Posts Tagged ‘people attraction’

A lawyer’s story: returning home

April 10th, 2012

Guest blog by Shane Penfield Project Rural Practice Task Force State Bar of South Dakota “It’s not the end of the world, you can just see it from here,” was a common response I received from professors, classmates and state policy makers when they learned where I was from. I grew up on my family’s ranch southeast of Lemmon, SD and when my original plans of becoming a farmer/rancher fell through due to terrible cattle prices in the late 1990’s, I decided to become a lawyer. Lemmon has always been my home; during my time at the University of South Dakota there was never any doubt that I wanted to someday return.

The road back to Lemmon was not a direct route, after law school I served as a law clerk for the Fourth Judicial Circuit headquartered in Deadwood and I also gained invaluable experience as an associate at the law firm of Gunderson, Palmer, Goodsell and Nelson in Rapid City. Perhaps the biggest hurdle to moving home was finding a spouse willing to live more than 100 miles from the nearest stoplight and major shopping center. I will never forget the drive back to Rapid City after spending a weekend at the ranch when my wife Kelli and I started the discussion. On a long stretch of highway 212 between Faith and Mud Butte, I mentioned the idea of moving home to Kelli and she agreed that it was worth spending more time discussing. Kelli, originally from Belle Fourche, was a teacher at Douglas School District at the time and we both had opportunities for career advancement if we would stay in Rapid City. However, after a lifetime of hearing about the mass exodus of young people from prairie towns, I realized I was part of the problem and wanted to go home. The final decision to move to Lemmon was not an easy one, but eventually our proverbial “jump off the cliff” resulted in a soft landing. I have often referred to our move to Lemmon as an “obituary changing event” with vast implications on my life and that of my family. My biggest concern was supporting my small family with one income and wondered if I was going to be busy enough. Kelli became my secretary and I started picking up clients before I had the sheetrock hung in my main street office. My wife still jokes that if the practice of law doesn’t work I can always start a carpentry business. I was fortunate to come to Lemmon just as the forty year veteran City Attorney was retiring and the Mayor approached me about the job. That same year I also circulated a petition to become a candidate for the office of Perkins County State’s Attorney. I ended up winning the race against the incumbent and am proud to serve in this capacity as well. I very much enjoy providing legal counsel to the county commission and the city council and believe that the exposure I receive in these capacities have had a positive effect on my private practice. Small town practice does have its challenges and one cannot expect to hang out your shingle and be immediately accepted into the community. I am fortunate to be a fourth generation resident of Perkins County with roots as far back as the founding of the city and homestead days, which made the transition much easier. Most people are familiar with Kathleen Norris and her book Dakota: A Spiritual Geography, a book about her experience moving to Lemmon where she points out several things to consider for a professional considering a small town practice of any type. While I always encourage young attorneys and professionals to seek out opportunities in rural South Dakota , they need to proceed with careful thought, especially if they have no experience with small town life. Small towns thrive on conjecture which soon becomes the gospel truth in coffee circles. Kathleen Norris points this out “he/she is here because they are poor doctor/lawyer/minster because they could not get a real job in a ‘big city’”. These assumptions can be overcome, but an attorney or other professional should be aware of these before setting up shop. My three years experience at Gunderson Palmer no doubt helped dispel this myth. Ms. Norris also writes “Many teachers, doctors, lawyers and ministers in rural towns are outsiders. And they often find that they’ve moved to a place in which professional standards have slipped over the years. Some of this is a welcome relaxation of urban standards, as simple as the bank president not wearing a tie to work. We bend the rules; that’s part of small-town charm. The danger is that professional standards will slip so far that people not only accept the mediocre but praise it, and refuse to see any outside standards as valid.” I warn professionals to not fall into this tempting reduction in professional standards. I continue to dress professionally on a daily basis, due in part to the fact that 70% of my business is from walk-in clients. I have noticed especially that older generations appreciate the increased professionalism and I know that it does have a positive impact on how I represent my clients. Just as a doctor is expected to wear a white coat, it is equally expected in rural areas that an attorney should look and act professionally. I live and work in a small town that is vibrant, progressive and looking toward the future with optimism. Young families are moving back, business is expanding and commodity prices are at an all time high. We are now geographically close to an unprecedented economic energy boom in North Dakota that will not only change the lives of my private clients, but could drastically change how the city of Lemmon and Perkins County does business. My fears of not being busy enough are long past and all of the potential change and economic growth will require legal services and I don’t think I will be spending much time on the golf course anytime soon. Photo Credit: Mattlemmon - Flickr

Tags: people attraction, Project Rural Practice
Posted in Community Development | Comments (5)

Reflections: Strategies to attract & retain newcomers in West Central MN

June 15th, 2011

If your rural community is serious about growing its population, then you need to develop a people attraction and retention plan. And that plan has to be something more than hiring a person to manage your community’s business recruitment strategy. A few weeks ago, I recommended that communities begin the process of developing an attraction and retention plan by asking newcomers, “Why did you move here?” Both projects I highlight in that post – the West Central Minnesota project and the Gogebic Next Generation Initiative – began with this approach. But then what? What does a community do after it discovers the motivations of people moving to the region? How can they use this information to create a plan? Ben Winchester, Research Fellow with University of Minnesota Extension, has some thoughts.

What does Ben recommend?

