Segment 1: Ilyce Glink, owner of Think Glink Media and Best Money Moves, joins John Williams to talk about Illinois being the 7th best state to raise a family, what she took away from Friday’s labor report, the cost of the wildfires in California, and the latest on mortgage interest rates. Segment 2: Jim Dallke, Director of Communications, TechNexu…

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. Chicago’s downtown office vacancy rate ended 2024 at a record high. According to Crain’s, the share of available office space downtown rose to 26.3% during the final three months of the year. It’s the 10th consecutive quarter that the vacancy rate hit a record. The d…

Segment 1: Craig Bolanos, Founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams to talk about why today’s terrific labor report is bad for the market today, what this means for a long-term investor, how the Fed will react to this data, how many rate hikes he expects next year, his thoughts on cryptocurrency, and the hot areas t…

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. Deerfield-based Walgreens had a better-than-expected fiscal first quarter. Shares rose as the company outlined ongoing plans to revive its struggling business. Walgreens says its made progress on improving shrinking prescription reimbursement and closing stores. The …

Segment 1: Mark Hamrick, Washington Bureau Chief and Senior Economic Analyst for Bankrate.com, joins John to talk about jobless claims this week, inflation continuing to be sticky, what he expects to see in tomorrow’s labor report, investors not anticipating the Fed cutting interest rates later this month, and Bankrate’s Q4 Economic Indicator Surve…

Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John Williams to talk about the Social Security Fairness Act passing, why interest rates are creeping higher, ongoing inflation concern, and what you should know about the January Stock Market barometer. And as always, Terry answers all of your financial questions. https://serv…

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. A Chicago-based company that makes gluten-free snacks and baking mixes is being purchased by a Georgia company. Simple Mills will continue operating as is after the deal closes, according to Crain’s. Flowers Foods, whose brands include Nature’s Own and Wonder Bread, …

Segment 1: Tom Gimbel, job expert and founder of LaSalle Network, joins John to talk about what he expects to see from the upcoming labor report, and his thoughts on labor and the economy in 2025. Segment 2: Philippe Weiss, President, Seyfarth at Work, joins John to talk about what you should know about a new Illinois law that just took effect last…

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. The New York Times has named Loaf Lounge in Chicago’s Avondale neighborhood as one of the 22 best bakeries in the country. The Times singled out Loaf Lounge’s sandwiches, oatmeal cream pies and sourdough bread. The bakery went viral when it created The Very Chocolate…

Segment 1: Faron Daugs, CFP, Founder and CEO, Harrison Wallace Financial Group, joins John to talk about what he expects of the economy in 2025, why there is a lot of optimism in the air, and the latest on President-elect Donald Trump’s tariff plan. Segment 2: Jim Dallke, Director of Communications, TechNexus Venture Collaborative, tells John about…

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. Chicago-based United Airlines has set this spring for the launch of new in-flight WiFi using the SpaceX Starlink service. According to Bloomberg, the rollout will happen earlier than expected. United says the service will be available free to members of its loyalty p…

Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John Williams to talk about how 2024 was a great year for the financial markets, the amount of credit card debt we are carrying, and how you can get yourself out of debt in the new year. And as always, Terry answers all of your financial questions. https://serve.castfire.com/au…

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. Companies that make products with alcohol, including Chicago-based Molson Coors, are seeing dropping share prices. The declines follow an announcement by the U.S. Surgeon General that alcohol products like beer and wine should carry warnings about links to cancer. Su…

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. Chicago-based Vivid Seats, the online ticketing marketplace, is exploring a sale. Bloomberg reports the company is working with an advisor to gauge interest from buyers. So far, there’s been interest from private equity firms. Vivid Seats went public in 2021 and bega…

Segment 1: Matt Schultz, LendingTree chief credit analyst, talks with Jon Hansen about a new Lending Tree survey that shows 36% of Americans Took on Holiday Debt, Averaging $1,181. Segment 2: Bree Fowler, Senior Writer, CNET, joins Jon Hansen to talk about Tesla’s global sales rising 2.3% in the fourth quarter, President-elect Donald Trump asking t…

Dave Schwan, in for Steve Grzanich, has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. The Chicago Business Barometer, released yesterday, slipped over three points to 36-point nine in December. The monthly business survey, produced by the Institute For Supply Management and MNI showed the third consecutive decline, the lowest inde…

Dave Schwan, in for Steve Grzanich, has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. Big Lots has reached a deal keeping hundreds of stores open. The discount chain will be sold to Gordon Brothers Retail Partners, which specializes in distressed companies. Big Lots filed for bankruptcy in September. And, the man who gave us HBO a…

