Economic Development

Why Ideas-Preneur

What if we add one job…

We often tell ourselves that "... I can't make any difference...."
That is a good time to recall this story of Making a Difference (click here)

As a Community Economic Development group, we often get drawn into the competitiveness of attracting large companies and businesses to OUR community from far and near. In doing so, we often overlook the power of one. It does not make headlines, nor is it much worthy of a news release to announce a new company of one person. And yet that person will need goods and services from local sources, will need housing in the form of an apartment or house, will pay a host of taxes (sales tax, property tax, licenses, auto and fuel tax, etc.), will need schools and churches for their family – all of which creates a rippling effect throughout the community, and beyond.

For example, that one job may result in increased sales at the local restaurant. The restaurant will buy goods and services it needs from other businesses in order to serve customers. That is an indirect impact; indirect impacts also include the wages of the new employees at the restaurant. Those businesses, depending on the size of the impact, may also hire additional workers. When the employees at the restaurant and the supporting businesses buy goods and services for their households, this creates induced impacts. Combined, the direct, indirect and induced impacts are the total impact and measure the ripple effects of the initial job. In retail businesses, each new community job could be indirectly responsible for 0.5 job, while a manufacturing/ industrial job may be directly responsible for 1.5 jobs.

Now that first business may add employees (jobs) and thus compounds the rippling effect. Then replicate that with a number of such small business starts and soon we can recognize a major community impact.

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The suggestions herein are but a very few that could qualify in this category division. Your community is like most other Mid American Communities - our average age of community residents is rising, i.e. it is going up - we are getting older...most rural communities are "aging communities"'. One reason of course, is because people are living longer, but another reason is because in small communities, young people have to leave to get a higher education, or they move to large cities where there is a greater likelihood of getting a job. As a result, those young adults that are left in these communities are those that are without financial or intellectual abilities to leave. Some will get part time jobs, but others will live off of food stamps and family. Or some may be drawn to illegal activities.

The mission of community leaders should be to give this young adult group '"hope". Even simple jobs and work activity can be a boon for self esteem and give hope, as well as to add real value to the community.

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Interested in Economic Development?

As noted on the Home Page, there is an old aphorisim/saying -

"The best place to find a helping hand may be at the end of your own arm!"
This is our suggestion... maybe give some thought to empowering groups and individuals within your own Community. How about a Big Ideas Club...?

... and maybe solicit area alumni that may have a business that could be brought back to your Community?

Economic Development:
There are over 3100 Counties/Parishes/Boroughs in USA - all are competing for the same businesses as every other Community Group is doing... to solicit the same companies that you are "wooing" ... to consider moving to your Community. Often times the cost associated with this effort can be considerable and extend over a lengthy period of time, and as they say - "Time is Money".

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Feel free to make use of any ideas or concepts presented herein,

but if you are interested in consulting services that I may offer,

then let me work with you... no consulting fees to meet!