Downtown Wake Forest, NC is historic and charming featuring many shops and restaurants. One thing it does not yet have is a major employer. When Jason Cannon, President of Wake Forest’s Business and Industry Partnership (BIP), learned that a local operator of co-working spaces had plans to convert a downtown warehouse into co-working and event …
One of the more interesting projects Creative EDC worked on this year was an update to the North Carolina Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) strategic plan. Interesting, in part, because of the timing. Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) have been, and continue to be, at the forefront of the economic recovery effort. During …
It’s not just a tagline – “SBTDC: Your Business. Better.” Read More »
If you are one of the 52% of workers who are considering a job change this year or the 44% (Fast Company) who have plans in place, then you need a plan for your first 30 days on the new job. The first days of a new job are a whirlwind of meet and greet, …
Top 10 Things to Do in Your First 30-Days on the Job Read More »
Now more than ever before, communities are looking for growth in economic activity to “get back to normal’. Opportunities for new investment and jobs often means developing a clear communications strategy to brief local and state government partners on the potential for the project, or even to advocate for public investments or actions to support …
It is hard to imagine in our lifetimes a summer more anticipated and full of promise than the summer of 2021. Opportunity and possibility are everywhere we look, especially when compared to last year when the world seemed so closed and unpredictable. Books may be a part of your plans for a sweet summer or …
We like to see data. Reading data just doesn’t paint the same picture as data visualization. With a keen focus on the unemployment rate over the last 15 months, we wanted to see what was happening across our primary market (NC, SC, and VA). Like you, over the past 15 months we read about soaring …
What is the key to staying in the same position, in the same community for a long time and continuing to be successful? In a profession of musical chairs, what’s the secret sauce to longevity? We asked six economic developers who have been in the same position in the same community for more than 20 …
The Secret Sauce to a Long Career in Economic Development – Advice from the Best Read More »
Disruption in the economy, changing marketing and communications strategies, and growing/declining sectors make this a good time to update your strategic plan. Which sectors should I focus on? What marketing strategies are best now? What’s the best way to help small businesses recover? These are a few of the questions our clients have been asking. …
Creative EDC has a Back Office Suite of Services for EDOs that allows you to stay focused on the important tasks each day. We developed the back office to support research requests, surveys, reporting, content development, and other short-term projects. Maybe you’ve thought about hiring a part-timer/freelancer but hesitated because you would have to spend …
Ever wish you had a back office to tackle your to-do list? Read More »
Ensuring your economic development organization has a competitive pay and benefits structure is critical to recruiting and retaining talented people. With 38% reporting retirement plans within the next 10 years, it’s more important than ever for economic development organizations (EDOs) to evaluate compensation structure to recruit future talent and keep the pipeline strong. This survey, …
2021 North Carolina Economic Development Salary Survey Read More »
Leadership, inclusiveness, entrepreneurship, marketing, and women’s employment trends were the topics of this year’s Learn and Lead Forum. We learned how to be better leaders in our organizations, communities, and profession while connecting with colleagues across the southeast. This year, WEDN was four lunch and learn virtual meetings. Dr. Karen Dyer kicked off the meeting …
The dos and don’ts for virtual job interviews can be applied to most important virtual meetings. We compiled the list after having supported two recent executive searches for county-level EDOs (Vance and Chatham Counties, NC). Virtual interviews became common place due to the pandemic, but they are here to stay for at least the early …
Well, it should be no trouble finding a theme for any part of 2020 – even if the summer slipped up on us and is now on the downhill slope toward fall. It makes sense that the ‘work from home’ framework would support even more time for reading and blogging and yet this one seems …
Site certification works. In order to attract new development, communities have to prepare for it; site certification tools turn ‘dirt’ into real assets. Certification shows that project work can begin and removes a lot of risk and uncertainty. Having a certified, ‘shovel ready’ site includes environmental assessments, infrastructure details, site planning, and documents that other …
Turning Plain Dirt into a Real Asset: ElectriCities Smart Sites Certification Program Read More »
Creative EDC Intern Rylee Govoreau explores economic development with three professionals at different stages in their careers. Pass this along to a young person you know who may be interested in a career in economic development. As with every other industry, economic development is facing the silver tsunami. We should all be proactive in recruiting bright young people to our field. ~ …
