1 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: Oh, you didn't mean all day yet. 2 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 2: Jared Pollium begins this Monday morning, like many mornings, he's 3 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 2: weighing out six hundred pounds of malt. That's the grain 4 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 2: used to make beer. 5 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,600 Speaker 3: These specialty malts add these specific flavor profiles that we're 6 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:20,079 Speaker 3: looking for in each beer, and so they'll always be 7 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 3: different depending. 8 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 2: Jared and and Chow are co owners of Lost Generation, 9 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 2: a micro brewery in Washington, d C. They're also married, 10 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 2: and they're showing me around where they make their signature 11 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 2: ales pilsners and laggers and then seal them into cans. 12 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:38,639 Speaker 4: When we first opened, we were kind of the neighborhood bar, 13 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 4: so can sales weren't quite as prominent. But now that 14 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 4: we're making a name for ourselves as a great brewery, 15 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 4: then a lot more can sales are starting to go 16 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:47,639 Speaker 4: out the door. 17 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 2: And Jared opened the brewery less than a year ago 18 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 2: in a former Nobisco factory that's one hundred and twenty 19 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 2: years old. And today they're getting started on a batch 20 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 2: of one of their original creations. That's our ale, made 21 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:04,959 Speaker 2: with passion fruit the hopper so. 22 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 3: That it can go through the mill and get crushed. 23 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:10,399 Speaker 1: We have to open up the husks of the mall, so. 24 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 3: That way it can extract the maximum amount of water 25 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 3: from it. 26 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 2: Lost Generation is part of a wave of small businesses 27 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 2: that have opened in the US in the last few years. 28 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 2: You might imagine the pandemic would have put a damper 29 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 2: on entrepreneurs, but it's actually the opposite. In twenty twenty 30 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:31,839 Speaker 2: two alone, more than five million small businesses were registered. 31 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 2: That's up forty two percent from pre pandemic levels. Bloomberg's 32 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:40,319 Speaker 2: end a current dug into why small businesses are having 33 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,679 Speaker 2: a moment and the challenges owners are facing in this 34 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 2: uncertain economy. 35 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 5: Ultimately, at a core of any successful economy is innovation 36 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 5: and a willingness take on risk, and lots of people 37 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 5: I spoke to you said I haven't seen this kind 38 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 5: of scale of ambition for some time in the US economy. 39 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 2: We'll hear more from Enda in just bit, and later 40 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 2: on we'll talk to a bakery owner who just entered 41 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 2: a new chapter with her business. 42 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:08,359 Speaker 6: It is a very scary time, but it's also a 43 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 6: very exciting time. We've been wanting our own space for 44 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 6: a very long time, and we were very lucky to 45 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 6: grow during the pandemic. 46 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 2: I'm Westkasova today on the big take the Pandemics small 47 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:41,239 Speaker 2: business boom. The tap room in the Lost Generation Brewery 48 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:45,799 Speaker 2: is equal parts nineteen twenties and twenty twenties. You can 49 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:49,079 Speaker 2: see the original bones of the building everywhere. 50 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 4: Original cathedral wooden ceilings, original interior exposed. 51 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 2: Brick, and then there are the contemporary features, a vibrant 52 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 2: mural bio, a local artist, and industrial grade brewing machinery 53 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 2: that you can see through a Florida ceiling glass wall 54 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 2: in the back of the tap room. Jared and Anne 55 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 2: say the Lost Generation theme is a nod to the 56 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 2: past and to their own business story. 57 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 3: The Lost Generation is a reference to the art movement 58 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 3: of the nineteen twenties and thirties with Hemingway Fitzgerald. They 59 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 3: found that the art and inspiration from where they were at, 60 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:29,680 Speaker 3: you know, whether it be New York or the Midwest 61 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 3: or anything like that, was lacking in their time period 62 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:33,520 Speaker 3: and it wasn't speaking to them. 63 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 1: So they went out to places. 64 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 3: That had thriving artistic inspiration to really find themselves, and 65 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 3: that's how Anne and I did it as well. 66 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 2: They'd been planning to open this brewery for more than 67 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 2: a decade. Building on the experience they'd gain in the industry, 68 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 2: They were set to begin work in early twenty twenty, 69 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 2: so yeah, you can probably guess where this is heading. 