Inflation Hits Small Businesses Hard | San Jose News

Inflation’s crushing small businesses, from ice cream shops to custom nail studios, forcing owners to juggle soaring ingredient costs, slashed margins, and customer affordability. Mike Louie at Cauldron Ice Cream saw egg prices triple, pushing his signature dessert from $7 to $9.25—while perishable goods mean unsold items are pure loss. With only his store among six franchises still open, the struggle is real. Alaiyah Holland, a dessert maker, pulls popular items when costs spike or quality dips, switching brands just to survive. Safiya Jawad, crafting press-on nails, hiked prices from $15–$20 to $20–$35, initially hurting sales—so she launched loyalty rewards to keep customers loyal. All three stress adaptability: adjust prices, track expenses, and stay flexible. Inflation isn’t just a headache—it’s a crash course in smarter, resilient business. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/5ab5572ba6b635d9