Segment 1: Steven Esposito, President of Yellowstone Wealth Management in Lake Forest, joins John to talk about why the markets are down again, if he believes the Fed will raise interest rates, why the Fed would consider raising rates, the environment creating a tremendous buying opportunity, what’s going on with oil prices, if he’s worried about a recession right now, when he’s expecting another market rally, and what he’s telling investors right now.

Segment 2: Sheila Weinberg, Founder and CEO, Truth in Accounting, joins John to discuss Truth in Accounting’s Financial State of the Cities report for 2026. How good are Chicago’s finances?

Segment 3: Tim Paradis, Future of Work Correspondent, Business Insider, tells John about how vibe coding has turned into a real job.

Segment 1: Jack Ablin, Founding Partner & Chief Investment Strategist, Cresset Capital, talks to John about high energy prices, the Fed’s decision on keeping interest rates steady, and how companies are using AI to layoff employees.

Segment 2: Scott Stein, Editor at Large, CNET, tells John everything about what he saw at SXSW.

Segment 3: Chris Balke, Owner, All City Brick Staining, talks to John about their business and how they help customers transform and revitalize brick surfaces with their expert staining services. Chris explains who their biggest customers are, if there is a popular color right now, how long a typical job takes, how business is going right now, and why people prefer to use staining to enhance the look of their house.

Segment 4: Max Simon, Founder/CEO, Green Flower, joins John Williams to talk about their partnership with Joliet Junior College on a cannabis education program.

Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John Williams to talk about the unexpected Producer Price Index reading, the market not making big headlines, why it could be time to rebalance your portfolio, and why the Fed can’t cut interest rates. Terry also answers all of your financial questions.

Segment 1: Tom Gimbel, job expert and founder of LaSalle Network, joins John to explain why Gen Z wants to work in the office.

Segment 2: Philippe Weiss, President, Seyfarth at Work, joins John to talk about why 2026 is seeing a surge in individuals choosing to start their own businesses.

Segment 3: Michael Miller, Economics Professor, Western Washington University and Professor Emeritus at DePaul University, joins John to talk about the war in Iran and its impact on prices and the economy, inflation moving in the right direction, and how homeowners insurance makes a difference in affordability.

Segment 1: Ilyce Glink, owner of Think Glink Media, joins John Williams to talk about the war in Iran, how the war is impacting the price of oil, and what to know about the U.S. Senate passing the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.

Segment 2: Jim Dallke, Director of Communications, TechNexus Venture Collaborative, tells John about Chicago startup Chowbus raising $81M as it evolves beyond a food delivery startup to a restaurant services business, and Yourco raising $6M to build a workplace communications platform for deskless workers.

Segment 3: Aghfar Arun, Director, Hospitality, Bradford Allen, joins John Williams to talk about the rise of the luxury airport hotel and how the Hyatt Centric Chicago O’Hare is an example of this new trend.

Segment 1: Faron Daugs, CFP, Founder and CEO, Harrison Wallace Financial Group, joins John to talk about the war in Iran and how it’s impacting the economy and stock market, what the Fed will do with interest rates, and what he’s telling his clients right now.

Segment 2: Carl Prouty, “The Technologist” at Abt Electronics in Glenview, talks to John about why now is a good time to buy a new TV, a pizza oven that will help get you through March Madness, and the Abt Bracket Challenge! Carl also tells John about Abt’s new furniture department!

Segment 1: Tom Hainlin, National Investment Strategist with U.S. Bank, joins John to talk about how the war in Iran is moving markets, how high energy prices impact consumers in the U.S., and what he is telling clients about their portfolios during this market volatility.

Segment 2: Scott Stein, Editor at Large, CNET, tells John about all the things he’s excited to see at SXSW this year. Will AI be the talk of the town again?

Segment 3: Mitch Lyons, founder of Mitch Lyons Wealth, joins John to talk about stock market volatility, the importance of building a portfolio based on your risk tolerance, what income annuities can do for you, why now is not a time to pull money out of the market, and what you should now about taxes in retirement.

Segment 4: Mike Spriggs, Head of Consumer Insights at Fiserv, joins John Williams to break down Fiserv’s February Small Business Index. 

Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John Williams to talk about the markets being uncertain about Iran, a benign CPI report released this morning, housing simmering down, and the war in Iran having long-term economic consequences. Terry also talks about her recent column on the importance of estate planning and to answer all of your financial questions.

Segment 1: Sarah Foster, Economic Analyst, Bankrate, joins John to talk about the rise of financial fraud and what you can do to protect yourself from becoming a victim.

Segment 2: Amanda Hoover, Senior Correspondent, Business Insider, tells John Williams about how hiring managers and recruiters are increasingly not relying on candidate resumes to fill vacant jobs.

Segment 3: Dennis Rodkin, residential real estate reporter for Crain’s, joins John Williams to talk about a number of his recent stories including Michael Jordan’s former Highland Park home being pulled from rental sites, a Lake Geneva-area mega deal, and how much home prices have gone up in the Chicago area.

Segment 1: Paul Nolte, Senior Wealth Advisor and Market Strategist, Murphy & Sylvest, joins John to talk about why he’s still bullish on the stock market, the economy being okay overall, the expectation that the war in Iran being relatively short, how inflation is impacting consumers, what the next move by the Fed will be, and what he’s telling investors right now.

Segment 2: Jim Dallke, Director of Communications, TechNexus Venture Collaborative, tells John about Morningstar inking a $5M partnership with the University of Illinois designed to keep top talent in state, IBM making a startup investment in Chicago quantum startup Qodex

Segment 3: Stephen Oakes, General Manager, Carmine’s, tells John about the reopening of the iconic Chicago restaurant!