Podcast Episode 39 - Economic Development is Still Not for Amateurs with Jay Garner

Episode # 39 of the Econ Dev Show Podcast is now live.

In this episode, Dane talks to Jay Garner, president and founder of Garner Economics, and the former chair of both the IEDC and Site Selectors Guild, about his new book Economic Development is Still Not for Amateurs.

Listen now.

Episode Links

• Economic Development Is Not for Amateurs! (Paperback)
• Economic Development Is [STILL] Not for Amateurs! (Kindle)
• Garner Economics - Economic development consulting – economic strategy

About the Book

Economic Development Is [STILL] Not for Amateurs! (2nd edition) shows forward-thinking leaders how to transform local, regional, or state economies and supercharge a community’s revitalization effort to attract jobs, investment, and residents.

This second edition follows a very well-received first edition that has sold nearly 5,000 copies. Revised and updated for a post-COVID reality, two new chapters are now included to demystify today’s site-selection process, and turn equity, diversity, and inclusion into community pillars that will both attract investment and spark sustainable wealth-building. Offering practical real-world solutions, economic development experts Jay Garner and Ross Patten identify the steps that communities of all sizes can implement to create a roadmap for long-term economic success.

This step-by-step guide to transform locations explains how to:

• Provide the certainty, simplicity, and speed necessary to build a strong business climate
• Sell voters on the investments necessary to attract and retain employers and jobs
• Create, identify, and reinforce your community’s brand
• Build a resilient economy prepared for business closings, natural catastrophes, and stiff competition
• Help create irrefutable proof of a skilled workforce that is ready to work as well as a talent pipeline that is ready to fill the jobs of tomorrow
• Find the inevitable bottlenecks of investment in order to keep your momentum building
• NEW — Understand the site selection process
• NEW — Create a community-focused approach to diversity, equity and inclusion

Chapter titles include:

Chapter 1: Effective Leadership = Community Prosperity
Chapter 2: No Product, No Project®
Chapter 3: Market Regionally, Sell Locally — and Protect the Brand
Chapter 4: Is Your Labor Force Work Ready?
Chapter 5: Demystifying the Site-Selection Process (New)
Chapter 6: Grow Your Garden
Chapter 7: Time Kills Deals
Chapter 8: The Charm Factor
Chapter 9: Y’all Means Y’all (New)
Chapter 10: Control Your Own Destiny or Someone Else Will
Each chapter has a bulleted summary of the key takeaways for quick reference and recall.

Whether you are a newly elected or appointed leader wondering where to start or a long-term policymaker looking to model today’s best practices, Economic Development Is [Still] Not for Amateurs! will show you the way.