The Next Recession + OZY's Top 10

Jittery markets, trade wars and consumer concern. Are we in the midst of an economic slowdown and, if so, so what?

It was always just a matter of time. Headlines the world over are speculating whether we are in the early stages of the next recession. The U.S. stock market recently suffered its worst one-day drop of 2019, and bond markets are making investors jittery worldwide.

Answers on whether the post-2009 economic boom is really coming to an end may take time, but smart analysis on what comes next can be had today.

This OZY original series delves into the surprising consequences of the next economic slowdown, whether it’s happening now or not for years.

Middle-income consumers represent the fastest-growing segment of shoppers for dollar stores.

Nataly Blumberg is a self-proclaimed dollar store aficionado. The native of suburban Great Neck, New York, frequents her local Dollar Tree a few times a month. Spending about $40 on each trip, she’ll stock up on her favorite brands of laundry detergent and cleaning supplies, or hunt for hidden gems like big-brand makeup in colors that have been discontinued.

Blumberg, who works as a marketing manager and identifies as middle income, sees neighbors toting Chanel bags alongside her in the aisles. Although dollar stores historically have been associated with low-income communities, research shows that these stores — like Dollar General and Dollar Tree, which purchased Family Dollar in 2015 — have in fact been quickly gaining ground with shoppers like her. There are more dollar stores in middle-income ZIP codes than in low- and high-income ZIP codes combined.

The world of finance is all about working in offices from 9 to 5 and beyond. To survive the next recession, firms must get flexible.

You’re the boss … and your two-person finance team is falling apart. After just 18 months on the job, the young man who handles receivables and payables — and who took nearly six months to train — has decided to backpack around Asia and has given notice. His colleague is six months pregnant. Your chief financial officer search, meanwhile, has been ongoing for a year, and the seat remains glaringly empty.

Keeping finance machines well-oiled is a tough gig in any business. Combine that with new concerns over the possibility of a global recession taking hold — which will invariably make people less likely to job-hop — and that inability to fill seats becomes doubly concerning.

The data is clear: Hiring finance talent is tougher than ever. A study of industry leaders by consulting firm Ranstad found that most teams are 13 percent below desired staffing levels and that it takes 75 days to fill empty positions. For executive positions, it can take closer to 150 days.