The US government is spending billions in grants to have chip makers like Intel open plants in the US. Money is now being allocated and companies are benefiting. The question is, "Is it needed?" Unrest in different parts of the world, the pandemic, and growing concerns about supply issues have companies concerned. Businesses in tech have benefited by increased demand especially with the increase in AI development. Incentives cost us in taxes and may only increase profits for chip makers. We will look at the good, bad, and the ugly when it comes to government involvement in business. #IT #chipmanufacturing #governmentsubsidies #economy

Job searchers are getting frustrated. Once it was easy to get a new job, and now employees are struggling to get an interview.

A recent Wall Street Journal article by Callum Borchers discusses why getting hired may not line up with recent job reports. Changes are afoot!

Today, we break down what we observe when it comes to hiring and why both sides may be to blame for the current situation. We'll also discuss what you can do about it.

#WSJ #CallumBorchers #hiring #interviewing #unemployment

Is The Economy Good? How Current Economic Conditions Affect You.

It’s an election year. The news media states we have a great economy with low unemployment and strong consumer growth. Some polls tell a different story.

One of the biggest concerns among consumers is inflation. Costs have increased significantly for everyone including businesses. Raw materials costs are up 25% since 2020 which makes production of goods much higher. Inflation is still growing faster than the Fed would like. Labor costs are up though wages aren’t keeping pace with cost of living. 36% of American adults have more credit card debt than emergency savings. 78% live paycheck to paycheck. What could all this mean to you, the business owner?

We will break it down for you.

The changing dynamics of Labor.

Let's face it, hiring talent is difficult. Today's labor market is difficult to navigate.

It's a seller's market. More are retiring than are entering the workforce. Inflation is forcing higher wages. What can a business looking to grow do? Today we talk to Leah Kallas, an industry professional and General Manager at Great Lakes Skilled Trades shares her insights into the economy, hiring, and what it takes to hiring new employees.

To contact Great Lakes Skilled Trades, go to: https://www.greatlakesskilledtrades.com/ Phone: 616-591-9300 Wisconsin: 262-573-5352

Tax day has come and gone. For most business owners it is a day of dread. You spend your first quarter gathering information for your tax preparer then get the news of how much you still have to pay in.

This is why it is so important to apply financial strategies throughout the year instead of waiting to find out what you owe. If you wan to save money, you need to speak to an expert since your accountant may not provide this service for you.

In this episode, Rich will share what to do after tax day and beyond to manage your tax burden to keep more money in your pocket.

Recently California raised it's minimum wage for fast food employees to $20/hr from $16/hr previously. While it is a limited group of businesses directly affected, the ripple effect will impact other businesses in the state and across the nation.

This isn't the first time California has made laws to try to increase employee wages. Earlier this year the state passed AB5, also called the Gig Worker's Law, an effort to raise gig wages. It had the opposite effect by negatively impacting over 600 professions and 4.5 million self-employed workers. Expect to see changes elsewhere. Just the other day, a restaurant added a labor fee to customers' bills to combat rising costs, and a Birds Eye factory in Wisconsin is closing to consolidate production to facilities to factories that are automated in order to eliminate labor costs.

We will talk about the good and bad that comes with increased wages as well as share our insights to government involvement in employee pay.

Recently the Wall Street Journal shared one CEO's way to fix his company's struggles is to remove the bosses from the equation.

Instead, workers would be rotated into teams for 90 day objectives they will need to complete in order to move on to a new group. Is this the strategy that is going to save money and improve performance?

In this episode, Dan and Rich will discuss what could happen when the bosses are suddenly gone and the employees are left to completing corporate objectives. Do you think eliminating the boss is the solution to profitability?

Dollar Stores have popped up everywhere over the past decade. The promise of cheap products and groceries led to growth in locations often in small towns, or poorer neighborhoods. Some argued they help provide needed resources in these areas. Others complain they destroy local businesses while selling low quality products.

The dynamic is changing. Recently, Family Dollar announced it’s closing 1000 stores across the nation as it struggles to make profit. Inflation has also re-defined what a “Dollar” store is as prices have increased to keep up with inflation. But that’s not all. Dollar stores also face employee issues. One store closed after the staff walked off the job.

Today Books & The Biz talk about the dynamics of Dollar Stores and the lessons any business needs to learn from.