We are not a political organization. We are business owners who understand that what happens in this country can influence what happens inside our businesses. And from last year to this year, many of us have watched the cost of doing business, the conversations around the economy, and the uncertainty surrounding the future change in ways that are difficult to ignore.
As entrepreneurs, we have responsibilities that extend beyond watching the headlines. We have bills to pay, customers to serve, employees and contractors to compensate, inventory to purchase, services to deliver, and goals we are trying to reach. We cannot afford to build our businesses as though the world around us has no influence on our ability to succeed.
With the 2026 midterm elections approaching on November 3, business owners have an opportunity to look beyond the political noise and consider a more practical question: What might the current political and economic environment mean for my business, and what can I do now to prepare for 2027?
This is especially important for Black-owned small businesses, which may already be navigating limited access to capital, rising operating costs, uneven access to business networks, and the challenge of competing in markets where resources are not distributed equally. We do not need to predict the election results to recognize the value of being prepared. We need to understand our businesses, pay attention to the conditions around us, and make decisions that support our long-term stability.
We're Not Political. We're Business Owners Who Are Paying Attention.
Let's get one thing straight: paying attention to politics does not automatically make you a political person. You do not have to spend your days debating candidates, arguing with family members on social media, or identifying with a particular party to understand that government decisions can affect your business.
We have eyes. We can read. We can look at what's happening around us, compare where we were last year with where we are today, and ask reasonable questions about what those changes mean for the people trying to make an honest living. Business owners are already watching prices, customer spending, interest rates, shipping costs, contracts, taxes, and the availability of financing. These are business concerns, regardless of political affiliation.
The Federal Reserve Banks' 2026 Report on Employer Firms, based on responses from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey, found that 77% of surveyed employer firms reported rising costs of goods, services, or wages, tariff-related cost challenges, or both. More than four in ten reported tariff-related costs as a financial challenge. The report also found that expectations for future revenue and employment growth had declined. These findings do not mean every business has experienced the same conditions, but they do show why understanding expenses and planning for uncertainty matters. Read the Federal Reserve's small business report.
At HolleyWood Consulting, we work with entrepreneurs who are trying to build sustainable businesses, not just create something that looks good on the outside. We understand that marketing, technology, inventory, staffing, customer acquisition, and business operations are connected. When costs change or customers become more cautious about spending, those changes can affect the entire business.
We are not writing this article to tell anyone which party to support. We are writing it because pretending the political and economic environment has no relationship to business ownership is not a strategy. You can choose not to engage in political conversations and still make an informed decision about how to protect your business.
Let's Be Honest: The Midterms Won't Change Who Is President
Some people are already discouraged by the idea of voting in the midterms because they believe the outcome will not make a meaningful difference. Others may feel that even if Democrats gain seats in Congress, Donald Trump will still be president. That is correct: the 2026 midterms are congressional elections, not a presidential election. The next regularly scheduled presidential election is in 2028.
It is important to understand what the midterms can and cannot change. Voters will determine who represents them in Congress, and the balance of power in the House and Senate can influence legislation, government funding, oversight, and the confirmation process for certain appointments. However, a change in congressional control would not automatically reverse existing policies, guarantee new business assistance, or remove the president from office.
The practical takeaway is that the election could affect the policy environment in which businesses operate, but the specific consequences will depend on the races, the legislation considered, decisions made by government agencies, court rulings, and other developments. No responsible business plan should depend on one election result guaranteeing that conditions will improve.
For official information about the midterms and how they work, visit USA.gov's midterm elections guide.
And let me say this: how you choose to participate in the political process is your decision. Vote, don't vote, support a candidate, disagree with both parties, or decide that you need to step away from the political noise for your own peace of mind. Those choices are yours to make, and this article is not here to tell you what to do.
What I do want to encourage you to do is separate your personal political decisions from your responsibility to prepare your business. You can feel discouraged by the current administration and still work on your 2027 business plan. You can feel hopeful about the midterms and still prepare for challenges. You can choose not to engage in political debates and still pay attention to the economic conditions affecting your industry.
Whatever you decide, your business still needs a financial plan, a marketing strategy, reliable systems, and room to adapt when circumstances change. Your political choices are yours. Preparing your business for the future is part of protecting what you're building.
