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Are You Taking Care of Your Employees?

1 week ago | 21hats.substack.com | Loren Feldman

Good Morning!Here are today’s highlights:Does an MBA make you a better business owner? Is it worth the cost? Home builders say the tariffs have already raised costs. Even the smallest towns in the U.S. are likely to have a Chinese restaurant (that’s struggling). Marshall Rauch was a Jewish manufacturer of Christmas ornaments. The Morning Report will return on Monday. I hope everyone has a very good Friday and a very good weekend.
It’s Not About Working Harder

1 week ago | 21hats.substack.com | Loren Feldman

Good Morning!Here are today’s highlights:This photo-framing company figured out a tariff solution, but the uncertainty is a problem. How much can you raise prices on an item no one really needs? Americans think we need more factories. We just don’t want to work in them. Franzy wants to be the Zillow for buying and selling franchises. Alan Pentz says working harder may not be the answer: “I hit rock bottom on a Tuesday afternoon.
Next Up: Deregulation on a Mass Scale

1 week ago | 21hats.substack.com | Loren Feldman

Good Morning!Here are today’s highlights:In our latest podcast episode, a conversation about an expense that many business owners may not realize they’re paying. This could be an opportunity to experiment with your pricing. A group of small businesses hurt by the tariffs is trying to take the president to court. The trade war is damaging the very manufacturers it’s supposed to help.
Uh, Mom? Dad? Can We Talk?

2 weeks ago | 21hats.substack.com | Loren Feldman

Good Morning!Here are today’s highlights:The owner of a family-owned footwear company says the trade war is a “gun to the head of all the American businesses like mine.”Gene Marks suggests some ways that businesses can try to mitigate the impact of the tariffs. The latest University of Michigan consumer-sentiment index finds consumers are “petrified.”A retailer’s dilemma: Should I be buying more or less?
Most Businesses Are Raising Prices

2 weeks ago | 21hats.substack.com | Loren Feldman

Good Morning!Here are today’s highlights:“I could lose my home,” says Beth Anne Benike, an Army veteran who the SBA is honoring as Minnesota’s small businessperson of the year. With the Trump administration racing to negotiate with more than 70 countries, the uncertainty continues to build. Lou Mosca says that even in tough times business owners need to look in the mirror. A year later, the debate about California’s $20 fast-food minimum wage rages on.
A Small Business Decides to Sue the President

2 weeks ago | 21hats.substack.com | Loren Feldman

Good Morning!Here are today’s highlights:This ain’t over: some tariffs have been paused, but the uncertainty remains. Small businesses are trying to spread the word about why manufacturing in the U.S. can be a non-starter. Ami Kassar says lines of credit are good protection during times of economic upheaval—even for those reluctant to take on debt. For a growing number of restaurants, the design is more important than the food. Big companies are employing AI to save money and generate revenue.
Are You Connecting with Gen Z?

2 weeks ago | 21hats.substack.com | Loren Feldman

Good Morning!Here are today’s highlights:The trade war with China is very much on. Of course, the trade war is producing some winners. And at least one car dealer is optimistic. Shanna Mann explains why cracking $1 million in annual revenue is not her biggest goal. Donald Trump places a big bet on coal. Have you figured out how to manage Gen Z? “Business leaders sometimes look to sports for tips on winning attitudes and championship work ethics.
The Tariff Bill Arrives

2 weeks ago | 21hats.substack.com | Loren Feldman

Good Morning!Here are today’s highlights:An entrepreneur’s dilemma: “I fantasize about a world where splatter guards sell for $80. It doesn’t exist.”The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is considering suing Donald Trump, and some corporate CEOs are starting to speak out. The CEO of Shopify says the company will no longer hire employees without proof that the job can’t be done by AI. Florida is considering legislation that would encourage replacing immigrant workers with child labor.
‘There Will Be Blood’

3 weeks ago | 21hats.substack.com | Loren Feldman

Good Morning!Here are today’s highlights:As small businesses fight to survive, John Arensmeyer encourages them to let their voices be heard. Sourcemap, which tracks supply chains, says Snickers bars include chocolate from Guyana and sugar from Brazil and are wrapped in packaging from Canada. Young people are becoming increasingly interested in buying traditional small businesses.
‘We’re Going to Be an Entirely Different Country’

3 weeks ago | 21hats.substack.com | Loren Feldman

Good Morning!Here are today’s highlights:“The real fireworks are yet to come,” warns an expert in global trade. “But then what?” asks a business owner who is considering throwing in the towel. “[I’ve] taken on so much debt to keep things going through the pandemic and to grow.”Small businesses looking to borrow money suddenly have a new question they will have to answer. You should expect cuts to Medicaid to send premiums for private employers higher.