business climate

Rhode Island House Majority Leader Joseph Shekarchi joins Bonus Q&A to discuss his political future, possible steps to improve the state's business climate, the outlook for a bill to legalize abortion rights in Rhode Island, Gov. Raimondo's approval rating, and more.

Providence Business News Editor Mark Murphy joins Rhode Island Public Radio's Dave Fallon for our weekly business segment, The Bottom Line.

This week's guest is Danny Warshay, executive director of the Jonathan M. Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship at Brown University.

Warshay, who helped to start a manufacturing business in Rhode Island, discusses why Brown is fertile ground for entrepreneurs, and how the university is working to make entrepreneurship a cornerstone for students and faculty of all disciplines.

  Providence Business News Editor Mark Murphy joins Rhode Island Public Radio's Dave Fallon for our weekly business segment, The Bottom Line.

This week Mark and Dave speak with Edward Mazze, Distinguished Professor of Business Administration at the University of Rhode Island.

The three discuss Providence Business News’ Summer 2016 Business Survey. They weigh in on positives and negatives in the report, and the changes to Rhode Island’s business climate. The group also talks about developing a “tech savvy” workforce, as well as the lingering effects of the Great Recession.

Providence Business News Editor Mark Murphy joins Rhode Island Public Radio's Dave Fallon for our weekly business segment, The Bottom Line.

After the passing of former Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci, Mark and Dave discuss his legacy from a business perspective. 

Cianci was known as a great champion for Providence, who oversaw major improvements in the economy, but Murphy says he also created a culture of fear among business owners.

When to listen:

You can hear The Bottom Line each Friday at 5:50pm.

Governor-elect Gina Raimondo is staging an economic policy summit with 80 so-called “thought leaders” Tuesday. The event is supposed to develop ideas for improving the state’s economy.

Raimondo’s transition office declined to release an advance list of the business people and other leaders invited to the event. They’ll take part in a three-hour discussion at URI’s Providence campus.  The governor-elect’s transition initially planned to close most of the meeting to the media. But the full session will now be open to reporters.

Rhode Island’s very first food business incubator opens officially Thursday in Warren.  The program, called Hope and Main, helps local culinary companies get on their feet.

Companies accepted into the non-profit program get use of three full sized industrial kitchens, for rent at below market rates.  They're located at the program’s headquarters; an old school building in Warren. The idea is to make it easier for culinary business by keeping down the high initial investment of equipping a commercial kitchen. Currently businesses are staying for their first two to three years.

House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello emerged in March with a strong hold on what is commonly called the state's most powerful political office. Following the unveiling of a probe of former speaker Gordon Fox, Mattiello won a brief succession fight and pledged a stronger focus on jobs and the economy. Mattiello sat down last week to discuss his first few months as speaker and some of the top issues facing the state, including his choice for governor and Buddy Cianci's latest comeback attempt.

Providence Business News Editor Mark Murphy joins Rhode Island Public Radio's Dave Fallon for a weekly business segment The Bottom Line.

This week Chuck Hinman fills in for Dave, he and Mark talk with Dean of Providence College's School of Business, Dr. Sylvia Maxfield. They discuss efforts to pump life into the state's economy, such as the Make It Happen project, and what needs to be done to improve Rhode Island's business climate.

When to Listen

You can hear The Bottom Line each Friday at 5:50pm.