News & Media

JumpStart’s Entrepreneur Roadmap Shows Startups a Path to Success

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

When you’re an entrepreneur, very few questions have obvious answers. What should be your next step? Who should you ask for advice? Is this a good business decision? When making these choices, a founder will encounter a wide range of advice, so how can they be expected to choose the right path? For the startup experts at JumpStart, the answer is the new Entrepreneur Roadmap, a playbook to help Ohio’s tech entrepreneurs launch and grow their startups. The program is easy to enter, with a quick online form being the simple start to the process. Click here to read full article.

Recruiting and Retaining Today’s Manufacturing Workforce

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

AD: How has COVID-19 changed the employee experience in manufacturing, and what facets of this should organizations retain going forward? Zenk: Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, employees have been experiencing a drastically different work environment. Thousands of manufacturers across the U.S. and around the world were deemed essential during the pandemic, and their production lines haven’t stopped. They’ve continued to produce essential goods that the global community relies on — from the food we eat to the clothes we wear and cleaning supplies we use in our homes. As some manufacturers increased output and others reconfigured operations to satisfy urgent demands...

Supply Chain Execs Respond as Pandemic Creates E-Commerce Surge

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed our lives, and each one of us likely has a personal story to tell that underscores that fact. But there are also stories to be told of sweeping changes that virtually all of us have felt. One of those is the altered state of the global supply chain. The supply chain is, after all, an element of daily life that has an impact, either directly or indirectly, on just about everyone on the planet. The pandemic put a spotlight on the critical nature of this industry. Truck drivers and warehouse employees became everyday heroes o...

Sustaining Industrial Labor Needs During and After the Pandemic

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to accelerate consumer and workplace trends that were, in many cases, already under way pre-pandemic, challenges and opportunities in finding, training, and retaining an efficient industrial workforce remain constants for distributors and manufacturers. Effective site selection decisions hinge on a complex cost/quality balance of labor, logistics, and location. It is critical that occupiers remain vigilant in fostering a workplace and workforce that delivers on performance objectives while meeting current and future pandemic-driven challenges. With labor costs making up as much as 70 percent of warehouse operating expenses, the focus on workforce potential in existing an...

Talent Accelerator Program is a Welcome Mat for Foreign Investors

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

In February 2020, Navien, Inc., a leader in condensing technology for water heaters and boilers, announced it would invest $77.5 million to establish its first U.S. manufacturing and assembly operation in the former Lumber Liquidators facility in James City County, which will create 180 new jobs. The company is tripling the footprint of the existing building, bringing it to nearly 900,000 sq. ft. Virginia successfully competed with Illinois, Maryland, and Pennsylvania for the project. Navien, Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Seoul-based KD Navien, is one of the fastest growing companies in the home comfort sector in North America. Why Virginia? “The clos...

The Future of Coworking: How the Pandemic Brought Non-Traditional Offices to the Forefront

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Before 2020, the concept of working from somewhere other than an office was largely seen as either a luxury or a niche product. Coworking spaces were full of independent contractors or creatives with no real office to visit. But after six months of a pandemic, attitudes toward these spaces are changing as the world revisits its ideas of productivity, office space and community. At Akron’s Bounce Hub, coworking space is a relatively recent addition to their offerings. The spaces, however, have become an important refuge for those who need a break from their couch, dining room table or cramped home office. Clic...

The Future of the Workforce Is a “Better Normal”

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

The world as we all knew it changed earlier this year with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Seemingly overnight, everything that we used to think was normal had changed, and things that once were deemed impossible for the workplace became the “new normal.” Now, seven months later, most of us have gotten used to this “new normal” — embracing the work-from-home lifestyle, using new technology, wearing masks, social distancing, and connecting virtually. But what comes next? Eventually this pandemic will end, a vaccine will be readily available, and we will attempt to return back to our “normal” lives. But wha...

The Home Office Vs. the home office

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

In Washington, like everywhere else, a major reevaluation of workspace and quality of life is unfolding. Imagine building an expansive new corporate campus, then deciding since the onset of COVID-19 to sell it and disperse HQ functions. That’s what REI is doing with its newly completed campus in Bellevue, Washington. The company is instead following a distributed work model for its HQ functions. Click here to read full article.

Trends in Office and Industrial Parks

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Of course, the big factor impacting office and industrial parks going into 2021 is COVID-19. The pandemic has reduced business production and workforce (through illness, social distancing, and remote working), disrupted the supply chain and cash flow, and brought about significant investments in technology. Across the nation, the demand for suburban office parks is rising as more skilled workers move back to suburbs, due to concerns about housing costs and quality of education — they also feel safer from COVID-19 and the civil unrest that is happening in some larger cities. Click here to read full article.

Where Aerospace Manufacturers Are Gravitating in 2020

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

PwC’s Aerospace & Defense practice has issued the seventh edition of its Aerospace Manufacturing Attractiveness Rankings. It does so at “a precarious moment in the industry’s history,” according to the report’s introduction. “By April 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic had plunged commercial aviation into crisis mode, with global revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) nosediving by 94% compared to the same month a year earlier. International flights ground to a near-complete halt. By June, RPKs were down 87% against the year-ago period. Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecasts that 2019 levels will not be restored until 2024.” Click here to read ful...

Intimate Wedding Venue Near Columbus, Ohio

Monday, January 11, 2021

An intimate wedding venue offering privacy can easily be found in Violet Township, near Columbus, Ohio. The Wigwam is surrounded by trees in a parklike setting, has a pond and water features and a variety of intimate spaces ideal for wedding ceremonies. The Wigwam’s grounds are massive and parklike. That alone, makes the wedding space more intimate because it is incredibly private. In fact, some brides may prefer to get married outside in the pergola or on the patio near the water. At the Wigwam there are multiple places to get married, including a theater space and banquet hall, but the...

Affordable Wedding Hall Near Columbus, Ohio

Monday, January 04, 2021

An affordable wedding hall near Columbus, Ohio doesn’t have to look like an elementary school cafeteria! To the contrary, it can be stunningly gorgeous, full of historic charm and a former entertaining spot for presidents and hollywood celebrities. Sound too good to be true? It’s not. You can have everything you want for the perfect wedding at the Wigwam Event Center in Violet Township. Violet Township purchased the Wigwam Event Center and has remodeled the facility to ensure that it is both beautiful and functional. Still, since the city owns it, they rent it at rates that are affordable to th...

Entrepreneur-led ‘digital ecosystem’ envisions model to support Dayton businesses

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Last year, a group of entrepreneurs banded together to identify solutions for a complex problem: underrepresentation. More than 99% of Ohio companies, about 950,000 of them, are small businesses. Together, they account for nearly half of the state’s workforce and create tens of thousands of new jobs each year — but the economic development groups that support them capture only a fraction of the playing field. Click here to read full article.

2020 By the Numbers: Quantifying Ohio Startup Impact

Monday, December 28, 2020

As 2020 comes to a close and COVID-19 vaccines begin distribution across the country, it’s a good opportunity to take stock of the amazing accomplishments that came from this year, even amid a pandemic. For months, Ohio companies have been showing us that they’re much more than just business ventures. They’re built to help us learn, allow us to connect, keep us safe and even let us get away for a bit. Click here to read full article.

Best Outdoor Wedding Venue Near Columbus, Ohio

Monday, December 28, 2020

A gorgeous pond, parklike setting, and picture-worth locations are what you will find at the best outdoor wedding venue near Columbus, Ohio - the Wigwam Event Center. Outdoor weddings need a beautiful backdrop that is more detailed than a large open space. You get that at the Wigwam. The facility is surrounded by acres of trees in a parklike setting that offers a stunning backdrop and many picture perfect areas, including water features and fountains. There is a patio space where tents can be set up, an outdoor dance floor created and tables and chairs put out for an outdoo...

Sunny days ahead for Ohio solar farm developers; nearly 2 dozen projects in the works

Monday, December 28, 2020

Blocked from developing more wind power in Ohio, renewable energy companies have set their sights on the sun. Nearly two dozen solar farms are in some form of development across the state, according to the Ohio Power Siting Board, the state agency that approves construction of new sources of electricity. Add it all up, and it amounts to about 4,000 megawatts of power — the equivalent of two or three traditional power plants and about a seventh of Ohio's current total electricity production. Right now, solar power contributes just about 0.5% of Ohio's output. Click here to read full article.

