web01.fireside.fm Fri, 10 Apr 2026 03:56:06 -0500 Fireside (https://fireside.fm) Econ Dev Show Podcast - Economic Development - Episodes Tagged with “Community Needs” https://podcast.econdevshow.com/tags/community%20needs Mon, 21 Jul 2025 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 183: Small-Scale Manufacturing as Community Development Strategy with Ilana Preuss https://podcast.econdevshow.com/183 ea83373e-c7e8-4624-b51e-c555c3017102 Mon, 21 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0500 Dane Carlson 183 Small-Scale Manufacturing as Community Development Strategy with Ilana Preuss full Dane Carlson Dane Carlson reconnects with Ilana Preuss, founder of Recast Your City, to discuss how economic developers can transform communities by focusing on small-scale manufacturing and engaging directly with local business owners and residents. 31:21 no In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson welcomes back Ilana Preuss, founder and CEO of Recast City, for a follow-up conversation four years after her initial appearance on the show. Preuss shares insights on how economic development has evolved and discusses her methodology for helping communities identify and support small-scale manufacturing businesses. The conversation explores how economic developers can create meaningful change with relatively modest investments by focusing on local assets, engaging directly with community members and business owners, and implementing targeted strategies that respond to actual community needs rather than pursuing expensive business recruitment projects. Like this show? Please leave us a review here (https://econdevshow.com/rate-this-podcast/) — even one sentence helps! Ten Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers Engage directly with small-scale manufacturing business owners to understand their specific needs and challenges before creating programs. Focus on modest, targeted investments ($10K-$20K) rather than expensive business recruitment projects that may not address community needs. Identify and leverage existing local assets and manufacturing businesses already present in your community. Meet with property owners to understand real estate availability and constraints for small manufacturing businesses. Analyze community feedback to prioritize actions that will create the biggest impact based on local goals and beneficiaries. Create short-term wins that build momentum toward longer-term, more complex development projects. Thread the line between community assets, needs, and goals to develop effective priority strategies. Focus on de-risking economic development investments by ensuring projects respond to actual community needs. Build "sticky" communities by creating places where interesting commercial activity takes place and people want to be. Use systematic methods to gather information from stakeholders and translate that into actionable development strategies. Special Guest: Ilana Preuss. econdev, economic development, eco devo, small-scale manufacturing, community development, economic development, local assets, stakeholder engagement, business recruitment, investment strategy, community needs, property owners, neighborhood revitalization In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson welcomes back Ilana Preuss, founder and CEO of Recast City, for a follow-up conversation four years after her initial appearance on the show. Preuss shares insights on how economic development has evolved and discusses her methodology for helping communities identify and support small-scale manufacturing businesses. The conversation explores how economic developers can create meaningful change with relatively modest investments by focusing on local assets, engaging directly with community members and business owners, and implementing targeted strategies that respond to actual community needs rather than pursuing expensive business recruitment projects.

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

Ten Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers

  1. Engage directly with small-scale manufacturing business owners to understand their specific needs and challenges before creating programs.
  2. Focus on modest, targeted investments ($10K-$20K) rather than expensive business recruitment projects that may not address community needs.
  3. Identify and leverage existing local assets and manufacturing businesses already present in your community.
  4. Meet with property owners to understand real estate availability and constraints for small manufacturing businesses.
  5. Analyze community feedback to prioritize actions that will create the biggest impact based on local goals and beneficiaries.
  6. Create short-term wins that build momentum toward longer-term, more complex development projects.
  7. Thread the line between community assets, needs, and goals to develop effective priority strategies.
  8. Focus on de-risking economic development investments by ensuring projects respond to actual community needs.
  9. Build "sticky" communities by creating places where interesting commercial activity takes place and people want to be.
  10. Use systematic methods to gather information from stakeholders and translate that into actionable development strategies.

Special Guest: Ilana Preuss.

Sponsored By:

Links:

]]> In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson welcomes back Ilana Preuss, founder and CEO of Recast City, for a follow-up conversation four years after her initial appearance on the show. Preuss shares insights on how economic development has evolved and discusses her methodology for helping communities identify and support small-scale manufacturing businesses. The conversation explores how economic developers can create meaningful change with relatively modest investments by focusing on local assets, engaging directly with community members and business owners, and implementing targeted strategies that respond to actual community needs rather than pursuing expensive business recruitment projects.

