Podcasts about Small Business Administration

After a natural disaster, the Small Business Administration helps homeowners and businesses recover by providing loans. While this funding is important, it is not unlimited. And in some cases, survivors may have received duplicate benefits. How is…

In today's business landscape, customer service is pivotal for small businesses striving for success. In a recent conversation on the Valley Business Today, Janet Michael, the host, alongside Carl Knoblock, the Virginia District Director for the Small Business Administration (SBA), delved into the nuances of outstanding customer service and its impacts. Janet opened the discussion by sharing a pertinent anecdote about the vital role customer service played during a challenging week for her. A local company failed to meet expectations, whereas Green's Septic Services went above and beyond, earning her loyalty. This story highlighted the stark differences in customer service quality and its direct effect on consumer perceptions and business success. Carl underscored the lasting loyalty good customer service can engender, recounting his own experiences with veteran hospitals. He illustrated how exemplary service can outweigh other factors like price and convenience, embedding a sense of loyalty in customers. Janet reflected on the generational shifts in customer service expectations. While previous generations valued customer interactions significantly, today's digital age has altered these dynamics. Social media and digital communication have complicated the customer service landscape, requiring businesses to adapt continually. Throughout the conversation, both Janet and Carl shared practical examples demonstrating the essence of good customer service. Carl stressed consistency and reliability, while Janet highlighted the importance of going the extra mile, as exemplified by Green's Septic Services cleaning up after their visit. A significant portion of the discussion revolved around training staff for excellent customer service. Carl pointed out the disconnect between older and younger generations' understanding of customer service, with many younger employees lacking the ingrained practices of their older counterparts. He suggested that businesses might benefit from blending experienced hires with younger staff to bridge this gap. Janet recommended directly engaging customers to understand their likes and preferences, which can provide valuable insights for improving service. This practice not only informs better business strategies but also strengthens customer relationships by making them feel valued. The conversation concluded with a mutual understanding of the crucial role that customer service plays in a business's success. Both Janet and Carl emphasized that exceptional service creates loyal customers, potentially leading to word-of-mouth referrals and community support, thereby fostering a sustainable business environment.

In this episode of the Faith Driven Entrepreneur Podcast, host Justin Forman sits down with Steve Preston, CEO of Goodwill Industries, to discuss his remarkable journey from Wall Street executive to nonprofit leader. Unlike the typical path of chasing wealth and status, Steve shares how he made intentional decisions to prioritize purpose over prestige throughout his career.After starting at Lehman Brothers, Steve felt a tug that his faith was calling him toward a different path. He made a deal with God that he would "never make a decision for money, for prestige, or for power," which ultimately led him to leave banking on the cusp of making partner. His journey continued through corporate America, government service (including running the Small Business Administration during Hurricane Katrina recovery), and eventually to Goodwill, where he now leads one of America's most recognized nonprofit organizations.Key Highlights:Steve's countercultural decision to leave Wall Street's wealth and prestige to follow God's callingThe rich history of Goodwill beginning as a church-based ministry to help Boston's poorest residentsHow Goodwill provides holistic support to help people overcome barriers to employmentThe innovative prison education programs helping reduce recidivism rates to just 5%The power of corporate partnerships in scaling social impactHow writing a personal mission statement helped Steve identify his callingThe importance of seeing potential in people that they don't yet see in themselvesQuotable Moments:"I felt like God said, I've taken you thus far. Will you really go where I'm taking you? And worse, most of the people in my close-in circle said, you're crazy... And I had this moment where I thought to myself, I have been like every other American watching these horrific stories on television and wondering what I could do.""Our founder's story and our founder's vision 125 years later is still very much a part of who we are... It was all deeply based in the conviction that every human being has embedded potential.""I often say, when somebody comes through our door, we often see more in them than they see in themselves."

Welcome back to To the Point Cybersecurity Podcast, brought to you by Forcepoint! In this week's episode, hosts Rachael Lyon and Jonathan Knepher are joined—once again—by the remarkable Maria Roat, former US Deputy Federal Chief Information Officer and past CIO of the Small Business Administration. With over three decades of federal IT and cybersecurity leadership experience, Maria shares an insider's view on how organizations can remain vigilant amid the waves of change, such as leadership transitions and rising cyberattack tactics. Tune in as Maria recounts real-world challenges, like handling phishing attacks during critical moments and fostering a culture of cyber awareness, even when the threat isn't headline news. She also offers invaluable advice on building resilient, long-term cybersecurity strategies that persist through policy changes—and weighs in on the critical role of communication, both for technology professionals and leaders. Whether you're in the public or private sector, considering a career in cybersecurity, or seeking strategies for small business protection, this episode is packed with practical insights and candid discussion. For links and resources discussed in this episode, please visit our show notes at https://www.forcepoint.com/govpodcast/e332

The U.S. Small Business Administration's New Focus on Manufacturing

Sisters Boutique in Floresville is among honorees being recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) San Antonio District Office. The boutique has been honored as the district's Family-Owned Business of the Year and received an award during a May 8 presentation in San Antonio. Stacy Cameron is the current owner of Sisters Boutique and Gifts, a retail women's boutique that has been in her family for 35 years. Passed down from her mother and aunt, Stacy now works alongside her two daughters, who have helped ensure this multi-generational Floresville landmark moves fluidly into the future with online influence and...Article Link

Guest: Administrator Jim Spencer Topic: Role of SBA and support of small businesses

Government-guaranteed lending requires special expertise and back-office functionality that grows increasingly expensive for smaller banks. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Bix2x — Chris Hurn and Jeremy Gilpin of Community Bankshares, a bank holding company in La Grange, Georgia, discuss how they are tackling that challenge. “To start one of these departments is very expensive for a lot of rural banks and credit unions,” says Gilpin, “It's very prohibitive to enter the market space if you are a rural bank or even in an urban market where you do you know, maybe 5, 10, 20 of these loans a year.” Hurn and Gilpin are part of a team that has built Community Bankshares, parent of Community Bank and Trust of West Georgia, into a network of Small Business Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture lending subsidiaries that work on a nationwide basis. They developed a model that allows the “the holding company [to] serve as a source of strength for the bank, not just the other way around, which is typical,” says Gilpin. Gilpin and Hurn discuss the company's role as a white label lender, referral lender, participation partner or servicer for smaller banks that want to connect their clients to guaranteed loans and the strength of the bank model for supporting these businesses and agricultural enterprises.

Many of us know Goodwill Industries International as a retailer that accepts and resells donated goods. What the average consumer may not know is that the nonprofit takes in over 5 billion pounds of goods each year — and not all of it can be resold. For those unwanted or unviable items, the organization can either look into recycling or upcycling, and with the help of AI, it's able to efficiently make that determination while also improving its process for sorting and allocating sellable goods for different retail channels. Additionally, Goodwill helps its workforce with career-development skills. Much of this training has been enhanced with AI. Tune in to this episode to hear directly from Goodwill CEO Steve Preston about how the organization is using technology to fulfill a mission that extends beyond the retail store. Read the episode transcript here. Guest bio: As president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International, Steven C. Preston leads a network of 153 local Goodwill organizations with a combined revenue of $8.2 billion. In addition to being a secondhand retail leader, Goodwill is a leading nonprofit provider of workforce training and development in North America. Positioning the organization at the forefront of workforce development has been a top focus for Preston since he joined Goodwill in 2019. He has also forged partnerships with organizations focused on sustainable practices in the secondhand retail marketplace and developed mission-focused marketing efforts to elevate the Goodwill brand. Previously, Preston served in numerous operational and financial leadership positions in both the public and private sectors. After heading the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Small Business Administration, he led successful turnarounds as the CEO of Oakleaf Global Holdings and Livingston International. He also served as the CFO of Waste Management and ServiceMaster. Me, Myself, and AI is a collaborative podcast from MIT Sloan Management Review and Boston Consulting Group and is hosted by Sam Ransbotham and Shervin Khodabandeh. Our engineer is David Lishansky, and the executive producer is Allison Ryder. Stay in touch with us by joining our LinkedIn group, AI for Leaders at mitsmr.com/AIforLeaders or by following Me, Myself, and AI on LinkedIn. We encourage you to rate and review our show. Your comments may be used in Me, Myself, and AI materials.

After a wave of not-so-great headlines on tariffs, we finally have some good news: the Trump Administration is signaling cuts to the new tariffs on Chinese goods. But what does that actually mean for your bank account? To follow the money trail, Nicole brings back Fred P. Hochberg—former President of the Export-Import Bank and Acting Administrator of the Small Business Administration—who has spent his career at the intersection of business and public policy. Fred and Nicole break down how tariff policy should work to benefit Americans, what happens if these cuts don't happen, and how it all could affect prices (yes, including what you'll pay for Christmas presents this year). Fred's book is an amazing read to understand the current moment! Check it out here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Trade-Is-Not-a-Four-Letter-Word/Fred-P-Hochberg/9781982127374

In this kickoff episode of the 2025 season of Small Biz Florida, host Tom Kindred is joined by longtime SBA leader Jonel Hein, District Director for the North Florida SBA Office. Recorded live at the Florida State Capitol during Small Business Day, Jonel shares her 34-year journey with the Small Business Administration and the agency's renewed focus on manufacturing under new leadership. The conversation dives deep into SBA's core offerings—capital, contracting, consulting, and crisis support—and what small business owners need to know to become “lender-ready” in today's market. Jonel also highlights the impressive progress in Florida's manufacturing sector and the North Florida district's push to surpass $1 billion in loan and contracting volume in 2025. This is essential for any entrepreneur ready to grow, scale, or access the right funding resources. This podcast episode was recorded live at the Florida State Capitol hosted at the Capitol Courtyard in Tallahassee. This podcast is made possible by the Florida SBDC Network and sponsored by Florida First Capital. Connect with Our Guest: https://www.sba.gov/northflorida

We'll discuss what truckers are telling the DOT about cutting regulations. Also, the Small Business Administration held a roundtable on deregulation, and trucking issues were front and center. Then, OOIDA was at the Mid-America Trucking Show to offer some education about operating a successful trucking business. And OOIDA tour truck driver Marty Ellis says people may not manage personal finances the way they used to, but if you want your business to succeed, it's a must. 0:00 – U.S. DOT asks what regulations you want to see go 10:11 – Roundtable focuses on small business, transportation and regulations 24:49 – OOIDA Pro Talk offered tips for business success 39:32 – Managing money a must for your business

Today's coffee might be more than just a morning pick-me-up; it's a conversation starter about the complex interplay of global economics and local businesses. In a recent episode of the Valley Business Today, host Janet Michael and Carl Knoblock, Virginia District Director for the Small Business Administration, dived into this topic, shedding light on how external economic factors impact small businesses and, consequently, consumers. Janet and Carl began their discussion by addressing a key concern: many local consumers do not understand how business operations are influenced by global economic factors. Carl pointed out that price increases are often attributed to local issues like inflation, but global events such as droughts and geopolitical conflicts also play significant roles. This complexity influences everything from coffee beans to retail products. Small businesses are at the mercy of fluctuating supply chain costs. For example, a local coffee shop might face higher prices due to a drought affecting coffee bean production or war disrupting supply chains. Janet emphasized that while consumers notice price hikes at the grocery store, they often overlook how these hikes impact local eateries or shops. Carl noted that small businesses often try to absorb these costs to keep customers happy, a strategy that can lead to long-term financial instability. Janet suggested that consumers need to be more aware of where products come from and the economic challenges local business owners face. Carl shared that American-made products often have a reputation for quality, both domestically and abroad. However, consumers' inclination toward cheaper, imported goods has made it difficult for local businesses to compete. As the conversation progressed, the focus shifted to how small businesses can adapt to changing conditions. Carl emphasized the importance of having multiple suppliers to avoid disruptions. He also encouraged business owners to communicate openly with their customers about why prices might be increasing and what steps they are taking to mitigate these issues. Janet added that crisis situations often bring communities together, providing an opportunity for businesses to reinforce customer loyalty through transparency. Another crucial aspect discussed was the need for small businesses to diversify their customer base and product offerings. Janet pointed out that businesses could introduce lower-cost items to attract a broader audience and help subsidize high-end products. Carl agreed, noting that this strategy could help businesses navigate economic downturns and keep their customer base intact. The discussion wrapped up with a reminder that local businesses, particularly those ingrained in their communities, deserve support and understanding. Janet and Carl agreed that informing consumers about the broader economic landscape can foster a more supportive business environment. Businesses also need to plan ahead, even during good times, to better weather future challenges. The Small Business Administration remains a valuable resource for guidance and support, encouraging businesses to reach out for help when needed. Click here to send Carl an email. The key takeaway from this episode is clear: understanding the interconnectedness of global and local economies can help consumers make more informed choices and encourage them to support their local businesses. This mutual support can ultimately sustain the local economy, creating a resilient and thriving community.

