Jonathan Sweet

A new analysis of Census Bureau data by the Pew Research Center shows that the growth of the Latino population in the U.S. has slowed dramatically since the Great Recession. Between 2007 and 2014, the U.S. Hispanic population grew at 2.8 percent annually on average. From 2010 to 2014, it was just 2.4 percent, according to Pew. This was significantly ...

As many of you know I spent more than a decade in the housing industry before coming to Boating Industry, so I still keep an eye on what’s going on in that market. Not only do I have a personal interest in it, the housing market plays a huge role in our overall economy — and the boating industry. And ...

A relatively new podcast for small business owners and entrepreneurs is worth checking out if you’re struggling with the challenges of running your business. The How of Business launched in April and now boasts more than 30 episodes in its archives, with topics ranging from customer service to blogging to hiring and more. I discovered it in June and have ...

You know what I wish? I wish I could read one Top 100 application where someone had a lousy year. (Not really, of course. I’m not wishing that on anyone.) But I’ve said a variation of those words to several members of our team and not a few dealers since we started reviewing applications in June. We’re deep into the ...

I’ve had plenty of discussions with business leaders in our industry over the last few months about the election. Not surprisingly, many are concerned about either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump (or both) winning and the impact it will have on their business. That’s fairly typical — this is the fifth presidential election cycle where I’ve been covering businesses and ...

In case you haven’t noticed, employee handbooks have been getting plenty of attention from regulators, such as the National Labor Relations Board and others. So if you haven’t looked at yours lately, it’s probably a good time to consult with an attorney and make sure it’s up to snuff. Here’s just a few areas you need to worry about: Social ...

One of the best parts of this job is getting a chance to visit dealers and others in the industry to see their operations and get an up-close look at their businesses. This week I’ll be in Maine and Massachusetts, visiting several of our Top 100 dealers and others. The best way to keep up on what we’re seeing is ...

This summer will give the boating industry another opportunity to have its voice heard by elected officials of both parties, with the quadrennial political conventions coming up next month. In case you missed the news when we reported it on Tuesday, NMMA and others in the industry will be hosting a “Day on the Water” at both political conventions and ...

A lot of business leaders like to think of themselves as coaches versus managers. You’re a skilled tactician leading a team to victory! But the reality, according to a new Harvard Business Review study, is that most people are not accurately gauging their own coaching skills. Study authors Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman used data from 360 reviews to examine ...

OK, well maybe not big. I mean, we’re not giving away a boat or anything, but if you answer our annual dealer survey, you could have a chance to win an Amazon gift card, waterproof Bluetooth speaker or other prizes. At least 10 respondents will win and if we get a bigger than expected response, we’ll probably boost that a ...