The Chicago Journal

The Chicago Journal
The Chicago Journal

Drug-Free Pain Care Amid North Carolina’s Opioid Crisis

The Chicago Journal Staff on June 13, 2026

By Dr. Eric Goodman, DC, and Dr. Douglas Bradberry, DC | ReliefNow Laser Charlotte | Charlotte, North Carolina

North Carolina has been significantly affected by the opioid epidemic. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reports elevated opioid-related overdose deaths across the state, including in Mecklenburg County. Many Charlotte residents living with chronic disc pain, neuropathy, arthritis, and other musculoskeletal conditions have managed those conditions with opioids, often before non-pharmaceutical options were meaningfully offered. ReliefNow Laser Charlotte is one of the practices working to make drug-free pain care more available to people across the region.

Why Patients Are Looking Beyond Opioids

For many patients, opioids reduce the sensation of pain without addressing the condition behind it. That gap can contribute to long-term dependency and a lower quality of life. Non-drug treatments that target the source of pain are still underused in many care settings, even as national guidance has moved in their direction.

A widely cited 2016 review in The Lancet found that opioids were no more effective than non-opioid analgesics for chronic low back pain, and that they carried substantially higher risk. The American College of Physicians now recommends non-pharmacological approaches as first-line treatment for chronic low back pain, listing options such as exercise, acupuncture, spinal manipulation, and low-level laser therapy.

How Laser Therapy and Acupuncture Fit Into Pain Care

Class IV laser therapy, also known as photobiomodulation, is an FDA-cleared modality used in pain management and recovery from injury. It is one of the non-drug options the American College of Physicians includes among recommended first-line treatments for chronic low back pain. At ReliefNow Laser Charlotte, laser therapy is offered for conditions that include disc pain, joint pain, arthritis, and neuropathy.

Acupuncture appears on that same list of recommended approaches. Dr. Eric Goodman brings post-graduate training in acupuncture to the practice, alongside work in rehabilitation and nutrition.

The Approach at ReliefNow Laser Charlotte

Dr. Eric Goodman and Dr. Douglas Bradberry center their pain care on the source of a patient’s symptoms rather than the symptoms alone. Dr. Goodman, a North Carolina native, combines training in neurokinetic therapy, acupuncture, laser therapy, rehabilitation, and nutrition. Dr. Bradberry comes from a background in sports medicine and human nutrition and holds the Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician credential. Their practice pairs laser therapy with personalized care for patients who want to reduce or move away from opioid use.

To learn more, visit ReliefNow Laser Charlotte or watch its patient education videos. The practice is located at 4601 Park Rd, Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28209, and can be reached at 704-527-7246.

About the Authors

Dr. Eric Goodman, DC, studied at UNC-Charlotte and Palmer College of Chiropractic, with post-graduate work in neurokinetic therapy, acupuncture, laser therapy, rehabilitation, and nutrition. He is active in the community through Habitat for Humanity, United Way, and the Rotary Club.

Dr. Douglas Bradberry, DC, studied at the University of Florida and graduated with honors from Palmer College of Chiropractic. He holds the Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP) credential and brings a background in sports medicine. Both are providers in the national ReliefNow network, founded by Dr. Robert Hanopole, DC.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before beginning any treatment program.

Bryan and Shannon Miles and the Role of Trivela Group in the Expansion of Multi-Club Football Investment Across International Markets

The Chicago Journal Staff on June 12, 2026

Global football (soccer) has long been more than a sporting enterprise. It is a commercial ecosystem shaped by private investment, media rights, merchandising, and international branding. According to Deloitte’s Football Money League, the top 20 football clubs generated more than €10.5 billion in combined revenue during the 2022 to 2023 season, reflecting the continued financial appeal of the sport to investors worldwide. Within this landscape, ownership structures have evolved. Investment groups have increasingly acquired minority and majority stakes in clubs as part of broader strategies that link sport with branding, hospitality, and regional influence.

This shift has opened pathways for business figures from outside traditional sports industries to enter the football market. One such avenue is Trivela Group, an American investment firm operating within this developing ownership model and founded by Ben Boycott and Ken Polk. It reflects the sports-investment activities associated with Bryan and Shannon Miles, who, after selling their virtual staffing company (BELAY) in 2021, shifted from U.S. service-based entrepreneurship into global sports as part of their investment portfolio within Trivela Group.

Based in Birmingham, Alabama, the Trivela Group functions as the platform through which the Miles participate in professional football ownership, focusing on selective acquisitions and collaborative partnerships. Rather than pursuing high-profile mega clubs, the firm has targeted teams that align with long-term operational strategy, community engagement, and sustainable development. Through this approach, Trivela Group has taken co-ownership positions in several European football clubs, including teams based in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, and Togo (Africa). These investments place the firm within an expanding network of American capital in professional European football.

The Miles entered this sector after building their initial business foundation in the United States. Their earlier success with BELAY, a company founded in 2010 that provided virtual staffing services, culminated in a successful exit in 2021. That transaction marked a strategic inflection point for the Miles. Through their holding company, Miles AG, they moved beyond service-driven growth into asset-backed investment sectors. Trivela Group emerged as a structured extension of this shift, consolidating its sports-related interests under a single strategic framework.

The rationale behind investing in football assets reflects broader market forces. European football clubs offer diversified income streams, including broadcasting, sponsorship, matchday revenue, and player transfers. In England alone, the Premier League generated over £6 billion in annual revenue by 2023, while Portugal’s Primeira Liga has gained recognition for developing internationally traded talent. Trivela Group’s involvement aligns with a model that values developmental potential over immediate commercial spectacle.