Segment 1: Trevor Wagener, Chief Economist and Director of the Research Center, Computer & Communications Industry Association, joins John to share the latest report on retail shoppers and the role the internet plays in their decisions when shopping. Segment 2: DCASE commissioner Clinée Hedspeth joins to talk about Chicago’s New Year’s Eve celebrat…

Segment 1: Steve Bernas President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois joins Wendy Snyder to talk about the resolutions people can make that will help them avoid being victim to scams in the new year. Segment 2: John Furlan of Furlan Guitars joins to talk about how he started his business from a passion. Furlan the…

Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John Williams to talk about the end-of-the-year market numbers, solutions to credit card debt, and the latest on Social Security. Later Savage answers texts and caller questions on the show. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7128348/7128348_2024-12-27-203548.64kmono.mp3 More wit…

Dave Schwan, in for Steve Grzanich, has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. Mastercard SpendingPulse is reporting Holiday sales rose at a faster pace from a year earlier. Sales from last month through Christmas Eve climbed 3.8 percent, up from 3.1 percent last year. SpendingPulse tracks all kinds of payments including ca…

Dave Schwan, in for Steve Grzanich, has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. We could see record highs for holiday purchase returns. A report by the National Retail Federation and the company Happy Returns expects this year’s returns to hit 17 percent, or 890 billion dollars. That’s up two percent and 743 billion from las…

Segment 1: Reed Simpson joins Dane Neal to talk about the upcoming Winter Classic on January 31st. Hosted at Wrigley Field, Simpson shares what fans can expect the night before to celebrate the event. Segment 2: Tim Shanley joins to talk about the Bears tailgate and the process that starts early in the morning to bring the best tailgates for Bears …

Segment 1: Tom Appel, Publisher, Consumer Guide Automotive and host of the Consumer Guide Car Stuff podcast, talks to Dane Neal, in for John Williams, about a number of auto industry related stories such as details surrounding the confirmed plans Honda and Nissan have to merge into the 3rd largest automaker and what we learned about the auto indust…

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. The Chicago metro area was home to the third most porch thefts in the U.S. in 2023. The website Safewise analyzes data on home safety and says the Chicago area had 2.7 million porch thefts last year, involving nearly $262 million in stolen merchandise. Chicago is the…

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. Bolingbrook-based Hyzon, which makes hydrogen-powered trucks, says nearly all of its employees could be laid off earlier next year. The company is running out of cash and customers are delaying orders. A company that produces sustainable aviation fuel will make Illin…

Segment 1: Attorney Rae Kaplan of Kaplan Law Firm joins Wendy to talk about the latest student loan debt relief and who is entitled to them Segment 2: Carl Prouty from Abt electronics shares some last minute Christmas gifts and how you can get them with same day delivery Segment 3: Dave Dumas, Administrative Director for Share Food Share Love Food …

Segment 1: Paul Nolte, Senior Wealth Advisor and Market Strategist, Murphy & Sylvest, joins John to talk about the market rebound after the rough start it had to the week, and the latest on the inflation numbers. Segment 2: Lizzy Lopez, Founder & CEO of Tequila 1349 comes to share the latest information on their newest product that will be availabl…

Segment 1: Steven Esposito, President of Yellowstone Wealth Management in Lake Forest, talks to John about what caused yesterday’s market sell off and today’s rebound, and what he expects for the market and economy in 2025. Where can we find some buying opportunities moving forward? Segment 2: Bree Fowler, Senior Writer, CNET, joins John Williams t…

Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John Williams to talk about charitable giving this holiday season, the overall market performance recently, how much the market is up this year, how you should be thinking about your investments right now, her thoughts on the Fed cutting rates again, a new BMO survey that shows…

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. New York developer 601W, the owner of the Old Post Office in Chicago, reportedly has a purchase contract for the 30-story office building at 303 E. Wacker. Crain’s says the purchase price has not been disclosed but people familiar with the deal say it could be about …

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. Trinity Hospital on Chicago’s south side will be the centerpiece of an investment project spearheaded by Advocate Health Care. The company will invest $1 billion over the next decade and plans to build a new hospital and 10 small care locations. The focus will be on …

Segment 1: Tom Gimbel, job expert and founder of LaSalle Network, joins John to talk about employees ‘revenge quitting,’ and the latest on ‘return to office’ mandates. Segment 2: Philippe Weiss, President, Seyfarth at Work, joins John to talk about employment liability and what companies can expect under the next Trump administration. Segment 3: Lo…