Inclusion Grant Assists Golden Protective Services’ Expansion

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Golden Protective Services (GPS) plans to purchase and renovate an industrial building in Southeast Ohio to service the company’s growing business on the east coast of the USA. The building is larger than the space the company has been operating from for the past nine years. GPS will also add new machinery and equipment at the facility. Click here to read full article.

Large Wedding Venue in Columbus, Ohio

Monday, December 21, 2020

Are you looking for a large wedding venue in Columbus, Ohio that is also glamorous? The Wigwam Event Center in Violet Township is perfect for big weddings. There is a large banquet hall that can seat hundreds (up to 500), along with a theater space that can seat 300 people watching the wedding party get married on stage. When it comes to large weddings, most venues have limited offerings. Being able to choose between the banquet hall, theater space, outdoor grounds - or a combination of them, makes the Wigwam unique in the Columbus area. Brides looking for a large weddin...

Learn the HR Skills You Need When Your Business Grows

Saturday, December 19, 2020

As an entrepreneur, you likely have a growth mindset. You didn't expect to be a one-person operation forever did you? But when you're ready to start growing your business, you're suddenly presented with a whole new slew of challenges. In The HR and Administrative Career Training Bundle, you'll learn how to tackle each one of them capably. This five-course bundle is designed to help you on the next logical step of your small business's journey. You'll learn what it takes to build an awesome team and how to motivate them to do their best work. Click here to read full article.

BEST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEBSITES FOR 2021

Friday, December 18, 2020

A common question that our team is asked is "Can you give examples of the best economic development websites for 2021?" Each year, backed by research, conferences, and the latest trends, the Golden Shovel Agency team puts together a list of what we consider to be the best economic development websites. This is a difficult task, as there are so many organizations that deserve to be on this list, but we try to keep it to 10 for you. Click here to read full article.

Cold Storage Is Hotter Than Ever

Friday, December 18, 2020

Our attitudes about food and beverage influence the brands we purchase, how we socialize, where we shop — and sometimes even where we live. Our expectations are high when it comes to product mix and availability. When our wants and needs are not met quickly, as was the case at the start of the pandemic, we are highly dissatisfied. While food transport has been occurring for centuries, modes of delivery, advances in food safety, and time-sensitive supply chains have evolved to meet the changing desires of consumers across increasingly broad geographies. Often, new trends become ingrained habits that can alter consume...

How the Video Game Industry Drives DC Location Decisions

Friday, December 18, 2020

It’s natural to expect more data center capacity is needed to handle the boom in e-commerce, streamed programming and virtual meetings since the pandemic arrived. But there’s another subset of screen-based transactions that requires that expansion too. Statista reports there are an estimated 2.7 billion video gamers around the world in 2020. The largest proportion of these gamers, some 55% or 1.5 billion players, live in the Asia Pacific Region. North America, with 8%, claims just over 200 million gamers. Total prize money in 2018 for e-sports was $1.5 billion, with the 2018 League of Legends World Championship Finals reaching 99....

Opportunity for All?

Friday, December 18, 2020

They’re cities of dreams. They’re the nation’s glamor capitals. But they’re attracting the lion’s share of Opportunity Zone funds meant to spark the economies of neighborhoods struck more by poverty than by fame. Analysis published in September 2020 by tax break experts Novogradac found that investment in more than 800 Qualified Opportunity Funds (QOFs) tracked by the organization exceeded $12 billion, though the total amount in all QOFs was “undoubtedly more.” The White House Council of Economic Advisers put the total around $75 billion. But where are those funds targeted for action? “QOFs can focus on a national, regional, state or cit...

Starlink service by SpaceX supporting BroadbandOhio and JobsOhio in pilot providing high speed internet access

Friday, December 18, 2020

This report is a summary of third-party economic research and perspectives to foster communication with business and economic development stakeholders during the COVID-19 crisis. Key Takeaways Global: Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now passed 75M globally and the number of confirmed deaths globally stands at over 1.65M. U.S.: The Federal Reserve raised its 2021 economic outlook slightly, sees 4.2% growth next year. Ohio: Ohio’s unemployment rate was 5.7% in November 2020, down from a revised 6.1% in October. Click here to read full article.

How to Navigate the Reshoring of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Thursday, December 17, 2020

In recent years, geopolitical and economic trends have been encouraging pharmaceutical drug manufacturers to shift their active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) sourcing and physical manufacturing plants onto domestic soil or near-shore locations. This has been a gradually turning tide that accelerated this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and, in its wake, a presidential Executive Order requiring all essential medicines to be manufactured within the United States. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet disclosed the list of essential medications, it has become apparent that having a strategy for the reshoring of pharmaceutical manufacturing is crucial. There ar...

In Focus: The Evolving Role of Outdoor Spaces

Thursday, December 17, 2020

This year has been hallmarked by re-evaluation. On all levels, people have taken a second look at their habits, spaces, and lifestyles and have had to adjust greatly to meet the new needs of today. With safety as a priority, people entered their homes in March, and most have not returned to a “normal” lifestyle. On a macro-level, spaces must be reimagined in order for people to return safely and once again participate in day-to-day activities without fear of getting sick or infecting others. One solution is moving traditionally indoor spaces outdoors. The office is a great example of how outdoo...

Combating Loneliness & Building Resilience For Tomorrow's Workplace

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

In this era of social distancing, safer-at-home orders and telecommuting, the American workforce is more dependent on technology for connection and has less separation between work and home than ever. Add to that the emotional turmoil resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, an uncertain economic climate and increased recognition of systemic racial injustice, and the state of mental health in America needs attention. Click here to read full article.

E-Commerce Growth Surge Sparks a Logistics Free-For-All

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

E-commerce has exploded in recent years, but as COVID-19 emerged the sector has seen unprecedented growth. While many industries battled disruptions, e-commerce provides opportunity. E-commerce and logistics companies are accelerating planned innovation and restructuring initiatives to stay ahead of the curve — if that’s even possible — spurring the implementation of three to five years of advancements in a span of just five months to keep up. It’s akin to upgrading the jet while traveling at Mach speed. This significant growth in online sales shows no signs of slowing, with Deloitte forecasting e-commerce sales to increase by 25–35 percent year-over-year during this upcomin...

Front Line: Vocational Training Alliances in Tough Times

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

As if manufacturers are not challenged enough by COVID-19, many face shortages of appropriately skilled workers to keep their tech-savvy factories competitive. A 2018 report by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Instituteestimated the manufacturing industry would have as many as 2.4 million jobs to fill by 2028. Last year, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) reported in 3rd Quarter 2019 that the top concern among manufacturers was the inability to attract and retain a quality workforce. Stephen Gold, president/CEO of the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI), recently wrote in IndustryWeek that the skills gap today isn’t so much about a lack of STE...

4 KEY COMPONENTS TO CREATING A SOPHISTICATED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MARKETING STRATEGY

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

The strategy of simply creating a website and hoping new businesses will look at your community isn’t going to work by itself. You need a marketing plan to work along with it. A workforce attraction and business growth strategy need to target specific industry sectors. A solid strategy will have four key components: workforce attraction strategy, narrative placemaking and successful story creation, aggressive social media campaign, and a robust analytical approach to measuring the marketing effectiveness. Click here to read full article.

Attaining a Big-Picture Perspective With a Facility Master Plan

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Leading a successful site and facility master plan challenges even the most seasoned leaders. After all, how often have you undertaken a master-planning process, only to be disappointed in the outcome, or worse yet, end up with a building that doesn’t align with your business goals? Based on over 30 years of working with manufacturing organizations, we have identified several master-planning process “must haves” that are vital to achieving successful, actionable and, most importantly, implementable site and facility master plans. With construction cost trending upward at a rate of 3 to 5 percent annually — and an industry focused on continuou...

Recruiting and Retaining Today’s Manufacturing Workforce

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

AD: How has COVID-19 changed the employee experience in manufacturing, and what facets of this should organizations retain going forward? Zenk: Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, employees have been experiencing a drastically different work environment. Thousands of manufacturers across the U.S. and around the world were deemed essential during the pandemic, and their production lines haven’t stopped. They’ve continued to produce essential goods that the global community relies on — from the food we eat to the clothes we wear and cleaning supplies we use in our homes. As some manufacturers increased output and others reconfigured operations to satisfy urgent demands...

