Testimonials

What are the most important website trends for economic development in 2025? How can your organization stay ahead of the digital curve for strategic effectiveness? Join Golden Shovel CEO, Aaron Brossoit, and Sklar Consulting founder and principal, Alissa Sklar, Ph.D., as they explore the top trends shaping economic development websites this year. From AI integration and innovative data tools to storytelling techniques and talent attraction strategies, this webinar will offer actionable insights and live examples to help your organization leverage the power of modern web design and marketing.

Join us for our annual Holiday Happy Hour to wrap up the year! We'll be reviewing the greatest trends in economic development, client awards & special projects and opening it up for discussions and networking.

When 88% of organizations use artificial intelligence in some form but only 6% see meaningful results, it's clear there's a disconnect. And the technology is rarely the problem.

According to a recent Golden Shovel Agency survey, more than half of economic development professionals expect AI to have an impact on their region's key industries. That means now is the time to help those businesses prepare.

In this webinar, Eric and Ashley Canada of Blane Canada AI will explain how EDOs can use AI assessments as a BR&E tool to help businesses evaluate operations, goals, teams, and guardrails, setting themselves up for success in their AI initiatives.

Golden Shovel Agency testimonial by Amy Madison from Pflugerville Community Development Corporation. In her testimonial, Amy talks about Golden Shovel Agency's web development and customer service and the GSA-built website for PCDC. (https://www.pfdevelopment.com)

(00:00) What is the greatest challenge that Golden Shovel Agency has helped you solve?
(00:08) Why did you choose to partner with Golden Shovel Agency?
(00:38) What did you like most about working with Golden Shovel Agency?
(1:12) What have your greatest achievements been since working with Golden Shovel Agency?
(2:13) What advice would you give to someone who is considering partnering with Golden Shovel Agency?
(2:53) What are your goals for the future?

Are you getting the best results from social media? Every economic development organization can improve its SEO results with some simple improvements. Backed by research and extensive experience, the Golden Shovel Agency team has put together these Social Media Best Practices to help you succeed.

Our presenters will teach you how to optimize your social media profiles, grow your following, and get more leads through social. You’ll learn about some new features of each platform and walk away with tips and tricks you can use every day, along with a few “hidden” best practices that you might not hear of anywhere else.

Expect to learn: 

1. How to get the most out of your social media profiles.
2. What an “optimal post” looks like in each platform.
3. Which audiences to target on each platform.
4. And much, much more!

Golden Shovel Agency client testimonial by Audrey Schroyer from Gainesville, TX Economic Development Corporation. In her testimonial, Audrey talks about Golden Shovel Agency's web development services and the GSA-built website for Gainesville EDC.

(00:00) What were the greatest challenges that Golden Shovel Agency helped you solve?
(00:26) Why did you choose Golden Shovel Agency?
(00:58) What do you like best about working with Golden Shovel Agency?
(1:43) What advice would you give to someone who is considering working with Golden Shovel Agency

Golden Shovel Agency is thrilled to announce a new geo-targeting tool that allows you to personalize your existing website content based on the geographic location of visitors. On average, geo-targeting:

•  Improves time-on-site by 25%
•  Increases pages-per session by 30%
•  Nearly doubles the conversion rate of your CTAs
•  Brings in more quality traffic

Geo-targeting is a new tool, offered exclusively from Golden Shovel Agency, allowing you to market your community to other regions, getting much more qualified leads. You’ll also one-up other economic development organizations. Not only does this tool make you the “cool kid” in economic development, but you’ll also impress your board and have a better ROI on your marketing dollars.

If you’re wondering how to talk directly to different geographic personas, don’t wait any longer! Start connecting with specific audiences from all around the world by using this fast integration in a single line of code.

In this webinar, GeoFli co-founder, Kyle Pucko explained more about this awesome tool and how to personalize your website to targeted regions that you choose.

Local businesses are looking to your economic development organizations to attract talent to the community, but turning interest into new residents and employees isn't entirely in your hands. Local businesses have a part to play in a prospect's decision-making journey, but too many don't know what to do.

Here's what we covered:

How the recruitment and talent attraction game has changed. 
What local businesses are doing to drop the talent attraction ball.
The new game in town -- recruitment marketing and employer branding. 
How EDOs and businesses can set themselves up for more talent attraction wins.
What you can do to bring the recruitment marketing game to your community.

Does it seem like the major cities get all the investments and your small community is stuck with nothing? This makes your job as an economic development professional even more challenging because without those investments, the more difficult it is to meet community needs for housing, jobs, medical facilities, etc. And don't even get us started with standard banking in small cities compared to major ones.

But don't worry, there's still hope for your small, unique community! Join us on August 24 at 1 PM, CST with Deborah Burns, InvestUS, where she'll teach you how to overcome these challenges. Deborah and her team have a variety of strategic relationships that can help you seal the deal on investments, no matter how small your community.

This collaborative session explored innovative strategies for attracting, developing, and retaining skilled workers essential for community growth. Golden Shovel, a leader in economic development communications, shared proven techniques for workforce attraction, including digital marketing strategies, quality of life initiatives, and the use of advanced technology like VR and 3D tours to highlight community assets. Discover how to effectively market your community’s strengths and position it as a desirable place for both businesses and talent. Convergent Nonprofit Solutions brought their expertise in capital campaign management and nonprofit fundraising to the table, offering insights into securing the necessary resources to implement workforce development programs. Learn how to align your workforce initiatives with broader economic goals, engage stakeholders, and create sustainable funding models.

