Econ Dev Show Podcast - Economic Development

By Dane CarlsonBusiness Government Marketing Non-Profit

Econ Dev Show Podcast - Economic Development episodes

June 08222: How Energy Is Changing Site Selection with Anna Cardona
In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane talks with Anna Cardona, an economic development consultant with Wolves Development Group, about her path from architecture and design into economic development, her move from public and public-private work into the private sector, and the growing role of energy infrastructure in getting major projects across the finish line.
Anna explains how power availability, behind-the-meter solutions, and infrastructure capital are shaping everything from advanced manufacturing to data centers, and why communities need to rethink economic development beyond job counts and CapEx.
The conversation also covers community backlash, board education, regenerative industrial ecosystems, family office conferences as an overlooked deal source, and how economic developers can become more empowered, proactive, and creative in building their own pipelines.
Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps!
Special Guest: Anna Cardona.
Sponsored By:
Sitehunt: Sitehunt gives economic developers both AI-powered site selection software and a team of experts ready to do the work for you.
Schedule a demo at sitehunt.io/demo.
Links:
Anna Cardona | LinkedIn
Wolves Development Group
28 min
June 01221: Music as Economic Development with Matt Mandrella
In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson talks with Matt Mandrella, Music Officer for the City of Huntsville, Alabama, about what it means for a city government to take music seriously as an economic development strategy.
Matt explains how Huntsville’s music audit led to intentional investments in venues, programming, artist development, tourism, and workforce attraction, including the Orion Amphitheater, MidCity, Women in Music, tour grants, a central music calendar, and partnerships that help local artists and businesses grow.
The conversation shows economic developers how music can strengthen quality of life, support downtown and district development, attract talent, create career pathways, and give a community a stronger identity without trying to become the next Nashville or Austin.
Like this show? Please leave a review. Even one sentence helps more than you know.
10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers
Start with an audit. Before launching programs, study the local music ecosystem, identify gaps, and use that work to create a practical roadmap.
Treat music as quality-of-life infrastructure. Think about music the same way you think about parks, trails, sports, and public spaces: as something that helps people choose to live, work, and stay in your community.
Connect music to talent attraction. If your community has hard-to-fill jobs, especially higher-skill jobs, remember that people also choose places based on what life feels like after work.
Design venues as district anchors. A major music venue can help catalyze surrounding private investment when it is tied to restaurants, hotels, housing, public spaces, and a broader district strategy.
Program public venues beyond big concerts. Use civic venues for free and low-cost community events, fitness classes, festivals, seasonal events, and local programming so taxpayers feel ownership of the space.
Support artists as small businesses. Programs like tour grants, showcases, and local performance opportunities can help musicians build momentum, gain confidence, and create professional pathways.
Create a central music calendar. If residents and visitors have to check five different websites to find live music, the community is leaving value on the table.
Use small programs in small communities. Even without a major amphitheater, communities can support live music on town squares, at restaurants, farmers markets, downtown events, and public gatherings.
Build the behind-the-scenes workforce. Music creates opportunities beyond performers, including sound, lighting, staging, trucking, security, ticketing, marketing, hospitality, and event operations.
Develop your own identity. Do not try to become Nashville, Austin, or New Orleans. Build a music strategy that fits your own community, culture, venues, talent, and long-term goals.
Special Guest: Matt Mandrella.
Sponsored By:
Sitehunt: Sitehunt gives economic developers both AI-powered site selection software and a team of experts ready to do the work for you.
Schedule a demo at sitehunt.io/demo.
Links:
Matt Mandrella | LinkedIn
Huntsville Music Office
Trade Group to Strengthen Local U.S. Music Ecosystems Launches
Catching up with Huntsville Music Officer Matt Mandrella - Axios Huntsville
Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook for New Dads by Gary Greenberg
— Matt's favorite book
35 min
May 25220: The Hidden Cost of Becoming Cool with Jon Roberts
In this episode Dane Carlson talks with Jon Roberts of TIP Strategies about his new book, The Cost of Cool: Austin's Tech Growth and the People Left Behind, and what Austin’s rise can teach economic developers everywhere.
They discuss how Austin became a tech and talent magnet, why that growth created real pressure around equity, housing, and displacement, and whether tech growth inevitably widens community divides.
Jon also explains why entrepreneurial ecosystems need more than enthusiasm, why universities and major companies matter, how communities like Green Bay and Racine County, Wisconsin are building on their own assets, and why economic developers need to think about AI, quantum computing, bioengineering, and the next wave of technology without forgetting the people who may be left behind.
Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps!
10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers
Treat equity as a front-end strategy, not a cleanup project. If tech growth is coming, plan for housing, displacement, affordability, and access before the growth accelerates.
Be honest about the tradeoffs of tech growth. Jon argues that more tech investment has historically been linked with greater inequity, so economic developers should discuss that risk openly instead of assuming growth automatically benefits everyone.
Do not build an entrepreneurial strategy around vibes alone. Incubators and startup events help, but the conversation emphasized the importance of real links to research, tech transfer, and major corporate activity.
Know the assets you actually have. Green Bay's example shows that communities can build from distinctive local strengths, including major institutions or brands, instead of trying to copy Austin or Silicon Valley.
Create tight relationships with universities and companies, even if they are not in your backyard. Physical proximity may help, but the more important issue is whether the connection is real, active, and tied to specific development opportunities.
Use major projects as platforms, not endpoints. A data center complex, corporate investment, or innovation park should raise the question: "What turns this into something more?"
Protect vulnerable neighborhoods before market pressure arrives. Once high-income workers begin bidding up undervalued neighborhoods, the available responses become more limited.
Understand that "cool" is hard to manufacture. Austin's music, counterculture, local institutions, and "Keep Austin Weird" identity became part of its attraction, but they were not simply chamber-of-commerce slogans.
Keep a long view on technology. AI matters, but Jon cautions economic developers not to treat it as the final technological shift. Quantum computing, bioengineering, and other changes may be next.
Make the uncomfortable conversations part of the work. Questions about displacement, inequality, tech disruption, and who benefits from growth may not have easy answers, but avoiding them makes communities less prepared.
Special Guest: Jon Roberts.
Sponsored By:
Sitehunt: Sitehunt gives economic developers both AI-powered site selection software and a team of experts ready to do the work for you.
Schedule a demo at sitehunt.io/demo.
Links:
Jon Roberts | LinkedIn
The Cost of Cool: Austin's Tech Growth and the People Left Behind | Amazon
The Cost of Cool • TIP Strategies
TIP Strategies: Economic Development, Strategic & Workforce Planning
30 min
May 18219: The Economic Development Handbook We All Needed with Glenn Athey
In this episode of the Econ Dev Show Dane Carlson talks with Dr. Glenn Athey, author of The Local and Regional Economic Development Handbook, about what economic developers actually need to know to move from strategy to delivery.
Glenn shares how growing up in northeast England during de-industrialization shaped his interest in regional economic development, why he wrote the book he wishes he had at the start of his career, and how practitioners can use international case studies without simply copying someone else’s playbook.
The conversation covers action-oriented strategies, evidence that informs decisions instead of burying teams in data, the importance of local capacity, entrepreneurship support that prioritizes high-growth potential, and how sustainability can run through every part of economic development rather than sit off to the side.
Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps!
10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers
Keep a working reference shelf. Economic development is too broad to know everything cold. Have reliable resources you can dip into before meetings on unfamiliar topics.
Read enough to participate intelligently. You do not have to become an expert overnight, but you should understand the basics well enough to ask good questions and add value.
Turn strategy into an action plan. A useful strategy should say what the community will do, what it will keep doing, what happens next, and how success will be measured.
Do not confuse data with analysis. Dashboards and tables are not the point. Ask, "So what does this mean, and what should we do differently?"
Borrow proven ideas, then localize them. Most communities do not need to invent something brand new. Study what worked elsewhere, then adapt it to your own economy, assets, and constraints.
Be more curious. Visit the neighboring community with the strong business center. Ask how their program works. Learn from people who are already doing the thing well.
