What the Biz?!
Brigitte Vegter, Daniel Proczko, and Richard Piet are 3 entrepreneurs sharing their journey to build their businesses beyond 6 figures. Each WhatTheBIz?! episode features a discussion surrounding a business building topic, recent events from the trenches of running a business, balancing life, and all the WTB in between. Enjoy entertaining banter, highly valuable resources and tools, and in less than 60min.
What the Biz?!
Low-Fire, Low-Hire: Surviving the 2026 Small Business Squeeze
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In this episode of What The Biz?!, hosts Brigitte Vegter and Daniel Proczko break down the "Low-Fire, Low-Hire" economy of 2026. With hiring rates at a historic low of 3.3% and firing at just 1.1%, workers are staying put, creating a talent pool that isn't moving. Brigitte explains why this "stable" surface actually squeezes small business margins as inflation and operating costs outpace cooling wage growth.
We also explore a structural shift in the industry: a 52-year low in accounting talent has led over 90% of finance leaders to outsource at least one major function. The duo discusses the rise of the "Financial Quarterback"—Fractional CFOs who act as strategists rather than just historians. Finally, Dan shares a "What The Biz" moment from a local craft store that reveals the power of providing a simple "blueprint" to build trust and eliminate customer intimidation.
Show Topics & Sources
The Low-Fire, Low-Hire Economy: Why historic lows in turnover mean you must focus on performance standards for the team you already have.
Source: https://www.stlouisfed.org/on-the-economy/2026/mar/effects-low-fire-low-hire-economy-workers
The Accounting Talent Crisis: Enrollment is vanishing, and specialized talent is now at a 52-year low.
Source: https://www.auxis.com/theres-a-shortage-of-accountants-what-can-you-do-about-it/
The Rise of Fractional Leadership: LinkedIn data shows fractional listings grew from 60k to 120k in just two years, with a 400% increase since 2022.
Source: https://fractionus.com/blog/10-statistics-fractional-work-future
The Strategic Partner Model: Why $1M–$50M businesses are moving toward Fractional CFOs to bridge the gap between "operator" and "owner."
Source: https://usfractionalcfo.com/hiring-a-fractional-cfo-in-2026/
WTB Moment: Lessons in customer experience from the "pattern books" of old-school craft stores.
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Hosts
Daniel Proczko - myPocketMarketing
Brigitte Vegter - Vegter Financial
