Econ Dev Show - Economic Development: Recent Episodes
Dane Carlson
We explore the strategies, ideas, and insights that are driving economic development forward into the future. You'll hear new insights from passionate ED's about their successes and struggles, and you'll learn from attraction and retention experts about how to apply actionable strategies inside your EDO. We'll help take your organization, your community, and your career to the next level.
In this episode, Dane talks with Darren Stauffer (https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisesalesbizdevelopment/). Darren spent four years at the Arlington Economic Development (https://www.arlingtoneconomicdevelopment.com/Home), and now he's in Europe working with Dealroom.co (https://dealroom.co/), a venture-backed global data platform for intelligence on startups, innovation, high-growth companies, ecosystems and investment strategies. According to Darren, the tide for economic developers has shifted, and tech ecosystems are truly everywhere. The days of 'we want to be the Silicon Valley of ...' are gone. Every city and region has a story to tell, and the geographic landscape of what can be a tech hub has shifted over the past several years. Understanding this growth while fostering it is going to be more and more important for all types of cities. Because data is powerful. It doesn't matter where your city or region is on the development of their tech ecosystem - data can and does inform decisions and having the right data to help tell your story is important. Like this show? Please leave us a review here (https://ratethispodcast.com/econdevshow/) — even one sentence helps! Special Guest: Darren Stauffer.
In this episode Dane talks with Mark Gustavson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-gustavson-a00a36b4/) and Marlene McTigue (https://www.linkedin.com/in/marlene-mctigue-6a439013b/) of KathodeRay Media (https://www.kathoderay.com) about their success stories in rural economic development digital marketing. Like this show? Please leave us a review here (https://ratethispodcast.com/econdevshow/) — even one sentence helps! Consider including your name or Twitter handle so we can thank you personally! Special Guests: Mark Gustavson and Marlene McTigue.
Dane Carlson talks to Carrie Kelly, the Executive Director of the Arizona Association for Economic Development. They discuss: The economic development landscape in Arizona Is Carrie an economic developer or an executive of a membership organization The economic development stars in Arizona Mentors and mentorships How Carrie wants to make BR&E sexy Like this show? Please leave us a review here (https://ratethispodcast.com/econdevshow/) — even one sentence helps! Consider including your name or Twitter handle so we can thank you personally! Special Guest: Carrie Kelly.
Has this happened to you: Do you find it difficult to explain your job to your family, friends, and even your professional contacts? According to Melissa Meschke, Economic Development Outreach Manager for the Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship at the University of Wisconsin, the interesting thing about Economic Development is hard to difficult it is to describe economic developers do. Her response: Use plain language! She recently earned a Plain Language Certificate through UW-Madison. The experience was eye-opening for her and has helped her to hone in her networking and written communication. In this episode we discuss this, networking, and Melissa's favorite book: How to be a Power Connector by Judy Robinett Like this show? Please leave us a review here (https://ratethispodcast.com/econdevshow/) — even one sentence helps! Consider including your name or Twitter handle so we can thank you personally! Special Guest: Melissa Meschke.
How do you merge a Chamber of Commerce and an Economic Development Organization? Today we talk to Andy Sokolovich about his experience doing just this in Clinton, Iowa. With the overwhelming support of the membership, investors, and Board of Directors, the Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce and Clinton Regional Development Corporation have approved a merger — creating a single entity known as Grow Clinton. The combined organization will focus on tourism, economic and community development. How did the merger come about? How did it work? What about the staff? In this episode, we talk through all this, and more. Like this show? Please leave us a review here (https://ratethispodcast.com/econdevshow/) — even one sentence helps! Consider including your name or Twitter handle so we can thank you personally! Special Guest: Andy Sokolovich.
https://econdevshow.com/content/images/size/w1460/2022/04/podcasting-101.png In this episode, we get geeky. Dane quickly explains his podcasting setup. Like this show? Please leave us a review here (https://ratethispodcast.com/econdevshow/) — even one sentence helps! Consider including your name or Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!
