app01 Wed, 12 Aug 2026 15:07:09 +0000 Fireside (https://fireside.fm) Econ Dev Show Podcast - Economic Development - Episodes Tagged with “Artificial Intelligence” https://podcast.econdevshow.com/tags/artificial%20intelligence Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0500 Dane Carlson explores the strategies, ideas, and insights that are driving economic development forward into the future. You'll hear new insights from passionate ED's about their successes and struggles, and you'll learn from attraction and retention experts about how to apply actionable strategies inside your EDO. We'll help take your organization, your community, and your career to the next level. en-us episodic Actionable economic development strategies and stories Dane Carlson Dane Carlson explores the strategies, ideas, and insights that are driving economic development forward into the future. You'll hear new insights from passionate ED's about their successes and struggles, and you'll learn from attraction and retention experts about how to apply actionable strategies inside your EDO. We'll help take your organization, your community, and your career to the next level. no econ dev, economic development, ed Dane Carlson show@econdevshow.com 230: No Is Never the Final Answer: Creative Retention Strategies with Andrew Sloss https://podcast.econdevshow.com/230 3388830d-a5de-4298-bc77-673fc0bf638f Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0500 Dane Carlson 230 No Is Never the Final Answer: Creative Retention Strategies with Andrew Sloss full Dane Carlson Andrew Sloss explains why “no” is often the beginning of a conversation, how communities can support struggling businesses creatively, and why transparency, relationships, and incentive compliance matter. 26:21 no <p>In this episode of the Econ Dev Show Andrew Sloss discusses his transition to independent consulting and the lessons he has learned from nearly two decades in site selection and incentive negotiations. He explains why an initial “no” from a community may reflect a misunderstanding, a lack of available tools, or simply bad timing, and how better communication and persistence can create new possibilities. </p> <p>Andrew also shares a retention project involving a struggling retailer, including how communities used job grants, workforce funds, and university tuition benefits to help keep locations open. The conversation covers demonstrating a company’s broader community value, building flexible incentive programs, avoiding compliance failures, maintaining long-term relationships, and using AI carefully in site selection work.</p> <p><a href="https://econdevshow.com/rate-this-podcast/" rel="nofollow noopener">Like this show? Please leave us a review here</a> — even one sentence helps! </p> <h2>10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers</h2> <ol> <li> Treat an initial “no” as a signal to clarify the request, not necessarily as the final decision.</li> <li> When a project does not create new jobs or investment, look for ways to demonstrate its broader community value.</li> <li> Assess whether a business provides essential services that residents would have to travel significantly farther to access.</li> <li> Review existing programs—such as workforce, façade, landscaping, or downtown grants—for unused funds and possible flexibility.</li> <li> Discuss unusual retention requests internally with elected officials and local leadership before dismissing them.</li> <li> Be transparent about what you can and cannot provide, and explain the limits of your authority clearly.</li> <li> Maintain strong relationships with site selectors, consultants, and company representatives before a project arrives.</li> <li> When negotiating incentives, discuss whether the answer is a hard no, a temporary no, or a maybe that could change with a stronger business case.</li> <li> Build incentive compliance responsibilities into multiple people’s roles so the process does not disappear when one employee leaves.</li> <li> Use AI for administrative support and high-level research, but double- and triple-check buildings, people, and other site-selection facts before relying on them. Special Guest: Andrew Sloss.</li> </ol> econdev, economic development, eco devo, site selection, incentive negotiations, retention projects, economic development incentives, incentive compliance, business retention, workforce training, community relationships, economic development strategy, artificial intelligence In this episode of the Econ Dev Show Andrew Sloss discusses his transition to independent consulting and the lessons he has learned from nearly two decades in site selection and incentive negotiations. He explains why an initial “no” from a community may reflect a misunderstanding, a lack of available tools, or simply bad timing, and how better communication and persistence can create new possibilities.

Andrew also shares a retention project involving a struggling retailer, including how communities used job grants, workforce funds, and university tuition benefits to help keep locations open. The conversation covers demonstrating a company’s broader community value, building flexible incentive programs, avoiding compliance failures, maintaining long-term relationships, and using AI carefully in site selection work.

Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps!

10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers

  1. Treat an initial “no” as a signal to clarify the request, not necessarily as the final decision.
  2. When a project does not create new jobs or investment, look for ways to demonstrate its broader community value.
  3. Assess whether a business provides essential services that residents would have to travel significantly farther to access.
  4. Review existing programs—such as workforce, façade, landscaping, or downtown grants—for unused funds and possible flexibility.
  5. Discuss unusual retention requests internally with elected officials and local leadership before dismissing them.
  6. Be transparent about what you can and cannot provide, and explain the limits of your authority clearly.
  7. Maintain strong relationships with site selectors, consultants, and company representatives before a project arrives.
  8. When negotiating incentives, discuss whether the answer is a hard no, a temporary no, or a maybe that could change with a stronger business case.
  9. Build incentive compliance responsibilities into multiple people’s roles so the process does not disappear when one employee leaves.
  10. Use AI for administrative support and high-level research, but double- and triple-check buildings, people, and other site-selection facts before relying on them.