Golden Shovel Agency client testimonial by Carlos Guzman from Pasadena EDC. In his testimonial, Carlos talks about Golden Shovel Agency's economic development website services and the GSA-built website for Pasadena EDC.

(00:00) What was the biggest challenge that Golden Shovel Agency helped you solve?
(00:18) Why did you choose Golden Shovel Agency?
(00:37) What do you like best about working with Golden Shovel Agency?
(00:51) What are some of your greatest achievements since partnering with Golden Shovel Agency?
(1:23) What are Pasadena EDC's goals for the future?
(1:42) Additional comments?

Help solve your community’s workforce shortage by making it easier for parents to get back to work. Golden Shovel Agency has compiled best practices and childcare success stories from community leaders across North America. Learn about community-centric approaches to creating more capacity, collaborating with stakeholders, leveraging funding opportunities, and making a tangible impact. Attend this presentation to hear real stories and download our whitepaper so you can make real change for your community.

Yankton, South Dakota has taken a fresh approach to diversity, inclusion, and workforce attraction. They are "Connecting Cultures" in a fun and vibrant way. Learn how they set up this innovative program and the benefits of having fun with inclusion and diversity.

Golden Shovel Agency client testimonial by Danielle Scheiner from Conroe, TX Economic Development Council. In her testimonial, Danielle talks about Golden Shovel Agency's web development services and the website GSA built for Conroe EDC. (https://www.conroeedc.org)

(00:00) What is the biggest challenge that Golden Shovel Agency helped you to solve?
(00:26) Why did you choose Golden Shovel Agency?
(1:04) What do you like best about working with Golden Shovel Agency?
(1:34) What are your greatest achievements since working with Golden Shovel Agency?
(2:05) What advice do you have for someone who is considering working with Golden Shovel Agency?
(2:31) What are your goals of Conroe, TX EDC for the future?
(2:37) What other features do you like best about your Golden Shovel Agency website?

Technology tools are revolutionizing how economic developers interact with local businesses, gather data, conduct business visits, and analyze information after the fact. Discover how technology can help you to scale your Business Retention and Expansion program and connect with more businesses without a large budget. Listen to real-world case studies that demonstrate the full impact of these technology tools in action.

As an economic developer, you are the community hero. You fight the good fight to bring in jobs, investment, improve quality of life, and solve workforce challenges. But what if your website is holding you back?

A website is unlike other marketing collateral. It’s a living, breathing entity with a job to do 24/7. In order to do this job, your site needs to be regularly refreshed with relevant, engaging data and SEO-friendly articles that are worthwhile to both site selectors and local businesses of all sizes and scopes.

If your website isn’t working as hard as you are, don’t panic quite yet. We can help! We’re sharing our best practices on economic development websites. In this webinar, we covered:

-What needs to be included on your economic development website
-How to know if your website is outdated
-Practical ways to improve your website content and design
-Budget considerations that come with a website design project
-The power of adding a creative partner to your team

Ramsey County leaders wanted to effectively communicate with site selectors and companies looking to relocate, providing them information on the ample incentives offered by the east metro. In order to gain the attention of site selectors and showcase their resources, they needed a strong online presence with a user-friendly tool.

To accomplish this economic development goal, Ramsey County pursued an online incentives dashboard. This online resource consolidates local, state and regional incentives and resources for existing and future businesses. By offering a powerful, easy-to-use online portal, Ramsey County economic developers and partnering agencies are committing to vibrant business growth. In this webinar, Ramsey County Economic Development Specialist Rick Howden shared about Ramsey’s vision and how success.

As an economic developer, it is critical to take action to protect the local economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are specific things that can be done to help protect local businesses and the workforce. With the stimulus bill having been passed, it is important to understand what provisions are included for businesses and workers and how people within your community can access them. Golden Shovel created informative materials our clients can use to convey information about the SBA Economic Disaster loan and new Paycheck Protection Program, among others.

Aaron Farmer, President of  The Retail Coach and Aaron Brossoit, CEO of Golden Shovel Agency joined on this webinar for a 'fireside chat' exploring the changing face of retail post-pandemic and what that will mean for communities. They reviewed the trends in the retail landscape, discussed strategies for retail recruitment, and explored some of the new technologies that are defining the New Economic Development Toolkit.

We understand more than ever that communities need to find alternative ways to showcase their assets. With the social distancing and travel bans, virtual reality tours are becoming the go-to method of allowing people to experience your community--without worry about travel restrictions. Join our PlaceVR team for how to create a memorable virtual experience.

Many local businesses have voluntarily or involuntarily closed down to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. Even the businesses that have opened are operating at an extremely limited capacity.

• This leaves local business owners at home thinking about how they can improve business and gain back lost revenues once things get back to normal.
• Entrepreneurial workers will have time to plan the business they’ve always dreamed of opening.
• Laid-off workers may have no choice but to pursue some type of self-employment.

With no ability to go and sit down with any business advice experts because of lockdowns, online resources will be the only option available to plan for their new business or to resurrect their current company. Your local businesses need online assistance to solve this.

To respond to this new challenge and opportunity, we reached out to our friends at SizeUp to find out what they could do for our economic development customers.

Now more than ever economic developers need to actively communicate within their communities and to prospective businesses. In this webinar, we shared strategies for how to communicate during the COVID crisis, along with communication strategies you can use to Get Ahead of the Curve when coming out of it. It is important not to go silent during this crisis.