The third Wednesday of the month means our “Small Business Matters” program in association with the U.S. Small Business Administration, N.H. District Office. Featured on the show, Beeline Skin Care of Henniker with founder, Susan Lanphear and Managing Director, Marie Pelletier. We discussed their wide variety of products and the fascinating importance of bees to our world.

Tadd Mick, Noelie Achen and Chris Schaffner are the owners of Tradewinds Charters in Depoe Bay. They recently won a statewide award from the U.S. Small Business Administration. The national winner of the Small Business Person of the Year award will be announced in May. Tadd Mick is the president of Tradewinds Charters, and Noelie Achen is the vice president. They’ll head to Washington D.C. next month to receive their award. Achen and Mick join us to share more about their business.

Each month, the VA Office of Inspector General publishes highlights of our investigative work, congressional testimony, and oversight reports. In March 2025, the VA OIG published 17 reports that included 101 recommendations. Report topics varied from a review of VHA and VBA fiscal year 2024 supplemental funding requests and mental healthcare services at a Massachusetts' VA medical center to a review of the veteran self-scheduling process for community care and supply and equipment management deficiencies at a Texas VA medical center. VA OIG investigations led to the sentencing of a pharmacy operator who conspired with various doctors to charge government agencies for medically unnecessary compound prescriptions, pain creams, scar gels, and multivitamins primarily to patients covered under the Office of Workers' Compensation Program. Elsewhere, a government subcontractor was sentenced to 12 months' probation and ordered to pay restitution of more than $493,000 after previously pleading guilty to bank fraud. The company fraudulently obtained a Small Business Administration-backed Paycheck Protection Program loan. The company's owner also agreed to pay more than $1.1 million as part of a civil settlement to resolve his own civil liability.  This latest podcast episode of Veteran Oversight Now highlights the VA OIG's oversight work from March 2025, including four healthcare facility inspections reports on facilities in Massachusetts, Georgia, Virginia, and Washington, DC.  Related Reports: The Causes and Conditions That Led to a $12 Billion Supplemental Funding Request Review of VA's $2.9 Billion Supplemental Funds Request for FY 2024 to Support Veterans' Benefits Payments Inadequate Governance Structure and Identification of Chief Mental Health Officers' Responsibilities  

