THRIVE, a Paychex Business Podcast

Paychex, Inc.
  • 4.9 (12)
  • Management
  • Updated Semiweekly

Designed for those who crave the inside scoop on everything from people to policy to profits, each THRIVE episode transforms complex business and HR topics into clear, actionable advice. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a seasoned business owner, or an aspiring leader, this podcast is your go-to source for cutting through the noise and gaining a competitive advantage.

  1. 1d ago

    Laundromats, Private Equity, and Seller Financing: Inside Today’s Business Sales Market

    Buying or selling a business takes more than finding the right match. It takes good timing, realistic expectations, and a clear read on the market. Host Gene Marks talks with Bob House, president of BizBuySell.com, about where things stand today. You'll hear which businesses buyers want most, how private equity and search funds are reshaping the buyer pool, and why the seller financing gap can make or break a sale. Bob also shares what catches owners off guard at sale time and why preparation is the best move on either side of the deal. Simplify your business operations. Learn how Paychex can handle your HR and payroll so you can focus on what counts: https://bit.ly/3VtM6bs Have a topic idea? Share it at https://payx.me/thrivetopics Topics include: 00:00 – Episode preview and guest introduction 01:26 – How BuyBizSell works 05:18 – The latest market report and the slow-rolling silver tsunami 08:20 – Higher interest rates and the seller financing gap 09:40 – Private equity, search funds, and who’s buying 11:13 – Small business sentiment and rising costs 15:11 – Hot sectors 17:04 – Buying a business vs. starting from scratch 19:24 – Where ESOPs fit in 20:14 – What surprises owners when it’s time to sell 22:31 – How businesses are valued 26:05 – Bob’s top advice for buyers and sellers 28:29 – Wrap up and thank you #BusinessPodcast #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #iHeartRadio #ApplePodcastTips #SpotifyPodcasts DISCLAIMER: The information presented in this podcast, and that is further provided by the presenter, should not be considered legal or accounting advice, and should not substitute for legal, accounting, or other professional advice in which the facts and circumstances may warrant. We encourage you to consult legal counsel as it pertains to your own unique situation(s) and/or with any specific legal questions you may have.

  2. 6d ago

    Rates Reshape Housing Market, the Retirement Gap, AI Botches Financial Tests

    With mortgage rates surpassing 7%, it’s created a ripple effect within the housing market for buyers, sellers, and even the industries that are directly tied to housing such as bankers, builders, and insurance professionals. Host Gene Marks says it’s not time to panic but it’s time to plan and budget and be strategic. Switching to retirement, there should be a little panic, especially after a report came out that shows 76.2 million U.S. workers lack access to an employer-sponsored workplace retirement plan. Learn what Gene has to say about the benefits for owners and workers if a 401(k) plan is in place. In AI news, the tech struggled with a finance test as only 43% got answers right. Listen to the podcast. Topics: 00:00 – Introduction 01:00 – Mortgage Rates Reshape Housing Market 05:03 – Retirement Gap Starts with Plan Access 08:45 – AI Failing on Financial Advice 11:30 – Episode Wrap-up Additional Resources HR Metrics Cheat Sheet: https://bit.ly/hr-metrics-formulas Does your state mandate workplace retirement plans? https://bit.ly/retirement-plan-access Learn about Paychex Retirement Services: https://bit.ly/payx-retirement DISCLAIMER: The information presented in this podcast, and that is further provided by the presenter, should not be considered legal or accounting advice, and should not substitute for legal, accounting, or other professional advice in which the facts and circumstances may warrant. We encourage you to consult legal counsel as it pertains to your own unique situation(s) and/or with any specific legal questions you may have.

  3. Sep 24

    Unemployment Is Down, Proposed Bills to Help SMBs, AI Not Leading to Mass Layoffs

