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Businesses in New York state can expect energy prices to increase by 124 percent in 2023 as compared to 2021, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, which also forecasts that energy prices on average should be increasing 16% over the past four years. Gene Marks offers some insights to help your business prepare itself, including conducting an audit or even monitoring the thermostat.     

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Host Gene Marks is talking with Stephanie Gorski, Strategy Managing Director/Partner at Accenture about the recent study from Accenture. Hear what she had to say about the startup boom, the importance of giving your employees the opportunity to pursue their passions, the changing business owner demographic, and more.

Topics Include:

00:20 – An introduction to Stephanie Gorski
01:37 – Small businesses are not enterprise businesses
05:28 – Accenture’s study on startups
07:54 – How startups came to be during COVID
10:33 – Giving your employees the opportunity to pursue passions
13:35 – Would COVID have had the same impact 10 years ago
15:07 – What factors hold people back from starting up businesses          
17:18 – The unglamorous side of starting up a business
18:27 – How this data will be helpful to businesses
20:08 – The changing demographic of new business owners
22:34 – Stephanie Gorski’s passion

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Inflation continues to be on the minds of business owners, but a recent survey reveals that 54 percent of employers expect to increase revenue in 2023. Gene Marks offers a few tips to navigate this period, including using a Customer Relationship Management system to gather data and communicate with customers, as well as forecasting to help control costs. Listen to this week’s episode.    

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The release of Microsoft’s Small Business State of Mind study revealed quite a bit about what is on the minds of small business owners. But are they thinking about the right things? Hear from Travis Walter, Microsoft Store's Vice President of Retail, as he talks about the findings from this latest study, including the impact Gen Z is having on the workplace, navigating inflation issues, why cybersecurity needs to be top of mind, and more.

Topics Include:

00:29 – Introduction to Travis Walter
01:56 – The Small Business State of Mind report
02:17 – The emphasis on Gen Z
04:47 – Biggest threats to small businesses
07:33 – Navigating inflation issues
09:25 – The importance of using the services you have
12:47 – Cybersecurity risk for small businesses
14:41 – The new startup trend
18:11 – The most popular Microsoft products

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California’s new fast-food law could have an immediate impact, especially on minimum wage and safety standards. It also could have an impact beyond state lines. Other states could attempt to copy California’s model, but industries and businesses might also initiate change to avoid such regulation. Gene Marks takes a look at the pros and cons in this week’s episode.    

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While being a business owner can be very rewarding, we also know it can be lonely at times too. That’s why creating communities with other business owners and with your customers is so important to help you learn, share, and build relationships. On this episode, Director of Community Engagement at eBay, Rebecca Michals, is talking about what eBay is doing to help sellers connect with one another, the importance of sharing your passions with others, using fellow business owners as a support system, communicating with customers, and more.

Topics include:

00:37 – Rebecca Michals and her position at eBay
03:32 – How eBay sellers can connect with each other
04:19 – Forum moderation
05:24 – Why sellers participate in the eBay community
07:26 – Opportunities for sellers to connect face-to-face
09:23 – Content and training through eBay Academy
12:03 – Using email to provide information and content
13:25 – Building a community with your customers
17:48 – How eBay is helping sellers have access to capital

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The number of businesses offering paid parental leave since 2020 has declined by nearly 20 percent, according to a survey by the Society of Human Resource Management, but “On the Mark” host Gene Marks says that’s not surprising. Some businesses could face challenges in offering such a benefit, but he shares details on the advantages of having such a benefit for employees, including the tax credits. 

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During the Great Resignation, employee retention and finding talent has become more challenging and more important than ever before. That’s why Gene Marks is talking with Raj Mukherjee, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Indeed, the number one job site in the world, about what companies can do to set themselves up for success throughout the entire hiring process. Hear what he had to say about employee referrals, creating a diverse workplace, salary transparency, showing your brand culture, and more.

Topics Include:

00:14 – Episode introduction
01:38 – And introduction to Indeed
02:50 – How Indeed sets itself apart
04:09 – The cost of Indeed
06:06 – Hiring through employee referrals
09:03 – How Indeed helps you diversify your workforce
11:41 – Why Indeed is great for small businesses
13:40 – How a job description can set your posting up for success
15:42 – Salary transparency in job postings and how Indeed helps
17:39 – Lean in into your brand culture
19:21 – Assessing candidates’ skillsets
20:37 – The future of hiring with AI other technologies

The Inflation Reduction Act was recently signed into law by President Biden. In this week’s episode of On the Mark, host Gene Marks will walk through five benefits that small businesses can take to help reduce costs with big tax credits.

Retirement, it’s something we all work for, but aren’t all prepared for. On this episode, Congressman Randy Feenstra and Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, both Representatives of Iowa, are discussing the retirement crisis and what it means for employees and employers. Hear what they have to say about the SECURE Act 1.0, the SECURE Act 2.0, the Mainstreet Tax Certainty Act, and what’s on the horizon for retirement planning in the United States.

Topics Include:

01:04 – Introducing Congressman Randy Feenstra
01:42 – SECURE Act 1.0
04:19 – What the SECURE Act from 2019 offers
05:31 – Pooled Employer Plan (PEP)
06:41 – Retirement as an employee benefit
07:51 – Changes in the SECURE Act 2.0
12:22 – Tax credit for military spouses
13:11 – Tax incentives for Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
16:06 – Expectations for Bipartisan support of SECURE Act 2.0
17:57 – Introducing Congresswoman Ashley Hinson
21:08 – The benefit to employers
22:22 – Automatic enrollment
23:56 – Additional provisions to SECURE Act 2.0
27:19 – Main Street Tax Certainty Act
31:35 – Emergency Savings Account Act

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