70 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 3: We were supposed to sign our lease in March of 71 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 3: that year, and then the landlord, their representative, took a vacation. 72 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 3: So they asked if we could push back to April 73 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 3: first for signing the lease, and we said, yes, you know, 74 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 3: we can wait two weeks, it's fine. 75 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 1: And then the pandemic hit and the landlord was like. 76 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:19,360 Speaker 3: Hey, so we're still good for April first, right, And 77 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:22,279 Speaker 3: you know, we had never seen anything like this before, 78 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 3: and it was all of it's our entire life savings, 79 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 3: and so we backed away, you know, cautiously, and then 80 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 3: we honestly weren't certain that we'd ever revisit this again, 81 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:34,600 Speaker 3: since you know, there's so many businesses in the hospitality industry. 82 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 3: We're just struggling so hard during that period of time 83 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 3: and it was just a very rough thing to watch. 84 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:43,480 Speaker 2: A year later, they did revisit it, and they secured 85 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:47,239 Speaker 2: the location, but banks were much more cautious about lending 86 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 2: money to restaurants and bars. 87 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 3: And they weren't giving loans anymore to those types of businesses. 88 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 3: So we fought bank after bank after bank looking for 89 00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 3: anyone who would extend alone, and we did find a 90 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 3: wonderful bank that did. However, the down payment had doubled from. 91 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 1: What it was pre pandemic. 92 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 2: And why did they tell you? 93 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: Is it just more risk? Absolutely? 94 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, Like you know, going into the pandemic, we were 95 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 3: more like a middle aged driver for a car insurance company, 96 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 3: and coming out we were now a sixteen year old 97 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:23,040 Speaker 3: with a red car. And so just yeah, they I mean, 98 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 3: you could just see the bankers just hear our thing 99 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 3: and say, hey, that's a great business plan. You have 100 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:29,680 Speaker 3: so much experience, but I'm sorry, like I ran it 101 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:32,720 Speaker 3: up the flagpole, We're just not doing that industry right now. 102 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 3: And in fairness, I mean, there were still so many 103 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 3: of the restaurants and bars that were still had not 104 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:42,200 Speaker 3: yet fully defaulted or anything, and so we were coming 105 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:44,599 Speaker 3: out of the pandemic, they hadn't even seen who was 106 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:47,280 Speaker 3: or wasn't going to survive, and so like, I get it, 107 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 3: but it did make it very tough for us to 108 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:50,679 Speaker 3: actually solidify alone. 109 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:52,599 Speaker 1: But obviously we were able to. 110 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 3: It cost us more that we had to really scround 111 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 3: our life savings and dig into some pots that we 112 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 3: promised we would never would but we made it work. 113 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:05,279 Speaker 2: Ann and Jared always knew that opening a brewery would 114 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 2: require hefty upfront costs. First, there's the machinery. The brewhouse 115 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 2: behind that glass wall in the back is full of 116 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 2: enormous tanks for mashing, boiling, and fermenting the grain. There's 117 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:21,720 Speaker 2: also the canning operation for to go beer, which was 118 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 2: a condition of their loan in case COVID shut down 119 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 2: their tap room. Then there are the raw materials like 120 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:31,839 Speaker 2: grain and hops that come from all over. Some of 121 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 2: it comes from the Pacific Northwest, like Oregon, but also 122 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 2: from as far away as Germany and New Zealand. But 123 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 2: on top of all that, there are the economic challenges 124 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:44,160 Speaker 2: you can't plan for. 125 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 4: So we had over budgeted and overestimated to make sure 126 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 4: that we were covering our costs. And yet because of 127 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:55,040 Speaker 4: supply chain issues, because of you know, things that were 128 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 4: happening post pandemic, it was more challenging. 129 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:02,480 Speaker 3: And things freight and all of that became much much 130 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 3: more difficult, and so a twenty thousand dollars freight costs 131 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 3: suddenly becomes almost forty thousand dollars. 132 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 2: And so it's like, despite the false starts and high costs, 133 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 2: Jared and and say, the business in its first year 134 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 2: is doing better than they expected. Their staff of ten 135 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 2: even got a pay raise this summer. 