Everyone's worried AI is coming for their job. The actual problem is the opposite: the U.S. is staring down what may be the largest labor shortage in its history — roughly 6 million missing workers by 2032 — and there are already more open jobs than unemployed people to fill them. I break down the numbers, why boards are hiring 69-year-old retired CEOs to run public companies, and how I actually lead and hire in my own firm. Episode 3 of Business as Usual with Harley Liechty. Unemployment sits at 4.1% and looks fine on paper. But labor force participation is down to 61.4%, more than a quarter of unemployed workers have been jobless six months or longer, and about a third of open jobs can't be filled by anyone whose last job was in a related field. For every five skilled tradespeople who retire, only two walk in the door. Construction needs 349,000 new workers this year. Manufacturing needs 3.8 million by 2033. This isn't an AI story. It's a pipeline story. I also get into the leadership question I got asked in my final 10,000 Small Businesses interview, why I think hiring and recruiting is really just sales, our six core values, and a moment with one of my team members this week that reminded me I've still got a lot of room to grow. Plus the week I actually had: golf lessons with people who know what they're doing, good client meetings and some not-so-good bookkeeping issues, six hours on a Saturday to get my to-do list from 25 items down to under 10, kid wake-up duty while my wife's been sick, and planning a family reunion for 300+ Liechtys. Closing out in Matthew 6:19-21 and 6:25-34. MAIN TOPICS Why AI isn't the reason nobody's hiring The 6 million worker gap by 2032 Unemployment looks fine, participation doesn't A third of jobs can't be filled by anyone in that field The leadership question from my 10KSB interview Hiring and recruiting is really just sales 75% of applications get zero response Speed is the close: why 61% take the first offer Our six core values and why coachability matters most Scheduling, calendar management, and getting work done Where I'm still getting leadership wrong My week: golf, clients, and a sick wife Six hours on a Saturday to clear the to-do list Planning a reunion for 300+ family members Matthew 6: treasure, worry, and business ownership MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses - https://10ksbapply.com/ Lightcast workforce projections Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Deloitte & The Manufacturing Institute Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Russell Reynolds Associates CEO turnover research National Bureau of Economic Research ABOUT THE SHOW It's a crazy world we live in, but at the end of the day, it's just business as usual. Harley Liechty runs a bookkeeping and accounting firm in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Eight years in, he talks through the parts most business podcasts skip — real numbers, real client problems, hiring decisions, marriage, kids, and Scripture. No growth hacks, no guru voice. One guy talking through the week he actually had. New episodes every Wednesday.

The Wall Street Journal ran a piece on million-dollar companies with a single employee. I run a one-person accounting and bookkeeping firm, so I read it with some interest — and some skepticism. In this episode I break down the part I think they underplayed: if AI makes it easy for one person to launch a business, it makes it just as easy for someone to copy you. Plus a real look at what I actually got done this week, how I plan my days after 8 years of this, and where I'm at reading through the Gospels. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE The Rise of Million-Dollar Companies With Just One Employee (WSJ): https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/the-rise-of-million-dollar-companies-with-just-one-employee-f36a77c1 The WSJ one-employee company article The copycat risk nobody's talking about Why AI costs are eating solo founders alive Two new service offerings I nailed down Testing out AI-Native accounting platforms Setting a real KPI for my networking group Creative client conversations this week Levi's 4th birthday (and being frustrated at golf) How I fit this much into one week: time blocking Where I still waste time (email, lunch YouTube, wake-up times) Reading the Gospels again — thoughts on Matthew 1-5 ABOUT THIS PODCAST An honest weekly look at building a business, raising a family, and keeping the faith — from someone doing all three at once. Accounting, bookkeeping, entrepreneurship, fatherhood, and figuring it out in public. New episodes every week. Subscribe if you like supporting new podcasts.

Start of a new podcast! We dive into the current snapshot of what's going on with my life and why this podcast is even a thing. As a general podcast description: "It's a crazy world we live in, but at the end of the day, it's just business as usual. Harley Liechty takes you into the transparent details of a young entrepreneur — a growing small business, a young marriage, kids, and a whole life still ahead of him. This isn't a show that sells you growth hacks, profound guru teachings or to stroke my ego. It's simply a transparent invitation to join me as I refuse to settle for a mediocre, unremarkable life. Some weeks, it's wrestling with growth challenges for my business. Some weeks, it's trying to make sure my marriage is still as lovely as on our wedding day. Some weeks, it's sharing how dumb I recently was. Some weeks, it's seeing global warfare, diseases and macro-economic, impossible issues and just saying, "God, hope you've got that figured out." No matter what it is, I'm glad to have you here for it."