web01.fireside.fm Thu, 09 Apr 2026 08:48:39 -0500 Fireside (https://fireside.fm) Econ Dev Show Podcast - Economic Development - Episodes Tagged with “Technology” https://podcast.econdevshow.com/tags/technology Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:15:00 -0600 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 198: Dane With Joe Barker on the Rural Strong Podcast https://podcast.econdevshow.com/198 7efd108f-8276-4a9a-beba-60539a32417d Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:15:00 -0600 Dane Carlson 198 Dane With Joe Barker on the Rural Strong Podcast full Dane Carlson Talking Sitehunt, small towns, and staying persistent 26:41 no On this special crossover episode, Dane Carlson joins Joe Barker on the Rural Strong Podcast to talk about Sitehunt, entrepreneurship, and the power of AI to help rural and small-community economic developers compete at scale. In this episode of Rural Strong, Joe and Dane explore how AI tools like Sitehunt automate site analysis, RFI responses, and data collection — giving small EDOs the same analytical firepower as their big-city counterparts. Dane shares his unlikely journey from early-2000s internet entrepreneur to chamber president in the Sierra Nevada foothills to Texas economic-development director to startup CEO. They discuss why feedback matters more than features, why execution beats ideas every time, and why even the smallest communities need a modern website, a plan, and the willingness to pivot. Dane also unpacks how child care, housing, and workforce shortages have become the new pillars of competitiveness, why AI is best thought of as a “dim-witted but persistent intern,” and how rural leaders can use technology to take back the information advantage from site selectors. 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 Treat AI as an intern, not an oracle. Feed it data and context to get useful answers. Launch before you're ready. Iterate in public and let real feedback drive improvement. Build a website that sells your community. Clear contact info and photos matter more than fancy graphics. Use LinkedIn as your industry newspaper. Learn from and connect with other EDOs daily. Start a local podcast. It's the best modern BRE tool and a non-threatening way to engage businesses. Plan but pivot. No plan survives first contact with reality; stay nimble. Address child care and housing head-on. They're workforce issues now, not social ones. Prioritize execution over ideas. A mediocre idea well executed beats a brilliant idea untried. Save cash for the long haul. Entrepreneurs fail more often from running out of runway than from bad concepts. Ask for feedback early and often. It's how both products and communities get better. econdev, economic development, eco devo, ai,economic development,sitehunt,rural communities,entrepreneurship,child care,housing,workforce,planning,feedback,innovation,small towns,technology,execution,startups On this special crossover episode, Dane Carlson joins Joe Barker on the Rural Strong Podcast to talk about Sitehunt, entrepreneurship, and the power of AI to help rural and small-community economic developers compete at scale.

In this episode of Rural Strong, Joe and Dane explore how AI tools like Sitehunt automate site analysis, RFI responses, and data collection — giving small EDOs the same analytical firepower as their big-city counterparts. Dane shares his unlikely journey from early-2000s internet entrepreneur to chamber president in the Sierra Nevada foothills to Texas economic-development director to startup CEO. They discuss why feedback matters more than features, why execution beats ideas every time, and why even the smallest communities need a modern website, a plan, and the willingness to pivot.

Dane also unpacks how child care, housing, and workforce shortages have become the new pillars of competitiveness, why AI is best thought of as a “dim-witted but persistent intern,” and how rural leaders can use technology to take back the information advantage from site selectors.

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

Ten Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers

  1. Treat AI as an intern, not an oracle. Feed it data and context to get useful answers.
  2. Launch before you're ready. Iterate in public and let real feedback drive improvement.
  3. Build a website that sells your community. Clear contact info and photos matter more than fancy graphics.
  4. Use LinkedIn as your industry newspaper. Learn from and connect with other EDOs daily.
  5. Start a local podcast. It's the best modern BRE tool and a non-threatening way to engage businesses.
  6. Plan but pivot. No plan survives first contact with reality; stay nimble.
  7. Address child care and housing head-on. They're workforce issues now, not social ones.
  8. Prioritize execution over ideas. A mediocre idea well executed beats a brilliant idea untried.
  9. Save cash for the long haul. Entrepreneurs fail more often from running out of runway than from bad concepts.
  10. Ask for feedback early and often. It's how both products and communities get better.

Sponsored By:

Links:

]]> On this special crossover episode, Dane Carlson joins Joe Barker on the Rural Strong Podcast to talk about Sitehunt, entrepreneurship, and the power of AI to help rural and small-community economic developers compete at scale.

In this episode of Rural Strong, Joe and Dane explore how AI tools like Sitehunt automate site analysis, RFI responses, and data collection — giving small EDOs the same analytical firepower as their big-city counterparts. Dane shares his unlikely journey from early-2000s internet entrepreneur to chamber president in the Sierra Nevada foothills to Texas economic-development director to startup CEO. They discuss why feedback matters more than features, why execution beats ideas every time, and why even the smallest communities need a modern website, a plan, and the willingness to pivot.

Dane also unpacks how child care, housing, and workforce shortages have become the new pillars of competitiveness, why AI is best thought of as a “dim-witted but persistent intern,” and how rural leaders can use technology to take back the information advantage from site selectors.