Special Guest: Andrew Sloss.

Sponsored By:

Links:

]]> In this episode of the Econ Dev Show Andrew Sloss discusses his transition to independent consulting and the lessons he has learned from nearly two decades in site selection and incentive negotiations. He explains why an initial “no” from a community may reflect a misunderstanding, a lack of available tools, or simply bad timing, and how better communication and persistence can create new possibilities.

Andrew also shares a retention project involving a struggling retailer, including how communities used job grants, workforce funds, and university tuition benefits to help keep locations open. The conversation covers demonstrating a company’s broader community value, building flexible incentive programs, avoiding compliance failures, maintaining long-term relationships, and using AI carefully in site selection work.

Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps!

10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers

  1. Treat an initial “no” as a signal to clarify the request, not necessarily as the final decision.
  2. When a project does not create new jobs or investment, look for ways to demonstrate its broader community value.
  3. Assess whether a business provides essential services that residents would have to travel significantly farther to access.
  4. Review existing programs—such as workforce, façade, landscaping, or downtown grants—for unused funds and possible flexibility.
  5. Discuss unusual retention requests internally with elected officials and local leadership before dismissing them.
  6. Be transparent about what you can and cannot provide, and explain the limits of your authority clearly.
  7. Maintain strong relationships with site selectors, consultants, and company representatives before a project arrives.
  8. When negotiating incentives, discuss whether the answer is a hard no, a temporary no, or a maybe that could change with a stronger business case.
  9. Build incentive compliance responsibilities into multiple people’s roles so the process does not disappear when one employee leaves.
  10. Use AI for administrative support and high-level research, but double- and triple-check buildings, people, and other site-selection facts before relying on them.

Special Guest: Andrew Sloss.

Sponsored By:

Links:

]]> 172: Pennsylvania's First Economic Strategy in 20 Years with Aaron Pitts https://podcast.econdevshow.com/172 37fd3b95-c320-4f94-b6b1-0775fd892c55 Mon, 05 May 2025 00:15:00 -0500 Dane Carlson 172 Pennsylvania's First Economic Strategy in 20 Years with Aaron Pitts full Dane Carlson Aaron Pitts reveals how Pennsylvania's first economic development strategy in 20 years is transforming the Commonwealth into a premier business destination through strategic investments, streamlined permitting, and a proactive approach to business relationships. 22:16 no <p>In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson speaks with Aaron Pitts, Chief Commercial Officer for Business PA, who shares how Pennsylvania is revitalizing its economic development approach under Governor Shapiro's administration. </p> <p>Aaron explains the creation of Business PA, a dedicated unit within the Department of Community and Economic Development focused exclusively on building and maintaining business relationships. He details Pennsylvania's strategic advantages as a founding state with major cities, rural areas, and world-class educational institutions like UPenn and Carnegie Mellon, while highlighting their focus on five key sectors: life sciences, manufacturing, energy, AI/tech, and business services. </p> <p>Listeners learn about Pennsylvania's impressive $500 million investment in site development, streamlined permitting processes that reduced business license waits from eight weeks to two days, and how Pittsburgh has emerged as a global AI leader with companies like Google, Nvidia, and Duolingo. </p> <p>Aaron also shares insights from his previous experience helping create JobsOhio and explains why leaving corporate America for economic development has been so personally fulfilling.</p> <p><a href="https://econdevshow.com/rate-this-podcast/" rel="nofollow noopener">Like this show? Please leave us a review here</a> — even one sentence helps! </p> <h2>Ten Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers</h2> <ol> <li>Create dedicated units focused solely on business relationships within your economic development organization to ensure businesses receive specialized attention.</li> <li>Invest significantly in site readiness programs with dedicated funding to create shovel-ready locations that can immediately accommodate business relocations.</li> <li>Implement a concierge service for permitting to help businesses navigate regulatory processes more efficiently and combat negative perceptions about permitting complexity.</li> <li>Identify and focus on 4-5 key sectors where your region has competitive advantages rather than trying to be everything to everyone.</li> <li>Build regional partnerships with clear roles and responsibilities for business retention, expansion and attraction activities to present a unified front to prospective companies.</li> <li>Bring corporate experience into economic development leadership to better understand and speak the language of business executives.</li> <li>Develop a strategy that balances care for incumbent businesses while positioning your region to attract cutting-edge industries.</li> <li>Create a disciplined financial model to evaluate incentive offers that ensures both the business and the region benefit from each deal.</li> <li>Leverage educational institutions as key partners in workforce development and innovation to create distinct advantages in specific sectors.</li> <li>Foster an attitudinal shift within economic development organizations from reactive to proactive engagement with businesses to demonstrate that you genuinely care about their success. Special Guest: Aaron Pitts.</li> </ol> econdev, economic development, eco devo, Economic development, Pennsylvania, site readiness, permitting reform, business attraction, manufacturing, artificial intelligence, JobsOhio, Pittsburgh, energy sector In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson speaks with Aaron Pitts, Chief Commercial Officer for Business PA, who shares how Pennsylvania is revitalizing its economic development approach under Governor Shapiro's administration.

