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My Economy

My Economy tells the story of the new economic normal through the eyes of people trying to make it, because we know the only numbers that really matter are the ones in your economy.
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From This Collection

My Economy

After 18 months, hotel housekeeper still doesn't have her job back

by Andie Corban
Sep 21, 2021
Changes in the hotel industry are affecting Hawaii housekeeper Mary Taboniar, a single mom.
"I hope that the hotel will bring us back to work," says Mary Taboniar. "I'm hoping for a normal life again."
Courtesy Mary Taboniar
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My Economy

For this toy store, back-to-school shopping looks different this year

by Minju Park
Sep 10, 2021
Millions of students are returning to in-person classes this school year. What does that mean for businesses that sell school supplies?
While consumers are spending more on technology and COVID-19 related products, spending fell for traditional school supplies, clothing and accessories, according to a report from Deloitte.
Philippe Huguen/AFP via Getty Images
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My Economy

Leaving the lab to hunt mosquitoes in the swamp

by Sean McHenry
Sep 7, 2021
Mel Glenn, based in the Denver metro area, on why she decided to leave her lab job to become a seasonal mosquito control technician.
"I'm basically a mosquito hunter," said Mel Glenn, pictured here in a mosquito control position she previously held.
Courtesy of Mel Glenn
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My Economy

How a choir teacher found new purpose during the pandemic

by Minju Park
Aug 30, 2021
Jordan Leckband, the general music teacher at Windsor Elementary School in Des Moines, Iowa, figured out a new direction for his career.
About 20% of workers switched jobs during the pandemic, and 26% plan to look for a new job when the threat of the pandemic decreases, according to Prudential Financial’s Pulse of the American Worker Survey.
Photo by Graeme Robertson/Getty Images
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My Economy

Why one high school teacher is becoming a student again

by Andie Corban
Aug 26, 2021
"The burnout factor is real," Catherine Fink of Longmont, Colorado, says of teaching. She's starting her first year of law school.
"If it was more financially rewarding, I might stay in it," Catherine Fink says of teaching.
Rodin Eckenroth via Getty Images
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My Economy

After losing her job, this woman turned to at-home voiceover work

by Sean McHenry
Aug 24, 2021
Carol Wrobleski got a coach and turned her closet into a studio. Then a different full-time opportunity came along.
An interior of Carol Wrobleski's home studio. "I had a lot of people come in, drill nails in my walls and set up all kinds of foam," Wroblesk said. "The hard part is getting a studio space that has the sound quality that you need."
Photo courtesy of Carol Wrobleski
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My Economy

How a travel agency is bouncing back from a devastating year

by Minju Park
Aug 11, 2021
Denver travel agent Sarah Fazendin says clients are spending more on extras than they would have before the pandemic.
Sarah Fazendin, owner of Videre Travel, a Denver-based travel agency, with her family at Machu Picchu in Peru. Her business has seen a massive uptick in travelers looking to navigate changing COVID restrictions.
Courtesy Sarah Fazendin
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My Economy

The microwedding is here to stay, this event planner says

by Minju Park
Aug 10, 2021
When business came to a halt for Gretchen Culver in Minneapolis, she launched a new business focusing on weddings with 30 or fewer guests.
Wedding planning is booming as analysts forecast the highest number of weddings in over a decade for 2022, according to market research firm The Wedding Report.
Photo courtesy Amanda Nippoldt Photography
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My Economy

For this teen, working a summer job is about more than some extra cash

by Minju Park
Aug 2, 2021
Teenagers have been picking up more jobs during this year.
While some teenagers use their summer break to relax from the daily grind of school, many use the free time as an opportunity to pick up a summer job.
Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
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My Economy

Trade is still a mess, and that's keeping this customs broker busy

by Sean McHenry
Jul 30, 2021
Gretchen Blough, a customs broker at Logistics Plus in Erie, Pennsylvania, said that the ships, trucks, tariffs and supply shortages are peppering the shipping industry.
Containers stacked in the Port of Los Angeles on April 19, 2021.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
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