In this episode of Welcome to Cloudlandia, we start by unraveling the intriguing concept of global time zones. We humorously ponder the idea of a unified world clock, inspired by China's singular time zone. The discussion expands to how people in countries like Iceland adapt to extreme daylight variations and the impact of climate change narratives that often overlook local experiences. We then explore the power of perception and emotion in shaping our reactions to world events. The conversation delves into how algorithms on platforms shape personal experiences and the choice to opt out of traditional media in favor of a more tailored information stream. The shift from curated media landscapes to algorithm-driven platforms is another key topic, highlighting the challenges of navigating personalized information environments. Finally, we tackle the critical issue of government financial accountability. We humorously consider where vast sums of unaccounted-for money might go, reflecting on the importance of financial transparency. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS In the episode, Dan and I explore the concept of a unified global time zone, drawing inspiration from China's singular time zone. We discuss the potential advantages and disadvantages of such a system, including the adaptability of people living in areas with extreme daylight variations like Iceland. We delve into the complexities of climate change narratives, highlighting how they often lack local context and focus on global measurements, which can lead to stress and anxiety due to information overload without agency. The power of perception and emotion is a focal point, as we discuss how reactions are often influenced by personal feelings and past experiences rather than actual events. This is compared to the idealization of celebrities through curated information. Our conversation examines the shift from curated media landscapes to algorithm-driven platforms, emphasizing how algorithms shape personal experiences and the challenges of researching topics like tariffs in a personalized information environment. We discuss the dynamic between vision and capability in innovation, using historical examples like Gutenberg's printing press to illustrate how existing capabilities can spark visionary ideas. The episode explores the complexities of international trade, particularly the shift from tangible products to intangible services, and the challenges of tracking these shifts across borders. We address the issue of government financial accountability, referencing the $1.2 trillion unaccounted for last year, and the need for financial transparency and accountability in the current era. Links: WelcomeToCloudlandia.com StrategicCoach.com DeanJackson.com ListingAgentLifestyle.com TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Dean: Mr Sullivan. Dan: Yes, and I forgot my time zones there almost for a second. Are you in Chicago? Yeah, you know. Why can't we just all be in the same time zone? Dean: Well. Dan: I know that's what China does. Yeah, Well, that's a reason not to do it. Then you know, I learned that little tidbit from we publish something and it's a reason not to do it. Dean: then that was. You know I learned that little tidbit from. We publish something and it's a postcard for, you know, realtors and financial advisors or business owners to send to their clients as a monthly kind of postcard newsletter, and so every month it has all kinds of interesting facts and whatnot, and one of them that I heard on there is, even though China should have six time zones, they only have one. That's kind of an interesting thing. Imagine if the. United States had all one time zone, that would be great. Dan: Yeah, I think there would be advantages and disadvantages, regardless of what your time system is. Dean: Well, that'd be like anything really, you know, think about that. In California it would get light super early and we'd be off a good dock really early too we'd be off and get docked really early too. Yeah, I spent a couple of summers in Iceland, where it gets 24 hours of light. Dan: You know June 20th and it's. I mean, it's disruptive if you're just arriving there, but I talked to Icelanders and they don't really think about it. It's, you know, part of the year it's completely light all day and part of the year it's dark all day. And then they've adjusted to it. Dean: It happens in Finland and Norway and Alaska. We're adaptable, dan, we're very adaptable. Dan: And those that aren't move away or die. Dean: I heard somebody was talking today about. It was a video that I saw online. They were mentioning climate change, global warming, and that they say that global warming is the measurement is against what? Since when? Is the question to ask, because the things that they're talking about are since 1850, right, it's warmed by 0.6 degrees Celsius since 1850. We've had three periods of warming and since you know, the medieval warming and the Roman warming, we're actually down by five degrees. So it's like such a so when somebody says that we're global warming, the temperature is global warming and the question is since when? That's the real question to ask. Dan: Yeah, I think with those who are alarmist regarding temperature and climate. They have two big problems. They're language problems, Not so much language, but contextual problems. Nobody experiences global. That's exactly right. The other thing is nobody experiences climate. What we experience is local weather. Dean: Yes. Dan: Yeah, so nobody in the world has ever experienced either global or climate. You just experience whatever the weather is within a mile of you you know within a mile of you. That's basically and it's hard to it's hard to sell a theory. Dean: That, you know. That ties in with kind of the idea we were talking about last week that the you know, our brains are not equipped, we're not supposed to have omniscience or know of all of the things that are happening all over the world, of all of the things that are happening all over the world, where only our brains are built to, you know, be aware of and adapt to what's happening in our own proximity and with the people in our world. Our top 150 and yeah, that's what that's the rap thing is that we're, you know, we're having access to everybody and everything at a rate that we're not access to everybody and everything at a rate that we're not supposed to Like. Even when you look back at you know, I've thought about this, like since the internet, if you think about since the 90s, like you know, my growing up, my whole lens on the world was really a, you know, toronto, the GTA lens and being part of Canada. That was really most of our outlook. And then, because of our proximity to the United States, of course we had access to all the US programming and all that stuff, but you know, you mostly hear it was all the local Buffalo programming. That was. They always used to lead off with. There was a lot of fires in Tonawanda, it seemed happening in Buffalo, because everything was fire in North Tonawanda. It still met 11. And that was whole thing. We were either listening to the CBC or listening to eyewitness news in Buffalo, yeah. But now, and you had to seek out to know what was going on in Chicago, the only time you would have a massive scale was happening in Chicago. Right, that made national news the tippy top of the thing. Dan: Yeah, I wonder if you said an interesting thing is that we have access to everyone and everything, but we never do it. Dean: It's true we have access to the knowledge right Like it's part of you know how, when you I was thinking about it, as you know how you define a mess right as an obligation without commitment that there's some kind of information mess that we have is knowledge without agency? You know we have is knowledge without agency. You know we have no agency to do anything about any of these bad things that are happening. No, it's out of our control. You know what are we going to do about what's happening in Ukraine or Gaza or what we know about them? You know, or we know, everybody's getting stabbed in London and you know you just hear you get all these things that fire off these anxiety things triggers. It's actually in our mind, yeah that's exactly right, that our minds with access to that. That triggers off the hormone or the chemical responses you know that fire up the fight or flight or the anxiety or readiness. Dan: Yeah, it's really interesting. I've been giving some thought to well, first of all, the perception of danger in the world, and what we're responding to is not actual events. What we're responding to is our feelings. Yes, that's exactly right, yeah. You've just had an emotional change and you're actually responding to your own emotions, which really aren't that connected to what actually triggered your emotions. You know it might have been something that happened to you maybe 25 years ago. That was scary and that memory just got triggered by an event in the world. Dean: Yeah. Dan: Yeah, and the same thing with celebrity. Celebrity because I've been thinking about celebrity for quite a long time and you know, each of us you and I, to a certain extent are a celebrity in certain circles, and what I think is responsible for that is that they've read something or heard something or heard somebody say something that has created an image of someone in their mind, but it's at a distance, they don't actually meet you at a distance. And the more that's reinforced, but you never meet them the image of that person gets bigger and bigger in your mind. But you're not responding to the person. You're responding just to something that you created in your mind. Dean: I think part of that is because you know if you see somebody on video or you hear somebody on audio or you see them written about in text, that those are. It's kind of residue from you know it used to be the only people that would get written about or on tv or on the radio were no famous people yeah, famous, and so that's kind of it. I think that the same yeah, everybody has access to that. Now Everybody has reach. You know to be to the meritocracy of that because it used to be curated, right that there was some, there were only, so somebody was making the decision on who got to be famous. Like that's why people used to really want to own media. Like that's why people used to really want to own media. That's why all these powerful people wanted to own newspapers and television and radio stations, because they could control the messaging, control the media. You know? Dan: Yeah, it's really interesting. Is it you that has the reach, or someone else has reach that's impacting you? Dean: Yeah, I mean I think that we all have it depends on whether you're on the sending end or the receiving end of reach. Yeah, like we've seen a shift in what happens, like even in the evolution of our ability to be able to consume. It started with our ability to consume content, like with all of those you know, with MP3s and videos, and you know, then YouTube was really the chance for everybody to post up. You know you could distribute, you had access to reach, and in the last 10 years, the shift has been that you had to in order to have reach, you had to get followers right. That were people would subscribe to your content or, you know, like your content on Facebook or be your friend or follower, and now we've shifted to every. That doesn't really matter. Everything is algorithmic now. It's like you don't have to go out and spread the word and gather people to you. Your content is being pushed to people. That's how Stephen Paltrow can become, can reach millions of people, because his content is scratching an itch for millions of people who are, you know, seeking out fertility content, content, and that is being pushed to you. Now, that's why you're it's all algorithm based, you know, and it's so. It's really interesting that it becomes this echo chamber, that you get more of what you respond to. So you know you're get it. So it's amazing how every person's algorithm is very different, like what shows up on on things, and that's kind of what you've really, you know, avoided is you've removed yourself from that. You choose not to participate, so you're the 100%. Seek out what you're looking for. It's not being dictated to you. Dan: Not quite understanding that. Dean: Well you have chosen that you don't watch news. You don't participate in social media. You don't have an Instagram or anything like that where they're observing what you're watching and then dictating what you see next. You are an active like. You go select what you're going to watch. Now you've chosen real clear politics as your curator of things, so that's the jump. Dan: Peter Zion. Dean: But you're self-directing your things by asking. You're probably being introduced to things by the way. You interact with perplexity by asking it 10 ways. This is affecting this or the combination of this and this. Dan: Yeah, I really don't care what perplexity, you know what it would want to tell me about. Dean: You just want to ask, you want to guide the way it responds. Yeah yeah, and that's very it's very powerful. Dan: It's very powerful. I mean, I'm just utterly pleased with what perplexity does for me. You know like you know, I just considered it. You know an additional capability that I have daily, that you know I can be informed in a way that suits me, like I was going over the tariffs. It was a little interesting on the tariff side because I asked a series of questions and it seemed to be avoiding what I was getting at. This is the first time I've really had that. So I said yeah, and I was asking about Canada and I said what tariffs did Canada have against the United States? I guess you can say against tariff, against before 2025. And it said there were no retaliatory tariffs against the United States before 2025. And I said I didn't ask about retaliatory tariffs, I asked about tariffs, you know. And that said, well, there were no reciprocal tariffs before 2025. And I said, no, I want to know what tariffs. And then this said there was softwood and there was dairy products, and you know. I finally got to it. I finally got to it and I haven't really thought about it, because it was just about an hour ago that I did it and I said why did it avoid my question? I didn't. I mean, it's really good at knowing exactly what you're saying. Why did it throw a couple of other things in there? Dean: Yeah, misdirection, right, or kind of. Maybe it's because what, maybe it's because it's the temperature. You know of what the zeitgeist is saying. What are people searching about? And I think maybe those, a lot of the words that they're saying, are. You know, the words are really important. Dan: Not having a modifier for a tariff puts you in a completely different, and those tariffs have been in place for 50 or 60 years. So the interesting thing about it. By the way, 50 countries are now negotiating with the United States to remove tariffs how interesting. And he announced it on Wednesday. Dean: Yeah. Dan: He just wanted to have a conversation with you and wanted to get your attention. Dean: Yeah, wanted to get your attention. Yeah, have your attention, yeah, okay, let's talk about this. Dan: Yeah and everything. But other than that, I'm just utterly pleased with what it can do to fashion your thoughts, fashion your writing and everything else. I think it's a terrific tool. Dean: I've been having a lot of conversations around these bots. Like you know, people are hot on creating bots now like a Dan bot. Creating bots now like a Dan bot. Like oh Dan, you could say you've got so many podcasts and so much content and so many recordings of you, let's put it all in and train up Dan bot and then people could ask they'd have access to you as an AI. Dan: Yeah, the way I do it. I ask them to send me a check and then they could. Dean: But I wonder the thing about it that most of the things that I think are the limitations of that are that it's not how to even take advantage of that, because they don't know what you know to be able to, of that. Because they're bringing it, they don't know what you know to be able to access that you know and how it affects them you know. I first I got that sense when somebody came. They were very excited that they had trained up a Napoleon Hill bot and AI and you can ask Napoleon anything and I thought, thought you know, but people don't know what to ask. I'd rather have Napoleon ask me questions and coach me. You know like I think that would be much more useful is to have Napoleon Hill kind of ask me questions, engage where I am and then make you know, then feed me his thinking about that. If the goal is to facilitate change, you know, or to give people an advantage, I don't know. It just seems like we're very limited. Dan: I mean, you know, my attitude is to increase the engagement with people I'm already engaged with. Yeah, like I don't feel I'm missing anyone, you know? I never feel like I'm missing someone in the world you know, or somehow my life is deficient because I'm not talking to 10 times more people that I'm talking to now, because I'm not really missing anything. I'm fully engaged. I mean, eight different podcast series is about the maximum that I can do, so I don't really need any. But to increase the engagement of the podcast, that would be a goal, because it's available. I don't. I don't wish for things, that is, that aren't accessible you know, and it's very interesting. I was going to talk to you about this subject, but more and more I've got a new tool that I put together. I don't think you have vision before you have capability. Okay, say more Now. What I mean by that is think of a situation where you suddenly thought hey, I can do this new thing. And you do the new thing and satisfy yourself that it's new and it's useful, and then all of a sudden your brain says, hey, with this new thing, you can do this, you can do this, you can do this, do this, you can do this, you can do this. And my sense is the vision of that you can do this is only created because you have the capability. Dean: It's the chicken and the egg. Dan: Yeah, but usually the chicken is nearby. In other words, it's something you can do today, you can do tomorrow, but the vision can be yours out. You know the vision, and my sense is that capabilities are more readily available than vision. Okay, and I'm making a distinction here, I'm not seeing the capability as a vision, I'm seeing that as just something that's in a very short timeframe, maybe a day, two days, you know, maximum I would say is 90 days and you achieve that. You start the quarter. You don't have the capability. You end the quarter you have the capability. Dean: And once you have that capability. Dan: all of a sudden, you can see a year out, you can see five years out. Dean: I bet that's true because it's repeatable, maybe out. Dan: I bet that's true because it's repeatable, maybe, so my sense is that focusing on capability automatically brings vision with it. Dean: Would you say that a capability? Let's go all the way back to Gutenberg, for instance. Gutenberg created movable type right and a printing press that allowed you to bypass the whole scribing. You know, economy or the ecosystem right, all these scribes that were making handwritten copies of things. So you had had a capability, then you could call that right. Dan: Well, what it bypassed was wood printing, where you had to carve the letters on a big flat sheet of wood and it was used just for one page containers and you could rearrange the letters in it and that's one page, and then you take the letters out and you rearrange another page. I think what he did, he didn't bypass the, he didn't bypass the. Well, he bypassed writing, basically you know because the monks were doing the writing, scribing, inscribing, so that bypassed. But what he bypassed was the laborious process of printing, because printing already existed. It's just that it was done with wood prints. You had to carve it. You had to have the carvers. The carvers were very angry at Gutenberg. They had protests, they had protests. They closed down the local universities. Protests against this guy, gutenberg, who put all the carvers out of work. Yeah, yeah, so, yeah. Dean: So then you have this capability and all of a sudden, europe goes crazy take vision and our, you know, newly defined progression of vision from a proposition to proof, to protocol, to property, that, if this was anything, any capability I believe has to start out with a vision, with a proposition. Hey, I bet that I could make cast letters that we could replace carving. That would be a proposition first, before it's a capability, right. So that would have to. I think you'd have to say that it all, it has, has to start with a vision. But I think that a vision is a good. I mean capabilities are a good, you know a good catalyst for vision, thinking about these things, how to improve them, what else does this, all the questions that come with a new capability, are really vision. They're all sparked by vision, right? Yeah, because what would Gutenberg? The progress that Gutenberg have to make is a proposition of. I bet I could cast individual letters, set up a little template, arrange them and then duplicate another page, use it, have it reusable. So let's get to work on that. Dan: