SPOTLIGHTS brings local business stories directly to the neighbors who matter most
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — NewsBreak, America’s leading local news app, today unveiled SPOTLIGHTS, a program that helps small business owners tell their stories and puts those stories in front of the people most likely to care—the 40 million monthly active NewsBreak readers across the U.S.
SPOTLIGHTS by NewsBreak works like a conversation. Business owners answer a series of simple questions, designed to draw out the compelling details of their story. They have complete control over the final article—reviewing, editing and approving it before it goes live. It is then published on NewsBreak and distributed through the program’s hyperlocal model, targeting readers in the business’s own neighborhood. Localized push notifications alert the community directly.
Results from the program’s early run reveal strong community appetite for local business stories. Around 750 small business owners have participated so far, generating 76 million impressions, 1.52 million views and more than 19,000 shares.
Among these was Michael Le, Chef & Owner of the Hello Uncle pop-up restaurant. “We gained 200+ Instagram followers in the week after the article, our pop-ups sold out, and even people who didn’t follow us started reaching out for menus and dates,” he said.
“Local businesses have great stories, but they rarely have the time or resources to tell them,” said Jeff Zheng, Founder and CEO of NewsBreak. “We built SPOTLIGHTS to solve that—using our technology to connect businesses with the neighbors most likely to become their customers. Small businesses make neighborhoods feel like communities; SPOTLIGHTS helps turn their owners into local celebrities.”
Local businesses currently in the spotlight include:
- Glenville Pizza: The sons continuing their father’s 50-year legacy of mouthwatering Sicilian pizza in Greenwich, CT
- Spirit Animal Sanctuary: The niece who took over a Boonville, NY animal sanctuary to provide a forever home to dogs most shelters won’t take
- Ares Physical Therapy: The young gymnast who pivoted to physical therapy after an injury and now serves other athletes in Waukesha, WI
- IntermezzoStudio: The Long Island, NY voice and piano teacher who has been sharing her gift since age 14 and now runs a full music school
- K Imperial Fine Art: The San Francisco, CA gallery owner who measures success in the artists discovered and the collectors who find work they love
- Dana Street Roasting Company: The roastmaster who has anchored his Mountain View, CA community for 30 years and is now also bringing craft-roasted beans to doorsteps across the Bay Area
SPOTLIGHTS by NewsBreak is now available, with one feature article and push notification included free of charge. Business owners can sign up at localbusiness.newsbreak.com.
About NewsBreak
NewsBreak is America’s digital community hub—the nation’s leading local news app, connecting over 40 million monthly active users nationwide with the local news, community information and neighborhood businesses that matter most to them. Powered by advanced content discovery, personalization and advertising technologies, the platform delivers value for readers, creators, publishers and advertisers alike. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Mountain View, California, NewsBreak reached unicorn status in 2021. The company is Great Place to Work®-certified and ranked No. 32 on Fast Company’s 2025 list of the global top 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators. Learn more at newsbreak.com
For more info: pr@newsbreak.com
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SOURCE NewsBreak
