THRIVE, a Paychex Business Podcast
by Paychex, Inc.
Designed for those who crave the inside scoop on everything from people to policy to profits, each THRIVE episode transforms complex business and HR topics into clear, actionable advice. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a seasoned business owner, or an aspiring leader, this podcast is your go-to source for cutting through the noise and gaining a competitive advantage.
Episodes
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The Small Business Guide to Providing Competitive Employee Benefits
Can a small business offer benefits that rival the big guys? Bradd Chignoli of MetLife joins Gene Marks to show you how. From life and disability insurance to critical illness and accident coverage, you’ll learn which benefits your team can access through work, why they often cost less there, and...
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Frightfully Funny HR: Costume Fails, On-the-Clock Tattoos and a Hamster Surprise
Whatever you’ve encountered in your experiences in HR, if it didn’t involve work-time tattoos or a hamster as part of a white elephant gift exchange, then buckle up. HR Besties podcast co-host Jamie Jackson shares some frighteningly funny stories on this special Halloween episode. As she does on...
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Economic Outlook and Elections, Start Succession Plan, AI in Manufacturing
If you took small business owners’ feelings about cash flow and their confidence about growth in 2027 and compared it to their feelings and confidence in the current economy, the polar opposites would be shocking. However, what they decide is more important will determine the Midterms. Host Gene...
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AI, Scams, and Ransomware: What Every Small Business Should Know Now
How do you protect your business when scams no longer look like... well, scams? Cybersecurity expert Iskander Sanchez-Rola of Gen breaks down the threats small businesses should watch heading into 2027. You’ll learn why AI has put every small business on scammers’ radar, how deepfakes can be…
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Cyberattacks Remain Major Threat, Interest Rates Might Rise, AI Use in Reviews
It’s Cybersecurity Month, and the data around fraud and scams resulting from a lack of proper protection is mind-numbing: $20.8 billion in losses, including $3 billion in losses to business email compromise in 2025. Host Gene Marks says AI is making it harder with voice deepfakes on the phone. He...
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Inflation, Jobs, and Confidence Create Mixed Economic Message, AI Training Expands
Employers are holding on to their workforce and working them longer hours, according to the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch data from September, all while inflation continues to outpace wages. Host Gene Marks poses a few questions for employers on what to do amid an economy that keeps...
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Laundromats, Private Equity, and Seller Financing: Inside Today’s Business Sales Market
Buying or selling a business takes more than finding the right match. It takes good timing, realistic expectations, and a clear read on the market. Host Gene Marks talks with Bob House, president of BizBuySell.com, about where things stand today. You'll hear which businesses buyers want most, how...
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Rates Reshape Housing Market, the Retirement Gap, AI Botches Financial Tests
With mortgage rates surpassing 7%, it’s created a ripple effect within the housing market for buyers, sellers, and even the industries that are directly tied to housing such as bankers, builders, and insurance professionals. Host Gene Marks says it’s not time to panic but it’s time to plan and...
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Unemployment Is Down, Proposed Bills to Help SMBs, AI Not Leading to Mass Layoffs
Unemployment claims have dropped to their lowest level since mid-July, which is a good indicator that layoffs aren’t imminent. Host Gene Marks talks about employers holding on to their employees in a strong labor market. Plus, the House of Representatives passes nine bills with bipartisan support...
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How Data, Adoption, and Agentic Tools Deliver Business Value — with HubSpot’s Angie O’Dowd
Gene Marks talks with Angie O’Dowd, Global VP of Partner Ecosystem at HubSpot, about how HubSpot has evolved into a full CRM and “agentic customer platform,” how its partner ecosystem works, and how AI and agents are changing CRM setup, adoption, data quality, and reporting. They cover when you...
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Managing Annual Compensation, Your Retiring Employees, and Underuse of AI Tools
A Korn Ferry survey found that at least half of employers expect to provide raises at least equal to the rate of inflation (3%). Host Gene Marks advises small businesses to take advantage of the flexibility of offering more PTO as a bonus. Another hurdle is handling the soon-to-be silver tsunami…
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Labor Market Tightens, Gen Z Avoids Managing, Open AI Launches Astra
Data from the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch and the federal government show weekly hours worked increasing and job openings maintaining. Host Gene Marks offers insights on what employers can do in a tight labor market. He also points to internal issues leaders are having with elevating...
