It hasn’t been lost on small business owners that Uber and other ride-sharing services are enormously successful without having employees doing the work. It’s one of the reasons why small companies are forgoing employees in favor of independent contractors. (Associated Press)

The US Supreme Court has declined to hear a case regarding whether Yelp is culpable for removing defamatory reviews from its site, resolving a case that could have affected web platforms’ legal protections.(The Verge)

Small businesses are interested in attracting new customers but are hesitant to invest in new technologies, according to a new survey from dataPlor. Vendors should focus on providing education and leveraging social media as a robust tool for digital marketing opportunities. (dataPlor)
Google is increasingly bringing in “Google Ads experts” to manage campaigns “behind the scenes.” One can assume, however, that the changes the experts make will be largely influenced by Google’s machine-powered recommendations engine. (Search Engine Land)
To build a big line of exclusive products on its site, Amazon is pushing other brand manufacturers to do most of the work. The online retail giant is asking consumer-goods companies to create brands exclusively for Amazon. (Wall Street Journal)

While every entrepreneur is motivated by something different, and podcast lovers all have varying tastes, these seven essential small business podcasts are sure to inspire and motivate you to reach your goal for the year ahead.(Inc. Magazine)

All businesses go through patterns of growth. And along the way they experience pains and strains. Here are some of the most common “growing pains” that small businesses experience that, if unattended, will leave a lasting negative mark.(Cape Cod Times)

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