Setting Business Goals to Launch Your Start Up

Setting daily goals helps you achieve them, even though competing interests and everyday challenges can make the process difficult.

Imagine you want to launch a startup and move your business to downtown Ludington or Escanaba. You have your basic funding—whether saved on your own or with family support—and a researched business plan. Bringing that vision to life requires a clear, step-by-step approach:

• Explore and Secure a Location: Take a trip to the area, scout options, and find potential facilities.

• Secure Financing: Talk with local banks and vendors to finalize your funding and loans you may need. A business plan will help here.

• Execute the Process: Navigate the dozens of steps required to purchase and open your business.

The Secret to Success

While it takes many steps, daily progress makes it possible. Your path might not turn out exactly as planned, but consistent effort separates those who succeed from those who don't.

• Focus on Purposeful Action: Keep working toward your goals every day. Some days you will accomplish more than others, but your actions should remain intentional.

• Embrace the Learning Curve: Success takes time, and some people face a steeper learning curve or more setbacks than others.

• Don't Fear Failure: Do not let failure stop you. Often, those who experience setbacks ultimately achieve the most profound success.

A helpful article 

10-step guide to building your startup

Producer Price Index Rises in September 2026-Average People Likely to Feel the Pinch

Rising Producer Price Indexes mean that consumer prices will soon follow, placing direct pressure on everyday household budgets. The burden of these cost increases falls most heavily on the average person, while the top earners are the least impacted. Although these rate increases may look like minor percentages on paper, their real-world impact is significant for anyone working to make ends meet.

Businesses will also feel the squeeze as input costs rise. To remain viable, companies must find practical ways to reduce operational expenses and keep their products competitive in the marketplace. While various strategies are being considered, finding effective, long-term solutions remains a critical priority.

Producer Price Indexes – September 2026

• The Producer Price Index for final demand increased by a seasonally adjusted 1.3 percent in September 2026, marking the largest advance since March 2022.

• On an unadjusted basis, final demand prices climbed 6.3 percent for the 12 months ended in September, driven significantly by a 10.8 percent jump in final demand energy prices.

• Prices for final demand goods advanced 2.6 percent—the largest increase since data collection began in December 2009—while final demand services rose 0.8 percent.

• Intermediate demand prices also experienced broad-based increases, with processed goods rising 2.5 percent, unprocessed goods jumping 8.4 percent, and services advancing 0.9 percent.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026, October 15). Producer price indexes – September 2026. U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ppi.nr0.htm

Apple Banana Oatmeal Cookies

I made some protein oatmeal banana maple cookies today. My neighbor gave me a ton of apples from their orchard, so I've been figuring out creative ways to use them.

For these, I mashed up a banana, diced a couple of smaller apples, and mixed them with oatmeal, about a quarter cup of maple syrup, a little brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of baking soda. I shaped them into little cookies and baked them, and wow—they turned out great!

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I gave a few to my buddies locally to get their honest opinion. A couple of people tried them and said, "Yeah, those are good." I might have slightly overcooked them—when I first pulled them out, they seemed a bit doughy, so I put them back in for a few minutes. But with the fresh apples in there, they stayed nice and chewy, which was perfect.

I'm definitely making these again, though I'll make a minor tweak next time. I have some local honey, so I might combine that with the farmer's market maple syrup to see how the flavors balance out.

What I love about cooking for myself is knowing exactly where the food comes from. It’s a bit of an art and a skill. I rarely follow recipes word-for-word—I usually just look up basic proportions and ingredients, then take it from there. I prefer keeping it simple rather than turning it into a science experiment.

In the end, it turned out healthy, delicious, and turned into a great social exchange. Cooking is just as much about community as it is about the food itself. You share what you make, neighbors share their harvest, and everyone enjoys higher-quality food together.

Would you like me to write out a quick standardized "recipe card" with estimated measurements for this blend so you can easily reference or tweak it next time?

