Gene Marks
Verified- President, The Marks Group and Columnist, Freelance
- Co-Host, Small Biz Ahead
- Columnist, Guardian News
- Columnist, The Hill
- Host, THRIVE, a Paychex Business Podcast
Philadelphia
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SMB columnist covering pub policy, tech, workplace for @Guardian, @TheHill, @PhillyInquirer, @WashTimes, @Forbes, @Entrepreneur. President marksgroup.net.
Articles by Gene Marks
Small business owners are doing OK – but will that help Trump overcome his low approval ratings?
There are 34m small businesses in the United States. They employ approximately half of the country's workers and generate about half of the country's GDP. They're an important voting block. So how are they feeling about the economy as we head into November's midterm elections? Overall, economic sentiment for Donald Trump is poor but small business – admittedly a diverse demographic that's hard to poll – seems fairly confident.
Small business owners are doing OK – but will that help Trump overcome his low approval ratings?
A barista makes coffee in a cafe. Small business in the United States are an important voting block. Photograph: JohnnyGreig/Getty Images There are 34m small businesses in the United States. They employ approximately half of the country’s workers and generate about half of the country’s GDP. They’re an important voting block. So how are they feeling about the economy as we head into November’s midterm elections?
Small business owners are doing OK – but will that help Trump overcome his low approval ratings?
There are 34m small businesses in the United States. They employ approximately half of the country’s workers and generate about half of the country’s GDP. They’re an important voting block. So how are they feeling about the economy as we head into November’s midterm elections? Overall, economic sentiment for Donald Trump is poor but small business – admittedly a diverse demographic that’s hard to poll – seems fairly confident.
Business Technology News: A New Copilot App Includes Word And Excel
The Microsoft Copilot app now allows you to use AI with Word and Excel on your mobile device.
Should You Connect AI To Your Financial Data? It Depends. Here’s Why.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - CEO and co-founder of Anthropic Dario Amodei. In May 2026 Anthropic released a small business version of Claude. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) Getty Images A common question I get asked is about AI security. Would you connect your company’s financial data to an AI chatbot like ChatGPT and Claude? Are you worried about the privacy and security of your data? The answer: It depends on your appetite for risk.
Forbes JAPAN 公式サイト（フォーブス ジャパン）
AIをはじめとするテクノロジーツールが農業分野に急速に進出しており、農家とそれを支援する企業の双方で生産性と品質の向上を後押ししている。以下にいくつかの事例を紹介する。小規模な企業を経営している場合でも、同様のAIアプリケーションを手頃なコストで開発できる。あるいは、こうした既存のツールを活用することも可能だ。 ジョン・ディアの農家向けAIアシスタント「JD」 2026年9月に発表された同社の人工知能（AI）アシスタントは、ジョン・ディアの「オペレーションセンター」に組み込まれている。農家が生成する膨大な機器データや作業データと「対話」することで、収量を改善し、農場の収益性を強化できる。何層ものレポートを読み込む代わりに、農家はJDに対して「1時間あたりの作業面積が最も広いスプレーヤーはどれか？」「過去の傾向から見て最適な収穫時期はいつか？」といった質問を投げかけることができる。農家はデータを収集するオペレーションセンターに登録することで、このアシスタントを無料で利用可能だ。...
Want to use AI for your business? Philly-area experts lend their tips.
As a technology consultant, I’ve had a growing number of clients ask me how they can start using AI in their businesses. Generally, I recommend four options, which can be used independently or together. For starters, if you’re like most businesses, you use either Microsoft Office or Google Workspace as your office platform.
When does an employee's commute become paid work time? | Expert opinion
If you have hourly employees who split their time between home, the office and customer locations, you should take another look at when their workday actually begins. The U.S. Department of Labor clarified these rules in July, and your business could be impacted. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), “commute time” is the time an employee spends in ordinary travel between their home and their regular place of work.
AI may come for your job. It’s not the end of the world — it’s the start of a new one.
As long as there’s been new technology, there’s been opposition to it. What do these protests have in common? Environmental concerns? Resistance to billionaires? Fears that the world will end? No: people are simply scared that technology will replace their jobs. Today, it’s AI and data centers. But in early 19th century Britain, skilled textile workers feared that machinery would allow employers to replace them with cheaper labor and reduce wages.