136 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 4: We are very lucky. Honestly, we've exceeded projections. We usually 137 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 4: most businesses expect to lose money within the first year, 138 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 4: and we are not in that position. 139 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, and we've even had quite a few saturdays where 140 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 3: she'll send me outside and I have to start being 141 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 3: the doorman because we want to make sure that we 142 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 3: don't go over capacity and a place will just be 143 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 3: absolutely packed. 144 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 2: So that's the story of one microbrewery in DC. But 145 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 2: now let's take a look at the bigger picture and 146 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 2: why small businesses like Lost Generation are popping up in 147 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 2: record numbers. And that's where Bloomberg's end up Current comes 148 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 2: back into the picture. The last time, and it was 149 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 2: here we were talking about President Biden's industrial policy, how 150 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 2: he's trying to bring big business in manufacturing back to 151 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 2: the US, and it says is actually small businesses that 152 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 2: are the backbone of the economy. 153 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 5: It's kind of one of the untold stories almost of 154 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 5: the US economy over the past few years. Everybody built 155 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 5: up their savings during the pandemic thanks to the physical 156 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 5: similus and money that they were saving anyway. And you 157 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 5: know another factor in all of this is just the 158 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 5: ease of startups nowadays. You know, there are websites out 159 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:34,760 Speaker 5: there offering you to set up an e commerce portal 160 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 5: in you know, a matter of half an hour or 161 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 5: two hours. You can be up and running in a 162 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 5: short time. And by the way, instead of paying for 163 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 5: the expensive NBA, you just go on YouTube and you 164 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:46,560 Speaker 5: watch some online program or course, or you listen to 165 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:48,440 Speaker 5: somebody and you get up and running. This is what's 166 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:52,200 Speaker 5: happening out there. Then throw in the general influence world 167 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 5: that we're in now, the Elon Musks of the world. 168 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:56,680 Speaker 5: Everybody wants to be the next Elon Musk. And that's great, 169 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,680 Speaker 5: that's ambition. That's what drives economies. But there is absolutely 170 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 5: a point that with the pandemic changing work practices the 171 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 5: way it has, even with the return to offices on 172 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:07,680 Speaker 5: their way. But broadly speaking, people who realize I don't 173 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 5: need to commute to have a job, I don't need 174 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:11,679 Speaker 5: to live in the city center. And you know what 175 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:13,600 Speaker 5: a laptop on a home downing on table. I can 176 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:16,680 Speaker 5: do so much more anyway. So they're taking chances. They're 177 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 5: taking risks with ideas that they once had rather necessarily 178 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:22,360 Speaker 5: maybe say the only route for me in life is 179 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 5: the nine to five kind of a schleip. They're having 180 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 5: a look at what their options are. So it is 181 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 5: definitely part of the mix that the mindset has shifted 182 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 5: a bit, and a lot of it is down to 183 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:30,400 Speaker 5: the pandemic. 184 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 2: And it says small businesses are now powering the US 185 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 2: economy in a way we haven't seen for a long time. 186 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 5: It is one of the biggest drivers of economic growth 187 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 5: in the US. Of the country's thirty million small companies, 188 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 5: they have created more than two thirds of the new 189 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 5: jobs creating in the US between nineteen ninety five and 190 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,200 Speaker 5: twenty twenty one. These small companies, they really are one 191 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 5: of the biggest bulwarks of the jobs market in America. 192 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 2: And what do we know about the kinds businesses they 193 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 2: are or what are they making, what are they selling. 194 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:06,600 Speaker 5: It's across the spectrum of activities. Whereas I spoke to 195 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:08,960 Speaker 5: one company, for example, who's in the business of selling 196 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 5: graduating mementos that might be a school ring or a 197 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 5: school hoodie for instance. These are the kind of businesses 198 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:16,840 Speaker 5: that operate at the heart of your local community. It 199 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 5: could be anything from the bakery up to increasingly online 200 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 5: or e commerce. That's obviously a whole new opportunity for 201 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:26,200 Speaker 5: people whereby it's see an opportunity to sell products online 202 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:28,720 Speaker 5: or sell the service online. That's giving people a new outlet. 