Booming
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.
Cover art by Alicia Villa.
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Episodes
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The plan to boost Black homeownership
Across Seattle, less than half as many Black households own homes as white families. But there's a new law that could help turn that around by expanding the Covenant Home Ownership program. Joshua explains why Black homeownership has plummeted and what lawmakers are doing to boost it.
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There's no such thing as local and these Northwest industries prove it
In today's economy, is anything really local anymore? We dig into three iconic Northwest industries: salmon, craft breweries, and aerospace parts, to see how they could be affected by rising tariffs.
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There's no such thing as 'local' and these Pacific Northwest industries prove it
The tariff landscape is constantly shifting, but one thing has remained consistent: the Trump administration's claim that tariffs will protect American industry and reshore manufacturing. So, tariffs should be good for our iconic Pacific Northwest industries, right?
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Microsoft President Brad Smith on how to defend your job from AI
Monica sat down with Microsoft President Brad Smith to ask: is AI already taking our jobs? And if so, what can we do about it?
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Should social media have a bedtime?
Experts say kids are spinning out online. Can Washington lawmakers help by putting seatbelts on social media? Monica talks to social psychologist Ravi Iyer from the University of Southern California about what Senate Bill 5708 and its proposed social media regulations might mean - not just for kids, but parents and the companies themselves.
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Could layoffs lead to a startup baby boom?
For months, Seattle's tech industry has been reeling from layoffs. But could these layoffs lead to a startup baby boom? Monica sits down with Geekwire co-founder Todd Bishop to find out.
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Why you can't afford to ski anymore
Skiing has never been cheap, but it used to be accessible to families and casual skiers. Now the slopes seem to have turned into playgrounds for the rich. So can we find a way for everyone to access the mountains?
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REI and the steep climb to unionize retail
REI has been losing money for years, and that's put it at odds with its employees who want better wages and benefits. Could the next generation of workers revolutionize retail?
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How to avoid being tariffed out of business
Joshua talks to Seattle outdoor clothing company KAVU to learn more about what they're doing to prepare for potential tariffs. And we dig into the techniques some companies use to engineer their way out of tariffs.
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Why someone earning over $100,000 could qualify for Seattle’s affordable housing
The debate surrounding how to fund social housing in Seattle has raised a big question: Who are we building affordable housing for?
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Making six figures? You could qualify for affordable housing in Seattle
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What's behind Amazon's all-or-nothing return to office policy?