THRIVE, a Paychex Business Podcast

With the U.S. Supreme Court ruling against the legality of some tariffs and another court ruling that refunds must be paid, host Gene Marks offers business owners several tips on how to set themselves up to get their piece of billions of dollars returned. The Paychex Small Business Employment Watch paints a more stable picture of job growth than the federal government, which announced a loss of 92...

A quarterly check-in with the National Federation of Independent Businesses finds optimism in many industry sectors, led by Manufacturing. Host Gene Marks says he’s hearing the same things when he speaks at association events. On the not-so-rosy side, almost 70% of HR leaders expressed concern over a lack of data to make effective decisions on raises and promotions – citing fragmented systems and...

Host Gene Marks takes us through a whirlwind few days regarding tariffs, including the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down a majority of the president’s tariffs as unconstitutional. He’ll explain what might happen next with tariffs, why no one should expect a refund without litigation, and what businesses can do moving forward with a new set of tariffs in place. Listen to the podcast...

The Paychex Small Business Employment Watch for January reveals that job growth and hourly wage growth remain steady to start 2026, but host Gene Marks expresses some concern that wage growth is hovers around the inflation percentage. A survey from the Philadelphia Business Journal highlights a burnout concern by Millennials and Gen Z workers who continue to fear taking time off and push themselve...

Forget pizza parties and pep talks — best-selling author and Front Row Seat podcast host Ken Coleman reveals why traditional motivation tactics fail and what actually drives employee engagement. Discover the three human needs that transform retention, productivity, and profitability, plus the two simple questions every leader should ask their team. Ken explains why your job isn’t to motivate anyon...

The Small Business Administration had a busy past few weeks in the news and for their communications department. An article reported on the agency’s reported record growth in 2025, including nearly $100 billion through the 7(a) and 504 loan programs. U.S. manufacturing gained millions in support from the Working Capital Pilot program. A bill in the U.S. Senate aims at providing free AI training an...

Even with the partial government shutdown now over, the lingering impacts to employers and employees will be felt throughout 2026. The IRS is short-staffed and already communicating that there will be delays in tax refunds, which hurts finances and potentially morale and budgeting. Agentic commerce hits a snag because the payment guardrails aren’t ready for bots yet, creating purchasing bottleneck...

Regardless of whether a partial federal government shutdown happens this week, businesses should be prepared and plan accordingly for potential impacts. Several large U.S. banks are entertaining the thought of a 10% rate on a credit card, which flies in the face of all warnings the banking industry has put out there on any such move. An AI company has been sued because it allegedly helped companie...

Navigate 2026’s biggest regulatory changes with confidence! Gene Marks sits down with Paychex experts to tackle your pressing questions on no tax on tips and overtime, multi-state paid leave requirements, worker classification rules, and mandatory Roth catch-up contributions under SECURE 2.0. From understanding R&D deductions to managing retirement plan updates, this episode breaks down comple...

As the deadline arrives this week for the credit card industry to implement White House demands to cap credit card interest rates, Gene Marks shares that there is no outline of a plan of how this might be handled. He also says there are mixed reviews as to how this could impact small businesses, especially around cash flow. A report about workplace flexibility shows mothers taking the brunt, but G...

As 2025 closed, small business remained resilient with job growth showing very little variation throughout the year, while hourly wage growth finished close to inflation, according to Paychex Small Business Employment Watch. Manufacturing didn’t fare well last year and is in contraction, according to the Purchasing Manager’s Index. Some industries such as computer and electronic products have seen...

Think no tax on tips and overtime means taxes disappear from your employees’ paychecks? Think again. Host Gene Marks sits down with Paychex Senior Federal Compliance Analyst Andy Gargana to unpack the truth behind these widely misunderstood provisions from the One, Big, Beautiful Bill. Discover why employees are still seeing taxes deducted, how the deductions actually work, critical income limits...

Some major analysts are throwing the sluggish job market on the backburner, saying the 2026 economy will rapidly grow. Goldman Sachs also said the expected tax refunds will stimulate spending. Gene Marks points out that the American Trucking Association doesn’t see it that way based on the truck tonnage index. Companies might also benefit from a phased retirement approach to ease transition to the...

