Inside America's Best Cities, An Economic Development Podcast

When you're marketing your region, it's easy to overlook the audience right in your backyard, but the best talent attraction content doesn't just reach people far away. It gets the whole community telling the same story.

In this episode, Emily Larimore of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce shares how they turned a regional publication into a full-blown local marketing moment, complete with a launch party, a cover reveal, a featured-faces social takeover, and QR code standees popping up everywhere from the airport to university campuses.

We get into why promoting locally matters even when your goal is attracting people from elsewhere, how they gave stakeholders multiple ways to participate beyond just buying an ad, and the early results that have local businesses already asking to be part of the next edition.

Resources Mentioned:

• Start in Hampton Roads Website

• Start in Hampton Roads 2026 Publication

• Hampton Roads Chamber Website

• Best Places to Live in 2026

00:00 Introduction

01:53 What inspired the partnership with Livability

03:47 What the previous in-house publication was like

05:48 What makes the new publication special

07:39 The local marketing push behind the launch

10:41 The launch party and cover reveal

12:21 How it's been received locally

14:17 The results so far

16:06 Keeping the momentum going for future editions

18:43 Advice for other groups on maximizing the program

22:01 Fun closing question

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At Livability, we highlight the nation's most vibrant small and mid-sized cities as a trusted voice for communities across America. We help places attract talent and reach target companies through digital content and print magazine programs.

Be sure to subscribe so you're alerted when we release new episodes. Learn more about us at LivabilityMedia.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Email host Amanda Ellis at [email protected].

Inside America's Best Cities is produced by SpeakEasy Productions.

What if every resident in your community could be a trained advocate for it, acting as your own built-in talent attraction and community-building engine?

In this episode, Adam Jennings of Visit Greenville SC shares how their Certified Tourism Ambassador program has trained over 800 people since 2023, built on the idea that today's visitor is tomorrow's resident, employee, or entrepreneur.

We get technical on how the half-day certification program actually works, how they win over busy business owners and draw participation from industries you may not expect, and how they keep hundreds of ambassadors engaged year-after-year through an experience-based recertification process.

Resources Mentioned:

• Greenville's Tourism Ambassador Program

• Why You'll Love Greenville, SC

• Livability's Official Guide to a Summer Weekend in Greenville

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:41 What is the Tourism Ambassadors program?

03:13 How does the training work?

04:18 What material does the curriculum cover?

05:33 Who are these ambassadors and what do they do?

07:02 How does the program support broader economic development goals?

08:51 Getting business owner and frontline staff buy-in

12:45 How do you measure success and impact?

14:51 What does the renewal process look like?

18:00 What about reaching rideshare drivers and gig workers?

21:57 Advice for communities wanting to start something similar

23:44 Fun closing question

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At Livability, we highlight the nation's most vibrant small and mid-sized cities as a trusted voice for communities across America. We help places attract talent and reach target companies through digital content and print magazine programs.

Be sure to subscribe so you're alerted when we release new episodes. Learn more about us at LivabilityMedia.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Email host Amanda Ellis at [email protected].

Inside America's Best Cities is produced by SpeakEasy Productions.

The way people find and judge a community is changing fast, and standing out now takes more than a great website.

In this episode, Bethany Quinn of Golden Shovel Agency makes the case that in 2026, setting your community apart comes down to two things: being everywhere your audience is, and being specific enough that no one could swap your community's name for another.

We also get into why video is the most underused tool in economic development, the three questions EDOs still aren't answering on their websites, and how AI is quietly changing the way people find (and judge) a community.

Resources Mentioned:

• Golden Shovel Agency

• Shovel Talk Podcast

• My Episode on Shovel Talk

• Broken Arrow's Website

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00:00 Introduction

02:04 About Golden Shovel Agency

06:59 Why video is underused in economic development

08:40 Where to start with video on a budget

09:42 Site selection vs. talent attraction marketing

13:35 The most important pieces of a 2026 marketing strategy

15:40 How AI is changing place marketing

19:48 Three questions EDOs aren't answering on their websites

22:27 What makes the Economic Gateway platform different

23:23 Case study: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

25:56 What to look for in a marketing partner

29:11 Fun closing question

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At Livability, we highlight the nation's most vibrant small and mid-sized cities as a trusted voice for communities across America. We help places attract talent and reach target companies through digital content and print magazine programs.

Be sure to subscribe so you're alerted when we release new episodes. Learn more about us at LivabilityMedia.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Email host Amanda Ellis at [email protected].

Inside America's Best Cities is produced by SpeakEasy Productions.

For six years, Minnesota lost more residents than it gained. To reverse it, the state's tourism office made a bet: the same things that get people to visit can get them to stay.

In this episode, Lauren Bennett McGinty shares how Explore Minnesota expanded into talent attraction and why tourism offices are uniquely positioned to sell people on relocating, not just visiting.

