“Economic development, at its best, brings people together” –Quentin Messer, Jr. Do you step into opportunities with enthusiasm and passion? Do you allow your unique attributes to play into your daily leadership and work? On this episode, Carla Sones talks with Quentin Messer, Jr. about personal qualities that drive you professionally. Quentin lets us in…

“Celebrate what you want to see more of.” –Tom Peters Do you consider yourself a ‘deal junky’? Does your adrenaline kick in when that RFI shows up? Do you feel the excitement at every ribbon cutting? Today, Faye Davis talks with Carla Sones about keeping momentum going after wins. We all know the feeling of…

“I like being able to see the change that were making, one job at a time, in our community and the impact that makes.” –Cristina Paredes How do you creatively bring in other companies to partner with your strategy efforts? When you’re working on an initiative, do you try to involve your whole community? Do…

“Leadership is an action, not a position.” –Donald McGannon Do you ever find yourself looking to a coworker for leadership or advice on a project? Do you see yourself stepping into that role for your teammates? As economic developers, we often find ourselves in roles of authority that shift with project needs. Today, Faye Davis…

“Performance and partnerships, I think, are the most important for any profession.” –Brandon Simmons Do you remember the energy and passion that drew you into economic development? Do you bring that energy into relationships that attracts businesses and partnerships to you? Do you still have the competitive endurance to run the marathon of economic development?…

“Be passionate about the culture and the business, and remain positive because it inspires others.” –Barry Liber Did the last 18 months have a negative effect on the way you and your team experience work together? Is the culture feeling a little crunchy right now? And do you have a plan on pulling the train…

“Industrial and economic development is extremely noble work. Everyone gets to that position a variety of different ways. It saves families.” –Michael Looney Do you work in a very industry diverse community? Do you know how to draw on your local talent and the talent coming in? Do you know how to partner with your…

“The people must have ownership in the vision. They need to be enabled to accomplish it. If there is one investment you should make, it is in people.” –Modesta Lilian Mbughuni Can you think of a time where you knew something had to change, you were impassioned to lead the charge, but somehow the momentum was…

“Despite our success, there is consensus in the community that we can accomplish so much more and include more people in the region’s growth and success.” –Matt McQuade How do the top performing organizations stay on top? What is it about their strategy that simply clicks with their communities and allows the work to move…

“What did you learn through the process? In year 2? In year 4? In year 6? How can you apply that to the next project?” –Matthew Slotwinski When you don’t land the project, what is your first step away? Is it learning from the process? Is it getting prepared for the next opportunity? There could…