    Unemployment claims have dropped to their lowest level since mid-July, which is a good indicator that layoffs aren’t imminent. Host Gene Marks talks about employers holding on to their employees in a strong labor market. Plus, the House of Representatives passes nine bills with bipartisan support aimed at strengthening programs in the Small Business Administration, including ones dealing with funding access and disaster assistance. In AI news, Bank of America puts millions toward AI implementation and the training is leading to an increase in productivity and less layoffs. Listen to the podcast. Topics: 00:00 – Introduction 01:05 – Unemployment Data 04:39 – Bipartisan Support for Small Businesses 07:37 – AI and Jobs Impact 10:10 – Episode Wrap-up  Additional Resources HR Metrics Cheat Sheet: https://bit.ly/hr-metrics-formulas Thrive podcast with NEC’s Kevin Hassett:  https://bit.ly/thrive-kevin-hassett Meet Paychex: https://bit.ly/3VtM6bs DISCLAIMER: The information presented in this podcast, and that is further provided by the presenter, should not be considered legal or accounting advice, and should not substitute for legal, accounting, or other professional advice in which the facts and circumstances may warrant. We encourage you to consult legal counsel as it pertains to your own unique situation(s) and/or with any specific legal questions you may have.

  4. Sep 22

    How Data, Adoption, and Agentic Tools Deliver Business Value — with HubSpot’s Angie O’Dowd

    Gene Marks talks with Angie O’Dowd, Global VP of Partner Ecosystem at HubSpot, about how HubSpot has evolved into a full CRM and “agentic customer platform,” how its partner ecosystem works, and how AI and agents are changing CRM setup, adoption, data quality, and reporting. They cover when you should work with a partner vs self‑implement, what makes a strong partner, how AI assistants like Breeze and external tools like Claude or ChatGPT plug into HubSpot, the difference between workflows and agents, how AI can help clean up your messy CRM data, common privacy concerns, and why human habits are now the main bottleneck to AI‑driven CRM.   Topics include: 00:00 – Episode preview and guest introduction 02:29 – What HubSpot Is Today: From Marketing Tool to Customer Platform 07:03 – Do You Really Need a Vertical CRM? 08:10 – Choosing the Right Tier of HubSpot & Partner: SMB vs. Mid‑Market/Enterprise 09:28 – The Adoption Problem: Getting People to Actually Use the CRM 11:10 – The State of Ecosystems Report: Where Partners Make Money with HubSpot 12:22 – How HubSpot Thinks About AI Interfaces and LLM Choice 15:20 – Reliability, Custom Agents, and the Role of Partners 18:01 – Agents vs. Workflows: What’s the Difference? 25:04 – When Is the Tipping Point for Serious AI Adoption in CRM? 30:32 – Vibe Coding, Claude Code, and Why You Don’t DIY Your Core CRM 31:35 – Wrap up and thank you Simplify your business operations: Visit paychex.com/Meet-Paychex to learn how Paychex can handle your HR and payroll so you can focus on what counts. Have a topic idea? Share it at https://payx.me/thrivetopics DISCLAIMER: The information presented in this podcast, and that is further provided by the presenter, should not be considered legal or accounting advice, and should not substitute for legal, accounting, or other professional advice in which the facts and circumstances may warrant. We encourage you to consult legal counsel as it pertains to your own unique situation(s) and/or with any specific legal questions you may have.

  5. Sep 17

    Managing Annual Compensation, Your Retiring Employees, and Underuse of AI Tools

    A Korn Ferry survey found that at least half of employers expect to provide raises at least equal to the rate of inflation (3%). Host Gene Marks advises small businesses to take advantage of the flexibility of offering more PTO as a bonus. Another hurdle is handling the soon-to-be silver tsunami of retirees, potentially leaving businesses short on institutional knowledge. Gene recommends mentoring and phased arrangements that include financial wellness resources to help maintain productivity. In AI news, the gap between having the tools and using them to the max is cavernous. Listen to the episode for tips. Topics: 00:00 – Introduction 01:26 – Compensation and Raises 05:02 – Maintaining Productivity Amid Retirement Surge 08:12 – Train Employees to Use AI Tools to Fullest 11:22 – Episode Wrap-up  Additional Resources Mid-Year Check-In: https://bit.ly/midyear-compliance-checklist Meet Paychex: https://bit.ly/3VtM6bs DISCLAIMER: The information presented in this podcast, and that is further provided by the presenter, should not be considered legal or accounting advice, and should not substitute for legal, accounting, or other professional advice in which the facts and circumstances may warrant. We encourage you to consult legal counsel as it pertains to your own unique situation(s) and/or with any specific legal questions you may have.