We dig into the "halo effect" that turns a great visit into a relocation, how her team targeted entirely unexpected markets by focusing on high-demand career fields, and the messy challenge of measuring when a visitor becomes a resident.

She also breaks down the "Come Visit Your Neighbors" campaign, which was born out of a difficult news cycle, and makes the case for first-person storytelling as the best way to stand out when so many places are selling the same things.

Resources Mentioned:

• Explore Minnesota Website

• Moving to Minnesota

• Come Visit Your Neighbors Campaign Video

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00:00 Introduction

02:38 Overview of Minnesota's offerings for visitors and residents

05:19 How Explore Minnesota combined tourism and talent attraction

08:10 Where tourism and talent goals don't align as neatly

12:22 The challenge of tracking visitor-to-resident conversion

15:18 Targeting specific high-demand career fields

18:57 The "Come Visit Your Neighbors" campaign

22:49 What her craft beer background brought to the role

25:31 How to stand out when other places share similar amenities

28:33 Film as a tourism and economic driver

30:23 Fun closing question

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At Livability, we highlight the nation's most vibrant small and mid-sized cities as a trusted voice for communities across America. We help places attract talent and reach target companies through digital content and print magazine programs.

Be sure to subscribe so you're alerted when we release new episodes. Learn more about us at LivabilityMedia.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Email host Amanda Ellis at [email protected].

Inside America's Best Cities is produced by SpeakEasy Productions.

When the retail marketplace Painted Tree abruptly declared bankruptcy, 311 small businesses in Franklin, Tennessee were shut down and told to clear out their inventory, with no notice.

In the blink of an eye, they lost their point-of-sale system, their storefront, and their customer lists.

In this episode, Jena Potter shares how her team at Williamson, INC. stepped in and pulled together a two-day marketplace in just two weeks to help these displaced business owners liquidate inventory and reconnect with their customers.

But the real story is what came next: the crisis response became one of the chamber's biggest wins of the year.

We get into how a generous, nimble response turned into lasting results with new members, expanded community reach, earned media, and a first-of-its-kind partnership with a local content creator. Plus, what other chambers can take away when their own business community faces a crisis.

Resources Mentioned:

• About Williamson, INC. and Jena Potter

• Jessie Tigges's Instagram

• The Collective Boutiques's Website

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00:00 Introduction

01:42 What happened: the Painted Tree bankruptcy

04:55 Deciding to step in: free memberships and a marketplace

07:33 Inside the store: meeting displaced business owners

11:12 How to move quickly as a Chamber

12:54 Earned media and reaching new audiences

14:58 The marketplace run-of-show

19:33 Partnering with a local content creator

22:12 The results: sales, new members, and survey insights

25:27 What's next for the businesses

27:07 Advice for other Chambers

28:14 Fun closing question

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At Livability, we highlight the nation's most vibrant small and mid-sized cities as a trusted voice for communities across America. We help places attract talent and reach target companies through digital content and print magazine programs.

Be sure to subscribe so you're alerted when we release new episodes. Learn more about us at LivabilityMedia.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Email host Amanda Ellis at [email protected].

Inside America's Best Cities is produced by SpeakEasy Productions.

What does it take to transform a former Superfund site into a thriving community asset? In Charleston, the answer involved decades of remediation, an innovative flood resilience solution, and a developer willing to play the long game.

In this episode, Clark Davis shares how his team took a former EPA Superfund site from contaminated to livable, engineered a solution to remove the property from the flood zone, and broke ground on a $2.5 billion mixed-use district that includes affordable housing, parks, and a mile and a half of public waterfront walkway.

We also get into the community engagement strategy behind the project, including the restoration of a neighboring African American cemetery, and what Clark looks for in a community when evaluating where to take on a project like this.

Resources Mentioned:

• Livability's Top 100 Best Places to Live

• Highland Resources Website

• Magnolia Landing Website

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00:00 Overview of Magnolia Landing: A relief valve for Charleston's historic district

06:10 Why they're not building to maximum density

08:10 The remediation process and what it took

11:04 The trip wall and flood zone reclassification

14:58 Housing mix and affordability

17:02 Restoring a neighboring African American cemetery

21:49 Community engagement and managing concerns

24:53 How Magnolia Landing supports Charleston's livability legacy

27:01 Advice for EDOs looking to attract this type of development

28:11 Fun closing question

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At Livability, we highlight the nation's most vibrant small and mid-sized cities as a trusted voice for communities across America. We help places attract talent and reach target companies through digital content and print magazine programs.

Be sure to subscribe so you're alerted when we release new episodes. Learn more about us at LivabilityMedia.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Email host Amanda Ellis at [email protected].

Inside America's Best Cities is produced by SpeakEasy Productions.

When you have less than 4% of land left, you stop thinking about what to build and start thinking about what to fix. That's exactly what Sugar Land, Texas did with their brand new Office Readiness Program.

In this episode, Jennifer Alexander, Business Development Manager for the City of Sugar Land, shares the details on a first-of-its-kind initiative in the region that offers up to 50% reimbursement on eligible improvements for both tenants and property owners, tied to real performance benchmarks.