Intuition alone will not get economic developers through the COVID crisis. Leaders need to understand what content people are consuming and how to make sure your communication is crisp and razor sharp to reach your audience. In this webinar, we reviewed how to look at website traffic to determine the best approach for communicating through the crisis.

The right tools can enable businesses to grow and scale faster, farther, and more cost-effectively.  As communities everywhere pave their way forward through a global pandemic, it’s more important than ever to make sure supply chains are moving smoothly and working to save businesses money and resources. Navegate is the only comprehensive, global platform with all of the capabilities required to bring the power of digital supply chains to every business.

Joe Pelletier, President, and Shannon Olson, VP Global Accounts of Navegate shared on this webinar how better supply chain management can put small businesses back in control.

As we begin the new year, what is the latest update on retail development and opportunity zones, and what does it mean for your community in 2020?

In this webinar, Lacy Beasley, President of Retail Strategies, presented and reviewed on the following topics:

-The state of the retail industry
-Are opportunity zones viable incentives to attract retail development?
-How public-private partnerships are the new normal in retail development

Retail Strategies is a full-service advisory firm that works with municipalities to bring retail and restaurant businesses to the community. Lacy Beasley currently serves as President and formerly as COO. She has been involved in retail real estate since 2005. Her experience with The Shopping Center Group and the Dickson County Chamber of Commerce prior to joining Retail Strategies provides her with the insight to understand the connections needed from the public and private side of the conversation. 

In 2018 Lacy was named to the “Top 40 under 40” by the Birmingham Business Journal, included in the nationwide “Top 100 Influencers in Commercial Real Estate,” and listed as one of Birmingham’s “Eight emerging influencers”.

"Going to work” is not what it used to be. The old model of employer-worker dynamics has been fundamentally altered.

The labor market for professionals is increasingly defined by flexibility in how, where, and when people work. This transformational change is driving rapid growth of remote workers, an expansion of “gig economy” (1099) employment opportunities, and major disruptions in the real estate market, which by the way, are all connected.

In this webinar Jon Roberts and John Karras of TIP Strategies discussed the new realities of work and how economic developers can respond.

Yes. You can take full control of your lead generation activity and convert sales-ready prospects, before your competitors even get close. With Lead Forensics you can turn your anonymous website visitors into actionable sales-ready leads. In real-time.

Chris Murray, VP Partnership of Lead Forensics, reviewed during this client-only webinar, some of the most relevant features of the software, how to best approach new leads and answered questions, to help you improve the results you can get out of your economic development efforts by implementing this cutting-edge tool.

The trade war and the COVID crisis have proven the value of shorter supply chains. Retail stores are closing, often permanently. The best solution to strengthen existing local manufacturers and provide the good jobs needed for social and economic stability for companies, minorities, and displaced retail workers is to reshore manufacturing.

This webinar will provide the tools to help your organizations guide the work back to your region from China and other countries and to turn these critical issues into opportunities for your region.

About the presenter: After 25 years at the helm of GF AgieCharmilles, now GF Machining Solutions, as North American president and subsequently chairman emeritus, Harry Moser founded the Reshoring Initiative to help bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. Largely due to the success of the Reshoring Initiative, Harry was inducted into the Industry Week Manufacturing Hall of Fame 2010 and was named Quality Magazine's Quality Professional of the Year for 2012.

Hear directly from a site selector. Charles “Chuck” Sexton will share exactly how communities make (and miss) the shortlist—plus what wins RFIs and site visits in 2025. Co-presented by Bethany Quinn to translate best practices into actionable steps for your EDO.

What you’ll learn:

• How site selectors build (and narrow) longlists and shortlists
•  The RFI/RFP essentials: what to include, what to skip, and how to respond fast 
• Digital presence must-haves that signal “shovel-ready” (to humans and AI tools) 
• Storytelling that goes beyond the numbers—crafting narrative proof points about your community’s people, place, and readiness
• Planning a high-impact site visit: roles, run-of-show, and common pitfalls 
• Post-visit follow-through that keeps you in the lead

Golden Shovel Agency client testimonial by Garin Giacomarro from Grapevine, TX Economic Development. In his testimonial, Garin talks about Golden Shovel Agency's web development services and the GSA-built website for Grapevine Economic Development. (https://www.choosegrapevinetx.com)

(00:00) What do you like best about working with Golden Shovel Agency?
(00:29) What have your greatest achievements been since working with Golden Shovel Agency?
(00:52) How has Golden Shovel Agency helped your organization to communicate during the COVID-19 pandemic?
(1:30) What advice would you give to someone who is considering working with Golden Shovel Agency?
(2:04) What are the goals of Grapevine Economic Development for the future?

When asked about his job, Garry exclaimed, "I don't like it. I love it!" He loves the direct impact he can make as a GFDC team and organization. He loves the fact that their efforts are a part of a larger regional effort, state, even. He loves that economic development is the only field that truly ebbs and flows with the voice of the stakeholders and industry leaders on a daily basis. Finally, Garry loves the fact that he sees the trend shifting to a Holistic economic development focus nationally- not simply projects landed and secured, but WORKFORCE ATTRACTION, housing, placemaking, and BRAND IDENTIFICATION.

"This field is one of a kind and it takes a true commitment to the cause," says Garry. At the Greater Fremont Development Council, they keep their focus on the mission of growth and sustainability.

The challenges that Garry faces are usually tied to change. The field is always in constant motion, markets and industry ebbs and flows, and community politics and organization shifts make it challenging to plan, but are also exciting to navigate through.

Garry recalls the phrase, "Change is inevitable, but growth is optional." Due to the GFDC's regional partnership with the GREATER OMAHA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, they continue to push for sound economic growth. Garry urges other economic developers to be flexible, nimber, and open to new ideas and collaborations. READY TO GROW?

When considering his greatest success, Garry could easily list accolades but realized that's not the true measure of success. The programs and projects secured as teammates, leaders, and partners, in every community he's ever worked in, is the true measure of success. He states, "The field is a small field and your teamwork and relationships built in communities are the legacies. We simply hope that our programs and projects outlast our daily work, to help secure a better future for our communities."

The COVID-19 crisis will pass and communities that work to get heard now will be remembered after the crisis is over. Join us for this webinar where we will explore how to position your content, website and social media to best communicate within your community and with external audiences for the rest of 2020. Now is the right time to plan.

Bethany Quinn, VP of Strategy & Content Development, spoke with economic developers and community leaders from throughout North America to compile best practices and strategies that have worked to spur housing development at the local level. These solutions are being presented on this webinar and in our latest whitepaper so that economic developers can be inspired and empowered to solve the housing crisis for their communities.

The National Disability Institute (NDI), a non-profit agency with a mission to raise the financial security and capability of Americans with Disabilities, will present on the "Hidden Talent Within Your Community." Nationwide, economic developers are focused on workforce development and attraction. NDI teaches community leaders and companies how to utilize talent within their backyard to fill open jobs. During this webinar, they merge data with insights and strategies to give leaders actionable steps that can be taken to fully engage all of the talents within their communities - something that benefits local employers while transitioning community members from needing social services to contributing to regional economic growth.

Join us with Brian Ingram, Training & Technical Assistance Manager, and Doug Keast, Project Manager, for a discussion around finding that hidden talent within your community.

COVID-19 has disrupted the economy, supply chains & how economic developers do their job. But it hasn’t stopped them from pushing forward for their communities. 

Industry leaders are refusing to have their hands tied and are choosing to fight for economic recovery and future growth. Hear from economic development leaders on how they are fighting the economic impact of COVID-19 and pushing for a prosperous future.

Join us and a panel of economic developers from different communities to learn about how to successfully navigate through the COVID pandemic.

In a time of economic uncertainty, workforce challenges, and supply chain disruptions, communities must invest in their existing businesses. Business Retention & Expansion (BR&E) programs are one of the most effective tools economic developers and chambers can use to generate jobs, strengthen local investment, and build trust with business owners.

In this practical, results-driven webinar, you’ll learn:

• Why 80% of job creation comes from existing business
• How to structure and scale a BR&E program—no matter your budget
• The best tools for implementation, automation, and analysis
• How other communities have used BR&E to secure billions in investment
• Funding options, including how to partner with the local business community to raise capital

Renee Wott, Vice President of Economic Development at GrantWorks and a former EDA employee, has firsthand insight into how to structure EDA grant applications for approval. During this webinar, Renee discussed grant requirements, how to overcome challenges and grant writing strategies. Watch the recording for tips on how to be successful when applying for Economic Development Administration grants!

This webinar explores best practices leaders can use to promote tourism in their communities this summer and beyond. The U.S. tourism industry generates $1.9 trillion in annual economic output and is responsible for 9.5 million jobs. We have gathered best practices from throughout North America so you can learn from those who have successfully incorporated tourism into their economic development strategies.

We understand it can be challenging to keep visitors on your website, even with the flashiest, most updated, easy-to-use website. This could be because the content doesn't resonate well with them. However, it's just not reasonable, or possible to give each visitor a unique experience, right?!

Now, GSA's new geo-targeting tool makes it possible for you to customize website content based on the location of visitors! When someone lands on your site from CA, for example, they'll see content related to CA. If they came from the Midwest, they'd see content that resonates with Midwesterners. Interested?

Do you still have questions about what direction to take your Opportunity Zone marketing? Have questions in regards to finding the right investment or creating an Opportunity Zone fund? Do you have questions in regard to building your community prospectus and getting it in front of the right people? Whether you've been doing your research, or just getting started, we're ready to help you get the word out about your Opportunity Zone and to be successful with it!

This is a webinar we hosted with D3G - the nation's leading full-service real estate due diligence firm. D3G works with housing developers and agencies throughout the country. They are involved in urban and rural housing projects and have helped to secure grant funding of $30+ million for a single project.

You don't want to miss the opportunity to hear from D3G's CEO, Rob Hazelton. His 27 years of experience have positioned him as a policy advisor at the federal level. As a result, D3G helped to pilot the Choice Neighborhood program - a program with federal grant funds to pay for locally driven strategies that address housing through a comprehensive approach to neighborhood transformation. Rob also represents Virginia on the FHLB-Atlanta Affordable Housing Advisory Council (AHAC). He was also joined by Daniel Walton, Vice President of Affordable Housing. For the past 13 years, Daniel has assisted developers, lenders, and housing authorities to evaluate, develop, and execute strategies to facilitate the creation or preservation of housing.

IAN VINCENT is currently the Senior Business Developer at AREA PARTNERSHIP FOR ECONOMIC EXPANSION (APEX). His key responsibilities include team leadership in transportation logistics, manufacturing, and workforce development. He played a managing role with NORTHFORCE.ORG from 2013-2018 and continues in an oversight capacity. Ian was also elected president of the DULUTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD in January of 2020. With deep ties to high education and private industry, Ian maintains a thought-leading role in the region’s workforce development and manufacturing communities.