And then he proved. Dean: The first time he printed a page he proved that, yeah, that does work. And then he sets up the protocol for it. Here's how we'll do it. Here's how. Here's the way we make these. Here's the molds for all these letters. He's created the protocol to create this printing press, the, the press, the printing press, and has it now as a capability that's available yeah well, we don't know that at all. Dan: We don't know whether he first of all. We have no knowledge of gutenberg, except that he created the first movable type printing press. Dean: Somebody had to have that. It had to start with the vision of it, the idea. It didn't just come fully formed right. Somebody had to have the proposition. Dan: Yeah, yeah, we don't know. We don't know how it happened. He know he's a goldsmith, I mean, that was so. He was used to melding metals and putting them into forms and you know, probably somebody asked him can you make somebody's name? Can you print out? You know, can you print a, d, e, a and then N for me? And he did that and you know, at some point he said oh, oh, what if I do it with lead? What if? I do it with yeah, because gold is too soft, it won't stand up. But right, he did it with lead. Maybe he died of lead poisoning really fast, huh yeah, that's funny, we don't know, yeah, yeah, I think the steel, you know iron came in. You know they melted iron and everything like that, but we don't know much about it. But I'll tell you the jump that I would say is the vision is that Martin Luther discovers printing and he says you know, we can bypass all the you know, control of information that the Catholic Church has. Now that's a vision. That's a vision Okay. That's a vision, okay, but I don't think Gutenberg had that. I mean, he doesn't play? Dean: Definitely yeah, yeah, I know I think that any yeah, jumping off the platform of a capability. You know what my thought is in terms of the working genius model, that that's the distinction between wonder and invention. That wonder would be wonder what else we could do with this, or how we could improve this, or what this opens up for us. And invention might be the other side of creating something that doesn't exist. Dan: I mean, if you go back to our London, you know our London encounter, where we each committed ourselves to writing a book in a week. Dean: Yes. Dan: You did that, I did that. And then my pushing the idea was that I could do 100 books in 100 quarters. Dean: Yeah, exactly. Dan: Yeah, I mean, that's where it came from. I says, oh, you can create a book really fast to do that. And then I just put a bigger number and so I stayed within the capability. I just multiplied the number of times that I was going to do the capability. So is that a vision, or is that? What is that? Is that a vision? A hundred books, well, not just a capability right. Dean: I think that the fact that you, we both had a proposition write a book and we both then set up the protocols for that, you set up your team and your process and now you've got that formula. So you have a capability called a book, a quarter for 25 years you know that's definitely in the, that that's a capability. Now it's an asset your team, the way that you do it, the formatting, the everything about it. But the vision you have to apply a vision to that capability. Hamish isn't going to sit there and create cartoons out of nothing. Create cartoons out of nothing. You've got to give the idea. The vision is I bet I could write a book on casting, not hiring, how I'm planning on living to 156. So you've got your applying vision against that capability, yeah. Dan: It's interesting because I don't go too far out of the realm of my capabilities when I project into the future. Yeah, so, for example, we did the three books with Ben Hardy, you know and great success, great success. And then we were going further and Hay House, the publisher, started to call us, you know, after we had written our last book in 23, around the beginning of 20, usually six months after. They want to know is there another book coming? Because they're filling up their forward schedule and they do about 90 books and they do about 90 books a year. And so they want to know do we have another one from you? And we said no not really. But then when I did Casting Not Hiring as a small book, and I did Casting Not Hiring as a small book to write a small book, in other words, I'd committed myself to 100 books and this was number 38. I think this was in the 38th quarter. And then Jeff Madoff and I were talking and I said you know, I think this Hay House keeps asking us for another book. I think this is probably it and we sent it to them. I think it was on a Thursday. We had a meeting with them the next Wednesday, which is really fast. It's like six days later I get a meeting and they love it, and about two weeks later the go-ahead came from the publisher that we were going to go with that book. Two weeks later, the go-ahead came from the publisher that we were going to go with that book. And so I've developed another capability that if you write a small book, it's easy to get a big book. Yeah. So that's where the capabilities develop now. Now when I'm writing a new quarterly book, I'm saying is this a big book? Is this a big book? Is this the yeah? Dean: well, I would argue that you know that you've established a reach relationship with Hay House. Dan: Yeah, yeah, because they're a big multiplier. Dean: That's exactly right. So you've got the vision of I want to do a book on casting, not hiring. I have the capability already in place to do the little book and now you've established a reach partnership with Hay House that they're the multiplier in all of this right Vision plus capability, multiplied by reach. And so those relationships that you know, those relationships that you have, are definitely a reach asset that you have because you've established that you know and you're a known quantity to them. You know. Dan: Yeah, well, they are now with the. You know the success of the first three books, yeah, but it's really interesting because I I don't push my mind too much further than that which I can. Actually, you know, like now I'm working on the big book with jeff jeff nettoff and with the first draft, complete draft, to be in a 26, and we're on schedule. We're on schedule for that. You know. So you know. But I don't have any aspirations. You know you drop this as a sentence. You know you want to change things. I actually don't want to change things. I just want to continue doing what I'm doing but have it more productive and more profitable. Is that a vision? I guess that's a vision. Dean: Yeah, I mean that's certainly, certainly. I think that part of this is that staying in your unique ability right, you're not fretting about what the you've made this relationship with a house and that gives you that reach, but there's nothing you're and they were purchased. Dan: They were purchased by random house, so they have massive bar reach. Dean: Wow yeah. Dan: I don't know what the exact nature of their relationship is but things take a little bit slower backstage at their end now, I've noticed as we go through, because they're dealing with a monstrous big operation, but I suspect the reach is better. Yeah, once it happens, right. Dean: And resources. Yeah, yeah, cash as capability, that's a big, you know that was a really good. That's been a big. Distinction too is the value of cash as a capability. Cash for the c, yeah, a lot, as well as cash for the k. But cash for the c specifically is a wonderful capability because with cash you can buy it solves a lot of problems. You can buy all the vision, capability and reach. That was a lot of problems. It really does. Dan: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I was out at dinner last night with Ken and Nancy, harlan you know, you know Ken, and and we were talking. He was talking about he's. He's 30, 33rd year and coach and he started in 92. And coach, and he started in 92 and and he he was just talking about how he has totally a self-managing company and you know he has great free days, and you know he just focuses on his own unique ability. You know so a lot of strategic coach boxes to check off there and he was talking and he was saying that he's been going to some other 10 times workshops. You know where people are and he spoke about someone who's actually a performer musical performer and he just saw himself as back in 1996 or 1997 as the other person spoke, and and, and he asked me the question he says when is the crossover when you stop being a rugged individualist and then you actually have great teamwork around you? Dean: And I said it's a really interesting question. Dan: I said it's when it occurs to you, based on your experience, that trusting other people is a lot less expensive than not trusting them. Dean: Right, that's a good distinction, right. That people often feel like I think that's the big block is that nobody trusts anybody to do it the way they would do it or as good as they can do it or they don't have it. You know, I think, even on the vision side, they may have proof of things, but they're the only one that knows the recipe. They haven't protocol and package to, you know, and I think that's really, I think, a job description or a you know, being able to define what a role is, you know, I think it's just hiring people isn't the answer, unless you have that capability, that new person now equipped with a, with a vision of what they, what their role is. Dan: You know yeah, yeah, I said it's also been my experience that trust comes easier when the cash is good. I think that's true right? Dean: Yeah, but they're not. I think that's really. Dan: I think the reason is you have enough money to pay for your mistakes. Dean: Yes, exactly, cash confidence. Yeah, it goes a long way. Dan: Yeah, I was thinking about Trump's reach. First of all, I think the president of the United States, automatically, regardless of who it is, has a lot of reach. Yes, for sure. Excuse me, sir, it's the president of the United States phoning. Do you take the call or don't take the call? I think you're right, yeah, absolutely. Take the call or don't take the call. I think you're right, yeah, absolutely. He says he's just imposed a 25% tariff on all your products coming into the United States. Dean: Do you care about that or do you not care about it? I suspect you care about it. I suspect. Imagine if he had a, you know if yeah, there was a 25% tariff on all strategic coach enrollments or members. Dan: Yeah Well, that's an interesting thing. None of this affects services. Dean: Right. Dan: Yeah, Because it's hard to measure Well first of all, it's hard to detect and the other thing, it's hard to measure what actually happened. This is an interesting discussion. The invisibility of the service world. Dean: Yeah, it's true, right. And also the knowledge you know like coming into something, whatever you know, your brain and something going across borders is a very different. Dan: Yeah it's very interesting. The Globe and Mail had an article it was in January, I think it was and it showed the top 10 companies in Canada that had gotten patents and the number of patents for the past 12 months, and I think TD Bank was 240, 240. And that sounds impressive, until you realize that a company like Google or Apple would have had 10,000 new patents over the previous 12 months. Dean: Yeah, it's crazy right. Dan: Patent after patent. Dean: Yeah. Dan: And my sense is, if you measure the imbalance in trade let's say the United States versus Canada there's a trade deficit. Trade. Let's say the United States versus Canada there's a trade deficit. Canada sells more into the United States than the United States sells into Canada, but that's only talking about products. I bet the United States sells far more services into Canada than Canada does into the United States. I bet you're right. Yeah, and I bet the services are more profitable. Yeah so for example, apple Watches, the construction of Apple Watches, which happens outside of the United States. Nobody makes a profit. Nobody makes a profit. They can pay for a job, but they don't actually make a profit. All they can do is pay for jobs. China can only pay for jobs, thailand, all the other countries they can only pay. And when it gets back, you know you complete the complete loop. From the idea of the Apple Watch as it goes out into the world and it's constructed and brought back into the United States. All the profit is in the United States. All the profit is in the United States. The greatest profit is actually the design of the Apple Watch, which is all done in the United States. So I think this tariff thing is coming along at an interesting period. It's that products as such are less and less an important part of the economy. Dean: Yeah Well, I've often wondered that, like you know, we're certainly, we're definitely at a point where they were in the economy, where you could get something from. You know. You know I mean facebook and google and youtube. You know all of these companies there's. No, they wouldn't have anything that shows up on any balance sheet of physical goods. You know, it's all just ones and zeros. Dan: Yeah. I mean it doesn't happen anymore, but because we have. You know, nexus, when Babs and I crossed the border, we have trusted, trusted traveler coming this way which also requires us that we look into a camera and then go and check in to the official and he looks at us and all he wants to know is how many bags do you have that have? Dean: been in. Dan: And we tell him. That's all we tell him. He doesn't tell us anything we're bringing into the United States and he doesn't tell us anything we're bringing into the United States. And then, when we come back to Canada, we just have our Nexus card which goes into a machine, we look into a camera and a sheet of paper comes out. And the customs official or the immigration official, just you know, puts a red pen to it, which means that he saw it, and then you go out there. But you know, when we started, coach, we would have to go through a long line. We'd have our passport, and then the person would say what are you bringing? And then we'd have to fill in a card are you bringing this back into canada? Dean: exactly, yeah, you remember the remember and what's the total. Dan: You know the total price of everything that you purchased, everything. Dean: And I used to think. Dan: I said you know, I was in Chicago and I just came up with an idea. It's a million dollar idea. Do I declare that I had the good sense not to declare my million-dollar idea because then they would have taken me in the back room. You know, if I had said that, what are you? Why are you trying to screw around? Dean: with our mind. You'll have to undergo a cavity search to. Dan: So what I'm saying is that what's really valuable has become intangible more and more so just in the 30 years or so of so of coach you know that and it's like the patents. Dean: you know we've had all the patents appraised and there's an asset value, but yeah, because this is an interesting thing that in the or 30 years ago you had to in order to spread an idea. You had to print booklets and tape. I remember the first thing what year did you do how the Best Get Better? That was one of the first things that you did, right? Dan: Right around 2000 or so. In fact, you're catching me in a very vulnerable situation. That's okay. Dean: I mean it had to be. Dan: Okay. Dean: But I think that whole idea of the entrepreneurial time system and unique ability, those things, I remember it being in a little container with the booklet and the cassette. Dan: You know crazy, but that's but yeah, because I think it was. I think it was, was it a disc or a cassette, cassette? So yeah, well, that would have mid nineties. Dean: Yeah, that's what I mean. I think that was my introduction to coach, that I saw that. Dan: but amazing, right, but that just the distribution of stuff now that we have access yeah well, it just tells you that the how much the entire economy has changed in 30 years. From tangible to intangible, the value of things, the value of what do you? Value and where does it come from? Dean: And yeah. Dan: I think all of us in the thinking business. The forces are on our side, I agree. Dean: That's such a great talking with Chad. Earlier this morning I was on my way to Honeycomb and I was thinking, you know, we've come to a point where we really it's like everything that we physically have to do is being kind of taken away. You know that we don't have to actually do anything. You know, I got in my car and I literally said, take me to Honeycomb, and the car drives itself to Honeycomb. And then, you know, I get out and I know exactly what I want, but I just show them my phone and the phone automatically, you know, apple Pay takes the money right out of my account. I don't have to do anything. I just think, man, we're moving into that. The friction between idea and execution is really disappearing. I think so. So the thing to be able to keep up, it's just collecting capabilities. Collecting capabilities is a. That's the conduit. You know, capabilities and tasks. Dan: Well, it's yeah and it's really interesting. But we're also into a world where there's two types of thinking world. There is there's kind of a creative thinking world, where you're thinking about new things, and there's another world thinking about things, but you're just thinking about the things that already already exist yeah, my feeling is and usually that requires higher education college education you know, and all my feel is that they're the number one targets of AI is everybody who does a lot of thinking, but it's not creative thinking. Ai will replace whatever they're doing. And my sense is that this is why the Doge thing is so devastating to government. I mean, I'll just test this out on you. Elon Musk and his team send every federal employee and at the start of the year there were 2.4 million federal government employees and that excludes the, the military. So the military is not part of that 2.4 million and the post office is not part of those are excluded from. Everybody else is included in there. And he sent out a letter he says could just return by return email. Tell us the five things that you did last week. And it was extraordinarily difficult for the federal employees to say what they did last. That would be understandable to someone who wasn't in their world. And I think the majority of them were meetings and reports, uh-huh. Yes, about what? About meetings and reports, uh-huh. Dean: Yes, about what? About meetings and reports yeah, we had the meeting about the report. Dan: Yeah, and then scheduled another meeting To discuss the further follow-up of the report. Dean: Yeah, At least in the entrepreneurial world the things are about you know, yeah. Dan: I mean if you said I sent the memo to you and said, dean Jackson, please tell me it would be interesting stuff that you wrote back. I mean the stuff that you wrote back and you say just five, just five. You know, I can tell you 15 things I did last week, you know, and each of them would be probably an interesting subject. It would be an interesting topic is the division between that bureaucratic world. The guess coming out of the Doge project is if we fired half of federal government employees, it wouldn't be noticed by the taxpayers. Dean: Right, it's like a big Jenga puzzle. Dan: How many can? Dean: we pull out before it all crumbles. Dan: Yeah, because there's been virtually no complaints, like all the pension checks came when they should. All the you know everything like that. The Medicare, everything came. Dean: But what? Dan: they found and this is the one, this is the end joke here that they just went to the Small Business Administration and they examined $600 million worth of loans last year and 300 million of them went to children 11 years or younger who had a Social Security number. Dean: Is that true? Dan: Yeah, and 300 million went to Americans older than 120 who had an active Social Security number. Dean: Wow, now, that's just. Dan: Yeah, but that $600 million went to somebody. 0:48:51 - Dean: Yeah, it went somewhere. Dan: right, they were checks and they went to individuals who had this name and they had Social Security number. We had this name and they had social security number and those individuals don't those individuals. The person receiving the check is not the individual who it was written to. So that's like 600 million. Yeah, and they're just finding this all over the place. These amazing amounts of money and the Treasury Department last year couldn't account for $1.2 trillion. Dean: They couldn't account for where it went.2 trillion, you know. Dan: You know, that seems dr evo's one trillion exactly. Yeah, well, it's going somewhere, and if they cut it off, I bet those people are noticed yeah, I bet you're right, I think there's. This is the great audit we're in the age of the great. We're in the age of the great audit. Anyway, I have daniel white waiting for me, okay this was a good one, daniel yeah, it was good, this was a good one. This tangibility thing is really an interesting subject and intangibility Absolutely. Dean: All right, thank you, dan. Say hi to Daniel for me Next week. Dan: I'm booked socially all day, so take a two-week break.