Know your community's real capacity. Big ambitions require people, skills, funding, and institutional ability. A plan that ignores delivery capacity is likely to become shelf art.
Prioritize business support where you can add the most value. Lifestyle businesses, high-growth startups, exporters, and innovation-driven firms may all need help, but they do not all produce the same economic impact.
Connect the functions. Investment attraction depends on workforce, sites, infrastructure, universities, entrepreneurship, planning, and policy. The best economic developers see how the pieces fit together.
Build confidence across the whole field. Economic development touches strategy, business growth, workforce, sites, investment, inclusion, planning, and more. You do not need to know every topic perfectly, but you do need enough range to recognize how the pieces connect.
Special Guest: Dr. Glenn Athey.
Sponsored By:
Sitehunt: Sitehunt gives economic developers both AI-powered site selection software and a team of experts ready to do the work for you.
Schedule a demo at sitehunt.io/demo.
Links:
Glenn Athey | LinkedIn
The Local and Regional Economic Development Handbook: Build Prosperous, Sustainable and Inclusive Local and Regional Economies on Amazon
The Local and Regional Economic Development Handbook - The Local and Regional Economic Development Handbook
Glenn Athey - YouTube
Professional CPD and skills training in local economic development for UK practitioners. 15 hours of expert-led courses, active community. Join today. - Economic Development World
30 min
May 11218: What Site Selectors Wish Economic Developers Understood with Mark Williams
In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson talks with Mark Williams, founder of Strategic Development Group and author of Corporate Site Selection and Economic Development: A 35 Year Perspective, about what really happens behind the scenes in site selection.
Mark shares lessons from working in state government, building a consulting firm, advising corporate clients, and writing a book that has become both a teaching tool and a business development asset.
The conversation covers why economic developers and companies often misunderstand each other, why listening matters more than overloading prospects with information, how time quietly kills deals, what clients really want from consultants and communities, and how technology, AI, virtual meetings, and generational change are reshaping the field without replacing the need for judgment, trust, and walking the site.
Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps!
Special Guests: Dr. Glenn Athey and Mark Williams.
Sponsored By:
Sitehunt: Sitehunt gives economic developers both AI-powered site selection software and a team of experts ready to do the work for you.
Schedule a demo at sitehunt.io/demo.
Links:
Corporate Site Selection and Economic Development: A 35 Year Perspective by Mark Williams
Mark WIlliams - Homepage
Strategic Development Group | Expert Site Selection Consultants
Mark Williams | LinkedIn
27 min
May 04Why Economic Development Fundraising Matters More Than Ever with Brian Abernathy and Clint Nessmith
In this episode of the Econ Dev Show Podcast, Dane Carlson talks with Brian Abernathy of Convergent and Clint Nessmith of Resource Development Group, now RDG, a Convergent Company, about the merger of two major economic development fundraising firms and what it means for chambers, EDOs, and community organizations.
They discuss why economic development fundraising is becoming more critical, how campaigns are evolving beyond traditional jobs and investment metrics, and why organizations must make a clearer case for their value. Brian and Clint also explain how data, disciplined campaign execution, feasibility studies, and strong public-private partnerships can help communities fund the work required to compete.
Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps!
10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers
Make the value case clearer. Investors need to understand what your organization does, why it matters, and what outcomes their funding supports.
Do not rely only on past success. A good track record helps, but each new campaign needs a fresh, specific, forward-looking reason to invest.
Use data to strengthen your story. Fundraising works better when your case combines vision with evidence, benchmarks, campaign history, and measurable outcomes.
Treat fundraising as strategy, not just revenue. A campaign should clarify priorities, align leadership, and sharpen the organization's role in the community.
Run a feasibility study before a major campaign. Confidential investor feedback can reveal whether your campaign is ready, credible, and properly sized.
Connect economic development to broader community needs. Workforce, housing, infrastructure, quality of life, and nonprofit capacity all affect competitiveness.
Keep trusted relationships front and center. Funders support people and organizations they trust, especially when the work requires multi-year commitments.
Show investors where their money goes. Be specific about programs, staff capacity, outcomes, timelines, and the practical work their support makes possible.
