On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother is joined by President of Campus Philly, Jennifer Kebea, to explore how Campus Philly has become a driving force in retaining talent in the Philadelphia region. Jen, who started as an intern with Campus Philly when it first launched, has dedicated her entire career to higher education and talent development. A born-and-raised Philadelphian, she brings deep personal and professional insight into the region's evolving talent landscape. Patience and Jen discuss how Campus Philly has successfully brought together higher education, corporate, civic and public sector partners to transform the region's higher education student retention rates—from 25% to now over 50% over the last 20 years. Tune in for insights on how Campus Philly became the bridge between the classroom and the community, helping Philadelphia grow into a city that not only educates talent but also retains it.

On this episode of Talent Wars, we explore how one community-driven individual influenced an estimated 700 people to relocate to Peoria, Illinois through the powerful combination of TikTok and an authentic message. To get the full story, host Patience Fairbrother interviews Angie Ostaszewski, an influencer, public speaker and award-winning marketer with a passion for helping people to find supportive and affordable communities. Tune in to learn about the power of social media and authentic messaging, how to empower community ambassadors by giving them a voice (not a script) and how curiosity and diversity fuel community growth.

On this episode of Talent Wars, we examine how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is impacting the talent landscape and making career pathways more accessible. To get a perspective on this, host Patience Fairbrother speaks with FutureFit AI's Head of Partnerships Priya Ramanathan. With a background in workforce development, Priya has dedicated her career to growing programs that remove barriers to economic prosperity for diverse talent who are often underrepresented in growth industries. Tune in to learn how AI tools can help communities grow and diversify their workforce pipeline, predictions for AI will impact the talent landscape in the years ahead and more.

On this episode of Talent Wars, we dive into a bold strategy that's turning the narrative on Buffalo, New York's infamous weather "from a punchline into a lifeline." Host Patience Fairbrother sits down with Invest Buffalo Niagara's Communications Manager Greg Pokriki to learn how they embraced Buffalo's unique climate as a strength rather than a weakness by positioning themselves as a climate refuge city and building off the success of their "Be in Buffalo" talent attraction campaign. Tune in to discover the tactics behind this innovative strategy and how the campaign is successfully reshaping perceptions of Buffalo as a city.

On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother interviews San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation's Director of Communications and Community Engagement Bree Burris to discuss the "San Diego: Life. Changing." campaign. Bree shares insights on the EDC's two-pronged approach that encompasses talent attraction and retention and how a focus on authenticity and owning San Diego's narrative has played a major role in the success of the EDC's talent initiatives. Tune in for inspiration from San Diego and insights on how to know when it's time for a rebrand, understanding the importance of owning your community's challenges and best practices when it comes to equipping your employers with the tools and messaging they need to attract and retain talent.

On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother is joined by Action Greensboro Executive Director Cecelia Thompson to share why Greensboro, NC is doubling down on family-friendly workplaces as a talent attraction initiative. Building off the momentum of its successful Boomerang Greensboro campaign, Action Greensboro's latest initiative is Future Ready Greensboro, which aims to increase the city's share of family-friendly workplaces to improve quality of life and talent attraction and retention. During this episode, Patience and Cecelia go in-depth on this effort, touch on the successes of the Boomerang Greensboro campaign, and share insights on how to pilot a new talent initiative, plus the importance of using data to develop a successful talent strategy.

On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother is joined by the Upstate SC Alliance's Talent & Strategic Projects Manager, Tiffany Tate, to discuss why talent programs should engage with college and university career offices - and specifically why they should treat them like VIPs. The Upstate SC Alliance, the organization behind the MoveUpstateSC talent campaign, spearheaded an initiative that is likely a first of its kind - a familiarization tour for college and university career office professionals. In many ways, career offices are like the site selectors of the talent world. These professionals impact the post-grad career decisions or hundreds or sometimes thousands of students. During this episode, Patience and Tiffany will discuss why rolling out the red carpet for career office professionals should be a no-brainer, the process to build and implement this program, and lessons learned.

On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother is joined by Amanda Ellis, Editor in Chief at Livability, a media company dedicated to providing information about the best places to live, work and visit in the United States. Livability has been publishing its "Top 100 Best Places to Live in the U.S." list annually since 2014. This list is widely recognized and has become a trusted resource for individuals and families considering relocation. Join Amanda and Patience as they delve into the methodology behind the rankings, standout cities and the crucial roles of affordability and community in fostering livability.

On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother sits down with Dominique Clarke, Director for Member and Alumni Experience at Tulsa Remote, the nation's leading remote worker incentive program. Tulsa Remote offers a $10,000 grant to remote workers to relocate to Tulsa, OK. The program has welcomed over 3,000 members and has a 90% retention rate. Patience and Dominique discuss the success of the program, long-term impacts on Tulsa's economy and what other communities considering implementing an incentive program can learn from Tulsa.

On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother is joined by DCI's SVP of Research Robyn Domber to discuss the research study that is this podcast's namesake: Talent Wars. DCI recently unveiled the 8th edition of the Talent Wars report, a research study that ultimately seeks to understand what the path to purchase looks like for relocation and how communities can influence relocation decisions. Patience and Robyn discuss what really motivates relocations, changes in the data over the last eight years and what's new in this year's report.