Industry coverage has noted this diversification strategy. Entrepreneur and Fortune have referenced the Miles in features related to their transition into sports ownership, highlighting how entrepreneurs from non-sporting sectors are increasingly shaping club management. In 2025, The New York Times also reported on the trend of American investors purchasing stakes in European football teams, referencing the Miles’ broader presence through Trivela Group as an example of this growing cross-Atlantic influence.

Trivela Group’s strategy emphasizes operational participation rather than passive capital placement. The firm seeks to contribute to club governance, infrastructure development, and brand positioning, which reflects a management style seen in other multi-club ownership models. By integrating business processes rooted in efficiency and organizational culture, the Miles have transferred knowledge gained from scaling remote-first corporate environments into the sports sector.

This approach also highlights their transition from founders to strategic investors. While their earlier career concentrated on direct operational leadership in virtual services, sports ownership requires navigating community identity, supporter expectations, and national sporting regulations. Trivela Group operates as a stabilizing entity that balances commercial performance with localized team culture. This balance is often essential in football ecosystems where community loyalty remains a defining element of club identity.

Public reporting on Trivela Group does not frame its activities as speculative acquisitions but as part of a broader portfolio strategy. This includes alignment with Miles AG, which also holds interests in hospitality, brewing, and nonprofit initiatives. The sports ownership activities, therefore, function as one component of a diversified investment architecture rather than a standalone venture. This perspective has been reflected in coverage across business media platforms, reinforcing the view of the Miles as a multi-sector investor rather than sports proprietors alone.

The international dimension of Trivela Group’s work reflects a broader trend in global business, where geographical boundaries are increasingly dissolving in portfolio development. The Miles’ involvement in clubs across parts of Europe demonstrates a shift from domestic entrepreneurship to international market participation. This expansion mirrors patterns seen in private equity, where cross-border asset management has become central to long-term value planning.

In practice, Trivela Group positions itself within the modern dynamics of football as commerce, culture, and enterprise. Its investment profile aligns with strategies that prioritize infrastructure improvements, digital engagement, real estate development, and operational sustainability. While such investments naturally carry financial risk, they also help reshape the governance models of smaller and mid-tier European clubs.

Media narratives surrounding the Miles’ involvement in football often highlight this contrast between their origin in virtual services and their presence in physical sports institutions. Business Insider and Entrepreneur have noted how this diversification signals the evolution of entrepreneurial identity in a globalized economy. The story is less about personal branding and more about structural repositioning within global capital ecosystems.

The Miles’ participation in Trivela Group reflects an extension of their broader business philosophy, one focused on scalable systems and structured growth. Yet within football, these principles must adapt to the emotional and cultural dimensions of sport. Stakeholders include not only investors but also supporters, players, and regional communities. This complexity reinforces the notion that sports ownership operates at the intersection of finance and cultural stewardship.

As football continues to attract global investors, the presence of American business figures like Bryan and Shannon Miles remains part of an ongoing market transformation. The Trivela Group illustrates how strategic capital deployment can alter operational models without disrupting local traditions and deep history. It also underscores the increasing overlap between entrepreneurial ventures and international sports management.

In this context, the work of Trivela Group stands as a measured example of diversification, informed by data, guided by structured investment planning, and situated within a larger transnational commercial framework. The activities of Bryan and Shannon Miles, through this investment firm, demonstrate how entrepreneurial influence can extend from service sectors into the heritage-rich domain of European football, reflecting a broader narrative of modern global investing by Bryan and Shannon Miles.

Steve Witowski Didn’t Ask to Be a Hero and That’s Precisely What Makes This Book So Memorable

The Chicago Journal Staff on June 9, 2026

By: KC Cronin

Barry Maher opens this novel with a Harvard professor riffing on Moby-Dick and The Great Gatsby in the late sixties, tossing off the idea of a modern version called The Great Dick, and from that first scene you understand you’re in the hands of a writer who is doing something more layered and more intentionally literary than the horror-comedy packaging might initially suggest. The Great Dick is a genuinely ambitious book wearing the clothing of a wild genre romp, and the combination is more satisfying than either element would be on its own.

What reading it actually feels like is being pulled along by someone who is a gifted and slightly unhinged storyteller, someone who leans in at the important moments and keeps you slightly uncertain about where the floor is. The novel produces a specific kind of pleasurable unease, the feeling of enjoying yourself more than you think you probably should be, given the things happening on the page. Steve Witowski is messy and morally compromised and completely recognizable in his tendency to rationalize everything uncomfortable that crosses his path, and Maher writes him with an affection that stops just short of excusing him. That balance is what keeps you invested rather than irritated.

The book’s central tension, between Steve’s adamant refusal to believe in anything supernatural and the increasingly undeniable evidence that something very wrong is happening in and around Victoria’s crumbling church, works as both a plot engine and a character study. His skepticism isn’t stupidity. It’s a coping mechanism that has served him through a life full of situations he’d rather not have fully processed, and watching that mechanism fail in real time is where the book gets genuinely interesting beneath the surface entertainment. The themes of belief, denial, accountability, and the cost of staying willfully blind to what’s right in front of you are ones that don’t require a demon to feel relevant. They’re the architecture of how a lot of people move through their actual lives.