203 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:32,719 Speaker 2: And is it less expensive to start a business than 204 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 2: it used to be. 205 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:36,200 Speaker 5: Well, here's where you get into the trade offs. I mean, 206 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 5: certainly it isn't easy of setting up a business, that's 207 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 5: for sure. As we just spoke about, You've got all 208 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 5: this knowledge online and of course the process it's much 209 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 5: smoother than it was. But this is where we go 210 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 5: back to the cost of doing business nowadays. I mean, 211 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:48,880 Speaker 5: you are dealing with the higher industrates, you are dealing 212 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 5: with the labor costs. So it depends on how advance 213 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:52,320 Speaker 5: of where you are in that stream. If you have 214 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 5: your own financing and you can kind of lean on 215 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 5: yourself or your whatever kind of family workers you have 216 00:10:56,960 --> 00:10:59,040 Speaker 5: to get things up and running, you're you're okay. But 217 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:01,440 Speaker 5: if you really need after walking the door, or if 218 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 5: you really need to be loan. Obviously, that's expense at 219 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 5: the moment. 220 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:06,200 Speaker 2: When you look at a company like Amazon, where you 221 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 2: just know you're going to find some version of what 222 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 2: you want and it's all easy to order and it's 223 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 2: going to come quickly. How can a small online commerce 224 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 2: business even compete with that shipping costs? Even people knowing 225 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 2: that they exist. 226 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 5: There's no doubt. I mean, that's the challenge. But there's 227 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 5: a local aspect to it. There's a local appeal if 228 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:26,559 Speaker 5: you're in the local community or you're selling something that's 229 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 5: related to the local community. Like I mentioned to you 230 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 5: earlier about the graduation momento, is that kind of thing. 231 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 5: That market is out there and there's a hunger and 232 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:36,600 Speaker 5: an appetite for that amongst say communities around the country. 233 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:39,440 Speaker 5: But obviously, you know, if you're a small company and 234 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 5: you want to go online against Amazon, well that's probably 235 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:43,880 Speaker 5: a David versus Golds story. 236 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,720 Speaker 2: When we come back what it takes for these small 237 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:58,679 Speaker 2: businesses to survive in this rocky economy. So we've heard 238 00:11:58,679 --> 00:12:01,880 Speaker 2: how millions of new businesses are popping up all across 239 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:05,680 Speaker 2: the United States, but it's not always easy for them 240 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:10,439 Speaker 2: to survive in this unpredictable economy, I asked, and what 241 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 2: the numbers tell us about how many of these small 242 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 2: businesses will actually make it. 243 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 5: It's tough to track at the moment how many of 244 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 5: these businesses will actually survive to what you might call 245 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:25,200 Speaker 5: it being an established business, say the five million established 246 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:27,720 Speaker 5: last year. It will take a few years to understand 247 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:30,320 Speaker 5: how many of them thrived, how many of them are 248 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:33,079 Speaker 5: employing staffed way you're saying and our bone feed the 249 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 5: business versus how many were someone's interesting idea on the 250 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:40,680 Speaker 5: couch with their laptop and they registered with the authorities. 251 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:42,840 Speaker 5: I'm setting up this new business dot com right. It 252 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 5: takes a while to figure that out because there is 253 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 5: a high attrition rate. All this has been For example, 254 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 5: at the moment, inflation is hurting these small business people. 255 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:52,080 Speaker 5: If you go to get a loan from your bank, 256 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 5: it's expensive. At the moment, the bank might not even 257 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:56,040 Speaker 5: want to give it to you. Then there are some 258 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:58,960 Speaker 5: other issues in the US, for example, demographics is a challenge, 259 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 5: like a longer term structural challenge. There's really practical issues too, 260 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 5: like childcare. You know, you can set up your business 261 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:06,800 Speaker 5: on your laptop. That's great, and then you want to 262 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 5: go and do it, and you realize you've got this 263 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 5: problem with childcare, for example, and of course the labor 264 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 5: shortage that we all know about. So you know, as 265 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:14,839 Speaker 5: I say to you, there is a headline, and it's 266 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:17,400 Speaker 5: a very positive headline and it's real, but under the bonnet, 267 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 5: there are a lot of complications that do weigh against 268 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 5: some of these businesses properly maturing. 