Michigan Business Beat | Mackinac Policy Conference 2026 - Brian Calley, SBAM Perspective - #MPC26

Chris Holman speaks with Brian Calley, from Media Row, at the Grand Hotel, while at the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference. Brian Calley, CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM), joined host Chris Holman at the Mackinac Policy Conference to discuss the mounting healthcare cost crisis facing small businesses. A recent SBAM survey found that 42% of members are one to three years away from no longer being able to afford offering health insurance at all, driven by steep year-over-year premium increases on family plans that now routinely exceed $20,000 — leaving businesses unable to grow because all available capital is consumed by rising benefit costs. Calley noted that broader economic uncertainty and tariffs are compounding the problem, with many small businesses choosing to stand pat rather than expand, even as demand for their goods and services remains strong and the need for talent persists. He also touched on the accelerating adoption of AI among small businesses as a cost-driven efficiency tool, while cautioning that the rapid pace of implementation carries risks, and that businesses whose core functions can be automated face an uncertain future. » Visit MBN website: http://www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Watch MBN’s YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: http://www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: http://twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/