Show: Insight Station: KNCO File: 9:7.mp3 Air date: 2026-09-07 Source: OpenAI whisper-1 · shrunk from 98.6 MB to 12.3 MB --- transcript --- Welcome to On the Money, a special presentation from ABC News Radio. In this show, we're going to be diving into Americans' personal economy. Times are tight right now, and plenty of people are trying to scrimp and save wherever they can. We're also going to take a look at what Americans are doing to make a little extra on the side and what they do with those extra funds once it's finally time to clock out of work. But if there's one thing that hangs over pretty much every discussion of the economy in 2026, it's artificial intelligence. Some companies are jumping in with both feet, some are just testing the waters, and some are still trying to figure out if this technology can swim at all. ABC's Rob Hawley takes a look at how AI is changing how we work. Every year, Microsoft puts out a report it calls the Work Trend Index, a study of the trends around the way we all work. So when I talked with Katie George, Corporate Vice President of Workforce Transformation at Microsoft, about this year's index, I just had to ask this question. I went back and I looked at the 2021 Work Trend Index. Guess how many times artificial intelligence is mentioned in that one? Oh boy, I need to have gone back and looked. I'm guessing zero. Zero. The word artificial is not even there. Back then, it was all about things like hybrid work, remote work. This year, it's all AI. I don't think that the impact of AI on the workplace in 2026 can be, you know, overstated. We've seen dramatic changes in work. Microsoft, of course, has its own AI offering called CoPilot. And George says they're seeing a change in how people are using it. One of the things that was most striking is that this year, almost 50% of the tasks that CoPilot Chat is helping our users with are what we call cognitive. So we've moved and graduated from email and document retrieval to problem solving, analysis, helping people think creatively. She says some of the heaviest users of AI say they're now doing work they just couldn't have done before. Andy Challenger with Outplacement from Challenger Grand Christmas, seeing that happening firsthand with their own projects. There are so many tech projects that we wanted to do that we just couldn't tackle because they were too big and expensive and time consuming. We've been able to bring on a couple coders and get a ton of those done in the last year in a totally surprising way that it's actually created a certain amount of jobs in that sense. But the changes in how we're working aren't universal or even spread out evenly. Kyle M.K. is a senior talent strategy advisor at Indeed and has been taking a look at how AI is rolling out across companies. Right now, it feels like the Wild West when it comes to how employers are rolling out AI. I like to use the analogy of a lightning strike. I don't know if you've ever seen a lightning strike in slow motion, but it is a lot of electricity coming from the sky. And whichever is the first touch point to the ground, that's where everything, that's where we see the lightning bolt. Right now, in terms of AI being used within work, we haven't seen a lightning bolt yet. We're still kind of exploring all of these different avenues all at once. And there's a lot of expectation within each company to use AI, probably a little more expectation than support. And they're all looking for that lightning bolt, for that ground touch. And then there are the people who have tried AI tools and found they just didn't work for their work. So far, I'm not that impressed with the AI that's publicly available. I've been trying to use it, process data, and I'm still just kind of like, eh, I'm not super impressed with what this is capable of. Melanie Hansen is the senior editor of the Education Data Initiative. I've had clients who are like, use AI to generate this article. And I'm like, it's wrong. It can't research. It doesn't know what's true and what's not. So it's useless there. Which goes right to the heart of a lot of issues around AI, trust. I'm Noah John Siracusa, associate professor of mathematics at Bentley University. And we went through some recent Gallup polling on what Americans think of AI. We started polling people to see how they feel about AI in a few different directions just a few years ago, around the time that ChatGPT came out. And it was interesting for the first couple of years, it looked like people were getting more comfortable with AI, more optimistic that it was going to create new jobs, that it was going to make things better. And just this last iteration of the poll this last season, we saw things kind of swap, move in the other direction. So now people are trusting it less, they're less optimistic. In the poll that was released this summer, 39% of Americans think AI will do more harm than good. That's up from 31% last year. About 80% of Americans think AI will mean fewer jobs. People are worried that this will do good, but it may do more harm than good. It will create some jobs, but it may displace and eliminate more jobs than that. The poll also showing negativity about AI is actually highest among the youngest adults. 47% of 19 to 29 year olds now say AI does more harm than good. While the poll didn't ask why, Dr. John Sarkusa, who studies AI, has some ideas. I think part of that lack of trust among all groups, but especially young people, is just seeing that even the tech leaders and the business leaders don't necessarily have a great sense of where to go and how to use this. They have the enthusiasm. But there's a lot of trial and error and learning by the school of hard knocks happening at all levels. All that trial and error with AI also reflected in the Work Trend Index. Back to Microsoft's Katie George. The truth is that, you know, the world is still all over the map in terms of how sophisticated they are. From the Work Trend Index, only about a quarter of the people, you know, would say that their leaders are consistent and clear about what the impact of AI is going to be, right? Leaders are still figuring this out. Some of the ways Microsoft itself is using AI to change work is by building up new ways to work centered around artificial intelligence tools. So for example, there's now a sales agent that can close business on its own, right, with guidance from humans, of course, and is reaching out to white space accounts that we couldn't otherwise have gotten to. And that's an example of an AI first workflow. Indeed, Kyle M.K. says another possible future for work with AI is the idea of people being in charge of AI agents doing nuts and bolts work, while humans work on keeping the humanity in their