Located in Alpharetta, Georgia, Alpharetta Family Chiropractic is a healthcare practice that focuses on musculoskeletal and spinal health. It provides services such as chiropractic adjustments, spinal decompression therapy, corrective exercises, and posture and lifestyle guidance. It also incorporates patient evaluations and individualized care plans to address a range of physical conditions.
Located in Pearland, Texas, Lemker and Harris operates as a manufacturer specializing in mobile darkrooms and related equipment for radiographic testing. It produces commercially built mobile darkrooms, developing tanks, and fiberglass-based units designed for on-site X-ray film processing. Its work focuses on providing durable, field-ready solutions that support non-destructive testing applications across various industries.
Located in North Little Rock, Arkansas, Fellowship North is a church organization that provides religious and community-based services. It offers worship services, Bible study groups, youth and children’s ministry programs, community outreach initiatives, and small group gatherings for members. Its activities also include pastoral care, educational programs, and events aimed at supporting congregational engagement and community involvement.
Located in North Little Rock, Arkansas, Blackberry Market Argenta is a café, bakery, and coffeehouse that opened in late 2022 in the Argenta Arts District. It offers a variety of services including handcrafted meals, premium coffee drinks, artisan baked goods, catering for events, and group reservations, along with options for online ordering and pickup.
Located in Livermore, California, Mr. Handyman is a locally owned and operated home improvement company dedicated to helping homeowners and businesses maintain and enhance their properties. It offers a wide range of repair, maintenance, and remodeling services, including bathroom renovations, drywall repair, gutter cleaning, and many other solutions designed to keep properties in excellent condition.
PNC is a financial institution that provides a range of banking and investment services to individuals, businesses, and organizations. It also has a Nonprofit Strategy & Solutions Group that’s dedicated to supporting endowments, foundations, and nonprofits.
The Alliance for Nonprofit Growth & Opportunity (TANGO) consists of more than 2,000 nonprofit organizations that represent over 200,000 people. It strives to create partnerships between nonprofit and for-profit organizations to drive innovation, create cost savings, and deliver mission advancement.
Inflation Is Eating Into Your Business: Here’s Where the Costs Are Rising
In the past six years since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been significant global economic uncertainty. Specifically, inflation has seen a major rise. This stagnated period initiated global supply chain disruptions and aggressive monetary tightening which created a challenging environment for businesses.
How does inflation work?
Inflation is “the persistent rise in the average price of goods and services over time. As general prices increase, each unit of currency buys less, which reduces your purchasing power and increases the cost of living.” According to Statistics Canada, prices have risen roughly 20% in Canada and nearly 25% in the United States since the beginning of 2020 due to cumulative inflation.
How does this affect my business?
In 2026, businesses are feeling the effects of inflation from fluctuating energy prices, fuel costs, interest rate tensions, and changes in consumer spending.
In 2026, small and medium-sized businesses are enduring a more severe impact from inflation than large corporations, primarily because they lack the scale to absorb soaring operational costs or command supply chain leverage. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) reports that small business optimism has fallen to its lowest level since 2024, with inflation ranked alongside taxes as their single most pressing issue.
Where is inflation hitting your business the hardest?
Across North America, most businesses are not being hit by a single cost, but by several rising together. The biggest pressure points vary somewhat by industry, but the following stand out:
| Pressure points | How its affecting your business |
| Labor |
U.S. inflation is outpacing nominal wage growth, resulting in a net decrease in real wages and purchasing power. While nominal wages and salaries grew by 3.4% annually, inflation sat at 4.2%. This shortfall means workers’ purchasing power is shrinking, though baseline pay budgets remain relatively stable at 3.5%. Despite stagnant real pay for workers, the actual cost of labor for businesses is rising. |
| Gas and Fuel |
Gas and fuel inflation significantly increases operating costs by raising expenses associated with transportation, logistics, and daily business operations. As fuel is essential for many industries, rising prices shrink profit margins and often compel businesses to either increase the prices of their goods and services or absorb the resulting financial losses.
|
| Utility Costs |
Commercial electricity and water rates have surged, with average power prices rising significantly across the U.S. and Canada. In some regions, power prices increased by more than 25% to 76% due to regional supply constraints. |
| Costs of Good and Materials |
Rising costs for goods and materials force businesses to either increase prices, which may reduce customer demand, or absorb the extra costs, lowering profit margins. This can strain cash flow, reduce opportunities to invest in business growth, and make long-term planning more challenging. |
| Rent inflation |
Rent and leasing increases raises fixed operating costs for businesses. As an unavoidable expense with no direct return on investment, increasing rent reduces profit margins, limits cash flow for growth and hiring, and can lead to downsizing. |
How businesses reduce costs during inflation?
Although businesses cannot control inflation, they can implement practical strategies to minimize its effects and maintain profitability. By carefully managing operations and financial planning, companies can better navigate the challenges associated with periods of high inflation.
Lowering Utility Costs: Utilities are often one area most owners don’t even realize they are losing money. Energy, gas, waste, heating/cooling, and other operational audits can significantly help businesses identify where they are losing money. For example, small errors with natural gas metering could be costing your business money in ways that you never realized. If after a meter is installed and running, the utility doesn’t perform regular checks to ensure it doesn’t drift out of calibration. Over time, it’s natural for certain components to shift or wear down, but this can lead to inaccurate readings and therefore lead you to paying more for the gas bill each month.
Cost reduction consultancy: One of the most strategic ways businesses can counteract the effects of inflation is through cost reduction consultancy. https://www.schooleymitchell.com/what-we-do/Cost reduction consultancy can help businesses by:
Combating Rent Inflation: To manage rising rental costs, small businesses can negotiate long-term leases with fixed rental rates, sublease unused space, or relocate to more affordable locations. Negotiating rent prices with landlords is the most effective way for businesses to manage rising rent prices. In many cases, receiving lower rent from a reliable tenant is preferable to leaving a property vacant. Businesses can improve their chances of securing a rent reduction by following these strategies:
In conclusion, while inflation continues to challenge businesses by increasing expenses and putting pressure on profitability, rising costs do not have to determine a company’s future. Small changes such as identifying hidden costs, improving efficiency, and negotiating better terms can have a meaningful impact on reducing operational costs.
Located in Sunnyvale, California, Life Changing Wellness with Ricky Trigalo focuses on personalized nutrition and functional health support. She offers consultations, advanced laboratory testing, and customized wellness protocols that address areas such as digestive health, hormone balance, and metabolic function. Her approach emphasizes identifying underlying health factors through data-driven assessment and individualized planning.
Located in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, SERVPRO of Elk Grove / E. Schaumburg / Itasca / Roselle provides restoration and cleaning services for residential and commercial properties efficiently after unexpected damage. Its services include water and fire damage restoration, storm damage restoration, mold remediation, specialty cleaning, and other recovery solutions.