When does an employee’s commute become paid work time? | Expert Opinion
If you have hourly employees who split their time between home, the office and customer locations, you should take another look at when their workday actually begins. The U.S. Department of Labor clarified these rules in July, and your business could be impacted. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), “commute time” is the time an employee spends in ordinary travel between their home and their regular place of work.
Opinion - AI may come for your job. It’s not the end of the world — it’s the start of a new one.
As long as there's been new technology, there's been opposition to it. What do these protests have in common? Environmental concerns? Resistance to billionaires? Fears that the world will end? No: people are simply scared that technology will replace their jobs. Today, it’s AI and data centers. But in early 19th century Britain, skilled textile workers feared that machinery would allow employers to replace them with cheaper labor and reduce wages.
Retailers are making returns harder. A carpet seller taught me why that's a mistake
In my 30-plus years of being an accountant I have learned many business lessons from people who were much smarter than me. Jerry Crawford was one of those people. Jerry taught me about product returns. Jerry – who sadly passed away a decade ago – sold carpets wholesale from a nondescript little building in south Jersey. He employed about 50 people and counted many local and national carpet retailers as his customers. When I reviewed Jerry's books, I noticed a large reserve for “returns”.
Retailers are making returns harder. A carpet seller taught me why that’s a mistake
Returns are just a normal part of business. Photograph: Olga Demina/Getty Images In my 30-plus years of being an accountant I have learned many business lessons from people who were much smarter than me. Jerry Crawford was one of those people. Jerry taught me about product returns. Jerry – who sadly passed away a decade ago – sold carpets wholesale from a nondescript little building in south Jersey. He employed about 50 people and counted many local and national carpet retailers as his customers.
Tech News This Week: Muse Takes On Small Business And McDonalds Leans Into AI
The exterior of a McDonald's fast food restaurant, USA, August 1970. The location of the outlet is possibly on Interstate 90 in Rapid City, South Dakota.
New AI Technology Is Powering The Ag Industry. Here Are Some Examples.
Tractor cultivating field at spring,aerial view getty AI and other technology tools are quickly making their way into the agricultural industry, helping both farmers and the companies that support them increase productivity and quality. Below are some examples. If you’re running a smaller firm, just know this: you can also develop similar AI applications affordably. Of you can use these.
When will energy prices fall? Follow the money, find out
OPINION: When will oil prices come down? Do not ask a television pundit. Ask the people risking billions of dollars on the answer. Many of my clients — small and midsize businesses — are eager for elevated energy prices to return to Earth. High oil costs do not affect just the price of gas at the pump; they also have far-reaching impacts on many other business expenses. For example, when oil prices are high, so is the cost of heating an office or production facility.
Penn and Community College of Philadelphia launch an academy for West Philadelphia businesses
A new, free educational program for West Philly small businesses is launching this fall, giving them access to faculty from the University of Pennsylvania, through a partnership with the Community College of Philadelphia. The deadline to apply is fast approaching, with instruction starting next month. Students of the Penn-CCP Entrepreneurship Academy will learn from Penn faculty, other entrepreneurs, and business advisers in three-hour weekly classes, as well as coaching sessions and office hours.
Forbes JAPAN 公式サイト（フォーブス ジャパン）
ここ数週間、特に大手ブランドを中心にAI導入コストが急騰しているという報道が相次いでいる。 Canvaは最近、AIコストの「急膨張」を受けて業績見通しを引き下げた。ウェブサイト開発企業のWixは、「AI関連費用の高さ」が一因となり、利益と企業価値に悪影響を受けた。Uberは社内利用の多さを理由に、AI支出に上限を設けている。 「使いすぎているだけで、トークンのコストが1〜2カ月で従業員のコストを上回るケースも見られる」と、J.Gold Associatesのアナリスト、ジャック・ゴールドは別のレポートで述べている。 中小企業はまだトークンの影響を受けていない……今のところは 幸いなことに、小規模企業はまだこの問題に直面していない。しかし残念ながら、その状況も長くは続かないだろう。 ほとんどの中小企業は、大企業のような方法でAIを利用しているわけではない。確かに、中小企業もメールの作成支援、リサーチ、アドバイスを得るために、ClaudeやChatGPTといったプラットフォームを活用している。Microsoft OfficeやGoogle...
Small Business Tech News: Could One ChatGPT Prompt Help Earn You $100K?
Could one prompt earn you six figures. When it sounds too good to be true...
