John Hanson runs a toy company in California.

I'm the owner and president of the John Hanson company.

We're a soon to be 75-year-old game and toy company.

And I'm the third generation owner and president.

John makes and distributes toys and games, things like chessboards,

hula hoops and backgammon sets.

Which means December is a big month for him.

So running a toy company, does that make you Santa Claus?

If you talk to my five-year-old and my two-and-a-half-year-old, yes.

You've got the beard going, but there's not any white in there.

So you've got a ways to go.

Yeah, well, after this year, it's coming in with all these issues.

I mean, it's been, uh, it's definitely been interesting here.

This year, the pandemic scrambled global supply chains at every level.

There's been manufacturing delays in China.

Containers have been stuck in long lines at ports.

And a shortage of truckers has made it difficult to move goods in and out of warehouses.

And in the lead-up to the holiday shopping season, that's been a big problem for business owners like John.

Is your stress level like, where are you on the stress-o-meter right now,

compared to where you normally are this time of year?

Uh, hi.

Welcome to the journal, our show about money, business, and power.

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