https://econdevshow.com/content/images/2022/03/econdevshow-jenn-elliott.png (https://econdevshow.com/podcast-episode-43-talking-downtown-strategies-with-jenn-gregory-and-elliott-cook/) In this episode, Dane talks downtowns with Jenn Gregory and Elliott Cook, both on the Downtown Strategies team at Retail Strategies. Every community in America, of any size or population, can revitalize or create a downtown. According to the Jenn and Elliott, placemaking comes in all shapes and sizes. They encourage you to start small and build on that success! In this episode, Dane talks downtowns with Jenn Gregory and Elliott Cook. Jenn and Elliott are both on the Downtown Strategies team at Retail Strategies. Every community in America, of any size or population, can revitalize or create a downtown. According to the Jenn and Elliott, placemaking comes in all shapes and sizes. They encourage you to start small and build on that success! Like this show? Please leave us a review here (https://ratethispodcast.com/econdevshow/) — even one sentence helps! Consider including your name or Twitter handle so we can thank you personally! Special Guests: Elliott Cook and Jenn Gregory.
Dane talks to Sarah Thompson about rolling up your sleeves and figuring out a new path if your rural community needs help. According to Sarah, there is nothing that can stop those who truly want a better future for their downtown and community. It takes hard work and committed volunteers. Special Guest: Sarah Thompson.
In this episode, Dane talks with Jim Searcy, executive director of the Economic Development Association of Alabama. Special Guest: Jim Searcy.
In this episode, Dane talks with Alejandra Castillo, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development and the head of the Economic Development Administration. We discuss: Ms. Castillo's background and how she became the country's chief economic developer The Economic Development Administration and the US Commerce Department The Build Back Better Regional Challenge Supply chains Worker training and workforce development Regional, cluster-based, and place-based economic development Infastructure Building capacity at the local level Recovery and resiliency in your local community Making your community more competitive globally Collaboration in economic development, and who the EDA collaborates What the EDA is doing to promote diversity, equity and inclusion Special Guest: Alejandra Castillo.
Dane talks to Jay Garner, president and founder of Garner Economics, and the former chair of both the IEDC and Site Selectors Guild, about his new book "Economic Development is Still Not for Amateurs". Special Guest: Jay Garner.
In this episode, Matthew Tate explains to host Dane Carlson how to craft your community's elevator pitch. Matthew Tate has spent the past 10 years at Retail Strategies working directly with cities in order to help them perfect their elevator speeches. Through data and analytics, he helps cities understand their unique story in order to make a more impactful pitch to potential businesses that may locate in their market. https://econdevshow.com/content/images/2022/02/Clips-from-Episode---38.gif Special Guest: Matthew Tate.
Dane talks with Emily Blaylock, Senior Vice President and Chief Lending Officer for Northwest Bank about Tax Increment Financing (TIF). Northwest Bank & Trust Company is an entrepreneurial bank that has built an Economic Development Division to help developers and municipalities get projects done around the US. They utilize Tax Increment Financing (TIF) incentives designated from the municipalities to give developers funds upfront. These funds can be used to provide gap equity, expansion of existing sites, investment in other projects, working capital needs, or tenant improvements. Currently, they have completed projects in 8 states and over $400 million in funding. Their team has over 100 years of combined education in economic development and banking to help structure these loans. Special Guest: Emily Blaylock.
Chris Johnson is the Director of Johnston County Economic Development in North Carolina. Imagine how difficult it must be to give out his email address. Dane and Chris talk about Chris's background in retail and what new perspectives he's brought to economic development including thinking of a spec building as a loss leader. Special Guest: Chris Johnson.
Rob Sitterley is a real pro. He's worked in a local community, statewide and now works in regional economic development. In this episode, the President & CEO of AR-TX Regional Economic Development Inc. shares his tactics to make you better economic developer. He also gives us some insight into Texarkana, and doing economic development for two different states. Special Guest: Rob Sitterley.
Dane and Cole Przybyla talk about Cole's unique business retention and attraction tactics in rural California. Special Guest: Cole Przybyla.
In this episode, Dane talks to Kristen Gamboa. She is the Senior Economic Developer for the Village of Los Lunas. She has been instrumental in helping existing businesses expand and grow, as well actively market and bring in new economic-base businesses to the second fastest growing community in New Mexico. Prior to this, she was the Director of Business Development for the New Mexico Partnership where she actively engaged with companies, C-suite executives, and site consultants looking for expansion, relocation, or new project opportunities across the Land of Enchantment. According to Kristen, "New Mexico is a hidden gem that is still a little rough around the edges but with more regionalized economic development strategies you're going to hear and see more companies expanding to our 'Land of Enchantment'." Special Guest: Kristen Gamboa.
Tom Wengler and Dane talk Hubspot, and economic development marketing. Special Guest: Tom Wengler.