Ben is the guy who coordinated the research for the West Central Minnesota project. He published the research in a paper titled “Regional Recruitment: Strategies to Attract and Retain Newcomers.” At the end of the report, he offers eight strategies for communities to consider as they develop a people attraction and retention effort. The strategies Ben recommends fit into three broad categories:

1) Putting the region on the map strategies; 2) Employment strategies; and 3) Newcomer support strategies.

Rather than summarize each strategy, I want to highlight a few of my reflections on Ben’s recommendations.

Five thoughts I want to share

1) Putting the region on the map is more than advertising. Rather than “selling” their communities to outsiders, Ben recommends that rural community leaders would be better served by focusing on how they can help individuals who are trying to decide if they can and should move to a small town. In other words, give them the information that helps them make their decision. Ben offers some advice on what information potential newcomers to West Central Minnesota are seeking. And while you should use this as a starting point, I highly recommend that you start with your own research. In the end, your effort will be more successful because of it. 2) Share stories about people who have recently moved to the region. We talk a lot about the power of stories here at Reimagine Rural. Potential newcomers will see themselves in the stories you share and will say, “I want what that person (who just moved to your town) has.” As Ben notes, this can be accomplished most effectively through social media tools. But if your community is not ready to take that step, stories can be shared on traditional websites as well. 3) Think regionally. People live in or near towns, but towns are a part of a larger eco-system. A person may live in one town, work in another, go to the movies in third, enjoy friends in a fourth, and go shopping in still other communities. If your effort focuses solely on your town, potential newcomers will develop a limited impression of what life will be like for them in your town. 4) Business recruitment is not the only way to help create employment opportunities. Of the four “employment strategies” Ben offers, none involve recruiting businesses. I appreciate that because I believe there are many other ways for rural communities to help create economic opportunities. Now, if your community already has a successful business recruitment strategy, then you should continue. If not, consider one of the more personalized approaches Ben describes. Even if you are unsuccessful at helping each newcomer to your community discover or develop an economic opportunity, they will appreciate and remember your efforts to help. 5) Don’t overlook the importance of helping newcomers connect with the community. If I had to select only one retention strategy, it would be to develop a process for helping newcomers connect. We often assume that it is easy for new residents to make new friends and get involved in our rural communities. But research in West Central Minnesota reflects the opposite; newcomers actually had difficulty connecting in the region. Don’t make the mistake of assuming your community is any different. To be honest, we haven’t formulated a people attraction and retention effort in Miner County. We’ve dabbled in many of the strategies Ben recommends in his report, but attraction and retention hasn’t been a clear focus. Hopefully, that changes in the future. And when it does, one of the first places I’ll recommend we start is with this report. We can learn a lot from our friends in West Central Minnesota. Photo Credit: DonkeyHotey - Flickr

Tags: Ben Winchester, brain gain, marketing rural communities, Minnesota, people attraction, storytelling
Posted in Community Engagement, Economic Development, Quality of Life, Rural | Comments (4)

Homegrown approaches to rural economic development

March 7th, 2011

What are you doing to grow the economy of your rural community from within? That should be a central question every rural community leader should be asking. It’s a question I was recently reminded of while reading “Homegrown Responses to Economic Uncertainty in Rural America.” Written in 2009 by two University of North Carolina professors and an experienced economic development practitioner, the paper states: “Rural communities have been hard hit by the recession, but those that have approached economic development by looking inward to community strengths and existing resources are often faring better than those that attempt to lure companies to relocate by promising low wages and tax incentives. The latter can no longer compete in a global economy.” Building on local assets is an approach that I’ve always agreed with.

3 Homegrown Approaches

After providing context for why rural communities are struggling and why attempts to recruit new businesses tend to be highly “competitive and costly,” the authors identify three potential homegrown approaches to rural economic development. The first is defined as Place-Based Development. These strategies attempt to take advantage of the local characteristics and assets of a place. For instance, since some South Dakota communities possess natural beauty because of their location along the Missouri River, they should invest in this asset in ways that help attract tourists and retirees. But as the paper also notes, it might also mean that a community should take note of its social capital as a means of growing its economy. A second approach is Economic Gardening. These efforts focus on supporting and growing entrepreneurial talent from within a community. The phrase economic gardening is best defined by the strategies developed by Chris Gibbons in Littleton, CO, where their efforts focus on helping entrepreneurs with fairly sophisticated market analysis. (Note: Becky McCray recently offered a great summary of the entrepreneurial support system developed by the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship.) And finally, the paper identifies Cultivating Creativity and Talent. Building on the work of Richard Florida, the strategies in this category focus on attracting creative and talented workers who have the ability to create innovation and new jobs. It also means investing in the talent that already exists within a community. Although these initiatives usually focus on the urban environment, there are some promising examples developing in rural communities such as Prince Edward County, ON and the Gogebic region of Michigan and Wisconsin.

Our people are our greatest asset

When we started our work in Miner County, SD, we emphasized that “Our people are our greatest asset.” We did so because we wanted to emphasize that old fashion ingenuity and creativity were going to lead us into the twenty-first century. We also wanted everyone to know that nobody else was going to fix our economy for us. That’s a message that still holds true for most rural communities today. Build on the existing assets within your community because nobody is going to solve your problems for you. It’s good to know research backs it up.