Believe it or not, Ian actually fell into the economic development industry by accident! “It took me graduating with an accounting degree to realize I had no interest in being an accountant, but luckily I had taken enough other courses to acquire additional degrees in International Business, Marketing, and Film Studies (for the hell of it),” said Ian. With all of that knowledge, he was pretty much open to anything business-related and went door-to-door in Downtown Duluth with resumes in hand. Fortunately, a local foundation put him in touch with a small non-profit dedicated to connecting young career seekers with networking and entry-level opportunities in the Twin Ports. Within days he was sent an Internship Position description with a company called APEX. Ian jokes, “I had to Google ‘economic development’ on the way to the interview as I had never heard the term before.” The rest is history.

“What I love about my job is what I’ve always loved since day 1 as APEX’s development intern - the diversity of the projects!” said Ian. As many people have short attention spans, most people are more than willing to have a day that is different from the last. Ian loves learning about new industries and companies right in his own backyard that are doing business with all corners of the globe. Currently, he described being particularly focused on transportation logistics, manufacturing, and workforce development.

Of course, with all the fun aspects of a job, comes its challenges. Ian notes that APEX has a small staff and “MASSIVE” geography of nearly 28,000 square miles (WHICH YOU CAN VIEW ON THEIR HOMEPAGE). The APEX Region is ten counties, cross-state, and larger than the state of West Virginia, or Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Delaware combined. So trying to stay engaged and in good-standing with industries and partners from tip to tail of the region is an ever-present challenge.

One of Ian’s greatest successes was being elected to a second term as chairman of the Duluth Workforce Board, the largest WFB in the state. Having spent his career engraining himself and growing passionate about workforce development, to being honored and trusted to lead that group, really means a lot.

“My advice to new folks in economic development is to take the time early on to personally get to know your local stakeholders, thought leaders, and data people (this last one is very important),” said Ian. “Take them to lunch, learn what they do, how they do it, and why. Then assure they understand your priorities as an economic developer and the importance of business retention, expansion, and attraction. There will come many times when an RFI with a 72-hour turnaround falls in your lap - you will need gas rates, state/local incentives, and clarity on wetland delineation ASAP. But it’s not an issue, as you will know exactly who to reach and won’t feel bad calling your labor market analysts’ personal cell at 7 PM to get a quick answer because they know you and understand the value of your work. Partnership is the name of the game,” explains Ian.

Airports of all sizes have the potential to power economic development in their community. But fully realizing that impact requires planning for a future that is likely to become dramatically more accessible and more personal.

Join Golden Shovel Agency CFO and aviation enthusiast Ron Kresha for a webinar exploring how general aviation airports can plan for the future and fund the upgrades needed to be future-ready.

This webinar is ideal for any airport leaders and economic development professionals who have an airport of any size in their community.

Imagine if you could take control of your lead generation activity and convert sales-ready prospects before your competitors even got close? Lead Forensics is the software that reveals the identity of your anonymous website visitors and turns them into actionable sales-ready leads. In real-time.

Chris Murray, VP Partnership of Lead Forensics, reviewed some of the most relevant features of the Lead Forensics software and how to approach new leads. Don't miss the opportunity to improve the results you can get out of your economic development efforts by implementing this cutting-edge tool.

Golden Shovel Agency client testimonial by Josh Schneuker from Seguin Economic Development Corporation. In his testimonial, Josh talks about Golden Shovel Agency's web development services and the GSA-built website for Seguin EDC. (https://www.seguinedc.com)

(00:00) What is the biggest challenge that Golden Shovel Agency has helped you solve?
(00:29) Why did you choose to partner with Golden Shovel Agency?
(00:58) What do you like best about collaborating with Golden Shovel Agency?
(1:32) What has your organization achieved since working with Golden Shovel Agency?
(2:27) What advice do you have for someone who is considering partnering with Golden Shovel Agency?

KATIE HEPPNER is the Executive Director at the WEST CENTRAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE (the Economic Alliance), the economic development corporation that serves Wadena County, MN. Prior to that, she held leadership roles in local governments throughout Greater Minnesota. She is a proud Maverick, having earned both her B.S. in Political Science and Masters in Public Administration from Minnesota State University Mankato. In 2020, she had the honor of receiving the Emerging Leader of the Year Award from the Economic Development Association of Minnesota. She has a deep passion for rural engagement and serves on several boards, including the Brainerd Dispatch Advisory Board, the NORTH CENTRAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION FULL CORPORATION, the CENTRAL LAKES COLLEGE FOUNDATION, and serves as the Chair of the STAPLES-MOTLEY AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.

Working with a great cross-section of people is Katie's favorite thing about her job. One day she is connecting with local growers and makers on how to turn their hobbies into small businesses, and the next day she is having meetings with real estate developers looking to start larger-scale projects in the community. This gives her the opportunity to learn about new topics and think about a variety of issues that face the community and local economy. “An added benefit is that, as my network grows, I have the ability to pull-together different folks who bring their own talents to the table to work on County-wide initiatives,” Katie says.

While Katie loves the variety of the projects she gets to work on, she recognizes that almost all community issues have an economic development component. Instead of focusing solely on business attraction, retention, and expansion, she also works extensively on a growing list of issues, most notably workforce, child care, and housing. Balancing all of these priorities and ensuring that each issue is given its due attention can be stressful at times, especially as she is the organization’s only staff member. “To overcome this, I rely on a network of community leaders to help me move the needle on each topic and try to set clear, tangible project goals and outcomes so that we do not get lost in the weeds,” says Katie.

