Stars, Stripes & Bottom Lines—No BS Business News From the Houseboat

Speaker 1 Look, we get it. You can hardly go anywhere or do anything these days without hearing about AI this or AI that.

Speaker 1 And if you're like most people, when it comes to AI, you're impressed, but you have a few concerns. But what if AI was used not as a tool to replace people, but as a way to help understand people

Speaker 1 better?

Speaker 1 AI from SurveyMonkey is designed to do just that, from crafting the perfect survey, which is harder than you might think, to analysis that digs deep, finds patterns, and surfaces trends quickly.

Speaker 1 SurveyMonkey's powerful suite of AI capabilities make it faster and easier than ever before to get insights from real people, helping you make confident decisions for your business.

Speaker 1 Try it today at surveymonkey.com/slash Ryan.

Speaker 3 This is right about now with Ryan Alford, a Radcast Network Production.

Speaker 3 We are the number one business show on the the planet with over 1 million downloads a month,

Speaker 3 taking the BS out of business for over six years in over 400 episodes. You ready to start snapping necks and cashing checks? Well, it starts right about now.

Speaker 2 What's up, guys? Welcome to Right About Now. It is our 4th of July special edition here

Speaker 2 on

Speaker 2 July 4th, 2025.

Speaker 2 You captains of capital, welcome aboard my floating house boat.

Speaker 2 Studio here on the lovely Lake Kiowee, the beautiful Kiowi Marina, coming to you live for me, recording this, where the only swamp we deal with is this lake, not Washington. And it's not swampy here.

Speaker 2 Let me tell you, one of the most beautiful lakes in the country, in South Carolina, come to visit. Don't stay, though.
Don't stay. Kidding.
Come stay if you want.

Speaker 2 While you're testing grill temps this weekend, the U.S. economy is testing its own heat index.
72 million Americans are hitting the highway.

Speaker 2 AAA calls it the biggest 4th of July getaway ever. Gas stations make more profit than my neighbors selling fake lakefront NFTs.

Speaker 2 Maybe. Could be a thing.
I see you, Ralph.

Speaker 2 I know your game. NFT, it's just like being there.

Speaker 2 Just like it. Back on shore, 92 bucks is the average grocery tab for burgers and brews.
Speaking of which, got mine right here. Ultra.
It's hot here in South Carolina.

Speaker 2 This thing's leaking all over me.

Speaker 2 92 bucks. Geez.
Yet fireworks tariffs keep the booming business pricier than these boat slip fees. Let me tell you, they ain't cheap.
Those fireworks are cheap either. I wouldn't try to get some.

Speaker 2 Other news, the S ⁇ P 500 is on a rocket ride. It was the best May through June since 1990.
Everyone's talking about how bad the economy is and somehow the S ⁇ P has done better since 1990.

Speaker 2 But remember, every rocket comes back to Earth. And Silicon Valley just slashed the price of AI tokens by 80%.

Speaker 2 That's like chartering this entire vessel for the cost of a kayak.

Speaker 2 It ain't happening. Today, we're mixing charter boat life vibes with bottom line clarity.
Life jackets on, egos off. Let's fire it up right about now.

Speaker 2 First up today, and look, if you're not watching the YouTube, you need to be watching this. Got the 4th of July garb on.

Speaker 2 Let's not forget the men and women who serve that fight for our independence every day.

Speaker 2 We appreciate you and right about now salutes you. We know the reason for these seasons and we support you.

Speaker 2 Ultimately, it's the great getaway.

Speaker 2 You got 5.8 million in the air this weekend. 72 million travelers on July 4th.
Lake Marinas report a 15% rate increase.

Speaker 2 I know, mine was at least that. So let me tell you, I think consumer confidence is okay.

Speaker 2 I think it's a micro indicator. Ultimately, holiday travel is the real-time stress test for discretionary spending.
And I'd say it's pretty good if you got 6 million people in the air.

Speaker 2 barbecue economics 92.44

Speaker 2 is the food spend on the fourth of july

Speaker 2 beef packer margins are plus 13

Speaker 2 patriotic packaging plus four percent

Speaker 2 these ribs cost more than my first apple share

Speaker 2 heat plus hunger equals pricing power for fmcg at least this weekend fireworks and tariffs look

Speaker 2 99 of fireworks are still made in China. Why is that? Why are they all made in China? Why don't we make some here? We need some firework factories.

Speaker 2 Imports warn of 2025 shortages leaking into next year. What's that mean? I don't know if they get old, but you better put them on the shelf for next year.

Speaker 2 Otherwise, I don't know if we're going to have as many. They've already cut back here on the lake.
Enjoy the show now. Next year's kaboom might be on your budget.

Speaker 2 All right, folks, it's hot here in South Kakalacki. That's what we call it, South Carolina.
93, no wind. You see any wind here? I don't.

Speaker 2 Let me tell you, there is heat advisories for 150 million people. Stay cool, people.
Stay indoors.

Speaker 2 And look, extreme heat has graduated from weather note to the P ⁇ L line because it costs more to run those air conditioners and run everything else.