We also discuss how hybrid work is reshaping what tenants actually want, why Sugar Land retired its headquarters retention program in favor of this approach, and what other communities should consider if they want to design something similar.

Resources Mentioned:

• Sugar Land's Office Readiness Program

• Livability's Top 100 Best Places to Live (#3 - Sugar Land)

At Livability, we highlight the nation's most vibrant small and mid-sized cities as a trusted voice for communities across America. We help places attract talent and reach target companies through digital content and print magazine programs.

Be sure to subscribe so you're alerted when we release new episodes. Learn more about us at LivabilityMedia.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Email host Amanda Ellis at [email protected].

Inside America's Best Cities is produced by SpeakEasy Productions.

When jobs, population, and opportunity surge, so do affordability pressures, housing shortages, and the risk of losing the very character that made your community attractive in the first place.

In this episode, Stephanie Coleman, President & CEO of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, shares how one of the country's fastest-growing regions is approaching that balance with 35 years of intentional regional planning, deep cross-sector collaboration, and a renewed focus on making sure growth works for everyone, not just newcomers.

She also reflects on how the Chamber's role has evolved from convener to active problem-solver, and what that shift means for other communities navigating their next chapter.

00:00 Introduction

01:43 Managing unprecedented growth without losing community character

04:36 Partnership 2030: How Nashville's regional plan has evolved

08:39 Workforce and talent: biggest challenges and how Nashville compares

12:53 Maintaining collaboration as new players enter the market

14:59 Balancing the needs of urban, suburban, and rural communities

18:38 How Chambers have evolved over the past few decades

22:35 Stephanie Coleman's advice for others

24:15 Fun closing question

At Livability, we highlight the nation's most vibrant small and mid-sized cities as a trusted voice for communities across America. We help places attract talent and reach target companies through digital content and print magazine programs.

Be sure to subscribe so you're alerted when we release new episodes. Learn more about us at LivabilityMedia.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Email host Amanda Ellis at [email protected].

Inside America's Best Cities is produced by SpeakEasy Productions.

Place marketing isn't just marketing anymore. It's recruiting, community building, and storytelling all at once.

In this episode, destination storytelling expert Kristin Luna shares what's working in place marketing right now: why print still has a role, how AI is reshaping the way communities need to think about their online presence, and how public art can be one of the most accessible and cost-effective tools for building a community's identity.

Because the best marketing for your community works for tourists and future residents at the same time.

Resources Mentioned:

• 2026 Tennessee Vacation Guide: https://www.tnvacation.com/guide

• Kristin's Blog, Camels & Chocolate: https://www.camelsandchocolate.com/

• Kristin's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lunaticatlarge

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00:00 Introduction

01:39 Kristin's background in journalism and place marketing

2:54 Economic Development Marketing vs. Talent Attraction Marketing

06:49 The most important parts of a place marketing strategy

09:00 Where print fits in today's marketing landscape

12:43 How AI is reshaping place marketing

16:19 Anyone can be an ambassador?

21:27 How public art contributes to place branding

26:25 Maintaining community character through growth

31:24 Fun closing question

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At Livability, we highlight the nation's most vibrant small and mid-sized cities as a trusted voice for communities across America. We help places attract talent and reach target companies through digital content and print magazine programs.

Be sure to subscribe so you're alerted when we release new episodes. Learn more about us at LivabilityMedia.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Email host Amanda Ellis at [email protected].

Inside America's Best Cities is produced by SpeakEasy Productions.

For many communities, the outdoor economy is still treated as a soft amenity rather than a serious economic lever, even though it generates over $650 billion in economic impact each year.

In this episode, Ross Berlin, Senior Consultant at Fourth Economy, makes the case for why that needs to change. We dig into how outdoor assets connect directly to talent attraction in the modern economic development equation, get practical about the challenges (seasonality, overcrowding, equity of access), and how communities can work through them to maximize the economic impact of what they already have.

00:00 Why outdoor recreation matters as an economic development topic

02:45 The data and impact

05:45 Defining the outdoor economy (it's bigger than you think)

08:33 Benefits of investing in outdoor recreation

11:38 Challenges economic developers face

14:31 Competition between communities

17:42 How outdoor rec fits into talent attraction campaigns

20:41 Preservation and "champagne problems"

24:58 Equity and inclusion in outdoor recreation

28:27 Final thoughts and fun closing question

Resources Mentioned:

• The Amenity Trap: https://headwaterseconomics.org/outdoor-recreation/amenity-trap/

At Livability, we highlight the nation's most vibrant small and mid-sized cities as a trusted voice for communities across America. We help places attract talent and reach target companies through digital content and print magazine programs.

Be sure to subscribe so you're alerted when we release new episodes. Learn more about us at LivabilityMedia.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Email host Amanda Ellis at [email protected].

Inside America's Best Cities is produced by SpeakEasy Productions.