Maher’s prose style is distinctive in a way that takes a chapter or two to fully calibrate to and then becomes one of the main pleasures of the reading experience. He has a deadpan rhythm that makes the darkly funny moments land without telegraphing them, and the 1982 California setting is evoked with a specificity that gives the whole novel a grimy, tactile atmosphere. The sex and violence feel organic to the story rather than ornamental, which is not always the case in this genre, and the quieter moments of exhausted tenderness between characters give the book an emotional range that earns its more extreme sequences.

This is a novel born from brain surgery and driven by the particular clarity that sometimes comes from surviving something that could have gone very differently. That origin isn’t just a compelling anecdote. It’s the source of the book’s best quality, its refusal to be cautious, its willingness to go all the way into the dark and find something worth laughing at there. Barry Maher has written something genuinely original and it deserves to find the readers who will recognize it for what it is.

If you’ve ever wanted a horror novel that makes you laugh out loud and then immediately feel unsettled about the fact that you just laughed, The Great Dick: And the Dysfunctional Demon is waiting for you on Amazon. Pick it up, clear your evening, and prepare to meet Steve Witowski. He’s a mess. You’re going to love him.

Bus Accident Claims in Washington: What to Know

The Chicago Journal Staff on June 7, 2026

A bus crash can change a person’s life in seconds. Victims may face serious injuries, medical bills, and time away from work. Bus accident claims in Washington tend to be more complex than standard car crash cases. They can involve multiple at-fault parties, layered insurance policies, and strict filing rules when a public agency operates the bus. Understanding how these cases work helps injured people protect their rights from the start.

Why Bus Cases Are Different

Buses are considered common carriers under the law, which means drivers and bus companies are held to a higher safety standard. Operators must take extra steps to protect passengers, and failure to do so can make them liable for injuries. This higher duty shapes how bus accident claims progress and what evidence is most important for determining responsibility.

Who Can Be Held Liable

A fault in a bus crash often involves more than one party. Liability depends on who owned or operated the bus and whether safety regulations were followed. Potentially responsible parties may include:

  • Bus drivers who are distracted, speeding, fatigued, or impaired.
  • Bus companies that fail to provide proper driver training or vehicle maintenance.
  • Transit agencies, school districts, or other organizations responsible for vehicle safety.
  • Other drivers whose actions contribute to a collision, including cases involving uninsured motorist accidents.
  • Manufacturers of defective brakes, steering systems, or other components.

Investigations typically rely on maintenance logs, black box data, driver records, and witness statements. Federal rules from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration may also apply to many commercial bus operators.

Injuries and Their Impact

Buses often lack seat belts, so passengers can be thrown into hard surfaces or hit by debris in a crash. Pedestrians and cyclists face even greater risk due to the size and weight of buses. Common injuries include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, broken bones, internal bleeding, soft tissue injuries, and burns. The type of injury influences how a claim is built and the potential compensation.

Insurance Layers

Bus accident claims often involve multiple insurance policies. Private and charter companies carry commercial liability coverage, but insurers may try to limit payouts. Public transit buses follow government claim procedures with strict deadlines. School bus cases may involve the district, a contracted operator, or other drivers. Filing against the wrong policy can affect recovery.

Compensation Considerations

Compensation in bus accident claims may cover:

  • Medical expenses, from emergency care to long-term rehabilitation.
  • Lost wages or reduced earning capacity.
  • Pain and suffering associated with physical and emotional impacts.
  • Property damage for personal vehicles.
  • Wrongful death damages in fatal cases.

The value of a claim depends on the severity of injuries, the parties involved, and applicable insurance policies.

Steps After a Bus Crash

Actions immediately after a crash can affect the outcome of a claim:

  • Call 911 and report the crash to create an official record.
  • Seek medical attention promptly, even for minor injuries.
  • Document the scene, including vehicle damage and visible injuries.
  • Collect contact information from other passengers and witnesses.
  • Avoid giving recorded statements to insurers before consulting legal guidance.

These measures help preserve evidence and support stronger claims.

Filing Deadlines in Washington

Washington law generally allows injured individuals three years from the crash date to file a personal injury claim under the Revised Code of Washington. Claims against public transit agencies may require a formal notice of claim before filing a lawsuit. Observing deadlines is critical for protecting legal rights.

Legal Considerations

Bus crash cases can involve corporate and government insurers with experience in limiting payouts. Legal guidance may help navigate complex liability issues, identify responsible parties, and comply with filing requirements. Each case is unique, and seeking professional advice ensures that specific circumstances are addressed appropriately. Individuals interested in professional guidance may review options through the Russell & Hill Law Firm or get a free consultation.

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws and deadlines vary by situation. Individuals should consult a qualified attorney to discuss the specifics of their case.

Small Business Funding in 2026: How Newer Businesses Are Accessing Capital Without the Bank Runaround

The Chicago Journal Staff on June 5, 2026

Starting and growing a small business in 2026 means operating in a capital environment that looks fundamentally different from what it did even five years ago. Alternative lending platforms have matured, technology-driven underwriting has become mainstream, and the barriers that once made capital access nearly impossible for newer or smaller businesses have come down significantly. At the same time, business owners still face the real challenge of identifying which funding options genuinely fit their stage of growth and how to access those options quickly enough to stay competitive in a market that moves faster than any bank approval process ever could.

Why Capital Access Has Changed for Small Businesses

The lending environment for small businesses has undergone a fundamental transformation driven by three converging forces: the rise of alternative lending platforms, the widespread adoption of real-time data in underwriting, and a growing recognition among the funding community that traditional credit metrics fail to capture the actual creditworthiness of many small businesses. The result is a market where small businesses have more options, faster access, and a better chance of approval than they would have had through the traditional banking system a decade ago.

Technology has been the primary driver of this transformation. Alternative platforms can now evaluate a business’s revenue performance, cash flow patterns, and operational stability using real-time banking data rather than relying exclusively on historical tax returns and credit scores that may be months or years out of date. This shift in how creditworthiness is assessed has opened the funding market to a much broader range of businesses, including those in their first few years of operation, those in industries that traditional banks have historically viewed as too risky, and those whose financial story is better told through current performance than historical paperwork.

The practical effect for small business owners is that capital which was once effectively unavailable is now accessible with a far simpler application process, a faster approval timeline, and terms that are competitive with what traditional banks would offer to more established businesses with stronger credit profiles. The playing field has shifted meaningfully in favor of small business owners who know how to navigate the new lending landscape.

The Industries Driving Small Business Growth in 2026

Certain industries are experiencing particularly strong growth in 2026, and businesses within them have specific and urgent capital needs that alternative funding platforms are uniquely positioned to serve quickly and effectively.

Home Health and Personal Care Services: The demand for in-home health care, elder care, and personal care services has surged as the population ages and individuals increasingly seek care alternatives to institutional settings. Small businesses in this sector are growing rapidly but face significant working capital needs driven by payroll obligations that regularly precede insurance reimbursement or private pay cycles by several weeks. Alternative funding provides the capital needed to hire caregivers, cover operational costs, and expand service territory without being financially stranded while waiting on slow reimbursement timelines.

Green Energy and Sustainability Services: Solar installation companies, energy efficiency consultants, EV charging installation businesses, and sustainability-focused service providers are among the fastest growing small businesses in 2026. These businesses often win contracts that require significant upfront labor and materials investment before payment is received from clients or utility rebate programs. Working capital access through alternative platforms allows green energy businesses to execute projects without being constrained by the timing gap between completion and cash receipt.

Digital Marketing and Content Creation: Small marketing agencies, content production studios, and digital service businesses are thriving as companies across every sector increase their digital investment and outsource specialized work to independent providers. These businesses grow quickly but often face cash flow gaps driven by project-based billing, client payment terms, and the need to invest in talent and technology ahead of the revenue that investment will generate. Alternative funding allows digital businesses to scale teams, invest in new capabilities, and take on larger clients without being financially constrained.

Pet Care and Veterinary Services: The pet care industry has experienced remarkable growth and shows no signs of slowing in 2026. Pet boarding, grooming, veterinary care, and specialty pet services businesses are expanding rapidly to meet surging consumer demand. Capital needs in this sector include facility upgrades, specialized equipment purchases, staffing expansion, and marketing investment to capture market share in a field that is becoming increasingly competitive. Alternative funding gives pet care businesses fast access to the capital they need to grow capacity and serve customers actively seeking their services.

What Makes Alternative Funding the Right Choice for Growing Businesses

For small businesses in growth mode, the speed and flexibility of alternative funding is often more strategically important than the absolute lowest possible cost of capital. A business that can access working capital today to fulfill a contract, hire a key employee, or launch a marketing campaign is in a fundamentally different competitive position than one that waits two months for a bank approval while competitors with faster capital move forward.

  • Speed to capital: Alternative platforms routinely deliver funding decisions within hours and capital within one to two business days.
  • Revenue-based qualification: Newer businesses with limited credit history but strong and consistent revenue can qualify based on current performance rather than arbitrary historical benchmarks.
  • Scalable capital access: As a business grows, eligibility for larger funding amounts and better terms typically improves, creating a pathway that scales alongside the business.
  • No equity sacrifice: Unlike venture capital or angel investment, alternative debt-based funding does not require giving up ownership.
  • Repeat funding relationships: Strong platforms build ongoing relationships with the businesses they fund, providing renewed and often increased access as the business grows.

How to Position Your Business for the Best Possible Funding Outcome

Even with accessible standards, how a business presents itself during the funding process still matters. Business owners who approach the application with a clear understanding of revenue, a defined purpose for capital, and organized financial records consistently achieve faster approvals, better terms, and higher funding amounts than those who apply reactively.

Understanding average monthly revenue, knowing how capital will be deployed, and articulating expected return are the three most important things a business owner can bring to a funding application. Platforms look for clarity, consistency, and an understanding of business needs rather than perfection.

Fundivi: Capital Built for the Way Small Businesses Grow in 2026

For small business owners navigating the funding landscape in 2026, Fundivi’s flexible business funding represents the type of platform that aligns with modern small business needs. Fundivi combines a fully digital application process, revenue-centered underwriting, and a range of funding products to serve working capital and growth capital needs across various stages.

The Fundivi platform allows business owners to apply online in minutes, receive a funding decision rapidly, and access capital within one to two business days. There are no lengthy paper applications, branch visits, or back-and-forth with underwriters unfamiliar with small business realities. Fundivi’s team works with each business to identify the product and structure that best fits current needs and future growth.

