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.

Special Guest: Jamie Beasley.

Sponsored By:

• Sitehunt: If your property data is scattered or out of date, you're losing projects. Sitehunt gives economic developers an AI-powered property database and instant RFI responses. Schedule a demo today!

Links:

• Jamie Beasley | LinkedIn
• Chamber Burnout with Jamie Beasley - A Podcast for Chamber Professionals
• Econ Dev Ops LLC
• Sitehunt
• Crowdfund Better
• SmartStart Business Development
• SaveYour.Town – Practical steps to shape a better future for your community, small town, rural or local neighborhood
• Oklahoma Department of Commerce | Building business in OK
• Econ Dev Show Podcast - Economic Development 106: The First Month in the ED Director's Chair with Jamie Beasley

Dane and Barry explore Sacramento's remarkable economic transformation. Barry highlights how Sacramento has leveraged its strategic location 72 miles east of San Francisco to become one of America's premier second-tier markets, emerging as a semiconductor hub while diversifying into clean tech and agricultural research sectors.

Throughout the conversation, Barry shares his data-driven approach to economic development, his passion for working with underdog cities, and the challenges he overcame to build community trust and create a thriving economic ecosystem in California's capital region.

Barry shares insights on economic development, leadership, and the importance of data-driven decisions in driving regional growth.

The episode also covers his personal background, emphasizing Barry's passion for economic development in underdog cities and his experiences in navigating and overcoming initial challenges to build a thriving community.

Timestamps

• 00:00 Introduction and Welcome
• 01:20 Discovering Sacramento
• 02:40 Sacramento's Economic Growth
• 04:40 Semiconductor Hub Vision
• 09:44 Infrastructure and Utilities
• 11:41 Target Sectors Beyond Semiconductors
• 14:08 Barry Broome's Journey
• 21:16 Challenges and Achievements
• 25:20 Building a Strong Board
• 29:05 Barry's Background and Philosophy
• 34:55 Conclusion and Contact Information

Ten Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers

1. Leverage your geographic proximity to major economic centers; Sacramento's 72-mile distance from San Francisco became a strategic advantage rather than a limitation.
2. Diversify your economic base beyond traditional anchors; Sacramento moved beyond government dependence to semiconductors, clean tech, and agricultural research.
3. Position your community as a second-tier market alternative to expensive primary markets, offering similar talent and infrastructure at better cost basis.
4. Use data-driven decision making to guide your economic development strategy and demonstrate measurable results to stakeholders.
5. Build strong board governance early; invest time in assembling committed leaders who can provide stability and strategic direction.
6. Target emerging sectors where your region has natural advantages; Sacramento capitalized on its research universities and proximity to Silicon Valley for semiconductor development.
7. Develop compelling narratives around your community's diversity and quality of life as competitive advantages for business attraction.
8. Address infrastructure and utilities proactively as foundational elements for sector-specific development strategies.
9. Embrace your role as an "underdog city champion"; sometimes the most rewarding opportunities are in communities others overlook.
10. Focus on long-term relationship building and community trust, understanding that transformational economic development takes years to achieve and sustain.

Special Guest: Barry Broome.

Sponsored By:

• Sitehunt: If your property data is scattered or out of date, you're losing projects. Sitehunt gives economic developers an AI-powered property database and instant RFI responses. Schedule a demo today!

Links:

• Barry Broome | LinkedIn
• Home - Greater Sac Economic Council
• The Way We Work: Barry Broome | Comstock's magazine
• California 2030: Greater Sacramento Economic Council President Barry Broome - YouTube
• Team - Greater Sac Economic Council
• The Semiconductor Industry's Dynamic Nature and Continuous Evolution | Nasdaq
• News & events - Greater Sac Economic Council

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Actionable Takeaways

1. Take tours of successful mixed-use developments to understand what works
2. Avoid one-size-fits-all solutions; focus on context-specific development
3. Consider integrating residential and commercial spaces in development plans
4. Work on making communities more walkable and accessible
5. Engage with smaller and medium-sized developers for more dynamic development
6. Study successful pedestrian mall implementations and failures
7. Focus on creating vibrant, integrated community spaces
8. Understand local context before implementing development strategies
9. Build relationships between economic developers and city officials
10. Consider gradual implementation of mixed-use zoning reforms

Special Guest: Coby Lefkowitz.

Sponsored By:

• Sitehunt: If your property data is scattered or out of date, you're losing projects. Sitehunt gives economic developers an AI-powered property database and instant RFI responses. Schedule a demo today!

Links:

• Building Optimism: Why Our World Looks the Way it Does, and How to Make it Better by Coby Lefkowitz
• Coby L. | LinkedIn
• Coby Lefkowitz
• Podcasts — Coby Lefkowitz