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

Ten Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers

  1. Engage directly with small-scale manufacturing business owners to understand their specific needs and challenges before creating programs.
  2. Focus on modest, targeted investments ($10K-$20K) rather than expensive business recruitment projects that may not address community needs.
  3. Identify and leverage existing local assets and manufacturing businesses already present in your community.
  4. Meet with property owners to understand real estate availability and constraints for small manufacturing businesses.
  5. Analyze community feedback to prioritize actions that will create the biggest impact based on local goals and beneficiaries.
  6. Create short-term wins that build momentum toward longer-term, more complex development projects.
  7. Thread the line between community assets, needs, and goals to develop effective priority strategies.
  8. Focus on de-risking economic development investments by ensuring projects respond to actual community needs.
  9. Build "sticky" communities by creating places where interesting commercial activity takes place and people want to be.
  10. Use systematic methods to gather information from stakeholders and translate that into actionable development strategies.

Special Guest: Ilana Preuss.

Sponsored By:

Links:

]]> 103: Zen and the Art of Rural Economic Development with Sean Adkins https://podcast.econdevshow.com/103 e7c1ea32-2485-4d06-9d10-c08e191b47d5 Mon, 07 Aug 2023 00:15:00 -0500 Dane Carlson 103 Zen and the Art of Rural Economic Development with Sean Adkins full Dane Carlson Sean Adkins discusses his diverse economic development career spanning rural Virginia and Vermont, including an unexpectedly central role in launching a childcare facility. 22:45 no Sean Adkins has over a decade of economic development experience across multiple East Coast states. He currently serves as Town Manager of St. Albans, Vermont, where he uses his econ dev background to help the small town. Adkins shares insights into the differences between robust economic development support in Virginia versus the more isolated, self-reliant approach in Vermont. One of his most surprising projects was leading development of a childcare facility in rural Virginia, despite not having kids himself. The intensive childcare facility regulations and community resistance he encountered shows the breadth of challenges econ dev professionals take on. Adkins stresses public servants genuinely try to serve local needs, though projects often require compromise. He also discusses his favorite book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and the life philosophy behind its metaphors. Like this show? Please leave us a review here (https://econdevshow.com/rate-this-podcast/) — even one sentence helps! Special Guest: Sean Adkins. econdev, economic development, eco devo, Rural economic development, Small towns, Vermont, Virginia, Childcare facilities, Community resistance, Compromise, Public service, Perspective, Zen philosophy, Motorcycle maintenance, Regulations, Community needs, East Coast states, Local government, Town manager, Hospitality industry, Workforce challenges, Housing issues, Interview Sean Adkins has over a decade of economic development experience across multiple East Coast states. He currently serves as Town Manager of St. Albans, Vermont, where he uses his econ dev background to help the small town. Adkins shares insights into the differences between robust economic development support in Virginia versus the more isolated, self-reliant approach in Vermont.

One of his most surprising projects was leading development of a childcare facility in rural Virginia, despite not having kids himself. The intensive childcare facility regulations and community resistance he encountered shows the breadth of challenges econ dev professionals take on. Adkins stresses public servants genuinely try to serve local needs, though projects often require compromise.

He also discusses his favorite book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and the life philosophy behind its metaphors.

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

Special Guest: Sean Adkins.

Sponsored By:

Links:

]]> Sean Adkins has over a decade of economic development experience across multiple East Coast states. He currently serves as Town Manager of St. Albans, Vermont, where he uses his econ dev background to help the small town. Adkins shares insights into the differences between robust economic development support in Virginia versus the more isolated, self-reliant approach in Vermont.

One of his most surprising projects was leading development of a childcare facility in rural Virginia, despite not having kids himself. The intensive childcare facility regulations and community resistance he encountered shows the breadth of challenges econ dev professionals take on. Adkins stresses public servants genuinely try to serve local needs, though projects often require compromise.

He also discusses his favorite book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and the life philosophy behind its metaphors.

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

Special Guest: Sean Adkins.

Sponsored By:

Links:

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