THRIVE, a Paychex Business Podcast

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.

THRIVE, a Paychex Business Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 547 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts THRIVE, a Paychex Business Podcast, a business show with 547 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #56

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

  Sep 30, 202613 minS6

  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.

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  Episode #55

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

  Sep 23, 202611 minS6

  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.

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  Episode #54

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

  Sep 21, 202634 minS6

  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.

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  Episode #53

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

  Sep 16, 202613 minS6

  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.

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  Episode #52

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

  Sep 9, 202611 minS6

  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.

  ListenShow Notes

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