How is Louisville planning to add 41,000 working-age talent to its workforce pipeline in just five years? On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother sits down with Kelly Gold, vice president of marketing, talent attraction, and retention at Greater Louisville Inc., to delve into the inner workings of the ever-evolving Live in Lou talent campaign.  

Launched in 2016, Live in Lou has evolved into a comprehensive strategy that blends AI-powered job matching, employer partnerships, community ambassadors and even K-12 workforce development to create a true talent ecosystem. In 2024, the initiative unveiled a fully redesigned website that doubles as both a relocation tool and a community hub—offering everything from job boards and neighborhood guides to events and networking opportunities. 

Patience and Kelly dig into how GLI is keeping the campaign fresh nearly a decade after its launch, how Live in Lou balances attraction with retention and why sometimes the most effective talent strategies start by serving your own residents. 

Whether you’re looking to refresh an established initiative or build a long-term pipeline from the ground up, this episode offers actionable lessons on consistency, community partnerships and the power of telling human stories. 

What does it take to launch the first employer-led talent attraction organization in the country and keep it thriving for nearly two decades? On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother sits down with Rachel Gray, executive director of Hello West Michigan, to explore how a group of forward-thinking CIOs turned a local hiring challenge into a national blueprint for attracting and retaining talent. 

Founded in 2007 - the same year the first iPhone hit the market - Hello West Michigan was born in the midst of talent shortages and economic uncertainty. Rather than waiting for the market to recover, the organization doubled down by creating programs and partnerships that would pay off for years to come. Now, the Hello West Michigan talent campaign model has evolved into a proven framework that other communities strive to replicate. 

Patience and Rachel uncover why local competitors chose to collaborate for the greater good, the secrets behind Hello West Michigan’s standout results—including Resume Pack's 54% placement rate and Rapid Roots' 87% retention rate—and how Hello West Michigan keeps its employer members engaged and bought in year after year. 

Whether you’re building a new talent initiative or looking to refine an existing one, this episode offers the ideal blueprint along with lessons in collaboration, creativity and long-term impact. 

What really drives talent to move in 2025? Here at DCI, we continue to research the talent landscape to bring you those answers.  

In this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother sits down with Robyn Domber, senior vice president of research at DCI, to unpack the ninth edition of the DCI Talent Wars report, which is already shaping some of the top talent campaigns today.  

Based on a national survey of over 1,500 working-age adults in the U.S. and Canada, the 2025 Talent Wars report offers fresh insight into how talent makes relocation decisions today. This report dives into what motivates talent, what channels they trust and how quickly they’re making up their minds. 

Patience and Robyn explore the big picture trends shaping mobility today, from the breakdown of the United States and Canada talent landscapes to the continued pull of affordability, as well as the nuances that economic developers, communities and employers need to understand to stay competitive. 

Whether you’re building a talent attraction strategy from the ground up or refining one that’s already in motion, this episode is packed with practical data points and tips that can help you win the war for talent.

How did Michigan launch the largest talent attraction effort in the U.S.? In this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother sits down with Spencer Lucker, director of strategic talent initiatives at Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), to go behind the scenes of “You Can in Michigan”—a statewide initiative that’s redefining what bold, data-driven and emotionally resonant talent marketing looks like.

Launched in 2023, the campaign has already generated over a billion impressions, driven thousands of job seekers to Michigan’s Career Portal and taken bold marketing tactics that are shifting how people across the country perceive life and opportunity in Michigan. Spencer shares how the state aligned stakeholders, centered authentic storytelling and embraced creativity to fuel MEDC’s talent initiatives.

Patience and Spencer dig into what it takes to launch a campaign from scratch, the role of regional partners in closing the deal, and why Michigan isn’t just selling jobs—it’s selling a lifestyle.

Whether you’re designing a state-level strategy or simply looking for new ways to reach talent where they are, this episode offers insights on how to create winning talent strategies at a large scale.

What does it take to pioneer an entirely new industry? In this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother interviews Katie Shorey, director of engagement at Live + Work in Maine, about one of the very first employer-led talent attraction initiatives in the U.S.  

Launched in 2015, when the idea of statewide talent marketing was still uncharted territory, Live + Work in Maine helped create a playbook and approach that’s now used by communities across North America. Katie shares how a simple shift—from thinking of Maine as a vacation destination to a place you can build a life and career—sparked a decade of growth, experimentation and impact. From swag drops at local breweries to takeovers at the Portland airport, Katie reveals how scrappy, community-driven tactics turned into measurable ROI.