When an employee requests a religious accommodation, here’s what employers should do
Federal law requires many private employers to accommodate employees’ sincerely held religious beliefs, unless doing so would impose a substantial burden on the business. How to do this properly is among the many questions small-business owners face each day. Recent federal guidance provides a useful framework.
Bernie Sanders is right about the four-day workweek – but wrong about how to get there
Bernie Sanders , the Vermont senator, recently proposed new legislation that would change federal overtime rules. The new law, if passed, would require employers to pay a minimum 1.5 hours of overtime for each hour worked past 32 hours in a week. Currently, overtime kicks in at 40 hours per week. The requirement would phase in over a few years. Sounds great. Who wouldn't want that? There's just one problem: somebody has to pay for it. For business owners, this isn't an ideological argument. It's math.
Business Tech News: 86% Of Solopreneurs Try AI Before Hiring
SurveyMonkey is now more deeply integrated with ChatGPT (Photo Illustration by Timon Schneider/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Let’s Recap: SurveyMonkey makes it easier to do surveys through ChatGPT Autodesk releases new small business tools Anthropic expands Claude for small businesses QuickBooks has a new support tool Solopreneurs try to use AI instead of hiring people SurveyMonkey Launches ChatGPT Plugin SurveyMonkey recently announced its...
Your Merch Could Be a Marketing Goldmine. Stop Treating It Like a Cash Grab.
Merch should be about building loyalty and spreading your brand —not squeezing more money out of customers. Key Takeaways I love merch A T-shirt from a cool bar in Key West. A hoodie from that hilarious restaurant in Austin. A baseball cap from that music venue in New York. I've been to all of those places. They sold all of those things. I loved the food, loved the experience, had a great time — and didn't buy a single piece of merch. That's right. I didn't buy.
The Age Of Affordable AI For SMBs Is About To End
For SMBs it's going to become even more costly to implement, and maintain, an AI project in the not-too-distant future getty Over the past few weeks there have been a number of news reports about the escalating costs of AI implementations, particularly for big brands.
How Philly-area businesses use employee bonuses to reward performance
As we enter the last quarter of this calendar year, many businesses are budgeting for pay raises in 2027. Most of my clients — and many other small businesses — also offer bonuses, which can provide extra financial incentives to employees. According to HR consulting firm Korn Ferry, the average pay raise is expected to be about 3.3% next year. Professional services firm Marsh says raises should be about 3.5%.
Many professionals take continuing education. Let's add etiquette classes
As a certified public accountant, I'm required to earn at least 80 hours every two years of continuing professional education credits. Many other professions and trades, including lawyers, healthcare professionals, engineers, electricians, plumbers and certain contractors, have similar requirements. It's a good idea. These professional requirements often also include ethics training. That's a good idea too. But just getting a refresher on ethics isn't enough.
JD Vance is right about stay-at-home parents — but his solution is all wrong
Should the federal government pay parents to stay at home so they can better raise their children? The Trump administration thinks so, and is working on plans to allow a stay-at-home spouse to collect as much as $9,000 per child each year, depending on their economic circumstances, from funds potentially available from the Health and Human Services Department.
Data center backlash isn't about water. It's about billionaires. | Opinion Original
Sept. 9, 2026, 5:08 a.m. ET This data center debate has a familiar ring to it, does it not? We can debate whether a data center built by Meta in Idaho will ultimately return more water than it uses. We can point out that golf courses and almond farms consume more water than data centers do. We can argue that the electricity these complexes demand siphons resources away from communities, then turn around and tally the tax revenue and infrastructure funding those same communities collect in return.
Small Business Tech News: Intuit Adds Perplexity And Younger Workers Are More Scared Of AI
The Perplexity AI app logo appears on the screen of a smartphone in Reno, United States, on November 21, 2024.
Forbes JAPAN 公式サイト（フォーブス ジャパン）
人々は今でも電話を使っている。今でも電話をかけている。テイクアウトの注文の話をしているのではない。ビジネスパーソンは毎日、顧客、サプライヤー、見込み客、求職者と電話をかけ、また受けている。 ウェブサイトや仕様書から工業製品について学べることには限界がある。人間と話し、詳細を伝え、見積もりを取る必要がある。あるいは、問題が発生した場合は、サービス担当者と話をして状況をより詳しく説明しなければならない。 これが、ダリーナ・クリヤの会社の中核をなすものだ。 「私の父は生涯ずっと起業家で、父の電話が鳴ったときは、家族での夕食中であろうと休暇中であろうと、何が起きていても、父はいつもすぐに電話に出ていました。すべての顧客が重要だからです」と彼女は語る。「小規模企業にとって、顧客は単なる数字ではありません。一人ひとりの顧客が、給与を支払えるか、チームの健康保険料を支払えるかといったことの成否を分けるのです」 AIによるコミュニケーションの一元化...
