A roundup of entrepreneurial articles, business news, broadcast announcements, and columns by BizTV personalities. Happy reading!

The World’s Best Cities of 2026 

As travel continues to evolve in 2026, new rankings and global developments are shaping where people are headed — and how they’re getting there.

 The Best Cities in the World

According to Time Out’s annual global survey of 24,000 people across 150 cities, Melbourne, Australia has been named the world’s best city for 2026. Known for its vibrant food scene, cultural depth, and easy access to nature, Melbourne tops the list as a dynamic global destination.

Rounding out the top cities are:

• (No. 2) - Shanghai 
• (No. 3) - Edinburgh 
• (No. 4) - London
• (No. 5) - New York
• (No. 6) -  Cape Town
• (No. 7 ) - Mexico City
• (No.8) - Bangkok
• (No. 9) - Seoul 
• (No. 10) - Tokyo

Notably, half of the top 10 cities are located in the Asia-Pacific region, highlighting the area’s growing influence in global tourism.

 U.S. Hiring Slows Down To A 15-Year Low

U.S. businesses added workers at the slowest pace in 15 years—excluding the pandemic—signaling a cooling labor market. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the hiring rate fell to 3.1% in February, down from 3.4% in January, marking the steepest monthly decline outside of the pandemic since 2016.

Job openings also dropped to 6.88 million, while layoffs rose slightly to 1.72 million. Meanwhile, voluntary quits fell to their lowest level since 2020, suggesting reduced worker confidence and a slowdown in job mobility.

The largest hiring declines were seen in the construction and professional and business services sectors. Economists warn that global uncertainty, including ongoing conflict in the Middle East, could further impact economic stability.

With hiring slowing and workforce movement declining, the labor market’s momentum has cooled—prompting businesses to focus on efficiency, retention, and strategic growth as they navigate the evolving economic landscape.

Bitcoin: The Sovereign Settlement Layer for a Digital Future

We all see the same problem: endless money printing destroys purchasing power, debt-based systems eventually collapse, and you cannot print your way to prosperity. The disagreement has always been over the solution.

For 5,000 years, gold was the best money humanity ever had in the physical world. It was durable, divisible, and scarce. But even gold had practical limits. As global trade exploded and the pace of communication and innovation accelerated, physical gold simply could not keep up. Moving heavy bars across borders was too slow for the demands of an ever-increasing global economy. So, humanity built trust layers on top of it: vaults, custodians, paper IOUs, and bank promises. Those layers were a practical solution to scale commerce and match the speed of a rapidly expanding world.

That is exactly where the fatal flaw emerged. Once people stopped holding physical gold and started holding claims on gold, banks issued more IOUs than they had reserves and governments lied about their holdings. In 1971, President Nixon suspended dollar convertibility into gold, and the world shifted to pure fiat. The trust layer failed.

Today, tokenized stocks, tokenized commodities, and tokenized gold are coming fast. These innovations sound modern, but they do not fix the underlying issues of the past. They simply rebuild the same old trust layer of custodians, auditors, and redemption promises on top of the old asset. You are still trusting someone else to hold the real thing.

That is why Bitcoin matters.

Bitcoin is the first monetary network in history that requires no debt layer, no vault, no custodian, and no government permission. It is the settlement itself. No one can inflate it. No one can confiscate it from you if you hold your own keys. It was built for the world we are entering: hyperconnected, digital, and AI-driven, where transactions happen at the speed of light.

The true power of Bitcoin is sovereignty. You control your money directly. You do not need a bank’s approval. You do not need a third party’s promise. In a world where trust keeps degrading and commerce keeps moving online, neutral, borderless, censorship-resistant money becomes more important, not less.

Even as new layers, apps, and services are inevitably built on top of Bitcoin, the beauty of its design remains: the option to remain fully sovereign is always there. You can choose self-custody at the base layer whenever you want. That choice is permanent.

We are not moving backward into a slower, physical-only world. We are moving forward into a digital, AI-powered economy that demands money as fast and borderless as the internet itself. Gold served the physical era brilliantly. Bitcoin was built for this one.

The choice is no longer abstract. It is practical: Do you want money that still relies on trust, or money that finally removes it?

* Matthew J. Moore is the host of The Money Block™ on BizTV, and an Amazon best selling author of the book “Foundations For Liberty”. Tune in every Saturday at 3pm ET for Matthew’s Bitcoin focused conversations. Where To Watch.

  BizTV Spotlight Interview

Check out our interview with Kathleen Kosis, the founder of Petite Pup, you'll discover how she turned her love for small dogs into a thriving national franchise. Kathleen shares the "proof of concept" journey of building a specialized daycare for dogs under 15 lbs, ensuring their safety and socialization without the risks of being around larger breeds.

What to Know About “Cicada,” the New COVID Variant

A new COVID-19 variant known as BA.3.2 — nicknamed “Cicada” — is spreading across the United States after circulating quietly since late 2024.

First identified in Africa in November 2024, the variant has now been detected in 23 countries and in wastewater systems across 29 U.S. states. While its rapid spread has raised concerns, experts say there is no evidence so far that Cicada causes more severe illness than recent strains.

What Makes Cicada Different?

BA.3.2 is a descendant of the Omicron variant and carries 70 to 75 genetic changes in its spike protein — the part of the virus that helps it enter human cells and the target used in current vaccines.

Because the current vaccines were designed to protect against earlier strains in the JN.1 lineage, they may not recognize this new variant as quickly. That doesn’t mean vaccines don’t work — they still significantly reduce hospitalizations and deaths — but immune response timing may be slightly less efficient against this strain.

