Where Small Business Owners Can Get Interviewed & Featured (2026)

You run a shop, a restaurant or a service business, and the people who walk in already know it’s good. The hard part is getting anyone else to hear about it.

A feature story gives you something an ad can’t: a third party saying your business is worth knowing. It also gives customers, lenders and search engines a page to find when they look you up. If you are planning a big season, like the one in our Small Business Saturday countdown plan, press is one more way to fill the room.

Our editors checked every place below in October 2026 to confirm it still takes pitches, applications or guest requests. Here is where to send your story, what each one wants, and which ones cost money.

At a glance

1. Free places to pitch: outlets that cover owners like you

Start with outlets that already write about small businesses. Your local paper, city business journal and TV station are worth a pitch too; look for a news-tips or contact-the-newsroom link on their sites. For a sense of what we run, read how a family-owned painting company uses custom AI tools to run its office.

• That’s us
  Business News Life: Business News Life interviews small business owners about how they built their business: the first location, the hard years, the decisions that worked. We cover shops, restaurants, trades and service businesses, and you can pitch us with the form on this page.
  Pitch Business News Life with the form below ↓
• Small Business Trends: National small-business news site whose editors take free news tips and story pitches through its contact form or editorial desk email, with a focus on businesses of up to 100 employees.
• Patch: Town-by-town local news sites where you can post business announcements and events or email a news tip to your local editor; paid Featured boosts are optional.
• SCORE Success Stories: If a SCORE mentor has helped your business, you can submit your story free through SCORE's online form, and SCORE may use it in its own marketing.

2. Podcasts that book small business owners

Podcast hosts need guests every week, and an owner with a clear story is an easy yes. Apply to shows that fit your business, or use a guest service to find more.

• The How of Business: Henry Lopez's show on starting, running, growing and exiting a small business; it reviews every request sent through the form on its guest page and asks guests to use an external microphone.
• PodcastGuests.com: Free newsletter that lists podcasts looking for guests each week, plus an optional paid expert directory.
• PodMatch: Paid matching service that pairs guests with podcast hosts and handles scheduling; its site lists a money-back guarantee.

3. Expert-source services: get quoted as an owner

Reporters post requests for sources every day, and many want a real owner’s view on prices, hiring or holiday sales. Press mentions also help AI search tools find you, as our answer engine optimization tips for business owners explain.

• HARO (Help a Reporter Out): The original reporter-query service, owned by Featured.com since 2025; free for sources, with journalist requests sent by email.
• Source of Sources: Free email list of reporter queries run by HARO founder Peter Shankman; reply only when you have relevant experience.
• Qwoted: Platform where journalists post source requests; the free Basic plan allows 2 pitches a month and Pro is $149 a month, as listed in October 2026.

4. Paid byline programs: publish under your own name

These programs let you publish articles under your name on a national site. They charge fees and screen applicants, so treat them as marketing spend, not earned press.

• Entrepreneur Leadership Network: Paid contributor program for business leaders who want bylined articles on Entrepreneur.com; listed at $3,000 a year in October 2026, with applications reviewed by its editors.
• Forbes Business Council (Forbes Councils): Paid, application-only network for owners and executives that offers Expert Panels and bylined articles on Forbes.com; Forbes says typical members report about $1M to $3M in revenue.

How to pitch so you actually get featured

Editors at small-business outlets read fast, so make your story easy to see.

• Lead with the story, not the business. "Third-generation bakery survives a rent hike" beats "Family bakery offers fresh bread."
• Give a reason to run it now: an opening, an anniversary, a new location, a big hire, or a hard season you came through.
• Share real numbers you're comfortable with, like years open, employees or customers served. Editors trust specifics.
• Attach two or three clear photos of you, your team or your space. Phone photos in good light are fine.
• Keep the first email under 150 words and put your phone number in the signature, because local reporters often call.
• Follow up once after a week, then move on to the next outlet on this list.

Frequently asked questions

How can a small business get featured in the news?

Start local: pitch your town's newspaper, Patch site and business journal with a timely hook like an opening or anniversary. Then pitch national small-business outlets such as Business News Life and Small Business Trends, and answer reporter queries on free services like HARO.

Is it free to get featured as a small business?

Most editorial coverage is free, and outlets like Business News Life, Small Business Trends and Patch don't charge to pitch. Paid programs such as the Entrepreneur Leadership Network and Forbes Business Council are byline memberships, not news coverage.

How do I get featured in Business News Life?

Use the form on this page. An editor reviews every submission and contacts owners whose stories fit an interview.

What should I include in a pitch to a reporter?

Two or three sentences on what happened and why it matters now, a few specific numbers, a couple of photos and your phone number. Skip the sales language, because reporters cover stories, not offers.

Can a small business owner get on a podcast?

Yes. Shows like The How of Business accept guest requests through their websites, and the free PodcastGuests.com newsletter lists shows looking for guests each week.