No tax on tips is here. What employers need to know for 2026 | Expert Opinion
“No tax on tips” sounds simple. For employers, it isn’t. Starting in 2025, employees who received tipped income can now take a deduction for this amount on their individual tax returns, which reduces their taxable income and taxes owed. The benefits are obvious, but some of the rules are less so. Here’s what to know. Cap on tips deduction The deduction is capped at $25,000 per return, even for married couples filing jointly.
Google’s Mike Clark: What Small Businesses Need To Know About AI Agents
BERLIN, GERMANY - MARCH 05: A stand presents Google Gemini at the launch of the new Google AI Center Berlin on March 05, 2026 in Berlin, Germany. The new center will host artificial intelligence development operations and provide a venue for cooperation between start-ups and research centres.
Big business has shown small firms what to do – and what not to do – with AI
One thing I've learned about corporate America is that what it succeeds at ultimately trickles down to benefit small businesses. Bleeding-edge technologies such as the internet, mobile transactions and the cloud were first perfected by large organizations – government and corporations – and now they're available to the masses at a much lower cost and with better reliability. The good news is that it's also the same for what they fail at. This is the lesson so far with artificial intelligence.
Is America really an entrepreneur’s paradise?
OPINION: “America has become an entrepreneur’s paradise,” reports The Economist. “America remains the best place in the world to start a company, to fund a company, and to build something that matters,” a venture capital association says. “There’s no better place on earth to start a business, take a risk, dream big,” Axios says. It seems there is no shortage of people and pundits calling America the best place in the world to start or run a business. But is it?
Xero Adds AI, Google Targets Law Firms And Claude Beats ChatGPT: 5 Small Business Tech Stories
Close up of signage with logo at the headquarters of professional social networking company LinkedIn, in the Silicon Valley town of Mountain View, California, August 24, 2016. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images). Getty Images Let’s Recap: Cloud accounting platform Xero rolls out new AI features for businesses and accountants; Google’s Gemini has more capabilities for lawyers and firms; Goldman Sachs pushes back on AI; People are liking LinkedIn’s “AI Slop” Button; Users prefer Claude.
Permanent paid family leave is a boon for employees and employers | Expert opinion
Emily Wielk, a senior policy analyst for working families at the Bipartisan Policy Center says that she “hears consistently” that paid family and medical leave is a benefit that workers want and need to continue working. “It is also a benefit that many businesses want to offer, but they are trying to determine the best way to manage the financial, compliance and administrative burdens,” she said. It doesn’t matter how big or small your business is.
Is there a pending AI ‘debt bomb' crisis? No. This isn't Enron 2.0
Some experts are warning of a looming “debt bomb” crisis because big datacenter builders such as Meta Oracle xAI and CoreWeave are not only raising billions to construct these facilities but are also not recognizing these long-term debt obligations on their balance sheets. Should we be concerned? No. I know because I've seen this movie before. It works like this: Meta wants to build a datacenter to accommodate its growing AI and cloud computing needs.
Claude Has More Google Workspace Integrations...And Other Business Technology News This Week
Close-up of a person's hand holding a smartphone and using the Opus 4 model within the Claude app from AI company Anthropic, Lafayette, California, May 22, 2025.
Claude Has More Google Workspace Integrations...And Other Business Technology News This Week
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about tech that impacts my small business - and yours. Aug 23, 2026, 07:00am EDT This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more. This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more. Anthropic's Claude now boasts enhanced integration with Google Workspace, enabling direct interaction with Gmail and Google Drive, alongside expanded mobile access for its Cowork tool, evolving it into a comprehensive AI workplace agent.
The Next Job AI Kills Will Be Voicemail
Daryna Kulya, co-founder of Quo Quo People still use the phone. They still make calls. And I'm not talking about ordering takeout. Business people call and get calls from customers, suppliers, prospects and job candidates every day. There's only so much you can learn about an industrial product from a website or a spec sheet. You need to speak to a human, give the particulars, get a quote. Or, if there's a problem, you need to speak to service and better explain the situation.
