Site Selectors Are People, Too

In Part 6 of our special mini-series, The Architects of Prosperity, we explore how the rest of the world looked at Britain’s gospel of free trade and called their bluff. While the British preached laissez-faire economics, developing nations viewed it as a rigged "winner's doctrine" designed to keep them in second place. This episode unpacks how three major challengers—the United States, Germany, and Japan—completely rejected the invisible hand and instead used the heavy, muscular power of the state to rewrite the global economic map. Discover how modern economic development tools like corporate subsidies, state-backed infrastructure, and regional logistics corridors were born from 19th-century protectionism.

In This Episode, We Cover:

#EconomicDevelopment #TheArchitectsOfProsperity #AlexanderHamilton #Zollverein #MeijiRestoration #IndustrialHistory #SiteSelection #Podcast #EconDevHistory #SiteSelectorsArePeopleToo

In Part 5 of our special mini-series, The Architects of Prosperity, we confront the great contradiction of the Industrial Revolution: the simultaneous worship of the free market and the reluctant birth of the modern regulatory state. While 19th-century British politicians preached the pristine gospel of laissez-faire economics from comfortable London clubs, the horrifying realities of the textile mills forced them to intervene. This episode dives into the dark side of early industrialization to explore how the government built a massive administrative bureaucracy to save capitalism from itself—while enthusiastically using that very same system to discipline its poorest citizens.

In This Episode, We Cover:

#EconomicDevelopment #TheArchitectsOfProsperity #IndustrialRevolution #LaissezFaire #AdministrativeState #EconomicHistory #SiteSelection #Podcast #SiteSelectorsArePeopleToo

In Part 4 of our special mini-series, The Architects of Prosperity, we explore the intellectual revolution that killed the ultimate zero-sum game: mercantilism. For centuries, nations believed wealth was finite, fighting endless trade wars to hoard gold. This episode unpacks how a quiet Scottish philosopher and a ruthless London stockbroker completely rewired the global economy. Discover how the concepts of the "invisible hand" and comparative advantage dismantled state-sponsored monopolies, birthed modern free trade, and created the intellectual blueprint for globalization.

In This Episode, We Cover:

#EconomicDevelopment #TheArchitectsOfProsperity #AdamSmith #DavidRicardo #FreeTrade #ComparativeAdvantage #SiteSelection #Podcast #EconDevHistory

In Part 3 of our special mini-series, The Architects of Prosperity, we explore the dangerous genesis of the narrative economy and the world's first great financial panics. Drowning in war debt, 18th-century France and Britain turned to professional gamblers to securitize their liabilities. This episode unpacks how desperate governments learned to manipulate market psychology—from the debunked myth of the Dutch Tulip Mania to the Scottish fugitive who temporarily bought the French economy. Discover how the world's first "too big to fail" bailout paved the way for the British Empire, while the lack of one sparked the French Revolution.

In This Episode, We Cover:

#EconomicDevelopment #TheArchitectsOfProsperity #FinancialHistory #JohnLaw #SouthSeaBubble #TooBigToFail #SiteSelection #Podcast #EconDevHistory

In Part 2 of our 10-part series on the history of modern economic development, we leave the modern boardroom behind and travel back to 1660s France. Before RFPs and zoning laws, there was Jean-Baptiste Colbert—a cold, workaholic French bureaucrat known as the "Man of Marble." Serving under King Louis XIV, Colbert looked at a massive but economically floundering nation and effectively appointed himself the Vice President of Economic Development. From launching the most aggressive Request for Information (RFI) in history to engaging in deadly corporate espionage to steal Venetian tech, this episode explores how a 17th-century pragmatist invented the modern toolkit of tax abatements, talent attraction, and infrastructure grants.

In This Episode, We Cover:

#EconomicDevelopment #TheArchitectsOfProsperity #JeanBaptisteColbert #Mercantilism #CorporateEspionage #SiteSelection #Podcast #EconDevHistory #SiteSelectorsArePeopleToo

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Episode Summary: In the debut of our special 10-part miniseries, "The Architects of Prosperity," Devin takes a step back from the spreadsheets to explore the theoretical and historical roots of the economic development profession. This episode, "Defining the Quest," serves as the foundation for the series, challenging the industry to look beyond simple metrics. Devin dives into the crucial distinction between economic growth and true community development, arguing that confusing the two is the most expensive mistake a professional can make.

