by - January 13, 2024 1:58 pm
Thankful for Northeast Arkansas
I’ve been traveling to Jonesboro and Northeast Arkansas for more than 30 years. Those early memories are fond ones, but not inspiring, though now I see the region in a…
Opinion
by - January 9, 2024 11:29 am
IRS 2024 contribution limits and why you should care
The Internal Revenue Service puts limits on the amount of money workers can contribute to Investment Retirement Accounts (IRAs), Roth IRAs, 401(k)s and other types of retirement accounts because each…
by - January 9, 2024 7:17 am
Arkansas is taking off
$100 million. 800 new jobs. Dassault Falcon’s recent investment announcement in Little Rock means a lot of things. More than anything, it shows the new energy that’s pumping through Arkansas’…
by - January 6, 2024 5:23 pm
Cybersecurity basics checklist: 9 best practices you should follow daily
The cybersecurity headlines aren’t encouraging. The first three quarters of 2023 saw 70 percent more ransomware attacks than the first three quarters of 2022. More than 360 million people were…
by - January 4, 2024 10:33 am
Innovating for sustainable food systems with Arkansas at the forefront
Burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem with an increasing number of interested funders? Check. Premier College of Agriculture conducting millions of dollars of research each year? Check. Massive agri-food companies investing heavily in…
by - January 4, 2024 10:03 am
The Affordable Care Act: A Look Back
Ten years ago this month, the major parts of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became effective. Two of the biggest were the availability of healthcare coverage through Medicaid expansion for low-income adults…
by - January 1, 2024 3:32 pm
Arkansas proud
Fort Smith and Ebbing Air National Guard Base continue to prepare for the arrival of the Foreign Military Sales Program (FMS) Pilot Training Center, hosting F-16 and F-35 fighter jet…
by - January 1, 2024 11:25 am
The missed business opportunity of ageism
A recent news article I read asked, “You’ve heard of the Great Resignation, but what about the Great Retirement?” The article, titled “The US has too many retirees,” was authored…
by - December 27, 2023 7:54 pm
High-rate lending environment still provides options
Today’s high interest rate environment doesn’t mean business owners have to cancel or delay planned expansions or projects, but it does mean that more, and earlier, planning is likely required to secure…
by - December 21, 2023 9:05 pm
SmileDirectClub closure sheds light on issues in direct-to-consumer dental industry
SmileDirectClub, a prominent player in direct-to-consumer teeth straightening, on Dec. 8 announced the immediate shut-down of its global operations. This abrupt closure significantly impacts its customers and has raised pertinent…
by - December 21, 2023 9:26 am
The plain truths
The other day, I thought about what I wanted to say in this last column of the year. And what immediately came to mind was wanting to ask some common…
by - December 13, 2023 5:14 pm
Asa’s resolve
If we’ve learned nothing else about former Gov. Asa Hutchinson in the past several months, it’s that he’s demonstrated considerable resolve and his own sense of timing. In January 2022,…
by - December 12, 2023 5:30 pm
Employment, labor law trends to watch in 2024
December 15 is National Bill of Rights Day, and this observance of our nation’s first 10 constitutional amendments is a great opportunity to discuss employee rights and changes in employment…
by - December 10, 2023 8:51 am
It’s about honoring
Once a year, I sit down and write a love letter to improv. It is my ode to the craft. Improv changed my life, and I do not say that…
by - December 5, 2023 8:23 am
A leader’s guide to growing your executive presence
The popular phrase “executive presence” can mean different things to different people. Some define it as the way an executive leader presents themselves to others. Although true, there are more…
by - December 3, 2023 4:21 pm
The fourth year of the U.S. economic expansion
The U.S. economy is well into the fourth year of an economic expansion that began in May 2020, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research’s (NBER) Business Cycle Dating…
by - November 28, 2023 10:52 am
Surge in virtual care brings increased privacy risks
In September, Costco became the latest retailer to venture into virtual primary care, offering its members $29 telehealth visits, $72 standard lab panels with consult, and $79 virtual therapy visits….
by - November 26, 2023 10:53 am
Interest rate ripples
I’m usually bullish on my outlook for almost everything in Northwest Arkansas. Our area keeps growing, and we continue to outperform the rest of our state and nation regarding job…
by - November 19, 2023 10:02 am
A personal perspective on flexible work environments
The conversation around remote and hybrid work structures has grown recently, challenging the traditional in-office model. Significant data points to the efficiency of remote work, notably the increase in productivity…
by - November 16, 2023 10:18 am
Bigger than Bill Clinton
I don’t think I’ve seen as much pre-planning going on around here since then-President Bill Clinton visited Arkansas State University in 1995. And the Clinton visit happened according to a…