One of Katies greatest successes was the community’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, they formed the Todd-Wadena Outreach Team to proactively connect with business owners in Todd and Wadena County. This team had official ‘guided conversations’ with 78 businesses between March and April that were logged into a tracking database for future reference, as well as countless other informal conversations. They developed resource guides to help connect folks with grants and loans, shared tactics for developing a preparedness plan, and answered questions about reopening regulations. In addition to this one-on-one work, they also created opportunities for communication and information sharing amongst community members. This included regularly scheduled virtual coffee talks, with guest speakers and round-robin community updates, and a radio town hall to share broader economic impact information. “Working with business owners during their most trying times both humbling and inspiring. 2020 certainly highlighted the incredibly important role that our business play not only in our economy but in our sense of community,” Katie describes. The coffee talks are still being held on a bi-weekly basis and we are continuing to reach out and connect businesses with needed resources.

Never let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

When Katie was fresh out of graduate school, she recalled, “I would get really hung up on designing the perfect program or policy. I wanted everything to be ‘textbook,’ so that no one could scrutinize it.” Unfortunately, as we all know, nothing in the real world pleases everyone. In addition, time constraints, lack of resources, and a million other factors make it difficult to design a project like it was in a laboratory. However, that does not mean that since a project cannot be perfect, that it should not be done at all. Katie suggests, “You simply need to do what you can with what you have.” Understandingly, this might lead to a series of smaller projects over a longer period of time, but real change comes from persistent and incremental efforts. After all, there is no silver bullet that will solve every issue.

AI may dominate the conversation about websites in 2026, but the real story is how leading economic development organizations are using it to sharpen visibility, credibility, and performance. Some websites are quietly pulling ahead. Others are already falling behind.

Join Golden Shovel CEO Aaron Brossoit and Sklar Consulting’s Alissa Sklar, Ph.D., for their 11th annual deep dive into the 10 most important trends shaping economic development websites in 2026. They'll share live examples, practical insights, and realistic updates that organizations can implement without rebuilding their entire site.

If your website is still designed for yesterday’s web searches, this session will show you what needs to change.

Brian Abernathy, General Manager of Convergent Nonprofit Solutions, and Bethany Quinn, Vice President of Strategy and Content Development of Golden Shovel Agency, shared valuable insights and practical tips to help you secure the financial support needed for your critical initiatives. Whether you're working on matching grants or major projects, this webinar provides you with the knowledge and strategies to navigate the complex world of fundraising successfully. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from the best and take your funding efforts to the next level.

What if one powerful story could transform how the world sees your community?

Join My Town host and former TV anchor Cory Hepola for a high-energy webinar on using storytelling to attract talent, tourism, and business. Learn how to:

• Break outdated rural narratives
• Highlight what makes your town shine
• Pitch your community to national shows like My Town
   

Lisa became involved in the field to make a long-lasting impact on communities. She has a passion for identifying a problem and collaborating to bring a solution to the table. She also loves being able to lift people- and this happens as jobs and opportunities in the community come together.

In 2013, Lisa moved to York County Development Corporation (YCDC) to be the Executive Director. She loves being able to see projects come together. In particular, it was rewarding for her to have spent time with a company before it even opened, watched the construction, and then meet people in the community who are taking jobs at that new business.

Similar experiences occur with housing projects for her. For example, opening 24 duplexes, then watching apartment buildings going up, and knowing that she's creating a great impact on the families and overall workforce for the business community.

For Lisa, it is all about the people of York County and building a better future. In her current position, she loves telling the county's stories about businesses, families, and individuals. Ultimately, those stories are what help "sell" the community to business and talent.

While Lisa has been through many successes, she has also faced a variety of challenges. She recalls that it took her a long time to realize no movement on a project can be a win. She states, "an individual realizing they are not ready to move forward is a win because when they decide it's time, they will have a much stronger business." Politics also brings a challenge for Lisa to work with. However, she realizes that at times, there is nothing to do to fix issues, which can be difficult to accept. Finally, there are times where people are afraid of change. She has found that with some people, you're never going to convince them that change is a good thing. However, Lisa loves the support given by others in the community.

Lisa also provides advice for other communities and economic developers: "Don't give up. When people are fighting a project, keep using data to show the need. Never leave a business hanging in a controversial moment and make sure they have all the honest facts going into it."

Is your community positioned to attract and retain top talent? In today's competitive landscape, successful communities must do more than just offer jobs—they must stand out as desirable places to live, work, and thrive.

Join Amanda Ellis of Livability.com for a dynamic and insightful session on what truly influences relocation decisions and how your community can rise to the top of the list. Drawing on decades of experience promoting and celebrating America's best small and mid-sized cities, Amanda will share:

• Key factors that influence where people choose to move—and stay
• Real-world examples of communities that have successfully attracted new residents
• Proven marketing strategies to help your community cut through the noise
• Practical, actionable steps to strengthen your local talent pipeline

Whether you're a city leader, economic developer, or workforce professional, this session will equip you with the tools and inspiration to transform your community into a true talent magnet.

Economic development has always required a careful balance of assets and opportunity. And in this modern era, energy capacity is one of the most important assets a community can have.

With uses including manufacturing and data centers driving increased energy demand, how do developers balance energy production with development opportunity while also ensuring sufficient energy for other uses?