Speaking as a Black Lesbian Woman Building a Business in America
There is another part of this conversation that I do not want to ignore. As a Black lesbian woman building a business in America, I do not experience the world exclusively through the lens of business metrics. My identity and lived experiences are part of how I understand opportunity, access, representation, and the environment in which I am building.
That does not mean every challenge a Black-owned business experiences can be attributed to a president or a political party. Business outcomes are shaped by many factors, including industry trends, customer behavior, competition, pricing, management decisions, access to capital, and the strength of the business itself. But it would also be unrealistic to suggest that public policy, economic conditions, or changes in the broader climate never matter.
For some entrepreneurs, the questions may involve the availability of funding programs, government contracting opportunities, workplace protections, or policies affecting LGBTQ+ people and other communities. For others, the immediate concern may be whether their customers can afford to purchase their products, whether suppliers will raise prices, or whether they can secure financing without taking on unfavorable debt.
Those concerns can coexist. We can recognize that individual business decisions matter while also acknowledging that the environment in which we make those decisions can create opportunities or obstacles.
I am not interested in telling another business owner how to interpret their own experiences. I am interested in making sure that we have the information, resources, relationships, and business infrastructure needed to make decisions with our eyes open. That is especially important when we are building businesses that we want to sustain for years, not simply get through another quarter.
When Discouragement Becomes a Business Risk
Political exhaustion is real. For some people, following the news feels like an endless cycle of uncertainty, conflict, and disappointment. It can become tempting to disengage completely, especially when the problems feel larger than anything one individual can change.
Protecting your peace matters. You do not have to participate in every debate or make politics the center of your personal life. But there is a difference between choosing not to argue about politics and ignoring information that could affect your business decisions.
If you sell physical products, for example, changes in import costs, supplier pricing, shipping, or consumer demand could influence your margins. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York's July 2026 analysis of small businesses found that many firms in goods and retail reported tariff-related financial challenges in 2025. The report also found that some businesses absorbed higher costs while others passed at least some increases on to customers. That is a real business decision with consequences for profitability and competitiveness. Read the New York Fed's analysis.
If you provide professional services, your challenges may look different. Clients may delay projects, reduce discretionary spending, or take longer to pay invoices. If you depend on government contracts or grant-funded programs, changes in priorities, funding, or eligibility rules may deserve closer attention. The point is not to assume that every possible change will affect you. It is to understand which changes are relevant to your particular business and prepare accordingly.
You can stay informed without living in a state of anxiety. You can protect your energy while reviewing your numbers. You can limit the time you spend consuming news while still checking official updates that affect your industry. You can build community with people who share resources, discuss practical concerns, and help one another identify opportunities.
The goal is not to make every entrepreneur a political analyst. The goal is to help entrepreneurs become better prepared business owners.
Why the 2026 Midterms Matter to Small Business Owners
The midterms matter because Congress has a role in shaping the federal policy and funding environment. The outcome can influence which proposals receive attention, what legislation advances, how government programs are funded, and how federal agencies are scrutinized. Those developments can matter to small businesses, although the effect on any one company will depend on its industry, location, structure, and needs.
For Black-owned businesses, it is worth paying attention to several areas. The first is access to capital. If your business needs financing to purchase inventory, hire help, invest in technology, or expand, you should understand your funding options, the terms attached to them, and whether any relevant programs are available to you. Do not build your financial plan around the assumption that a particular administration or Congress will deliver funding you have not actually secured.
The second area is taxes and operating costs. Tax rules, trade policies, labor requirements, and other regulations can affect expenses, pricing, and business decisions. If your business imports products or relies on suppliers that do, pay attention to the costs that flow through your supply chain. If you are considering a major purchase or expansion, calculate whether the business can sustain it under more than one set of assumptions.
The third area is government contracting and business assistance. Federal, state, and local agencies may offer procurement opportunities, certifications, or other resources, but eligibility requirements and program availability vary. Business owners should review current requirements rather than relying on social media posts or assumptions about what a political party supports. The U.S. Small Business Administration's contracting assistance programs and business certification resources are useful starting points.
