Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce released the third episode of its limited video series based on WMC Foundation’s Wisconsin Competitiveness Report — highlighting the challenges facing Wisconsin’s economy and what it will take to move forward. In the episode, WMC’s President/CEO Kurt R. Bauer and Associate Vice President of Government Relations Rachel Ver Velde discuss Wisconsin’s demographic dilemma, workforce shortage, and disastrous educational outcomes.

Regardless of the state you do business, it is likely you face the same workforce challenge.

Bauer and Ver Velde kick off the episode discussing Wisconsin’s aging population and contracting workforce. The median age in Wisconsin is 40.7 — more than a year older than the national average. Residents age 65 and older make up 19.2 percent of the population, compared to 18 percent nationally. Additionally, the state’s labor force rate peaked in 1997 and has declined since. Last year, it hit a record low, with less than 65 percent of residents working or seeking work.

“In Wisconsin, we actually have a lower labor force participation rate than at the height of the pandemic in April 2020. We need to get people off the sidelines, back to work, and make sure that government programs are not encouraging people to sit on the sidelines. The best thing we can do for any person is make sure that they have a job, and that they are able to sustain themselves and their family.” — Rachel Ver Velde

The conversation then turns to Wisconsin’s education system and the impact poor student outcomes could have on the state’s future workforce. Nearly two‑thirds of Wisconsin students are below grade level in math, and seven in 10 students are not reading at grade level.



“If you can’t read, you can’t learn. These numbers are really alarming, and frankly, it’s a scandal. We are not talking about it enough, and it should be a major topic of this election cycle.” — Kurt R. Bauer.

45^% — Say discounts will matter more this holiday season than last year.

25^% — Plan to begin holiday shopping in early November, while only 20% planned to start on Black Friday in 2025.

61^% of Millennials say price and promotions are becoming more important.

56^% of Gen Z and 51^% of Millennials plan to use social media for holiday research, compared with just 12^% of Boomers.

What does this mean for independent retailers?

Start holiday promotions early. Make your website easy to search and keep product information current. Clearly communicate deals, shipping or delivery options, and added value. And remember: shoppers may increasingly discover your products through AI as well as traditional search and social media.

Source: Chain Store Age, "Here's What Drives Holiday Purchase Decisions," Sept. 15, 2026, reporting results from Cordial's "Holiday 2026: Consumer Shopping Insights."

From the CEO:

For retailers, signage does much more than tell customers where you are, it can influence whether they notice your business, trust it, walk through the door, and ultimately make a purchase.

A recent national survey found that 84% of consumers say signage impacts their decision to purchase from a business, while 39% have entered a business solely because of its sign. But signage can work both ways: signs that are difficult to read, cluttered, or confusing can actually drive customers away.

What does your signage say about your business before a customer ever walks through the door? Read the full article to see which elements of signage matter most to consumers and why sometimes simpler may be better.

Signage can affect customer behavior - here's how

by Dan Berthiaume, chainstoreage.com

Read the full article here

More than 130 years ago, independent hardware dealers faced a challenge familiar today: competing against larger retailers with greater purchasing power and preferential pricing.

In 1892, Kansas established the first known state hardware dealers’ association. By the early 1900s, 25 state associations had formed, including those in Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin—the five states that make up today’s Midwest Hardware Association.

This "boom" of hardware dealer association inceptions was a response to concerns that manufacturers and wholesalers favored mail-order companies and larger chains. By working together, independent dealers could advocate for fair business practices, share information and negotiate from a stronger position.

Fast-forward to today and many of the early challenges faced by hardware dealers still exist. The names and technologies may have changed, but our Association's purpose remains the same:  to strengthen independent hardware retailers through relationships, expertise and collaboration, while empowering your store to thrive for generations.

from the archives, circa 1919...

"I would like to say that it has been a pleasure to work with this company. Anytime I have a problem, I get a quick response and it is taken care of."

-Dottie