Position your organization as a convener. EDOs and chambers often create value by bringing public, private, nonprofit, and education partners together around shared priorities.
Prepare for more sophisticated funders. Investors are asking better questions. Be ready with a stronger narrative, better data, and a disciplined plan for execution.
Special Guests: Brian Abernathy and Clint Nessmith.
Sponsored By:
Sitehunt: Sitehunt gives economic developers both AI-powered site selection software and a team of experts ready to do the work for you.
Schedule a demo at sitehunt.io/demo.
Links:
Press Release: Convergent and Resource Development Group Merge
Brian H. Abernathy | LinkedIn
Clint Nessmith | LinkedIn
Convergent Nonprofit | Fundraising Strategy & Consulting
Economic Development Fundraising | Resource Development Group
27 min
May 04217: Why Economic Development Fundraising Matters More Than Ever with Brian Abernathy and Clint Nessmith
In this episode of the Econ Dev Show Podcast, Dane Carlson talks with Brian Abernathy of Convergent and Clint Nessmith of Resource Development Group, now RDG, a Convergent Company, about the merger of two major economic development fundraising firms and what it means for chambers, EDOs, and community organizations.
They discuss why economic development fundraising is becoming more critical, how campaigns are evolving beyond traditional jobs and investment metrics, and why organizations must make a clearer case for their value. Brian and Clint also explain how data, disciplined campaign execution, feasibility studies, and strong public-private partnerships can help communities fund the work required to compete.
Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps!
10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers
Make the value case clearer. Investors need to understand what your organization does, why it matters, and what outcomes their funding supports.
Do not rely only on past success. A good track record helps, but each new campaign needs a fresh, specific, forward-looking reason to invest.
Use data to strengthen your story. Fundraising works better when your case combines vision with evidence, benchmarks, campaign history, and measurable outcomes.
Treat fundraising as strategy, not just revenue. A campaign should clarify priorities, align leadership, and sharpen the organization's role in the community.
Run a feasibility study before a major campaign. Confidential investor feedback can reveal whether your campaign is ready, credible, and properly sized.
Connect economic development to broader community needs. Workforce, housing, infrastructure, quality of life, and nonprofit capacity all affect competitiveness.
Keep trusted relationships front and center. Funders support people and organizations they trust, especially when the work requires multi-year commitments.
Show investors where their money goes. Be specific about programs, staff capacity, outcomes, timelines, and the practical work their support makes possible.
Position your organization as a convener. EDOs and chambers often create value by bringing public, private, nonprofit, and education partners together around shared priorities.
Prepare for more sophisticated funders. Investors are asking better questions. Be ready with a stronger narrative, better data, and a disciplined plan for execution.
Special Guests: Brian Abernathy and Clint Nessmith.
Sponsored By:
Sitehunt: If your property data is scattered or out of date, you're losing projects.
Sitehunt gives economic developers an AI-powered property database and instant RFI responses.
Schedule a demo today!
Links:
Press Release: Convergent and Resource Development Group Merge
Brian H. Abernathy | LinkedIn
Clint Nessmith | LinkedIn
Economic Development Fundraising | Resource Development Group
Convergent Nonprofit | Fundraising Strategy & Consulting
27 min
April 27216: Economic Development Isn’t What It Used to Be with Teresa Nortillo
In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson talks with Teresa Nortillo, President of Eco Devo 360, about how economic development has evolved from a deal-focused discipline into a complex, ecosystem-driven practice. They explore how energy constraints, workforce skill gaps, and the need for rapid RFI responses are reshaping site selection, along with the growing importance of childcare, housing, and regional collaboration.
Teresa also introduces the concept of ecosystem-based cost modeling, explains why many communities struggle to implement traditional consulting plans, and shares her mission to make high-quality economic development support accessible to under-resourced communities.
Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps!