269 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,440 Speaker 2: So it's impossible to talk about employment in the US 270 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 2: without talking about health care because so many of us 271 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 2: have our health care tied to jobs, and it's one 272 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 2: of the things that workers want the most and employers 273 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 2: have a hard time paying for because it's so expensive. 274 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:39,880 Speaker 2: How many of these small businesses can afford things like benefits, 275 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:42,120 Speaker 2: healthcare for or one K, these kinds of things that 276 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 2: people expect. 277 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:45,440 Speaker 5: It's an expense. But if your business is getting up 278 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 5: and running and it's successful, well then you know the 279 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:50,080 Speaker 5: incentive is there. You want to have your staff and 280 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 5: you want to pay the benefits. There are companies out 281 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:55,320 Speaker 5: there that specialize in bundling the services you need. You 282 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 5: need your payrolls, you need your health care, you you know, 283 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 5: whatever it is for your staff. If there are companies 284 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 5: out there that do all of these services for small businesses. 285 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:07,160 Speaker 5: So you don't need to hire your own, say, your 286 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 5: own accountant or in house kind of staff to handle 287 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 5: the benefits side of it. You can make your own 288 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 5: savings through outsourcing it through different companies to specialized in and 289 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:17,680 Speaker 5: that's one way companies can afford to manage this this 290 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:19,440 Speaker 5: side of it. What have hapened, of course, to have 291 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:22,600 Speaker 5: a full time staff member processing benefits and perils and 292 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 5: that kind of thing. 293 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:27,560 Speaker 2: Let's hear from another small business owner who's dealing with 294 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 2: the kinds of challenges that Enda is talking about right 295 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:34,720 Speaker 2: now and has been all through the pandemic. Rose Avenue 296 00:14:34,760 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 2: Bakery is also located here in DC. They open their 297 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 2: doors in March of twenty twenty, right as COVID lockdowns began. 298 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 6: When you walk in, there's a foyer area. On our 299 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 6: left side is a rustic wall with some plants. My 300 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 6: partner really wanted it to be minimalists, a little bit 301 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 6: of modern by a little bit homey as well. 302 00:14:56,920 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 2: We have Like I first met co owner late last 303 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 2: year when we did an episode about the state of 304 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:06,760 Speaker 2: the economy. You might remember her talking about the high 305 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:10,479 Speaker 2: cost of ingredients like eggs and flour, and more unusual 306 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:14,760 Speaker 2: ones like yuzu. Since last year, Rose Avenue Bakery moved 307 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 2: out of their shared space and found a new home 308 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 2: in a former dunkin Donuts location. I went by to 309 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:23,560 Speaker 2: check it out, Paula, Great to see you again. 310 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:24,480 Speaker 6: Nice to see you. 311 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 2: The first thing you notice when you get to the 312 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 2: counter are all the different kinds of pastries, sweet and 313 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 2: savory that are displayed behind the glass. 314 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 6: And it's a take on a Filipino street food that's 315 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 6: like a spring worlled wrap plantain with jackfruit. It features 316 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:43,520 Speaker 6: of roasted plantains with brown sugar and a caramel glaze. 317 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 6: It's also Palla. 318 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:48,280 Speaker 2: Says business is going well. Lots of customers from the 319 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 2: old location have now become regulars at the new one, 320 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 2: and she and her co owner Rose Wind have been 321 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 2: able to offer more variety on the menu. 322 00:15:57,440 --> 00:16:00,480 Speaker 6: At our previous location, we were only will to serve 323 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 6: maybe two or three kinds of savory items. Now half 324 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 6: our weekend menu is savory items because it's very popular 325 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 6: in DC. Of course, brunch is this like epic thing 326 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:13,160 Speaker 6: on the weekend, so we do get a brunch rush. 327 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 6: We've got to expand on our sweet menu as well. 328 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:20,080 Speaker 6: We still have our iconic donuts like the Passion Food 329 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:21,960 Speaker 6: pond on Block sessimy donut. 