Neil A. Carousso produces NewsNation original “Kurt’s Country” – a celebration of country music and a slice of Americana with host Kurt Bardella.
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880 Weekly Rewind: Crime Shakes NYC, Americans Die from COVID at Higher Rates than Europeans, Tiki Barber Gets Emotional Over Brian Flores Lawsuit
Produced by Neil A. Carousso
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — The mayor is calling for help.
On The 880 Weekly Rewind, Mayor Eric Adams explains what he needs from President Joe Biden and the federal government to get New York City’s crime surge under control.
Lynda Lopez also explores why U.S. COVID-19 death rates are far higher than other wealthy nations, and takes a hard look at Brian Flores’ lawsuit against the NFL with retired New York Giants running back Tiki Barber of WFAN.
Listen to The 880 Weekly Rewind podcast for a deep dive into the top stories of the week, produced by Neil A. Carousso for WCBS-AM New York.
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NYC Crime: Mourning and Outrage Over Cop’s Murder
Produced by Neil A. Carousso
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Grief turns into anger over gun violence in New York City as thousands of NYPD officers and cops from around the country gathered at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue where murdered Detective Jason Rivera’s funeral was held Friday morning.
In her eulogy, Rivera’s widow Dominique gave a pointed message for New York’s leaders who are vowing to act on rising crime. Lynda Lopez examines how they aim to restore safety to the city’s streets on The 880 Weekly Rewind.
Listen to The 880 Weekly Rewind Podcast for a deep dive into the top stories of the week, produced by Neil A. Carousso for WCBS-AM New York.
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NYC Plagued by Gun Violence; Pres. Biden Aims to Reverse Course in Year Two
Produced by Neil A. Carousso
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — It’s been a violent start to the year and Mayor Eric Adams’ term in office.
Lynda Lopez looks at how the city and state aim to reverse the trend on The 880 Weekly Rewind.
Plus, CBS News Senior White House and Political Correspondent Ed O’Keefe offers analysis of President Joe Biden’s first year in The White House, which was dominated by COVID-19, and recently, plunging poll numbers.
Listen to The 880 Weekly Rewind Podcast for a deep dive into the top stories of the week, produced by Neil A. Carousso for WCBS-AM New York.
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880 Weekly Rewind: Hospitals Strained to the Max, Facing COVID Surge and Dire Staffing Shortage
Produced by Neil A. Carousso
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Military doctors, nurses and paramedics are being deployed to hospitals in six states, including New York and New Jersey, to bolster overwhelmed medical staffs. Twenty percent of U.S. hospitals have a critical staffing shortage.
The 880 Weekly Rewind takes a look inside two New Jersey hospitals facing a dire staffing shortage with stressed health care workers.
Plus, Rewind talks to Dr. Irwin Redlener, founding director of Columbia University’s National Center for Disaster Preparedness and a pandemic advisor to many institutions, including the City of New York, about the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling allowing vaccine mandates for many health care workers but blocking vaccine or testing requirements for private companies.
On a lighter note, WCBS sports director Brad Heller tells us about the New York Yankees’ groundbreaking promotion of Rachel Balkovec to be the first woman manager of a Major League Baseball affiliate. And, WCBS Mets Radio broadcasters Howie Rose and Wayne Randazzo chat with legendary Mets first baseman Keith Hernandez whose number 17 will be retired by the New York Mets on July 9 at Citi Field.
Listen to The 880 Weekly Rewind Podcast with Lynda Lopez for a deep dive into the top stories of the week, produced by Neil A. Carousso for WCBS-AM New York.
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Small Business Spotlight: Biggest Financial Pitfalls to Avoid in 2022
By Joe Connolly and Neil A. Carousso
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Mistakes can be costly, especially during such an uncertain time.
On the WCBS Small Business Spotlight, sponsored by Dime Community Bank, Joe Connolly and Neil A. Carousso talked to Jean Chatzky, an award-winning financial journalist and CEO of HerMoney Media, Inc., who shared some of the most common mistakes business owners make and new businesspeople should avoid.
1. Not Enough Working Capital
Chatzky says a common mistake new business owners make is failing to plan for how much capital they need beyond getting started.
“Particularly right now with so many people joining the great resignation, leaving their workplaces, we’ve seen a lot of people, particularly women, launch businesses, hang out a shingle, take their skills, and try to turn it into a revenue stream for themselves,” she said, continuing, “If you could do it with a client or two under your belt, that’s fantastic, but you need to also understand what it’s going to cost you not just to get going but to keep going as you gain some ground.”
Chatzky advises business owners to plan for enough working capital to see some success. She also tells budding entrepreneurs to pay close attention to what people tell them that they are good at and pursue an area where they can charge for their skills.
The so-called “great resignation,” she alluded to, is putting pressure on the most hard-hit industries struggling to recover from the pandemic. A record 4.5 million Americans quit their jobs in November, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Workers in the hospitality industry were most likely to leave for higher paying jobs.
Chatzky said preventing costly turnover comes down to managing relationships.
“If you’ve got people on your team that you want to help grow, that you want to encourage to grow, you need to know what they want, right? If you’re not asking them what they want, then they’re going to look for what they want elsewhere,” she said.
2. Operating Too Big
“You got to be scrappy, especially when you’re bootstrapping,” said Chatzky.
The financial expert recalled an instance early on at HerMoney Media, which Chatzy co-founded in 2018, when a client left a big investment bank to start his own company.
“He wanted to do some focus grouping,” she said. “His idea was, ‘Well, you hire a focus group company.’ And, my idea, was, ‘No, you send out some feelers through your social channels and your newsletter and you ask people to show up for a Zoom call that costs you nothing.'”
The small business mindset will help owners and managers serve their customers and turn profits while operating lean.
3. Underestimating the Hiring Process
Chatzky explained on the Small Business Spotlight that business owners often underestimate the importance and difficulty of hiring.
“Realize what you can’t do. Realize what you’re not good at. And, as you start to bring in other people to support you whether they’re employees or contractors or freelancers, look for people who do those things better than you do. Don’t be threatened by the fact that they have skills that you don’t,” she said.
She told Connolly and Carousso that she hires people in their 20s for their social media skills. The HerMoney Media CEO recommends contracting out to potential employees for a period before putting them on payroll to see if they are a good fit for their company.
Despite all the challenges businesses face with the ongoing COVID threat, Chatzky believes business owners are more optimistic than most people.
“I think business owners have an inherent sense that this is going to work, that I can do this,” she said, adding, “They’re more confident in their own abilities. That can be good and that can be bad, right? If you’re overly confident, you can lead yourself astray, but I do think they’re different in that way. Some business owners just don’t want to work for anybody else. I think there’s definitely a breed like that; I think it’s a growing breed.”
She told WCBS 880 she sees her customers and her employees as her bosses. It helps keep her grounded and her firm growing.
Chatzky co-hosts a new national radio show with journalist Soledad O’Brien called “Everyday Wealth,” presented by Edelman Financial Engines.
“The listeners are anybody who is looking to make more of their money,” said Chatzky.
Everyday Wealth airs Sundays at 11 AM on WCBS Newsradio 880.
Watch Joe Connolly and Neil A. Carousso’s full conversation with Jean Chatzky on the Small Business Spotlight video above.