10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers
Build a system to respond to RFIs within 48 hours or less
Inventory your community's workforce by skills, not just occupations
Develop relationships with utilities early, they are now deal drivers
Map your full economic ecosystem including housing, childcare, and infrastructure
Create or adopt a cost model to understand true location competitiveness
Collaborate regionally instead of competing in isolation
Identify and fill critical data gaps before prospects ask for them
Prioritize implementation capacity, not just strategic planning documents
Explore alternative revenue strategies beyond property and sales tax
Invest in training and mentorship for newer economic development staff
Special Guest: Teresa Nortillo.
Sponsored By:
Sitehunt: Sitehunt gives economic developers both AI-powered site selection software and a team of experts ready to do the work for you.
Schedule a demo at sitehunt.io/demo.
Links:
EcoDevo360
Teresa A. Nortillo, MPA, CEcD | LinkedIn
28 min
April 13215: How Oklahoma City Turned Voter Investment Into Real Growth with Christy Gillenwater
In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson talks with Christy Gillenwater, President and CEO of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, about how Oklahoma City has built sustained economic momentum through its unique MAPS program, a voter-approved, pay-as-you-go funding model for transformational community investments.
Christy explains how decades of strategic spending on quality of place, infrastructure, and people have reshaped the city’s trajectory, enabled major wins like hosting Olympic events, and strengthened key industries such as aerospace, energy, and life sciences.
The conversation also explores the power of business leadership engagement, the growing role of data and AI in economic development, and practical advice for communities looking to unlock their own growth.
Like this show? Please leave us a review here.
10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers
Bundle major projects into a single, clear vision and take it to voters as one package.
Avoid debt when possible and tie project execution directly to collected revenue.
Invest consistently in quality of place, not just incentives or recruitment.
Engage top CEOs as active partners, not just passive supporters.
Build long-term strategies that evolve with community needs over decades.
Use data continuously to reassess competitive positioning and refine strategy.
Align economic development, tourism, and community development under one structure when possible.
Focus on expanding existing industries and assets, not just chasing new ones.
Leverage anchor institutions to guide sector strategy and investment.
Treat community engagement as part of both planning and execution, not just a checkbox.
Special Guest: Christy Gillenwater.
Sponsored By:
Sitehunt: Sitehunt gives economic developers both AI-powered site selection software and a team of experts ready to do the work for you.
Schedule a demo at sitehunt.io/demo.
Links:
Christy Gillenwater | LinkedIn
Christy Gillenwater (@CAGillenwater) / X
Greater Oklahoma City Chamber
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...and Others Don't Hardcover by Jim Collins
— Christy's favorite book: His focus on "Level 5" leaders... prioritizing the organization - in our case also our community's - success over personal gain. Prioritizing getting the right people on the bus then in the right seats on the bus. The Hedgehog concept - applies for organizations and for communities.
31 min
April 06214: The Bermuda Triangle of Economic Development with David Parker
In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson talks with David Parker of the Bermuda Business Development Agency about how a small island became a global powerhouse in reinsurance and is now strategically diversifying its economy.
David explains Bermuda’s unique “triangle” of government, regulator, and private sector alignment, the role of regulatory innovation like sandboxes, and how the agency targets the right companies using data and intelligence.
The conversation explores investment attraction, high-net-worth migration programs, and why Bermuda focuses less on competing broadly and more on being the obvious choice for specific industries and business models.
Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps!
10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers
Focus on becoming the best location for a specific niche instead of competing broadly.
Align government, regulators, and private sector around a shared vision to create a unified value proposition.
Use data and intelligence to target companies that are a strong fit rather than marketing to everyone.
Build strong aftercare programs so existing companies become your best ambassadors.
Develop regulatory flexibility (like sandboxes) to attract innovative industries.
Think of your community as a launchpad into larger markets, not just a standalone market.
Prioritize certainty and stability, especially when targeting global investors and firms.
Engage high-net-worth individuals as network multipliers, not just direct investors.
Invest in research capacity internally to guide strategy and outreach.
Continuously advocate for policy and regulatory improvements to stay competitive.
Special Guest: David Parker.
Links:
David Parker | LinkedIn
Homepage | Bermuda BDA
27 min

About Econ Dev Show Podcast - Economic Development

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Dane Carlson explores 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…