the Local Economy Labs

I had the pleasure to speak with Connie Stopher, CEcD, FDIP, CEO at Southern California Wine Country EDC and absolutely loved the conversation.In this episode, ya'll will earn from Connie Stopher, CEcD, FDIP about:- The Economic Development Secret Most Cities Can't Do Alone- Are U.S. Policies Pushing Global Companies Away?- What It Really Takes to Land an International Company- The Data Center Gold Rush: Boom or Bust?- Why CEOs Care More About Quality of Life Than Tax Incentives- California: Still the Best Place for Global Business?- How Regions Compete for Billion-Dollar InvestmentsIf any international companies want to open their branch or relocate in So Cal, this is the episode for you and Connie is the person to connect with.

Lisa Hausz, MBA, PMP® is the Economic Development Program Manager at City of Tempe Economic Development dept. and Parrish Spisz is the Assistant of Vice Mayor and 2nd VP of NLC at City of TempeOne of the key focus of the City of Tempe's ED departments is to create a supporting and nurturing environment for #Entrepreneurship in the valley via partnerships.In this #podcast, they talk about:👉 The four key areas of economic development they focus on:→ → Investment, development, and redevelopment of city projects→ → Business retention and expansion, as well as workforce developmentInnovation and entrepreneurship support→ → Policy, procedures, land use, and rezoning initiatives→ → Marketing, strategic planning, and administrative functions👉 How partnerships are being used to foster entrepreneurship and support local businesses👉 The launch of Think Tempe and its role in attracting investment, businesses, and talent👉 An insightful discussion on a key question:What part of economic development work is most misunderstood, yet has the greatest impact on a community's success?and bunch of ear nuggets along the way :-)

Wayne Emerson, EDFP Director of Economic Development is the creative genius behind idea to start Amenity Grant for Addison, Texas.We had the pleasure to speak and learn from Wayne and Marc Grossfeld, CFA Managing Partner at Sunwest Real Estate Group about their collaboration to improve commercial real estate buildings and sustain/bring more businesses to the town to increase/retain their property tax revenue.And guess what ... its working wondersIn this #podcast, they talk about:What is unique about AddisonPopulation vs. businesses; Commercial Real EstateTaxable income being major revenue source for the cityAmenity Grant programWhat is itAmount allocated How do you distribute it and select recipients Partnership with Sunwest Real Estate GroupKPIs: Measuring program success?Do's and Don'ts for leasing a commercial space - Mistakes to avoidand bunch of ear nuggets along the way.

Steven Jenkins is the Economic and Community Development Advisor at Idaho Power. Previously, he served as Economic Development Director at City of Caldwell ID. In this episode, we dive into:Power & data centers: what pre-engineering assessments are and how utilities evaluate projectsIdaho’s power boom — Meta, Micron, and the wave of large-scale developmentsHow Idaho Power evaluates and prioritizes upcoming projectsUnderstanding how utility companies actually operate behind the scenesWhat cities can do to prepare sites and involve communities before major projects arriveForeign Trade Zones: what they are and how they can become a competitive advantage for citiesA fascinating conversation for city leaders, utilities, economic development teams, and anyone thinking about the future of infrastructure and growth.

In this episode, Dr. Dustin Stambaugh, City Manager at City of Weed, CA shares his perspective on:Why we need to get serious about managing our water supplyData centers and their cooling demandsWhat City Managers should consider before approving data centers in their communitiesWhat hydrology is — and why it matters more than everGolf courses and water usage (including a surprising insight)The Colorado River Compact and its long-term implicationsNavigating difficult decisions in public leadership…and plenty of insightful nuggets along the way.