During the pandemic, cities were able to use elements of gamification and behavioral economics to boost consumption at their local businesses and create a sense of civic pride. Colu VP Michael Mazur explains the process to host Dane Carlson. Special Guest: Michael Mazur.
Economic development district director Alyce Brown thinks that economic development was already changing before COVID, but that change has now become a necessity because of the pandemic. She talks to Dane about how to get back to basic, grassroots initiatives. She explains that "hometown pride" needs to be a part of our planning and long-term vision. Special Guest: Alyce Brown.
The American Dream for millions of Americans has always been to work hard for thirty years, and to then to retire to Florida. But what if you could break that mold and work where you want to live? Lisa Krouse and Erin Silk talk with Dane about workforce and business attraction, and what's driving the growth of Sarasota County, Florida. Special Guests: Erin Silk and Lisa Krouse.
In this episode, host Dane Carlson talks with Caleb McMahon. Caleb is a former site selector in China, who is now the Director of Economic Development for Port Angeles, Washington. Dane and Caleb discuss what he's seeing on the ground, and in the water. Special Guest: Caleb McMahon.
Earlier this summer, Dane was a guest on the EcDev Network, where he talked about his background, moving from California to Texas, and the Econ Dev Show. The EcDev Network a weekly Clubhouse call focused on economic development, hosted by Dan Taylor, Bob Minhas and Lara Fritts . It's the only Clubhouse club, by economic professionals for economic professionals and local economies across the globe. The call is for those interested in community and economic development issues. This includes elected officials, economic & tourism development professionals, businesses and community members. Each week Bob, Dan and Lara feature a different theme with special guest speakers.
In this episode, Dane talks marketing with Dave Parsell. Dave is co-founder of Localintel, a technology company providing location marketing tools that hundreds of economic developers have added to their website to promote their community's advantages. Special Guest: Dave Parsell.
Ruth Buchanan is the Economic Development Manager, and Che Barnett is a Redevelopment Coordinator. Both work for Manatee County, Florida. There, they work together to build the local economy from the top and the bottom. Special Guests: Che Barnett and Ruth Buchanan.
Ben Nelson is the founder and CEO of Radix Leadership (https://radixleadership.com). He specializes in helping leaders and organizations build high performing teams that achieve their goals by aligning their purpose and their people to deliver on performance. He's also the executive director of the Kewaunee County Economic Development Corporation (http://kcedc.org/) in Wisconsin. Special Guest: Ben Nelson.
Dane and Bill Woodrum have a wide reaching conversation on entrepreneurship. Bill is the Coordinator of the WV Entrepreneurship Network and project director for WV BusinessLink at the WV Department of Economic Development. Special Guest: Bill Woodrum.
Meet Lea Ann Seiler of Hodgeman County, Kansas. Her job is to daily figure out what obstacles she can remove so that her community members can move forward with their businesses. Special Guest: Lea Ann Seiler.
Andrew Sloss was a site selector for ten years before making the transition during Covid to economic development. Listen in for his advice from both sides of the table. Favorite Books & Resources I would highly recommend Jay Garner (https://www.garnereconomics.com/our-team-demo/item/jay-a-garner-president) and Ross Patten (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ross-patten-811b91b0/)'s book Economic Development is Not for Amateurs (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DSX6ZXM/?tag=econdevshow-20) especially if you are new to ED but it is also a good refresher for those experienced professionals. I love to read so this is a difficult question to answer. For now, I would say The Barbarian Way (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0785264329/?tag=econdevshow-20) by Erwin McManus. Favorite Economic Development Tools We just started our subscription recently so I am still learning the platform but Gazelle.ai (https://gazelle.ai/) has been amazing and will help us a great deal in recruiting companies to Brookings. We currently don't use Slack at BEDC but in past jobs, I have really enjoyed using that for internal communications and team building. I also cannot say enough about all the resources the Next Move Group (https://www.thenextmovegroup.com) has for EDO professionals. Chad may talk funny but he has a lot of information for EDO's to better themselves professionally and personally. What's the Most Important Thing You've Learned Recently? The most important thing I have learned, especially over the last 5 years is that you have to do what is right for you and your family. No one is going to look out for you other than yourself. If you have an opportunity to better yourself, gain experience, and/or make more money to provide a better life, take it. Don't worry about what others might think and certainly don't worry about what your boss/board/co-workers will think. No one, other than yourself, will ever have your best interests in mind. Special Guest: Andrew Sloss.