The Trump administration recently pushed out income-driven repayment (IDR) recertification dates — some all the way to 2027. (I'm not even kidding.) But can you actually count on these extensions? We're breaking down who should trust these announcements and who might want to proceed with caution. We'll also talk about the bizarre game of musical chairs happening between government departments. One minute it's the Department of Education handling things, then suddenly it's the Small Business Administration, and now the Treasury Department's involved? It's like watching a bureaucratic shell game in real time. Listen in as we try to make sense of what's going on, what you can trust, and what steps you should take to protect yourself. Key moments: (00:51) President plans to move student loans to Small Business Administration despite questionable legality and no operational details (04:05) Trump White House surprisingly ordered an extension of borrower recertification dates to no sooner than February 2026 (07:14) Court decisions that finally put an end to the SAVE plan could force millions of borrowers into disruptive repayment plan changes (15:05) Maintain your peace of mind by focusing on what you can control in your financial life   Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon Music Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts  Subscribe to the newsletter Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans? Try our free student loan calculator Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated Book your custom student loan plan Get profession-specific financial planning Do you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!  

Tariffs imposed by the Trump administration have ignited a trade war, leading to significant economic repercussions for small businesses and the tech sector. The new tariffs, described as potentially the largest since World War I, have raised concerns about a looming recession, with estimates suggesting a 60% risk of economic downturn this year. The stock market reacted negatively, losing approximately $6 trillion in just two days following the announcement. Business leaders, including Restoration Hardware's CEO, have expressed shock at the immediate impact on their companies, with many small businesses facing funding freezes and staffing cuts.As small businesses grapple with the fallout from these tariffs, they are experiencing a surge in customer cancellations and increased financial vulnerability. The National Federation of Independent Businesses reports a decline in optimism among small business owners, who are now accumulating credit card debt and facing challenges in adjusting their supply chains. The Small Business Administration's decision to cut its workforce by over 40% raises further concerns about the support available for struggling enterprises. Meanwhile, the European Union is preparing to respond to the tariffs, potentially affecting major U.S. tech companies.The tech sector is also feeling the strain, with the International Data Corporation warning that U.S. tariffs could halve global IT spending over the next six months. Originally forecasting a 10% growth in IT spending, IDC has revised its expectations downward to 5%. The tariffs are expected to raise technology prices and disrupt supply chains, leading to increased costs for consumers. For instance, the price of the iPhone 16 Pro could rise significantly due to the new tariffs on Chinese goods, forcing companies like Apple to adjust their pricing strategies.Despite a solid jobs report indicating economic growth, the tech sector has seen a decline in job numbers, particularly in tech services and telecommunications. Microsoft has paused data center projects due to oversupply and is reassessing its investments in AI infrastructure. This cautious approach reflects broader concerns about the profitability of AI investments amid competition from lower-cost alternatives. As businesses navigate this uncertain landscape, the need for strategic adjustments in IT spending and supply chain management becomes increasingly critical for both small businesses and tech providers. Four things to know today 00:00 Tariffs Shake Small Businesses: Brace for Shifting Client Budgets and IT Spending Cuts05:36 IT Prices on the Rise – Adapting to the New Reality09:25 Solid Jobs Report Masks Tech Sector Woes: Staffing Challenges Loom Amid Economic Growth11:44 Microsoft's Data Center Pause: AI Investments Getting a Reality Check?  Supported by:  https://getflexpoint.com/msp-radio/https://www.huntress.com/mspradio/  Join Dave April 22nd to learn about Marketing in the AI Era.  Signup here:  https://hubs.la/Q03dwWqg0Four things to know today All our Sponsors: https://businessof.tech/sponsors/ Do you want the show on your podcast app or the written versions of the stories? Subscribe to the Business of Tech: https://www.businessof.tech/subscribe/Looking for a link from the stories? The entire script of the show, with links to articles, are posted in each story on https://www.businessof.tech/ Support the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mspradio/ Want to be a guest on Business of Tech: Daily 10-Minute IT Services Insights? Send Dave Sobel a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/businessoftech Want our stuff? Cool Merch? Wear “Why Do We Care?” - Visit https://mspradio.myspreadshop.com Follow us on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28908079/YouTube: https://youtube.com/mspradio/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mspradionews/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mspradio/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessoftechBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/businessof.tech

According to the S.C. District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration, 43% of our state's workforce is employed by the small business community which makes it the largest employment segment in South Carolina.

The Internal Revenue Service on Friday placed around 50 IT executives on administrative leave, according to five sources familiar with the situation, the latest in the Trump administration's gutting of the tax agency during the heart of filing season. The decision to cut the IT executives was made by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, according to one of the sources, and was carried out by acting IRS Commissioner Melanie Krause. Rajiv Uppal, the IRS's chief information officer, and Kaschit Pandya, the agency's chief technology officer, were not among the 50 dismissed staffers, a different source said. The 50 people were at the senior executive service level, two sources said, and most were associate chief information officers. One of the sources, an IT executive who left the IRS earlier this month, said the 50 staffers include experts working on cybersecurity, modernization, applications, development, contracts, networks, mainframe and data center operations, among other IT-related areas. An email sent to one of the affected employees Friday and viewed by FedScoop said they were being put on leave “effective immediately” and they were directed “not to perform any work-related tasks during this period.” They would continue to receive full pay and benefits during their administrative leave, per the email. Jeffrey King is now the acting chief information officer of the Treasury Department, according to an update to the CIO Council webpage. Tony Arcadi, who has served the position since 2021, told FedScoop on Saturday that he took the administration's deferred resignation offer and was placed on administrative leave as of last Monday. Nick Totten is the deputy CIO for the agency. Another source within the agency confirmed King, who was previously deputy CIO, is now acting in the chief IT position. King had been deputy CIO since 2022. He also briefly served as acting CIO of the Internal Revenue Service, where he helped push forward modernization initiatives. The Trump administration has been cycling through CIOs somewhat rapidly. The Energy Department, the Small Business Administration, and the Social Security Administration have all already moved on from their first appointees to the position. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

3.27.2025 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: HUD drops discrimination cases, HHS 10k firings, SBA takes over student loans,Justin Pearson vs MAGA Two cases against a Texas homeowners' association charged with racial discrimination are stalled under the current administration. We'll speak with ProPublica reporter Jesse Coburn, who will break down the details of these cases. The Department of Health and Human Services is cutting 10,000 full-time jobs across several agencies as part of the Trump administration's plan to restructure the federal government. The country's $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio is now under the Small Business Administration. We'll talk to an expert about what this means for more than 40 million Americans holding student loans. In Phoenix, Arizona, three police officers have been suspended for 24 hours for repeatedly punching a deaf black man with cerebral palsy during his arrest. Tennessee State Representative Justin Pearson will join us to discuss a heated exchange he had with Republican Andrew Farmer during a hearing on a gun reform bill. We are just five days away from Wisconsin voters casting their ballots for a new state Supreme Court justice. The executive director of Souls to the Polls Wisconsin will be here to discuss their efforts to ensure a successful voter turnout. #BlackStarNetwork partner: Fanbasehttps://www.startengine.com/offering/fanbase This Reg A+ offering is made available through StartEngine Primary, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. This investment is speculative, illiquid, and involves a high degree of risk, including the possible loss of your entire investment. You should read the Offering Circular (https://bit.ly/3VDPKjD) and Risks (https://bit.ly/3ZQzHl0) related to this offering before investing. Download the #BlackStarNetwork app on iOS, AppleTV, Android, Android TV, Roku, FireTV, SamsungTV and XBox http://www.blackstarnetwork.com The #BlackStarNetwork is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can you buy a property with 10-15% down payment? What are SBA loans and why do they matter? Which asset classes qualify for an SBA loan? Can you get working capital on your loan? Is there a prepayment penalty? Can an SBA loan be fixed or variable? Can an SBA loan be assumable? Can the SBA be a second loan on a property? Anne Mino, Sr Loan Officer at LiveOak Bank shares her insights.You can read the entire interview here: https://tinyurl.com/bdkvxrnrWhat are SBA loans, and why do they matter?The Small Business Administration (which is what SBA stands for) is a loan program that was established back in the early 1950s. The entire purpose of it is to help entrepreneurs access capital financing that they may not otherwise be able to qualify for through traditional channels, so through conventional lending and the primary benefits are lower down payments. Think of a 10% down payment, instead of 30 to 40%, which you might see in a conventional loan, and longer repayment terms. For anything that has commercial real estate involved, it is automatically on a 25-year term with competitive interest rates, and then it's easier to qualify. You don't have to have experience in your subject field. In other words, in the self-storage world, if you don't own self-storage. That's perfectly okay, and that's why the SBA enables us to do these loans to anybody who needs them.It's a little more painful to get, but nothing compared to CMBS loans, which everybody hates, but the numbers do have to work out the debt service. Please elaborate on the debt service and what the requirements are.These loans are considered cash-flow-based loans. In other words, we want to see that the cash flow of the business can support the debt. For example, if you're just looking for a land loan, and there is no business attached to it, that's not something that we could do under this loan program. But as long as there's a business attached to it, we're looking at the debt service coverage of that business to pay back the debt. In an ideal world for self-storage, we want to see that in year one, the business can reach 1.15 debt service coverage, which essentially means the business is making its loan payment and then about a 15% profit. And then we want to see it steadily go up from there, and we're very lucky in the regard that we can use a borrower's projections that they've put together to tell us what they're going to do with that business.Can SBA do loans for any asset class in real estate?Yes, as long as it's a cash-flowing business and it must be owner-occupied, not retail, office, they're non-applicable. If you're a veterinarian, let's say you buy a strip center, and it owns some other real estate, it is okay as long as 51% of that strip center is going to be used by your veterinary practice. Same thing with storage. Let's say you had a storage facility, and there was another retail component on the property. That's fine, and still SBA eligible, as long as the storage makes up more than 51% of the total square footage.For offices, it's the same thing. I would have to occupy office minimum of 51% of my office building. And for multi-family, which is similar to self-storage because we are the operators, would we automatically qualify?Multi-family does not, as they don't touch anything with residential real estate at all, even though multi-family is considered commercial.Anne Minoanne.mino@liveoak.bank

Dr. Felecia Commodore and Dr. Demetri Morgan join host Heather Shea to discuss the latest threats to higher education and what comes next. This episode was recorded at 5:11 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 27th. Over the past few weeks, we've tracked how the Trump administration is dismantling the Department of Education and weaponizing federal funding to reshape colleges and universities. This week, three major developments add to the urgency: a proposed overhaul of the federal student loan system that could gut borrower protections, escalating attacks on diversity, equity, and free speech on campus, and the critical role professional associations are playing as higher ed's last line of defense. As institutions navigate these pressures, the key question remains—who is prepared to fight back? Tune in for a deep dive into what's at stake and what resistance might look like. Play Suggested APA Citation Shea, H. (Host). (2025, March 28). Current Campus Context: Federal Student Aid, Institutional Autonomy & Associations Push Back (No. 256) [Audio podcast episode]. In Student Affairs NOW. https://studentaffairsnow.com/current-campus-context-mar28/ Transcript Heather SheaHeather, welcome back to current campus context, a limited series from student affairs now the online learning community for those of us working in alongside and adjacent to higher education and student affairs, I'm your host, Heather, Shea and we were recording this episode at 5:11pm, Eastern Time on Thursday, March 27 as always, things might have changed by the time you listen this week, in our fourth episode, we are continuing our deep dive into the evolving landscape of higher ed current campus context is all about making sense of the moment we're in. Each episode, we bring in two experts to break down the latest developments, what's happening, why it matters, and how we can respond within our own spheres of influence. Our goal is to move beyond the headlines, providing context, perspective and actionable strategies to help you navigate these shifts. As part of this series, we have a rotating panel of five experts, so you will hear some familiar voices over the next several weeks, and you can learn more about all of our correspondence at studentaffairs now.com now, before we let you get into today's conversation, I'm excited to introduce our expert correspondents today who will help us unpack the latest developments. First back again this week. Dr Felicia Commodore is an expert in leadership, governance and administrative practices in higher education, with a focus on HBCUs, Ms eyes and black women in leadership. She is an associate professor in education, education policy, organization and leadership at the University of Illinois. Urbana Champaign, welcome back, Felicia, Felecia Commodorethank you. Heather, glad to be back, Heather Sheaand I am excited to introduce our fifth correspondent, Dr Dimitri l Morgan. Dr Morgan is an expert in institutional governance, campus climate, student activism and STEM education in higher ed. He is an associate professor of education at the University of Michigan. Welcome Dimitri. Demetri L. MorganGreat to finally be on and I'm really looking forward to our conversation today. Heather SheaSo, am I so? Am I so? Let's, let's go to the news and see what we're unpacking. Over the past several weeks, we have tracked several different stories. We're going to pick up on some of those themes today. We've tracked the dismantling of the Department of Education, the weaponization of federal funding as key strategies being used by the Trump administration to reshape higher ed. This week, I have three major developments that kind of build on these themes. First, the student loan system is facing a radical overhaul. Trump is proposing to shift federal student loans to the Small Business Administration. This is alarming for me, not just because I think the SBA lacks the infrastructure to manage student aid, but for me,

