Family Issues

Small Business Spotlight - Colfax Tractor Parts

Recently I took a trip down a gravel road in tiny Colfax, Iowa to visit with Jeff Bucklin of Colfax Tractor Parts. They own 100 acres full of nearly every type of used agriculture equipment out there. The founder of the business, Bennie Bucklin (79) still puts in a full week of work helping identify where various tractors, combines, planters, skid loaders are located. Now, get this: They ship these tractor and construction parts all over the globe. It's a big deal. In addition they also buy "gently used" vehicles, detail 'em and sell those as well. Come along for a great family story we think you'll enjoy. 
Thanks for being here!
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.

The Business News Headlines 17 May 2024

Welcome to Friday and a reminder that we're back on the air Sunday, Noon Central and only on News/Talk 1540 KXEL with Insight on Business the News Hour, Week in Review.  The top business news stories of the past week along with two new business conversations. We hope you'll join us and yes, we do stream. Meanwhile if you want to reach out to us on Social Media you can hook up with us all day on Twitter or "X" @IOB_NewsHour and on Instagram. Facebook? Sure were there too.  Here's what we've got for you today:
A big loss for the UAW in Alabama;
The Dow hits over 40,000 at the close;
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to expand;
The Boeing whistleblower died by taking his own life;
Meanwhile Boeing shareholders OK a whopping CEO pay package;
What will consumers buy as we head toward the holiday season?
The Wall Street Report;
While Amazon rakes in the cash, workers struggle;
And a quick look at what is a living wage.
Thanks for being here!
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.

The Business News Headlines 2 May 2024

Welcome to Thursday and the Business News Headlines for this the 2nd day of May. One other thing before we get into the newscast: Some time ago I sat down with author, community connector and podcaster Ben McDougal. You may know him from 1,000 Cups Des Moines. Anyway here is that conversation we had about the beginnings of Insight on Business and some fun conversation about what it takes to be creative every day the title is Consistency Counts. Meanwhile, you can hook up with us all day on Twitter or "X" @IOB_NewsHour and on Instagram. Facebook? Sure were there too.  Here's what we've got for you today:
Jobless Claims and the U.S. Job Market;
Black taxpayers get audited more often and why;
Microsoft and Malaysia made the news;
Peloton is axing 400 workers and its CEO;
Mortgage rates climbed yet again;
The Wall Street Report;
A zinger! Google paid Apple big money for...
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.

The Business News Headlines and Fighting the Fear of Flying 1 May 2024

Welcome to the first day of May. In many countries May Day is a day to celebrate and lift up worker rights. Huge crowds across the globe took to the streets to encourage their national leaders to uphold worker safety, pay and other benefits. Meanwhile here in the U.S. the celebrations were much more muted. Coming up some of the big business news stories of the day and a conversation about people who suffer from non-visible disabilities (think autism) and what Jonathan Sutter is doing to help make flying less...fearful. It's a good story. And, you can hook up with us all day on Twitter or "X" @IOB_NewsHour and on Instagram. Facebook? Sure were there too.  Here's what we've got for you today:
It's what we expected from the Fed but...
So, marijuana is less dangerous but we still have an issue;
Airbnb has some sweet destinations to offer you;
Today is May Day...but muted in the U.S.;
The Wall Street Report;
AI is boosting revenue over at Amazon.
For the interview you'll meet Jonathan Sutter who founded TravelingWiki.com an organization that encourages airports to install rooms that can help folks with autism and other non-visible disabilities become less fearful of flying. I learned much from Johnathan and my guess is that you will too. To listen to that conversation CLICK THIS LINK.
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.

Non-Visible Disabilities and the Fear of Flying

It was another of those chance meetings. I was sitting in the lobby of the Hotel Fort Des Moines visiting with Jenny Schuetz about our scheduled interview when a man stepped up and said, "Excuse me, but I heard you talking about the interview maybe we could do a segment? I help people with non-visible disabilities better enjoy air travel by helping them experience what it's like in an aircraft."  And so I met Jonathan Sutter who founded TravelingWiki.com an organization that encourages airports to install rooms that can help folks with autism and other non-visible disabilities become less fearful of flying. I learned much from Johnathan and my guess is that you will too. 
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.

