500 episodes listed below
Small-business news turned into operating decisions.
THRIVE follows Gene Marks through conversations and weekly news briefings built for people running companies. Episodes translate employment data, tax changes, HR gaps, cash-flow strain, AI questions, and franchise ownership into grounded business implications.
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THRIVE is built for the practical middle of business ownership, where policy, payroll, people management, financing, and technology all land on the same desk. Gene Marks frames the show around small-business consequences rather than abstract trends. The pace is conversational and direct. A labor-market report becomes a question about cautious hiring, reduced hours, and whether owners are tightening costs without cutting headcount. A discussion of late invoices turns into a cash-flow warning about missed payroll risk, owner pay delays, and the time lost chasing receivables. The show often starts with news, but it rarely stays at headline level. It asks what a rule, survey, or market signal means for the employer who has to explain it to staff, record it properly, or make a spending decision under uncertainty. HR is a recurring center of gravity. Episodes cover pay transparency readiness, I-9 files, handbooks, performance reviews, job descriptions, succession planning, and tools meant to show where a company has weak spots. Workforce planning also gets treated as a near-term strategic issue, especially as AI changes how teams may need to look several years out. The interview episodes broaden that operator perspective. Tom McCarty talks org charts and planning. Holly Wade and Peter Hansen discuss NFIB data and owner uncertainty. Bill Mathis brings a franchise-owner view of Subway locations, Caribou Coffee development, and the need to question franchisors before committing. Paychex guests explain HR products and employer responsibilities from inside the service provider's world. Marks also keeps some skepticism in the frame, particularly when research comes from companies with a commercial interest in the problem being discussed. That gives the show a useful balance: sponsor-connected and service-oriented, but still alert to the limits of the data. The Week in Review format adds timely business news in compact form, while interview episodes slow down for implementation details. THRIVE suits listeners who want plain business analysis with specific next steps close at hand.
Made for: The show is for small-business owners, franchise operators, managers, and HR or payroll decision-makers who need policy and market changes translated into workplace action. It also suits entrepreneurs tracking labor costs, compliance duties, cash flow, and AI-driven workforce planning.
What sets it apart: THRIVE stands out by pairing current small-business news with operator-level follow-through: what the report, rule, tool, or trend means inside an actual company. Gene Marks also brings a skeptical practical streak, noting when data comes from firms that benefit from the problem being discussed.
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.
Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A practical reminder that mixed-generation teams can reduce disconnect across the org chart.
Generational friction at work sits at the center, with Gene Marks pressing Jason Dorsey on how Gen Z fits into a workforce that can span four or five generations.
Rob Walling on bootstrapped SaaS growth, plateaus, and exits — with founders who lived them.
Abbey Ashley's playbook for turning your job skills into a virtual assistant business.
SaaS operators on scaling, pricing and AI, metrics included.
Alex Blumberg interviews guests like Megan Phelps-Roper and Shane McAnally about failure and reinvention.
This episode features an interview with TV personality and CEO Mauricio Umansky discussing his secrets to motivation, hiring practices, and insights on real estate sales and business growth.
Gene Marks reveals which generation is most frustrated by Gen Z in a conversation with generational researcher Jason Dorsey.
Angie O’Dowd describes HubSpot’s shift from marketing automation to an agentic customer platform spanning marketing, sales, and customer success.
AI and innovation speaker Dan Chuparkoff tells Gene Marks that employees should try AI before deciding whether to fear it, starting with one new experiment every Monday.
Nate Berkus tells Gene Marks how a sociology and French graduate from Lake Forest College built Nate Berkus Associates after working two years at an auction house.
Gene Marks interviews Meg Kane, host city executive for Philadelphia Soccer 2026 and president and CEO of Signature 57, about helping businesses benefit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Jesse Cole explains how the Savannah Bananas built more than 35 million social followers while spending $0 on marketing.
This episode features an interview with Tom McCarty, CEO of OrgChart, discussing how organizational charts reveal business health and the importance of workforce planning in the context of AI and changing business environments.
This episode discusses recent employment reports from Paychex and Homebase showing a cooling but resilient small business labor market, with companies adjusting to economic uncertainty through cautious hiring and labor cost management.
This episode discusses a Bluevine survey revealing how late customer payments are causing cash flow stress for small businesses, including delayed owner paychecks and missed payroll.
This episode features an interview with NFIB researchers discussing small business uncertainty, economic data, and policy impacts on investment decisions in 2026.
This episode discusses pay transparency readiness among US employers, tax write-offs for small businesses, and the practical limitations of AI in business operations.
Gene Marks and Paychex federal compliance analyst Andy Gargana explain why the “no tax on tips” and “no tax on overtime” provisions still leave FICA and federal income tax on employee pay stubs.
This episode features an interview with Bill Mathis, Chairman of the National Association of Subway Franchisees, discussing how to become a successful franchise owner by asking the right questions and viewing franchising as a partnership.
This episode introduces Paychex's new Employer IQ platform, which helps business owners identify and address HR blind spots like compliance, performance reviews, and employee development.
This episode explores the concept of mini-retirement, discussing how business owners can prepare to take time off and the parallels with selling or passing on a company.
This episode features attorney Barbara Weltman discussing tax benefits for businesses providing employee career development benefits, including deductions and employment tax exemptions under the 2025 tax bill.