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Can Small Businesses Win at Search in 2026? Moz's Tom Capper Explains How
Search engine optimization, or SEO, has changed more in the last two years than the previous ten, and small businesses are feeling it. Gene Marks sits down with Tom Capper of Moz to explain what actually works now, and what's no longer worth your time when it comes to organic search. Tom breaks...
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SBA Redefining ‘Small’, U.S.-Canada Trade Dispute Widens, AI Sticker Shock
As if small businesses didn’t have enough daily challenges, now the federal agency that’s supposed to have their back is redefining what it is to be small. The SBA proposes granting large conglomerates eligibility to compete for the same small business funding pot and resources. Host Gene Marks...
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Impact of $40T in U.S. Debt, Tips to Avoid Scammers, Get AI Workplace Training
The amount of U.S. debt has reached the unfathomable, and at $40-trillion-plus, federal government is left with little choice but to print money. Host Gene Marks says this isn’t unusual, but the inflationary pressures will affect businesses trying to get loans. He offers some suggestions in this...
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Google's Mike Clark on What AI Agents Can Do for Small Business (and How to Get Started)
AI has moved beyond chatbots. The next wave is agents, and they're already reshaping how small businesses operate. In this episode, Gene Marks talks with Google's Mike Clark, Director of Product Management, Agent Platform at Google Cloud, about what AI agents actually are and how to put them to...
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What’s Behind Optimism? Age Limits or Discrimination? AI Equals More Work?
The National Federation of Independent Businesses’ monthly survey results show good news on the optimism front: the index reached its highest level in more than a year, the percentage of those expecting to create jobs is the highest since 2022, and worries about inflation are down seven points....
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Resilient Labor Market, Tax Penalty Relief, Surge in Agentic AI Use in Shopping
Despite economic uncertainty, the U.S. labor market stays stable, which includes a 3.14% growth – the highest increase in five years – in weekly hours worked. Host Gene Marks shares more real-time data from the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch and says employers can find labor but it won’t...
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Kevin Hassett on AI, Tariffs, and Small Business Growth
Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council and top economic advisor in the White House, joins host Gene Marks to break down what today's economy means for small businesses. They explore why companies using AI saw dramatic revenue growth over the past year, how economists read...
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Experts Eye Increased Hiring in 2026, Expect More I-9 Enforcement, AI Assists Restaurants
Hiring managers forecast that more permanent jobs will be added in the second half of 2026. Gene Marks shares a report that 63% surveyed said that too many projects are being delayed because of staffing shortages. A legal firm is signaling that I-9 enforcement could increase and recommends that...
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More Taxes on Imports, Job Lock for Health Insurance, ChatGPT Training for SMBs
Just when you thought it was safe to expand your budget and return to importing more products and goods from other countries, a change in policy will leave many businesses paying higher taxes to do so. Host Gene Marks says, unfortunately, the cost of this policy change will fall to customers...
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Entrepreneur’s Jason Feifer: Practical AI Strategies for Busy Business Owners
AI is reshaping how small businesses work, but knowing where to begin is the hard part. Entrepreneur Editor-in-Chief Jason Feifer joins Gene Marks for a practical conversation about where AI delivers real value. Learn why AI is “normal technology,” the real reason small businesses haven’t adopted...
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Boomerang Employees, Retirement Advice, AI Accelerates Freelancer Status
More than one-third of new hires in March were boomerang employees. Host Gene Marks explains why people are returning to their former places of work, and the value employers gain from the experience. Gene also points out the benefit of educating and guiding employees on their retirement options,...
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Top States for Business, a Social Security Surprise, Taking Wheel from Copilot
A recent survey using 138 metrics – access to a skilled workforce, the cost of doing business, infrastructure, and cost of living, to name a few – found one state rose above all as the best for where to run a business. Host Gene Marks talks about the top five. See if your state is highlighted.…
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AI Expert Dan Chuparkoff: Try It Before You Fear It
What if the best thing you did with AI this week wasn’t a big strategy overhaul, just one small experiment? Dan Chuparkoff spent three decades building software, from the early PC era through a stint at Google, before going all in on AI. Now he travels the country helping business leaders make...
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Positive Jobs Data, Blue-Collar Millennials, AI Deployment Gets Assist
Multiple sources show job growth trending upward, including the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch that showed a fourth consecutive month of improvement. This bodes well for businesses that had been feeling pressured by the labor market, says host Gene Marks. He also discusses the trend of...
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Spending and Inflation, Procurement Expenses, Impatience with AI Service Bots
Americans seem undeterred by inflation hovering at 3.4%, as the personal consumption expenditures index rose 0.7% in May and is up 4.1% year over year. This could trigger raising interest rates, although host Gene Marks says a rate increase would be manageable. Gene also looks at Walmart Business...
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Celebrity Interior Designer Nate Berkus: Hiring, Hard Clients, and Knowing What You’re Bad At
At 24, Nate Berkus launched an interior design firm with no business plan and a whole lot of nerve. Thirty years later? Offices in three cities, 50 employees, and a spot among the most recognizable names in design. The celebrity designer joins host Gene Marks on Paychex THRIVE to get real about...
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Business Applications Up 3.7%, Cascading Healthcare Costs, AI Resource Credits
Entrepreneurs continue to make a go of it despite current economic uncertainty, with business applications increasing 3.7% in May. Host Gene Marks says with access to new markets and inexpensive technology, there’s never been a better time to own a business. The news isn’t all rosy, as rising...
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Appeals Could Hurt Refunds, Policies Limiting Contractors, AI and ROI
Businesses that got in on the front end of requesting refunds for illegal tariffs are better off than those applying now. Why? As host Gene Marks explains, the federal government filed an appeal that could make it more difficult. Additionally, certain contractors, including women- and…
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Scoring New Fans for Your Business During the World Cup
Every town has its big moment. A global tournament, a hometown festival, a parade that fills the streets. The question is whether your business is ready to grab it. Meg Kane, the host city executive behind Philadelphia's World Cup effort, joins Gene Marks with a practical playbook any business…
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Positive Jobs Data from Paychex, JOLTS Hints at Divide, State AI Laws Are Key
How’s the labor market? Depends on who you ask. Host Gene Marks highlights that in this week’s episode, pointing to the steady increase in job growth the past three months reported by the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch and the massive job gains released by the U.S. Department of Labor....
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Optimism Wanes but SMB Health Solid, Burnout on Rise, States Step Up AI Laws
The construction sector takes the least of a hit on the National Federation of Independent Businesses’ Optimism Index, while retail suffers worst decline. Add that to a Glassdoor survey reporting that employee confidence is at record lows and burnout is on the rise, and it’s no wonder that owners...
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Savannah Bananas Owner Jesse Cole: The $0 Marketing Strategy That Built a 35-Million-Follower Brand
Jesse Cole built the Savannah Bananas into a 35-million-follower brand without spending a single dollar on marketing. His secret? Stop marketing. Start creating experiences people can't stop talking about. In this episode, the founder of Fans First Entertainment joins host Gene Marks to share the...
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Profitability Falls 1.3%, Employees Expect Financial Guidance, AI Drives B2B Growth
Small businesses always have challenges, but these days none is more damaging than the costs of doing business jacked up by inflation. Gene Marks, a small business owner himself, shares a few tips on how to manage the situation against the year-over-year profitability plunge of 1.3%. Financial...
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Producer Price Index Worrisome, World Cup Pitch on Tipping, Claude SMB Training
A sharp spike up to 6% for the Producer Price Index has podcast host Gene Marks expressing concern over the pending price hikes for goods for the remainder of 2026. He offers some suggestions to help employers and their employees. As the World Cup soccer tournament nears its start in North…
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The World Cup Is Coming, Is Your Business Ready?
Big events bring big opportunities, but the businesses that win are the ones who prepare. Host Gene Marks sits down with Connie Kinnard of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau to talk World Cup prep, small business strategy, and what it takes to turn a surge in visitors into lasting...
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Tariff Refunds, Hiring Is Steady, Financial Forecast on Agentic AI Commerce
Businesses that paid illegal tariffs under the Emergency Economic Powers Act could get a windfall if they follow the process to request a refund. Host Gene Marks shares some tips to facilitate getting your money back. He also says the latest Paychex Small Business Employment Watch reveals that...
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Employee Retirement Options, Fed’s Interest Rate Map, and Free SMB AI Training
A new Executive Order from the White House aims to expand participation in retirement savings for lower-income workers, which brings supporters and critics. It also looks to connect these IRAs to the Saver’s Match for eligible recipients. Gene Marks highlights this in this episode of the Week in...
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What Small Business Leaders Get Wrong About Workplace Mental Health: MHA VP Suzi Craig
Is your team truly showing up or just going through the motions? Suzi Craig, VP of Workplace Mental Health at Mental Health America, joins host Gene Marks to uncover what small business leaders can improve when it comes to supporting their teams. From building a culture of trust and psychological...
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Worker Classification Alert, Labor and Immigration Impact, AI and Yelp Bookings
The pro-business aura of the current administration shouldn’t lull owners into a sense of invincibility, says Gene Marks, as he cites a major ruling by the Department of Labor against a restaurant in Oregon. Fines at the federal and state level can be financially devastating, plus misclassifying...
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Optimism and Pause from Banks and Manufacturing, Google Lauds AI Ad Tools
With banks making money and reporting solid consumer spending and stable credit while several manufacturing reports indicate renewed momentum in the industry, there is a positive glow on the U.S. economy. However, host Gene Marks says that as much as this news is good, there is a growing voice...
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Gen Z Using AI for Polywork, Cyber Crime Losses Spike, Copilot’s AI Oops
Artificial intelligence is working for and against Gen Z, hindering their first job searches while also enabling them to manage workloads as they engage in polywork. Gene Marks looks at the latest trend of the new generation of workers, as well as what this eventually could mean for the labor...
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What Your Org Chart Reveals About the Health of Your Business: OrgChart CEO Tom McCarty
Think org charts are just boxes and lines? Think again. Gene Marks sits down with OrgChart CEO Tom McCarty to explore how a living, data-connected org chart can transform workforce planning, boost company valuation, support AI-readiness, and give employees a clear path forward. From 30-person…
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Selectivity Cools Job Market, ADA Lawsuits Increase, Trust in AI Accuracy Wanes
Job growth and wage growth have cooled, according to the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch and even Homebase, but the overarching theme is that small businesses continue to be resilient in an ever-changing landscape. Gene Marks points out that businesses are being more selective when hiring...
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Invoice Indecision, a Thaw in Tech Funding, Anthropic Puts Agentic AI on Task
With the many challenges small business owners face on a regular basis, add forgoing pay for themselves. A survey by Bluevine found that 3 in 10 have invoice problems that cause cashflow issues that result in them not paying themselves. Host Gene Marks offers four tips on how to address the...
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Optimistic but On Edge: What NFIB’s Indexes Say About Small Business in 2026
Small business owners are feeling cautiously hopeful, but far from settled. In this episode of THRIVE, host Gene Marks sits down with Holly Wade and Peter Hansen from the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) to break down what their three signature indexes — Optimism, Uncertainty,...
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Pay Transparency, Tax Write-Offs, and AI Wishful Thinking
A new Mercer survey finds that only 54% of U.S. employers are ready to comply with pay transparency regulations, while host Gene Marks says it’s a smart business practice, whether or not your state requires it. A 1-800Accountant survey reveals that 57% of small business owners admit to…
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Optimism Up and Entrepreneurs Out, Compensation Boost, AI Innovation Incentives
A report finds that entrepreneurs are optimistic about business prospects but nearly one-third want to sell. Gene Marks says take the positivity with a grain of salt from the sellers, plus take advantage of buying a business that already exists. Employers struggling to find labor aren’t shy about...
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Actress and Producer Jill Wagner: The Business of Being a Creative Entrepreneur
What happens when a Hallmark star meets a business podcast? Actress and Lioness executive producer Jill Wagner joins Gene Marks to reveal the business savvy behind her 20-year career. From cold-calling Taylor Sheridan to building a real estate portfolio, Jill treats her career like a CEO treats a...
About this show
Designed for those who crave the inside scoop on everything from people to policy to profits, each THRIVE episode transforms complex business and HR topics into clear, actionable advice. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a seasoned business owner, or an aspiring leader, this podcast is your go-to source for cutting through the noise and gaining a competitive advantage.
Hosted by
Paychex, Inc.
Categories