Dave Rubin of “The Rubin Report” talks about the growing scandal surrounding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth allegedly sending war plans, involving the Houthis in Yemen, over Signal to reporter Jeffrey Goldberg at The Atlantic; border czar Tom Homan reacting to U.S. Circuit Judge Patricia Millett claiming the Nazis were treated better than the deported members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua; Scott Jennings explaining to CNN's Tiffany Cross why the American people continue to support the mass deportation of migrant criminals; UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed's warning for Western countries of the dangers of Islamic extremists within their borders; a resurfaced clip of a young Elon Musk perfectly explaining the benefits of a smaller government and why government's are always inefficient; Elon Musk sharing how the DOGE uncovered fraud of the Small Business Administration giving out massive SBA loans to children under the age of eleven; Hakeem Jeffries not seeming too happy about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez becoming the face of the Democratic Party with her Fight the Oligarchy rallies; Stephen A. Smith explaining to Megyn Kelly why he could easily win the primary for the Democratic Party for the 2028 election; and much more. WATCH the MEMBER-EXCLUSIVE segment of the show here: https://rubinreport.locals.com/ Check out the NEW RUBIN REPORT MERCH here: https://daverubin.store/ ---------- Today's Sponsors: Gravity Defyer - Sick of knee pain? Get Gravity Defyer shoes. Minimize the shock waves that normal shoes absorb through your feet, knees and hips with every step. Use the promo code "RUBIN30" at checkout, to get an extra 30% off orders over $120 or more. Just text RUBIN30 to 91888 or go to: http://gdefy.com and Use the promo code "RUBIN30" American Financing - If you're a homeowner a cash out refinance with American Financing can help you pay off your debt and lower your monthly expenses. Get the financial relief you need and stop living paycheck to paycheck. Call 866-889-1994 Or go to: https://www.americanfinancing.net/rubin NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org Morning Kick - Ever wondered how Chuck Norris is still able to kick butt, stay strong and work out like he's in his 50s despite being in his 80s? Chuck made a special video that explains everything. Go to: https://ChuckDefense.com/Rubin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Influencer marketing isn't what it used to be. Brands are shifting from chasing big names to working with highly engaged niche influencers. So how do you find the right influencers and create partnerships that actually drive results? I'm joined by influencer marketing expert Sherri Langburt, who's breaking down what's working now and how brands can maximize their influencer partnerships. If influencer marketing is part of your strategy, this episode is a must-listen. In this episode of the podcast, we talk about: How to measure real influence beyond just follower count Why nano & micro influencers are outperforming big names What's working in UGC & brand partnerships right now How AI is shaping the future of influencer marketing …And More!   This Episode Was Made Possible By: Riverside All-in-One Podcast & Video Platform Visit Riverside and use the code DREA to get 15% off any Riverside individual plan. We use it to record all our podcast interviews: https://onlinedrea.com/riverside    About the Guest: Sherri is the founder and CEO of BabbleBoxx, an influencer marketing agency that helps brands mix influencer strategies into their marketing plans for a true omnichannel experience. Early in Sherri's career, she created one of the first SaaS-based influencer marketing platforms, which eventually led to what would become BabbleBoxx. Her approach to marketing invites a 'slow the scroll and engage audiences' strategy by connecting hand-picked influencers across categories with companies of all sizes to execute co-sampling and signature “boxx” marketing strategies largely dependent on social content.  Sherri is an excellent and experienced speaker who has received outstanding reviews for content and delivery. Sherri was the Keynote speaker at the national 2022 AMA Digital Marketing Conference. Other speaking engagements have included the Path-to-Purchase Institute - Executive Network Conference, ANA Influencer Marketing Committee Conference, Digital Summit, and CEO Club of Baltimore. She is also an avid supporter of non-profit and educational organizations, including Feeding America, G.L.A.D.D, UJA, The Ronald McDonald House, U.C.L.A., and Seton Hall University, where she lends expertise and is often a guest speaker at events. Sherri offers volunteer one-on-one business counseling to the Women's Center for Entrepreneurship of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Website: https://babbleboxx.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/babbleboxx/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/babbleboxxofficial/    Go to the show notes for all the resources mentioned in this episode: https://onlinedrea.com/350

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Are you a small business owner with a question that requires a quick response? The Small Business Association's West Virginia Office is available every Friday at noon to provide answers--no appointment needed…the National Outdoor Recreation Workforce Consortium collaborates with academic institutions to develop a skilled workforce in the outdoor industry…and West Virginia's diverse agricultural industry drives economic growth…on today's daily304.   #1 – From US SBA – Whether it is business plan assistance, help finding a loan, or applying for the HUBZone program, the Small Business Administration can help provide the knowledge and expertise you need. Trust SBA's West Virginia District Office to be your small business partner. For everyday small business questions that require a quick response, the SBA hosts Small Business Quick Care. SBA experts are available at noon every Friday for virtual sessions or in-person visits at their Charleston or Clarksburg locations. No appointment needed--just walk in, or visit the link below to sign up for a virtual session. Learn more: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/small-business-quick-care-tickets-1259438066159?aff=oddtdtcreator   #2 – From OEDC – The $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy supports 5 million jobs across various sectors, from manufacturing and guiding to retail and conservation. However, the industry faces two key challenges:  A lack of clearly defined workforce development strategies that span different outdoor sector Limited collaboration between higher education and the outdoor industry to address workforce gaps.  The National Outdoor Recreation Workforce Consortium aims to solve these issues. The Consortium is a partnership between Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORC) and The Brad and Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative at West Virginia University. The Consortium welcomes additional academic institutions committed to developing a skilled and prepared outdoor workforce. For more information, contact the ORC. Read more: https://oedc.wvu.edu/programs/national-outdoor-recreation-workforce-consortium?utm_content=327283851&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin&hss_channel=lcp-71496659   #3 – From WV DED – West Virginia's agriculture industry consists of 22,787 farms generating nearly $948 million in 2022. Crop production, including nursery and greenhouse varieties, exceeded $232 million, while livestock, poultry, and related products like beef, pork, and dairy contributed almost $716 million. The state's diverse agricultural output, led by top commodities such as poultry, cattle, and calves, highlights its essential role in driving economic growth. Visit West Virginia Economic Development online to learn more about the agriculture industry in #YesWV or to connect with one of our experienced consultants for assistance in site selection, business development or navigating local government regulations. Learn more: https://westvirginia.gov/industries/food-and-agriculture/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

On The Dominic Carter Show, Dominic talks about Elon Musk finding fraud in loans from the Small Business Administration, woke contracts wasting money, paying attention to ingredients of food going into your body and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Netting, president of TEN Government Strategies and a trusted Washington insider, returns to provide a critical update on sweeping federal changes affecting higher education. In conversation with Drumm McNaughton, he breaks down the Trump administration's executive order to dismantle the Department of Education, a move that's already led to major staff reductions and the redistribution of responsibilities across other federal agencies. Key Discussion Points Structural Overhaul of the Department of Education: Nearly 50% of ED staff have been laid off, including in core offices such as Federal Student Aid and the Office for Civil Rights. Regional participation offices have been shut down, leaving institutions without direct support contacts. The shift of student loan collections to the Small Business Administration signals an unprecedented reorganization of oversight. Title IX and Civil Rights Rollbacks: The Supreme Court overturned Biden-era Title IX rules, reinstating Trump-era standards. Protections for transgender students and DEI-related compliance structures are being reversed or defunded. OCR layoffs jeopardize ongoing investigations and reduce institutional support. Policy Enforcement Through Funding Threats: Columbia University's $400M in federal funding was withheld and later restored after accepting federal conditions, including police authority to arrest student protesters and the appointment of an academic overseer. These enforcement tactics set a new precedent, raising concerns about academic freedom and governance. Student Loan Crisis and Risk Exposure: Delinquency rates are reportedly spiking, with internal policy discussions suggesting 70–80% of borrowers may be behind. Institutions face growing exposure as default risks rise, with potential Title IV eligibility consequences. Risk-sharing legislation and budget reconciliation proposals could place financial liability on colleges for unpaid loans. Governance, Autonomy, and Institutional Strategy: Boards must take a more active role in navigating federal restructuring and enforcement trends. The implications go beyond compliance—federal funding is increasingly tied to campus culture, policy, and speech. Strategic responses now require governance-level attention to protect institutional mission and integrity. Three Key Takeaways for Higher Education Leaders and Boards Reassure students that aid is still available and prepare them for repayment obligations now managed under new federal structures. Support compliance and financial aid staff as they navigate the loss of regional ED contacts and fast-changing guidance. Re-evaluate governance-level policies on Title IX, DEI, and civil rights to ensure legal alignment and institutional resilience. Download the March 2025 Higher Ed Board Briefing (PDF) → Read the transcript at:  https://changinghighered.com/washington-update-dismantling-the-department-of-education/ #HigherEducation #DepartmentofEducation #HigherEdPolicy About Our Podcast Guest Tom Netting Having spent all of his professional career devoted to higher education policy oversight and implementation, Tom Netting has an extensive knowledge of the laws and regulations governing all aspects of higher education. His considerable background and experience have afforded him the opportunity to view the development and implementation of federal higher education and workforce development policy in their entirety – including issues related to higher education and workforce development, health care, veteran affairs policies, and the procurement of federal appropriations. About the Host Dr. Drumm McNaughton is the founder, CEO, and Principal Consultant at The Change Leader, Inc. A highly sought-after higher education consultant with 20+ years of experience, Dr. McNaughton works with leadership, management, and boards of both U.S. and international institutions. His expertise spans key areas, including accreditation, governance, strategic planning, presidential onboarding, mergers, acquisitions, and strategic alliances. Dr. McNaughton's approach combines a holistic methodology with a deep understanding of the contemporary and evolving challenges facing higher education institutions worldwide to ensure his clients succeed in their mission.  

