions, "Be consistent to avoid creating irregularities."