5 Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Brand Strength and Equity

Monday, December 14, 2020

It’s not enough to have a competitive advantage in the Covid-19 era. Marketing must adapt to the new normal, and crafting a strong and authentic brand helps with this process. Brand-building is a long-term initiative that demands patience and persistence, but its benefits are worth the effort. The perks of brand-building are present in both internal and consumer-facing aspects of your business. Click here to read full article.

Best Wedding Spot in Columbus, Ohio

Monday, December 14, 2020

The Wigwam Event Center is the best wedding spot in Columbus, Ohio, and while we are outside of the city in Violet Township, the short drive is well worth it. This stunning venue is beloved by brides because the grounds are gorgeous and parklike with beautiful water features that make for the best picture spots. From the moment you enter the private drive leading to the Wigwam, you can tell the place is special. It transports you to another time - perfect for celebrating the start of the rest of your life. Part of the Wigwam’s charm comes from the fac...

Movers & Shakers: Will Zell on Columbus entrepreneurship, his ever-evolving career path and his new venture capital firm

Friday, December 11, 2020

Will Zell has been a part of the central Ohio entrepreneurial scene for the better part of a decade, founding multiple startups in diverse fields and racking up the stories along the way. The Nikola Labs founder and president has also added a new project to his plate, the formation of his new venture capital firm, Zell Capital. We caught up with the Columbus enthusiast and serial entrepreneur to talk about his new venture, running for city council as a high schooler and turning Columbus into the next Silicon Valley. For those who aren’t familiar, what is Nikola Labs? Nikola Labs i...

Five Predictions For The Manufacturing Industry In 2021

Monday, December 07, 2020

There's no shortage of articles that will opine about how tumultuous 2020 was for the economy, jobs, and industry as the world grappled with the impact of COVID-19 on business and daily life. However, there's reason to be optimistic, especially in manufacturing. Despite 60% of manufacturers feeling the impact of COVID on operations, a recent survey of senior leaders of manufacturing and distribution companies noted significant or modest growth in company revenue during the pandemic. Demand for products is surging, requiring new and innovative production methods, and many manufacturers have stepped up to the plate. As we close out the year, we'll better understand jus...

Public-private coalition offers affordable internet, computers to central Ohio students

Sunday, December 06, 2020

A coalition of public and private partners has come together to provide – for a nominal fee – computers and internet access to students who otherwise might not be able to complete remote-learning assignments. When the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic led to a state order shutting down school buildings in March, officials at the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission and the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio realized some students in the region were at risk of falling behind because of a lack of home access to the internet or computers. The issue remained for the current school year, with most districts using remote- or hybrid-learnin...

SEO FOR THE SAVVY ECONOMIC DEVELOPER

Tuesday, December 01, 2020

Authors don’t write books for librarians, they write books for readers. So why are economic developers creating websites just for search engines? The sole focus on search engine rankings has moved economic development website marketing away from the true intended purpose - connecting communities to business owners and expanding economic growth opportunities. Click here to read full article.

Web cameras in Dublin high school classrooms will connect in-person and remote students

Friday, November 27, 2020

Starting in January with the next Dublin City Schools semester, in-person and remote-learning high school students might be able to connect in real time through a virtual-learning initiative. Lindie Schweitzer, K-12 coordinator of educational technology for the district, said high school classrooms would be equipped with web cameras to enable students learning online at home to interact with the students in the same class at school. A conference microphone would enable conversation between the groups, she said. Teachers in the district's three high schools – Coffman, Jerome and Scioto – have been receiving the equipment, said Deputy Superintendent Tracy Deagle. “Once all the equipment is distributed, every high school classroom wil...

Zoning-code change would add more potential sites for data centers

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

After approving a real-estate deal in early November that is expected to result in the construction of another data-center complex for Amazon Web Services, Hilliard officials want to add pathways for more data centers in the city. Hilliard City Council on Nov. 23 heard the first reading of an ordinance that would amend the zoning code to allow data centers as a permitted use in M-1 restricted-industrial and M-2 general-industrial zoning districts. The ordinance is scheduled for a second and final reading at the Dec. 14 council meeting. Currently, data centers are permitted in B-3 and B-4 zoning districts, which are spread out over commercial areas in th...

Central Ohio Christmas tree farms expecting high demand

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

For central Ohioans concerned about – and weary of – the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the Christmas season promises a welcome respite. Yet, with indoor gatherings strongly discouraged by medical experts and Gov. Mike DeWine, and live performances of such holiday staples as “The Nutcracker” canceled, families might be seeking activities that are festive, as safe as possible and outside four walls. Perhaps cutting a Christmas tree could be one of those activities that adds some sparkle to the season. Sensing a trend, numerous central Ohio tree farms are expecting high demand this year. “That’s what we’re being told through the industry,” said Donna Cackler of Delaware's Cackler Family Farms, which opened Nov. 21. Read full article.

Planning commission begins consideration of Sheetz application

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

The Grandview Heights Planning Commission is seeking more information regarding a proposal to redevelop the property on the southeast corner of Grandview Avenue and Dublin Road as a Sheetz restaurant, convenience store and gas station. The company is seeking a major site-plan review and conditional use to allow construction on the lots at 744-746 Grandview Ave. and 1075 Dublin Road. The application was discussed Nov. 18. The commission agreed to wait to vote on the request until more details, including the results of a traffic study, are available from the applicant. The corner is occupied by a Meineke store and a vacant restaurant building. Th...

How To Poise Your Business For Success (And Survival) In The Covid Economy

Monday, November 23, 2020

Business life in the era of Covid has elements of both crisis management and an endurance trial. How can your business join the ranks of those that are succeeding in this environment? LJ Suzuki, founder and fractional CFO at CFOshare and I recently dissected this question together, with an eye toward the actionable steps you should be taking now–and the potholes you need to avoid. Micah Solomon, Senior Contributor, Forbes; Customer Service Turnaround Expert and Consultant: It’s been several quarters since Covid began to make inroads into the economy; how are small businesses faring? LJ Suzuki, Founder and Fractional CFO at CFOshare: The small businesses within my purview have see...

OSU seeks approval to build $36.7M innovation center

Friday, November 20, 2020

Provided that the Board of Trustees approves the project this week, construction will start in June 2021. The facility would be slated to open in May 2023. Read full article.

Violet Township distributes nearly $65K in CARES Act funding

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Fifteen businesses and nonprofit organizations recently received nearly $65,000 in combined grants after Violet Township officials distributed federal money allocated in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. One of those is Heather Kluth, who’s had a difficult time since she opened Visage Studio Salon at 10400 Blacklick-Eastern Road, Suite 120, last November. Just four months later, the pandemic hit and a state order forced her to close her salon and spa room for two months. She didn’t qualify for some assistance programs because her business was so new and she doesn’t have a payroll because the stylists who work at the salon are self-employed. “During that time...

6 Ways to Keep Your Employees Learning At Work

Thursday, November 12, 2020

No company can reach its business goals without a qualified and dedicated workforce. As new technologies emerge, on-job training programs have become increasingly useful to enhance both employees’ soft and practical skills. But learning at work can go beyond formal training. Businesses should get creative so that employees are constantly developing their skills. The Benefits of Ongoing Training While most companies invest in costly recruitment processes to attract the right candidates, their efforts on employee engagement and education often fall short. Without any type of incentives or supportive programs, it's easy for employees to feel overlooked and unappreciated after a while — an...

Literary Buffs Will Love These Roadside Destinations

Thursday, November 12, 2020

Once upon a time in a land close to home, there were workplaces and living spaces of famous authors and illustrators that literary fans could explore through printed maps created by the Ohioana Library Association. After more than 50 years, the organization, which collects, preserves and celebrates Ohio literature, has now gone digital with the Ohio Literary Trail, an online map that connects people to more than 60 notable sites around the state. “Literary tourism is becoming a much more popular thing because people love authors and books,” says Ohioana Library Association executive director David Weaver. “It’s exciting to g...

