Labor Day

How ironic that this Labor Day all employers can talk about is labor shortages. Promising talent is being picked off with unsolicited offers for way more than their current salaries, and entry level workers cannot be found. Add to that, the national employment level is 6.1 million lower than before COVID. Nationally, we have 10 […]

Scarcity

As we come out of the economic destruction of the pandemic, we struggle with scarcity in every part of the economy. Scarcity of raw materials, scarcity of transport, scarcity of components and scarcity of workers. Think this isn’t serious?

unintended benefits of PPP money

Has anyone studied the actual uses of the Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) loans/forgiveness? Because the pandemic totally devastated approximately 20% of the economy in sectors like travel, events, hotels and dining, it is hard to imagine how these industries have survived, or how the PPP money could have helped them for long. If they are […]

Recession ready?

The economists are beginning to say it out loud: the signs are gathering for a recession by the end of 2019. Yes, it depends on the sector, but it is likely you are not immune. Are you recession ready?

Raising prices?

This week the federal reserve raised interest rates again making them the highest they have been since 2008. The President just directed the US trade representative to level tariffs on about $50 billion worth of Chinese imports; this is in addition to the steel and aluminum tariffs recently imposed.  If you use steel in manufacturing, the prices […]

Demographics changes tell the story

Startling demographic changes as to where people live by age and education level tell us a story about our country that explains recent economic and political trends.

What does the data mean?

I was just enjoying a little light reading: on a sunny afternoon: “The Changing Economics and Demographics of Young Adulthood: 1975–2016.” from the US Census Office. Who taught Vistage Chairs how fun this was?

Are high rents driving your best employees away?

What had been a growing problem of rent increases of 10-15% each year has resulted in a crisis in the LA area. You say you knew that. You hear anecdotally of families doubling up, and kids moving back in with parents, People are moving further and further away. Rent may be taking upwards of 50% […]