A quick roundup of resources to help you run your business better – including wage and spending trends.

1. Wages at Midwest small businesses are up 2.75% over the last 12 months according to a survey of 35,000 businesses. Get more wage snapshots here.
2. Consumer confidence is the strongest it has been in the last four years The New York Federal Reserve reported Monday. Survey respondents expect to spend 3.3% more in the coming year and are more optimistic these days about finding employment.
3. Will kiosks where customers order and pay for fast food be good for businesses like McDonald’s? They say the technology will give employees more opportunities to truly engage with guests.
4. Bootstrap your way to a better bottom line is the advice from Silicon Valley entrepreneur Renzo Costarella. His six recommendations for cutting business costs include bartering, taking advantage of free trials and reviewing expenses quarterly.
5. For real: MailChimp doesn’t let new hires work during their first week on the job. Find out how their onboarding works and helps keep their turnover rate at just 4% in this article.

Thank you to our Friday Five sources: Paychex, Reuters, Business Insider, Entrepreneur and Fast Company.

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