Running a small business in the Chicago area in 2026 means navigating a perfect storm: insurance premiums climbing with no ceiling in sight, property taxes tightening the screws, healthcare costs hitting harder than ever, and AI-powered cyber threats that didn’t exist two years ago. At TURNkey, we don’t just see these challenges from the sidelines. Our own CEO, David Kolssak, was quoted in the Daily Herald calling it out directly: “Everything is going up at once… profits get thinner.“ We live this reality alongside every small business we serve across Wheeling and the greater Chicago area, and it’s exactly why having the right technology, consulting, and security partner in your corner isn’t a luxury anymore; it’s survival.
The Daily Herald just published a must-read breakdown of the biggest challenges Chicago-area small businesses are facing this year. If you’re a business owner, this one will hit close to home. Read it, share it with your team, and ask yourself: are you set up to handle what’s coming?