Learn how to access and interpret select industry profiles, including forecasts, financial metrics, risk factors, and industry-specific trends when Nicolle Bouffard DeLiso, director of training for Vertical IQ joins SBDC director Kelly Bearden on this week’s free webinar.
Vertical IQ is an intelligence platform that provides industry data on small- and medium-size businesses in more than 1,600 industries. It is available to registered clients of the Small Business Development Center at no cost.
This marks the 373rd episode of the “Webinar Wednesday” business series that provides news and information helpful to employers and business owners.
The CSU Bakersfield SBDC provides free one-on-one help to small business owners. New and existing businesses can go to https://csubsbdc.com/ for more information or to sign up to meet with a business advisor at no cost.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro
00:38 What’s up today March 4, 2026
03:06 Poll #1: “How often do you use formal industry research in making business decisions?”
04:56 Poll #2: “If you had better industry data, what would you do with your business?”
08:38 AI’s potential impact on monetary policy is being monitored by the Federal Reserve.
-San Francisco Federal Reserve President Mary Daly notes that monetary policy is currently stable. https://www.frbsf.org/news-and-media/speeches/mary-c-daly/2026/02/the-ai-moment-possibilities-productivity-and-policy/
-Concerns exist that AI construction (e.g., for electricity infrastructure) could lead to inflationary pressures, though these have not yet materialized.
-The Fed aims for a balancing policy that supports the economy without compromising inflation targets.
14:26 Subscribe to our CSUB SBDC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@csubsbdc
16:04 Kelly introduces Nicolle Bouffard DeLiso, director of training at Vertical IQ VIQ Home – Vertical IQ
17:28 Nicolle begins her presentation
19:22 Vertical IQ was built by bankers for bankers to centralize information for financial decisions and conversations.
20:07 The tool provides practical insights, enabling advisors to speak the business owner’s language and offer strategic, CEO-relevant guidance.
21:12 It helps businesses make fact-based decisions by providing credible, reliable, and current data, avoiding outdated information.
23:37 The concept of “working on your business” (strategic growth, planning, innovation) versus “working in your business” (day-to-day operations) is emphasized.
Michael Gerber’s book: The E-Myth Principle is Still Alive and Flourishing
24:59 82% of small business owners in the US are sole ventures, making it challenging to focus on strategic work.
25:57 Business owners expect advisors to understand their business (80% deem it critical), yet only 10% receive industry-specific value.
27:59 Monetary value of Vertical IQ data
-An annual license for financial benchmarking data (e.g., RMA Prosite) costs at least $755.
-Individual industry reports cost $210 each.
-A day pass for M&A deal data (e.g., Deal Stats) costs $530.
30:22 An SBDC industry report, which combines data from various sources, is valued at approximately $4,000 but is provided free to SBDC clients.
31:20 Vertical IQ partners with private data providers and government agencies to ensure credible and vetted information.
31:54 The Eisenhower matrix is introduced to prioritize tasks The Eisenhower Matrix – The Decision Lab
-Urgent and Important: Working in the business (payroll, cash flow, taxes).
-Important but Not Urgent: Working on the business (strategic planning, hiring, process improvement, marketing). This is where more time should be spent.
34:00 Scenario 1 of 7 Strategic Business Applications – Labor & Wages
– Wage Cost Analysis: Provides market-specific wage trends (e.g., Kern County, California auto repair shops) compared to national averages, helping project payroll and assess staffing levels.
35:07 Observations: wage cost increases can materially affect profitability (example of a $100k rise in wages in year three)
36:41 Scenario 2 – Customer & Supplier Management
-Addresses supply chain disruptions, volatile material costs, and customer concentration problems. It helps analyze inventory holding periods compared to peers.
38:46 Scenario 3 – Property, Plant, Equipment, & Technology (PPE&T)
-Identifies industries prone to technological obsolescence and the need for skilled labor. It aids in decisions regarding leasing vs. buying equipment and automation vs. manual labor, and tax/depreciation impacts.
40:48 Scenario 4 – Financial Performance and Profitability
-Helps measure performance drivers, track growth, and make pricing decisions based on industry KPIs rather than just costs.
45:53 Accessing Capital: lenders examine ratios, projections, and cash flow coverage; SBDC helps prepare borrowers by comparing to industry standards
46:59 Scenario 5 – Cash Flow and Liquidity Planning
-Provides insights into major trends shaping the industry, updated every 30 to 45 days, to help businesses anticipate changes and avoid obsolescence.
47:44 Scenario 6 – Challenges & Trends
48:00 Scenario 7 – Current Events
48:22 — Industry direction: keep sight of longer-term industry trends and technology adoption; update strategy at least annually
49:19 Strategic Planning and Market Positioning
-Offers local market data, including density trends, wage data, population data, and GDP growth, to inform decisions on product lines and market entry.
50:46 — Reminder: SBDC counseling useful at every stage — valuation, exit strategies, expansion, product lines
51:24 — Closing message: most successful owners surround themselves with experts; SBDC + Vertical IQ partnership recommended
51:46 — Kelly explains SBDC report process and how advisors pull Vertical IQ reports for clients
52:47 Kelly and Nicolle do Q&A with attendees