Is every billionaire a policy failure?
Recently I was eating at an outside cafe when a man walked by me wearing a shirt that said, “Every billionaire is a policy failure.” But is that really true? Apparently, he is not the only one who feels this way. At about the same time I was eating my lunch, and more than 3,000 miles away, the California Democratic Party had endorsed a November ballot measure to reduce their billionaires’ wealth by potentially implementing a tax of up to 5 percent on their assets.
Opinion - Is every billionaire a policy failure?
Recently I was eating at an outside cafe when a man walked by me wearing a shirt that said, "Every billionaire is a policy failure." But is that really true? Apparently, he is not the only one who feels this way. At about the same time I was eating my lunch, and more than 3,000 miles away, the California Democratic Party had endorsed a November ballot measure to reduce their billionaires' wealth by potentially implementing a tax of up to 5 percent on their assets.
Forbes JAPAN 公式サイト（フォーブス ジャパン）
「鉄鋼業界」と言うとき、一般的には製造業者、鋳造業者、流通業者、圧延業者、加工業者など、多くの対象を指している。これらの企業はそれぞれ異なる技術ニーズを抱えているが、相互に多くの取引を行っているため、その技術が重複することも少なくない。 一方、AIはこの業界に変化をもたらし始めており、その影響力は増大している。2027年までにビジネス上の意思決定の50%がAIエージェントによって拡張または自動化され、2030年までに業務の最大50%がAIによって拡張されると予測されている。鉄鋼業界は何十万人もの労働者を雇用し、年間GDPに2000億ドル（約31兆9000億円）以上をもたらしている。この業界がAIをどのように活用するかは、無視できない影響を与えるだろう。 そこで、筆者が注目している動向を以下に紹介する。 IoTによるモニタリング Norican Groupが開発した「Monitizer」は、製造、特に砂処理システムを監視するIoTプラットフォームだ。そのAI技術は、砂の溶解や造型のプロセスを追跡し、品質に影響が及ぶ前にオペレーターが問題に対処できるようにする。...
The next market crash is coming — here's how to prepare your business
Key Takeaways Stock market contractions are inevitable — the S&P 500 has fallen more than 10% on 25 separate occasions over the past 50 years — and they ripple through every business by shaking customer, employee, and investor confidence. Business owners can prepare now by diversifying investments, building cash reserves, securing lines of credit, and working with a wealth manager, rather than scrambling once the downturn hits.
The Next Market Crash Is Coming — Here’s How to Prepare Your Business
sakchai vongsasiripat | Getty Images Entrepreneur Media LLC and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some products and services through the links below. Stock market contractions are inevitable — the S&P 500 has fallen more than 10% on 25 separate occasions over the past 50 years — and they ripple through every business by shaking customer, employee, and investor confidence.
ICE workplace enforcement is increasing. Here’s what Philadelphia employers should do | Expert Opinion
Border czar Tom Homan is putting employers on notice: Expect significantly more scrutiny of who you’re employing and whether your paperwork is in order. Homan, in a recent conversation with the Center for Immigration Studies, talked about his intention to expand employment verification inspections that would “dramatically increase” worksite enforcement. “We want to hold employers who circumvent the law responsible,” he said.
Tech News This Week: Microsoft May Be “Significantly Increasing” Windows 11 Pricing, YouTube Doubles Creators’ Earnings Requirements
(Photo Illustration by Avishek Das/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Let’s Recap: Microsoft’s Windows 11 price may increase “significantly”; YouTube doubles its creator earnings requirements; Grok enters the agentic AI space with GrokBot; OpenAI wants more SMBs to advertise; Congress moves forward with a cybersecurity bill.
How local contractors and construction companies are leaning into AI | Expert opinion
Painters? Windows installers? Flooring specialists? These may not be the first people that come to mind when you think of AI. But many local companies in construction and contracting are struggling with a very tight labor supply and higher costs, so every dollar they save through automation can make a big difference.
Gen Z calls it 'loud budgeting' – small business owners have been doing it for decades
Ask any small business owner what has challenged them the most over the past couple of years and you'll frequently hear about cashflow. It's no secret that costs have risen dramatically and finding places to save money isn't easy. If this describes your situation then I've got a solution to your problem. Ever hear of “loud budgeting”? Of course you have! You've probably been doing it for years. Loud budgeting is considered to be a relatively new trend.
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