Aaron explains the creation of Business PA, a dedicated unit within the Department of Community and Economic Development focused exclusively on building and maintaining business relationships. He details Pennsylvania's strategic advantages as a founding state with major cities, rural areas, and world-class educational institutions like UPenn and Carnegie Mellon, while highlighting their focus on five key sectors: life sciences, manufacturing, energy, AI/tech, and business services.

Listeners learn about Pennsylvania's impressive $500 million investment in site development, streamlined permitting processes that reduced business license waits from eight weeks to two days, and how Pittsburgh has emerged as a global AI leader with companies like Google, Nvidia, and Duolingo.

Aaron also shares insights from his previous experience helping create JobsOhio and explains why leaving corporate America for economic development has been so personally fulfilling.

Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps!

Ten Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers

  1. Create dedicated units focused solely on business relationships within your economic development organization to ensure businesses receive specialized attention.
  2. Invest significantly in site readiness programs with dedicated funding to create shovel-ready locations that can immediately accommodate business relocations.
  3. Implement a concierge service for permitting to help businesses navigate regulatory processes more efficiently and combat negative perceptions about permitting complexity.
  4. Identify and focus on 4-5 key sectors where your region has competitive advantages rather than trying to be everything to everyone.
  5. Build regional partnerships with clear roles and responsibilities for business retention, expansion and attraction activities to present a unified front to prospective companies.
  6. Bring corporate experience into economic development leadership to better understand and speak the language of business executives.
  7. Develop a strategy that balances care for incumbent businesses while positioning your region to attract cutting-edge industries.
  8. Create a disciplined financial model to evaluate incentive offers that ensures both the business and the region benefit from each deal.
  9. Leverage educational institutions as key partners in workforce development and innovation to create distinct advantages in specific sectors.
  10. Foster an attitudinal shift within economic development organizations from reactive to proactive engagement with businesses to demonstrate that you genuinely care about their success.

Special Guest: Aaron Pitts.

Sponsored By:

Links:

]]> In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson speaks with Aaron Pitts, Chief Commercial Officer for Business PA, who shares how Pennsylvania is revitalizing its economic development approach under Governor Shapiro's administration.

Aaron explains the creation of Business PA, a dedicated unit within the Department of Community and Economic Development focused exclusively on building and maintaining business relationships. He details Pennsylvania's strategic advantages as a founding state with major cities, rural areas, and world-class educational institutions like UPenn and Carnegie Mellon, while highlighting their focus on five key sectors: life sciences, manufacturing, energy, AI/tech, and business services.

Listeners learn about Pennsylvania's impressive $500 million investment in site development, streamlined permitting processes that reduced business license waits from eight weeks to two days, and how Pittsburgh has emerged as a global AI leader with companies like Google, Nvidia, and Duolingo.

Aaron also shares insights from his previous experience helping create JobsOhio and explains why leaving corporate America for economic development has been so personally fulfilling.

Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps!

Ten Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers

  1. Create dedicated units focused solely on business relationships within your economic development organization to ensure businesses receive specialized attention.
  2. Invest significantly in site readiness programs with dedicated funding to create shovel-ready locations that can immediately accommodate business relocations.
  3. Implement a concierge service for permitting to help businesses navigate regulatory processes more efficiently and combat negative perceptions about permitting complexity.
  4. Identify and focus on 4-5 key sectors where your region has competitive advantages rather than trying to be everything to everyone.
  5. Build regional partnerships with clear roles and responsibilities for business retention, expansion and attraction activities to present a unified front to prospective companies.
  6. Bring corporate experience into economic development leadership to better understand and speak the language of business executives.
  7. Develop a strategy that balances care for incumbent businesses while positioning your region to attract cutting-edge industries.
  8. Create a disciplined financial model to evaluate incentive offers that ensures both the business and the region benefit from each deal.
  9. Leverage educational institutions as key partners in workforce development and innovation to create distinct advantages in specific sectors.
  10. Foster an attitudinal shift within economic development organizations from reactive to proactive engagement with businesses to demonstrate that you genuinely care about their success.

Special Guest: Aaron Pitts.

Sponsored By:

Links:

]]>