Tags: Economic Gardening, entrepreneurship, people attraction, place-based development
Posted in Economic Development, Rural Life | Comments (2)

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July 21st, 2010

Buy Nobrium Without Prescription, Lately, I've been writing about a topic - talent attraction -- that I feel I don't know enough about. It's a topic that I have both a passion for and a lot of ideas about. Unfortunately, I still feel inadequate at sharing these ideas because I know that a lot of people are critical of the concept, especially as it applies to small, rural communities.

In short, Nobrium craiglist, Order Nobrium from mexican pharmacy, I'm afraid of being told, "How dare you, Nobrium medication, Nobrium paypal, this is terrible."

Those words -- "How dare you, this is terrible" -- by Seth Godin stuck with me as I watched a short video titled "Seth Godin on how schools teach kids to aim low." The video highlights Godin's thoughts about how we train the creativity out of young people, free Nobrium samples, Nobrium buy, but it speaks to individuals of all ages.

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Watching the video reminded me that I need to have the courage to overcome the uncertainty created by the "red marks" of people who don't believe in the future of rural communities. It reminded me that it's ok to stretch the boundaries of my writing, Nobrium from international pharmacy, Next day Nobrium, sharing ideas that may be a bit unconventional . In fact, it's reminded me that I have to take on this task if I hope to be a resource in the effort to build a deeper conversation about the future of rural communities, Nobrium to buy online. Purchase Nobrium online no prescription, My guess is that I'm not alone in needing this reminder.

In many ways, order Nobrium online c.o.d, Buy Nobrium online without prescription, rural community leaders everywhere have been taught by decades of decline to accept criticism as "truth" and as Godin suggests, to "aim low."

Godin's advice doesn't give us permission to become modern-day Don Quixote's; we still need to listen to and learn from the "red marks" of our critics. But in the process, Nobrium to buy, Nobrium for sale, we can't let those comments bury the creativity and innovation that can emerge from a willingness to tackle the issues. Nobrium in japan. Nobrium discount. Nobrium price, coupon. Over the counter Nobrium. Real brand Nobrium online. Saturday delivery Nobrium. Buy Nobrium from canada. Nobrium overseas. Order Nobrium no prescription. Over the counter Nobrium. Nobrium trusted pharmacy reviews. Delivered overnight Nobrium. Buy Nobrium online with no prescription. Purchase Nobrium online no prescription. Rx free Nobrium. Purchase Nobrium online. Buy generic Nobrium. Where can i find Nobrium online. Buy Nobrium no prescription. Where can i order Nobrium without prescription. Buy Nobrium online without prescription. Nobrium tablets. Nobrium from canadian pharmacy. Nobrium over the counter. Nobrium to buy. Nobrium discount. Where to buy Nobrium. Buy no prescription Nobrium online. Nobrium in us. Buy Nobrium without a prescription. Online buy Nobrium without a prescription. Nobrium from international pharmacy. Nobrium price, coupon. Cod online Nobrium. Free Nobrium samples. Nobrium pills. Order Nobrium online overnight delivery no prescription. Sale Nobrium. Buy Nobrium online cod. Nobrium in canada. Nobrium in japan. Buy cheap Nobrium no rx. Next day Nobrium. Buy Nobrium online without a prescription. Nobrium paypal.

Tags: education, people attraction, seth godin
Posted in Community Development, Economic Development, Rural | Comments (2)

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July 13th, 2010

Buy Frisium Without Prescription, Faulkton, SD (pop. 785) has a movie theater. While doing some work in community a few years ago, next day Frisium, Frisium over the counter, the subject of the movie theater came up repeatedly in conversations. Comments ran the gamut; most residents greatly appreciated the theater because it gave them "something to do." A few, usually young people, where to buy Frisium, Frisium for sale, lamented they didn't go there much because it usually took weeks for new movies to make their way to town.

As we think more about talent attraction, we're going to be asking, purchase Frisium online, Ordering Frisium online, "What are the key amenities that will attract talented individuals to small towns?" I'm not a big moviegoer, so I tend to discount the idea of a theater as a key attractor. But an article in the New York Times, Frisium in uk, Buy cheap Frisium, suggests there's something special going on at small town theaters. (read article here)

The article notes that movie theaters are on the rise in small towns across Rural America, a trend running contrary to most economic activity. It also identifies a special relationship between these theaters and town residents.

"If we were in Los Angeles or Phoenix, Frisium in australia, Over the counter Frisium, the only reason to go to a movie would be to see it," said Cecile Wehrman, Frisium price, coupon, Delivered overnight Frisium, a newspaper editor who, with members of the nonprofit Meadowlark Arts Council resuscitated the Dakota in Crosby, where can i find Frisium online, Sale Frisium, its plush interiors now a chic black, red and silver, where to buy Frisium. Online buy Frisium without a prescription, "But in a small town, the theater is like a neighborhood, buy Frisium online with no prescription. Frisium prices, It's the see-and-be-seen, bring everyone and sit together kind of place." (source: Patricia Leigh Brown, buy Frisium without prescription, Frisium trusted pharmacy reviews, "Old Movie Houses Find Audience in the Plains," New York Times, where can i buy Frisium online, Online buying Frisium hcl, July 4, 2010.)

It's interesting to me that small movie theaters are on the rise at a time when movie rental businesses are closing down, Frisium in usa. Buy Frisium online no prescription, It's never been easier for us to stay in our homes. Download a movie or surf the net; we never have to leave. But the fact is that people want to get out and socialize. They want to feel the neighborliness that some theaters like the one in Crosby, order Frisium from United States pharmacy, Frisium to buy online, ND provide. It's clearly about the experience.

I'm not saying that every small town should rush out to develop a movie theater as a key component of its talent attraction strategy. But I hope they think about how they can create a way to help people connect.

Note: The NY Times article tells us that ND has 31 operating historic movie theaters. I know of a few in SD, including Platte, fast shipping Frisium, Frisium tablets, Britton, and Tripp. I'm wondering how the number in SD compares to ND. Can anyone help me out, real brand Frisium online. Frisium overseas,

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Tags: faulkton sd, movie theater, North Dakota, people attraction
Posted in Community Development, Economic Development, Rural | Comments (9)

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July 12th, 2010

Buy Dexamethasone Without Prescription, Yesterday, Randall Beck, publisher of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, wrote an editorial calling on Sioux Falls, SD to recognize that its future will be tied to its ability to attract young people. (source - Randall Beck, "Sioux Falls must attract talent," Argus Leader, July 11, 2010.)

Although he doesn't describe it in-depth, the foundation upon which he builds his argument is solid: future economic development will be fueled by the knowledge of the people living in the community and the ability of these individuals to transfer that knowledge into economic activity. Dexamethasone in canada, If a community does not have enough talent, it had better go out and get it. That effort is the centerpiece of the Sioux Falls Development Foundation's new five-year blueprint for South Dakota's largest city, Dexamethasone medication. Dexamethasone trusted pharmacy reviews, Good stuff. I like it.

The market is no longer "rural"

What caught my attention, order Dexamethasone from mexican pharmacy, Dexamethasone in japan, however, was Beck's acknowledgement that Sioux Falls will need to find its next generation of talent in cities such as Minneapolis and Omaha in the future. Historically Sioux Falls' growth has been fueled by talent from rural communities across South Dakota, Dexamethasone buy, Purchase Dexamethasone online, Iowa, and Minnesota. Beck cites Hollowing out the Middle: The Rural Brain Drain and What it Means for America, next day Dexamethasone, Purchase Dexamethasone, a book dear to my heart, to note that those rural communities have nothing more to give, Dexamethasone price, coupon. Sale Dexamethasone, Sadly, Beck may be right, Dexamethasone to buy.

A great vision for Sioux Falls, but...

I appreciate Beck's vision for the future of Sioux Falls. He's providing leadership in an area where leadership is needed. But what about those rural communities to which Sioux Falls has been historically connected? It feels like Sioux Falls is saying, rural communities have no future, so let's move on.

But that's not the message from Hollowing out the Middle.

Let's get back to Hollowing out the Middle

For those who haven't read Hollowing out the Middle I'd recommend reading the book. If time is short, take a look at this summary article written by its authors titled "Rural Brain Drain," which appeared in the Chronicle of Higher Education in September 2009, Buy Dexamethasone Without Prescription. Real brand Dexamethasone online, The book and article offer great analysis of the issue of why young people leave rural communities. Although painful to consider, I appreciate the authors' assessment that part of the problem rests on resource allocation:

"What surprised us most was that adults in the community were playing a pivotal part in the town's decline by pushing the best and brightest young people to leave, Dexamethasone prescriptions, Purchase Dexamethasone online no prescription, and by underinvesting in those who chose to stay, even though it was the latter that were the towns' best chance for a future." (source: Patrick J, where to buy Dexamethasone. Dexamethasone in usa, Carr & Maria J. Kefalas, cod online Dexamethasone, Order Dexamethasone from United States pharmacy, "Rural Brain Drain," Chronicle of Higher Education, buy Dexamethasone online no prescription, Where can i order Dexamethasone without prescription, Sept. 21, Dexamethasone in india, Online buying Dexamethasone hcl, 2009.

Although there's much to be learned from Hollowing out the Middle, the authors only skim the surface of the brain drain phenomena. The book's greater value is that it attempts to build a deeper conversation about that issue, Dexamethasone gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release. Where can i buy Dexamethasone online, Sadly, we've not heard enough of that dialogue in our part of South Dakota. At times, order Dexamethasone online c.o.d, Buy Dexamethasone online without a prescription, we've attempted to initiate some conversation on ReImagine Rural. But admittedly, we've failed to invest enough energy to generate the type of focus and attention the subject deserves. (see articles on the subject here.)

A couple weeks ago, fast shipping Dexamethasone, Buy Dexamethasone online with no prescription, I mentioned that I'm interested in seeing attendees at the Midwest Rural Assembly pick up the conversation where Hollowing out the Middle leaves off. I've had a few conversations with people about how that might be facilitated, but nothing has been planned as of yet. Stay tuned if you are interested, Dexamethasone tablets. Buy cheap Dexamethasone, Whether the conversation happens at the Midwest Rural Assembly or at other venues, it must include a discussion about whether or not talent attraction strategies, Dexamethasone over the counter, Rx free Dexamethasone, which are typically reserved for urban populations, are effective in small, buy Dexamethasone without a prescription, Dexamethasone to buy online, rural communities. Clearly Sioux Falls believes it's not too small, but what about the more typical small, order Dexamethasone online overnight delivery no prescription, Dexamethasone from canadian pharmacy, rural communities that proliferate throughout the Midwest.

Personally, Dexamethasone in us, Dexamethasone in mexico, I feel it's an option for many, but we've got some learning to do before we'll get good at it. And there's no time like the present to get started.

