Gene Marks

Trump’s economy stronger than the headlines suggest

Worried about the economy? Don't be. Here's why.

May 28, 2026

U.S. manufacturing revival may have already arrived

I have one manufacturing client in New Jersey and another in Georgia who are both expanding their businesses.

May 4, 2026

Do not trust small business surveys

Every time I read something about businesses and the economy, it's generally because a new survey is making the news.

April 5, 2026

States threaten small-business gains from Washington’s pro-growth policies

What's great about having a very pro-business administration in Washington is that rules and regulations are being rolled back and taxes are coming down.

March 2, 2026

The business downside of a pro-business White House

As the federal government has pulled back from regulating labor, commerce and industry, states have jumped in.

January 28, 2026

2026 will be a strong year for most small businesses

I think I understand why surveys from the National Federation of Independent Businesses, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Bank of America are showing a rising level of small-business optimism.

January 1, 2026

Small-business owners, consider this tax-saving strategy

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law this summer, includes many tax benefits for businesses and individuals.

December 3, 2025

Can’t afford a house? It’s probably your fault

Buying a house today is hard, particularly for younger people. I should know. I have children in their early 30s, and they and their friends are all trying to make it happen.

November 3, 2025

The looming American manufacturing boom

Corporate finance news outlet CFO Brew recently reported that Federal Reserve surveys painted "a mostly lackluster picture of September manufacturing activity" across the country.

October 6, 2025

Trump’s 2025 wins missing immigration reform

In just a few months, the Trump administration has done several significant things to help big and small businesses.

September 1, 2025

Small businesses are thriving under Trump

Tariffs. Inflation. Labor shortages. Interest rates. Tech challenges. Economic uncertainty. These are all issues that small businesses are facing this year. Yet a lot of things are going right for us.

July 30, 2025

Big winners in the ‘big beautiful bill’? Small businesses

The big, beautiful tax and spending bill signed into law last week by President Trump has its pros and cons.

July 8, 2025

The one big thing missing from the ‘No tax on tips’ bill

As promised during President Trump's campaign, two bills -- one passed in the House and the other now being deliberated in the Senate -- aim to exclude taxes on tipped income.

June 3, 2025

The best DEI policy is no DEI policy

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has become much more complicated, hasn't it?

May 1, 2025

How to profit under Trump

When it comes to making good business decisions, my smartest clients leave politics in the voting box.

April 3, 2025

Are your female employees dubious of AI?

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) proliferates in our personal and professional lives, one thing is becoming clear: Women appear to be less inclined to use the technology than men.

March 2, 2025

DeepSeek AI model great news for U.S. small businesses

Big Tech and Wall Street are freaking out about DeepSeek's announcement this week that their AI modeling can do what OpenAI does but at 1/30th of the cost.

January 30, 2025

Small-business owners are optimistic, but are they realistic?

As we head into 2025, small businesses seem optimistic -- at least according to some recent reports.

December 30, 2024

10 ways businesses should prepare for 2025 tax Armageddon

Webster's dictionary defines "Armageddon" as "the site or time of a final and conclusive battle between the forces of good and evil." When it comes to next year's tax battle, that definition couldn't be more appropriate.

December 9, 2024

American Airlines cracks down on queue jumpers

Last week, American announced a new automated system that "instantly" flags those who try to jump the queue and board before their group is called. I know this doesn't sound like a big deal to some, but it is.

November 5, 2024