work. Right now, we hire operationally gifted individuals into management roles, and I think that will sooner than later, we're going to start hiring more Ted Lasso's. Be curious, not judgmental. I like that. And people who are may not know the exact skill set, but they they are really great when it comes to the interpersonal relationships, motivation, inspiration. And that's the thing that I that I'm really excited for. Rob Hawley, ABC News. Lots more to come when this ABC News special continues. Here it comes. Surprise! The people above your catering business are doing major construction, and the drilling is only during business hours. Progressive knows small business owners usually don't like surprises because they cost you money. But a good surprise that could save you money, getting personalized discounts on a commercial auto quote with Progressive. Also, that isn't powdered sugar on the floor, it's plaster from your ceiling. Surprise yourself. You can save in as little as eight minutes at ProgressiveCommercial.com. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Discounts not available in all states or situations. Business moves fast. Borders roll in, deadlines close in. When you ship with USPS Ground Advantage, you can keep up with confidence. Every package stays in our secure network from dock to door. And with nationwide reach, dependable tracking, and upfront affordable pricing, you get built in peace of mind. You run the business. Progressive Commercial.com is a trademark of Progressive Commercial. And it's your home. Progressive Commercial.com. Progressive Commercial.com. Progressive Commercial.com. Progressive Commercial.com. Progressive Commercial.com. Progressive Commercial.com. Progressive Commercial.com. Progressive Commercial.com. It's essential for kids health. Even their grades. The science makes sense here. Young brains need breaks between bouts of learning to actually lock in what they've absorbed. Recess also gets kids moving, which matters, when about 1 in 5 American children have obesity. It also gives them a chance to build friendships and build confidence. Here's what surprised me. The authors of this updated policy statement said recess should never be taken away as a punishment, because the kids who lose it are often the ones who need it the most. Older kids need it as well, for their bodies and their brains. I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta, helping you live a better life. Hey, when was the last time you talked to your doctor about poop? Seriously? Well, if you have constipation with belly pain that keeps coming back, it could be irritable bowel syndrome with constipation, or IBSC. I don't... What? So talk to your doctor, because Linzess could help you get ahead of it. Oh, you there. Linzess Linaclotide is the number one prescribed branded treatment for IBSC in adults. It's not a laxative. It's a once-daily prescription pill that helps you get ahead of your symptoms. It's proven to help you have more frequent and complete bowel movements, and helps relieve overall abdominal symptoms, belly pain, discomfort, and bloating. These symptoms were studied in combination, not individually. Do not give Linzess to children less than 2 years old. It may harm them. Do not take Linzess if you have a bowel blockage. Get immediate help if you develop unusual or severe stomach pain, especially with bloody or black stools. The most common side effect is diarrhea, sometimes severe. If it's severe, stop taking Linzess and call your doctor right away. Other side effects include gas, stomach area pain, and swelling. Talk to your doctor and say yes to Linzess. Learn more at Linzess.com or call 1-800-LINZESS. Why is my lawn still drinking like it's July? Good question. Even when it's still hot outside, it's a good time to check your water use. Check your irrigation timer. Look for leaks, broken sprinkler heads, and don't forget to check faucets and toilets for leaks around the house. A small leak may not seem like much, but over time, those drops add up. Take a few minutes to make sure you're using water wisely. Nevada Irrigation District, serving our community since 1921. Three generations, 50 years, and countless happy memories. Foothill Mercantile is celebrating a golden milestone with a very special two-day sale. Saturday and Sunday, September 19th and 20th, you'll save on every purchase at Foothill Mercantile. Just draw for your discount savings, up to 50% off. Come browse an ever-expanding collection of gifts, housewares, holiday decor, toys, collectibles, candy, and greeting cards. All inside of one of downtown Grass Valley's most beloved stores, Foothill Mercantile. Since 1976, this family-owned store has welcomed generations of shoppers. Children who once explored the toy aisles now return with children of their own. Don't miss the two-day golden anniversary sale, Saturday and Sunday, September 19th and 20th, at Foothill Mercantile, 121 Mill Street, in the heart of Mill Street Plaza. Fifty years, and still full of surprises. When the time comes to find the right care for someone you love, you deserve more than just a facility. You deserve a place where your loved one truly feels at home. Crystal Ridge Care Center in Grass Valley is a Medicare four-star rated skilled nursing and rehabilitation community. Our licensed nurses are here 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and our expert therapy team offers physical, occupational, speech, and respiratory services. We proudly serve veterans and accept Medicare, Medi-Cal, and most major insurance plans. Our residents enjoy spacious rooms, beautiful courtyards, and engaging daily activities, all in a warm, welcoming environment. Crystal Ridge Care Center, exceptional care, every day. Visit us at 396 Dorsey Drive in Grass Valley, call 530-272-2273, or tour online at crystalridgecares.com. Ace is the place with the helpful hardware, folks. Help your garden thrive with Miracle-Gro all-purpose garden soil. Ace Rewards members can pick up bags for just $2.50 each, or four for $10 after your $2 instant savings. Limit 85. Stock up now and give your flowers, vegetables, and plants the nutrients they need to grow. Protect your home from unwanted insects with Ortho Home Defense. Ace Rewards members save $2 instantly, making a one-gallon container just $14.99. Limit 5. Stop bugs before they become a problem with help from B&C Ace Home and Garden Center. Welcome back. We're taking a look at Americans' personal economy, how we spend, what we buy, the ways we try to save, and so much more. I'm Mike Dibosky, and this is On the Money from ABC News. Concert prices have shot up over the years, but that isn't stopping young fans from spending big bucks on their favorite artists. ABC's Indra