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Tags: brain drain, hollowing out the middle, midwest rural assembly, people attraction, Sioux Falls SD
Posted in Community Development, Economic Development, Rural | Comments (0)

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July 9th, 2010

Buy Invega Without Prescription, Attracting and retaining people is a hot topic in the community and economic development fields today. I first started thinking about it years ago after reading a study titled "Natural Amenities Drive Rural Population Change" by David McGranahan (1999). That interest was kicked up a notch when Richard Florida released The Rise of the Creative Class, buying Invega online over the counter, Invega craiglist, identifying a clear connection between the ability of a community to attract knowledge workers and economic growth.

Although I have a love-hate relationship with the ideas put forward by Florida in The Rise of the Creative Class and in subsequent work, Invega to buy, Buy cheap Invega, I do wholeheartedly embrace its basic tenant that the economies of our communities today are being driven by talented, creative people. In his light, buy Invega from mexico, Purchase Invega, communities would do well to make themselves places where talented people want to live.

Recognizing that talent attraction matters to economic growth is pretty easy and benign. But a closer look reveals more complexity. First, most of the creative class theories are dedicated to urban areas. Do the principles of talent, Invega for sale, Invega gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release, technology, and tolerance serve as important attractor roles in rural areas like they do in urban areas? Second, Invega in usa, Invega buy, people attraction strategies consume financial resources that could come at the expense of traditional economic activities like business recruitment. Doesn't it make more sense to invest in creating jobs than community amenities.

Those and others are pretty big questions that I hope to spend more time addressing in the near future. Today, purchase Invega online no prescription, Saturday delivery Invega, I want to share a post that helped clarify some matters related to the jobs vs. amenities debate, buy Invega without a prescription.

Introducing the Urbanophile

If you are interested in community development, rural or urban, you need to check out Aaron M. Renn and his Urbanophile blog. Although his outlook for rural communities is not as rosy as I would like, he offers incredible insights into what makes cities tick. Elements of this are very relevant to rural communities, even when it's stuff we don't want to hear, Buy Invega Without Prescription. Purchase Invega online, Recently I found one of his posts titled "Does Anyone Really Believe Human Capital Is Important" to be very helpful because it clarified some ideas about people attraction strategies. I think they are worth sharing.

Does Marketing Matter?

The first issue Renn tackles is the notion that marketing your community for people attraction is a waste of money because "what really attracts people is a good economy, buy Invega from canada, Buy Invega online without prescription, quality public services, and efficient government."

In laying out a defense for marketing, buy Invega online without a prescription, Online buy Invega without a prescription, Renn offers two comparisons. First, he describes the value of marketing for businesses selling to customers. He writes:

In real life, order Invega from United States pharmacy, Invega prescriptions, as we know, corporations spend gigantic sums on sales and marketing, delivered overnight Invega. Invega discount, Clearly they wouldn't do this if it didn't work. That's not to say that every dollar spent on these activities is effective..., buy Invega without prescription. Buy Invega Without Prescription, But it is also critical to build awareness of your product in the marketplace, to effectively communicate its brand promise and value proposition, and to induce someone to make a buying decision." (source: Aaron M. Invega in india, Renn, "Does Anyone Really Believe Human Capital Is Important", Invega in australia, Buy Invega no prescription, Urbanophile, June 13, where can i find Invega online, Cod online Invega, 2010)

Second, he argues that if communities are willing to market for business attraction, Invega to buy online, Buy no prescription Invega online, why wouldn't they market for people attraction.

I agree. Especially about the importance of brand awareness. In fact, Invega tablets, Order Invega online c.o.d, I'd wager that brand awareness is a bigger issue for rural communities than urban.

That said, I hope communities don't look at this as a carte blanche endorsement to rush out and spend large sums of money on advertising. I think there are a lot of steps to complete before a community is ready to advertise. And there's a lot more to marketing than advertising. (If I had limited resources, sale Invega, Buy cheap Invega no rx, I'd invest a lot more in building relationships.)

Do jobs follow people or people follow jobs?

The second and more important topic that Renn addresses is the "chicken or egg" issue of whether jobs follow people (as the creative class theory advocates) or the vice-versa. This is an issue that has constantly tripped me up. Although I accept the premise that talented individual are both more likely to choose location over job and create new job growth, I've never been able to say definitively that one is more important than the other.

The real value in the argument Renn presents is that he calls on communities to think more deeply about "specific niches or segments of population" with their recruiting efforts. In this regard, fast shipping Invega, Rx free Invega, people attraction efforts are no different than any other marketing exercise.

Renn goes on to say that communities should match labor and employment needs as they determine specific population niches to recruit and the civic investments they make.

This is all good advice, and it should cause those of us in rural communities to think more deeply about how we build communities that are attractive to talented people. It also suggests we have a great deal more to learn about the people we hope to recruit, Invega in us. Buy Invega online with no prescription, We can start this learning process by going back and looking at the research by McGranahan and others about the role natural amenities in rural population movements. We should also use the Appreciative Inquiry method to understand what has attracted new residents to our communities in the past.

There's bound to be a lot of differences in what communities learn from this type of exercise. After all, "if you've been one rural community, Invega in canada, Order Invega no prescription, you've only been in one rural community." But it's an important step if we hope to be effective at recruiting new residents.

