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Is there an economic development problem that you just can’t seem to make any progress on? Grab your phone and call the EDO Breakthrough podcast! After all, no challenge is unsolvable with a creative solutions team by your side. In each episode, Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) and host Sandy Dubay welcomes a new business leader, community luminary, and other modern mages to discuss the challenges, joys, and needs of communities across the United States. Sandy and her guest will combine t ...
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E26 - Building Relationships That Attract Investment, with Chris Knight
51:29
51:29
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What if you could land new foreign direct investment projects *and* keep existing employers happy… without a million-dollar budget? In this episode, Chris Knight, Managing Director of FT Locations, pulls back the curtain on relationship-first strategies that help communities of any size compete on the global stage. Key Takeaways: How to embed busin…
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E25 – The Art and Science of Economic Development, with Heather Gramm, CEcD
35:37
35:37
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35:37
What happens when you shift from serving one community to supporting dozens? In this episode, Heather Gramm, CEcD, reflects on her transition from the public to the private sector. She shares the learning curves, the surprises, and how she’s applying both the art and the science of economic development in fresh, meaningful ways. Key Takeaways: How …
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E24 - How to Make Your Site More Competitive, with Nicholette Ross
40:24
40:24
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40:24
It’s not just about workforce and utilities… Companies want to know your community is ready for them, too. Drawing from her site selection experience in the U.S. and Europe, Nicholette Ross shares why it’s critical to align with local stakeholders earlier than most economic developers expect, especially when public input and cultural fit can make o…
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E23 - Starting Fresh, Staying Strong: Lessons from 25 Years in Economic Development, with Kelly Robertson-Slagle
38:59
38:59
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What does it take to lead through a crisis, earn trust in new communities, and stay passionate after 25 years in economic development? In this episode, Kelly Robertson-Slagle discusses the importance of letting people operate in their “zone of awesomeness,” why having a passion project matters at every stage, and the key lessons she’s carrying with…
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E22 - Chart Your Course with a CRM, with Lisa DeNoia and Brittany Browning
46:19
46:19
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Is your team drowning in spreadsheets and struggling to sort through all the data? Discover how implementing the right CRM strategy can turn scattered information into actionable insights without overwhelming your staff. In this episode, Lisa DeNoia and Brittany Browning from Port and Starboard share expert insights on implementing Salesforce and o…
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E21 - Leading Through Uncertainty: How IEDC Is Reshaping Economic Development, with Nathan Ohle
56:33
56:33
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56:33
As economic uncertainty grows, how is the leading organization in economic development positioning its members for success? In this episode, Nathan Ohle, President and CEO of IEDC, is sharing how they're tackling today's most pressing challenges while simultaneously preparing members for tomorrow's opportunities. Key Takeaways: How the economic dev…
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E20 - Rural Economic Development Reimagined, with Jolene Schalper
33:25
33:25
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33:25
What happens when economic development spans 44,000 square miles of rural frontier? In our season two finale, Jolene Schalper, CEcD, joins us to share how Great Falls, Montana, serves as the hub for a vast region and why the upcoming IEDC Rural Retreat is breaking the conference mold by taking participants directly into the communities they're lear…
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E19 - Punching Above Your Weight: Fairfax’s Economic Development Success Story, with Chris Bruno
36:03
36:03
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36:03
Surrounded by jurisdictions 50 times its size, the City of Fairfax has mastered the art of punching above its weight. In this episode, Chris Bruno shares how this 25,000-resident community competes with neighboring giants and transforms limitations into strategic advantages. Key Takeaways: How you can create strategic alliances that allow your smal…
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E18 - Beyond the Cover Story: PR Strategies for your EDO, with Mia Vaccaro
32:11
32:11
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32:11
Public Relations isn’t always about chasing the spotlight and making headlines. In economic development, effective PR is about turning your narrative into a compelling message that resonates with the community you serve. In this episode, Mia Vaccaro draws on her background in lifestyle PR to help you create a strategy that goes beyond traditional m…
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E17 - Small Investments, Big Impact: How to Improve Your Downtown, with Leeann Crews
43:31
43:31
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43:31
The most impactful downtown revitalization strategy might just be the least expensive one… In this episode, Leeann Crews shares how the Downtown Frederick Partnership is implementing “incremental changes,” measuring community health, and turning overlooked spaces into beloved community assets. Key Takeaways: How to measure the health of your downto…
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E16 - Raising the Bar on Your Business Attraction Strategies, with Subash Alias
37:37
37:37
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What if your next big business attraction project started with a mock site visit? In Missouri, that’s not just a theory—it’s a strategy that is delivering real results. In this episode, Subash Alias shares how Missouri Partnership is helping communities prepare for economic growth with its innovative site selection training program. Key Takeaways: …
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E15 - Creating a Business Resource Collective, with Sarah Mattson
38:40
38:40
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38:40
Is your community’s economic potential limited because everyone works in silos? Today we’re joined by Sarah Mattson, Director of Entrepreneurship with the City of Chattanooga, who shares how simple and effective it is to create a Business Resource Collective in which entrepreneur support organizations work together instead of duplicating efforts. P…
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E14 - Social Media for EDOs: Building Two-Way Communication, with Kayla Sherry
36:41
36:41
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Do you feel like you’re shouting into the void every time you post on social media? Today we’re sharing how you can transform your EDO’s approach from broadcasting information to creating meaningful two-way conversations that drive engagement *and* results. Key Takeaways: Understand your audience while working within your capacity constraints Strat…
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E13 - Strategic Plans: Your EDO’s Roadmap or its Roadblock? With Alex Dadok
46:48
46:48
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Is your EDO’s strategic plan a short-term to-do list? Or just a vague vision that leaves employees with more questions? In this episode, Alex Dadok and I discuss why having the courage to question assumptions – and take real action – is the key to community transformation. Key Takeaways: Why most EDOs use strategic plans wrong (and how to turn them…
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E12 - Building Organizational Capacity, with Joi Cuartero Austin
35:18
35:18
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35:18
You can take inspiration from other communities and things you learn at conferences, but you simply can’t copy/paste what others are doing…it just won’t work. And that’s where Main Street America comes in, to help historic downtowns re-energize! Joi Cuartero Austin and I discuss Main Street America’s hyper-local support, strategic doing vs. strateg…
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E11 - AI’s Role in Economic Development: Maintaining Humanity in Innovation, with Jonathan Aberman
41:31
41:31
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Jonathan Aberman is an internationally recognized thought leader in technology and innovation. In this episode, we discuss Washington D.C.’s focus on the service economy (vs. Silicon Valley’s focus on product) and the delicate balance of utilizing AI while maintaining real connections with humans. He also shares what he’s learned from teaching in I…
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E10 – Expediting the RFI Process, with Dane Carlson
31:10
31:10
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31:10
For the season finale of EDO Breakthrough, we’ve invited Dane Carlson to be this week’s guest! Dane is the Host of the Econ Dev Show podcast and CEO of Sitehunt. We discuss all things podcasting, how to deal with change in the workplace, and the impetus behind creating Sitehunt, an AI platform that helps economic developers. Key Takeaways: What it’…
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E09 – Integrating Arts & Culture for Economic Success, with Ash Hanson
44:43
44:43
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44:43
Ash Hanson is a rural arts advocate and in this episode, we discuss the four themes of rural community development: Activate, Connect, Nurture, and Support. She also shares how arts & culture can intersect with economic development, how she creates opportunities for connection through her roles at DoPT and PlaceBase Productions, and her thoughts ab…
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E08 – Infrastructure & Inclusivity, with Clarence Hulse
32:42
32:42
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Clarence Hulse is one of the few individuals in the industry who actively sought out a career in economic development. In this episode, we discuss lifelong learning, reverse mentorship, and the programs Michigan City is implementing to attract and develop its workforce. Key Takeaways: How being in the private sector of real estate has made him a be…
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E07 – Mentorship in Economic Development, with Sandy Castor
42:07
42:07
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42:07
Sandy Castor shares her perspective on how transportation and economic development work together, professional development opportunities, and the power of mentorship. We also discuss “soft” skills, saying yes more, and her accidental path to economic development. Key Takeaways: Why access to transportation *is* economic development The difference b…
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E06 – Leveraging an Economic Development Week to Tell Your EDOs Story, with Sandy Dubay
16:02
16:02
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16:02
This week’s episode is all about Economic Development Week, and how you can leverage it to share your EDO’s story with your local community. Economic Developers rarely promote their efforts or teams, and this is the perfect opportunity to do that! Key Takeaways: Best practices and tips for a successful event, including using Earned and Owned media …
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E05 – Networking and Building Relationships in Economic Development, with Ebonie Atkins
30:54
30:54
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Ebonie Atkins, Managing Director of Henrico Economic Development Authority, shares tips for networking and creating relationships. We also discuss business retention tactics, regionalism, partnerships, and teaching economic geography. Key Takeaways: Tips for creating relationships in a people-focused industry How to work with local partners for bus…
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E04 – Leveraging Your Community’s Personality for Talent Attraction, with Amanda Ellis
37:02
37:02
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Amanda Ellis, Editor-in-Chief for Livability.com, shares how EDOs can leverage storytelling when marketing their communities. In this episode, we discuss workforce trends like hybrid working and relocating, how AI will affect search engine optimization for prospects, and why professional development opportunities are so important for retaining empl…
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E03 - From EDO to SBDC: Zach Gilmore’s Support of Businesses
28:52
28:52
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28:52
Now working as a partner of an EDO, Zach Gilmore shares what it’s like to transition from a typical economic development role to supporting businesses more directly, his perspective on challenges that businesses are facing today, and how economic developers can leverage their local SBDC offices. Key Takeaways: How to get your stakeholders to unders…
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E02 – All Economic Developers are Marketers Too, with Maria Satira
46:27
46:27
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Maria Satira, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Greeneville ENC Alliance, shares tips for knowing your audience, being the first person in a role, and staying in the know about PR. In this episode, we dive deep into all things marketing, and p.s., if you’re an economic developer – that means we’re talking to you too! Key Takeaways: T…
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E01 – Entrepreneurship-Led Economic Development with Andy Donahue
36:50
36:50
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Andy Donahue, State Director of the Minnesota SBDC, shares how entrepreneurship is central to the nuanced, blended relationship between SBDCs, higher education institutions, and economic development organizations. We also discuss regionalism, talent retention efforts, and involvement with IEDC. For anyone aiming for a significant promotion, he also…
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Welcome to EDO Breakthrough - the podcast where we tackle economic development challenges head on! From small towns to bustling cities, every place has its own hurdles to overcome. The EDO Breakthrough podcast creates an environment of collaboration, innovation, and understanding where we can share our real-life challenges and brainstorm solutions.…
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