  • Designed for the Modern Business Owner: Fundivi’s digital process accommodates business owners running their operations full time.
  • Revenue First Evaluation: Fundivi evaluates current business performance rather than historical credit scores.
  • Multiple Product Options: From working capital to term loans to lines of credit, Fundivi offers solutions tailored to specific needs.
  • Transparent and Fast: Clear terms, fast decisions, and rapid funding delivery help businesses respond to urgent capital needs.
  • Long-Term Capital Partner: Fundivi aims to maintain ongoing relationships, expanding funding access as businesses grow.

Fundivi has received recognition from editorial teams at Business Loans IQ for consistent service and reliable access to capital across industries and business stages.

For a broader view of the alternative lending landscape, independent reviews provide insight into platforms delivering meaningful value for small businesses seeking accessible and reliable capital.

The Capital Landscape of 2026 Favors the Prepared Business Owner

The funding environment in 2026 is more accessible, diverse, and technology-enabled than ever. Business owners who understand options, build relationships with platforms like Fundivi in advance, and approach funding strategically are best positioned to leverage available capital. Whether managing early-stage operations or planning major expansions, small businesses today have more accessible capital options than ever before.

The Scratch Pantry: How Sarah Austin Is Bringing Clean-Label Innovation, Relationship-Driven Leadership, and Culinary Excellence to Foodservice

The Chicago Journal Staff on June 4, 2026

In a business world often driven by transactions, Sarah Austin has built her career around something more enduring: trust, relationships, and creating meaningful value.

Founder & CEO of The Scratch Pantry, Sarah brings an uncommon blend of entrepreneurial experience, business leadership, and deep human connection to the foodservice industry.

Before launching The Scratch Pantry, Sarah’s career spanned commercial real estate, finance, business development, and entrepreneurship. She co-founded a successful mortgage company, built and scaled a prior food business, and served as a National Sales Director for a global financial services firm, consistently driving growth, cultivating strategic partnerships, and building high-trust networks across industries.

Known as a natural connector, Sarah has long created spaces where thoughtful professionals build meaningful relationships, exchange ideas, and create opportunity. She hosts curated executive communities spanning finance, real estate, founders, and women’s leadership, rooted in her belief that relationships built with care and trust often become the foundation for innovation, business growth, and lasting impact.

That same philosophy shaped her next chapter.

Driven by a passion for exceptional ingredients, health-conscious food, and culinary quality, Sarah founded The Scratch Pantry, a Chicago-based premium foodservice brand focused on clean-label Chicken Italian Sausage and Chicken Chorizo designed specifically for professional kitchens.

The company was born from a simple but important observation: chefs deserve better options.

In a market crowded with heavily processed proteins, The Scratch Pantry was created to deliver what many chefs struggle to find in a single product, bold flavor, premium ingredients, operational versatility, and a clean label without compromise.

Crafted with premium chicken, proprietary seasoning blends, and fresh-ground organic-sourced herbs and spices processed in the United States, The Scratch Pantry products are free from preservatives, MSG, gluten, pork, dairy, and fillers. The result is a bright, robust, chef-driven flavor profile built for modern menus and evolving consumer preferences.

Today, The Scratch Pantry products are gaining traction across private clubs, hospitality groups, and foodservice operators throughout the Chicago market.

But for Sarah, this venture represents more than product innovation.

It reflects her broader commitment to building businesses with intention, businesses that bring people together, solve real operational challenges, and raise the standard for what quality can look like in foodservice.

Looking ahead, The Scratch Pantry continues to expand its vision through new product development, including fully cooked formats, additional protein applications, and exploration of halal and kosher offerings to meet the evolving needs of chefs and operators.

Across every chapter of her career, Sarah Austin has remained focused on a consistent mission: building with purpose, leading through relationships, and creating products, communities, and opportunities that make a meaningful difference.

How InCheq Helps Carriers Operate Smarter, Not Harder

The Chicago Journal Staff on June 3, 2026

In the transportation industry, efficiency is king. In every business, time is money, but that is particularly true in the transportation industry, where every minute wasted contributes to increasing labor costs, fuel consumption, and other factors that can easily trigger bottlenecks.

Because of this, leaders in the transportation industry have been eager to embrace technological solutions to many of the issues that plague the industry today, including our automation and task management software.

How InCheq Is Solving the Most Common Problems the Transportation Industry Faces Today

InCheq recently took part in the International Trucking Association (ITA) conference, presenting its platform to a diverse range of carriers of all sizes, as well as other industry partners. The event led to meaningful discussions about the state of the industry and what can be done to improve the efficiency of operations, not in a merely theoretical sense but through practical, real-world applications.

One of those practical applications is the implementation of platforms such as InCheq’s easy-to-use, fully automated maintenance and service platform. Its automation tools and technology can be adapted to the unique needs and requirements of any business, regardless of industry, and the company has served clients across a wide range of sectors.

Alongside InCheq, other influential companies that presented at the ITA conference included:

  • SmartBoard TMS: focused on operational visibility and control through systems and data.
  • DockTime: addresses detention visibility and revenue recovery.
  • Double Nickel: shared its evolving approach to recruiting in a tighter labor market.

The issues discussed at the conference highlight the most pressing challenges the transportation industry faces today and how InCheq and its unique offerings stand ready to address them.

InCheq’s approach to workforce management is part of a shift towards smarter, more efficient operations. Although InCheq was initially developed by business leaders in an industrial setting, its underlying technology is so versatile that it can be applied to virtually any number of industries, including transportation. The goal of tools like InCheq is to enhance visibility, operational control, and day-to-day decision-making in a way that improves efficiency for carriers of all sizes.

Why InCheq Helps Transportation Carriers Optimize Their Operations

Ultimately, the reason InCheq has gained traction as a platform is that it focuses on reducing complexity rather than adding to it. One of the biggest barriers to adoption for any new technology or platform is complexity. If a tool is so complex that it is difficult to understand or creates an undue burden for users, people simply won’t use it.

Modern carriers are prioritizing simplicity and usability, especially for the dispatchers and drivers who bear the brunt of the work in the transportation industry.

A major component of achieving that level of simplicity and usability is our team’s commitment to solving the actual problems that affect drivers and dispatchers where they are. The goal is to emphasize real-world problem-solving through data-driven decision-making to improve operational efficiency and reduce guesswork. The implications of this on operations can be significant, helping businesses do more with fewer resources. This approach is especially important at a time when the workforce is increasingly strained.

At InCheq, our core philosophy is to work smarter, not harder, and we put that into practice through solutions that carriers can implement right away.

Additional information about the platform and how it supports more efficient carrier operations is available through InCheq’s contact page.

Human POV in a Machine-Generated World and How to Build a Brand Buyers Actually Trust in 2026

The Chicago Journal Staff on May 30, 2026

The consumer ecosystem is filling with content at a pace no human being can realistically process.

Every marketing team now has access to tools that can generate blogs, emails, ad copy, landing pages, LinkedIn posts, summaries, follow-ups, nurture campaigns, and sales collateral almost instantly. What once required days of production can now happen in minutes.

This has dramatically lowered the barrier to content creation. It has also raised the bar for quality, simultaneously giving brands a new opportunity to stand out.

As generative AI tools become more deeply embedded into marketing workflows, much of the content being published across industries is beginning to converge. The phrasing sounds familiar. The insights flatten into the same broadly acceptable conclusions. The structures repeat, often in three-beat rhythms, such as this one, if not carefully written.

Technically, much of it is “good.”

But increasingly, as AI-generated, sourced, or inspired content proliferates, buyers do not trust it.

This dynamic is reshaping how brands establish credibility in B2B environments. As content floods every channel, differentiation is becoming less about production volume and more about the presence of a recognizable human perspective.

In short, the companies earning trust are the ones that still sound like people.

“The market is becoming hypersensitive to generic content,” says Robin Emiliani, Chief Growth Officer at Catalyst Marketing. “Buyers can feel when something was created to fill space versus when someone actually has a perspective worth sharing. So brands, particularly in the traditionally cautious B2B space, need to be okay with sharing their perspective and personality publicly, especially if it is interesting or even controversial.”

It’s a massively important change in marketing perspective, because trust has always been one of the core currencies of B2B marketing. Enterprise buyers rarely make impulsive decisions. They are evaluating risk, expertise, credibility, and long-term partnership potential, often across lengthy sales cycles involving multiple stakeholders. Which is why much B2B content marketing and branding tends to play it safe. But “safety” is no longer equal to trust. Consumers are increasingly finding it to be a signpost of being AI-generated, which, for better or for worse, tends to sap trust.

AI changes the mechanics of content production, in many ways rendering them more efficient. But it does not remove the need for trust. Just the opposite. It amplifies the importance of authenticity.

The Return of Recognizable Expertise

The new state of affairs can be summarized as such: The more content becomes automated, the more valuable a genuine perspective becomes.

This is one reason thought leadership is evolving away from polished corporate messaging and toward more opinionated, experience-driven communication. Buyers increasingly respond to specificity, nuance, and real operational insight because those qualities are harder for generic systems to replicate convincingly.

Photo Courtesy: Catalyst Marketing

The change is visible across multiple channels, with social leading the charge.

Founder-led content continues to outperform institutional brand messaging in many B2B sectors. Expert commentary is outperforming sanitized marketing copy. Audiences are gravitating toward operators, practitioners, and leaders who speak directly about what they are seeing, testing, and learning in real time.

That does not mean AI-generated content is inherently ineffective.

In fact, many organizations are using AI extremely well. Content velocity, research synthesis, and production efficiency have all improved substantially. The issue is not the existence of AI. It is the absence of a distinct human layer managing it.

Without a distinct personality, brands begin to disappear into the larger content flood.

“AI can absolutely strengthen a brand voice,” Emiliani says. “But if you remove human judgment and perspective from the process, eventually everything starts sounding interchangeable and you don’t really stand a chance.”

Building a Safety Tech Stack That Works Across Cameras, EHS Software, and BI Tools

The Chicago Journal Staff on May 30, 2026

Many industrial safety teams already have cameras, EHS software, and business intelligence tools. The problem is that these systems often operate apart from one another. Video stays in a security system, incidents live in an EHS platform, and trend analysis happens later in a dashboard. That separation slows response and makes it harder to see where risk is building.

A useful safety tech stack should help teams move from scattered records to a clear workflow. Cameras capture conditions on the floor, EHS software manages follow-up, and BI tools show trends across teams, shifts, and sites. When those pieces work together, leaders can spend less time searching for context and more time reducing exposure.

Define the Safety Questions Before Connecting Systems

Technology integration works best when it begins with practical safety questions. Start by naming the decisions your team needs to improve. Which areas have the highest repeat near misses? Which tasks create the most PPE gaps? Which shifts need more coaching? Which corrective actions reduced exposure after rollout?

Those questions help teams decide what data should move between systems. A camera event without a location, time stamp, event type, severity level, or action owner may create more review work than insight. A clean record gives supervisors enough information to respond and gives safety leaders enough structure to trend the event later.

