Economic Development Is Not for Amateurs!: A must-read for community leaders on how to achieve economic development success

Economic Development Is [STILL] Not for Amateurs! (2nd edition) shows forward-thinking leaders how to transform local, regional, or state economies and supercharge a community’s revitalization effort to attract jobs, investment, and residents. Offering practical real-world solutions, economic development experts Jay Garner and Ross Patten identify the steps that communities of all sizes can implement to create a roadmap for long-term economic success. This step-by-step guide to transform locations explains how to: Provide the certainty, simplicity, and speed necessary to build a strong business climate Sell voters on the investments necessaryto attract and retain employers and jobs Create, identify, and reinforce your community’s brand Build a resilient economy prepared for business closings, natural catastrophes, and stiff competition Help create irrefutable proof of a skilled workforce that is ready to work as well as a talent pipeline that is ready to fill the jobs of tomorrow Find the inevitable bottlenecks of investment in order to keep your momentum building NEW — Understand the site selection process and how to prepare for visits NEW — Create a community-focused approach to diversity, equity and inclusion This second edition follows a very well-received first edition that has sold over 8,000 copies. Revised and updated for a post-COVID reality, two new chapters are now included to demystify today’s site-selection process and turn equity, diversity, and inclusion into community pillars that will both attract investment and spark sustainable wealth-building. Whether you are a newly elected or appointed leader wondering where to start or a long-term policymaker looking to model today’s best practices, Economic Development Is [STILL] Not for Amateurs! will show you the way. Chapter Titles: Chapter 1: Effective Leadership = Community Prosperity Chapter 2: No Product, No Project(r) Chapter 3: Market Regionally, Sell Locally — and Protect the Brand Chapter 4: Is Your Labor Force Work Ready? Chapter 5: Demystifying the Site-Selection Process (New) Chapter 6: Grow Your Garden Chapter 7: Time Kills Deals Chapter 8: The Charm Factor Chapter 9: Y’all Means Y’all (New) Chapter 10: Control Your Own Destiny or Someone Else Will Each chapter has a bulleted summary of the key takeaways for quick reference and recall. Contact the authors for special pricing for 26+ book orders