Segment 1: Ilyce Glink, owner of Think Glink Media and Best Money Moves, joins John Williams to talk about Think Glink’s 2025 Personal Finance Resolutions, Home Buyer Resolutions, and 2025 Housing Trends. Segment 2: Jim Dallke, Director of Communications, TechNexus Venture Collaborative, tells John about IBM joining the quantum computing effort in …

Dave Schwan has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. A two-day meeting by the Federal Reserve starts tomorrow talking interest rates. We’ll know Wednesday if rates will be cut. If so, it’ll be the third and final rate cut of the year. Most economists expect a reduction of a quarter of a percentage point. Also, no holiday …

Segment 1: Craig Bolanos, Founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams to talk about the market, why he’s optimistic about the end of 2024 and into 2025, how transformative big tech has been to the market, why it’s okay to have a pullback occasionally, the strength of the economy overall, why he believes the soft landi…

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. The Chicago City Council has approved a zoning change that clears the way for a quantum computing campus in South Chicago. Tech startup PsiQuantum plans to build the world’s first quantum computer there. The quantum park will eventually be home to other companies and…

Segment 1: Jack Ablin, Chief Investment Officer, Cresset Capital, talks to John about how investors should approach a market in which valuation says “sell” but momentum says “buy”? Jack tells us where he thinks we should be putting our money now. Segment 2: Luke Carlson, CEO, Discover Strength, joins John to talk about their fitness model of time e…

Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John Williams to talk about the healthcare conversation and the rage that has risen since the shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO, what to know about managed care in Medicare Advantage plans, last minute tips on RMDs, and if you should buy a car before the new administration p…

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. Deerfield-based Walgreens is reportedly in talks to sell itself to a private equity firm. The move could take the company private and analysts say it could lead to a sell off of pieces of Walgreens. The company’s in talks with Sycamore Partners about a possible deal,…

Segment 1: Ted Rossman, Bankrate.com Senior industry analyst, joins John to talk about a new Bankrate survey that shows 4 in 5 tippers just want to say thank you this holiday season Segment 2: Dennis Rodkin, residential real estate reporter for Crain’s, joins John to talk about a number of his recent stories including JB Pritzker’s property tax bil…

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. Chicago has a new Michelin star restaurant. It’s Cariño at 4662 N. Broadway in the Uptown neighborhood. The eatery features Mexican and Latin American inspired dishes prepared by chef Norman Fenton. It opened in 2023. The Michelin stars were awarded Monday night in N…

Segment 1: Ilyce Glink, owner of Think Glink Media and Best Money Moves, joins John Williams to talk about how mass deportations will directly impact the home-building industry, and new credit numbers data that explains why many people feel broke. Segment 2: Jim Dallke, Director of Communications, TechNexus Venture Collaborative, tells John about a…

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. McDonald’s is bringing back its popular Snack Wrap next year. Details are sketchy, but the company’s president let it slip during a TV interview. He says the Snack Wrap has a cult following and he gets many emails asking when the item will return. It was removed from…

Segment 1: Jane Oates, Senior Policy Advisor and recent President, WorkingNation, talks to John Williams about the November labor report. What were Jane’s major takeaways from the data? Segment 2: Tom Appel, Publisher, Consumer Guide Automotive and host of the Consumer Guide Car Stuff podcast, talks to John about an number of auto industry related …

Segment 1: Tom Fortino, Founder and Principal, Alpha Wealth Group, and host of “The Alpha Wealth Hour” on WGN Radio, joins John talk about how the market typically performs in December, what he’s expecting from tomorrow’s labor report, if the Fed will reduce rates again later in the month, and the impact tariffs might have on the economy. Segment 2…

Segment 1: Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John Williams to talk about what you should know about your charitable gifts. And as always, Terry answers all of your financial questions. Segment 2: Emily Stewart, Senior Correspondent, Business Insider, tells John about the decline of on-the-job training. Segment …

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. The Centers for Disease Control says the E. coli outbreak at McDonald’s is officially over. No new cases have been reported. The outbreak was likely caused by fresh, slivered onions at McDonald’s and sickened 104 people in 14 states. CDC says the actual number of peo…

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. Chicago’s @properties is being acquired by New York-based Compass real estate in a deal valued at $444 million. Compass also gets the Christie’s brand, which was previously acquired by @properties. Full terms of the deal haven’t been disclosed. It’s expected to be fi…

Segment 1: Tom Gimbel, job expert and founder of LaSalle Network, joins John to talk about how a company should best handle a situation when their needs to be a change in leadership. Segment 2: Philippe Weiss, President, Seyfarth at Work, joins John to talk about what companies need to know about using AI in the workplace. Segment 3: Mark Hamrick, …