EDO Breakthrough

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EDO Breakthrough

Sandy Dubay, CEcD

32 episodes

18 hours ago

While we’re gearing up for Season 4, this bonus mini-episode is here to help you turn appreciation into impact! Giving thanks doesn’t have to be a huge production, so we’re sharing quick, meaningful ways you can build stronger partnerships, re-engage allies, and create ripple effects in your community. Resources Mentioned: Mastering The Art of Meaningful AppreciationCommunity Engagement Should Be in Every Job DescriptionThe EDO Breakthrough podcast is brought to you by PPR Strategies. PPR Str...

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All content for EDO Breakthrough is the property of Sandy Dubay, CEcD and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

While we’re gearing up for Season 4, this bonus mini-episode is here to help you turn appreciation into impact! Giving thanks doesn’t have to be a huge production, so we’re sharing quick, meaningful ways you can build stronger partnerships, re-engage allies, and create ripple effects in your community. Resources Mentioned: Mastering The Art of Meaningful AppreciationCommunity Engagement Should Be in Every Job DescriptionThe EDO Breakthrough podcast is brought to you by PPR Strategies. PPR Str...

Show more...

Episodes (20/32)

EDO Breakthrough

The 5-Minute Strategy That Strengthens Alliances

While we’re gearing up for Season 4, this bonus mini-episode is here to help you turn appreciation into impact! Giving thanks doesn’t have to be a huge production, so we’re sharing quick, meaningful ways you can build stronger partnerships, re-engage allies, and create ripple effects in your community. Resources Mentioned: Mastering The Art of Meaningful AppreciationCommunity Engagement Should Be in Every Job DescriptionThe EDO Breakthrough podcast is brought to you by PPR Strategies. PPR Str...

18 hours ago

7 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E30 - Why Storytelling Is Every Economic Developer’s Secret Weapon, with Meg Boyle

What if the key to better marketing, stronger partnerships, and more trust in your EDO is simply… better writing? In this episode, Sandy sits down with PPR Strategies’ Creative Director, Meg Boyle, for a candid look at the power of words in economic development. From finding an authentic voice to writing with empathy, Meg shares how storytelling fuels the strategies that build stronger communities. Key Takeaways: How to write with conviction, even outside your comfort zoneHow AI can be helpfu...

4 weeks ago

47 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E29 - Inside Bath’s Business Improvement District: Responsive Solutions, Big Results with Allison Herbert

Some may see heritage preservation as a challenge, but in Bath, UK, it’s an opportunity. With fewer than 90,000 residents drawing 6 million visitors a year, the results speak for themselves. In this episode, Alison Herbert, CEO of the Bath Business Improvement District (BID), shares how one of the UK’s most historic cities manages the balance between charm and commerce while delivering tangible economic development outcomes for local businesses. From Bridgerton fans and Jane Austen fest...

1 month ago

43 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E28 - Blending Law, Leadership, and Local Impact, with Tray Hairston

It’s one thing to land a big project… It’s another to build a legacy. In this episode, Certified Economic Developer Tray Hairston, partner at Butler Snow LLP, shares how he’s built a career at the intersection of law, finance, and community-building. From structuring billion-dollar bond deals to mentoring the next generation of talent, Tray explains how understanding both the legal and human aspects of economic development can unlock more effective and inclusive projects. Key Take...

1 month ago

1 hour 3 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E27 - Weather, Water, Workforce: How Detroit Became a Model for Modern Economic Development, with Maureen Donohue Krauss

Once written off, now in demand… Detroit’s comeback offers a blueprint for any community that’s ready to rewrite its story—with strategy, collaboration, and a clear sense of identity. In this episode, Maureen Donohue Krauss, President and CEO of the Detroit Regional Partnership, shares how the organization was built from the ground up, with long-term funding and strategic goals in place from day one. She walks us through the evolution of the Detroit Region overcoming major disruptors and how ...

2 months ago

40 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E26 - Building Relationships That Attract Investment, with Chris Knight

What if you could land new foreign direct investment projects *and* keep existing employers happy… without a million-dollar budget? In this episode, Chris Knight, Managing Director of FT Locations, pulls back the curtain on relationship-first strategies that help communities of any size compete on the global stage. Key Takeaways: How to embed businesses in your community to boost retention and long-term growthTips for standing out among the 15,000 EDOs that are chasing the same 15,000 project...

3 months ago

51 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E25 – The Art and Science of Economic Development, with Heather Gramm, CEcD

What happens when you shift from serving one community to supporting dozens? In this episode, Heather Gramm, CEcD, reflects on her transition from the public to the private sector. She shares the learning curves, the surprises, and how she’s applying both the art and the science of economic development in fresh, meaningful ways. Key Takeaways: How Heather’s sons helped her see workforce development through a new lensThe biggest surprises Heather encountered after leaving the public sectorHow ...

3 months ago

35 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E24 - How to Make Your Site More Competitive, with Nicholette Ross

It’s not just about workforce and utilities… Companies want to know your community is ready for them, too. Drawing from her site selection experience in the U.S. and Europe, Nicholette Ross shares why it’s critical to align with local stakeholders earlier than most economic developers expect, especially when public input and cultural fit can make or break a project. She also explains how being honest about a site’s limitations can make your community more competitive. Key Takeaways: Wha...

4 months ago

40 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E23 - Starting Fresh, Staying Strong: Lessons from 25 Years in Economic Development, with Kelly Robertson-Slagle

What does it take to lead through a crisis, earn trust in new communities, and stay passionate after 25 years in economic development? In this episode, Kelly Robertson-Slagle discusses the importance of letting people operate in their “zone of awesomeness,” why having a passion project matters at every stage, and the key lessons she’s carrying with her to her new role in Georgetown County, South Carolina, after a 25-year tenure in Maryland. Key Takeaways: Why mentorship isn’t just for beginne...