From 17th-century French industrial policy to Nobel Prize-winning modern philosophy, we set the stage for a journey through the "grand tendencies of history" that shape the sites we select today.

In This Episode, We Cover:

#EconomicDevelopment #TheArchitectsOfProsperity #GrowthVsDevelopment #AmartyaSen #GDP #SiteSelection #Podcast #EconDevHistory #SiteSelectorsArePeopleToo

Visit us at Hyphen Strategies, LLC

See the Infographic

In this installment of our "Stories from the Road" mini-series, Devin sits down with John Launius, Senior Vice President and Chief Economic Development Officer at One Southern Indiana, and the newly appointed Board Chair of the Indiana Economic Development Association (IEDA). In a wide-ranging conversation, John shares his unique journey from a small Missouri town of 800 people to leading major economic development initiatives in the greater Louisville MSA. They dive into the shifting landscape of economic development, the vital importance of Business Retention & Expansion (BRE), and the rising challenges surrounding data centers, utility infrastructure, and NIMBYism.

In This Episode, We Cover:

#EconomicDevelopment #SiteSelection #PublicTrust #DataCenters #IEDA #OneSouthernIndiana #Regionalism #BusinessRetention #Podcast #SiteSelectorsArePeopleToo

Visit www.thefouridor.com for more on One Southern Indiana and their region.

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In this installment of our "Stories from the Road" mini-series, Devin packs up the mic and heads to Bloomington, Indiana, to sit down in person with Jeremy Sowders, Economic Development Leader at Hoosier Energy and recent Board Chair of the Indiana Economic Development Association (IEDA).

In a candid, laugh-out-loud conversation, Devin and Jeremy cut through the corporate jargon to discuss what networking actually looks like when you refuse to be fake. They explore the stark differences between working for a community EDO versus a utility company, how to keep industry associations from becoming echo chambers, and why "trophy hunting" for massive projects can sometimes put your organization at risk. Plus, Jeremy shares his deeply relatable struggles with ADHD in a networking-heavy profession, leading to the infamous "Folder of Shame."

In This Episode, We Cover:

#EconomicDevelopment #SiteSelection #Networking #AuthenticLeadership #UtilityEconDev #HoosierEnergy #EconDev #CareerJourney #SiteSelectors

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We've all been guilty of it—getting so deep into the weeds of economic development that we forget what our world looks like to an outsider. When was the last time you had to explain a PILOT, a TIF, or what a LEDO actually does to someone who wasn't already an industry veteran?

In this episode of Site Selectors Are People Too, host Devin Hillsdon-Smith sits down with Tianya Pinkham, the newly minted Vice President of Business Development at Hyphen Strategies. Coming from the high-stakes, fast-paced world of luxury auto sales, Tianya brings a fresh, Gen Z perspective to the often secretive and complex site selection industry. Together, they discuss what it’s like to navigate the steep learning curve of economic development, the immense power of a "learner's mentality," and why everything in life—from buying a car to a multi-million dollar corporate relocation—is ultimately about building relationships.

Devin and Tianya break down the transition from the dealership floor to the economic development table, focusing on four key takeaways for industry pros:

📚 Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Remember: Stay curious, get to work, and let's have some fun!

#EconomicDevelopment #SiteSelection #SalesStrategy #NIMBYism #CareerTransition #EDO #CorporateRealEstate #Leadership

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In a somber departure from our usual programming, host Devin Hilston-Smith addresses the immediate and staggering business fallout from Operation Epic Fury. With global markets reeling from the strikes in Iran, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and the tragic loss of American lives, the landscape of global trade has fundamentally shifted overnight.

Moving beyond geopolitical commentary, Devin breaks down the conflict strictly through the lens of site selection, economic development, and corporate real estate. If your biggest worry last Friday was a minor interest rate fluctuation, today’s reality requires an entirely new playbook. We explore why "just-in-time" supply chains are officially dead, why continuity now trumps profit margin, and how economic developers must urgently rewrite their pitches for a world in chaos.

In This Episode, We Cover:

A Note from the Host: Our thoughts are with the families of those serving in the armed forces. If you know someone in uniform or being called up, please reach out and show your support. We are navigating a world in mourning and chaos, and empathy must come first.

#EconomicDevelopment #SupplyChainResilience #SiteSelection #BusinessContinuity #EDO #HyphenStrategies

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