The Business News Headlines and Fixing a Broken Housing System

It's the final day of April and the worst month for Wall Street since last September. Welcome to the Tuesday Edition of the Business News Headlines for this the 30th of April.  We kick things off with that story and follow several others before we get to a conversation about housing with author Jenny Schuetz and her book, Fixer Upper: How to Repair America's Broken Housing Systems. We are grateful to the Polk County Housing Trust Fund for making Jenny, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution available for this conversation.   Meanwhile, you can hook up with us all day on Twitter or "X" @IOB_NewsHour and on Instagram. Facebook? Sure were there too.  Here's what we've got for you today:
Wages climb and the Fed thinks that's bad;
U.S. Newspapers sue AI creators and why;
Amazon posts solid profits;
The (awful) Wall Street Report;
Walmart gets "glitzy" with groceries and why.
For the interview we're talking about housing and the many barriers there are to attain the "American Dream". Things like high interest rates, not enough new affordable housing being built, not enough housing stock on the market...it all makes it increasingly difficult to become a homeowner.  Enter Jenny Schuetz the author of "Fixer-Upper: How to Repair America's Broken Housing Systems". Here we talk about the barriers of homeownership and she offers solutions. Our thanks to the Polk County Housing Trust Fund for making Jenny available for this conversation. To listen, click this link.
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.

The Housing Crisis and Solutions with Jenny Schuetz

If you've been listening to our newscast for any time over the past year or so you know we report, regularly, on the housing crisis in the United States.  The issues are many: High interest rates, not enough new affordable housing being built, not enough housing stock on the market...it all makes it increasingly difficult to become a homeowner.  Or what was the "American Dream". Enter Jenny Schuetz the author of "Fixer-Upper: How to Repair America's Broken Housing Systems". Here we talk about the barriers of homeownership and she offers solutions. Our thanks to the Polk County Housing Trust Fund for making Jenny available for this conversation.
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.

The Business News Headlines and a Workers Memorial 29 April 2024

Welcome to the Monday Edition of the Business News Headlines.  Glad you are with us. Over the  past week labor unions across Iowa have been holding Worker Memorials to remember the men and women who were killed on or at the job site this past year. Today the South Central Iowa Federation of Labor AFL/CIO held such a memorial at the Iowa State Capital. I have been to many of these events over the years but never one where so many names were read. Today seventy-three individuals who are now gone but not forgotten were remembered. I was struck by that huge number and at the ages of some of the deceased. Following the event I sat down with Paula Martinez the President of the local union and asked..."Why?".  It was an emotional event for many of us...  Here are the other stories we have for you today:
Driverless Semi-Trucks?  Yep, coming soon;
Older affluent Americans are driving the economy...but;
Recent airline stories have prompted Congress to act;
Chipotle employees may again eat...chicken;
The Supreme Court will take up an unusual case;
The Wall Street Report;
Remembering the 73 Iowans with Paula Martinez.
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.

The Business News Headlines 4 April 2024

Where in the world is Janet Yellen?  We’ll share. Welcome to the Business News Headlines for Thursday the 4th day of April! In other news:  We'll share some tips on avoiding tax scams and what scammers will tell you. I've got a partly personal story about an obvious Medicare Scam that is heating up.  It’s been awhile since we’ve talked about the wacky platform X what was once Twitter.  We have a new update. Be careful what you say…would be a good message for officials of the Central Bank. Conflicting words caused Wall Street to bottom out late today. We’ll have those details in the Wall Street Report. And finally Ford is shelving some electric vehicle manufacturing in favor of focusing on Hybrids…we’ll share why with you as well. By the way,  if you want to reach us on social media and if you're on Threads you can find us @Insight_On_Business. And you can hook up with us all day on Twitter or "X" @IOB_NewsHour and on Instagram. Facebook? Sure were there too. 
Thanks for being with us!
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.

The Business News Headlines and Glam 3 April 2024

Our first story is about Fed Chair Jerome Powell who said rate cuts are coming sometime…in the future. It’s the Business News Headlines for Wednesday the 3rd day of April…thanks for being with us. In other news, inflation drops in Europe and why that matters. Some news out of the Magic Kingdom…think board seats. Because our newscast comes out of Iowa we thought you might like to know the resale value of the women’s final four match up. Could Tesla go…bust?  That shocking story is up today. The Wall Street Report and women take a back seat…when it comes to the C – Suite. For the interview you’ll meet Amy Rinnels who for 27 years has been in the glamorous business of high fashion for young women and their proms…it’s a great story…and to listen CLICK THIS LINK.
Thanks for being here! 
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.