Finally, pay attention to the market itself. Even when a policy does not directly affect your company, consumer confidence, purchasing decisions, supplier behavior, and competition can influence your results. Your business plan should account for the factors that actually drive your revenue and expenses, not simply the political headlines that receive the most attention.
Scenario One: What If Republicans Retain Control of Congress?
If Republicans retain control of Congress, business owners should not assume that every policy will remain unchanged or that every business will benefit in the same way. The practical step is to review the policies and proposals that are relevant to your industry, then evaluate what they could mean for your own operation.
For businesses that import goods, supplier costs and trade policy deserve attention. If you sell products, review your landed costs, margins, inventory commitments, and pricing flexibility. If your business depends on federal contracts or public funding, monitor the relevant agency announcements and procurement opportunities. If you are planning a major investment, consider whether your decision still makes financial sense if expenses increase or sales grow more slowly than expected.
It is also important to distinguish campaign promises and proposed legislation from policies that have actually been enacted or implemented. A proposal may change during negotiations, encounter legal challenges, or never become law. Before making a significant financial decision, verify the applicable rules and consult a qualified professional when necessary.
Your objective should not be to predict every congressional action. It should be to identify the changes that could affect your business, understand your exposure, and decide what you can do to reduce unnecessary risk.
Scenario Two: What If Democrats Gain Control of One or Both Chambers?
If Democrats gain control of the House, the Senate, or both, the legislative agenda and oversight priorities could change. However, that would not automatically mean a reversal of existing policies or a guaranteed increase in grants, tax benefits, or funding for Black-owned businesses.
Business owners should use the same disciplined approach: review actual proposals, monitor changes to programs that matter to them, and verify eligibility before making plans based on a potential benefit. If a new funding opportunity becomes available, determine whether your business qualifies, what documentation is required, and whether the award or financing terms make sense for your goals.
If you are concerned about policies affecting your industry or community, follow reliable reporting and official government announcements. Keep records of relevant deadlines, requirements, and changes. If a rule affects your taxes, contracts, employment practices, or compliance obligations, seek qualified guidance rather than relying solely on a headline or an online discussion.
A different congressional balance may create different legislative priorities, but business owners still need to do the work of evaluating what is real, what is proposed, and what is relevant to their companies.
What Both Scenarios Mean for Your Business
Regardless of who controls Congress after the midterms, your business needs a plan that does not depend on a single political outcome. A strong foundation gives you more room to respond to change because you understand your finances, know where your customers come from, have a clear view of your expenses, and can make decisions based on evidence instead of fear or wishful thinking.
This is where business preparation becomes more important than political prediction. You may not be able to control federal policy, supplier pricing, customer confidence, or the broader economy. You can, however, review your margins, strengthen your customer relationships, improve your marketing, reduce avoidable expenses, build cash reserves when possible, and create systems that make your business easier to manage.
You can also look at where your revenue comes from. If one client, platform, product, or sales channel accounts for too much of your income, consider how you might reduce that dependency over time. Diversification does not mean chasing every opportunity. It means building a thoughtful mix of revenue sources that fits your business model and resources.
The strongest plan is one that can adapt. Instead of betting everything on one version of the future, prepare for several possibilities and make sure you understand what would need to change if conditions become more challenging or more favorable.
How to Prepare Your Business for Q4 2026
The fourth quarter is an important time to review performance, take advantage of relevant seasonal demand, manage expenses, and prepare for the year ahead. Whether you run an e-commerce store, a service-based company, a consulting firm, or a brick-and-mortar business, the following steps can help you enter the final months of 2026 with a clearer plan.
1. Know Your Numbers Before You Make Another Move
Review your revenue, expenses, profit margins, outstanding invoices, debt obligations, and cash flow. Do not confuse sales with profit or assume that a busy month means the business is financially healthy. Identify which products, services, clients, or sales channels are actually contributing to your bottom line.
Build a realistic cash-flow forecast for the remainder of the year. Include expected income, recurring bills, payroll or contractor payments, taxes, inventory purchases, marketing expenses, and other obligations. If you expect a seasonal increase in sales, account for the cost of fulfilling those orders. Revenue that arrives after a major bill is due may not solve an immediate cash-flow problem.
If you have not reviewed your financial reports recently, make that a priority. You cannot make sound business decisions when you do not have a clear picture of where your money is going.
