consumers Archives - GeneMarks.com

Philly.com

Ahead of the midterms, Philly business owners report growth alongside financial pressure

(This column originally appeared in the Inquirer) 2026 has had its challenges for Rachael Compton, founder of Fairmount jewelry story, Aiyah. “This year we’ve seen…

Gene MarksOctober 20, 2026

Guardian

Small business owners are doing OK — but will that help Trump overcome his low approval ratings?

(This column originally appeared in The Guardian) There are 34m small businesses in the United States. They employ approximately half of the country’s workers and…

Gene MarksOctober 19, 2026

Guardian

Credit cards aren’t evil – if you know how to use them the right way

(This column originally appeared in The Guardian) The percentage of credit card balances that were at least 90 days delinquent rose to 13.12% in the…

Gene MarksJune 7, 2026

Washington Times

Trump’s economy stronger than the headlines suggest

(This column originally appeared in The Washington Times) Worried about the economy? Don’t be. Here’s why. Inflation spikes will be temporary Everyone is worried about…

Gene MarksMay 28, 2026

The Hill

Despite all the economic doom and gloom, US small businesses are doing just fine

(This column originally appeared in The Hill) It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that the economy is not doing well under the current…

Gene MarksMarch 12, 2026

Entrepreneur

How Will the Economy Perform in 2026? These 7 People Will Tell You.

(This column originally appeared in Entrepreneur) Key Takeaways What executives are seeing inside their businesses right now. Why on-the-ground data can tell a different story than…

Gene MarksFebruary 11, 2026

The Hill

Is there really an ‘affordability’ crisis?

(This column originally appeared in The Hill) I love to eat out, but man is it expensive! I feel like you can’t get a decent dinner…

Gene MarksJanuary 19, 2026

Washington Times

2026 will be a strong year for most small businesses

(This column originally appeared in The Washington Times) I think I understand why surveys from the National Federation of Independent Businesses, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Bank…

Gene MarksJanuary 2, 2026

Philly.com

Are local small business owners too optimistic? | Opinion

(This column originally appeared in the Inquirer) Across the U.S., small business owners seem to have an upbeat outlook. Several recent surveys showed high levels of…

Gene MarksSeptember 10, 2025

Guardian

Consumers don’t have a debt problem. The US government does

(This column originally appeared in The Guardian) A recent report from the Federal Reserve warned that consumer debt is now more than $18tn and the people are…

Gene MarksFebruary 23, 2025