On this, the 20th episode of Econ Dev Show, we're doing something different: This week we're replaying an interview with Dane from the We Are Jobs Podcast. Special Guest: Chad Chancellor.
Jim Eldridge grew up wanting to be an anthropologist or a city planner. Instead, he puts both of those skillsets to use as an economic developer in Ada, Oklahoma. Jim thinks that economic developers need to change the ways in which we work. So much of the work we do, day-to-day, in our field is pragmatic, but we spend too little time thinking about more innovative or better ways of improving our ability to support our local communities and economies. We have to spend more time thinking about new and different ways of making our work more effective. Special Guest: Jim Eldridge.
Retired econ dev Don Erwin has written an engrossing thriller and an economic development textbook. (And yes, they're the same book: Buffalo Hunting in Alabama: A Novel (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B08KHFW92V/econdevshow-20).) You can reach Don by email at Donaldlouiserwin@gmail.com (mailto:Donaldlouiserwin@gmail.com). Special Guest: Don Erwin.
In this episode, we hear from Zachary Barker about entrepreneurship-led economic development. Zach's an expert in ecosystem design and delivery of entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation (ETI) led programming. He said: Entrepreneur-led economic development is the one of the best investment EDOs can make in their communities. It supports BRE efforts for small businesses, retains young talent, diversifies the local business makeup, and... even if the people who enter your program are not successful in growing a business, they become experts in business execution and thus EXCEPTIONAL employees. What's been your most influential book and why? The Four-Hour Workweek (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0307465357/?tag=econdevshow-20) by Timothy Ferris this was my first glimpse into building systems to scale entrepreneurial ventures. I was a banker at the time when this came out and it shifted how I did banking, then launched me into entrepreneurship Mastering the Rockefeller Habits (https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Rockefeller-Habits-Increase-Growing-ebook/dp/B005J386GS?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1630284610&sr=8-3&linkCode=ll1&tag=econdevshow-20&linkId=879b4665bc3c845986a8efa89a566df5&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl) by Verne Harnish as a dealmaker (not the technical partner in a startup), I found that I was driving activity but didn't understand why I was not getting results. I had a business plan but that was a lot of assumptions where the "Rock Habits" is a "what to do today to be successful" model to follow I have adapted this style of training along with driving the entrepreneurs self-understanding of their emotional intelligence, natural strengths, and mental health to create the Entrepreneur Blueprint What is your favorite productivity tool or resource? Audible (https://www.amazon.com/hz/audible/mlp/membership/plus?ref_=assoc_tag_ph_1524216631897&_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=pf4&tag=econdevshow-20&linkId=c093653894d4c2c7534c763b901be778) - I have some wicked ADD and it can be difficult to find quiet time to read and dig in, but listening in the car, at the gym, walking the dogs, makes it to where I can learn the whole concepts, then go back and use the book as a manual of which I have a great understanding upfront Therapy - while maybe not a tool or resource, understanding entrepreneurship is a guaranteed path towards failures, rejection, and missteps (as you have to learn what not to do before you succeed), means that you entrepreneurs (more than others) will have high potential for mental health struggles. From despair to frustration, loneliness to anxiety, knowing these will come and having a plan to preemptively address them gives me a toolkit that helps me move to the next "win" Special Guest: Zachary Barker.
I this episode, Dane talks with Jimi Copland. Jimi is rural economic developer, educator, needle mover, encourager, change agent, and owner of The Rural Spark (https://www.theruralspark.com/), an online educational platform for small communities. Special Guest: Jimi Copland.
Not content to just interview economic developers, in this episode host Dane Carlson tries talking to himself. He spends time talking to himself about all of the great content from the Econ Dev Show that's not the podcast, including the five weekday emails: (Monday) Podcast Episode 14 - Is Stewart McGregor the Friendliest Economic Developer in Texas? - What happens when you pair one of the friendliest economic developers you'll ever meet, with one of the most interesting cities that you've never heard of? (Tuesday) Amazon Has Changed Online Shopping and Economic Development - This isn't about Amazon HQ2, I promise. (Wednesday) Economic Development and Developers in the News - Econ dev news from 112 economic development executives and organizations in 38 states, the Virgin Islands and Canada. (Thursday) 45 Things Economic Developers Need To Know This Week - The stories that you need to see from this week. (Friday) Economic Development Jobs This Week
What happens when you pair one of the friendliest economic developers you'll ever meet, with one of the most interesting cities that you've never heard of? In this episode, Dane meets Stewart McGregor of Grand Prairie, Texas. Special Guest: Stewart McGregor.