Speaker 2 A lot of people stay at home and don't spend the money. The heat wave and the grid are hot, hot, hot.
We talked about this last week. We got an AI fire sale going on.

Speaker 2 O3 API is now $2 in and $8 out with the tokens. The new cost curve turns nine-month AI ROI into a 90-day payback for SMEs.
What's that mean?

Speaker 2 It means it's cheaper than my docking fee and twice as smart. But Models are cheap fireworks.
Proprietary data is the dynamite. Don't forget it.
Lock up that data, folks.

Speaker 2 They need that to make these models smart. Models easy, data hard.

Speaker 2 Creativity, ideas, content that creates the ideas, generates it, is where it's at. Protect it, hide it, keep it.

Speaker 2 Lock it up, folks. They're coming for your data.
The SP 500. It's had the best three-month period since 1990.

Speaker 2 Lots of data, but I'm not buying it long term. Don't know what's driving all of that.
Hey, I'd maybe buy some lake property or some meme stocks. Hedge your bets a little bit.

Speaker 2 Tarts can't defy gravity forever. Better have a parachute.
I do have my baseball cards here in front of me. That is one of the great American bass times, and that is baseball.
But then the hobby.

Speaker 2 The hobby is here. I've got some big announcements coming related to the hobby and a new show that I will be doing with my good friends that I I won't name yet.
Coming.

Speaker 2 It's coming though, and it's big. Real big.
Just like Judge and Otani big. They are both locked in all-star spots.
Yours truly might be there for the home run derby.

Speaker 2 There's lots of spikes in merchandise for these guys. And look, you know, they're pop culture news.
Taylor Swift. bought a 13,000 giant friendship bracelet froat in the Boston Harbor.

Speaker 2 Hmm, I don't know about that. 13 grand grand for a friendship float.
I think I'll stick to my jet skis and my star float on the back. I don't know if I want a float that big.

Speaker 2 That just invites people over here taking over my dock space. Got to have my room.

Speaker 2 Get my frisbee on. Got all my patriotic stuff here on the fourth.

Speaker 2 Fun fact, 1.3 miles of thread. For a three by five, three feet by five feet, not these small miniature ones.
Banner flag, 1.3 miles of thread. I had no idea.
Fun fact of the day.

Speaker 2 Ultimately, pop culture drives search traffic. Search drives sales, even on the lake.
It's the 4th of July. Short, sweet, to the point.
Stocks up.

Speaker 2 Economy's up. Sentiment's up.

Speaker 2 Fireworks. Up.

Speaker 2 Buy them now, folks. And look, love each other.
Give a hug, get a hug. Remember, it's the 4th of July.

Speaker 2 We have a lot to celebrate as this country, no matter what the news tries to tell you, we're taking the BS out of it every day. Right here.

Speaker 2 Celebrate freedom, safeguard capital, and keep the BS overboard. And here's the bottom line on right about now.

Speaker 2 Freedom and business run on the same fuel, energy, curiosity, and a healthy dose of risk.

Speaker 2 Whether you're piloting a Fortune 500 or just mastering your first side hustle, take this holiday to celebrate the liberty you have to build, buy, break, and build again. I've done it all.

Speaker 2 So fire up the grill, keep your margins sizzling. And remember, tariffs may raise the price of your firecrackers, but they can't tax your American imagination.

Speaker 2 From the deck of the house boat here on the lovely Lake Kiwi to every patio porch and boardroom tuning in, have a safe, profit-packed 4th of July.

Speaker 2 Leave the politics on shore, keep the BS overboard, and enjoy the freedom to chase whatever rocket you've been stashing in the garage. Let's get after it right about now.

Speaker 3 This has been Right About Now with Ryan Alford, a Radcast Network Production. Visit ryanisright.com for full audio and video versions of the show or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities.

Speaker 3 Thanks for listening.

Speaker 4 This is the story of the one. As head of maintenance at a concert hall, he knows the show must always go on.

Speaker 4 That's why he works behind the scenes, ensuring every light is working, the HVAC is humming, and his facility shines.

Speaker 4 With Granger's supplies and solutions for every challenge he faces, plus 24/7 customer support, his venue never misses a beat. Call quickgranger.com or just stop by.

Speaker 4 Granger, for the ones who get it done.

Speaker 1 look we get it you can hardly go anywhere or do anything these days without hearing about AI this or AI that

Speaker 1 and if you're like most people when it comes to AI you're impressed but you have a few uh concerns but what if AI was used not as a tool to replace people but as a way to help understand people

Speaker 1 better

Speaker 1 AI from SurveyMonkey is designed to do just that from crafting the perfect survey which is harder than you might think to analysis that digs deep, finds patterns, and surfaces trends quickly.

Speaker 1 SurveyMonkey's powerful suite of AI capabilities make it faster and easier than ever before to get insights from real people, helping you make confident decisions for your business.

Speaker 1 Try it today at surveymonkey.com/slash Ryan.