First Person: Effects of the Global Pandemic on Company Supply Chains

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

AD: Will more companies be re-shoring or near-shoring as a result of the global pandemic? Jensen: For certain, most companies are closely examining the options available to them to avoid future supply chain interruptions. Part of the challenge of making a decision on a future sourcing direction is that this story isn’t over. As the pandemic progresses, every week, sometimes every day, brings new information to light regarding risks associated with both the supply available for companies to transact business, as well as the fluctuations in the demand associated with their specific product offerings. It is very safe to say that at present...

Front Line: COVID-19 Spurs More Automated Manufacturing

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

The global pandemic has upended the labor market and dramatically and suddenly reversed U.S. economic expansion. COVID-19, especially, has caused U.S. manufactures to face unprecedented labor challenges. With COVID-19 and the need for social distancing, these shortages are escalating. Many factories have shuttered to protect workers and prevent COVID-19’s spread. Even before this global crisis, in 2018 Deloitte had already projected that manufacturers would face shortages of some 2.4 million workers through 2028. Read full article.

Adding “COVID-19 Community Response” to the Site Selection Checklist

Monday, November 09, 2020

Much has been written about the disruptions of COVID-19 on every line of business. In the realm of economic development, this has included a recommitment to retention and expansion programs, touting quality of life to capture the influx of remote workers, a rush to virtual site tours, and many other endeavors. All of these adjustments will play a part in a community’s success in the years to come. But it seems that when all of them are stacked up, they point to the foundation of a community — or to use a construction expression, they reveal whether a community ha...

Data-Driven Operational Strategies in the Pandemic Era

Monday, November 09, 2020

As state economies struggle between surging cases of COVID-19 and intense pressure to reopen — albeit with varying degrees of restrictions — companies that reduced or halted operations in response to stay-at-home orders are torn between the urgent needs to both restore revenue streams and to ensure the safety of their employees and customers. Since every location has a different dynamic and risk profile, creating a return-to-work strategy is complicated, whether a company operates in five locations or 500. The solution to developing a sound, portfolio-wide strategy includes having ready access to data, analytics, and insights, including regional and community-specifi...

Shifts in Mobility and Transportation Infrastructure in a COVID-19 World

Monday, November 09, 2020

While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to create an environment of unpredictability, the one certainty is that the way in which people previously commuted to their jobs — and the way in which goods and services were traditionally delivered — is likely changed forever. It is still too early to predict the entire spectrum of mobility changes that are destined to occur, but one thing is for sure — the COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the fact that our mobility systems are critical to our day-to-day lives and serve as the backbone of the U.S. economy. Now, more than ever, if th...

Ohio Ranked Third in Site Selection’s 2020 Top State Business Climate Rankings

Friday, November 06, 2020

This report is a summary of third-party economic research and perspectives to foster communication with business and economic development stakeholders during the COVID-19 crisis. Key Takeaways Global: International FDI fell by 49%; outlook remains negative. U.S.: U.S. unemployment rate falls to 6.9%, Federal Reserve holds rates at zero amid considerable risks as economy continued to recover. Ohio: Ohio ranked third in Site Selection’s 2020 Top State Business Climate Rankings. Global Foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 49% to $399B in the first half of 2020 according to UNCTAD. The European Union’s executive commission lowered its economic forecast for next year and doesn’t expect to reach pre-virus levels until 2023. The ne...

Site Selection Magazine ranks Ohio’s business climate near the top

Friday, November 06, 2020

Ohio again has been recognized on a nationwide list for its business climate. That’s according to the 2020 Business Climate Rankings from Site Selection Magazine, a national publication that focuses on economic development. Ohio ranks third on the list, which was based partially on a survey of corporate executives and site selectors who were asked to identify the states they believe to have the best business climate and partially on an index of project counts and other criteria. Inclusion on the list further shows why so many companies are investing in projects in the Buckeye State. Read full article.

The New Normal in the Automotive Supply Chain

Friday, November 06, 2020

For immediate evidence of disruptions in the automotive supply chain, you need to look no further than your local dealer. Many lots are nearly empty of new vehicles, with average dealer inventories across the U.S. far below the normal 50–60 days’ supply. How did this happen? Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic is a major part of the problem. When automotive production was abruptly halted in March, there were not any new vehicles being produced until early May. Even then, production has been proceeding in fits and starts. At the same time, consumers have continued to purchase vehicles, keeping auto demand surprisingl...

The Next Recovery: Regional Leaders & Laggards

Friday, November 06, 2020

To call the road that most metro areas have traveled this year rocky would be akin to labeling Mount Everest a speed bump. But the most turbulent period of our lifetimes will eventually give way to a sustained recovery. And when it does, certain types of metro areas are in far better shape to take advantage. In the short run, places that suffered the steepest job and income losses will struggle most, which bodes especially ill for the Northeast and tourism-dependent Hawaii and Nevada. But what happens after that? Much depends on the course of the virus, such as whether outbreak...

What’s Next: Leveraging Mergers and Acquisitions with Incentives

Friday, November 06, 2020

It’s not surprising that in the face of a global pandemic and its economic impact, merger and acquisition activity is gearing up. It’s inevitable that in periods of economic downturn, stronger and better positioned companies acquire struggling businesses. However, it’s also common for both acquirers and the communities in which they operate to overlook opportunities and pitfalls in a merger or acquisition. So how do you take advantage of the first and avoid the second? One path that yields great results is thoughtful economic incentive due diligence, which offers specific and unique opportunities for an acquirer related to each of the thre...

Automotive, Steel and Other Sectors Pave this Region's Road to Recovery

Thursday, November 05, 2020

What pandemic? Facility investment might be on hold in some locations as companies rethink their property portfolios and supply chains. But it’s hard to find evidence of that in the Southeast. More than $1.4 billion in capital investment has been announced — in Alabama alone. Just in August. Plenty more projects are getting underway elsewhere in the region. Mazda Toyota Manufacturing (MTM), the joint venture between automakers Mazda Motor Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp., plans to make an additional $830 million investment in Alabama to incorporate new cutting-edge manufacturing technologies to its production lines and provide enhanced training to its workforc...

More Than Just Real Estate

Thursday, November 05, 2020

Commercial real estate communities built around colleges and universities, hospitals and medical research institutions rightly are hailed for supporting large numbers of jobs, many that pay exceedingly well. They drive critical medical research, and they support the commercialization of life-saving cures. A perhaps under-appreciated bonus comes in the ways that Eds & Meds developments can serve to enrich urban ecosystems, including the under-utilized, undervalued and forgotten. South Street Landing in Providence, Rhode Island, is a modest but spritely example. Its transition from abandoned power plant to sleek, medical education hub recently claimed a prestigious award for adaptive re-use from the Nationa...

These are the Skills and Mindsets of the Leader of the Future

Wednesday, November 04, 2020

When we hear the word water, an image immediately comes to mind, we know what we are talking about. The same does not happen with the term leadership or when we want to refer to the leader. However, this character plays a fundamental role in cultures and organizations. Jacob Morgan, a futurist who explores leadership, the future of work and the experience of employees, participated in INCmty where he pointed out the nine skills and mindsets that the leader of the future must have, whom he referred to as "the leader of today" . Also founder of FutureOfWorkUniversity.com , an online education and training platform tha...

Air Force, Ohio State announce partnership to improve diversity in science, engineering

Monday, November 02, 2020

The Ohio State University and the U.S. Air Force are creating a national consortium to increase opportunities in the Air Force for minority STEM students and graduates. Ohio State will co-lead the new effort with Wright State University, North Carolina A&T State University, and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The six-year, $40 million project, funded by the AFRL, will include summer internships for minority engineering students, access to specialized research equipment and laboratory space at AFRL, Ohio State and Wright State, and support for projects to be determined by collaborating with historically black colleges and universities an...

The Entrepreneurs Center Marketplace Connects Customers and Products Created by Local Businesses

Monday, November 02, 2020

As e-commerce thrives and large companies like Amazon make it easier than ever to buy online, local shops and companies can often suffer. And in the midst of a pandemic that has people shopping less, those challenges have only increased as we head into the 2020 holiday season. To help solve that problem and connect shoppers with local goods, The Entrepreneurs Center in Dayton has created the TEC Marketplace, an e-commerce platform that features and sells products from TEC companies and those participating in TEC’s Small Business Development Center. Many available products are aimed at holiday shoppers and include active apparel, hats...

