The Fifth Season of Economic Development with Juliet Abdel

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson sits down with Juliet Abdel, President and CEO of the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, to talk about building a regionally focused, globally minded economic development organization.

Drawing on Cedar Rapids' "fifth season" advantage (time, accessibility, and quality of life) Juliet shares how the region leverages industry clusters, international relationships, and leadership discipline to compete.

The conversation blends practical economic development strategy with candid insights on burnout, boundaries, and leading people well in a demanding field.

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10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers

1. Treat quality of life as a competitive asset, not a marketing afterthought.
2. Focus attraction efforts on industry clusters that naturally complement what already exists locally.
3. International business development does not require a global city, only consistent relationship-building.
4. Cast a clear vision so teams understand the "why," not just the tasks.
5. Protect staff health by modeling boundaries, especially around after-hours communication.
6. Build attraction strategies around regional strengths, not generic wish lists.
7. Encourage team members to say no when capacity or clarity is missing.
8. Leverage peer networks aggressively. Most good ideas already exist somewhere else.
9. Recognize burnout as an organizational risk, not a personal weakness.
10. Remember that economic development works best when personal well-being and professional performance reinforce each other.

• Juliet Abdel, CCE, IOM | LinkedIn
• Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance