A Livability Media Podcast
Join host Amanda Ellis, Editor in Chief of Livability.com, as she delves into talent attraction and economic development topics, explores some of America’s hidden gems and highlights the people behind the scenes who make an impact on communities and their livability.
Stream episodes of Inside America’s Best Cities on Spotify, Google, Amazon, Apple or wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Sandy Dubay, President & CEO of PPR Strategies, delves into streamlining your economic development marketing strategy with tips from her 20+ years of experience in this niche. We chat about DIY approaches vs. engaging outside support, how to lighten your marketing load by collaborating with others in your community and much more.
Each season, we hear from a community who recently won a significant project. On this Pick Me! Episode, Jeff Rea, President & CEO of Indiana’s South Bend Regional Chamber, joins us to talk about landing GM & Samsung SDI’s $3.5 billion investment in an EV battery cell plant in St. Joseph County.
In this episode, Chelsey Roney, co-founder of Proxi, joins us for a chat about using customizable maps to elevate your place marketing
In the second installment of our two-part child care series, Garrett Dolan, Associate Director of Human Resources at Tyson Foods, talks about Tyson’s onsite child care facility at the company’s Humboldt, TN plant, including plenty of takeaways for businesses and economic developers.
Maureen McGuinness, President & CEO of the Triangle East Chamber, chats with us about the NC Early Education Coalition and how they’re meeting child care challenges in North Carolina.
In this episode, Brian McGowan, President of Centennial Yards, shares the ins and outs of one of the largest ever mixed use development projects and how it will reshape downtown Atlanta.
In the final episode of this season, we hear from Tyler Rossmaessler, Executive Director of the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance, about the Talent Tours Program bringing job seekers directly to employers in Flint, MI.
Alex Beck, Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation, joins us to share about Brattleboro’s Welcoming Workplaces Initiative supporting local employers in welcoming all kinds of employees, particularly immigrants and refugees new to the U.S. Tune in to hear about increasing diversity in a small community and making an impact for both new Americans and locals.
In this episode, we hear about housing from Stephane Frijia, President & CEO of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, and about creating more options to meet the needs of locals at all income levels and life stages.
Plural founder & CEO Damola Ogundipe joins us to chat about the unique power of chambers to influence and shape legislative priorities.
The Ames Chamber wants to showcase what makes Ames an A+ community. Learn how they’re meeting their goals by partnering with Livability to tell talent everywhere about one of America’s best mid-sized cities. We also cover other successful talent and workforce efforts happening in Ames.
Each season, we hear from a community who recently won a significant project, and how they did it. On this Pick Me! Episode, Kenny McDonald, President & CEO, Columbus Partnership, joins us to talk about landing the biggest investment in Ohio state history: Intel’s $20 billion project in Licking County.
DCI’s Patience Fairbrother joins us with insights for your talent strategies and the high points of DCI’s annual Talent Wars job and location research, including implications for small and mid-sized cities and local upskilling programs.
Brooke Randels of Campus Tulsa joins us on this episode with insight on retaining college students in your community. She also shares about the knowledge you can glean from the upcoming Young, Smart & Local talent conference in New Orleans and chats about the future of higher education, plus what Gen Z is getting right.
In this episode, Chris Fair, futurist as well as founder and CEO of Resonance, discusses what will make the cities of the future good places to live and what to be thinking about now to be a talent magnet in the coming decades.
Kaleigh Cox, of DxTEL and Fiber Homes, joins us for our first episode of Season 3 on how fiber internet can help you meet your talent and business attraction goals. She also talks about resources for bringing fiber to your area and tapping your local real estate agents to support your strategy.
Economic development and talent attraction leaders are tasked with telling the story of their communities compellingly. But how do you know what sets your area apart and how do you drive that home in your messaging?
It can be tough to be on your own in a new city. In fact, our research on affordability shows that proximity to loved ones is a big factor in relocation decisions for many people. Some communities are making it more comfortable to move away from your network by enticing new talent with city concierge programs. [...]
Michael, Dwight and the whole gang at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company made us laugh from 2005 to 2013. When the show was first gaining a foothold, the Scranton community saw things a little differently, according to Mari Potis, the director of membership and events for The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. Then tourism not only […]
On this Talent To Go episode, we sit down with Charles Wood from the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce in Chattanooga, TN to discuss how engaged residents, public-private partnerships and embracing new ideas have given this gorgeous river and mountain community an edge when it comes to attracting – and retaining – talent.
The pandemic brought to the forefront the struggles working parents face to balance work and family responsibilities. Without high-quality childcare, it’s hard to have a high-quality workforce. What can you do to ensure parents in your community have the support they need to succeed alongside your businesses? We’ll hear from Naturally Lewis, Lewis County, NY’s […]
Jamie Wright, Executive Director of the Alliance for Rural Impact, helps you navigate the workforce challenges faced by small rural communities. You want companies to be successful in your area, but that requires a labor pool you may not quite have. In this episode, learn how automation can expand the capabilities of your current workforce […]
Every year we at Livability produce an objective, research-based Top 100 Best Places to Live list, sponsored this year by eXp Realty. Madison, Wisconsin takes the honor of the No. 1 spot for the second year in a row. In this episode, two Madison leaders: Jason Fields, President of the Madison Region Economic Partnership, and […]
1 in 3 Americans have a criminal record that is probably limiting their participation in your workforce and community. Any arrest, even if it didn’t lead to conviction, constitutes a record and lifelong barrier to opportunity, even for those who long ago served their time. Sheena Meade, Executive Director of the Clean Slate Initiative, is […]
How do you embrace newcomers to your community? Helping new folks feel settled, engaged and included can be key to talent retention. In this episode, corporate relocation expert Cindy Nixon of eXp Realty shares her tips for integrating your newbies and getting them cozied up in their new location.
Each season, we’ll hear from a community who recently won a significant project, and how they did it. On this Pick Me! Episode, West Virginia’s Secretary of Economic Development Mitch Carmichael joins us to talk about landing the biggest investment in state history: Nucor Corporation’s $2.7 billion project.
Are you struggling to meet housing demands for your community? Too much office or retail space? In this episode, Camoin Associates shares ideas for solving today’s common real estate challenges. We also cover how you can get buy-in from the right folks to create change, and how real estate issues might evolve in the coming […]
With change happening rapidly and staff burnout at a record high, how do you ensure your chamber or EDO is ready for the future? Sheree Anne Kelly, President & CEO, Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, joins us with guidance on how you can hit all the right notes when it comes to having the […]
Economic developers are always taking on a host of new challenges, but what, if anything, has changed when it comes to winning projects that bring new businesses to your community? How do you put your best foot forward? In this episode, Lauren Berry, of location analysis and incentives advisory firm Maxis Advisors, joins us to […]
Looking to boost your community’s pool of workers in fields like health care, tech or manufacturing? You’re in the right place – our two-part series on upskilling. In our first installment, Merit America joins us with expert insight on boosting your pool of tech workers, closing opportunity gaps in your area and tips for building […]
Looking to boost your community’s pool of workers in fields like health care, tech or manufacturing? You’re in the right place – our two-part series on upskilling. In our second installment, the Ames Chamber joins us with expert insight on how to design workforce programs, with case studies on their See Yourself in Ames intern […]
Have you been charged with marketing your community? Get place marketing insights from Development Counsellors International. In this episode, you’ll learn about where to start and who to partner with in your community, plus more to help you go from launching a place marketing strategy to an established place brand that appeals to talent, business […]
Places with a large nearby military presence know that can really shape the fabric of your community. But are you maximizing that impact when it comes to your talent strategies? And how do you keep transitioning military folks in your region? In this episode, April Bragg of the Robins Regional Chamber in Warner Robins, Georgia, […]
In this episode, Nathan Ohle, President & CEO, International Economic Development Council, looks back on his first year leading our industry’s premier professional association. He also talks about the future of IEDC and the profession, especially recruiting students to our industry, IEDC’s Economic Recovery Corps and much more.
In this episode, we sit down with Adam Knapp, President & CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, to talk about Baton Rouge’s comprehensive talent strategies, and how this community is upskilling high schoolers, college students and adults. Not only are they matching the right people to the right jobs, they’re also closing opportunity gaps […]
Each season, we’ll hear from a community who recently won a significant project, and how they did it. On this Pick Me! Episode, Chassen Haynes, Senior Director of Business Development for the State of Tennessee, joins us to talk about landing the biggest investment in Tennessee history: Ford’s $5.6 billion BlueOval project creating BlueOval City.
In this bonus episode closing out Season 2 of Inside America’s Best Cities, Mike Christenson of Applied Geographic Solutions shares about how the right data can have a big impact on your efforts to draw talent and businesses.
Kaleigh Cox, of DxTEL and Fiber Homes, joins us for our first episode of Season 3 on how fiber internet can help you meet your talent and business attraction goals. She also talks about resources for bringing fiber to your area and tapping your local real estate agents to support your strategy.
In this episode, Chris Fair, futurist as well as founder and CEO of Resonance, discusses what will make the cities of the future good places to live and what to be thinking about now to be a talent magnet in the coming decades.
Brooke Randels of Campus Tulsa joins us on this episode with insight on retaining college students in your community. She also shares about the knowledge you can glean from the upcoming Young, Smart & Local talent conference in New Orleans and chats about the future of higher education, plus what Gen Z is getting right.
DCI’s Patience Fairbrother joins us with insights for your talent strategies and the high points of DCI’s annual Talent Wars job and location research, including implications for small and mid-sized cities and local upskilling programs.
Each season, we hear from a community who recently won a significant project, and how they did it. On this Pick Me! Episode, Kenny McDonald, President & CEO, Columbus Partnership, joins us to talk about landing the biggest investment in Ohio state history: Intel’s $20 billion project in Licking County.
The Ames Chamber wants to showcase what makes Ames an A+ community. Learn how they’re meeting their goals by partnering with Livability to tell talent everywhere about one of America’s best mid-sized cities. We also cover other successful talent and workforce efforts happening in Ames.
Plural founder & CEO Damola Ogundipe joins us to chat about the unique power of chambers to influence and shape legislative priorities.
In this episode, we hear about housing from Stephane Frijia, President & CEO of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, and about creating more options to meet the needs of locals at all income levels and life stages.
Alex Beck, Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation, joins us to share about Brattleboro’s Welcoming Workplaces Initiative supporting local employers in welcoming all kinds of employees, particularly immigrants and refugees new to the U.S. Tune in to hear about increasing diversity in a small community and making an impact for both new Americans and locals.
In the final episode of this season, we hear from Tyler Rossmaessler, Executive Director of the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance, about the Talent Tours Program bringing job seekers directly to employers in Flint, MI.
In this episode, Brian McGowan, President of Centennial Yards, shares the ins and outs of one of the largest ever mixed use development projects and how it will reshape downtown Atlanta.
Maureen McGuinness, President & CEO of the Triangle East Chamber, chats with us about the NC Early Education Coalition and how they’re meeting child care challenges in North Carolina.
In the second installment of our two-part child care series, Garrett Dolan, Associate Director of Human Resources at Tyson Foods, talks about Tyson’s onsite child care facility at the company’s Humboldt, TN plant, including plenty of takeaways for businesses and economic developers.
In this episode, Chelsey Roney, co-founder of Proxi, joins us for a chat about using customizable maps to elevate your place marketing
Each season, we hear from a community who recently won a significant project. On this Pick Me! Episode, Jeff Rea, President & CEO of Indiana’s South Bend Regional Chamber, joins us to talk about landing GM & Samsung SDI’s $3.5 billion investment in an EV battery cell plant in St. Joseph County.
Sandy Dubay, President & CEO of PPR Strategies, delves into streamlining your economic development marketing strategy with tips from her 20+ years of experience in this niche. We chat about DIY approaches vs. engaging outside support, how to lighten your marketing load by collaborating with others in your community and much more.