330 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:24,320 Speaker 7: And what are you selling these for and how does 331 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 7: it compare to say a year. 332 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 6: Again, some of the items have maintained their price, like 333 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 6: the cookies, it's still at three twenty five. We increase 334 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:35,640 Speaker 6: the donut prices by twenty five cents each. The Queen 335 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 6: of Months have stayed also the same price. But our 336 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 6: savory items like the sandwiches, especially with bacon, we had 337 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:44,320 Speaker 6: to increase the price by a dollar or so just 338 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 6: because of how expensive meat can be. 339 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 2: Paula says they've had to raise some prices in part 340 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:54,120 Speaker 2: because ingredients are more expensive, but also to meet other 341 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 2: unexpected costs. 342 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 6: It's been still challenging, especially because we've moved here and 343 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 6: costs to moving and getting a new bakery up and running. 344 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:07,000 Speaker 6: Of course, our profit margins are a little slim because 345 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 6: we're in a new space. The cost of utilities we're 346 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:13,040 Speaker 6: not really anticipated in like because we were in a 347 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:16,320 Speaker 6: shared space before. When things break down it's on us 348 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 6: to fix. We had a lot of issues with our 349 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 6: age back during this summer, so having somebody to look 350 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:23,720 Speaker 6: at that almost every week got very costly. 351 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:28,680 Speaker 2: One major cost of running a business like Rose Avenue 352 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:32,200 Speaker 2: is paying employees. There are six bakers in the back, 353 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:36,080 Speaker 2: three managers, and five part time employees in the front 354 00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 2: of the house, plus Paula and her partner Rose. 355 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:41,880 Speaker 6: The earliest person comes in at three o'clock. They start 356 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 6: the day. They pull out all the donuts from the 357 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:47,000 Speaker 6: refrigerator that' been proofing overnight because our Brioche show does 358 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:50,159 Speaker 6: proof for several days. Then the bakers kind of trickle 359 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:53,800 Speaker 6: in between three and four and they bake off everything 360 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 6: fresh every day. They fry the donuts fresh every day. 361 00:17:57,520 --> 00:17:59,600 Speaker 6: Around seven o'clock is when our front of the house 362 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:01,359 Speaker 6: starts where they wiped on the table. 363 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:05,440 Speaker 2: I asked Paula how expanding the business has impacted her 364 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:08,879 Speaker 2: ability to pay these early risers of living wage. 365 00:18:09,119 --> 00:18:12,359 Speaker 6: We're lucky that we've maintained the same ladies that were 366 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:15,440 Speaker 6: with us at our old location. But you know, because 367 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:18,080 Speaker 6: of this big place and how busy we are now, 368 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:21,360 Speaker 6: we really need extra help back there. But unfortunately it's 369 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 6: been very hard to find help. 370 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:26,720 Speaker 7: Why are you having trouble finding people? It's a big 371 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:27,879 Speaker 7: challenge that's getting. 372 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 2: In your way. 373 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:32,000 Speaker 6: I think because everything is so costly, everybody wants a 374 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 6: little bit more money, which is you know, normal for sure. 375 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 6: But because we are a small business, we can only 376 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:44,240 Speaker 6: afford salaries within our price range obviously, so there is 377 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:49,440 Speaker 6: this competition with where we're going to get that money for. 378 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:52,720 Speaker 7: Salaries and what sort of benefits are you able to offer. 379 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 6: We have paid time off here. We also offer health benefits, 380 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 6: which is not typical of the food industry. My partner 381 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:05,440 Speaker 6: and I don't make Liverpool wages ourselves, and we're putting 382 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 6: in our own personal money to keep this place afloat. 383 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:11,320 Speaker 6: So it is a very scary time, but it's also 384 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:14,199 Speaker 6: a very exciting time. We've been wanting our own space 385 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:18,320 Speaker 6: for a very long time and we were very lucky 386 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:19,760 Speaker 6: to grow during the pandemic. 387 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 2: After the break, can this small business boom last? One 388 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 2: of the more surprising takeaways from this small business surge 389 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 2: is who's actually starting these companies, And it told me 390 00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:44,440 Speaker 2: about two groups in particular who've made gains in entrepreneurship, 391 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 2: women and black business owners. A payroll company called Gusto 392 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 2: has been tracking these changes in business ownership over the years. 