This step also prevents overcollection. Not every camera feed needs to become part of the safety workflow at once. Begin with high-risk zones such as loading docks, forklift routes, pedestrian crossings, machine access points, or areas with repeat audit findings. A focused start gives EHS, operations, and IT a shared path for testing value before the stack expands.

Make Cameras a Source of Structured Safety Events

Cameras are often treated as passive recorders. They help after an incident, but they rarely shape daily prevention work unless someone spends time reviewing footage. A stronger approach is to turn camera views into structured safety events that can be reviewed, assigned, and measured.

That requires clear event definitions. For example, a vehicle and pedestrian interaction should include the zone, direction of travel, approximate proximity, time of day, and any related site rule. A PPE event should identify the area, task context, and required control. A restricted-area event should show the boundary and the access condition that was missed.

Visual evidence helps teams coach with specifics. Instead of telling a crew to be more careful around forklifts, a supervisor can show the exact crossing, explain the exposure, and reinforce the expected behavior. The discussion becomes grounded in real site conditions rather than broad reminders.

Use EHS Software to Manage the Response

Camera data becomes more valuable when it feeds a response process. EHS software should capture the event, connect it to the right category, assign ownership, track corrective action, and retain the record for audit review. This keeps the team from treating each visual observation as a one-off clip.

A good workflow should answer basic follow-up questions. Who reviewed the event? What action was taken? Was the action a coaching conversation, a route change, a barrier, a sign update, or a procedure change? Did the same event happen again after the action?

OSHA’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs encourage employers to find and fix hazards before workers are harmed.

That prevention mindset depends on follow-through. If observations are captured but not assigned, the stack will create awareness without closure. If actions are assigned but not checked against later trends, the team will struggle to know what worked.

Use BI Tools for Trends, Not Manual Investigation

Business intelligence tools are useful when the underlying safety data is consistent. They should not become a dumping ground for messy exports that require manual cleanup every week. The goal is to make trends easy to compare across time, location, event type, and site.

Good dashboards can help safety and operations leaders review exposure in a shared format. For example, a BI view might show that vehicle interaction events rise during a specific handoff window, or that one site closes corrective actions faster than another. These views help leaders focus resources where the data shows the greatest need.

  • Use consistent event names across cameras and EHS records.
  • Map every event to a site, zone, shift, and safety category.
  • Track repeat events before and after corrective actions.
  • Separate leading indicators from injury and incident outcomes.
  • Review trends with both EHS and operations stakeholders.

Set Governance Before Data Starts Moving

Connected systems need clear governance. IT leaders need to know how video is processed, where data is stored, which systems receive event records, and who can access clips or reports. EHS leaders need a clear policy for how visual data supports coaching, investigation, and audit readiness.

Worker communication matters as well. Teams should understand what the program measures, why it exists, and how the information will be used. The safest approach is to keep the focus on hazardous conditions and repeat exposure, not constant personal monitoring. Access limits, retention rules, anonymization practices, and review procedures should be documented before rollout.

Governance also supports scale. A single site can operate with informal naming and local habits for a short period. A multi-site program cannot. Standard categories, location maps, and ownership rules make it easier to compare risk across facilities and expand the stack without rebuilding the workflow each time.

Build the Stack Around Action

A safety tech stack works when it helps people act sooner and learn faster. Cameras provide visual context. EHS software manages the response. BI tools show patterns and progress. The value comes from connecting those pieces into one practical flow from detection to follow-up.

For teams planning that structure, resources on building a connected EHS tech stack can help clarify how camera-based events, EHS records, privacy controls, and reporting tools can work together. The aim is simple: give safety and operations teams a clearer view of risk, a faster path to action, and better evidence that the action made a difference.

Standardizing Project Execution, Charters, RAID, Status Reports, and Change Control Without Bureaucracy

The Chicago Journal Staff on May 30, 2026

Inconsistent project execution is one of the most expensive problems in delivery. Not because teams are incapable, but because each project is run differently. Some project leads use clear plans and disciplined reporting. Others rely on informal coordination and memory. Leaders struggle to compare projects, risks are spotted late, and lessons are not carried forward.

Standardizing project execution does not mean forcing every team into a rigid methodology. It means agreeing on a small set of repeatable practices that make projects easier to run and easier to govern. When the basics are consistent, teams spend less time reinventing structures and more time delivering outcomes.

This article outlines a practical standard for project execution that can work across departments and project types. It is designed to be lightweight, usable, and focused on better decision-making.

What “Standard Execution” Should Achieve

A standard project execution model should make four things easier:

  • Clarity – everyone knows what the project is for, what success looks like, and who owns what.
  • Control – risks, issues, and changes are visible and managed, not hidden in conversations.
  • Communication – stakeholders can see progress without chasing updates.
  • Continuity – new team members can onboard quickly, and decisions remain traceable.

If the standard does not improve these outcomes, it will feel like admin.

The Minimum Standard Toolkit for Execution

You do not need a large library of documents to run consistent projects. Most organizations can get meaningful improvement from four core artifacts:

  • a one-page charter
  • a RAID log
  • a short status report
  • a simple change control approach

Each artifact should be easy to update and genuinely useful to the team running the project.