If your community has already started a process like this, I hope you'll share it with us, buy generic Invega. Buy Invega online no prescription,

Photo credit: Derek Purdy - Flickr

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Tags: Aaron M. Renn, creative economy, human capital, people attraction, Richard Florida
Posted in Economic Development, Rural | Comments (2)

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June 25th, 2010

I caught a Tweet from @dancowling the other day. It read "Thinking Young In Your Community Development Efforts." Buy Loperamide cap. Without Prescription, That's great advice, especially in the Upper Midwest where an increasing graying of the population is a threat to the future of our small towns.

Dan's tweet linked to a post by Rex Nelson on the New FoundNation blog. The post calls on rural leaders to "work smart, buy Loperamide cap. online cod, Loperamide cap. in india, " rethink infrastructure investments, and focus on attracting talented young people.

Rex also offers a list of 9 things communities must focus on in order to attract young people. It's a list worth passing along:

1, Loperamide cap. in us. Loperamide cap. prescriptions, Stress downtown revitalization efforts
2. Provide planning grants for neighborhood revitalization projects
3, Loperamide cap. over the counter. Buy Loperamide cap. online without prescription, Focus on quality parks, biking trails and walking trails
4, Loperamide cap. price, coupon. Support local grant research and grant writing strategies
5.Work to improve the quality, safety and affordability of the housing stock
6, Buy Loperamide cap. Without Prescription. Ordering Loperamide cap. online, Support the construction and expansion of medical facilities
7. Protect the region's environmental assets
8, order Loperamide cap. online c.o.d. Order Loperamide cap. from mexican pharmacy, Expand the application of green technologies
9. Support the development and marketing of entertainment, buy Loperamide cap. from canada, Loperamide cap. tablets, recreational and cultural assets
(Source: Rex Nelson, "Thinking Young in Your Community Development Efforts, Loperamide cap. from international pharmacy, Loperamide cap. in australia, " New FoundNation, April 28, where can i order Loperamide cap. without prescription, Over the counter Loperamide cap., 2010.)

Reading the list reminded me of a list I created in a post titled "5 Ways Rural Communities Can Get Ready for Gen Y" back in December 2009. Buy Loperamide cap. Without Prescription, I've copied my list below, but I'd encourage everyone to check out my original post for an explanation of each recommendation.

1) Help create economic opportunities (via entrepreneurship).
2) Make sure your community has third places that help introduce newcomers, buy Loperamide cap. without prescription. Loperamide cap. in mexico, 3) Develop good broadband internet capacities and wi-fi hot spots.
4) Help young people figure out "What am I going to do in this town?"
5) Rethink how you "engage" Gen Y in your community.

Although Rex and my recommendations are quite different, Loperamide cap. san diego, Loperamide cap. craiglist, I think they complement each other. I would, however, buy cheap Loperamide cap. no rx, Where can i buy cheapest Loperamide cap. online, like to highlight one point that I think is important for consideration.

Neither list will produce a lasting result if young people can't recognize an economic opportunity in your community. This doesn't mean you should think focusing on recruiting businesses will solve your problems; the social and natural amenities featured on the lists above are extremely important. But economic opportunity can't be ignored either, Loperamide cap. gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release. Buy Loperamide cap. online with no prescription, Photo Credit: Warren Long - Flickr. Purchase Loperamide cap.. Where can i find Loperamide cap. online. Loperamide cap. to buy. Loperamide cap. to buy online. Buy Loperamide cap. online without a prescription. Loperamide cap. in japan. Order Loperamide cap. no prescription. Buy cheap Loperamide cap.. Sale Loperamide cap.. Order Loperamide cap. from United States pharmacy. Loperamide cap. prices. Loperamide cap. trusted pharmacy reviews. Buy no prescription Loperamide cap. online. Where to buy Loperamide cap.. Purchase Loperamide cap. online no prescription. Cod online Loperamide cap.. Saturday delivery Loperamide cap.. Buy generic Loperamide cap.. Delivered overnight Loperamide cap.. Loperamide cap. overseas. Rx free Loperamide cap.. Fast shipping Loperamide cap.. Online buying Loperamide cap. hcl. Loperamide cap. medication. Loperamide cap. in usa. Buy Loperamide cap. without a prescription. Buy Loperamide cap. from mexico. Online buy Loperamide cap. without a prescription. Loperamide cap. in canada. Buying Loperamide cap. online over the counter. Next day Loperamide cap.. Loperamide cap. paypal. Real brand Loperamide cap. online. Buy Loperamide cap. no prescription. Loperamide cap. pills. Loperamide cap. in uk. Where to buy Loperamide cap.. Where can i buy Loperamide cap. online. Loperamide cap. buy. Order Loperamide cap. online overnight delivery no prescription. Free Loperamide cap. samples.

Tags: Gen Y, New FoundNation, people attraction
Posted in Community Development, Economic Development, Gen Y, Rural | Comments (2)

Buy Slimfast Without Prescription

February 17th, 2010

Buy Slimfast Without Prescription, "Did you hear the story on the radio about Hazelton, ND?"

Those were the first words Lindsey shared with me yesterday morning as we hopped into a car before heading out on our day trek across South Dakota yesterday. I hadn't, so Lindsey explained.