2. Review Your Pricing, Suppliers, and Profit Margins
If your operating costs have changed, your pricing may need attention. Review what it costs to deliver each product or service, including materials, packaging, shipping, software, transaction fees, labor, and the time required to complete the work.
For product-based businesses, contact key suppliers, review current inventory levels, and determine whether you need to adjust order quantities or delivery timelines. Avoid overbuying inventory simply because you are hoping for a strong holiday season. At the same time, identify the products that reliably sell and make sure you can fulfill reasonable demand.
For service-based businesses, review your packages, scope of work, payment schedules, and time requirements. Make sure your prices support the actual labor and expertise involved in delivering the service. If your costs have increased, consider whether a price adjustment, revised package, or more efficient process is appropriate.
The goal is not to raise prices without thought. It is to make sure your business is not working harder while earning less.
3. Strengthen Your Website and Marketing Foundation
If your business relies on online sales or customer inquiries, Q4 is not the time to discover that your website is confusing, your checkout is broken, or your contact form sends inquiries nowhere. Test your website on a mobile device, review your product and service pages, check your checkout process, confirm that your contact information is accurate, and make sure customers can understand what you offer and how to purchase it.
For e-commerce businesses, review inventory accuracy, shipping and return policies, product descriptions, customer reviews, payment options, and abandoned-cart recovery. If you are preparing holiday promotions, calculate your margins before publishing discounts. A sale that generates orders but leaves you unable to cover fulfillment costs is not necessarily a successful campaign.
For service businesses, make your offers easy to understand. Review your booking process, lead forms, service descriptions, follow-up emails, and customer testimonials. Make sure prospective clients know what happens after they contact you and what information they need to provide.
Marketing also needs to be connected to a business goal. Rather than posting content simply to stay visible, decide whether a campaign is meant to generate leads, sell a specific product, build your email list, increase repeat purchases, or encourage consultations. Track results so you can identify what is working and stop spending time or money on activity that is not producing meaningful outcomes.
4. Make Your Customer Relationships Stronger
Acquiring new customers can be expensive, so Q4 is a good time to reconnect with the people who already know your business. Follow up with past clients, share relevant updates, invite customers to join your email list, and make it easy for satisfied customers to refer others.
For e-commerce brands, consider whether bundles, complementary products, gift options, loyalty offers, or post-purchase emails make sense for your audience and margins. For service businesses, consider a follow-up consultation, a relevant next-step service, or a referral process that rewards customers appropriately.
Do not assume that every customer wants another discount. Sometimes clear communication, useful information, reliable service, and a thoughtful customer experience are more valuable than a coupon. Strong customer relationships can support repeat business and help reduce your dependence on constantly finding new buyers.
5. Review Funding, Certifications, and Contract Opportunities
If your business needs capital or wants to explore government contracting, begin the research before you are under pressure to find money or submit a proposal. Review your financial records, business registration, tax documentation, insurance requirements, capabilities statement, and other documents that may be needed for your goals.
Investigate relevant programs directly through official sources. Check eligibility, application windows, costs, repayment terms, reporting obligations, and the time required to complete the process. Be cautious of anyone promising guaranteed grants, guaranteed contracts, or guaranteed funding in exchange for an upfront fee.
Do not assume that every certification will produce business or that every loan is worth taking. Choose opportunities based on your business's needs and ability to meet the requirements. Preparation can help you move more quickly when a suitable opportunity appears.
6. Create Your 2027 Plan Before the Year Ends
Do not wait until January to start thinking about what your business needs next. Review your 2026 results, identify what worked, and be honest about what did not. Which products or services generated the strongest margins? Which marketing efforts produced qualified leads or sales? Where did you lose money or waste time? What systems repeatedly created frustration?
Use those answers to set measurable goals for 2027. Your goals might include reaching a specific revenue target, improving profitability, building an emergency reserve, increasing repeat sales, expanding into a new channel, improving your website, or reducing your dependence on one client.
Then connect each goal to a practical plan. Determine the actions required, the resources needed, the deadlines involved, and how you will measure progress. A goal without a budget, timeline, and execution plan is an intention—not yet a strategy.
Build Three Versions of Your 2027 Business Plan
One useful way to prepare for uncertainty is to create three planning scenarios. This is not about predicting the election or assuming that the economy will move in a particular direction. It is about understanding how your business could respond under different conditions.
