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WE ARE AMERICA’S JOBS TEAM.

America’s future relies on people like you to foster a dynamic economy. It’s a big responsibility, but you are not alone in shouldering the weight. You are part of America’s Jobs Team!

You know—as do we—that the business of creating jobs is hard work, requiring more than just a little bit of elbow grease. You’ve got to have: deep industry knowledge; community and workforce familiarity; an ability to form deep relationships and create unity; perseverance; and the drive to keep growing both your community and within your leadership capabilities.

Over the years, the Consultant Connect team has seen many amazing economic development heroes reach incredible goals, and we know these winning moments happen because of continuous learning, evolving and innovation. Join us each week for in-depth interviews and relevant leadership development topics to help economic developers grow. We firmly believe that when leaders get better, communities thrive!

Listen to the America’s Jobs Team podcast below, or find it on Apple Podcasts.

Sign up to receive America’s Jobs Team directly to your inbox!

Episode 063: Realign Your Services and Refresh Your Brand: Moving from Crisis to Renaissance, Part 1
 Episode 063: Realign Your Services and Refresh Your Brand: Moving from Crisis to Renaissance, Part 1 150 150 America's Jobs Team

As businesses are reopening, we are hearing of many which are struggling with a clear sense of direction. On today’s episode, Carla Sones and Ron Kitchens embark on part one of a three-part series talking through how to move from crisis to renaissance. First up: realigning your services and refreshing your brand. Ron and Carla…

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Episode 062: The Drive for Racial Equity Needs Economic Developers
 Episode 062: The Drive for Racial Equity Needs Economic Developers 150 150 America's Jobs Team

Social unrest and the drive for racial equity is top of mind right now. Today, Carla talks with Quentin L. Messer, Jr, who recently wrote a powerful article about his experiences as a Black man in America. Quentin graciously joined the C2 O’Clock call on Friday, June 12 to dive deeper into his insights and…

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June 9: How Is Rural America Adapting and Overcoming? | COVID-19 MINISERIES
 June 9: How Is Rural America Adapting and Overcoming? | COVID-19 MINISERIES 150 150 America's Jobs Team

The America’s Jobs Team podcast has spent a lot of time talking about the goings-on in urban areas over the past few months. Today, we’re turning the focus to rural communities. Carla Sones is joined by Kiley Miller, president and CEO at Iowa Lakes Corridor. They embark on a discussion on the challenges and windfalls…

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June 2: Site Selectors Weigh in on the Future of Economic Development | COVID-19 MINISERIES
 June 2: Site Selectors Weigh in on the Future of Economic Development | COVID-19 MINISERIES 150 150 America's Jobs Team

Today, we are bringing you some of the highlights from the Virtual Site Consultant Encounter event which Consultant Connect hosted last week. We were joined by 13 site consultants and 130 economic developers for an extended Q+A panel and small group breakout sessions. Tune in to this episode to hear more about the state of…

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May 26: Looking to the Future with Ann Petersen | COVID-19 MINISERIES
 May 26: Looking to the Future with Ann Petersen | COVID-19 MINISERIES 150 150 America's Jobs Team

Today, Carla Sones talks with Ann Petersen about the shifting economic development landscape. Ann shares her insights on workforce, the likelihood of onshoring, and what communities should be prepared to report on during future site visits. She shares what she and her team are keeping an eye on for the rest of 2020, and how…

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May 19: How to Harness the Power of Positivity with Jon Gordon | COVID-19 MINISERIES
 May 19: How to Harness the Power of Positivity with Jon Gordon | COVID-19 MINISERIES 150 150 America's Jobs Team

Ron Kitchens has a conversation with Jon Gordon, bestselling author, and speaker. Jon dives into his journey to become more positive as a naturally negative person and shares the importance of filling voids with positivity so negativity does not seep in. Jon has some great advice to cultivate characteristics that will help you thrive as a…

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May 12: Breaking It Down: What Do the Key Findings Mean? | COVID-19 MINISERIES
 May 12: Breaking It Down: What Do the Key Findings Mean? | COVID-19 MINISERIES 150 150 America's Jobs Team

Today, Carla Sones dives into the key findings from the COVID-19 Impacts Site Selector Survey (click the link to download your free copy). Consultant Connect heard from hundreds of economic developers that were desperate for insights from site location consultants on emerging trends, industry forecasts, and ideas on how to best respond and pivot from…

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May 5: How Can You Help Relieve Your Small Businesses’ Struggles? | COVID-19 MINISERIES
 May 5: How Can You Help Relieve Your Small Businesses’ Struggles? | COVID-19 MINISERIES 150 150 America's Jobs Team

Jeff Pappas, executive vice president of site selection and brokerage at ESRP Real Estate Services, joins Consultant Connect for C2 O’Clock this past Friday. He introduces us to one of his clients which is laser-focused on helping small businesses weather the COVID-19 storm. Brandon Willey and Eric Keosky-Smith talk about the ways their company, Hownd,…

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April 28: What Can We Learn from Past Disasters? | COVID-19 MINISERIES
 April 28: What Can We Learn from Past Disasters? | COVID-19 MINISERIES 150 150 America's Jobs Team

Gray Swoope and Nancy Blum-Heintz of VisionFirst Advisors joined Consultant Connect recently for a live Zoom presentation to share their experiences with economic recovery after a crisis. As Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority under Governor Haley Barbour, Gray led the efforts in Mississippi post-Hurricane Katrina to reestablish business and community connectivity. Nancy was…

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April 24: John Longshore | Global Location Strategies | COVID-19 MINISERIES
 April 24: John Longshore | Global Location Strategies | COVID-19 MINISERIES 150 150 America's Jobs Team

John Longshore talks with Ron Kitchens about the things he believes economic developers should focus on to stay relevant in a world that is changing by the hour. John is a Principal and VP of Innovation at Global Location Strategies, where he has spent his time for the past six years. He has led numerous…

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