4 months ago

38 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E22 - Chart Your Course with a CRM, with Lisa DeNoia and Brittany Browning

Is your team drowning in spreadsheets and struggling to sort through all the data? Discover how implementing the right CRM strategy can turn scattered information into actionable insights without overwhelming your staff. In this episode, Lisa DeNoia and Brittany Browning from Port and Starboard share expert insights on implementing Salesforce and other CRM solutions specifically for economic development organizations. Learn how to track business retention efforts, manage prospect pipelines, a...

5 months ago

46 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E21 - Leading Through Uncertainty: How IEDC Is Reshaping Economic Development, with Nathan Ohle

As economic uncertainty grows, how is the leading organization in economic development positioning its members for success? In this episode, Nathan Ohle, President and CEO of IEDC, is sharing how they're tackling today's most pressing challenges while simultaneously preparing members for tomorrow's opportunities. Key Takeaways: How the economic development field is evolving from community competition to regional collaboration, and what this means for your EDOWays IEDC is breaking down b...

5 months ago

56 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E20 - Rural Economic Development Reimagined, with Jolene Schalper

What happens when economic development spans 44,000 square miles of rural frontier? In our season two finale, Jolene Schalper, CEcD, joins us to share how Great Falls, Montana, serves as the hub for a vast region and why the upcoming IEDC Rural Retreat is breaking the conference mold by taking participants directly into the communities they're learning about. Key Takeaways: How to build a stronger ecosystem despite geographic challengesWhat to expect from the innovative Rural Retreat f...

6 months ago

33 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E19 - Punching Above Your Weight: Fairfax’s Economic Development Success Story, with Chris Bruno

Surrounded by jurisdictions 50 times its size, the City of Fairfax has mastered the art of punching above its weight. In this episode, Chris Bruno shares how this 25,000-resident community competes with neighboring giants and transforms limitations into strategic advantages. Key Takeaways: How you can create strategic alliances that allow your smaller jurisdiction to participate on a larger stage The frameworks for developing business support initiatives that can lower vacancy rates and ...

7 months ago

36 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E18 - Beyond the Cover Story: PR Strategies for your EDO, with Mia Vaccaro

Public Relations isn’t always about chasing the spotlight and making headlines. In economic development, effective PR is about turning your narrative into a compelling message that resonates with the community you serve. In this episode, Mia Vaccaro draws on her background in lifestyle PR to help you create a strategy that goes beyond traditional media coverage and truly connects with your audience. Key Takeaways: How PR can be a bridge for your organization to the external worldWhy you shoul...

7 months ago

32 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E17 - Small Investments, Big Impact: How to Improve Your Downtown, with Leeann Crews

The most impactful downtown revitalization strategy might just be the least expensive one… In this episode, Leeann Crews shares how the Downtown Frederick Partnership is implementing “incremental changes,” measuring community health, and turning overlooked spaces into beloved community assets. Key Takeaways: How to measure the health of your downtown and find innovative solutions to problemsWhy targeted grant programs like facade and mission interior grants create lasting economic impact with...

7 months ago

43 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E16 - Raising the Bar on Your Business Attraction Strategies, with Subash Alias

What if your next big business attraction project started with a mock site visit? In Missouri, that’s not just a theory—it’s a strategy that is delivering real results. In this episode, Subash Alias shares how Missouri Partnership is helping communities prepare for economic growth with its innovative site selection training program. Key Takeaways: Why site selection is about vision, not just locationHow mock site visits have turned into real economic winsThe importance of adapting and learnin...

7 months ago

37 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E15 - Creating a Business Resource Collective, with Sarah Mattson

Is your community’s economic potential limited because everyone works in silos? Today we’re joined by Sarah Mattson, Director of Entrepreneurship with the City of Chattanooga, who shares how simple and effective it is to create a Business Resource Collective in which entrepreneur support organizations work together instead of duplicating efforts. Plus, she reveals an unexpected partnership with… a credit union?! Their local credit union has developed a loan program that has helped hundr...

7 months ago

38 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E14 - Social Media for EDOs: Building Two-Way Communication, with Kayla Sherry

Do you feel like you’re shouting into the void every time you post on social media? Today we’re sharing how you can transform your EDO’s approach from broadcasting information to creating meaningful two-way conversations that drive engagement *and* results. Key Takeaways: Understand your audience while working within your capacity constraintsStrategies for effectively repurposing content across platforms (beyond copy/paste)How you can generate credibility in your communityWhen building partne...

8 months ago

36 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E13 - Strategic Plans: Your EDO’s Roadmap or its Roadblock? With Alex Dadok

Is your EDO’s strategic plan a short-term to-do list? Or just a vague vision that leaves employees with more questions? In this episode, Alex Dadok and I discuss why having the courage to question assumptions – and take real action – is the key to community transformation. Key Takeaways: Why most EDOs use strategic plans wrong (and how to turn them into actual tools for progress)How to create space for thinking ahead while balancing day-to-day operationsThe reasons your organization might be ...

8 months ago

46 minutes

EDO Breakthrough

E12 - Building Organizational Capacity, with Joi Cuartero Austin

You can take inspiration from other communities and things you learn at conferences, but you simply can’t copy/paste what others are doing…it just won’t work. And that’s where Main Street America comes in, to help historic downtowns re-energize! Joi Cuartero Austin and I discuss Main Street America’s hyper-local support, strategic doing vs. strategic planning, and leaning into your strengths. Key Takeaways: Incremental changes can lead to big wins over time.ALL parts of a community need to “c...

8 months ago

35 minutes