When I talk with business owners these days, there seems to be one common thread: Nothing makes sense right now.
There’s so much uncertainty. Once predicable business trends are unpredictable. It’s never been harder to forecast.
COVID is common. Inflation is rampant. The stock market is setting the wrong kinds of records. An untethered dictator has ignited a global conflict. Baby formula and other things we’ve long taken for granted are scarce. Millions are voluntarily quitting the workforce. Basic human rights are under siege.
Indeed, many tell me they’re busier -- writing loans, closing sales, making deals -- than ever.
I’d be interested in knowing how you’re feeling at this moment about your business, your workplace, the economy and life. Shoot me an email.
And I’d invite you to join us on Tuesday (May 17) from 9 to 10:30 a.m. for our Spring Business Symposium.
I’ll share with you the results of our annual Business Outlook Survey (there's a few surprises). Then we’ll have a conversation with top leaders in financial services, retail, the arts and tourism about where our businesses and nonprofits are right now and how we move ahead. RSVP here.
Study quantifies entrepreneurial inequity in US
More than 13% of the general population are Black. More than 18% are Hispanic.
And yet only 2% of U.S. businesses with employees are Black-owned, while only 6% are Hispanic-owned, according to a study from the Alliance for Entrepreneurial Equity
Women are also underrepresented too, owning a third of the share of businesses with employees owned by men. (The Hill)
Wellesley investing in outdoor hangout
The Town of Wellesley is using $100,000 from a state grant to build out two downtown parklets designed to enliven Wellesley Square.
The more elaborate setup will be located the intersection of Central Street and Cross Street, across from the former Gap, according to the Swellesley Report.
A second, smaller, parklet will be set up on the section of Grove Street heading toward the Post Office.
One-fifth of Newton’s sidewalks need upgrades
About one-fifth of Newton’s 414 miles of sidewalks were deemed in need of replacement or significant repair, according to a two-year long study conducted by the city, reports John Hilliard at the Globe.
In addition, about 15 percent of Newton’s 5,100 pedestrian curb ramps also need repair or replacement.
Watertown to inventory tree health
Watertown was recently awarded a $38,500 grant with a 50/50 match by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to study and improve and the city’s urban forests.
The project will inventory an estimated 7,000 trees on streets, parks, and public property throughout the city. Deliverables will include a digitized inventory of tree locations, species, size, health and conditions, as well as provide a capital plan for trees; including trimmings, takedowns, and plantings.
Other Need to Knows
It’s not too late to score a ticket for next Thursday’s event honoring Mark Sokoll, who is retiring from the JCC after three decades of transformative leadership there. It should be a fun, casual, outdoor event featuring a Grateful Dead cover band (yes, Sokoll’s not just a great guy, he's a great guy who's a Dead Head). Rather than black tie, the theme is tie-dye.
Bob Luz, president & CEO of Mass Restaurant Association has is retiring effective June 30. He’ll be succeeded by their COO, Stephen Clark. Meanwhile, the state’s other restaurant association, Mass Restaurants United, is hiring its first full time executive director.
Ritcey East in Watertown is one of five restaurants nationally competing for a $10,000 prize run by Toast for restaurants who make a difference in their communities. They were nominated for “serving up a safe place for the LGBTQ+ community and a fresh take on comfort food.” Vote here.
Curb-to-curb ride share service similar to Uber or Lyft that is run by the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority provides ride share service in and around Wellesley. Use the MWRTA Catch App anywhere in Wellesley and to connect to Newton Wellesley Hospital, the Woodland and Waban MBTA stations, Natick Community Center, or Volante Farms and Trader Joe's in Needham.
My herb beds are ready for Newton Community Farm’s Annual Seedling Sale tomorrow and Sunday (May 14-15) from noon to 5 p.m. Choose from over 27,000 seedlings grown at Newton's only farm. Details.
Here’s another downside to the loss of local print newspapers
As recently as one week ago, when the City of Newton needed to place a legal ad to announce a public hearing or other measure, they could purchase space in the Newton Tab for about $75.
Now that there is no longer a print newspaper serving Newton, that same ad cost $204 printed in the Globe.
A larger ad that might have cost $200 in the Newton Tab, cost about $1,500 in the Globe, according to Mayor Ruthanne Fuller's office.
That’s nice for the Globe (and they are chamber members!). But it’s bad for taxpayers.
Ads in the Herald cost less but their circulation in Newton (or anywhere) is minimal and it’s a disservice to the public to place legal ads were virtually no one will see them.
That why it’s past time to change the Colonial-era policies that requires these type of announcements appear in a printed paper.
A bill co-sponsored by Wellesley State Rep. Alice Peisch filed last year would do just that.
Peisch’s proposal would allow the publication of legal ads on any community news website (such as the Swellesley Report or Watertown News) that receives an average at least 1,500 unique visits per month.
Of course, this won’t solve the current problem in Newton unless, or until, someone starts an online news site there -- something the city desperately needs. But it might help a new local online news start up get off the ground.
“We’re not going to make a killing on legal notices, but for a small operation like ours, or the many other emerging independent online news sites, every dollar counts,” writes Bob Brown, co-editor of the Swellesley Report. “[But] we think there’s a better chance of more people seeing the information if they’re published on online news sites.”