Aayush Gupta is the Economic Development Reporter at Dallas Business Journal.In this interview we talk about:Are incentives still driving relocation decisions, or are workforce, infrastructure, and quality of life taking the lead?What is Y'all Street? Finance Boom in DFWHow big is the funding gap between SMBs and large corporations when it comes to incentives and access to capital?In business-friendly regions like Texas, how much does community input influence decisions to attract large corporations?Cities like Princeton, Celina, Anna, and Melissa are growing fast - what does economic development look like in these smaller, emerging markets?DFW's explosive growth - 400 people moving their daily.What role are data centers playing in local economic strategies today?As a reporter, what do you focus on most—and are there political or economic pressures that shape coverage?In today’s economy, who is clearly winning and who is quietly falling behind?How is AI affecting the Journalists workflow.any many more ear nuggets along the way.

Marian Marquez: Sr. VP of Economic Development, Alexandria Economic Development PartnershipIn this episode, Marian shares how Alexandria, VA is strategically driving growth and supporting its business ecosystem.We dive into:• Key industries shaping Alexandria’s future — Cybersecurity, AI, and more• How to define and track KPIs — from selection to stakeholder buy-in• The process behind choosing high-impact projects• Spotlight on major initiatives like the Virginia Tech Institute for Advanced Computing• Community-driven development — balancing resident input with strategic priorities• The role of the “Thinkers & Residents Board” and how it strengthens decision-making• Supporting early-stage entrepreneurs and fostering innovation• How to decide which projects are worth rallying behindThis conversation is packed with actionable insights for Economic Development leaders, city officials, and entrepreneurs looking to drive meaningful impact.

Christina Winn leads lead the Prince William County Department of Economic Development, catalyzing investment, retention, and redevelopment opportunities in the second largest county in Virginia. By positioning the county as a leader in the fast-paced, evolving economy of the Washington, D.C. region, we are shaping stages for expansion and collaboration in key target industries.In this interview she talks about:Why they are perfectly located for anyone who wants to build company in Supply Chain Logistics and Biotechnology.How state and local governments determine incentives for corporations?Economic Impact vs. Fiscal ImpactData Centers and Community ImpactHow they encourage startup founders and businesses?Tech work culture and infrastructure to support businesses.What does it take to open up XYZ store in particular area?and many more nuggets along the way.

Deborah Mohlenhoff is a public-sector executive, leadership educator, and community strategist with more than 20 years of experience spanning city government, higher education, and nonprofit leadership.She most recently served as the founding City Manager for the City of Ithaca, New York, where she established the city’s first professional administrative structure and led major efforts to modernize operations, strengthen leadership capacity, and align budgets and policy with community priorities.In this podcast, she shares her insights on:Vacancy Tax - What is it and how it is being usedStrict vs. UnStrict ordinances - how they help or restrict businesses.When storefronts sit empty, is that a market issue or a policy issue?Do we build more housing to attract businesses, or attract businesses to justify more housing? Which comes first?Are commercial lease structures quietly working against long-term small business success?Has cannabis legalization strengthened Ithica's downtown — or complicated it? If you could change one economic lever tomorrow to unlock growth, what would it be?and bunch of ear nuggets along the way.

Mahfam, is the Owner and Operator of two businesses in Chandler AZ.In this conversation, she talks about:Why she choose to set up her business in Chandler vs other neighboring citiesWhat was the hardest part of getting off the ground and where did she feel most unsupported?What city or local government processes were surprisingly helpful and which ones slowed you down more than expected?How did she learn about local business resources grants, programs, permits, or support and what made that easy or difficult?”Her perspective as a small business owner, what does ‘support from the city’ actually mean in real, practical terms?Suggestion to city of Chandler's economic development team on what would help other SMBs in their area.and bunch of ear nuggets along the way.

Tara Palacios: Dir. BizLaunch Arlington Economic Development shares her point of view on the following: Starting and sustaining a business.Programs for SMBs: Local Rewards Program, SOAR Initiative, ReLocate Program, etc.What’s a recent SMB success win in your city that you’re genuinely proud of?What part of your economic development work do you think is most misunderstood but actually matters a lot?What’s one assumption about small businesses that your team has had to unlearn?If you could redesign your support for businesses from scratch today, what would you stop doing immediately?What’s a piece of feedback from a business owner that stayed with you?And bunch of ear nuggets along the way.