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

Ten Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers

  1. Treat AI as an intern, not an oracle. Feed it data and context to get useful answers.
  2. Launch before you're ready. Iterate in public and let real feedback drive improvement.
  3. Build a website that sells your community. Clear contact info and photos matter more than fancy graphics.
  4. Use LinkedIn as your industry newspaper. Learn from and connect with other EDOs daily.
  5. Start a local podcast. It's the best modern BRE tool and a non-threatening way to engage businesses.
  6. Plan but pivot. No plan survives first contact with reality; stay nimble.
  7. Address child care and housing head-on. They're workforce issues now, not social ones.
  8. Prioritize execution over ideas. A mediocre idea well executed beats a brilliant idea untried.
  9. Save cash for the long haul. Entrepreneurs fail more often from running out of runway than from bad concepts.
  10. Ask for feedback early and often. It's how both products and communities get better.

Sponsored By:

Links:

]]> 178: Reinventing Shop Local Initiatives with Sophia Zheng https://podcast.econdevshow.com/178 dd0895ae-ecbc-4ed7-bbe8-e00f130bf8eb Mon, 16 Jun 2025 00:15:00 -0500 Dane Carlson 178 Reinventing Shop Local Initiatives with Sophia Zheng full Dane Carlson Sophia Zheng, CEO of Bludot Technologies, shares how her startup, born inside a city hall, leverages data-driven technology and community rewards to boost local economic development. 25:16 no In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson interviews Sophia Zheng, Founder and CEO of Bludot Technologies, a startup initially incubated through a unique collaboration with a city’s economic development department. Sophia explains how Bludot’s innovative platform helps more than 150 communities across the U.S. and Canada retain and expand local businesses through advanced data analytics and digital incentives. She dives into the successful Open Rewards program, a community-wide shop-local initiative, and explores how technologies like AI could further enhance business retention and expansion strategies. Sophia also highlights Bludot’s achievements, including recognition in Govtech 100 and AWS GovtechStart, as well as USDA NIFA grants for supporting rural economic development. 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 Consider launching digital reward programs to incentivize local spending. Centralize your local business data for effective business retention strategies. Leverage consumer data to tailor shop-local campaigns to specific areas or seasons. Minimize barriers for businesses to participate in city-sponsored programs. Regularly evaluate and track consumer behaviors to measure the impact of your initiatives. Use qualitative consumer feedback to validate program effectiveness. Collaborate with local chambers, business districts, and main streets for increased program reach. Explore targeted incentives to revitalize specific economic zones. Integrate technology-driven solutions to streamline business support and retention processes. Continuously innovate engagement tactics to keep consumers excited and actively shopping locally. Special Guest: Sophia Zheng. econdev, economic development, eco devo, Economic development, business retention, shop local, community rewards, data analytics, technology, local economies, BR&E, Govtech, AI integration In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson interviews Sophia Zheng, Founder and CEO of Bludot Technologies, a startup initially incubated through a unique collaboration with a city’s economic development department.

Sophia explains how Bludot’s innovative platform helps more than 150 communities across the U.S. and Canada retain and expand local businesses through advanced data analytics and digital incentives. She dives into the successful Open Rewards program, a community-wide shop-local initiative, and explores how technologies like AI could further enhance business retention and expansion strategies. Sophia also highlights Bludot’s achievements, including recognition in Govtech 100 and AWS GovtechStart, as well as USDA NIFA grants for supporting rural economic development.

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

Ten Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers

  1. Consider launching digital reward programs to incentivize local spending.
  2. Centralize your local business data for effective business retention strategies.
  3. Leverage consumer data to tailor shop-local campaigns to specific areas or seasons.
  4. Minimize barriers for businesses to participate in city-sponsored programs.
  5. Regularly evaluate and track consumer behaviors to measure the impact of your initiatives.
  6. Use qualitative consumer feedback to validate program effectiveness.
  7. Collaborate with local chambers, business districts, and main streets for increased program reach.
  8. Explore targeted incentives to revitalize specific economic zones.
  9. Integrate technology-driven solutions to streamline business support and retention processes.
  10. Continuously innovate engagement tactics to keep consumers excited and actively shopping locally.

Special Guest: Sophia Zheng.

Sponsored By:

Links:

]]> In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson interviews Sophia Zheng, Founder and CEO of Bludot Technologies, a startup initially incubated through a unique collaboration with a city’s economic development department.

Sophia explains how Bludot’s innovative platform helps more than 150 communities across the U.S. and Canada retain and expand local businesses through advanced data analytics and digital incentives. She dives into the successful Open Rewards program, a community-wide shop-local initiative, and explores how technologies like AI could further enhance business retention and expansion strategies. Sophia also highlights Bludot’s achievements, including recognition in Govtech 100 and AWS GovtechStart, as well as USDA NIFA grants for supporting rural economic development.

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

Ten Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers

  1. Consider launching digital reward programs to incentivize local spending.
  2. Centralize your local business data for effective business retention strategies.
  3. Leverage consumer data to tailor shop-local campaigns to specific areas or seasons.
  4. Minimize barriers for businesses to participate in city-sponsored programs.
  5. Regularly evaluate and track consumer behaviors to measure the impact of your initiatives.
  6. Use qualitative consumer feedback to validate program effectiveness.
  7. Collaborate with local chambers, business districts, and main streets for increased program reach.
  8. Explore targeted incentives to revitalize specific economic zones.
  9. Integrate technology-driven solutions to streamline business support and retention processes.
  10. Continuously innovate engagement tactics to keep consumers excited and actively shopping locally.

Special Guest: Sophia Zheng.

Sponsored By:

Links:

]]>