In this panel discussion with economic development and energy industry professionals, Golden Shovel Agency President Bethany Quinn explored topics including:

• The rising energy demand created by manufacturing and AI data centers, 
• How communities can align energy planning with target industries,
• How to evaluate projects based on return per megawatt, and 
• How development leaders can bring together the right voices to shape what comes next.
   

Join Golden Shovel Agency and HubSpot for a lead generation webinar you won't want to miss! Get actionable tips and insights on how to get real results from your lead generation campaigns.

Stop struggling to get results from campaigns that just don't produce. Leverage our combined knowledge to learn what you should start doing to generate leads. Golden Shovel Agency has over 240 economic development clients and HubSpot has over 135,000 customers with over 7 million blog visits!

You want to recruit remote workers to your community, but how? Experienced economic developer and author Mark Lautman joined by Shelly Fausett to present information on five programs that have been proven to effectively recruit remote workers. Discover how these innovative programs can be used to build the economic base of all-sized communities, how the program works, and what you need to get started.

Learn how remote working, entrepreneurship, and the gig economy are changing workforce and attraction strategies.

Our presenters went over the new realities of what work and location mean. They laid out a structure for how to process how these changes will impact both what we can no longer do and what we will face immediately.

Case studies were also featured including specific examples of organizations doing this well, and how small businesses in your community can positively affect it long-term.

Join us for an exclusive webinar, “Runways to Revenue: Unlocking the Economic Potential of Your Airport,” presented by Ron Kresha, aviation enthusiast and CFO of Golden Shovel Agency. This insightful session will delve into the economic potential of general aviation airports and provide actionable strategies for leveraging these valuable assets to drive local and regional economic growth. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your understanding of general aviation and unlock the economic benefits for your community. Take the first step towards transforming your local airport into a thriving economic engine.

Moving to a rural part of the country has never been more attractive. Coastal and population-dense areas of the country are experiencing a high-cost of living, COVID-19, and civil unrest. Any one of these issues alone can compel population migration toward less dense, rural areas of the country.

In a style unique to 2020, ALL three of these unique events are occurring simultaneously. Because of the aggressive rural broadband initiatives, people have the ability and motivation to move to rural areas. what does this mean for you?

Remember all the claims about "quality of life" or "access to great recreational activities" or "small-town with big amenities"? Now more than ever, the small-town charm is in vogue. But, like any great opportunity, if people don't know about your community, they won't move in.

Join Ron Kresha, COO of Golden Shovel Agency, for a free webinar where we will examine who is moving and how to capture the attention of the migrating population. You will gain helpful knowledge of migration trends and strategies to propose to your board or marketing team.

Succession planning is critical for maintaining momentum in business and economic development organizations. In this webinar, we will address succession planning for economic development and community organizations while briefly discussing how these same concepts and strategies can be applied to the local business community your organization is supporting

Economic development organizations have changed to make small businesses their biggest priority. COVID-19 revealed that local businesses are the real economy that sustains community success. Small businesses also create 425% more new jobs than big businesses. The speakers covered effective tools and strategies that you can use to make sure you're implementing the best BR&E, entrepreneurship, and local business assistance.

Discover how AI is transforming algorithms and advertising strategies, and how AI can be used to up your social media game. From how AI is changing organic search results to how AI can be used to optimize ad performance and track ROI, this webinar will show you how to work smarter—not harder—in your digital campaigns.

As workforce recruitment and training concerns continue to emerge from BR&E visits, communities are seeking better ways to align partners, reduce duplication, and make their workforce ecosystem easier for employers and job seekers to navigate.

To address this need, Golden Shovel Agency is introducing EcoMap to our economic development community as an automation tool designed to meet this moment. EcoMap’s AI-powered platform centralizes workforce resources, education and training providers, and employer connections in one place, turning fragmented information into a coordinated ecosystem. The result is a more responsive, scalable approach to supporting local businesses and strengthening workforce outcomes across the community.

Join us for a webinar with EcoMap co-founder and CEO Sherrod Davis to learn more about this cutting-edge tool.

Golden shovel Agency client testimonial by Steven Jones from Grapevine Economic Development. In his testimonial, Steven talks about Golden Shovel Agency's economic development website services and the GSA-built website for Grapevine, TX Economic Development.

(00:00) What is the greatest challenge that Golden Shovel Agency helped you solve?
(00:44) What is your favorite thing about working with Golden Shovel Agency?
(1:14) What would you tell someone who's considering partnering with Golden Shovel?

Golden Shovel Agency and Convergent Nonprofit Solutions explored ways to strengthen your community’s competitive potential by improving quality of life. If quality of life improvements are not part of your economic development strategy - they should be.

How do you, as an economic developer, make the case to your stakeholders? How do you encourage people and businesses to invest in quality of life when those initiatives rarely result in immediate job creation and tax revenue? And if you can get them to buy in, which quality of life initiatives should you start first? Let's explore these issues and the data and tools necessary to improve your community’s quality of life - with community support.

Rural communities vary dramatically from place to place, but when it comes to economic development, they often hear the same concerns: Not enough rooftops, not the right demographics, and not enough amenities to attract a strong workforce.

This webinar will equip rural communities with the tools to turn those perceived shortcomings into strengths. Using data from a Golden Shovel Agency survey of rural marketing efforts and insights from two successful rural economic development leaders, this webinar will help participants craft a community brand narrative that highlights your unique qualities and appeals to investors who are a strong match for what you offer.