Lawsuits and subsequent internal audits have put the SBA’s highly successful Section 8(a) loan program in jeopardy. The program helps small businesses owned by economically disadvantaged U.S. citizens gain access to federal contracts and training. Gene Marks also talks about the rise in occurrence – now 33% – of jobs that small businesses can’t find qualified applicants to fill. Plus, he points to...

Nervous about speaking in front of your team or at industry events? Seth Dechtman, founder of The Keynote Curators, shares essential public speaking advice from his 20+ years of experience. Learn why preparation beats memorization, how to handle unexpected disruptions, and why your message matters more than your performance. From conquering stage fright to mastering the room without a podium, Seth...

Small businesses continue to experience stable job and hourly wage growth, according to the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch. Gene Marks says this is good news considering that small businesses contribute half of this country’s GDP. Gene also shares details about how tariffs are reportedly starting to impact businesses decisions regarding headcount, especially in manufacturing that is expec...

An MIT study reveals that AI can do the tasks equal to 11.7% of the U.S. workforce, but Gene Marks says AI isn’t ready to replace jobs, so employers should be looking to train their people on how to maximize AI usage. Here’s some holiday cheer: 77% of consumers surveyed would rather do their holiday shopping at small businesses. Plus, don’t be a Grinch with praise. Recognition improves morale and...

Discover how AI tools are reshaping the marketing landscape and how businesses can leverage these innovations to grow their brand presence online. Karly Scott, Manager of Client Services at Logical Position, joins us to discuss the evolving landscape of YouTube marketing, including organic and paid strategies for boosting visibility, engagement, and conversion rates. Karly shares insights into the...

Despite a dip on the Small Business Optimism Index, it’s the 12-point drop on the uncertainty index and a cooling of price hike intentions that has Gene Marks pointing to a potential brighter run in the new year. Gene also shares insights on why nobody wants to become a manager and sees this as an opportunity to make improvements in training. AI keeps marching through the workplace, with 30% of fi...

California is rewriting the employment law playbook, and if you employ anyone in the Golden State, including remote workers, you need to pay attention. In this episode, Paychex HR expert Alex Papazis unpacks five critical employment laws hitting California in 2026: minimum wage increases, new exempt salary thresholds, stricter pay transparency rules, mandatory emergency contact updates, and the en...

The government shutdown will leave lingering issues for businesses even after it ends. Gene Marks comments on the delayed payments from the government and slow service from agencies such as the IRS. Plus, another shutdown is looming. Gene takes a look at the mixed bag of data on job growth and hourly wage growth from the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch – one’s consistent and one’s consiste...

Large businesses are shedding workers, including 14,000 by Amazon. People are pointing at artificial intelligence and automation, but Gene Marks says it’s something different – at this point. He also says there is opportunity for small businesses now. Plus, health insurance is so convoluted that businesses are popping on Reddit to get firsthand accounts and advice from other businesses about what...

Is AI really living up to the hype, or just creating more work? Gene Marks sits down with Louis Gutierrez, director of AI at Constant Contact, for a conversation about AI’s sometimes messy reality and promising future. From “work slop” to data disasters, Louis reveals why adoption is only the first step — and shares what’s coming next. Plus, learn why your team shouldn’t fear AI, why AI governance...

Many potential holiday shoppers and business owners who stand to benefit are showing preseason cheer, as they express their desire to buy gifts despite anxiety about the economy and inflation. Gene Marks shares details of the Intuit survey, as well as news about the AICPA pushing the IRS to deliver additional guidance on no tax on tips and overtime to clarify for business owners their responsibili...

As Congress continues its staring contest over how to open the federal government, impacts of the shutdown are starting to threaten more than just furloughed employees or the individuals being fired. Tax credits that help small businesses and regulations required to know how to stay compliant with laws are thrown into the murky water. Meanwhile, businesses trying to hire for the holiday season hav...