This year, social commerce is expected to account for approximately 20% of all online retail sales, according to global data analytics and market research company Statista. This type of selling, which drives purchases through social platforms like TikTok Shop, LTK and influencer links, enables instant shopping for potential customers who can browse and buy without leaving their platform of choice.

The Direct Sellers Association of Canada (DSA Canada) released its results for a recent Independent Sales Consultant (ISC) Survey. The report shared insights into who actively participates in direct selling, why they join and what keeps them engaged over time.

Launching or scaling a small business in 2026 will mean understanding key trends and how to align your organization with these shifts. Upwork, an online marketplace for hiring skilled freelancers, dug into the top trends shaping the small business landscape in 2026 and how adapting your strategy to match could empower you to make more confident decisions, prioritize investments and structure your business for long-term resilience.

The missing ingredient in direct selling’s next chapter. For decades, leadership development was the heartbeat of direct selling. The companies that lasted didn’t just build volume. They built people. They had systems that turned someone new into a builder and eventually into a leader. Those systems weren’t fancy—they were clear, consistent and culture driven. Then […]

Women have long been the minority when it comes to franchise ownership, but that gap is shrinking. In the past ten years, the number of women-owned franchises has grown by 38%. When compared to earlier decades, the improvement is astonishing.

In a peer-reviewed study published to the National Library of Medicine, researchers found that 90% of people typically experience severe life regrets. These regrets can range from feelings of discomfort from perceived flaws in personal choices or a complex emotional experience that elicits negative responses like despair and shame.