Eric Canada is a seasoned economic development professional best known for using analytics to help communities identify and solve challenges within the business community.  Eric is the CEO of Blane, Canada, Ltc. and creator of the Synchronist Suite.

Synchronist is a BRE solution designed to combine an executive call program with analytical software.  The program helps local ED professionals determine the right questions to ask when calling on a company executive.  The newest platform within the suite is the talent component which can help guide local workforce efforts.

In this episode, Jason asks Eric about the components of a successful BRE program because it is more than a single software package or an analytical report.  Eric dives into some suggestions for making the most of your BRE program.

Find out more about the Synchronist Suite below:

https://blanecanada.com/synchronist-suite/

The Develop This! podcast hosts are looking for two pilot communities to host a workforce bootcamp.  This is an intense process designed to align stakeholders and create actionable strategies during a short period of time.

http://developthispodcast.com/workforce-bootcamp/

Due to a variety of factors facing the economic development industry, the trend of larger organizations serving larger regions will likely continue.  This trend is likely to mean continued consolidation or mergers among economic and community development organizations.

Many models for partnered organization exist, and there is no 'perfect' organizational structure.  However, there must be sole source accountability for any merger or partnership to have a shot at long-term success. 

In this episode, Jason outlines the reasons he believes in a strong executive with broad discretion over messaging, budgets, and staff.

There are a number of ways to make more money as a professional in the economic development business, but some methods are better than others.  In this episode, Dennis gives some tips to build the case for a raise within your current organization.

Have you registered for the IEDC Annual Conference yet?  In this episode, Dennis gives you 10 reasons to attend this conference Sept 30 - Oct 3.  Dennis is even buying dinner for a handful of podcast listeners.  Tune in for details!

Many economic development groups engage in a series of workforce strategies, but how can you build excitement around it?

In this episode, Dennis and Jason talk about Grow Lee, the brand associated with the workforce strategies in Lee County, Iowa.  It started by convening a group of 70 stakeholders and deciding to launch 10 initiatives within the first 12 months.

Tune in to learn more about the process of convening, leading, and launching a series of workforce programming under a common brand.

Ever been in a slump?  Most of us perform at our best when our attitude and mood are strongest.  If we are honest, however, we all go through rough patches from time to time.

In this episode, Dennis and Jason share tips and tricks for staying motivated even when times are tough.

The audio in this podcast has some rough spots, but rest assured, we are improving the audio quality in episodes moving forward.  Thanks for listening.

Should your organization's newsletter be digital, printed, or both?  Dennis Fraise and Jason Hutcheson have some fun sparring off on the issue with the old guy advocating for digital and the young guy insisting on the printed version.

Although most everything is moving digital, this episode will give you something to think about.

Dayton, Ohio bounced back after the region lost 30,000 jobs due to declines in the automotive sector.  Erik Collins, Director of Community and Economic Development for Montgomery County, Ohio was a part of the leadership team to replace those positions.

Learn about some of the area's efforts to rebuild including bolstering the warehousing/logistics sector through business recruitment, conducting a supply chain analysis, building the talent pipeline, and fostering regional collaboration.

Are your companies tired of multiple stakeholders calling on them?  Erik Collins led the charge to align everyone in the Dayton, OH area to build a robust BRE call program that has generated over 7,000 visits with private sector companies.

In this episode, Dennis interviews Erik, who serves as the Director of Community and Economic Development Department for Montgomery County, Ohio - a county of more than 500,000.

Although 7,000 calls sounds impressive, it is more than just the one-on-one conversations.  Stemming from the BRE visits, they have put together additional programming like business sector roundtables, resource rallies, and business walks.