Patience and Katie unpack the challenges and advantages of Maine’s unique employer-led model, how the initiative balances boomerang recruitment with attracting new residents and why long-term relationship-building is the key to statewide success.

If you’re building a talent attraction strategy from the ground up—or wondering how to make more impact with fewer resources—this episode is a must-listen.

On this episode of Talent Wars, we explore how communities can move beyond simply attracting talent to retaining talent by creating a true sense of belonging that helps people stay rooted. Dr. Andreya Williams, cultural strategist and founder and CEO of Sunday Still, shares her innovative approach to talent retention that centers the human experience of moving and starting over.

Join host Patience Fairbrother and Dr. Andreya as they discuss her "I-to-I framework" that moves newcomers from indifference through immersion, interest, involvement, investment, and ultimately to impact – and how her curated dinner experiences, cohort-based programming, and data-driven "stickiness score" are helping cities like Tulsa create meaningful connections for newcomers.

If your community wants to build deeper connections and true belonging for newcomers, this episode offers a roadmap for moving beyond the invitation to building a culture of inclusion.

Philadelphia is leveraging its established tourism brand to attract new residents in an innovative new talent attraction campaign. In this episode of Talent Wars, Nikki Pumphrey, vice president of talent & workforce from The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, explains how "Stay for Philly" adapts Visit Philadelphia's successful tourism messaging to reach potential residents with a focus on tech and life sciences talent.

Join Patience and Nikki as they discuss why regions should build on what’s already working instead of starting from scratch, the importance of authentic storytelling and the value of showcasing real companies and real people who’ve chosen to bet on the region. Learn how Philly’s talent strategy helps spotlight thriving industries and prepare for major national moments - like the 2026 World Cup - and dive into why civic pride is essential to efforts to retain current and new talent.

For regions looking to combine authenticity, equity and local collaboration in their talent efforts, this is a playbook worth learning from.

Talent Wars continues season two by exploring an often-overlooked talent pipeline: America's 200,000 annual military-to-civilian transitions. Host Patience Fairbrother sits down with Jason C. Anderson, Founder and CEO of PreVeteran, to discuss why traditional veteran hiring approaches fall short and how communities can better support this valuable talent pool.

Jason brings a unique perspective as both a 24-year Air Force veteran who experienced the transition challenges firsthand and an entrepreneur solving the problem systematically.

Join Patience and Jason as they dive into the hidden challenges veterans face when entering civilian careers, from the generalist-to-specialist mindset shift to navigating consensus-driven business processes, and how companies and communities can better support them. This episode reveals why veterans need specialized transition training and how smart communities and employers can create competitive advantages by properly supporting this talent pipeline.

Listen to the full episode to learn how your community can become truly veteran-friendly and turn military transitions into long-term economic wins.

Talent Wars: A Podcast by DCI is back for season two with a story about what happens when a city stops chasing outside talent and starts investing in the people already there. Host Patience Fairbrother sits down with Morgan Almeida, director of talent development at the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, to talk about how Baton Rouge is taking a new approach on talent retention. As a Baton Rouge native and former InternBR participant who once considered leaving, Morgan brings personal insights and a unique perspective to this discission.

Join Patience and Morgan as they dive into why the Better in BTR campaign is focused on honesty, collaboration and real stories. From shifting the narrative around staying local, to inviting businesses and organizations to make the brand their own, to investing in quality-of-life initiatives that matter to young professionals—this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at a community-wide effort to turn local pride into long-term commitment.

Listen to the full episode to learn how Baton Rouge is reshaping its talent strategy, as well as what your community can borrow from Better in BTR’s bold, homegrown approach.

On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother recounts the lessons learned from Season 1 of Talent Wars, A Podcast by DCI. With perspectives from talent leaders across North America and Europe, this season spotlighted innovative strategies to address workforce challenges in communities of all sizes. From these discussions, six key themes emerged as essential for shaping effective talent strategies. First, leveraging data and technology is crucial for smarter decision-making and better results. Second, embracing authentic storytelling and amplifying community voices is the best way to attract the right talent. Third, owning your community’s challenges allows you to flip the script and turn obstacles into opportunities. Fourth, balancing local, national and international talent sources ensures a comprehensive approach. Fifth, challenging traditional definitions of eligible talent and supporting skills-based hiring benefits individuals, companies and the broader economy. Lastly, bold, outside-the-box thinking is vital to stand out in the competitive landscape of talent attraction and retention. Tune in to discover how these six key takeaways can be used to help your community craft and manage successful talent strategies in the year ahead.