In this episode we talk about making "rural cool" in Southeast Ohio with Taylor Stepp, and democratizing growth by recruiting white collar remote-workers to a traditionally blue collar region. Dane and Taylor discuss the benefits of rural communities, BR&E and remote work opportunities. Taylor also dispels some preconceived notions about Appalachia. Special Guest: Taylor Stepp.
Former President Harry Truman said, "It is amazing what you can accomplish when you do not care who gets the credit." For Robert Harrington (https://podcast.econdevshow.com/guests/robert-harrington) this quote is the key to success in economic development in rural America. Born and raised in rural Missouri. Robert has remained part of rural America for his entire life. When he was a boy, his grandmother instilled in him the importance of a hard day's work and giving back to your community. As an economic developer, he's remained committed to following his grandmother's advice while working as a full-time economic developer across Missouri, Iowa, and Texas. Robert is currently the Director of Economic Development at the Bourbon County Economic Development Council in Fort Scott, Kansas. Join Dane, as he and Robert, explore the challenges and opportunities in rural economic development success. Special Guest: Robert Harrington.
Super Dave Quinn https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/f/f078f684-f72f-4a43-957d-de3aff69810b/6GuHpEJf.jpg Super Dave Quinn (https://www.davequinn247.com/) is one of those economic developers that seems to know and be known by everybody. He's also a sought-after public speaker, influencer, and all around nice guy. He's also super. He served as Vice President of the Frisco EDC (https://friscoedc.com/) in Frisco, TX from 2014-2018 where he helped lead an economic development team for one of the nation's fastest-growing cities Since then he's cofounded and is the managing partner for Day One Experts (https://d1experts.com/), an on-demand economic development and small business consulting firm. He's also the founder of the Texas Economic Development Connection (https://texasedc.com/), a statewide marketing partnership that connects out-of-state businesses with relocation opportunities in Texas. Super Dave's favorite book is QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work and in Life (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000OIZUQW/econdevshow-20), by John Miller. Super Dave says it "It opened my eyes to who was responsible for my success and failure and set me on a lifetime journey of self-discovery and accountability. " Special Guest: "Super" Dave-Quinn.
Foreign direct investment doesn't just mean international investment in the US. For economic developers in other countries, the US is often the source of the "international" funds. For JP Saucier, who recruits businesses from Los Angeles, California to Quebec, the FDI flows from the United States to Canada. Special Guest: JP Saucier.
It turns out that I've been doing LinkedIn wrong, and probably so have you. In this episode, LinkedIn's EDO expert Andrew Phillips sets us on the right path. Special Guest: Andrew Phillips.
Often the best way to advance in your economic development career is to change organizations. But do you secretly worry that if you pack up and move across the country that you'll get there and be completely clueless? Today's guest did just that - Patrick Pierce moved from a large organization in Washington state to a small town in North Carolina, and he says that the coopetition is the same everywhere. Coopetition (sometimes spelled "co-opetition") is the collaboration between competitors, in hopes of mutually beneficial results. Sounds exactly like regional economic development. Special Guest: Patrick Pierce.
What's your downtown like? As a county economic developer, I can look out over several different cities, all with a diverse array of downtowns: Some are vibrant, beautiful tourist destinations. Others are transitioning and improving with city dollars and commercial reinvestment into new stores, new facades, new lighting, new life. Some suburban cities, to their shame, don't even really have downtowns. Unfortunately, I live in a town like that. But still, others are shells of their former selves; Empty storefronts with faded signs and broken sidewalks -- places that you don't go after dark -- not because they're dangerous per se, but because there's no reason to. Our guest today, hopes to change that. Ilana Preuss (https://www.recastcity.com/about) and her book Recast Your City: How to Save Your Downtown with Small-Scale Manufacturing (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1642831921/econdevshow-20) offer an excellent primer on how to rebuild your downtown without relying on outsiders to bring their businesses to your community. Ilana's an expert. She led the technical assistance program at the U.S. EPA Smart Growth Program and was the Vice President & Chief of Staff at Smart Growth America. Her firm Recast City (https://www.recastcity.com/), works with local leaders to help create great places. Enjoy the show, and the book. Recast Your City https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/f/f078f684-f72f-4a43-957d-de3aff69810b/2rD6QgD3.png (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1642831921/econdevshow-20) Special Guest: Ilana Preuss.