Dilla Sahan was on the ground to ask people why those few musical hours are so worth it. I'm here at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, six hours before the world-famous K-pop group BTS is set to perform, yet outside the stadium is already packed. BTS fans, or better known as ARMY, are giving out freebies, small fan-made crafts given away to fellow concertgoers, or are lining up for merch. In the American Dream Mall just next door, BTS' music blasts with fans singing along. In a sea of fans wearing the tour colors, red, black, and white, I came here to ask a few ARMYs how much they've shelled out to see their favorite artists today. One ticket was $280-something. I paid $300 for my ticket. Today was $170. VIP, I would say like $700. For floor, I paid about $700. You heard that right. They said $700. Face value is like $800. Each I believe was $250-ish. I paid around $160-$170. How much do you pay for today's ticket? That's classified information. Is it too expensive, or it's classified? Gen Z and millennials are most likely to spend big to see live music, according to analysts at Luminate, which tracks entertainment data. And as you just heard, some are willing to pay up to $800, even in a fragile economy. In this economy, it can be extraordinarily challenging to find a full-time job, especially if you're right out of college. Prices on many goods are rising up 3.4% from a year ago, despite inflation slightly cooling in July. Not only have prices for goods like food and gas been creeping up, but ticket prices have also become more expensive over the years. According to Polestar, the average concert ticket in 1996 was only $26. In 2025, that number shot up to over $133. So who are these young people, and how are they paying for these tickets? My name is Haley Hart. I am what I call a professional fangirl. Haley is 23 years old and works as a social media coordinator in Nashville, but she also has a side hustle. She runs an Instagram account documenting her concert-going hobby. The past year, I have had the privilege to see Sabrina Carpenter five times on Short and Sweet Tour. I saw Lady Gaga three times on the Mayhem Ball Tour. I saw Ariana Grande this month. I've seen Gracie Abrams multiple times. I've seen Harry Styles three times and hopefully more at MSG this year. That's a lot, right? But Haley says she doesn't break the bank going to so many shows. She goes to the box office day of the concert to get tickets at face value. No hidden fees for a great view. I saw Ariana Grande two weeks ago and they were offering some seats that were behind the stage and those tickets were going for like $300 something dollars to have no view of the stage. Whereas like where I was sitting at the box office literally was going for $179 for a full center view. It's nerve-wracking to go to the venue without having tickets though. Haley says sometimes the box office tells her the show is sold out, but she doesn't budge. You just be friendly, you converse with them, let them know like, hey, I'm going to stand here until something could come up. I have gotten threats of being arrested. I've gotten threats of being loitering on property because of it. And then five minutes later, I come out with front row floor seats. So it's like, you got to just hold your ground and be confident. Many fans don't want to risk walking out of the box office empty handed. So some get their tickets from big platforms like Ticketmaster, but that comes at the cost of mandatory service fees and dynamic pricing, a strategy that varies face value ticket prices depending on the demand and supply. And artists have the option to opt out of dynamic pricing, although BTS hasn't officially stated if they have for their current Arirang tour, I still wanted to ask ARMYs how they are paying for their tickets. I have Klarna. Klarna, basically, they let you pay things over time. If you have good credit, they let you. And the more you use it, the more your purchase power goes up. Nowadays, we have the credit cards, which is, you know, not a really great way of starting. So I bought it and now I'm just slowly paying it off, you know, each month, but the credit card rate is not too great. So, you know, trying to pay at least two times a month, that was not as much. But credit card rates are way too expensive nowadays. 17 to 25 percent is a lot. I had a savings account just for BTS. So I feel like this was like, yes, I'm like what I need to pay, I will do it. So I definitely wanted to be here. And I was like, you know, my budget, it is what it is. The sky's the limit. So usually excluding all of the things such as just food or housing. I'm not a person who buys a lot of clothes or bags or shoes. So I think if I invest on my hobbies, I think the most expensive hobby is just concerts. Kasey Jeong is a rising senior at Northwestern University who only planned to see BTS once this year. She bought her floor tickets to see them in Tampa. But once she was offered her internship at Amazon Web Services, she says her salary allowed her to get tickets for six shows in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New Jersey. Most of my living expenses are from my parents. So I wouldn't want to spend a good amount of my parent money on the hobbies I like. But as soon as I got adult money, I just spent whatever I want. For younger people who are still financially dependent on their family, buying expensive concert tickets seem to work with their budgets. But older young people, young adults in their 20s may have to think twice about splurging. Well, breaking news, a jury has found that Live Nation and Ticketmaster represent an illegal monopoly using its position to make it harder for rivals to compete. In 2024, the Biden era Department of Justice announced an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, accusing the company of pushing out competition. The DOJ settled in March of this year, but more than 30 states and the District of Columbia chose to continue. In April, a jury found them liable. This all started in 2010 when Live Nation and Ticketmaster merged. It was a deal between the biggest concert promoter and biggest ticket platform in the industry. Beyond just promoting tours and selling tickets, Live Nation also owns a massive network of concert venues. If you want to buy a ticket to this concert, you have to do it through Ticketmaster. And the allegation was that Live Nation said to these venues, if you don't use Ticketmaster, we're going to withhold acts from your venue. And so what the jury found, by having this alleged monopoly on primary ticketing, consumers overpaid $1.72 on average per ticket over the course of four years. That's Rachel Scharf, a Billboard reporter who covers law in the music industry. $1.72 doesn't sound like a lot, right? But once you count up all the tickets that were charged, it adds up quick. William Kovacic, a professor at Georgetown Law, suspects splitting up Live Nation and Ticketmaster as a solution might not happen. Courts have been nervous about doing that. They regard a big divestiture, a big breakup as being an extreme form of intervention. To have a single federal judge typically faced with the future of an entire industry to issue an order that will decide how in many respects it behaves in the future, what the structure of the firms will look like in the future, many judges regard that as a fairly awesome responsibility, a responsibility that generates genuine awe and anxiety. And as a federal judge decides on a remedy, Scharf says we won't see one until 2027. And if we do, Live Nation and Ticketmaster will likely appeal. So it might take a while for ticket prices to change. As a young person myself, I couldn't understand why my peers were willing to go to expensive concerts. But after talking to a few armies, it clicked. Hard times might actually be driving attendance, not deterring it. You know, the majority of millennials, Gen Z, we can't save up to buy a house. It's pretty much impossible. So what do we do? We look for, I don't want to say instant gratification, but we look for things that are obtainable and reachable and just help us like get that little boost to get us through the day. There's so much day to day stress and so, so much weighs down on you. So the fact that people end up paying so much just for this momentary bliss, I feel like kind of speaks into how bad things are kind of in the world, that people seek out something even if it costs so much money, just because we need it on a personal and emotional level. I think we care more about the experience than the money. I think, you know, $300 is not much compared to like the whole day of experience you're going to get out of the one thing. I think we as a younger generation care more about living life nowadays than the monetary value of stuff. So I think like everybody just wants to buy anything they want at that moment. And credit cards just make it easy that you can just buy and pay for it later. It's electrifying to be in a crowd of fellow fans, your community. When the first note of the opening song plays, the stadium erupts and all worries from the outside world washes away just for a second. In talking to these fans, I started to understand why they're so willing to pay for these experiences. Indra Daulat Sahung, ABC News. Coming up after the break. It really started as an art project to visualize the movement of cities, specifically through their transit system. That's when On The Money continues. Man, I love this place. I've been surfing here since I was a kid. And now, seeing my grandson out on the water, it means everything to me. Watching him and taking in the blue waves, the sea breeze, the blurry horizon. If you have geographic atrophy or GA, subtle changes in vision could mean it's progressing toward irreversible vision loss. Eye survey is proven to slow GA progression and could help preserve your vision for longer so you may keep seeing the world around you. Eye survey or a vason-capted PAGL is an eye injection. Take it if you have an infection or active swelling in or around your eye. Eye survey can cause eye infection, retinal detachment, or increased risk of wet AMD. Eye survey may cause blood in the white of the eye, blurred vision, or a temporary increase in eye pressure. Do not drive or use machinery until vision has recovered after an eye injection or exam. Ask your retina specialist how you can slow your GA with eye survey. To learn more, call 1-855-EYESURVEY or go to eyesurvey.com, paid for by Astellas Pharma. A better life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. A condition that affects 1 in 10 women worldwide just got a new name. You've probably heard of PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome. But experts estimate up to 70% of women don't know that they have it. And part of the problem could be the name itself. A major international effort led by Dr. Helena Teed of Monash University in Australia and back then by dozens of prominent medical groups has gotten the name changed to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, PMOS. It's a mouthful, I know, but here's why it matters. The old name made it sound like the condition was just about cysts on the ovaries. In reality, it's a whole body hormone and metabolic condition linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, anxiety, and depression. The hope is that a clearer name can lead to more diagnoses and better care. I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta, helping you live a better life. Hey, when was the last time you talked to your doctor about poop? Seriously? Well, if you have constipation with belly pain that keeps coming back, it could be irritable bowel syndrome with constipation or IBSC. I don't, what? So talk to your doctor because Linzess could help you get ahead of it. Oh, you there. Linzess Linacotide is the number one prescribed branded treatment for IBSC in adults. It's not a laxative. It's a once daily prescription pill that helps you get ahead of your symptoms. It's proven to help you have more frequent and complete bowel movements and helps relieve overall abdominal symptoms, belly pain, discomfort, and bloating. These symptoms were studied in combination, not individually. Do not give Linzess to children less than two years old. It may harm them. Do not take Linzess if you have a bowel blockage. Get immediate help if you develop unusual or severe stomach pain, especially with bloody or black stools. The most common side effect is diarrhea, sometimes severe. If it's severe, stop taking Linzess and call your doctor right away. Other side effects include gas, stomach area pain, and swelling. Talk to your doctor and say yes to Linzess. Learn more at Linzess.com or call 1-800-LINZESS. Family. What I think family means is someone that will always be there for you. Through the good times and the bad. It's about encouragement, understanding, comfort, advice, values, morals, ideals, and faith. The Navo family and Navo & Sons have been practicing these values for decades. Navo & Sons has been there for you and your neighbors for generations, serving both your septic system and repairing your clogged drains. We take your loyalty seriously and appreciate you allowing us to be your septic system specialist. And when you need us, we'll be there for you. Navo & Sons, for all your septic and plumbing needs. Do you have septic or plumbing questions? Call us or check us out online at Navo.com. Did you know America's most popular plumber is right here in your neighborhood? Yes, for decades, Roto-Rooter has been making your troubles go down the drain. So remember, call Roto-Rooter, that's the name, and away go troubles down the drain. Roto-Rooter. Hey, Nevada County, I'm Lucas Miharas. And I'm Jesse Etlin. We're the founders of Zion Capital right here in your backyard. And if you've listened to Dave Ramsey, you know how important it is to have someone you can trust. That's why we're your local SmartVestor pros. Lucas was named one of eight finalists for Advisor of the Year by Investment News and has been featured in Forbes and the Wall Street Journal. And Jesse's been voted Best Financial Advisor in Nevada County four years in a row. We're backed by firms like Fidelity and Charles Schwab, so you don't have to drive down the hill. You can have Schwab and Fidelity right here in your backyard. That means you get a true hometown relationship with Fortune 500 muscle behind your plan. We work with everyone from entrepreneurs building wealth to retirees focused on maximizing income. And we go beyond the basics, showing you smarter ways to grow your money that most people never knew existed. At the end of the day, we meet you where you're at and help you get where you want to go. Come visit us here in Grass Valley or give us a call today at 530-955-5402. Zion Capital, a mission bigger than money. Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA SIPC, a registered investment advisor and separate entity from LPL Financial. Discover the stories that shaped Nevada County on History Unfolded, hosted by Tom Fitzsimmons and myself, Mike Stewart, with special guests, the second and fourth Mondays at 9 a.m., brought to you by Mowl Paint and Glass, serving Nevada County since 1949, and Smarter Broadband, local, reliable, high-speed internet. Don't miss the voices, the stories, and the history that make our community unique, right here on KNCO News Talk 830. African Americans are the most likely to die from colorectal cancer, so please, get screened starting at age 45. Now, Medicare and insurance companies are required to cover not only colonoscopy, but also less invasive exams like virtual colonoscopy. Talk to your doctor about your options. For more information on virtual colonoscopy, visit radiologyinfo.org slash virtualct, brought to you by the American College of Radiology and the Radiology Health Equity Coalition. When I was a teenager, I would often fall asleep on the couch in my parents' house, only to be woken up around 2 a.m. by one of three commercials. One advertised how to sell used scrap metal. Vicky, what do I do with all this scrap metal? Dad, what should Jan do with all her scrap metal? Another was an ad for a local strip club featuring some aliens. It's out of this world. But the one that always left a lasting impression, with me at least, pitched that anyone could be an inventor if they had a good enough idea and the willpower. Inventors. InventHelp can help you try to patent your idea and submit it to companies. In my groggy state, I envisioned myself as an inventor, dare even an entrepreneur. Dreams of Sham Wows and George Foreman Grills danced in my mind. Fast forward about a decade, those dreams have dimmed, but not faded completely. How hard could it be to launch a new product in 2026? Sure, a lot has changed since that InventHelp commercial. The internet and social media have fundamentally reshaped the way we interact with consumer goods while globalization has transformed manufacturing. But there's still that underlying desire for products that solve problems or pique our interest. Now, I wasn't going to figure this out on my own, so I decided to reach out to two people who just spent the last few years going through that process themselves. Krill Safin and Emily Perkins-Rock are the founders of Metroboard, a framed LED board that shows the real-time location of public transit systems in major cities. They launched their idea in 2024 on GoFundMe, raised a million dollars, and began shipping products earlier this year. It really started as an art project to visualize the movement of cities, specifically through their transit system. So it's this live subway map for various cities that gets data from their transit network of where the trains are and lights them up to show you where they are and how they moved out the day in this mid-century sort of design. I came across their product about a year ago and placed a pre-order. A few months back, my New York City Metroboard arrived in the mail, and it since graced the wall above my desk. And as much as I like the product, this story is not an endorsement or advertisement for it in any way. I mainly wanted to know what mistakes Emily and Krill made along the way, and what they learned from their years-long journey taking an idea and making it into a scalable business. Hi, is this Emily? Hello, Peter? Yes, can you hear me all right? Their journey begins in Los Angeles, where a few years ago they were both working for an aerospace startup and looking for a change. When a new public rail stop opened across the street from their apartment, they both say inspiration struck. It just was something that we thought would be fun to make, and then ended up just snowballing in the way that when you start a personal project with a very motivated engineer, they oftentimes do. As their project began to take shape, they said they knew they would need more money and decided to turn to crowdsourcing. We knew we wanted to launch on Kickstarter, but the way these things work is you actually have to do a lot of preparation before you put it on Kickstarter. It's not quite the days of Kickstarter in the beginning where somebody says, I'm going to make a potato salad and raises like $400,000. He's not joking about that potato salad thing. A guy back in 2014 raised more than $50,000 after setting a goal of raising $10 on the site to make a potato salad. He ended up using most of the money to throw a potato salad-themed party and music festival. There are also plenty of horror stories for projects that raised millions of dollars before the companies went bust or never delivered on their promises. On top of that, the majority of Kickstarter projects never reached their goal amounts and some don't garner any support. Emily and Krill didn't want their project to end up like those, so they put in some legwork, making a prototype and advertising on social media to find potential backers. Leading up to this, we were using our savings to pay our rent, to get stuff going, but advertisements, which are a big part of getting everyone to find it, were expensive too. And I loaded up all four of my credit cards to their max in the lead up to Kickstarter. I think $40,000 across all my credit cards. They were all maxed out, hoping when the Kickstarter happens, things will go well. Krill claimed he never had a doubt that the project would succeed. However, Emily said she viewed things differently. The two of us, I would say both our risk appetite and our skill sets are Venn diagrams, circles that do not touch even a little bit. But when they launched in September 2024, whatever concerns they had about support quickly vanished when that project almost immediately went viral. We went out for breakfast and left our phones behind so that we could just kind of like enjoy that giddy feeling. And then when we came back, there were like at least a thousand backers. That's when they say it also got very real. As hundreds of thousands of dollars made their way into their bank accounts, the reality of executing the project loomed. Sure, they had a prototype and supporters, but it takes a lot more to take a product and turn it into a real business. And I think it started to get a little bit more real and to start to feel like an obligation where like we had this thing that was, I don't know, 90 percent done, but the devil's in the details. And that last 10 percent is the difference between a personal project and something that you can like ship reliably to thousands of people. The first big step to building their business was finding what's known as a contract manufacturer, essentially a company that builds products using a web, factories and contractors for other brands. The contract manufacturer, which is actually such a critical piece because you basically live or die by how effective they are in making it. I got lucky with that one. But as they started fine tuning the boards, finalizing things like the treatment for the brushed aluminum or the location of the antenna on the board, they ran into another problem in the shape of President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs. Because of the tariffs, we had to move from our original factory, which is in Shenzhen, to another factory in Thailand because the tariff rates were lower in Thailand. And by the summer of 2025, Krill and Emily were working with the new factory on some small issues that emerged during a pilot run of a few dozen boards, such as minimizing light leakage and coming up with the packaging for the boards. And if you're wondering how much all of this cost, Krill and Emily basically need to make a 30 percent down payment at the start and pay the remaining 70 percent to actually receive the boards. Getting them from Thailand to the United States was a whole nother issue, requiring them higher what's known as a freight forwarder to handle the transportation logistics. You basically just tell them we have pallets of this stuff in this factory, we need to get them to this warehouse in the U.S., and then they know truckers and like ocean freight companies and have contacts all of them. And after months of travel, the first batch of boards arrived in Georgia, where Krill and Emily went to go see the final product they'd soon ship to hundreds of customers across the world. Since the first wave of Metro boards shipped out, Krill and Emily are now working on transforming their business from a successful Kickstarter into a sustainable small business. Selling Metro boards for six major U.S. cities, Krill and Emily just hired their first three employees and are preparing for a rush of orders for the holidays. Things are pretty good. We just kind of got to get our feet under us right now. It's a bit of like running on a treadmill and either needing to keep up or slow the treadmill down a bit. Now, there's still plenty more work to do to keep the business going. One thing that seems clear after speaking to both of them is that they're grateful they bet on themselves three years ago. I think we're going to get to a really stable place in a few months and then things will feel really great. That was ABC's Peter Haralambous. There's plenty more on the money after this. A small business affirmation from Progressive. Food truck owners, today business will be booming. People will love your new menu and not make special orders. You will not roll your eyes when someone calls it a quesadilla. You will also switch to Progressive to get 30 customizable coverage options and restore your inner peace. See if you can save in as little as eight minutes at ProgressiveCommercial.com. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates coverage is not available in all states or for all vehicles and coverage selections. Business moves fast. Orders roll in, deadlines close in. When you ship with USPS Ground Advantage, you can keep up with confidence. Every package stays in our secure network from dock to door. And with nationwide reach, dependable tracking, and upfront affordable pricing, you get built-in peace of mind. You run the business. We run the routes. Visit USPS.com slash Ground Advantage to learn more. A better life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. What's one of the most important parts of a kid's school day? Could it be recess? Well, for the first time in 13 years, the American Academy of Pediatrics has updated its guidance on recess. Unstructured playtime isn't a frill. It's essential for kids' health, even their grades. The science makes sense here. Young brains need breaks between bouts of learning to actually lock in what they've absorbed. Recess also gets kids moving, which matters when about one in five American children has obesity. It also gives them a chance to build friendships and build confidence. Here's what surprised me. The authors of this updated policy statement said recess should never be taken away as a punishment because the kids who lose it are often the ones who need it the most. Older kids need it as well for their bodies and their brains. I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta, helping you live a better life. Hey, when was the last time you talked to your doctor about poop? Seriously? Well, if you have constipation with belly pain that keeps coming back, it could be irritable bowel syndrome with constipation or IBSC. I don't... What? So talk to your doctor because Linzess could help you get ahead of it. Oh, you there! Linzess Linacotide is the number one prescribed branded treatment for IBSC in adults. It's not a laxative. It's a once-daily prescription pill that helps you get ahead of your symptoms. It's proven to help you have more frequent and complete bowel movements and helps relieve overall abdominal symptoms, belly pain, discomfort, and bloating. These symptoms were studied in combination, not individually. Do not give Linzess to children less than two years old. It may harm them. Do not take Linzess if you have a bowel blockage. Linzess can provide immediate help if you develop unusual or severe stomach pain, especially with bloody or black stools. The most common side effect is diarrhea, sometimes severe. If it's severe, stop taking Linzess and call your doctor right away. Other side effects include gas, stomach area pain, and swelling. Talk to your doctor and say yes to Linzess. Learn more at Linzess.com or call 1-800-LINZESS. Dad, have you seen how outdated our window treatments are? Yeah, we definitely need to do something about that. What are you thinking? I was checking out Budget Blinds of Grass Valley. They've got so many options, blinds, shades, shutters, you name it. Sounds good. I wonder if they offer cordless options for safety. They do. They're all about keeping it safe, especially for younger kids and pets. That's important. And where are they located? Right on 310 Colfax Avenue. Plus, they do free in-home consultations. Can't beat that convenience. Perfect. Let's give them a call at 530-274-1122 and set something up. Explore a variety of stylish options, including child-safe and cordless solutions. Upgrade your home with Budget Blinds of Grass Valley, located at 310 Colfax Avenue. Or call them at 530-274-1122 to set up your free in-home consultation today, transforming your windows, transforming your home. What if you could spend less time on chores and more time doing what you love? At Eschaton Village Grass Valley, that's everyday life, nestled on 42 beautiful acres in the Sierra foothills. Eschaton Village Grass Valley is a non-profit senior living community designed to help you live fully. And as a non-profit, we reinvest every dollar into creating a vibrant, supportive community for our residents. Picture starting your day with a swim in the heated indoor pool, enjoying lunch with friends in our restaurant, or taking a stroll along our pet-friendly walking paths, all without worrying about cooking, cleaning, or yard work. With 24-7 staff, housekeeping, a full culinary program, and a lively calendar of activities, you'll have endless opportunities to connect, explore new interests, and deepen friendships. Whether you're looking for independent living or the peace of mind of assisted living and memory care, Eschaton Village Grass Valley is here for whatever life brings. To learn more, visit us at eschaton.org slash EVGV, or call us at 530-273-1778. Ready to brighten your day? Grass Valley Provisions is where you'll find a wide range of products designed to support your well-being. From stress relief options to healing topicals, enjoy a welcoming, relaxed space where you can browse, learn, and find what helps you refresh and recharge. At Grass Valley Provisions, they believe in giving back. Every month, a portion of their Sunday sales supports a local Nevada County non-profit organization. September proceeds benefit the Rudiger Foundation that provides canine resources, funding, and support to local law enforcement agencies to foster community safety and connection. Visit Grass Valley Provisions' beautiful showroom on Idaho-Maryland Road in Grass Valley, open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., or shop online at GVProvisions.com. And remember to shop on Sundays to support our local non-profits. Grass Valley Provisions, lift up your day the Grass Valley way. Welcome back. We're taking a look at Americans' personal economy, how we spend, what we buy, the ways we try to save, and so much more. I'm Mike Dibusky, and this is On the Money from ABC News. Call it moonlighting, freelancing, or income stacking, millions of Americans are taking on extra work outside their regular jobs. For some, it's a matter of exploring an outside interest. Others see it as a way to broaden social circles. But for the vast majority of people, side hustles are a means of survival. Here's ABC's Jim Ryan. No matter how you slice it. Every time I go shopping, I spend $100 for me, and I just buy really produce. Things are tough. We're currently in what people are calling a low-hire, low-fire labor market. No one's losing their job. There's no new job openings for college graduates. There are certain sectors where the jobs were lost by the biggest amounts. Local government education, retail, hotels and food services. And stretching a paycheck is harder than ever. Gas prices are rising in virtually every state for gasoline and diesel. It's not a surprise. There's nothing left to even put into savings. I mean, I ran out of money before. I ran out of money. Some professions are hit harder than others. I've had a second job for about seven years. Phyllis Alberts is a public school teacher in Arizona. She, like an estimated 20% of the people in her profession, is struggling financially. I'm really thankful for my job. I'm really thankful for my career. I look at second careers often. I'm so burnt out. She's in the classroom five days a week and delivering packages on the weekend. Every day I've thought about leaving my profession because of the pain. But then every day I go back and something about the kids makes me stay. Despite her two master's degrees and years of teaching experience, Phyllis Alberts says, I do not foresee myself getting rid of the second job anytime soon. Cash-strapped Americans like her are scrambling for ways to supplement their income. Even the term retirement has taken on new meaning, with nearly half of workers saying they'll probably have to keep doing something to earn money in what used to be known as their golden years. Why? An Ipsos poll finds that 64% of non-retirees are more focused on their current situation than on setting aside money for a future without work. Census Bureau data shows about half a million applications for new businesses every month, 30% above the monthly figures of 2025. Those who aren't in a position to start a whole new business rely on existing entities, many downloading an app and going to work. So what's life like in the gig economy? Let's find out. I think it's fun. I kind of view it as a game. It feels like a game at times, because you get the order and it's like, OK, I've got to get to here. And then you get it and it's like, OK, I've got to get to here in time. I think if you don't like driving in the car, you probably wouldn't. Rachel is a food delivery driver in Texas. She's opened her app for the first time today. The way I think about it is someone has put in their order. They're not going to alert us yet until it's maybe had a little bit of time to cook. There's definitely a lot of waiting that happens. While she may enjoy the challenge of the job, it isn't fun and games. Her family needs the income and she's tried other side hustles. You know, I made 30 bucks in two hours and I was shopping for like 45 minutes and