Staying Safe And Strong In Ohio

Friday, October 30, 2020

When Ohio’s first three positive test results for COVID-19 were announced on March 9, Gov. Mike DeWine didn’t hesitate. The governor immediately declared a state of emergency. DeWine’s prompt action (which came just five days after California became the first state to declare a COVID-19 emergency) is credited by medical experts with sparing Ohio from the onslaught of cases (and fatalities) that afflicted other large states who took longer to react. In an exclusive Governor’s Report interview with Business Facilities, Gov. DeWine described the point at which he recognized the scope of the impending public health crisis. “COVID-19 had been on my rada...

Natalia Harris hits the ground running as Delaware's new city attorney

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Natalia Harris is quite acquainted with the duties required by her new job as Delaware city attorney. She was an assistant city attorney in Columbus for 11 years and spent most of that time working in civil and administrative law. Harris became Delaware city attorney Oct. 21, succeeding Darren Shulman, who left Delaware to become city attorney for Upper Arlington. Harris was named interim city attorney Sept. 1 and became the city’s prosecutor -- handling cases in the countywide Delaware Municipal Court, among other duties -- in July 2019. Read full article.

Leaning into the storm: Reshoring manufacturing is Ohio’s call to duty

Sunday, October 25, 2020

Ohioans couldn’t get N95 masks into our hospitals. Business couldn’t buy PPE to stay open. States fought to get testing kits. It didn’t stop with medical supplies. Try to buy a bicycle during COVID? Good luck. Many overseas-dependent products couldn’t be found on our shelves. Some seemingly simple items couldn’t be found because of one tiny component in the supply chain wasn’t available in our country. Reshoring, the restoring of manufacturing supply chains to our North American shores, is imperative! It’s also bipartisan. It’s clearly one of only a few issues upon which both sides of the aisle can agree — let’s bring manufacturing back to the U.S. Read full article.

3 Ways Great Leaders Have Evolved in the Wake of Covid-19

Sunday, October 18, 2020

Starting March 11, 2020, when the pandemic was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a global pandemic, we quickly experienced a flurry of events thereafter, witnessing drastic changes not only take place on a worldwide scale but also in our own personal lives at home and in business as we had to adapt quickly to the “new normal”. As we conformed to the new rules and retreated to the safety of our homes, it gave entrepreneurs a chance to sit with their own stark reality of what they’d created up until that point - what was working, what wasn’t working, what our strength...

How to Keep Remote Workers Productive and Happy

Sunday, October 18, 2020

If a company has survived this far into 2020, they've figured out how to make remote work possible. But companies that see it as a temporary make-do effort will soon fall behind. Not only are the effects of the pandemic likely to affect the way we do business long term, but the fact is that remote work was a growing trend before the pandemic, and now it's here to stay. To be successful, companies need to move beyond making remote work possible and begin to make it more productive and efficient. They need to focus on ways to bring remote employees together while apart, engaging them with tools and information tha...

Ohio’s Unemployment Rate Declined to 8.4% in September

Friday, October 16, 2020

This report is a summary of third-party economic research and perspectives to foster communication with business and economic development stakeholders during the COVID-19 crisis. Key Takeaways Global: World’s governments have committed $11.7T (12% of global output) to fight the coronavirus-induced economic downturn. U.S.: Economists said pandemic could end up costing U.S. $16T, four times as costly as last recession. Ohio: Ohio’s unemployment rate was 4% in September 2020, down from 8.9% in August. Cleveland Innovation Project announces initiatives to propel region’s growth. Columbus named the happiest city in Ohio, and one of the happiest in the U.S., according to Zippia’s latest study. Read full article.

Ohio could be leader of drone, autonomous aircraft technology

Thursday, October 15, 2020

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The future is here in Ohio and all you have to do is look to the sky. Drones and other autonomous aircraft could become a part of our daily life. Advocates say being the test ground could supercharge our economy. We have an in-depth look at what this new technology could mean for our state. The future of transportation may not be the first thing you think about when you drive down I-71. But an initiative called DriveOhio, supported by O-DOT, has that vision. It’s a state start-up that wants to make I-71, which is already a connector between Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati...

A Guide to Aerospace Investment Decisions

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

The aerospace and defense (A&D) industry had a record year in 2019. Revenue passenger miles set a record, up 4.2 percent from 2018, and have been growing at roughly double GDP for the past two decades. Airbus’ and Boeing’s order backlogs ended 2019 at around 13,000 aircraft. The industry reported a record $780 billion in revenue — 5 percent over 2018. But in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic plunged the industry into crisis, literally overnight, with air traffic decreasing about 90 percent as society shut down and stayed at home. Hopes for a quick recovery have been dashed by the persistence of transmissions, and many believ...

Adding “COVID-19 Community Response” to the Site Selection Checklist

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Much has been written about the disruptions of COVID-19 on every line of business. In the realm of economic development, this has included a recommitment to retention and expansion programs, touting quality of life to capture the influx of remote workers, a rush to virtual site tours, and many other endeavors. All of these adjustments will play a part in a community’s success in the years to come. But it seems that when all of them are stacked up, they point to the foundation of a community — or to use a construction expression, they reveal whether a community ha...

Data-Driven Operational Strategies in the Pandemic Era

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

As state economies struggle between surging cases of COVID-19 and intense pressure to reopen — albeit with varying degrees of restrictions — companies that reduced or halted operations in response to stay-at-home orders are torn between the urgent needs to both restore revenue streams and to ensure the safety of their employees and customers. Since every location has a different dynamic and risk profile, creating a return-to-work strategy is complicated, whether a company operates in five locations or 500. The solution to developing a sound, portfolio-wide strategy includes having ready access to data, analytics, and insights, including regional and community-specifi...

NCAA announces nearly 450 host site selections

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

For only the third time in its history, the NCAA undertook a site selection process where most of its championships were put out for bid at the same time. The result: The Association made more than 450 selections of host sites for preliminary rounds and final sites of predetermined championships in Divisions I, II and III, with most to be held from 2022-23 through 2025-26. The NCAA received more than 3,000 bid submissions from NCAA member schools, conferences, sports commissions and cities vying to host predetermined rounds for 86 of the NCAA’s 90 championships. The sites were selected by the respective NCA...

The New Normal in the Automotive Supply Chain

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

For immediate evidence of disruptions in the automotive supply chain, you need to look no further than your local dealer. Many lots are nearly empty of new vehicles, with average dealer inventories across the U.S. far below the normal 50–60 days’ supply. How did this happen? Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic is a major part of the problem. When automotive production was abruptly halted in March, there were not any new vehicles being produced until early May. Even then, production has been proceeding in fits and starts. At the same time, consumers have continued to purchase vehicles, keeping auto demand surprisingl...

Why Target, Walmart, And Best Buy Are Booming Amid The Pandemic - And Being Hailed As Heroes

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

In late February, Target CEO Brian Cornell was sipping coffee in a Manhattan deli—one eye on the keynote address he was soon to give at an investor conference, the other on his phone as news alerts of America’s first confirmed Covid-19 death buzzed in. Target’s communications, investor relations and special-events teams had spent months agonizing over every detail of the speech, given to 200 Wall Street analysts and journalists and able, in a matter of minutes, to send Target’s stock price climbing—or crashing. Three years ago, Cornell, 61, who took over Target’s top spot in 2014 after running Pepsi’s food business, ha...

How Site Selection Can Help Meet Corporate Social Responsibility Commitments

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

The increased role of corporate social responsibility in site selection Corporate social responsibility is playing a major factor today in company's decisions on where they're locating their business. That's happening for a few reasons. I think companies are realizing that they need to be more conscious as to what's going on in the environment today, and they need to react to that. But primarily that's being driven by their consumers (for any company that is selling a product to the consumer base). Consumers want to know that the company is delivering on certain sustainability goals. They want to feel like they'r...

How Technology Is Making Data Collection for Incentives Programs Applications Easier

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

The Importance of Software in Incentives Analysis Software is becoming a bigger part of incentives analysis as clients increasingly want to use this tool. Many clients are building the internal capabilities to perform initial credits and incentives and site location analyses. They want to do some of that research on their own with their internal team prior to pulling in an advisor, or maybe they have an internal team that can handle the project from start to finish. Unless they have the ability to go to all the various jurisdictions under consideration and understand all their programs, the team’s software, dependin...

How To Make Your Virtual Company Party A Success

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

With the morning air a bit crisper, the sun setting earlier and the leaves falling to the ground, we are reminded that the holiday season is quickly approaching. For businesses, this means it's time to start planning the time-honored year-end company party. However, amid a global pandemic, party objectives and safety concerns are markedly different this year. Stymied by in-person gathering restrictions, companies turning to virtual solutions have the difficult task of figuring out how to make these "events" meaningful and engaging. While this could make party-planning committees hold their collective breaths, all hope is not lost, and businesses can stil...

In Focus: An Evolving Last Mile

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Apart from the tragic global health implications, the economic fallout from the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic has been highly disruptive. The longer-term impact from the profound behavioral shift on the part of consumers who have — by necessity — been introduced to online shopping will persist long after the current recessionary cycle ends. While some new online shoppers will go back to their pre-COVID habits once the pandemic is behind us, many will be “sticky,” finding the convenience of online shopping too alluring. One recent survey finds that 46 percent of shoppers currently plan to continue buying online. Read full article.

Infrastructure Investment as an Economic Stimulus Tool

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

In times of economic struggle — such as the recession that abruptly arrived with the COVID-19 pandemic — analysts and advocates promote an array of options as effective tools for stimulating the economy. One of the most frequently suggested options is infrastructure spending. Proponents of infrastructure spending during dire economic times view it as a productive job creator and essential foundation for a long-term recovery and return to sustained prosperity. Brian Raff, director of Communications and Public Affairs for the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), cites a 2015 study by the Duke Center on Globalization, Governance, and Competitiveness to demonstrate infrastructure investment’...

In Focus: Increased Data Center Growth Driven by the COVID-19 Pandemic

Monday, October 12, 2020

The stratospheric rise of the cloud over the past few years caught many off guard and created an arms race among the cloud providers, with data center development underpinning the effort. These cloud providers were anticipating ever-increasing demand for the cloud by globally creating a robust and redundant network of massive data centers tethered together through a network of smaller data centers and fiber connection locations. Data centers that service other segments of the market (wholesale colocation, “edge,” and retail) were also riding the wave of increased demand. Little did we know a global pandemic would make data centers and th...

The Next Recovery: Regional Leaders & Laggards

Monday, October 12, 2020

To call the road that most metro areas have traveled this year rocky would be akin to labeling Mount Everest a speed bump. But the most turbulent period of our lifetimes will eventually give way to a sustained recovery. And when it does, certain types of metro areas are in far better shape to take advantage. In the short run, places that suffered the steepest job and income losses will struggle most, which bodes especially ill for the Northeast and tourism-dependent Hawaii and Nevada. But what happens after that? Much depends on the course of the virus, such as whether outbreak...

Why are Foreign Trade Zones Making a Comeback?

Monday, October 12, 2020

FTZs Are Making a Comeback There was a double-digit growth in foreign trade zone use [in 2018], according to the federal government's report for that year. When the 2019 report comes out, that double double-digit growth will have increased even more. The reason is that these tariffs are a whole new way to save money, compared to before, when the most important things were speed to market, using direct delivery and weekly entry, cutting your supply chain time and lowering your cost of operations. Now it's cut your supply chain time, lower costs and mitigate the tariffs. The number one thing w...

COVID-19 Reshuffles The Cold Chain & Logistics Deck

Friday, October 09, 2020

No sector now is more active than logistics, and there is no busier niche within it than cold chain for grocery and medical needs. The busiest companies within that niche, before and since COVID-19, are automated logistics pioneers and the grocers they serve. Digital Commerce 360’s 2020 Online Food Report, released in August, analyzes the top 1,000 food-dedicated retailers, as well as mass merchants with growing sales in the category — Walmart and Amazon represent more than 60% of the online grocery market, with Walmart having the biggest market share of online food in 2019 at 31%. Read full article.

Have Years of Darwinism in Rural America Paid Off During COVID-19?

Friday, October 09, 2020

As cities reel from a public health crisis and civic unrest, rural and small town community leaders are the unspoken heroes during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have historically learned how to thrive through fostering creative connections between limited resources and community needs. Years of practice navigating threats and finding solutions keeps rural America surviving, even amidst a pandemic. Progressive rural community leaders developed a task force in March. They used frequent and clear communication on the local plan. Rural America applied well-practiced skills listening to citizens, health care professionals, business owners and educators to make decisions right for their own communities...

Ohio Faring Better than U.S. in ‘Back-to-Normal’ Index

Friday, October 09, 2020

This report is a summary of third-party economic research and perspectives to foster communication with business and economic development stakeholders during the COVID-19 crisis. Key Takeaways Global: Both WTO and IMF updated their 2020 forecasts with an upward revision due to improved economic condition in Q2 and Q3. U.S.: Latest genetic, epidemiological and computational research suggests COVID-19 was spreading inside the U.S. in January. Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell called for continued aggressive fiscal and monetary stimulus for an economic recovery. Federal budget deficit was $3.1T in FY2020, the Congressional Budget Office estimated. Ohio: Cleveland, Columbus and Akron listed in the Top 25 Most Resilient U.S. Cities of 2020. In conjunction with it...

When Businesses Support Their Employees In Voting, It Makes A Huge Difference

Wednesday, October 07, 2020

Americans’ ability to vote is facing its greatest challenge in decades. Between the Covid-19 pandemic, voter laws that vary by state, and uncertainty about whether mail-in ballots will be counted, many Americans are willing to stand in long lines just to vote early. It is important that businesses support their employees as they do this on election day and the weeks leading up to it. “Voting rules are complicated and vary from state to state, and most people who don't vote say they simply didn't have enough time,” said Jim Doyle, President of Business Forward Foundation. “When employers share reminders, hel...

The Future of Coworking: How the Pandemic Brought Non-Traditional Offices to the Forefront

Thursday, October 01, 2020

Before 2020, the concept of working from somewhere other than an office was largely seen as either a luxury or a niche product. Coworking spaces were full of independent contractors or creatives with no real office to visit. But after six months of a pandemic, attitudes toward these spaces are changing as the world revisits its ideas of productivity, office space and community. At Akron’s Bounce Hub, coworking space is a relatively recent addition to their offerings. The spaces, however, have become an important refuge for those who need a break from their couch, dining room table or cramped home office. Rea...

Everybody Knows this is Somewhere

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Double-digit unemployment — that’s where my career in economic development began. As the country struggled to pull itself out of the Great Recession, I spent my days in workforce and economic development activities ranging from assisting displaced workers to providing resources to businesses to aiding communities in creating a better tomorrow. I was fortunate to cut my economic development teeth in East Central Indiana, between the state’s largest and third largest cities (Indianapolis and Fort Wayne). The area’s largest city is Muncie (pop. 68,000), home to Ball State University, and the smallest is Jonesboro (pop. 1,600). Read full article.

Five Common Ways To Fund A Small Business Beyond Personal Savings

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

One of the most cliched statements in starting a small business is that “it takes money to make money”... but it is often true. Many businesses need an infusion of cash to buy essential components of their operations. For a pizzeria, that could be an industrial oven, and for a yard care business, that could be a commercial lawn mower. A common funding practice many new business owners take is to use personal savings and start small by reinvesting profits into the business. This approach, known as bootstrapping, seems rooted in common sense, but can be restrictive to your business’ growt...

Ohio-produced natural gas is essential to economic and environmental progress

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

In a state as big and diverse as Ohio, it's easy to focus on our differences. As the political season intensifies, advertising will seek to magnify those differences even more. They want us to think: What could a family in Cuyahoga County possibly have in common with a family in Monroe County, down along the Ohio and West Virginia border? The truth is, quite a lot. As a natural gas and oil producer operating in Southeast Ohio, I have seen firsthand the positive benefits the industry has had on families across the state. From the compressed natural gas (CNG) cleanly fueling RTA buses...