Show Notes: Patrick Jackson talks about growing up in his great-grandparents' home in an unincorporated area of Shelby County, where he had no indoor plumbing until age 10. That home, where he lived with his mother and three brothers, was his formative space before going to Harvard. Patrick was initially considering medical school. However, he decided to pursue politics, inspired by an experience he had as a junior in high school working as a U.S. House Page on Capitol Hill. Becoming a Page in the U.S. House of Representatives Patrick believes that God opened a door for him to become a Page through his freshman football and track coach, Mac Hawkins, a government  and civics teacher and Bartlett High School, who became like a surrogate father to him. In 1985 Coach Hawkins found out about an opportunity to become a page through then-Congressman Don Sunquist, who was looking to appoint a promising high school student. Patrick's experience with the Page Program highlights the importance of faith, connections, and the support of family and friends. In this conversation, Patrick discusses his experience as a page in the House of Representatives and the impact it had on his life. He recalls the experience as transformative and fueled him to pursue a career in government. Patrick ended up concentrating in Government at Harvard. Working in Politics After graduation from Harvard, Patrick landed an internship with the Small Business Administration, an opportunity that helped him gain experience and broaden his horizons. Patrick also mentions that he had a temporary spot with Congresswoman Barbara Boxer, who was running for the US Senate at the time. He was invited to work as a legislative correspondent in the Senate office, answering constituent letters and handling constituent calls. However, he wanted to move up quickly and take on more responsibility, so he left Senator Boxer's office and worked for Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez from New York. One significant experience he had there was witnessing Congresswoman Velazquez testify during the healthcare debate about privacy. He had to help write her testimony, which was a tough day but a good day because it helped many people. Patrick acknowledges that this incident did not directly lead to the enactment of the HIPAA law, but it helped with the debate about privacy and HIPAA, adding to the chorus of voices calling for the law to be made and enacted. In 1995, Patrick left Congresswoman Velazquez' office and worked for the late Julian Dixon, a California member of Congress who served as a senior Democrat on Appropriations Committee. He learned a lot from his time there, including the importance of strong relationships across the aisle. Dixon was part of a tight California delegation that worked together to get things done for the state, including medical research funding for top universities and public hospital systems. Patrick also owes a lot to Tracy Holmes, his Chief of Staff, who was skilled in working with people and helping them succeed. Law School and Study Abroad Patrick discusses his experiences in law school and his study abroad experience.  Though he initially planned to work for just two years before law school, he did not enter law school until 1998, when he began at the University of Wisconsin law school in Madison.  While in law school Patricj participated in a law school exchange program at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. There Patrick lived in a student house with other international students and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the square area. He learned about European legal systems through the international comparative comparative law program at the University of Wisconsin.  After law school, he was offered a job after graduation in Columbus, Ohio. He worked as a firm there for a few years but realized that it wasn't what he wanted to spend the rest of his life doing and left the firm at the end of 2005. From Law to the Seminary Patrick left Columbus, Ohio, in 2007, returning to his home in Tennessee to work briefly as a substitute teacher in the Shelby County school system. In 2008 he left Tennessee to return to D.C. to work for United Way of America as a federal lobbyist, covering national issues like the 211 information system and the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program. He met his wife in 2006 while still in Columbus, Ohio, and they became friends and stayed in touch even long distance. In 2010, they decided to move their relationship forward and got married. He worked with Senator Sherrod Brown from 2009 to 2011, but they decided to return to Columbus in 2011.  During that time of transition, Patrick sensed a call to fulltime ministry, which was influenced in part by his involvement in the music ministry at a church in Dumfries, Virginia.  He also attended US Senate Chaplain Barry Black's weekly Bible studies and enrolled in his spiritual mentoring classes. During one of these Bible studies, Chaplain Black encouraged him to consider attending seminary. However, Patrick would not attend seminary until 2013, after spending some time working as a contract lawyer in Columbus.  Patrick attended Andover Newton Theological School in Newton, Massachusetts, graduating with honors in 2017. Life As a Pastor Patrick shares his experience of applying to American Baptist churches for senior pastor positions after graduation from Andover Newton. In 2018 Patrick accepted a Pastoral Residency at Richmond's First Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia.  It was a tremendously rewarding experience and helped prepare him for his first pastorate at First Baptist Church-Church of the Brethren and Cedar Rapids, a dually-aligned American Baptist and Church of the Brethren congregation. The process of becoming a pastor at the church involved submitting materials, having phone conversations, and attending a candidate weekend. The church then voted on whether to call the applicant. This experience led to his current position. As an African American pastor at a predominantly white congregation.  Patrick shares his experiences of working as a pastor and delivering sermons during Covid. Influential Harvard Courses and Professors Patrick shares his experiences with the late Professor Martin Kilson, a government professor who taught him about African American political development in the south. He took a graduate course from Prof. Kilson on African political systems: Power, and Legitimacy, which provided insights into the history and politics of Nigeria, the Congo, and Kenya. Timestamps: 05:02: The Impact of the Page Program and Early Career  18:18: Transition to Capitol Hill and Early Career Challenges 33:20: Law School and International Experience 40:09: Return to Capitol Hill and Transition to Ministry  53:58: Seminary and Pastoral Career  1:08:19: Transition to Cedar Rapids and Current Role  1:20:25: Reflections on Harvard and Influential Courses  Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-jackson-0489a6/   Patrick's church: https://www.thechurchonnorthland.com/ Featured Non-profit: The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Julie Mallozzi who reports: “Hi, I'm Julie Mallozzi, class of 1992 the featured organization of this episode of The 92 report is New Day Films. New Day Films is a filmmaker-run distributor of educational documentaries, many of them exploring urgent social issues. I have been a member of this amazing co-op for six years, and am proud to be serving my third year on its steering committee. You can learn more about our work@newday.com and now here's Will Bachmann with this week's episode. To learn more about their work visit: https://www.newday.com/

In this episode of Audit 15 Fun, we're joined by Mike Ware, former Inspector General of the Small Business Administration and Social Security Administration. We discuss the crucial role of IGs in promoting transparency, uncovering fraud, and preserving oversight across government programs. Mike also reflects on his unexpected dismissal in early 2025, an event that sparked important conversations around independence and integrity in public service. A powerful and timely conversation for auditors.

What does your schedule reveal about your true priorities? Not what you say matters, but what actually gets your time and attention? The American Soul Podcast cuts through our comfortable excuses with this challenging question: Have you made time for God today?Drawing from the wisdom of personal experience, this episode explores how our daily choices reveal our genuine commitments. Just as someone who repeatedly cancels fitness training doesn't truly prioritize health, we often profess spiritual priorities our schedules don't reflect. This honest self-examination forces us to confront the disconnect between our claimed values and actual behaviors.The most powerful moment comes when examining a profound quote about rejected love: "Nothing hurts so much as to go to someone and offer love and have that offer spurned." This reflection creates a dual perspective – both understanding Christ's experience of continued rejection by humanity, and examining our own tendency to reject love offered by family, spouses, friends, and ultimately God Himself. The warning is clear: "To reject God's love is, in the end, to be in peril of his wrath."Through an exploration of Second Thessalonians, listeners find encouragement that their perseverance through hardship serves as inspiration for others facing trials. Your suffering has purpose – it strengthens the faith community around you. The promise that "God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted" places present difficulties in their eternal context.The episode concludes with a powerful reflection on identity, challenging the hyphenation of both national and religious affiliations. Daniel Webster's words resonate: "I am an American...and I am wedded to the fortunes of my country for will or for woe." Similarly, our primary identity must be in Christ, not denominational labels.Ready to recalibrate your priorities? Listen now and discover how making time for what truly matters can transform not just your schedule, but your entire approach to faith and life.Support the showThe American Soul Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/1791934/subscribe

Send us a textOn the nostalgic grounds of their shared alma mater, Wharton, Simi speaks with Dilawar Syed, the Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). A role he was nominated into by President Biden, Administrator Syed was the highest-ranking Muslim official in the U.S. Government at the time of this recording. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.Syed came to the SBA from the State Department where he served as Special Representative for Commercial & Business Affairs. As the State Department's top commercial diplomat, Deputy Administrator Syed advocated for U.S. companies to compete and win abroad and helped ensure U.S. competitiveness in markets across the globe. Before joining the Biden Administration, Syed held the roles of CEO at Lumiata, an AI healthcare company, and President at software company, Freshworks.  Earlier in his career, Syed oversaw business operations for Yahoo!'s platforms and infrastructure and was a product manager at Siebel Systems and SAP. His transition to public service is marked by civic efforts at the federal, state, and local levels. He was the founding Chair of the California Entrepreneurship Task Force with the Governor's Office, served on President Obama's White House Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), and chaired the White House Initiative on AAPIs' Economic Growth Committee. In that role, Syed led the administration's engagement with small businesses across the U.S. after the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. In 2020, Syed was tapped by San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo to help lead Silicon Valley's pandemic recovery as a member of the Silicon Valley Recovery Roundtable. Syed holds an M.B.A. from Wharton and earned a B.A. in Economics and Computer Science from The University of Texas at Austin.South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com. Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Youtube, and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify.

Comprehensive coverage of the day's news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice. Patagonia glaciers As Republican lawmakers face hostile crowds at their town hall meetings, AOC and Bernie Sanders hold “Fighting Oligarchy” rallies UN celebrates first World Glacier Day to raise awareness of importance of glaciers and threats of climate change Trump shifts student loan programs from Dept of Education to Small Business Administration, then announces 40 per cent cut to SBA staffing Israel's defense minister orders army to seize more territory in Gaza, threatens annexation The post AOC, Bernie Sanders hold Fighting Oligarchy rallies; UN warns of glacier melting as climate threat – March 21, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.

AP correspondent Donna Warder reports on job cuts at the Small Business Administration.

We start our Friday newscast with a story about job cuts at the Small Business Administration and we have to wonder, out loud, where all of these government workers are going to go and how these changes will impact the nation's unemployment levels that currently sit at 4.1%. Expect a spike.   A reminder that should you wish to to follow us you can find us all day on Twitter or "X" @IOB_NewsHour and on Instagram. Facebook? Sure were there too.  And our website is just a click away where you can scroll through all of our newscasts. Here's what we've got for you today: SBA downsizes and where the cuts are; Free Eggs in NYC; A Midwest convenience store chain calls it quits; And they are not alone; Costco is trying something innovative about tariffs; Now FedEx is sounding the alarm on the U.S. economy; China has all but stopped buying some U.S. products; The Wall Street Report; And what?  Porn on Spotify? Thanks for listening! The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.

In the picturesque town of Mount Jackson, Virginia, a revolutionary initiative is buzzing with success, breathing new life into the local economy and community spirit. Under the stewardship of Town Manager Olivia Hilton and her dedicated team, the Mount Jackson Five program has turned entrepreneurial dreams into reality. On today's episode of The Valley Business Today with the SBA, host Janet Michael and cohost Carl Knoblock, the Virginia District Director for the Small Business Administration (SBA) explore the stories and the triumphs of this unique business incubation program. Olivia's passion for community and economic development shines brightly. “Quality of life, parks, and economic development are what Mount Jackson sold me on,” says Olivia. Her progressive approach and willingness to support local entrepreneurs have set the foundation for the Mount Jackson Five program. The essence of the Mount Jackson Five program lies in providing the tools and support necessary for small businesses to thrive. Through a combination of grants, mentorship, and networking, the program has fostered a diverse group of businesses poised for success. 1. Valley Trail Bike and Run: Pedaling Towards a Healthier Community Founded by Trey and Bryce Nelson, Valley Trail Bike and Run is more than just a store. It's a hub for outdoor enthusiasts, offering biking and running gear, along with a full-service maintenance shop. The store's strategic focus on community integration and quality service is poised to fill a significant gap in the region's market for outdoor activities. “Our goal is to create a business community because it really wasn't quite here in Mount Jackson,” says Olivia. 2. Jillian's Farmstead Kitchen: Homestyle Goodness Jillian's journey to opening a brick-and-mortar storefront started with a pandemic pivot from in-home childcare to meal prepping and catering. Known for her scratch-made sourdough bread and family-style meals, Jillian's Farmstead Kitchen is a culinary haven. Emphasizing community connection, the kitchen plans to offer catering, pick-up meals, and a welcoming spot for locals. “Having friends and family come to help has been amazing,” Jillian shares. 3. Wild Child Museum and Menagerie: Where Learning Meets Play Rosie Lynch's Wild Child Museum and Menagerie is set to become Shenandoah County's ideal destination for indoor play and outdoor exploration. Focused on fostering a connection to nature, the museum aims to meet families' biological, socio-emotional, and intellectual needs. Rosie's adaptability and partnership with local institutions, like CREW, are vital for the project's success. “The teamwork that the town had was helpful because we had this dream,” Rosie highlights. 4. Hero's Journey Card Shop: Building a Community One Card at a Time Anthony High's Hero's Journey Card Shop, co-owned with his future brother-in-law Ethan, is envisioned as a hub for card enthusiasts. Offering a space for trading card games like Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering, the store is designed for community engagement with events like puzzle nights and murder mystery parties. “We want to provide a place for people who need that kind of space,” Anthony explains. Starting a business is never without its hurdles. From obtaining the right permits and funding to finding the perfect location and staffing, each of these entrepreneurs has navigated significant challenges. Yet, the shared support from the town administration and the community has played an instrumental role in their progress. The excitement doesn't end here. Olivia Hilton envisions the program's continuation, bringing more entrepreneurs and innovative ideas into Mount Jackson. The town is committed to supporting these new businesses and ensuring their long-term success. In closing, the Mount Jackson Five program exemplifies the power of community support in revitalizing local economies. With a collaborative spirit and a focus on sustainable growth, Mount Jackson is paving the way for a promising future. Visit these burgeoning businesses and be a part of the town's thriving community.

Want to be your own boss? In this episode, host Yanely Espinal talks to attorney-turned-entrepreneur Sam Vander Wielen about the basics of setting up a new business and what you need to know to protect yourself as a business owner. She shares some useful resources that can help you along the way. We also hear from 21-year-old Leslie Zuñiga about what she learned from starting her own nail art business.  Think you're financially inclined? Dig deeper into how to start a business: The U.S. Small Business Administration's 10 steps for starting your own business  Small business resources from the U.S. Department of Commerce  Internal Revenue Service checklist for starting a business   Are you in an educational setting? Here's a handy listening guide.  Thanks for listening to this episode of “Financially Inclined”! We'd love to hear what you learned from it or any questions you'd like us to answer in a future episode. You can shoot us an email at financiallyinclined@marketplace.org or tell us using this online form. This podcast is presented in partnership with Greenlight: the money app for teens — with investing. For a limited time, our listeners can earn $10 when they sign up today for a Greenlight account.