Weekely Unemployment Insurance Claims Ending Cotober 10th, 2026-In the Middle

 Unemployment claims rose slightly, but not by a concerning margin. The four-week moving average also ticked up marginally, reflecting a slight shift in initial filings.

At the same time, the total number of insured unemployed (continuing claims) decreased. This raises an important question:

• Are individuals finding employment and transitioning back into the workforce?

• Or are workers simply exhausting their eligible benefit periods and falling off the rolls?

Concurrently, California's higher unemployment rate remains a key metric to monitor. Ideally, we want to see this trend reverse as displaced workers find new opportunities and re-enter the labor market.

Looking ahead, the broader role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be crucial to observe:

1. Displacement: To what extent AI automates current roles and accelerates job losses.

2. Reskilling: How effectively displaced workers can retrain and transition into emerging industries.

Overall, this latest report isn't distinctly positive or negative—it presents a middle-of-the-road picture of a steady yet shifting labor market.

Weekly Unemployment Insurance Claims Summary-Ending October 10th, 2026

• Initial seasonally adjusted unemployment claims rose by 1,000 to 199,000 for the week ending October 10, 2026, while the four-week moving average increased by 250 to 198,500.

• The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate stood at 1.1 percent for the week ending October 3, 2026, with the total number of insured unemployed decreasing by 4,000 to 1,710,000.

• Unadjusted state program initial claims rose by 19,456 to 190,626 for the week ending October 10, 2026, compared to 210,777 during the same week in the previous year.

• State insured unemployment rates for the week ending September 26, 2026, were highest in New Jersey (2.0%), Massachusetts (1.8%), Washington (1.8%), and California (1.7%).

U.S. Department of Labor. (2026). Unemployment insurance weekly claims [News release]. Employment and Training Administration. https://www.dol.gov/ui/data.pdf

Strong Communication Bypassing Traditional Factional Loyalties in the Development of a Society: The Hypothetical Feather Party

 In an era marked by shifting public trust and institutional rigidity, philosophers and organizational theorists are revisiting a fundamental truth: communication is the nervous system of any collective. Whether applied to a Fortune 500 company, an emerging community, or the governance of a future society, the health of an organization hinges entirely on its ability to listen. Just as biological cells rely on feedback loops to survive, human institutions falter when leadership isolates itself from its stakeholders. When channels are closed and dissenting needs are ignored, decisions inevitably drift away from the general welfare, sparking a continuous decline in public trust.

This dynamic lies at the heart of why freedom of speech remains an indispensable safeguard rather than a mere luxury. Historical thought experiments, such as the Allegory of the  Clan, illustrate the dangerous mechanics of suppression: when corrupt factions or compromised networks face exposure, their primary defense is to silence critics. By shutting down platforms that demand accountability—such as calls for courts to investigate wrongdoing and protect the public—these actors prevent systemic reform to shield their own interests. Ultimately, suppressing speech is a calculated maneuver to halt progress and evade justice.

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Looking ahead, thinkers propose that future governance could bypass traditional factional loyalties entirely, relying instead on independent leaders bound by conscience and structured decision-making matrices. Yet, no framework can self-correct without an open exchange of ideas. Protecting freedom of speech ensures that organizations can catch flaws early, heed the warnings of stakeholders, and evolve before institutional decay takes root.

*A philosophical exercise so feel free to accept. 

The Impact of Communication on Organizational Performance: A Comprehensive Analysis

• The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of how effective communication practices influence various dimensions of organizational performance, including productivity, employee engagement, goal alignment, innovation, and customer satisfaction.

• It highlights that open dialogue, transparent information sharing, timely feedback, and recognition build a sense of ownership and motivate employees to perform at their best.

• Conversely, the study emphasizes that poor communication or a lack of clear channels leads to disengagement, job dissatisfaction, increased turnover, and undermined long-term organizational success.

• It investigates the role of both formal and informal communication networks, emphasizing how strong communication strategies help organizations cultivate trust, maintain positive stakeholder relationships, and navigate change effectively.