393 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 2: They found that in twenty twenty one. Forty nine percent 394 00:19:57,160 --> 00:20:00,760 Speaker 2: of new business owners were women. That's up from twenty 395 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 2: nine percent since the start of the pandemic, and black 396 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 2: new business owners tripled from three percent in twenty nineteen 397 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:10,400 Speaker 2: to nine percent in twenty twenty one. 398 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:13,600 Speaker 5: Women are being given a better opportunity to get in 399 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:15,320 Speaker 5: on this in the way they haven't been in the past. 400 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:19,080 Speaker 5: The African American community is also notably featuring in setting 401 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:21,240 Speaker 5: up these new businesses, and that is being welcomed, as 402 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 5: you know, an example of where diversity is making some progress. 403 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:27,800 Speaker 5: But you know, they're facing the same challenges as everybody else. 404 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 5: That's that's the downside of all this. So obviously a 405 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:32,720 Speaker 5: long way to go there, but at least making some progress. 406 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:35,359 Speaker 5: And there is the argument that that's an opportunity for 407 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 5: a group of entrepreneurs by part of society that weren't 408 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:40,000 Speaker 5: getting in on the small business Act in the past. 409 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:43,440 Speaker 2: I asked, and where all this goes from here, whether 410 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:46,639 Speaker 2: small businesses will keep opening at such a fast pace, 411 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 2: and whether they'll continue to be such a powerful economic engine. 412 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:53,200 Speaker 5: You know, there are open questions at the moment, given 413 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:55,719 Speaker 5: what's happened with inflation. So there is an air of 414 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 5: caution out there, and this probably is feeling that you know, 415 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:02,920 Speaker 5: the boom will will flatline at some point. But listening 416 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 5: to people though, they do say ultimately at the core 417 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:09,800 Speaker 5: of any successful economy is innovation and a willingness to 418 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 5: take on risk. And lots of people I spoke to 419 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 5: you said they haven't seen this kind of the scale 420 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:18,200 Speaker 5: of ambition for some time in the US economy. Despite 421 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:22,000 Speaker 5: the challenges, it is an undeniable positive for any economy 422 00:21:22,119 --> 00:21:24,200 Speaker 5: to have so many people willing to set up a 423 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:27,359 Speaker 5: new business and of course spurge upcreation. So right here, 424 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 5: right now, I would say to you, this looks like 425 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 5: a positive story with a lot of potential for the 426 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:34,560 Speaker 5: US and any other economy. But of course, who's to 427 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:36,359 Speaker 5: say what I would say to you maybe twelve months from. 428 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:41,399 Speaker 2: Now for Paul along of Rose Avenue Bakery and and 429 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:46,240 Speaker 2: show of Lost Generation Brewery, the RoadHead isn't certain in 430 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:50,120 Speaker 2: business large or small, it never is. But they're focusing 431 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 2: on what brought them here in the first place, an 432 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:54,960 Speaker 2: idea in a community to serve. 433 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 6: We get lots of messages from loyal customers who have 434 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:00,840 Speaker 6: taught us during the pandemic. This was the weekend treat. 435 00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:04,680 Speaker 6: They awaited by the computer for our pre order selections, 436 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:08,320 Speaker 6: and now they love being able to come into the cafe. 437 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 4: We are luckily in an area where people understand that 438 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:15,280 Speaker 4: raw materials have gone up, and so they're willing to 439 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:18,920 Speaker 4: support local business, and so they're willing to spend. These 440 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:23,040 Speaker 4: prices are to keep us afloat. You know, we don't 441 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 4: ever try to be these multimillionaires. You know, we just 442 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 4: want to do what we love and love what we do. 443 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to us here at The Big Take. 444 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:36,160 Speaker 2: It's a daily podcast from Bloomberg and iHeartRadio. For more 445 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:40,439 Speaker 2: shows from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 446 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:42,920 Speaker 2: wherever you listen, and we'd love to hear from you. 447 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:46,600 Speaker 2: Email us questions or comments to Big Take at Bloomberg 448 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:50,080 Speaker 2: dot net. The supervising producer of The Big Take is 449 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:54,600 Speaker 2: Vicky Bergolina. This episode was produced by senior producer Catherine 450 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:58,359 Speaker 2: Fink and Molly Nugent. Phil de Garcia is our engineer. 451 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 2: Our original music was posed by Leo Sidron. I'm Weskasova. 452 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:05,200 Speaker 2: We'll be back tomorrow with another Big Take