Want to be your own boss? In this episode, host Yanely Espinal talks to attorney-turned-entrepreneur Sam Vander Wielen about the basics of setting up a new business and what you need to know to protect yourself as a business owner. She shares some useful resources that can help you along the way. We also hear from 21-year-old Leslie Zuñiga about what she learned from starting her own nail art business.  Think you're financially inclined? Dig deeper into how to start a business: The U.S. Small Business Administration's 10 steps for starting your own business  Small business resources from the U.S. Department of Commerce  Internal Revenue Service checklist for starting a business   Are you in an educational setting? Here's a handy listening guide.  Thanks for listening to this episode of “Financially Inclined”! We'd love to hear what you learned from it or any questions you'd like us to answer in a future episode. You can shoot us an email at financiallyinclined@marketplace.org or tell us using this online form. This podcast is presented in partnership with Greenlight: the money app for teens — with investing. For a limited time, our listeners can earn $10 when they sign up today for a Greenlight account.

Yes. You read that right. If you think the government is a scam, wait until you hear about the 6,000 youngsters who qualified for hundreds of millions in PPE loans from the Small Business Administration. An MSNBC panel laughs as Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket explodes shortly after liftoff. A scathing rebuke of Congress as lawmakers describe House and Senate members who are far from up to the job. If you need an ID to buy alcohol, shouldn't lawmakers be required to pass an IQ test to serve our interests?

3pm: John’s stay at Margaritaville in Times Square // This history of Daylight Savings Time // Ferguson slows electric ferry conversion to restore service by summer // House Republican Leader highlights improved relations after Inslee’s exit // U.S. Small Business Administration to leave Seattle and other 'sanctuary cities' // Gavin Newsom’s Podcast Episode with Charlie Kirk Spurs Controversy // How Gavin Newsom “shampooed” Charlie Kirk like Larry King did to John Curley // South Carolina’s first firing squad execution took place tonight

6pm: John’s stay at Margaritaville in Times Square // This history of Daylight Savings Time // Ferguson slows electric ferry conversion to restore service by summer // House Republican Leader highlights improved relations after Inslee’s exit // U.S. Small Business Administration to leave Seattle and other 'sanctuary cities' // Gavin Newsom’s Podcast Episode with Charlie Kirk Spurs Controversy // How Gavin Newsom “shampooed” Charlie Kirk like Larry King did to John Curley // South Carolina’s first firing squad execution took place tonight

This week on The Art of SBA Lending, we're diving into the Twitter war of the century: Elon Musk vs. the SBA. It all started when Musk called the Small Business Administration the "Shady Business Administration" and claimed that only 8% of SBA loans get paid back. Naturally, we had to set the record straight. Ray Drew and an expert panel of Art of SBA Contributors discuss: ➡️ The impact of Musk's comments and whether misinformation could disrupt the SBA ➡️ The reality of SBA loan repayment rates (spoiler: it's not 8%) ➡️ What happens if the SBA 7(a) program is eliminated—would private lenders fill the gap? ➡️ The efficiency of the SBA and whether emerging tech (like AI) could make lending faster ➡️ The future of Community Advantage loans, SBLCs, and potential policy changes Join Ray Drew, Darren Davis, Javier Jorge, and Brooke Mirenda as they unpack the chaos, misinformation, and possible shake-ups in the world of SBA lending.

It's Politically Georgia's first episode since going back to a podcast only. Hosts Greg Bluestein, Patricia Murphy, and Tia Mitchell share what's in store for Politically Georgia's future and discuss the fast-approaching Crossover Day deadline for state legislators. Then, Greg Bluestein recaps his interview with Kelly Loeffler - one of her first interviews since being confirmed to lead the Small Business Administration.  Have a question or comment for the show? Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We'll play back your question and answer it during our next listener mailbag segment. Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.”   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Heneka Watkis-Porter, the #JamaicanPodcastQueen, in this insightful episode of The Entrepreneurial You as she engages in a transformative conversation with Matthew Fornaro, a seasoned business law attorney with over 20 years of experience. Matthew has helped countless entrepreneurs navigate the legal complexities of starting and running a business, ensuring they avoid common legal pitfalls, protect their intellectual property, and remain compliant with evolving regulations. From choosing the right business structure to understanding contracts and securing intellectual property rights, this conversation is packed with practical legal advice that every business owner should know. If you're an entrepreneur looking to scale your business without legal roadblocks, this episode is for you! COMMUNITY CONNECTION: In this segment, I invite you, our community to share your reviews, questions, feedback, ect to engage with us. This week I am sharing a book review from my book podcast power...Donald Kelly from United States of America. ★★★★★ I'm a podcaster, but I have not launched a show in a while. Reading Heneka's book helped me to focus on things that I previously overlooked in the process. She masterfully guides you as a reader and gives you the confidence to take action. I highly recommend anyone remotely interested in podcasting to check out this book. It is truly worth it. CONTACT MATTHEW FORNARO: Website: fornarolegal.com Facebook: facebook.com/fornarolegal TRENDING NOW: “Legal Trends for Small Businesses in 2024.” In recent years, navigating legal challenges has become a significant concern for small businesses. In fact, according to the Small Business Administration, nearly 60% of small businesses reported facing legal issues last year, ranging from compliance requirements to intellectual property disputes. With the evolving regulatory landscape, what new legal trends are emerging in 2024 that business owners should be aware of? Join us as we explore what entrepreneurs need to know to stay compliant, protected, and proactive in the year ahead. If you enjoyed this episode of The Entrepreneurial You, subscribe on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, leave a rating, and share it with your friends. Visit henekawatkisporter.com to download a free eBook on how to conduct podcast interviews like a pro! AFFIRM WITH ME: I am open to the possibilities that each day brings. I trust in my ability to adapt and thrive, knowing that every experience contributes to my growth. When I lead with integrity, I empower those around me to do the same. I recognize the impact of my words and actions—they can uplift and inspire. Until I connect again, I will embrace my journey with enthusiasm and purpose. Go out there and shine your light! I'm Heneka Watkis-Porter, and this has been The Entrepreneurial You. Keep pursuing your dreams! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's Top News in 10, we cover:    Senate Majority Leader John Thune says “it's time to act” on a budget reconciliation bill that provides funding to secure the border, rebuild America's defenses, and promote domestic energy production.    President Trump and Elon Musk sat down for a joint interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity to talk about the Department of Government Efficiency and the Left's efforts to sow division between the two men.    The White House banished the Associated Press from the Oval Office and Air Force One over a dispute on the newly renamed Gulf of America.    Plus, our news flash:    Tensions between President Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymr Zelenskyy escalated today following a meeting between Russian officials and Trump's team in Saudi Arabia.     President Trump says he is firing all the Biden-era U.S. attorneys in a move to restore confidence at the Department of Justice.    Kelly Loeffler was confirmed by the Senate today to be Administrator of the Small Business Administration. That sets the stage for a vote on Kash Patel to serve as the next FBI director.    CPAC starts Thursday on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., and Vice President JD Vance is slated to kick off the event. The Daily Signal will have a spot on CPAC's media row.    Keep Up With The Daily Signal    Sign up for our email newsletters: https://www.dailysignal.com/email       Subscribe to our other shows:     The Tony Kinnett Cast: https://www.dailysignal.com/the-tony-kinnett-cast   Problematic Women: https://www.dailysignal.com/problematic-women   The Signal Sitdown: https://www.dailysignal.com/the-signal-sitdown      Follow The Daily Signal:     X: https://x.com/DailySignal   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedailysignal/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDailySignalNews/   Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@DailySignal   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DailySignal   Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/TheDailySignal      Thanks for making The Daily Signal Podcast your trusted source for the day's top news. Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and never miss an episode.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kyle Bass is the Founder/CIO of Hayman Capital Management, L.P., an investment manager of private funds focused on global event-driven opportunities, and the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Conservation Equity Management, an impact and natural capital private equity firm.  Kyle is also the Co-Chief Executive Officer of the newly formed Rochefort Management, a private credit firm focused on the Critical Technology Initiative – a joint effort between the Small Business Administration and the Department of Defense to attract private investment into technology areas deemed critical to national and economic security. Mr. Bass is a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the recipient of the 2019 Foreign Policy Association Medal for his responsible internationalism. Mr. Bass has lectured on global economics, national security, geopolitics, and the architecture of the Chinese financial system at various universities. Mr. Bass is the former Chair of the Risk Committee of the Board of Directors of the University of Texas Investment Management Company (UTIMCO), which manages approximately $75 billion.  We discuss: - Predicting the GFC and attempting to warn Bear Stearns and the SEC of the coming collapse - The global state of affairs: China, Taiwan, Russia, Iran and BRICS - How the U.S. and Trump should combat China - The rise of the U.S. Defense-Tech industry - Why Texas is the Growth Engine for the world (00:00:00) - Intro (00:04:03) - Introducing Kyle (00:05:58) - Short-Selling Thesis (00:11:45) - Predicting the GFC (00:19:50) - Trying to warn Bear Stearns & the SEC (00:25:39) - How to hire a contrarian (00:29:23) - China-Taiwan (00:33:34) - How Trump can have a successful presidency concerning China (00:44:17) - Iran (00:46:34) - Why some wealthy Americans are pro-China (00:49:32) - The Chinese land grab in America (00:52:41) - Texas: The growth engine of the world (00:58:47) - The Defense-Tech Industry in America (01:02:03) - What Kyle will invest in (01:05:19) - The Texas migration and influence (01:09:23) - What do you want to be known for? Support our Sponsors Vesto: https://www.vesto.com/fort BetterPitch: https://bit.ly/42d9L0I Fort: https://bit.ly/FortCompanies Follow Fort on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fort-companies/ Chris on Social Media: The Fort Podcast on Twitter/X: https://x.com/theFORTpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefortpodcast LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/45gIkFd   Watch The Fort on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX Visit our website: https://bit.ly/43SOvys Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0 Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO  The FORT is produced by Johnny Podcasts

Today's Headlines: About 77,000 federal employees have accepted Trump's deferred resignation offer, with more layoffs hitting the Department of Education, GSA, and Small Business Administration. Meanwhile, several DOJ officials in New York resigned after refusing to drop corruption charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams, who was allegedly shielded by Trump's immigration crackdown. Trump also froze the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, an anti-bribery law. House Republicans rolled out a budget plan with $1.5 trillion in spending cuts, $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, and more funding for immigration enforcement and the military. A federal judge blocked Trump's order restricting health care for transgender youth, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul vowed to block Louisiana's effort to extradite a doctor who mailed abortion pills to a teen. Pam Bondi announced a lawsuit against New York's Green Light law, which limits DMV data sharing with immigration officials. Lastly, RFK Jr. was confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary—Mitch McConnell was the only Republican to vote against him. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: CNN: Scores of firings have begun at federal agencies AP News: Prosecutor who quit after refusing to drop Adams case says she's confident he committed the crimes CBS News: Trump freezes U.S. law banning bribery of foreign officials WSJ: House GOP Plan Envisions $4.5 Trillion in Tax Cuts WA Post: Federal judge blocks Trump order on health care for transgender youth NY Times: Abortion Provider Won't Be Extradited to Louisiana, N.Y. Governor Says CBS News: New York's Green Light Law hit with Department of Justice lawsuit. Here's why. NY Times: Senate Confirms RFK Jr., a Prominent Vaccine Skeptic, as Health Secretary  Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage alongside Bridget Schwartz and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s show: Linda McMahon led WWE and the Small Business Administration. The U.S. Education Department may be next. NPR’s Jonaki Mehta reports on her background and details how the Trump administration targeted an Education Department research arm in recent cuts. The Washington Post reports that McMahon has a record at odds with Trump’s agenda. As the U.S. battles fentanyl, Mexico is fighting the flow of American guns into the country. The Wall Street Journal’s Zusha Elinson explains why it’s so easy to smuggle weapons across the border. Wired looks at how online maps are handling Trump's Gulf of Mexico name change. Plus, a judge cleared the way for federal employees to accept the president’s “buyout” offer, Trump FBI pick Kash Patel was accused of orchestrating a staff purge at the agency while still a nominee, and how Trump has reshaped the Kennedy Center. Today’s episode was hosted by Shumita Basu.

Mass firings have begun at federal agencies, with terminations of probationary employees underway at the Department of Education and the Small Business Administration, federal employees and union sources told CNN. The mass firings mark the first from the Trump administration as President Donald Trump and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency aim to dramatically shrink the federal workforce. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices