Episode 191

The Power of Showing Up in Communities with Jamie Beasley

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September 22nd, 2025

22 mins 57 secs

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regional growth econ devops virtual assistants economic connectors rural development community building chambers of commerce oklahoma small towns economic development econdev eco devo

About this Episode

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson welcomes back Jamie Beasley, who shares her path from chamber leadership to her current role as a Regional Development Specialist in north central Oklahoma.

Jamie discusses the joys and challenges of working with small towns, the importance of building authentic community connections, and the value of bringing fresh ideas from other places.

She also introduces her new initiative, Econ Dev Ops, a virtual assistant service tailored to chambers of commerce and economic development organizations, designed to help overburdened leaders focus on strategy and growth.

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Ten Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers

  1. Spend time in the field. Nothing replaces face-to-face conversations.
  2. Look at how other communities solve problems; good ideas travel well.
  3. Small towns often lack staff capacity; find ways to connect them to resources.
  4. Collaboration across counties and regions can amplify limited resources.
  5. Celebrate small wins to keep communities motivated for long-term goals.
  6. Don't underestimate the importance of simply listening to local leaders.
  7. Recognize that chamber directors and small-town EDs often juggle multiple roles.
  8. Consider outsourcing administrative tasks (like social media, invoicing, and newsletters) to free up strategic capacity.
  9. Include small towns in summits and regional events--they often feel overlooked.
  10. Focus on relationships and encouragement--sometimes validation is as valuable as funding.

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