Small businesses across the country are increasingly leveraging credit card rewards as a strategic tool to stretch budgets, manage cash flow, and reinvest in growth. From cashback on everyday purchases to travel points and discounts on essential services, credit card rewards programs have evolved beyond consumer perks into valuable business resources.

Running a coffeehouse may look simple from the outside, but anyone who has stood behindthe counter knows how complex it really is. At Coffee By Design, we’re not just making coffee. We’re managing a nonstop flow of customers on their way to work, parents juggling kids, students racing to class and visitors passing through Portland.

For more than 40 years, Oak Ridge Builders has been serving customers in Iowa. Running a construction company means dealing with big jobs and big numbers. Whether it is ordering materials, paying subcontractors, or making sure payroll is covered on time, money has to move quickly and reliably.

When I opened Burque Throwdown just south of Downtown Albuquerque, I didn’t simply want to build a business — I wanted to build community. That’s why at our pottery school and studio, we welcome people from all over to slow down, get their hands dirty and create something beautiful in clay. Located between Downtown and the historic Barelas neighborhood, the studio has become more than just a place to create and learn. It’s become a gathering space — a place to make friends, unwind and feel a sense of connection.