Noon Business Lunch

Segment 1: Ilyce Glink, owner of Think Glink Media and Best Money Moves, joins John Williams to ‘color in’ the details surrounding what the markets have done this past week.

Segment 2: Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success for Constant Contact joins John Williams to talk about how small businesses stay on top during summer, the slow season. Dave also shares why it’s important to him to help small business owners make sense of marketing.

Segment 3: Mike Spriggs, Head of Consumer Insights at Fiserv, joins John Williams to share details from June’s Fiserv Small Business Index. Some details include consumers pulling back spending at small businesses for the third straight month, national sales grew and more.

Segment 4: Tim Plamondon, Director of Sales and Marketing for The LaSalle Chicago Hotel joins John Williams to discuss their monthly transformative and immersive Sound Bath experiences led by certified sound healers. Tim also talks about how the property hosts weekly live entertainment as well as tasting events that are open to the public to come out and give them a try, as well as Weekday Timeless Pours, which includes a curated pour from their cellar with each sip a moment worth pausing for.

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute.

SC Johnson is moving 170 Chicago-based employees to Wisconsin. The company says the move will foster strong collaboration. The Chicago workers are being moved to the consumer goods company’s Racine-area facilities and the moves are expected to happen before the end of 2026. SC Johnson operates a 50,000-square-foot facility in Mount Pleasant. That facility is near two others owned by the company. 100 employees will remain in the Chicago office. Some of them will also work at a manufacturing center on the city’s south side.

Also, Rivian has selected Atlanta for its new East Coast headquarters. Listen for more below:

Segment 1: Ted Rossman, Senior Industry Analyst at Bankrate, joins John to share tips on how to pay off credit card debt.

Segment 2: Bree Fowler, Senior Writer, CNET, cnet.com, joins John to talk about the class action $8 billion investors’ lawsuit against Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and the company leaders, and other business news.

Segment 3:  Emily Stewart, Senior Correspondent, Business Insider, businessinsider.com, joins John to talk about the cut clothing sizing options due to more people using weight loss drugs, and expensive concert tickets becoming the norm.

Segment 4: Christiana Trapani, Owner, Door County Candle Company, doorcountycandle.com, joins John to talk about the candles to are selling to help with the Texas Flood Relief.

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute.

Portillo’s and Lou Malnati’s are collaborating on Chicago Dog Deep Dish Pizza. It’s a pizza with all seven ingredients that you’d find on a classic Chicago style dog, including mustard, relish, onions, tomato, pickle, sport peppers and celery salt. There’s a sliced-up hot dog on the pizza and a poppyseed crust like a hot dog bun. There’s mustard drizzled on top. The limited time pizza is available now at Lou Malnati’s.

Also, Chicago-based United Airlines has changed its profit outlook for the rest of this year, thanks to rebounding travel. Listen for more below:

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute.

Jack in the Box has made good on its promise to return to the Chicago area. Last year, the west coast eatery announced 12 new locations in the Chicago area and made good on the promise earlier this week. The first of those locations opened Monday in southwest suburban Plainfield. Other locations opening soon include Chicago, Carol Stream, Naperville, New Lenox, and Tinley Park. Jack in the Box first opened in the Chicago area in the 1960s and then closed Midwest locations to focus on the southwest U.S. in the 1980’s.

Also, Delta Air Lines is adding nonstop flights from O’Hare Airport to Los Angeles. Listen for more below:

Craig Bolanos, Co-founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams on The Wintrust Business Lunch to talk about President Trump’s reversal on a ban of selling H20 A.I. chips to China. Craig also discusses the rise in consumer prices last month as well as how the Federal Reserve will likely hold off on an interest rate cut this month.

Segment 1: Tom Gimbel, job expert and founder of LaSalle Network, joins John to talk about CPS layoffs and what types of jobs those people try and get post-layoffs. Tom then pivots and discusses the importance of the CTA as well as the problems with it and how those aspects impact Chicago businesses and commuters.

Segment 2: Craig Bolanos, Co-founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams to talk about President Trump’s reversal on a ban of selling H20 A.I. chips to China. Craig also discusses the rise in consumer prices last month as well as how the Federal Reserve will likely hold off on an interest rate cut this month.

Segment 1: Paul Nolte, Senior Wealth Advisor and Market Strategist, Murphy & Sylvest, joins John to talk about the ongoing news surrounding tariffs. Then, Paul breaks down bank earnings and inflation data.

Segment 2: Brad Folkens, Co-founder, iAsk.ai joins John to talk about what makes this software so useful for all A.I. curious users.

Segment 3: Erin McDannald, CEO of Lighting Environments, joins John to talk about the importance of illuminating spaces with both artistry and purpose and how they’ve been doing so for over 50 years.

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute.

There’s been no comment from Chicago-based Kraft Heinz about a report that it’s planning to break up its business. The Wall Street Journal first reported last week about a plan to spin off a large portion of the Kraft Heinz grocery business. The new entity would be valued at $20 billion. The split could be announced in weeks. It’s not clear how many of the company’s brands would be part of the new company or where it’d be based. Kraft Heinz sales have been down, and earlier this year the company said it was looking at strategic transactions to boost its stock price. Kraft Heinz owns the Kraft, Heinz and Oscar Mayer brands.

Also, a Chicago developer has a contract to buy Ford City Mall on the southwest side with plans to demolish the shopping center and build a warehouse complex. Listen for more below:

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute.

Pure Lithium is moving to Chicago. The next-generation battery technology company will relocate its entire operation from Boston to Fulton Market. Its $46 million investment will enable the company to manufacture the first commercially viable lithium metal battery here in Illinois. With that product, the Pure Lithium plans to target the drone and defense, consumer electronics, grid-scale energy storage systems and electric vehicle markets. The company says it’ll hire up to 50 new employees over the next four years. Illinois is providing $4.4 million in payroll tax credits through the Reimagining Energy & Vehicles program.

Also, Hanig’s Footwear is leaving the Magnificent Mile. Listen for more below: