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Booming: Daily Summaries Delivered
by KUOW News and Information
Booming is a weekly podcast about the economic forces shaping our lives here in the Pacific Northwest. The Seattle area's been home to many booms over the years. It’s brought jobs, people, and wealth to the region, but also real growing pains that people here feel every day. In Booming, KUOW economy reporters Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg help listeners make sense of our ever-changing economy. We'll dig into what people are seeing or feeling and unpack the story behind it.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 2 days ago15 min
Would you buy a house with friends? Meet some people who did
Recent data show a record number of Americans are now sharing a home with people they’re not related to. Most of these roommates are renting, because living alone has gotten really expensive. But what if we made it easier for friends to own a place together instead? Could it be the game changer that allows them to live the American dream? More and more people are thinking about buying or building homes together with friends. These projects can be complicated to organize... and expensive to pay for. So how are people in Seattle making it happen? On today's episode, we explore two very different ways some creative Seattleites are making cohousing achievable. Coming up: Are you using AI agents? Do you have a task that you want an AI agent to complete for you? We'd love to hear from you. Give us a call at (206) 221-7158 and leave a voicemail. You can also email us at booming@kuow.org.Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.Support the show: https://kuow.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 1 weeks ago23 min
From tech to the trades: One laid off worker's big career pivot
It’s a weird time to work in tech. Last year's tech layoffs in Washington state were the second highest in the country. That has some tech workers turning to fields they see as AI-proof. We sat down with Brett Burden, a laid off tech worker who did what a lot of people are advising: went into the trades. On today's episode, what’s it like to go from white collar to blue? And what can it tell us about where the workforce is headed? Coming up: Are you using AI agents? Do you have a task that you want an AI agent to complete for you? We'd love to hear from you. Give us a call at (206) 221-7158 and leave a voicemail. You can also email us at booming@kuow.org.Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.Support the show: https://kuow.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 2 weeks ago13 min
Where's my tariff refund?
For the last year and a half, tariffs have been harder to predict than the weather in Seattle. And that’s created a volatile climate for businesses. Now that the Supreme Court has overturned some of President Trump's tariffs, there’s a storm front looming between companies and their customers over who gets to pocket tariff refunds. A lot of people are wondering – where's my refund? And when will rising prices finally level off? On today's episode, we checked with some local companies to find out how they're navigating the tariff turmoil. Coming up: Is AI causing you to work more or less? We'd love to hear about your experience with AI and how it's impacting your work. Give us a call at (206) 221-7158 and leave a voicemail. You can also email us at booming@kuow.org.Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.Support the show: https://kuow.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 3 weeks ago28 min
What will it take to break Seattle's real estate standoff?
There’s a scene that shows up in just about every spaghetti Western movie: the showdown. Two guys at opposite ends of a dusty street... their hands are hovering near their holsters... but neither one wants to draw first. Welcome to Seattle's housing market. What does this standoff mean if you’re trying to buy or sell a home right now? And could it finally drive prices down? On today's episode, we check in on the spring real estate market with Daryl Fairweather, Redfin's chief economist and author of Hate the Game: Economic Cheat Codes for Life, Love, and Work. Do you have a story idea for us? We'd love to hear about it. Give us a call at (206) 221-7158 and leave a voicemail. You can also email us at booming@kuow.org.Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.Support the show: https://kuow.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- May 6, 202628 min
Is big business souring on Seattle?
There’s a lot of debate in Seattle right now over whether it's still a good place to do business. It's hard to tell whether recent high profile moves by companies are signs of a wider exodus, or if they’re outliers -- but there may be lessons from the past that provide clues to what the future will hold. On today's episode, is big business souring on Seattle? We look at one of the city's most infamous tax battles to learn more. Do you have a story idea for us? We'd love to hear about it. Give us a call at (206) 221-7158 and leave a voicemail. You can also email us at booming@kuow.org.Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.Support the show: https://kuow.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Apr 29, 202625 min
How indie bookstores escaped Amazon's shadow
Remember when bookstores were an endangered species? Well not anymore. Thousands of independent bookstores across the country just celebrated Independent Bookstore Day. Brick-and-mortar places like Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle didn't just survive the e-commerce revolution. They’re thriving ... by leaning into doing what online sellers can’t do. On today's episode, how did independent bookstores escape Amazon’s shadow? And what lessons could other businesses learn from their revival? Check out the KUOW Book Club. Do you have a story idea for us? We'd love to hear about it. Give us a call at (206) 221-7158 and leave a voicemail. You can also email us at booming@kuow.org.Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.Support the show: https://kuow.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Apr 22, 202625 min
Will federal research cuts kill the innovation economy?
People everywhere followed along as Artemis astronauts made their historic mission around the moon. But what made that possible was research -- and that kind of scientific discovery is in jeopardy after ongoing cuts to federal research funding. For decades, the University of Washington has received more federal research money than almost any other public university. And the research that's come out of the institution has fed the growth of the region’s biggest employers… and its most innovative startups. On today's episode: What could cuts to federal research funding mean for Seattle’s future economy? Do you have a story idea for us? We'd love to hear about it. Give us a call at (206) 221-7158 and leave a voicemail. You can also email us at booming@kuow.org.Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.Support the show: https://kuow.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Apr 15, 202647 min
Live: The risks and realities of AI chatbots
Warning: this episode mentions suicide. Artificial intelligence powered chatbots have become unavoidable. We use them to search, get advice, and even for companionship. But getting close to an AI comes with real and serious risks. Washington state leaders want to do something about that. Two new state laws passed this year that require AI-modified content to be traceable, and limits the kinds of conversations these bots can have with minors. On today's episode, Monica sits down with journalists Kashmir Hill from the New York Times and Jeff Horwitz from Reuters to talk about their reporting on AI chatbots, and whether these new state regulations can protect us from their risks. This episode was recorded at a recent live event put on by the University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public at the Seattle Public Library. GUESTS:Kashmir Hill, features writer on the business desk at The New York Times, covering technology and privacyJeff Horwitz, technology reporter at ReutersDo you have a story idea for us? We'd love to hear about it. Give us a call at (206) 221-7158 and leave a voicemail. You can also email us at booming@kuow.org.Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.Support the show: https://kuow.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
About Booming
Booming is a weekly podcast about the economic forces shaping our lives here in the Pacific Northwest. The Seattle area's been home to many booms over the years. It’s brought jobs, people, and wealth to the region, but also real growing pains that people here feel every day. In Booming, KUOW economy reporters Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg help listeners make sense of our ever-changing economy. We'll dig into what people are seeing or feeling and unpack the story behind it.
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