  6. Sep 10

    Labor Market Tightens, Gen Z Avoids Managing, Open AI Launches Astra

    Data from the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch and the federal government show weekly hours worked increasing and job openings maintaining. Host Gene Marks offers insights on what employers can do in a tight labor market. He also points to internal issues leaders are having with elevating Gen Z employees, as a survey shows that 60% don’t want managerial jobs. What’s holding them back? Some of the reasons might surprise you. In AI news, the launch of Astra by OpenAI promises advances in browser automation and cybersecurity, but not without controversy. Listen to the podcast. Topics: 00:00 – Introduction 00:17 – Jobs Data and What It Means 03:55 – Managerial Pipeline Issues 07:19 – Open AI Launches Astra Platform 09:54 – Episode Wrap-up Additional Resources Paychex Small Business Employment Watch: https://bit.ly/paychex-sbew Mid-Year Check-In: https://bit.ly/midyear-compliance-checklist Meet Paychex: https://bit.ly/3VtM6bs DISCLAIMER: The information presented in this podcast, and that is further provided by the presenter, should not be considered legal or accounting advice, and should not substitute for legal, accounting, or other professional advice in which the facts and circumstances may warrant. We encourage you to consult legal counsel as it pertains to your own unique situation(s) and/or with any specific legal questions you may have.

  7. Sep 8

    Can Small Businesses Win at Search in 2026? Moz's Tom Capper Explains How

    Search engine optimization, or SEO, has changed more in the last two years than the previous ten, and small businesses are feeling it. Gene Marks sits down with Tom Capper of Moz to explain what actually works now, and what's no longer worth your time when it comes to organic search. Tom breaks down why your competitors' websites, local reviews, and even Wikipedia are suddenly part of your search strategy, how to show up when customers ask ChatGPT instead of Google, and what it takes to build a brand strong enough to rank in 2026. Simplify your business operations. Learn how Paychex can handle your HR and payroll so you can focus on what counts: https://bit.ly/3VtM6bs Have a topic idea? Share it at https://payx.me/thrivetopics Topics include: 00:00 – Episode preview and guest introduction 02:16 – What changed in search since 2018 05:53 – Defining “surface area” in search 07:32 – Shrinking organic search real estate 10:03 – Is organic search less important now? 13:32 – Domain authority vs. brand authority 16:06 – Why having a brand matters more now 18:19 – Ads inside AI platforms 22:03 – Agents and the future “bot visitor” to your site 26:25 – Wrap up and thank you #BusinessPodcast #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #iHeartRadio #ApplePodcastTips #SpotifyPodcasts DISCLAIMER: The information presented in this podcast, and that is further provided by the presenter, should not be considered legal or accounting advice, and should not substitute for legal, accounting, or other professional advice in which the facts and circumstances may warrant. We encourage you to consult legal counsel as it pertains to your own unique situation(s) and/or with any specific legal questions you may have.

  8. Sep 3

    SBA Redefining ‘Small’, U.S.-Canada Trade Dispute Widens, AI Sticker Shock

    As if small businesses didn’t have enough daily challenges, now the federal agency that’s supposed to have their back is redefining what it is to be small. The SBA proposes granting large conglomerates eligibility to compete for the same small business funding pot and resources. Host Gene Marks says such a move will create additional barriers. From barriers to borders, the Canada-U.S. trade standoff has the two lobbing massive percentage spikes on top of imported goods, so Gene offers a few workarounds. In AI news, Google sees prices for tech becoming cost-prohibitive so it proposed a pay-as-you-go plan, which Gene says could work but owners should do a cost analysis. Listen to the podcast. Topics: 00:00 – Introduction 00:57 – SBA Plans to Redefine Small Business 03:56 – U.S.-Canada Trade Dispute 07:32 – Google Proposes Pay-As-You-Go AI Plan 10:29– Episode Wrap-up Additional Resources Meet Paychex: https://bit.ly/3VtM6bs Mid-Year Check-In: https://bit.ly/midyear-compliance-checklist DISCLAIMER: The information presented in this podcast, and that is further provided by the presenter, should not be considered legal or accounting advice, and should not substitute for legal, accounting, or other professional advice in which the facts and circumstances may warrant. We encourage you to consult legal counsel as it pertains to your own unique situation(s) and/or with any specific legal questions you may have.

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Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Designed for those who crave the inside scoop on everything from people to policy to profits, each THRIVE episode transforms complex business and HR topics into clear, actionable advice. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a seasoned business owner, or an aspiring leader, this podcast is your go-to source for cutting through the noise and gaining a competitive advantage.

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