Segment 1: Tom Gimbel, job expert and founder of LaSalle Network, joins Jon Hansen, filling in for John Williams, to talk about how some workers today are more concerned about individual wants rather than what is necessary to achieve. Tom says sometimes you just need to put your head down and work and success will come.

Segment 2: Philippe Weiss, President, Seyfarth at Work, joins Jon to talk about the trend of CEOs and company presidents becoming increasingly vocal when announcing layoffs and headcount reductions.

Segment 3: Tim Stearns, owner and president of TJ Stearns Financial Planning & Benefits, joins Jon Hansen to talk about the help they offer their clients, what they do at their office that might differ from other financial planners, their ‘protect and grow’ blueprint, the importance of diversification, what to know about annuities, and how they help people understand taxes and what it means for their retirement portfolio.

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

Hoffman Estates-based Claire’s is closer to filing for bankruptcy. Bloomberg says the teen accessory chain missed June and July rent payments on some stores. The bankruptcy filing may come as soon as this week. Claire’s has also been exploring restructuring options including a possible sale. The company has not responded to requests for comment. Claire’s also has a $500 million loan due in December of 2026.

Also, a new report says the number of newly built homes sold in the Chicago area was flat in the first half of 2025. Listen for more below:

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

There’s some improvement to report in the retail vacancy rate on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. Crain’s reports the rate dropped to 29.3% in July. That’s down from 34% in 2023. The report says it’s the first year-over-year drop in a decade. New tenants include Mango and retailer Uniqlo, and one broker says there’s been more activity in the last two years than the previous five or six. Foot traffic is also up, recovering to 91% of 2019 levels. Much of the activity has been moving south toward the Chicago River, with the northern most part of the Mag Mile seeing the highest vacancy rate.

Also, new data today shows 87% of U.S. households visited McDonald’s in the past year with an average of 53 visits. Listen for more below:

Segment 1: Ilyce Glink, owner of Think Glink Media, joins Jon Hansen to talk about Fridays job report, revisions, the importance of getting real data, President Trump firing Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer, if she believes prices are going to rise, and what you should know about the recently passed “trigger leads” law.

Segment 2: Jim Dallke, Director of Communications, TechNexus Venture Collaborative, tells Jon about Jellyvision’s return to office strategy.

Segment 3: Landis Beverly, General Manager, Canal Street Eatery, talks to Jon about how business has been going, how the restaurant expanded from catering to a weekday lunch crowd to packing the place on the weekends, how social media has helped their growth, the $20 Italiano Weekends, and if tariffs have impacted the business.

Segment 1: Jane Oates, Senior Policy Advisor and recent President at WorkingNation, joins John Williams to breakdown the July labor report, why the monthly revisions were so concerning, and if the numbers will put more pressure on the Fed to cut rates.

Segment 2: Matt Adams, principal at Deloitte Consulting specializing in retail, gives John all the details on Deloitte’s 2025 Back-to-School survey.  

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

Lollapalooza is back in Chicago and its economic impact is expected to be nearly a half billion dollars. Festival organizers say that figure was $440 million in 2024, including a $10 million rent payment to the city. Lollapalooza also generated about $7 million in amusement tax revenue. Going back to 2010, Lollapalooza has generated more than $3.2 billion for the Chicago economy. That includes spending by attendees, job creation and fees paid to the city.

Also, Chicago-based Archway Pet Food, which develops climate-smart dog treats, is buying Bright Planet Pet. Listen for more below:

Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John Williams to talk about Mayor Johnson’s efforts to tax the ultra-rich, the economic data released today including a strong GDP report, why the housing market is a cause for concern, the dilemma the Fed is facing about cutting rates, and what she expects from Friday’s labor report. Terry also answers all of your financial questions.

Segment 1: Tom Gimbel, job expert and founder of LaSalle Network, joins John to talk about the death of Cubs Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, how great chemistry is key to building a good team, the value of an internship and getting your foot in the door, and the importance of building bonds with your co-workers.

Segment 2: Tom Fortino, Founder and Principal, Alpha Wealth Group and host of “The Alpha Wealth Hour” on WGN Radio, joins John Williams to talk about markets retreating today, if we are dodging the tariff bullet, what he expects from all the economic data being released this week, why you should always have some growth in your portfolio, his thoughts on Fed policy and how many rate cuts we will see this year, and if he’s positive on the market the rest of the year.

Segment 1: Phillip Shaw, CFP, Senior Advisor, Goldstone Financial Group, joins John to talk about the markets being impervious to economic uncertainty, if it’s too early to assess the impact of tariffs, where he’s telling clients to park their money, what he expects from the Fed meeting this week, when the Fed should start cutting interest rates, and why the Fed has been hesitant to cut rates.

Segment 2: Jim Dallke, Director of Communications, TechNexus Venture Collaborative, tells John about IBM giving more support to Chicago’s quantum startups, Psi Quantum, a startup building a quantum computer in Chicago, saying its quantum computer expects to be online by 2028, and healthy vending machine startup Farmers Fridge growing fast.

Segment 3: Dawn Melchiorre, Executive Director, Cradles to Crayons, tells John what Cradles to Crayons does, their ‘Ready for Learning’ initiative, their goal to provide 100,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to underserved students across the Chicago area.

Segment 1: Steven Esposito, President of Yellowstone Wealth Management in Lake Forest, talks to John about today’s market rally, the Trump v. Jerome Powell feud, why he thinks interest rates should be lower, why Powell might be hesitant to lower rates, his thoughts on the trade deals and what that could mean for the market, the rotation into the Russell 2,000, the yield curve being inverted for the longest period in over 47 years, and what he’s telling investors right now.

Segment 2: Greg Evans, President, South Chicago Packing, talks to John about their 5th-generation family owned business, the products they provide, how the company has evolved over the years, where you can find their products, the benefits of using animal fats for meal prep, how you would use the ingredients they make, how many people they employ in Chicago, and how business has been going this year.

Segment 3: Michael Edwards, President and CEO, Chicago Loop Alliance, talks to John about Chicago Loop Alliance’s State of the Loop quarterly report details for the 2nd quarter of 2025. Michael also shares his thoughts on the future of NASCAR in Chicago and if we will eventually see it come back to the city.