Trans-Cycle Industries of Ohio Expands its Headquarters, Boosts Recycling Capacity

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Company Name: Trans-Cycle Industries of Ohio LLC Location: Columbus Industry Sector: Advanced Manufacturing Company Profile: Trans-Cycle Industries (TCI) of Ohio is one of the members of the G&S Family of businesses, all devoted to the environmentally safe processing and recycling of transformers and other oil-filled electrical equipment, and the safe processing and re-use of electrical oils. Through its innovative and environmentally focused approach, more than 99% of the material processed by TCI of Ohio is salvaged for beneficial re-use rather than landfilled. Company Website: www.tciohio.com Read full article.

Beat Zoom Fatigue With These 6 Tips

Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Do you audibly sigh every time you have to log on to what feels like your thousandth Zoom meeting of the day? You’re not alone. While we’re all more or less used to video calls and meetings being the norm now, the newly coined effect of Zoom fatigue hasn’t gone away. Since working from home is here to stay, video calls are here for the long run too. This makes it incredibly important to find a way to prevent Zoom fatigue from taking over your workday. Here are a few ways you can mitigate its effects. Read full article.

BBI Logistics Expands, Plans to Nearly Quadruple Its Workforce in Ohio

Monday, September 28, 2020

Company Name: BBI Logistics Location: Columbus Industry Sector: Logistics and Distribution Company Profile: BBI Logistics is a freight brokerage firm based out of Columbus, OH. The company specializes in handling full truck load shipments while also dealing with a variety of other services such as, less-than-truckload shipping, intermodal, specialized equipment, and expediting shipments. Company Website: www.bbilogistics.com Read full article.

Delivering Local Government Services During a Pandemic

Monday, September 28, 2020

The defining challenge that local governments have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, and one that they will continue to face for some time, is how to administer critical services in a manner that keeps both the public and government employees safe and healthy. While many services can be delivered via internet/ web-based applications, some residents do not have access in their homes, and others may prefer to interact face-to-face. Still others do not have access to transportation or must rely solely on public transit where it is available. As a result, there is an enduring need for areas inside governmen...

Economic Equity Agenda Needed to Revive the American Dream for All

Monday, September 28, 2020

2020 has been a disaster. COVID 19 not only infected millions of American and likely will kill a couple hundred thousand more but, triggered by police misconduct, a surge of legitimate protests along with unwarranted violence lead to the destruction of neighborhoods and property across the United States. The economic challenge for many communities even before COVID 19 illustrated a clear line between winners and losers. In Franklin County, Ohio, home to mid-sized urban market winner Columbus, before the large negative impact of COVID 19 the county’s overall poverty rate was 16.7%, 29.9% for African Americans, and 25% for children. ...

Helping All Ohioans Return to Work

Monday, September 28, 2020

Like the rest of the nation, Ohio faces historically high unemployment in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The impact, at its height, has reached more than a million displaced workers, disproportionately touching Ohio’s economically vulnerable populations. In response to this employment crisis, JobsOhio, the state’s private nonprofit economic development corporation, and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) have partnered to launch an initiative called Ohio To Work. The goal of this initiative is for employers to find the workers they need while ensuring workers have the skills employers desire. Ohio To Work aims to accomplish this throug...

How To Keep Women In The Workforce During The Pandemic

Monday, September 28, 2020

We may be losing some of our best leaders to caregiving duties, and the pandemic is sending us backwards when it comes to gender equality. Women’s careers often take a backseat when caregiving duties rise, and women are more vulnerable to job loss during an economic downturn. The research shows that pandemic is hitting women hard on both fronts. Women are more than twice as likely as men to say they handle more than 50% of the caregiving and education responsibilities and 34% of working families are still without childcare coverage, according to Cleo’s State of Working Parents Study. A recent FlexJobs survey reports that 80% of workin...

Luma Financial Technologies Doubles Workforce at Ohio HQ

Monday, September 28, 2020

Company Name: Luma Financial Technologies Location: Cincinnati Industry Sector: Financial Services Company Profile: Launched in 2011, Luma Financial Technologies is the creator of Luma, a fully customizable, independent, buy-side platform that helps financial advisors more efficiently learn, create, order and manage market-linked investments such as structured products, structured annuities and more. Luma is headquartered in Cincinnati with offices in New York City. Company Website: lumafintech.com Read full article.

Ohio Receives $5 Million Grant to Boost Defense Manufacturing

Monday, September 28, 2020

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced that the U.S. Department of Defense has approved a $5 million grant to improve defense manufacturing processes in the state and train workers for next-generation jobs. The grant follows an announcement in August designating Ohio as a Defense Manufacturing Community. It is a program designed to support long-term community investments that strengthen national security innovation and expand the capabilities of defense manufacturing. “Ohio is positioned to be the premier state for defense manufacturing, and this grant will help our companies and workers achieve that,” Governor DeWine said. “Ohio is committed to ensurin...

Sustainable Communities are Jobs Magnets

Monday, September 28, 2020

In recent years, state and local economic development teams are getting some questions they might not expect from companies looking for new locations. In addition to information about economic climate and quality of life, businesses want to know more about a community’s track record around environmental sustainability. These days, it should surprise no one that a prominent U.S. company would want to operate in a community that values environmental protection and prioritizes waste diversion. Read full article.

These Dayton entrepreneurs are taking their startups to the next level

Friday, September 25, 2020

Dayton’s startup ecosystem is gaining traction with key entrepreneurs leading the way. The industry’s latest developments have been highlighted at the Techstars Startup Week Dayton, presented in partnership with Launch Dayton. The week kicked off Monday and is set to run until Friday. The week has hosted a number of events, ranging from manufacturing and food creation to beauty and technology, among others. Here’s a few startups to keep an eye on. Read full article.

Violet’s Wigwam Center Provides Columbus Event Space During COVID-19

Monday, September 21, 2020

Event planners, brides and organizers looking for event space near Columbus, Ohio for fall 2020, should look no further than the Wigwam Event Center in Violet Township. This beautiful historic property has been a go-to destination for the political elite, celebrities visiting the area and the movers and shakers of the Columbus region. Now, it is open for public use. With stunning grounds, gorgeous event space and a beautiful theater, the Wigwam can accommodate all types of events from corporate meetings to conferences, weddings, parties, recitals and even school events. Columbus event space during COVID-19 For those looking for Columbus event spac...

New Strategies for Learning and Development in an Increasingly Virtual World

Wednesday, September 09, 2020

Newly dispersed work teams are facing new challenges. During the early months of the global pandemic, more than three-quarters of organizations reported 80 percent or more of their employees were working from home, according to a global survey on workplace re-entry. While workplace mobility isn’t new, the scale of remote work has accelerated digital transformation, with rollout timelines shrinking from years to weeks. Workflows have also been upended as employees try to adopt new tools as part of their daily routines. Read full article.

Optimizing Project Outcomes Through Advanced Project Planning

Wednesday, September 09, 2020

While APP involves a modest amount of additional upfront time for planning, the investment pays significant dividends throughout the project — and at the most critical times. Detailed planning is executed in advance, enabling the project team and stakeholders to discuss project objectives, prioritize needs, and examine costs from the very outset. This relieves some of the reactive urgency surrounding these decisions, when such issues are addressed amid the thin margins associated with not only time but also the cost of business today. Using APP, facilities that have inevitable downtime related to modifications can plan more efficiently. Read full article.

Front Line: COVID-19 Spurs More Automated Manufacturing

Tuesday, September 08, 2020

The global pandemic has upended the labor market and dramatically and suddenly reversed U.S. economic expansion. COVID-19, especially, has caused U.S. manufactures to face unprecedented labor challenges. With COVID-19 and the need for social distancing, these shortages are escalating. Many factories have shuttered to protect workers and prevent COVID-19’s spread. Even before this global crisis, in 2018 Deloitte had already projected that manufacturers would face shortages of some 2.4 million workers through 2028. Read full article.

How are Uncertain Times Altering Company Location Strategies?

Tuesday, September 08, 2020

As corporate decision-makers develop their business strategies for the future, the markets they consider are rapidly changing. This dynamic trend was already in place before the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic as businesses sought to alleviate concentration risk. With the unprecedented impacts on the global economy of the current public health crisis, however, the search for alternative locations has taken on new urgency and quickly became a priority. Read full article.