1) The one-page project charter

The charter prevents scope confusion and misalignment early. It does not need to be long. A one-page charter should capture:

  • Purpose – why the project exists, in plain language
  • Success criteria – what “done” means and how it will be validated
  • Scope – what is in scope and what is explicitly out of scope
  • Owner and sponsor – accountability and decision authority
  • Key stakeholders – who must be informed or consulted
  • Constraints – deadlines, windows, budget limits, operational constraints
  • Major milestones – the few dates that matter most

A good rule is that the charter should be readable in two minutes. If it cannot, it is too complex for the purpose it serves.

Common charter mistakes

  • writing a charter as a narrative document rather than a practical reference
  • leaving the success criteria vague, which leads to arguments at delivery time
  • failing to define out-of-scope items, which creates constant scope creep
  • not confirming decision rights, which slows delivery later

2) The RAID log – risks, assumptions, issues, dependencies

RAID logs have a poor reputation because many are created once and never used. A RAID log works when it is integrated into the team’s cadence. The purpose is not record-keeping; it is early intervention.

How to make RAID useful

  • Keep the list short by focusing on material items
  • Assign an owner to every entry
  • Include a due date for each action
  • Review it weekly, even if only briefly
  • Define escalation triggers for high-impact items

What to track under each RAID category

Risks are uncertain future events that may occur. Track likelihood, impact, and mitigation actions.

Assumptions are things you are treating as true. Assumptions should have validation dates. If an assumption is not tested, it becomes a hidden risk.

Issues are current problems that are already happening. Issues need owners, target resolution dates, and escalation rules.

Dependencies are external items your project relies on, such as vendor delivery, approvals, operational access, or another team’s output. Dependencies are often the silent cause of delays, so they need clear ownership and due dates.

3) The status report – short, consistent, decision-oriented

Status reporting often fails because it becomes either too vague or too detailed. A strong status report should be short, consistent, and focused on decisions. A weekly or fortnightly update usually works well.

A practical status report includes:

  • Status and trend – green, amber, red, improving, stable, or deteriorating
  • Status rationale – one or two sentences explaining the status plainly
  • Progress – what has moved since the last update, aligned to milestones
  • Next milestone – date and what must happen before it
  • Top risks and issues – only the ones that matter, with owners and due dates
  • Decisions needed – what is required from leadership, and by when

The rationale is critical. Without it, status becomes a color choice rather than a management tool.

How to prevent “all green” reporting

  • Require a rationale for every status
  • Review status trends in leadership meetings
  • Reward early transparency rather than punishing amber updates
  • Agree on triggers that automatically change status (for example, milestone slip beyond threshold)

4) Change control – keep it simple but visible

Change control is often seen as bureaucratic, but the absence of change control is what creates confusion. The goal is not to block changes. It is to make changes visible, intentional, and approved by the right people.

A lightweight change log should capture:

  • What is changing (scope, timeline, cost, quality expectation)
  • Why is it changing
  • Impact on milestones, budget, or benefits
  • Who approved it and when
  • Actions required as a result

Many teams only need formal change control for changes that exceed agreed thresholds. For example, any schedule change beyond two weeks or any cost increase beyond a set amount triggers sponsor approval.

How to Embed the Standard Into Daily Execution

Even a good standard fails if it is treated as a document set rather than a working system. Adoption improves when teams connect the artifacts to a simple cadence.

A weekly execution rhythm

  • Review milestones and confirm what has moved since last week
  • Review the top RAID items and confirm actions and owners
  • Confirm decisions needed and escalation items
  • Update the short status report

This should take 30 minutes for many projects, especially if the artifacts are kept simple.

Stakeholder updates that reduce chasing

Publish the status report to stakeholders on a predictable schedule. When stakeholders trust that they will receive a regular update, they stop requesting ad-hoc updates that disrupt delivery.

Onboarding and continuity

Standard artifacts also make onboarding easier. When a new person joins the project, the charter explains why the project exists, the RAID log explains what is risky or blocked, and the status report explains what is happening now. This reduces the dependency on informal knowledge.

Where Tools Can Help Without Turning the Process Into Admin

Teams often start standardization with templates in shared folders, then struggle as portfolios grow. Manual consolidation becomes time-consuming, and the latest status is hard to find. A structured approach usually needs:

  • consistent templates for charters, status, RAID, and change
  • a single place where project information is updated and visible
  • portfolio roll-ups that reduce manual reporting effort

Many organizations that work on Microsoft 365 look for solutions that align with that ecosystem. Some teams use platforms such as BrightWork project management software as one example of an approach for maintaining consistent project structures and reporting in a way that supports both project execution and portfolio visibility.

A Practical Adoption Plan

If you want to implement this standard quickly, use a simple rollout plan:

  • Week 1 – publish the one-page charter and short status report templates
  • Week 2 – introduce RAID and change log templates, define status definitions
  • Week 3 – pilot the standard across a small set of active projects
  • Week 4 – run a short review, refine templates, and expand to more teams

Start small and improve based on feedback. If teams feel the artifacts help them run projects better, adoption will spread naturally.

Key Takeaways

  • Standardization is about repeatability, not rigidity.
  • A one-page charter, RAID log, short status report, and simple change control cover most needs.
  • Status, rationale, and trend build trust and reduce surprise.
  • Embedding the artifacts into a weekly cadence makes them useful rather than “paperwork”.
  • As portfolios grow, structure and consistency reduce the manual cost of reporting.

When the basics of execution are standard, teams spend less time reinventing and more time delivering. Leaders gain clearer visibility, issues surface earlier, and project outcomes become more predictable without adding unnecessary bureaucracy.