THRIVE, a Paychex Business Podcast

With two stimulus bills already passed, there is much talk over the possibility of a third stimulus bill. Thad Inge, Senior Manager, Government Relations for Paychex, talks with Gene Marks about what both the Democrats and Republicans are each looking for as they work towards passing a bill. Listen in as they discuss funding for state and local governments, an extension of the extra $600 a week in...

As businesses make their way through the current coronavirus pandemic, the path to reopening can be a challenging one. Whether they have a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) in place or not, there is a lot that business owners need to be aware of as they begin planning. So, where should they start? Paychex Compliance Analyst, Kate Hill, says first and foremost, you need to be aware of the compliance ‘...

Since the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) application process opened on April 3, 2020, a lot has changed. Most recently, on June 5, President Trump signed into law, the PPP Flexibility Act. In this episode, Paychex Compliance Analyst, Connor Mykins, talks with Gene Marks about the complexities around the PPP and what has changed with this most recent act. Listen as he discusses everything from t...

Signed into law by President Trump on June 5, 2020, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act provides business owners with greater freedom for when and how loan funds must be spent. This new act increases the time borrowers have to spend their loan and reduces the percentage of the loan that must be spent on payroll. Listen in as CEO of CPA.com, Erik Asgeirsson, talks with Gene Marks...

As businesses begin to reopen, a legitimate concern for many owners is having enough customers to keep their businesses going into the future. Alice Bredin, founder of the market research company Bredin, says that the key to this potential problem is for businesses to get into the mindset of their customers – find out what they are worried about, come up with plans to help ease their minds, and ge...

Reopening businesses in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic is not an easy task. In fact, in order to provide direction to businesses on this, President Trump put together several Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups, made up of executives, economists, and industry leaders. Robert Cresanti, President and CEO of the International Franchise Association (IFA) was one of the industry leade...

As businesses across the U.S. begin to reopen, there are a lot of rules and regulations that they need to be aware of to ensure they stay compliant. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as the state and local governments have laid out guidelines that business owners need to be sure to educate themselves about. Liste...

Optimism. With the current coronavirus pandemic, it’s hard to believe that any business, especially a small business, could use that word to describe how they are feeling about the future. But according to Alice Bredin, founder of the market research company Bredin, that’s exactly the outlook small business owners have as they begin the road to recovery. Listen in as Alice talks with Gene Marks ab...

As states begin to reopen, business owners around the country are rethinking looking at what changes they will need to make. Beyond the requirements that will be outlined by the government, some of these changes will be made based on the lessons business owners have learned throughout the past few weeks. As Gene Marks wraps up his conversation with Lulabelle’s Sweet Shop owner, Julie Wineinger, he...

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and businesses were forced to shut down, it crushed the health and wellness industry. Now, weeks later, it’s time for those businesses to get ready to reopen. But in an industry that is so hands on, will customers want to return? What will reopening look like? How will things change? And is there any positive to take away from this entire ordeal? Listen in as entrepr...

There’s no question that when it comes to opening a business there’s a lot to think about – what you want to do, how you are going to do it, who you will do it with, and where you will find the money to get started. But there are some other things that you may not think about that can influence your success from the start and into the future. Listen in as Angie Hicks, Co-Founder of Angie's List ta...

While all businesses are concentrating on maintaining customer relationships, managing business as usual, making sure expenses are paid, and focusing on sales and marketing, there’s an optimism and resilience that is emerging among small business owners. Alice Bredin, owner of the market research company, Bredin, talks with Gene Marks about her findings from the Paychex COVID-19 snap polls, and ho...

Just one week before the shutdown, Danny Abrams opened his newest restaurant in New York City. Since then, he has had to navigate the Paycheck Protection Program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan, helping his employees in any way he could, and the weight of growing bills. Listen in as Danny talks with Gene Marks about how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted his restaurants, and what he thinks i...

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Julie Wineinger, owner of Lulabelle’s Sweet Shop, has had her fair share of experience with applying for federal, local, and other funding opportunities meant to help businesses during these uncertain times. From the Economic Injury Disaster Loan, the Paycheck Protection Program, and even a D.C. grant opportunity, Julie has tried to take advantage of an...

Over the past three weeks, the market research company, Bredin has been connecting with small businesses (SMBs) – with between two and 500 employees – across the country to find out what they have done, what they are worried about, and what they are thinking about for the future amidst the current coronavirus pandemic. One of the most enlightening topics covered in this research is a look into wha...

With a focus on customers in the restaurant, bar, and retail businesses, Champion Technology was quickly and significantly impacted when closures happened. That’s when owner Bob Stone showed how the advice of his father to save for a ‘rainy day’ was more important than ever. In addition to his savings, Bob turned to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan to help him stay afloat during these un...

As a small business owner of a youth athletic company that partners with local schools, when COVID-19 hit, Team Turse was forced to close and Founder Matt Turse began looking for loan options to help him during these trying times. When it came to the Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan, Matt faced many frustrations – from the application process to communication. Listen in as Matt talks with Gene...

Deemed as essential businesses, companies in the home service industry have had to rethink how they do business, including what they do, how they do it, and how they respond to customers throughout this pandemic. According to Angie Hicks, Co-Founder of Angie’s List, 90% of home service companies have made immediate changes in their procedures to cleaning, sanitation, and customer communication to...

Just one week after closing her business due to COVID-19, Julie Wineinger decided to reopen for one day – a fundraiser for her employees. Using the inventory that was left at the store, Lulabelle’s offered pints of ice cream with contactless exchange. The success was overwhelming. That’s when Julie decided that she could use Lulabelle’s designation as an ‘essential business’ to the advantage of bo...

In the middle of February, Tim Lyon’s medical device company came to a screeching halt as the healthcare industry turned its focus to investing in personal protective equipment (PPE) and fighting the coronavirus pandemic. Suddenly, there he was without any revenue stream coming in and growing increasingly frustrated. Listen in as Tim Lyon, CEO and Co-Founder of Klean Katch talks with host Gene Mar...

As a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic, employees are faced with new and unexpected challenges that may require time away from work. Whether they become sick with coronavirus themselves, need to take care of a family member who becomes sick, or need to care for their children while schools and daycares are closed, the federal government has expanded their paid leave requirements. As a result...

With many businesses forced to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic, essential businesses, including Seaman Corporation - manufacturer of industrial fabrics – continue to operate and provide their products and services. But for them, nothing is business as usual. From setting up remote working, to adopting new safety procedures, these companies are learning to rethink how their business works. Hear...

Part of the Coronavirus Aid, Response, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Employee Retention Tax Credit is available to qualified employers who are still paying employees during the current coronavirus pandemic. It allows the employer to take a refundable tax credit for up to 50% of up to $10,000 in wages paid for each employee. In the first of this two-part episode of the Paychex Business Ser...

When the coronavirus pandemic hit, business owners all over the country had to make some very difficult decisions including deciding to stay open or close; whether to keep employees, furlough them, or lay them off; and how to cover costs such as rent and utilities. Listen in as Gene Marks talks with Julie Wineinger, Owner of Lulabelle’s Sweet Shop about her experience over the past few weeks as a...

During this coronavirus pandemic, there are several federal loans available for small- and mid-sized business owners to help them during these unprecedented times. Founder of Team Turse, Matt Turse, shares his experience with the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Hear from him as he shares some tips with Gene Marks about applying to and receiving these...