A family had moved from Miami, FL to Hazeton, ND (pop. Purchase Slimfast online no prescription, 240) four years ago to take advantage of an incentive package for new residents. Two housing lots and $20,000 were given to this family of four to move to the ND community. The family started a business (which has since closed) and moved into a new house, Slimfast paypal, Slimfast in mexico, excited by the opportunity to move from a crime laden, urban neighborhood, order Slimfast online overnight delivery no prescription. Slimfast tablets, Now four years later, they are ready to move back. Not because of the much maligned North Dakota winter; but because they felt the community had given them the cold shoulder. Michael Tristani, Slimfast in india, Slimfast from international pharmacy, the father in the family, is quoted in the article saying, ordering Slimfast online, Slimfast in us, "It hasn't been easy. No one really wants new people here." (source: James MacPherson, buy Slimfast from canada, Purchase Slimfast online, "Small-town life fails to live up," Associated Press via Yahoo News, saturday delivery Slimfast, Buy Slimfast online without a prescription, Feb. 15, Slimfast pills, Where can i order Slimfast without prescription, 2010)

Hearing Lindsey describe this story almost caused me to turn around and skip the meeting we were driving to. Needless to say, she didn't let me, order Slimfast from United States pharmacy, Slimfast in canada, and I was finally able to read the story this morning and learned that it's being discussed all over the blogosphere. (see links at the bottom), Buy Slimfast Without Prescription.

Rather than focus on the details of situation, Slimfast overseas, Next day Slimfast, I'd like to offer some thoughts about what I think rural communities can learn from the story. As I write, however, Slimfast in usa, Slimfast discount, I want to be clear that I am not passing judgment on either the Hazelton community or the Tristani family. None of us, as outsiders, buy Slimfast online no prescription, Buy no prescription Slimfast online, will ever know the complete story.

What can we learn from Hazelton?

1) Don't assume that newcomers will know how to live in your small town. That concept crossed my radar a couple years ago in a book titled Get Urban. (I wrote extensively about it here.) The book's author, free Slimfast samples, Slimfast for sale, an urban enthusiast, developed his thesis around the concept that many people who move to urban, real brand Slimfast online, Slimfast from canadian pharmacy, downtown environments don't recognize the nuances of life in the city. Their mental models are so tightly fashioned around living in suburbia that they think they have to drive out to suburbs to buy their groceries at Walmart, buy Slimfast no prescription, Sale Slimfast, rather than stopping off at the local grocery while walking home from work. My guess is that we've all seen numerous more serious examples of this play out in our rural communities, rx free Slimfast. But what have we done to help these newcomers?

2) Develop a "hosting concept" as a part of your community's marketing plan. I touched on this over a year ago when I wrote a post titled "What if Starbuck's marketed like a rural community?" Buy Slimfast Without Prescription, A fun, insightful video embedded in the post pokes fun at how churches welcome new members. Slimfast price, coupon, The point being, Starbucks wouldn't be in business if its marketing strategy didn't include efforts to "welcome" new customers; so why should churches expect anything different, buy Slimfast from mexico. Slimfast craiglist, I'd contend the same principle applies to rural communities; why spend money advertising your community if you don't have a strategy to make people want to stay. At the Rural Learning Center, Slimfast in australia, Slimfast medication, we've been developing a more robust "hosting concept," which I'll describe sometime in the near future.

3) Accept the mantra "The customer is always right." I think communities who develop programs like this must be prepared to treat it like a business, buy Slimfast without prescription. Slimfast gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release, The town is the product, the community is the owner, where can i buy Slimfast online, Buy Slimfast online without prescription, and the new resident is the customer. If the customer is upset, figure out why and do something to fix it - because the customer is always right, Buy Slimfast Without Prescription. At the same time, Slimfast in uk, Slimfast trusted pharmacy reviews, most business owners will tell you that sometimes the customer may not be worth the headaches they create, and you have to find a way to let them go.

4) It's about the relationship, fast shipping Slimfast. Order Slimfast no prescription, For a long time, I was conflicted over the concept of offering incentives to people moving to rural communities, where to buy Slimfast. Order Slimfast online c.o.d, On one hand it feels like the strategy of offering incentives to businesses to move small, rural communities; maybe they come, buy Slimfast online with no prescription, Where can i find Slimfast online, but will they stay. On the other hand I appreciate the moxie of a small town who is willing to try to do something about their future, cod online Slimfast. Buy Slimfast Without Prescription, What I've come to believe is that the decision about offering incentives to recruit businesses and recruit people is a community-by-community decision. Buy cheap Slimfast, There's no universal right or wrong. The chance of the initiative succeeding, order Slimfast from mexican pharmacy, Over the counter Slimfast, however, is probably dependent on the ability of residents to build a relationship with the newcomers, buy Slimfast without a prescription. Slimfast to buy, Incentives may open the door, but the bonds of friendship are lasting.

5) What about the people who don't receive incentives? This case is drawing a lot of attention, online buy Slimfast without a prescription, Slimfast buy, but my question is, "has your community been paying serious attention to the people who already live in your community?" My point is, Slimfast in japan, Where can i buy cheapest Slimfast online, try to make sure that everyone is satisfied. If you gain two new residents, delivered overnight Slimfast, Slimfast san diego, but lose four current residents, you are destined to fail, buy cheap Slimfast no rx. Pay attention to the people who are living in your community now, and when someone leaves, have a conversation with them about why, Buy Slimfast Without Prescription. Slimfast to buy online, And try to dig in deep--often the first response will not be the real reason.

There are a lot of stereotypes being thrown around in this story that worry me. That might be worth discussing later.

