EDO Breakthrough

It’s one thing to land a big project… It’s another to build a legacy. 

In this episode, Certified Economic Developer Tray Hairston, partner at Butler Snow LLP, shares how he’s built a career at the in…

Once written off, now in demand… Detroit’s comeback offers a blueprint for any community that’s ready to rewrite its story—with strategy, collaboration, and a clear sense of identity.

In this episode,…

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, pu…

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 lear…

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…

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 …

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 ove…

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 the…

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 …

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 w…

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…

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 chan…

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 s…

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 a…

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 …

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 as…

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 com…

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 o…

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…

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 inte…