Jerab, D. (2024). The impact of communication on organizational performance: A comprehensive analysis. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4809789

Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services September 2026

October 15th, 2026

ESCANABA, MI.- Advanced monthly retail and food services sales for September 2026 reached $745.0 billion, reflecting a 0.8% increase from August and a 5.5% rise over the July through September period compared to the previous year. Because retail and food services represent a major pillar of the U.S. economy, healthy consumer spending serves as an encouraging sign for broader economic growth.

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At the same time, long-term financial health requires balancing consumption with strong earnings and consistent personal savings. Managing and reducing personal debt, particularly high-interest obligations, helps keep more money in consumers' hands rather than going toward interest payments.

Furthermore, directing spending toward local and small businesses helps reinvest directly back into communities. Prioritizing future savings alongside mindful consumption ensures long-term personal security and financial resilience.

Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services, September 2026

• Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for September 2026 totaled $745.0 billion, representing a 0.8 percent increase from the previous month and a 6.3 percent increase compared to September 2025.

• Total sales for the July 2026 through September 2026 period rose 5.5 percent from the same period a year ago.

• The previous month's change (August 2026 compared to July 2026) was revised upward from an increase of 1.1 percent to 1.3 percent.

• Nonstore retailers experienced strong yearly growth, increasing by 8.0 percent from September 2025, while gasoline station sales grew significantly by 17.0 percent over the same annual period.

• The survey results are adjusted for seasonal variations, holiday differences, and trading-day variations, but do not account for price changes.

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026, October 15). Advance monthly sales for retail and food services, September 2026 (Report No. CB26-165). U.S. Department of Commerce. https://www.census.gov/retail/marts/www/marts_current.pdf

Moral Leadership in Business and Society-Engagement and Disengagement

Ethics are vital to both business and society. We often mistake leadership as a purely top-down dynamic, but true leadership requires a balance of power, wisdom, ethics, and values. Whether in commerce or community, people naturally trust good leaders.

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Leadership isn't 
about ego it is
about serving society
and business together.
One can enhance the 
other if it is proper alignment.
Over concentration
indicates something
isn't in alignment and
that means there
will be a shift at some
point coming. 
What that looks like
is hard to tell so
be the best most ethical
leader you can. If you
don't have good examples
then follow your own
true north compass.

When trust declines—within an organization or society at large—people stop giving their best. They disengage because they no longer believe in the mission or the integrity of those leading it.

Ultimately, whether we are hiring organizational leaders or electing public officials, we must prioritize merit, character, and capability over connections. Top performance stems from trust, and trust is earned by doing the right thing, every single time. Seek to correct mistakes and improve when needed.

Key Themes to Ponder

• Leadership is More than Authority: Power without wisdom and ethics fails to inspire.

• The Cost of Eroded Trust: Disengagement happens when people lose faith in leadership and organizational values.

• Merit and Integrity: True performance comes from choosing leaders based on capability and ethical strength rather than networking or status.

You may be interested in this piece below....

How Moral Leadership Will Fuel Business Success

• The HOW Institute for Society’s research demonstrates that moral leadership—grounded in ethics, empathy, and accountability—serves as a critical catalyst for driving organizational performance and culture.

• Organizations led by top-tier CEOs achieve substantially higher customer satisfaction rates (74%) compared to those led by lower-tier CEOs (39%).

• Companies with strong moral authority exhibit enhanced resilience and are significantly better positioned for future growth and navigating economic disruptions.

• Employees under top-tier managers display much greater loyalty and satisfaction, with only 10% actively seeking new roles compared to 31% of employees with bottom-tier managers.

• A staggering 96% of employees with moral, top-tier managers would recommend their workplace to others, compared to just 70% under bottom-tier managers.

• Closing the existing gap between the demand for moral leadership and its current supply requires organizations to integrate ethics into leadership training, celebrate ethical behaviors, and regularly measure leadership effectiveness.

Finlay, V. (2026, May 1). Moral leadership will fuel business success. The HOW Institute for Society. https://thehowinstitute.org/moral-leadership-will-fuel-business-success/