First Person: Effects of the Global Pandemic on Company Supply Chains

Monday, September 07, 2020

AD: Will more companies be re-shoring or near-shoring as a result of the global pandemic? Jensen: For certain, most companies are closely examining the options available to them to avoid future supply chain interruptions. Part of the challenge of making a decision on a future sourcing direction is that this story isn’t over. As the pandemic progresses, every week, sometimes every day, brings new information to light regarding risks associated with both the supply available for companies to transact business, as well as the fluctuations in the demand associated with their specific product offerings. It is very safe to say that at present...

Infrastructure Investment as an Economic Stimulus Tool

Monday, September 07, 2020

In times of economic struggle — such as the recession that abruptly arrived with the COVID-19 pandemic — analysts and advocates promote an array of options as effective tools for stimulating the economy. One of the most frequently suggested options is infrastructure spending. Proponents of infrastructure spending during dire economic times view it as a productive job creator and essential foundation for a long-term recovery and return to sustained prosperity. Read full article.

Survey Reveals Manufacturers’ Post-Pandemic Plans

Monday, September 07, 2020

Few implications of the COVID-19 pandemic are as consequential to global manufacturers as disruptions to their supply chains. For many, this is the most consequential by far. Supply chains are always a work in progress as such market variables as transportation costs, tariffs and trade agreements force logistics managers to tweak their supply chains a little here, a lot over there and everywhere in between. That’s under normal conditions. Add a global health pandemic originating in the world’s second largest economy and the largest in industrial output, and it’s a whole new ballgame. Read full article.

Could a Post-Pandemic National Industrial Strategy Advance the Cause of Advanced Manufacturing?

Friday, September 04, 2020

As the coronavirus pandemic disrupted global supply chains, a new report released in April by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) urged the U.S. government to develop a national industrial strategy to strengthen the competitive position of advanced, traded-sector industries that are “too critical to fail.” “Even before this pandemic, China posed an unprecedented competitiveness challenge in the advanced industries that are most critical to America’s economic wellbeing and national security,” said ITIF President Robert D. Atkinson, the report’s author and a past contributor to Site Selection. Read full article.

Work from Anywhere?

Friday, September 04, 2020

Somewhere between your umpteenth Zoom meeting of the month and the latest webinar on the economic impacts of COVID-19, this thought probably crossed your mind: “How long will I be working from home?” While an exact answer to that question still eludes most companies, the effects of remote working are starting to come sharply into focus. Read full article.

How Small Businesses in the Heartland Are Coping

Thursday, September 03, 2020

The Brookings Institution hosted a webinar on June 10 titled “Mitigating the Economic Impacts of COVID-19 in Rural Areas.” Moderator Tracy Hadden Loh, a Brookings Institution Fellow, engaged three experts on rural economies in looking back at the pandemic’s effect on two small towns and across rural America, and how recovery steps are taking shape. The panelists were Lindsey Dotson, executive director of the Main Street Downtown Development Authority in Charlevoix, Michigan; Todd Wolford, executive director of Downtown Wytheville, Inc., Wytheville, Virginia; and Matt Wagner, vice president of revitalization programs at the National Main Street Center. Read full article.

Indemnification Provisions in Incentives Agreements: Best Practices and Special Public Entity Issues

Thursday, September 03, 2020

Indemnification provisions are an important part of the fine print of many contracts. These clauses generally operate to protect one party against the other party’s actions or failures to act that lead to a loss claimed by a third party (not a party to the contract). A common example is the indemnification provisions (or entire agreements) used in the rental car setting. Before you drive off the lot, the rental car company will require you indemnify (or protect) it against a third party (not you) bringing a claim due to your being in an accident. Read full article.

Site Selection 2020: The Importance of “Regional Depth” with Global Reach

Thursday, September 03, 2020

The last several years of corporate site selection have been influenced by many trends. Among these are corporate tax cuts, a red-hot industrial real estate market, the explosion of e-commerce, increasing trade protectionism, record economic growth and, in a stunning reversal, a global health pandemic and recession. It seems the ever-shifting tide of global and domestic affairs can be confusing at best and downright frightening at worst to corporate executives evaluating where to locate their next headquarters, newest manufacturing plant, or distribution center. Risk and uncertainty have never seemed higher, and without looking deeper and thinking differently, it can b...

Tech Talent & COVID-19

Thursday, September 03, 2020

Beset by the COVID-19 pandemic and its recessionary shocks, companies across the globe are paring workforces at alarming rates. In the United States alone, some 40 million workers had filed jobless claims by the end of May, with the biggest losses occurring in the leisure and hospitality, professional business services, retail trade and manufacturing sectors. Driven, however, by the expectation of long-term social distancing, the remote economy is soaring, as is the demand for technology workers, especially engineers. Read full article.

5 Effective Strategies for Employee Retention

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Effective hiring and retention practices are key to effective leadership. The reality is that managers that hire well and that are able to keep talented employees produce better results. Replacing employees is time-consuming, expensive, and disruptive. Plus, when an employee leaves, it can impact the entire team and cause a ripple effect of unhappiness or turnover. Read full article.

How to Leverage LinkedIn for Lead Generation and Sales

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

How to Leverage LinkedIn for Lead Generation and Sales

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

With 700 million users, LinkedIn provides a massive opportunity for businesses to increase sales leads and revenue. In this video, the creator and host of “The Startup Story” shares tips for leveraging LinkedIn to start conversations with cold contacts, namely: Research, learning more about the contact you’re reaching out to from their profile as well as other social media accounts Read full article.

Walnut Creek Foods Invests in New Ohio Manufacturing and Distribution Facility

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Company Name: Walnut Creek Foods Location: Millersburg Industry Sector: Food and Agribusiness Company Profile: Walnut Creek Foods has two retail stores located in Walnut Creek and Berlin, which annually serve over one million people. The company’s wholesale operations deliver in 12 states, serving over 2,000 customers. All of this is possible because of the 350 associates at Walnut Creek Foods and Cheese. Read full article.

Fall in love with Greater Cleveland’s waterfalls

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Exploring Greater Cleveland’s many waterfalls is a foolproof remedy for current pandemic-related blues. With summer days still to come and autumn rains not far off, we are entering the ideal window for “waterfalling,” though there is no bad time to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of cascading natural streams. Read full article.

Greater Cleveland Partnership tool connects businesses, entrepreneurs with resources

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

The Compass assesses needs and connects entrepreneurs and businesses to appropriate resources in the Northeast Ohio entrepreneurial ecosystem. Read full article.

JobsOhio and The Ohio State University Partner on International Business Program

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

One of the primary needs for businesses looking to invest and expand is a sizable and skilled workforce. Many companies cite the caliber of workforce as their reason for investing in Ohio. More than 300 higher education campuses across the state graduate over 170,000 students annually. Ohio is also a top 10 state in the competitive labor environment as well as leading workforce development programs. JobsOhio continually invests in initiatives to increase education and innovation in the state in order to create a workforce that’s competitively advantageous to companies. Read full article.

This Cleveland Startup is Revolutionizing Remote Special Needs Education

Thursday, August 20, 2020

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many startups across the country have had to pivot and innovate just to stay afloat. For the educators at Cleveland’s Vizzle, however, the surge in demand for high-quality remote educational software has been a chance to shine. The company’s platform, which specializes in maximizing the potential of special education students, was already in place in districts across the country. But as districts look for the best ways to teach students during the pandemic, Vizzle is rising to the top. Read full article.

Prioritizing Ohio Businesses During COVID-19 Recovery

Monday, August 03, 2020

This year presented us with a lot of unexpected challenges. But as Ohioans, we don’t give up, and throughout this pandemic, we’ve demonstrated the value of our economic development network. The JobsOhio team is thankful for all you’ve done to help companies and your communities during this time. We have a long road still ahead of us, but JobsOhio believes this is the time to rebuild, improve and seize opportunities. The DeWine/Husted Administration’s pandemic response has earned Ohio positive attention on a national level. This presents us with a generational, once-in-a-lifetime chance to leverage the attention in our favor. At JobsOhio’...

In Focus: The Evolving Role of Outdoor Spaces

Thursday, December 17, 2020

These are the Skills and Mindsets of the Leader of the Future

Wednesday, November 04, 2020

These are the Skills and Mindsets of the Leader of the Future

Wednesday, November 04, 2020

Infrastructure Investment as an Economic Stimulus Tool

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

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