This is CBS. I am the world. I'm John Batcher. The business of America is small business.

I welcome Gene Marks, the small business columnist for the Guardian newspaper, UK and US edition,

as well as his hometown, our hometown newspaper, the Philadelphia Inquire and other distinguished

publications. Medium, Gene's medium site is where to see much of this reporting. We begin,

however, with the story of Gene Marks has traveled this last week. He traveled to Sarasota, Florida,

and he met with executives who are very pleased with the green technology of today. Gene,

a very good evening to you. Green technology and Sarasota, Florida go together perfectly.

Who did you meet and how are they doing in this reported slowdown of the American economy?

Good evening. John, it's good to speak with you. As I speak to a lot of industry groups,

and this week I was speaking to a large group of heating and air conditioner dealers that

represent products from Mitsubishi and train. They were hired to go in and speak. It was an

internal meeting. It wasn't like an industry association, but these are all business owners and

managers that are in the HVAC business. Again, you and I, we've been talking for months and months

looking for the floor and opening doors and raising one and trying to find the recession somewhere.

When I talk to these people who are in the construction industry, is there a recession there?

The fact is that there isn't. Every group I talk to, of course, are a little uneasy and certain

government default, higher interest rates, still grappling with supply chain and inflation.

But these guys are doing okay. They're in an industry that's seeing trillions of dollars coming

their way, John. There's the CHIPS Act, which is putting in hundreds of billions of dollars to

build chip-making, manufacturing facilities around the country. Those places have got to be heated

in cool. They are also seeing lots of money under the Inflation Reduction Act, which has little to

do with inflation, but a lot to do with green energy and more eco-friendly structures. If you're

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