Your conservative plan should show what you would do if sales slowed, costs increased, or a major client delayed payment. Identify essential expenses, the costs you could reduce, the customers you need to retain, and the steps you would take to protect cash flow. Decide in advance which investments could be postponed and which expenses are necessary to keep the business operating.
Your steady-growth plan should reflect a realistic continuation of your current business, with reasonable assumptions about revenue, costs, customer demand, and available resources. Identify the marketing, operational, and financial improvements needed to reach your targets without overextending the business.
Your growth plan should outline what you would do if demand or opportunity exceeded expectations. Consider the staffing, inventory, technology, working capital, and operational capacity required to support expansion. Growth should be intentional and financially sustainable, not simply a response to excitement or pressure to do more.
Once you have all three plans, identify the signals that would prompt you to adjust course. Those signals might include a sustained drop in sales, a change in supplier costs, a contract award, an increase in qualified leads, or a major shift in customer behavior. This gives you a decision-making framework instead of forcing you to start from scratch whenever conditions change.
A Special Word to Black Entrepreneurs: We Need to Build With Our Eyes Open
Black entrepreneurs have always had to be resourceful. Many of us have built businesses while learning systems that were not designed with our success in mind, navigating limited networks, figuring things out without access to the same resources as others, and trying to create stability for ourselves and our families. That reality deserves acknowledgment, but it should not become an expectation that we must do everything alone.
Preparation is not simply about protecting yourself from what might go wrong. It is also about putting your business in a position to recognize and pursue opportunities. When your financial records are organized, your offers are clear, your website works, your marketing has direction, and your operations are documented, you can respond more effectively when a new opportunity presents itself.
Community matters here, too. Build relationships with other entrepreneurs, accountants, attorneys, marketing professionals, lenders, mentors, and industry peers who can help you evaluate decisions. Share useful information. Ask questions. Collaborate where it makes sense. You do not have to know everything, and you do not have to build every part of your business by yourself.
We also need to be careful not to treat every challenge as a personal failure. Some problems require better systems or more effective execution. Others may involve external conditions that deserve attention and planning. Understanding the difference helps us make better decisions without ignoring either our own responsibilities or the realities around us.
At HolleyWood Consulting, we believe business growth requires more than motivation. It takes education, strategy, implementation, consistent review, and the willingness to adjust when something is not working. It also takes a strong enough foundation to support the business you are trying to build.
Your Next Move Is More Important Than Your Prediction
You do not have to know who will control Congress to review your expenses. You do not have to agree with a political party to strengthen your customer relationships. You do not have to feel optimistic about the economy to create a more realistic budget. And you do not have to participate in political conversations to make informed decisions about your business.
The 2026 midterms are one part of a larger environment that business owners need to understand. The results may influence policy priorities and the legislative landscape, but your business will still require attention, planning, and execution regardless of the outcome.
Make the political decisions that resonate with you and reflect your own values. Decide for yourself how you want to participate. Then turn your attention to what you can do to make your business more prepared for the months ahead. Review your numbers, strengthen your systems, understand your market, take care of your customers, and create a realistic plan for 2027.
We are not here to tell you what to think politically. We are here to remind you to think strategically about your business.
We may not control every condition under which we build, but we deserve to understand those conditions, prepare for them, and keep building with our eyes open. The goal is not simply to survive whatever comes next. It is to build a business prepared to meet it.
HolleyWood Consulting helps entrepreneurs bring strategy and execution together through e-commerce consulting, Shopify website development, digital marketing, SEO, social media, email marketing, content creation, and business operations support. If your business needs a stronger foundation going into 2027, explore our services and identify where the right strategy and support can help you move forward.
Visit HolleyWood Consulting to learn more.
Sources and Further Reading
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Federal Reserve Bank of New York — Effect of Tariffs on U.S. Small Businesses
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Federal Election Commission — Election Results and Voting Information
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U.S. Small Business Administration — Contracting Assistance Programs
This article is for general business education and planning. It is not legal, tax, investment, or political advice. Business owners should verify current requirements and consult qualified professionals when making decisions that depend on specific laws, regulations, or financial circumstances.
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