it just it didn't feel worth it. But at the same time, I was like, but I can't get anything anywhere else. So I need to be doing something. That's a recurring theme in the gig economy. What's interesting is obviously partially driven from cost of living factors. The income from the day job may not be enough to meet groceries and housing and insurance and everything else. Nick Loper knows a lot about moonlighting. I was working as an entry level worker for Ford Motor Company and nights and weekends was me trying to get this little Internet shoe business off the ground. He essentially acted as a middleman, setting up a website that aggregated other websites. It would pull in the catalogs from Zappos and Amazon and all these other shoe sellers and tell you where you could find the best price on your next pair of shoes. And then those stores would send me a commission, a referral fee for everybody who ended up buying shoes through the site. It worked so well that Loper eventually left his job at Ford. His next step was a big one. But first, back in Texas. There we go. Rachel's app has come to life. It's not that far. I'm right here by it. It's four dollars and 30 cents. So I'll go ahead and take it. So I'll accept the fast food restaurant the customer had ordered from is right down the street. More waiting while the order is prepared. I think for me, just with my personality type, like I get a sense of urgency, you know, and there is a timer going on. So I definitely move a little faster. Increasingly, side hustlers are catching inspiration from social media. We're used to consuming everyone else's highlight reels on social media and seeing what is possible, what's out there. And almost this desire and maybe some kind of guilty obligation in certain senses to use our free time more productively, more effectively. That's what Nick Loper did after leaving his nine to five at Ford Motor Company. First up is user interviews. There are a lot of low. He launched a YouTube channel that now boasts forty nine thousand subscribers and twelve hundred videos. Here is over fifty dollars. Side hustle nation is a clearinghouse of advice on how to make extra money. The homepage features a quiz that asks a straightforward question. Are you looking to make extra money because you want to make extra money? Are you looking to make extra money because you want to quit your job? And 80 percent of the people said, no, I just want to make extra money. And that was really eye opening to me. Once that question is answered, it's time to ask the next one. What do you do naturally? Lynn Richardson is author of The Symphony, a guide to creating and balancing multiple streams of income. Do you do artwork? Do you sing? Do you dance? If you take a look at what you do naturally, there's probably a stream of income there. The second question is, what are you skilled at? As a matter of fact, what do other people tell you you do? You probably think it's nothing. But I'm saying there's probably a stream of income there. And the third question that I would say to ask is, what are you passionate about? What do you love? At the same time, says Nick Loper of Side Hustle Nation. It's important to manage your expectations. Biggest thing to keep in mind is to position any side hustle endeavor in your own mind as an experiment. Think about yourself as that side hustle scientist. Look, I'm going into the lab. I'm going to test out something. If it works great, if it doesn't, that doesn't mean I'm an abject failure and nothing I ever touch will ever work. It just means, OK, dust myself off. Go back to idea number two and give that a try. And he should know he's cast his line into lots of revenue streams. In full disclosure, a lot of those didn't work. A lot of them failed. And it was important to have those missteps and misdirections. Right. It's just a matter of minimizing the downside and having a swing that has the potential to work out when it hits. That applies to any side job, whether it's running a web based shoe store or making food deliveries, leave at the door. So I will have to take a picture of it, leaving it at their door. We've had people doing like pet waste removal businesses. We had a high school teacher in New York who was renting out portable hot tubs. You know, it started pre covid, but really blew up during the pandemic when people were like, you're telling me for 250 bucks, I could have a hot tub show up to my house and keep the kids entertained for a week. This is a no brainer. Let's do it. And he would deliver them on the back of the pickup truck and come set it up and pick it up a week later. And Nick Loper of the YouTube channel Side Hustle Nation says it's crucial to know when to say no. You definitely run the risk of burnout. You've got to find the balance that works for you. That does reset and recharge your batteries. That's a rule that Texas food delivery driver Rachel lives by. Eight dollars, but it's 12 miles. That doesn't sound great. Not good. No. So are you going to take it or? I'm probably going to reject it because I don't want to drive all the way out there. So I'll decline it and then it'll start finding me another one. Jim Ryan, ABC News. This hour, we took you from the side hustle to the center stage and explored how artificial intelligence is reshaping it all. However, you make, save or spend in 2026, it pays to be on the money. And that's what we're going to talk about today. We're going to talk about how to be on the money and how to be on the money. And we're going to talk about how to be on the money and how to be on the money. And we're going to talk about how to be on the money and how to be on the money. What if you could spend less time on chores and more time doing what you love at Eschaton Village, Grass Valley? That's everyday life nestled on 42 beautiful acres in the Sierra Foothills. Eschaton Village, Grass Valley is a nonprofit senior living community designed to help you live fully. And as a nonprofit, we reinvest every dollar into creating a vibrant, supportive community for our residents. Picture starting your day with a swim in the heated indoor pool, enjoying lunch with friends in our restaurant or taking a stroll along our pet friendly walking paths, all without worrying about cooking, cleaning or yard work with 24 seven staff housekeeping, a full culinary program and a lively calendar of activities. You'll have endless opportunities to connect, explore new interests and deepen friendships. Whether you're looking for independent living or the peace of mind of assisted living and memory care, Eschaton Village, Grass Valley is here for whatever life brings. To learn more, visit us at Eschaton.org slash EVGV or call us at 530-273-1778. --- end of transcript ---