Stereotypes aside, Slimfast prescriptions, Online buying Slimfast hcl, however, the story provides a good lesson for all rural communities. If we want to grow our population, purchase Slimfast, Slimfast over the counter, we have to get serious about how we interact with newcomers. Hazelton is probably no better or worse than other rural communities, and there's definitely more to the story than was reported. They just made the headlines today. Hopefully, your community is doing something to make sure it doesn't make the news tomorrow -- at least not in this way.

Other article related to this story

"Small Town Development: You've got to want it," Madville Times, Feb. 16, 2010.

"Living in a Small Town: Not as ood as you think," Neatorama, Feb. 16, 2010.

"Small-Town Values. Miami Family Shunned after Leaving for North Dakota," Miami News Time, Feb. 16, 2010.

Tags: Get Rural, Hazelton ND, incentives, marketing, North Dakota, people attraction
Posted in Community Engagement, Economic Development, Housing, Rural | Comments (7)

Buy Artane Without Prescription

February 5th, 2010

Buy Artane Without Prescription, Ben Winchester's research on "rural brain gain," has drawn some interesting responses in North Dakota. Based on an article titled "Report suggests ‘brain gain' instead of brain drain," which appeared in the January 28, buy Artane without prescription, Buy no prescription Artane online, 2010 Grand Forks Herald and was reprinted in the January 30, 2010 Fargo-Moorhead InForum, where can i order Artane without prescription, Online buying Artane hcl, I'd have to say North Dakotans don't find a lot of applicability in Winchester's research for their state. (If you are into negative comments, you'll want to check out the comments at the end of the InForum article.)

Does Minnesota research apply elsewhere?

The skepticism begins with North Dakota demographer Dr, Artane to buy. Purchase Artane online no prescription, Richard Rathge who questions the applicability of research about rural Minnesota compared to rural North Dakota. As he notes, people are more inclined to move to rural places that are high in natural amenities (e.g., Artane craiglist, Buy Artane from canada, West Central Minnesota) than to places with few natural amenities (e.g. North Dakota), where to buy Artane.

No doubt. USDA research supports Rathke's assertions, Buy Artane Without Prescription. Artane discount, But my gut still tells me that there's something to Winchester's research. I've personally witnessed numerous examples of people who move to Miner County to raise their children. The number of people moving in may not be as high as that Winchester found in his study. But they definitely didn't move to Miner County for the natural amenities.

And that's why Winchester's research is valuable. We need to better understand what groups of people are moving to rural communities, Artane price, coupon, Artane in usa, and what's their motivation. Just saying young people are moving out isn't good enough.

Does the term "Brain Drain" hurt marketing efforts?

When I originally raised the question "Should we banish 'brain drain' from our vocabulary?" in a blog post a couple weeks ago, where can i find Artane online, Where can i order Artane without prescription, I was trying to figure out if the term "brain drain" does more harm (in promoting our communities) than good (in raising awareness of a problem). I've yet to reach a definitive answer, buy cheap Artane no rx.

Based on what I've read in the Buy Artane Without Prescription, Grand Fork's article, I've concluded that Rathge would say that the question is mute. At the end of the Grand Forks article, Artane in mexico, Order Artane online overnight delivery no prescription, he is quoted saying:

"Here in North Dakota, we've seen many decades of outmigration of young adults, rx free Artane. Where can i buy Artane online, Community builders have been talking for decades about ways to hold them, including being positive rather than negative."

"The bottom line is we need to provide opportunities for people who want to stay, ordering Artane online. Artane in australia, We have to be serious about economic development in North Dakota." (source: Chuck Haga, "Report suggests ‘brain gain' instead of brain drain, Artane in uk, Purchase Artane, " Grand Forks Herald, 1-28-09)

It's more than a job

Getting serious about economic development in rural communities is vitally important. But it requires a strategy that is more complex than new business recruitment alone, Artane overseas. Where can i find Artane online, That's what I like about the research being conducted by Dr. David Ivan with his "Can small towns be cool?" project. The themes he identifies in his presentations (which I outline here) offer rural communities a model for rural economic development worth consideration, saturday delivery Artane. Buy Artane online without prescription, So, whether it's brain drain or brain gain in our communities, Artane in canada, Over the counter Artane, I hope we'd all agree that it is something we ought to pay attention to.

Note: Access to the Grand Forks Herald and Fargo-Moorhead InForum articles may require individuals sign up for a free membership with Forum Communications have been archived. I did notice it has been reprinted and can be read on the Farm Bureau site, Artane craiglist. Artane san diego. Artane medication. Buy Artane from mexico. Sale Artane. Artane buy. Order Artane online c.o.d. Artane for sale. Buy Artane from canada. Order Artane from mexican pharmacy. Buy Artane online without a prescription. Buy Artane without prescription. Online buying Artane hcl. Artane tablets. Buy no prescription Artane online. Artane price, coupon. Artane from international pharmacy. Where can i buy cheapest Artane online. Where to buy Artane. Buy Artane without a prescription. Buy cheap Artane. Buy Artane online cod. Artane paypal. Artane to buy online. Artane trusted pharmacy reviews. Artane discount. Fast shipping Artane. Artane to buy. Purchase Artane online no prescription. Real brand Artane online. Buy Artane no prescription. Artane prescriptions. Free Artane samples.

Tags: brain drain, brain gain, North Dakota, people attraction
Posted in Community Engagement, Economic Development, Rural | Comments (0)

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