CBIA BizCast

BizCast chats with Workforce Alliance president and CEO Bill Villano. The alliance is tasked with placing workers in training programs for in-demand sectors and connecting employers with the workforce to fill their vacancies. Villano outlines the organization's outreach activities in the south-central region of the state, what industries are most in-demand, what lawmakers can do to support workforce development, and how employers and workers looking for their next career move can get involved. For more information about the Workforce Alliance, visit workforcealliance.biz. Please rate, review, and subscribe to the BizCast wherever you get your podcasts—we appreciate your support! If you have a story to tell, contact katie.krajcik@cbia.com.

CBIA's 2020 policy priorities call for state lawmakers to make job and economic growth the main focus of this year's legislative session. BizCast is joined by colleagues Eric Gjede and Michelle Rakebrand in this episode. They identify the steps Connecticut lawmakers must take to prepare for the economic expansion our state sorely needs and explore how business leaders can get engaged. View CBIA's 2020 Policy Priorities: https://www.cbia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/PP_2020.pdf Please rate, review, and subscribe to the BizCast wherever you get your podcasts—we appreciate your support! If you have a story to tell, contact katie.krajcik@cbia.com. For more information on how to get involved and connect with your legislator, visit cbia.com or call 860.244.1900.

BizCast goes out on the road for the 2020 Economic Summit + Outlook at the Marriott Hartford Downtown. The pod talks with two state legislators that are also successful small business owners, an executive from Connecticut's integral healthcare sector, an economic researcher about the state's forthcoming economic development plan, and a college student whose bullish on Connecticut's future. Please rate, review, and subscribe to the BizCast wherever you get your podcasts—we appreciate your support! If you have a story to tell, contact katie.krajcik@cbia.com.

CBIA's HR Counsel Mark Soycher joins the BizCast for a holiday mailbag episode. Soycher shares his answers to seasonal frequently asked questions from small businesses about holiday party etiquette and making the call during inclement weather, plus new federal overtime rules and what makes a new employee exempt or not. CBIA members can access free HR advice anytime by calling 860.244.1900. Please rate, review, and subscribe to the BizCast wherever you get your podcasts—we appreciate your support! If you have a story to tell, contact katie.krajcik@cbia.com.

BizCast goes out on the road again for the 2019 Connecticut Sustainability Conference at the Pratt & Whitney Hangar Museum. Business leaders from mid-sized manufacturers to aerospace corporations discuss how they're implementing sustainability solutions across their business, why staying innovative and energy conscious is critical in 2019, and how business owners can empower employees to make a difference. Please rate, review, and subscribe to the BizCast wherever you get your podcasts—we appreciate your support! If you have a story to tell, contact katie.krajcik@cbia.com.

Ari Santiago, the founder and president of West Hartford-based consulting company IT Direct joins BizCast for this latest episode. Santiago—who hosts the popular Made in America podcast—talks about how he started IT Direct on his couch, the importance of change management, why technology innovation is critical for all businesses, and staying positive about the future of Connecticut. Find Made in Connecticut where you get your podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/made-in-america-with-ari-santiago/id1474403321 Please rate, review, and subscribe to the BizCast wherever you get your podcasts—we appreciate your support! If you have a story to tell, contact katie.krajcik@cbia.com.

Figuring out small business health insurance can be one of the most challenging parts of running a small business. But ConnectiCare and CBIA are bringing a new healthcare option to Connecticut businesses. BizCast chats with Steve Gallacher, vice president of sales strategy and business development at ConnectiCare, and Ken Comeau, president of CBIA Service Corp, about their new partnership to offer affordable healthcare options to small businesses in Connecticut. For more information on Fixed-Funding Solutions, contact your health insurance agent or a CBIA sales representative at cbia.com. Please rate, review, and subscribe to the BizCast wherever you get your podcasts—we appreciate your support! If you have a story to tell, contact katie.krajcik@cbia.com.

CBIA's BizCast is on the road for the Made in Connecticut: 2019 Manufacturing Summit. Seven small- and medium-sized manufacturers from across the state talk about how business is going, the search for workforce talent, innovative ways they're attracting new employees, plus their outlook for Connecticut’s economy. Please rate, review, and subscribe to the BizCast wherever you get your podcasts—we appreciate your support! If you have a story to tell, contact katie.krajcik@cbia.com.

David Lehman left the private sector and a high-powered Wall Street job earlier this year to join the Department of Economic and Community Development as the agency’s commissioner. Lehman recently sat down with CBIA president & CEO Joe Brennan to share his vision for growing the state’s economy, parallels between the private and public sectors, and how he measures success. Please rate, review, and subscribe to the BizCast wherever you get your podcasts—we appreciate your support! If you have a story to tell, contact katie.krajcik@cbia.com.

In episode five, we talk to our resident Gen Z employee, Molly Hammack, and Giana Gleeson, a member of the innovation and communications department of IBM's Corporate Social Responsibility department about the opportunities and struggles of the young workforce. Discover the key to keeping millennials and Gen Z motivated and engaged, while getting all the benefits of this technically savvy generation. Plus, we offer tips for millennials who may be frustrated by resistance to change and boredom in their current jobs. Please rate, review, and subscribe to the BizCast wherever you get your podcasts—we appreciate your support! If you have a story to tell, contact katie.krajcik@cbia.com.