For economic developers, preserving local businesses is vital to maintaining community stability, jobs, and economic growth. Join us for a panel discussion that explores the powerful benefits of transitioning business ownership to employees and the role you can play in making it a reality. 

Electric vehicle (EV) sales continue to rise year over year, and the average price of a light-duty vehicle in Q1 2024 was 9.0% lower than it was in Q1 2023. Communities, businesses, utilities, and residents across the U.S. are working to hit lofty targets, such as 56% of new vehicle sales being EVs by 2032. Hitting these targets not only has climate impact reduction benefits but also supports quieter and healthier communities with new tools to boost local business traffic. 

Support and involvement from Cities, Chambers of Commerce, Utilities, and business owners in communities across the country are vital for hitting these targets and, just as importantly, effectively reaping the other benefits of electrifying the transportation sector. 

This webinar is intended for economic development professionals working at the community level and will dive into the benefits and methods for building helpful, community-focused electric vehicle charging infrastructure. We will address a number of best practices and tools, including funding opportunities, for bringing EV charging to your area.

Plans, procedures, and everything we used to know has been thrown out the window as COVID-19 has taken over. With that, we can't assume that everything will just go back to "normal" when we come out of the pandemic. In this panel, our presenters explore the new roles of the economic development professionals post-pandemic and get into the nitty-gritty on business retention, automation, remote working, and business expansion.

Join Jon Roberts (TIP Strategies), Anatalio Ubalde (SizeUp/GIS Planning), and Aaron Brossoit (Golden Shovel Agency) in this panel where they will explore the new roles of the economic development professionals post-pandemic and get into the nitty-gritty on business retention automation, remote working, and business expansion.

The retail world has undergone significant changes in the past five years, raising the question: how does this affect our communities? In this session, we'll explore the impact of retail, both nationally and locally, and its crucial role in the local economy. You'll gain an understanding of current national trends shaping the retail industry and receive valuable insights for communities looking to attract and retain retailers. We'll also delve into the distinctions between large national stores and local businesses, providing a nuanced playbook with practical guidance for supporting downtown areas and small business owners. Join us to unlock the potential of retail and acquire actionable steps for implementing effective retail recruitment in your community.

Independent consultant Charlie Smith has more than 12 years’ experience in international strategy, geopolitics and business development and offers clear insights on how decisions made a world away might affect development in your town. Fresh from a presentation at the National Rural Economic Development Association Annual Conference in Nashville, Charlie brings his expertise in understanding the needs and challenges surrounding political, economic and local market changes to the Golden Shovel audience.

The metaverse concept is here and growing. It promises to revolutionize our communication. But, it is full of uncertainty and frankly, the metaverse concept scares a lot of people. Golden Shovel Agency is the leader in virtual reality for economic development. This webinar will help you understand the metaverse and to see the potential benefits associated with virtual reality familiarization tours, site selection, and 3D modeling and planning.

The savvy economic developer of tomorrow will use virtual reality to share their community and to help promote economic development. The metaverse will be a powerful tool for economic developers who harness the power of virtual reality. This webinar will help you understand the metaverse and virtual reality, give you suggestions to prepare for economic development in the metaverse, and demonstrate virtual reality tools.

Join Bethany Quinn and Ron Kresha, Golden Shovel's VP of Strategy and COO, as they present the best practices in workforce attraction and development from throughout the country. We will be expanding upon the data for why we are facing workforce shortages while addressing the challenges that must be solved to make growing the workforce a top priority. Workforce shortages have been exacerbated by COVID-19, but they are not new. Communities have put programs in place to address this pressing issue and we will be presenting what's working.

This webinar was prepared to concisely explore AI and ChatGPT best practices tailored for economic developers, from thoughtful planning to infusing your unique brand into AI-generated content and helping you learn to proofread, edit, and creatively use data for maximum impact. 

This short, impactful session promises to empower economic developers with the tools they need to revolutionize their approach to content creation.

Now is the time to rethink your economic development organization's 2023 marketing strategy. This webinar will introduce the power of SEO (search engine optimization) research and Google Analytics to prepare a successful, stress-free strategic plan. Participants will learn to use SEO data and analytics as the foundation for advertising and content. After understanding the raw analytics and keywords, participants will learn the components of a successful strategy with an executable plan. Join Ron Kresha, Golden Shovel's Chief Operating Officer, for a session that will give you the tools and information to measure a successful strategy.

Golden Shovel surveyed economic developers working in rural communities across America to determine what they are doing to attract investment and spur growth. This webinar features new data, along with insights from our experiences working with over 290 communities. 

Find out what strategies are driving growth and attracting the investment, businesses, and talent communities need to thrive!
 

Opportunity Zone 2.0 offers tremendous opportunities to invest capital gains into rebuilding overlooked communities, powering purposeful investment and creating measurable social impact. But taking advantage will require thoughtful planning and careful execution.

In this webinar, Mike O’Mara of Ascension OZ will explain this second iteration of Opportunity Zones and discuss how states and municipalities that prepare early, leverage data, and align policy will attract better projects and more significant investment. We’ll also explore the value of sound marketing in driving opportunities.

Workforce development is an ongoing challenge for economic development professionals, but the reality is that the employees many communities need are already there. They just don't recognize the opportunities available in their own hometown. 

This new webinar from Golden Shovel Agency President Bethany Quinn explains how investing in career awareness, accessible training, and coordinated systems can unlock a powerful talent pipeline and help communities build a workforce that supports employers.