Want your business to thrive?

Small businesses are one step closer to continuing to enjoy the free resources — from marketing advice to retirement consultation — provided by agencies such as Small Business Development Centers after the U.S. House of Representatives passed several bills with overwhelming bipartisan support. This week’s “On the Mark” podcast shares details ahead of a vote by the U.S. Senate.

Workplace mental health has become increasingly important especially as a younger generation enters the workforce. On this episode, host Gene Marks talks with board-certified psychiatrist, Dr. Sue Varma, about what business owners can do to provide their employees with the support they need. Find out how you can create a workplace culture that promotes mental wellness.

Topics include:

00:49 – Who is Dr. Sue Varma and what does she do?
01:52 – Employee trauma and the impact of COVID-19
04:28 – Is working from home the best for your mental wellbeing?
06:32 – The importance of sensitivity when navigating return to work
10:29 – What about those mental health platforms?
11:47 – Investing in employees’ mental health: it’s good for business
14:33 – What business owners can do to help their employees’ mental health
17:13 – Modeling mental wellness for your employees
18:35 – Not just for employees…how employers can improve their mental health
22:41 – What’s the best type of therapist for you?

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Business owners expressed in a survey that they consider the talent shortage among the top 3 urgent concerns — and with 11½ million open jobs, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s latest report — it’s not hard to see why. The talent shortage is real and the lack of skilled labor is to blame. This week’s “On the Mark” details how the federal government and even private industries such as Google with its $100,000 grant program are addressing the problem. Listen to the podcast.

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In this two-part special event, Gene Marks leads a roundtable discussion on the explosive business growth in Texas. In Part 2, you’ll hear from our second panel of experts how current employment trends are impacting businesses across Texas, and how employers are addressing rising wages and competition. How are state agencies responding, and what resources and training programs connect job seekers and employers, or help boost retention?

Guests:  
John Scott, Texas Secretary of State
Bryan Daniel, Chairman, Texas Workforce Commission
Kathryn Hardison, Reporter, The Real Deal
Denise Hernandez, Owner, True Flavors Catering, Board Chair, San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

In this two-part special event, Gene Marks leads a roundtable discussion on the explosive business growth in Texas. In Part 1, our panel of trade industry and agency experts discuss what’s drawing businesses to Texas and driving its economy. How are they handling hiring, inflation, and supply chain shortages? What innovative solutions do leaders see? 
Guests include:

• Cindy Ramos-Davidson, CEO, El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce;
• Brandom Gengelbach, President and CEO, Ft. Worth Chamber of Commerce;
• Geoffrey Tahuahua, President, Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Texas

Topics include:

7:33 - Fast pace of TX construction, and need for workers
9:21 - Not a Great "Resignation," but “Re-Think, Re-Adapt.”
12:14 - SMBs retrained workers, who were then poached by larger companies.
13:46 - How could immigration reform help increase the pool of potential workers?
19:04 - Helping SMBs access capital through State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI)
21:55 - Value of trades in developing lucrative, lifelong skills.
24:21 - How are inflation and supply challenges impacting construction, bank loans, etc.?
28:45 - Top challenges for El Paso SMBs reflected in survey findings.
35:50 - Texas is business-friendly; top 3 net DFW transplants from LA, Chicago, NYC
40:30 - Is Texas a recession-proof state for businesses?

More than 80% of employers surveyed said employees have more access than in past years to mental health resources, while only 50% of employees felt that way. The disparity between the two sides holds true throughout the survey. Gene Marks says that regardless of the differences, employers must make mental health benefits a priority because it is hurting employees and the business. This week’s “On the Mark” podcast offers three areas of improvement, including the workplace culture.

With today’s labor shortage, employee retention has become a top priority for most businesses. Listen in as Gene Marks talks with Lisa Ryan, Chief Appreciation Officer of Grategy about why creating a positive workplace culture is essential to retaining employees.

Topics include:

02:18 – Learn more about Lisa’s company, Grategy
02:54 – The benefits of working for a small company
03:35 – Getting real about wages
04:56 – Hear about the THANKS process of building workplace culture
07:45 – Why performance reviews shouldn’t be once a year
10:37 – How getting to know your employees can make a difference
12:45 – Flexibility is no longer an option
20:18 – Lisa’s thoughts on benefits

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Looking for tips on how to navigate the digital marketplace? Listen in as we talk with Marcus Tober, Senior Vice President of Enterprise Solutions at Semrush, to hear what he has to say about how with the right knowledge, the right partners, and the right plan, you can get your website noticed and help your business get found online.

Topics include:

00:46 - Background on Semrush and its offerings
04:07 - How to promote video content in search
06:37 - Strategy for SEO and keyword searching
10:21 - How to best utilize Semrush
12:58 - Localized search results
18:57 - Is working with an agency the right choice?
22:32 - Paid search vs. organic search
27:14 - The future in SEO

Looking for more information about online marketing? Find out how to compete online in this podcast episode.

Small businesses struggled to get loans approved from traditional banks in 2021, with only 14.7% having success despite 85% of small businesses experiencing financial difficulties. Host Gene Marks offers the pros and cons of six alternative funding sources, including online lenders, government-backed SBA loans, merchant advances, credit cards, and more. Check out this week’s “On the Mark” podcast for details.

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At Bolt, the company has implemented a 4-day work week, and everyone – from leaders to line employees – have enjoyed increased productivity and work-life balance. In this episode, Jennifer Christie, the Chief People Officer at Bolt, explains how they landed on this strategy, piloted the program, and put the right priorities and processes in place to make it reality. It’s an invaluable lesson as to why it’s so important to focus on outcomes and not just hours, and to make time invested in resting and recharging just as meaningful as time invested in your work.

Topics Include:

0:32 -Jennifer’s HR expertise and basics about Bolt
3:08 - Bolt's workforce operations during and post-pandemic
4:17 - Bolt's approach to working from home
7:25- How Bolt implemented 4-day work weeks
11:22- Flexibility needed for customer-facing roles
13:44- How have 4-day weeks impacted time off for employees?
15:35 – Pursuing buy-in from senior managers, business owners
19:42 - How Bolt’s 4-day week pilot took shape
25:32 - How exceptions to the new norm are handled
27:50 - How did different worker generations respond to 4-day weeks?
 

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