 Is It More Contagious or Dangerous?

While Cicada may spread more easily due to its genetic differences, there is no indication that it is more dangerous or leads to more severe disease. However, vulnerable individuals — particularly those with chronic health conditions — should remain cautious.

Long COVID cases have decreased since the early pandemic, but it still affects about 3% of infections, reinforcing the importance of prevention.

Protecting Yourself

Health experts recommend simple but effective steps:

• Wash hands regularly
• Stay home when sick
• Limit time in crowded indoor environments
• Consult a healthcare provider if you are at higher risk

As new variants emerge, awareness — not panic — remains key. Staying informed and practicing commonsense precautions continues to be the best defense.

To feature your business on a national television interview, email olivia@biztv.com

Give Your Budget a Spring Reset

Audit sounds like a scary word, right? It probably makes you think of the IRS and stacks of paperwork. But when it comes to your budget, an audit is really just a quick check-in. Think of it as a simple money reset.

And spring is the perfect time to do it. The year moves fast, and if you’re not careful, your budget can drift without you even realizing it. Life gets busy, spending creeps in, and suddenly you’re wondering where all your money went.

Taking time every few months to review your budget helps you see the full picture. Just like you might spring-clean your house after a long winter, this is your chance to tidy up your budget and clear out the financial “clutter” that can build up early in the year.

So as we head into spring (finally!), take a few minutes to look back at the first few months. See what’s working, what’s not, and what needs adjusting.

Here are a few simple steps to help you reset your budget and move forward with confidence.

Step 1: Gather the Last Three Months of Spending

Start by pulling up whatever you use to track your budget, whether that’s a budgeting app like EveryDollar or a basic spreadsheet. Look back at the first few months of the year so you can compare them side by side.

Having everything in front of you helps you clearly see where your money actually went. And sometimes that alone can be eye-opening!

Step 2: Compare What You Planned vs. What You Spent

Next, go category by category and look at what you planned to spend compared to what you actually spent.

As you review each line item, look for patterns. Are there categories where you’re consistently going over? Or ones where you’re spending less than expected? These patterns help you see where your budget might need a few tweaks.

Step 3: Adjust Your Budget Categories

Now that you’ve got a clearer picture of your spending habits, it’s time to adjust your budget so it reflects reality. For example, maybe groceries have been consistently higher, but your electric bill has been lower. That’s okay! Just move some money from your electric bill category to groceries.

The goal is to keep your budget zero-based, meaning every dollar has a job before the month begins.

Step 4: Put Any Leftover Money to Work

Once all your expenses are covered, check to see if you have any money left over. If you do, don’t let it sit there waiting to disappear on random purchases. Give it a purpose right away.

That extra money could help you:

• Pay off debt faster
• Build up your emergency fund
• Save for an upcoming goal

When every dollar has a job, your money starts working for you, not the other way around.

Step 5: Create Your Budget for Next Month

Now that you’ve reviewed the past few months, it’s time to create your budget for the month ahead.

The good news? Your numbers will probably be more accurate this time because you’ve seen what’s actually happening with your spending. And the more you practice budgeting, the easier it gets.

How to Keep the Momentum Going

Here are a few simple ways to keep that momentum going:

• Stick with what’s working. Ever heard the saying “Don’t fix what isn’t broken”? If something helped you stay on track (like using cash envelopes for groceries or meal prepping during the week), keep doing it.
• Track your spending regularly. Don’t wait until the end of the month to see where your money went. Log your expenses as you go so you stay aware of your spending and catch problems early.
• Celebrate small wins. If you stayed within your budget for a category, take a minute to recognize it! You don’t have to go overboard, but celebrating progress helps keep you motivated.
• Roll with the punches. Life happens, and unexpected expenses will pop up. That doesn’t mean your budget failed. Just adjust another category and keep moving forward.
• Make small tweaks, not big overhauls. Your budget will naturally shift from month to month (hello, holiday spending!). But if something is working well, stick with your approach and simply tweak as needed.

Success with money comes from paying attention and making small adjustments along the way. When you regularly review your budget, you stay in control of your money instead of wondering where it all went. And that’s how real financial progress happens, one intentional month at a time.

* Rachel Cruze is a two-time #1 national bestselling author, financial expert, and has served at Ramsey Solutions, where she teaches people how to avoid debt, budget and win with money at any stage in life. You can watch Rachel on The Ramsey Show, Weekdays at 2pm and 10pm ET on BizTV and on-demand on the BizTV app.

7 Business Tips for Smarter Growth in 2026​​​​​​​

1. Focus on Profit, Not Just Revenue - Growth is impressive — but sustainable profit is powerful. Review margins regularly and eliminate low-performing expenses.

2.  Strengthen Customer Retention - It costs more to acquire a new customer than    to keep one. Invest in follow-up, loyalty programs, and consistent communication.

3. Refine Your Brand Message - If your audience can’t explain what you do in one sentence, simplify your messaging. Clarity converts.

4. Automate What You Can - Use technology to streamline scheduling, invoicing, marketing, and customer service — free up time for strategy.

5. Diversify Revenue Streams - Explore add-ons, partnerships, memberships, or digital products to protect your business during economic shifts.

6.  Build Strategic Relationships - Your next opportunity may come from a partnership, not a paid ad. Collaborate intentionally.

7.  Stay Visible - Consistency builds credibility. Whether through social media, email marketing, networking, or television — visibility fuels opportunity.

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