Can a workforce developer lead the charge for economic development? While many organizations made the the switch from attraction to business retention last year because of COVID and the associated downturns in the economy, Cody Mosely with the Francis Tuttle Technology Center in Oklahoma is going in the other direction and leading the charge for regional economic growth. Special Guest: Cody Mosley.
In this episode, Dane talks to Josh Mejia, the executive director of the Brownsville Community Improvement District in Brownsville, Texas about all the great work he's doing in Brownsville. We also touch on his work with the IEDC and entrepreneurship-led economic development, SpaceX, international trade and supply chains, downtown redevelopment and more. Special Guest: Josh Mejia.
In today's epsisode, Chad Chancellor (https://podcast.econdevshow.com/guests/chad-chancellor), CEO and Co-Founder of the Next Move Group (https://www.thenextmovegroup.com/) and I have a wide ranging conversation: Why your EDO needs two podcasts (one for local stakeholders, and another for outside attraction.) Executive Searches. Now's a great time to find a new economic development job. (How to double your salary.) Economic developers should take jobs all over the country. (The more people you know, the better.) Special Guest: Chad Chancellor.
You're no doubt familiar with ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft, and delivery services like Doordash, Uber Eats, and Instacart. These services work via an app on a smartphone, allowing users to request a ride, or a delivery, anytime, and in almost any medium sized city or larger. But it didn't used to be that way. DoorDash and Uber used to be exclusively focused on the big cities and the coasts. And there used to be places, decently sized communities like Cape Girardeau, Missouri, that they didn't serve. Cape Girardeau, Missouri, population 40,000 has about 130,000 in it's MSA. The city is the economic center of Southeast Missouri and also a college town as the home of Southeast Missouri State University. Located approximately 100 miles southeast of St. Louis and 150 miles north of Memphis, they had almost everything a small city could need... except delivery and ride services. Local residents were required to use their phones as phones and to call for deliveries from the few restaurants that offered it, and had to use their own cars to travel to stores to buy things. Oh, the horrors! In 2017, that all changed. carGO Technologies launched there to provide delivery and ride services. Made by local coders, marketed by local biz devs, and funded by local money, the service was a huge hit. So much so that they eventually expanded into other neighboring cities. But then, what had seemed so promising, suddenly hit a wall. As carGO tried to expand into larger markets to support its business model and growth, it came face to face with Uber, DoorDash and other competitors, companies who were internationally funded and losing billions of dollars a year. And then COVID-19 happened. Ultimately, the costs to continue funding growth and the search for a sustainable business model became insurmountable and the company ceased operations in early 2021. Why, you might ask, are we talking about a failed startup in south east Missouri on a show about economic development ? My guest today made the jump from economic development at a chamber of commerce, to startup CarGO, and then back to economic development for the state of Missouri. Along the way, he learned not only how to be entrepreneurial, but how talk to entrepreneurs in their own language. He understands what keeps them up at nights, what they care about, and most importantly what they don't care about at all. Enjoy the conversation. I did. Special Guest: Shad Burner.
In this episode Dane Carlson speaks with Rebecca Naragon, Economic Development Director for the United South and East Tribes, Inc. Many of us work in areas where governmental entities, be they cities, counties and even states and countries work together with through voluntary non profit associations of government. Where I live and work, in greater Houston, we have the Houston Galveston Area Council. It is the regional organization through which local governments consider issues and cooperate in solving area-wide problems. Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to sit down virtually with Rebecca Naragon, the economic development director for the United South and Eastern Tribes. United South and Eastern Tribes, is exactly this, but for 33 Native American tribes. I think that there are four takeaways from our conversation: As Rebecca describes it, shopping local doesn't always mean purchasing products and services where you live, but can mean supporting your community, wherever they are. Sometimes, the very act of just making a list of small business can be empowering for a community. Knowing that they're not alone, can be inspiring and uplifting for small entrepreneurs, and knowing that opportunities and resources are available in their community, can make others feel more connected. Together with each other, we're more resilient, even in light of huge and radical changes, like we've experienced in the last year with COVID-19. Finally - there's always light at the end of the tunnel in economic development. Special Guest: Rebecca Naragon.