Community-First Economic Development

Keynote Speaker

A visionary person with a remarkable ability to put ideas into action.

Stephen Turner Director of Urban and Economic Development, Rock Hill, SC

This was the best seminar I was privileged to attend in the past two months. The speaker was unreal good and the info he gave us has already had a positive impact on our town.

Bill Beall Mayor, Federalsburg, MD

A truly thought provoking perspective and one that I immediately brought back to my colleagues. […] Truly inspirational!

Lynn Carpenter VP Marketing, VisitCalifornia

Incredible ability to take complex, creative ideas and articulate them in a very powerful way.

David Bradley President & CEO, Statesville Chamber

I would highly recommend him again.

Anthony Gallo President, Lorain County Chamber of Commerce

A great mix of data, humor, and insights that were informative and entertaining at the same time. […] He was a hit for sure!

B. Gorman President & CEO, Tahoe Chamber

Jason offers a vision for moving forward that is understandable and actionable. Extremely well received!

Rina Bakalar Economic and Community Development Director, Trumbull, CT

Jason excites the mind when he is speaking. Our 60-plus CEO attendees enjoyed his talk greatly…and are still referring to his ideas!

T. Jan Wiseman Executive Director, Greater Salisbury Committee

If a person can accurately look into the future of America’s cities of the twenty-first century, that person is Jason Broadwater.

Dr. Eddie Lee Mayor, York, SC

Jason received great ratings for his content, dynamic presentation style, and sense of humor. Well done!

Janice Eidson Director, Georgia Municipal Association

A very inspiring and well thought out message. I would love to see your ideas begin to root here.

Sheryl Gonzales Project Manager, Western Nevada Development District

Economic Development Keynote Speaker

New perspective brings new solutions.

Exceptional Keynotes

With passion, humor, data, case studies, and a bit of Southern charm, Jason discusses the great challenges facing small cities and rural communities today. Jason provides sweeping historical perspective and a clear view of the shifting macroeconomics of the day while using specific and localized data from your community to make inspiring connections. Your audience will experience a superior presentation — energetic, insightful, and full of practical take-aways. The ideas are fresh, the presentation is engaging, and the message is change.

Keynote Topics

Economic Development Keynotes

Workforce Development Keynotes

Small Business Ecosystem Keynotes

Invite Jason to Your Community

SPEAKING PRAISE

Visionary Person

“Jason is a visionary person with a remarkable ability to put ideas into action. In supporting economic development, highest recommendations!” — Stephen Turner, Director of Urban and Economic Development, Rock Hill, SC (retired)

Crystal Clear

“Jason’s keynote presentation made Economic Development crystal clear.” — Patty Schmucker, EDC Team Jefferson, WA

High Value

“The one word I would use to describe the actual meat and bones of his talk would be: high-value.” — Leslie Friedman, Executive Director, Elbert County Chamber of Commerce

From the Heart

“Jason speaks from the heart. I would highly recommend him again.” — Anthony Gallo, President, Lorain County Chamber of Commerce

Unreal Good

“This was the best seminar I was privileged to attend in the past two months. The speaker was unreal good and the info he gave us has already had a positive impact on our town. Good job. No, great job. Thank you.” — Bill Beall, Mayor, Federalsburg, MD

Truly Inspirational

“Jason is a seasoned speaker with a charismatic style that blends messaging around economic development, community building and marketing. Truly inspirational!” — Lynn Carpenter, VP Marketing, VisitCalifornia

A Hit for Sure

“Jason provided our group with a great mix of data, humor, and insights that were informative and entertaining at the same time. We’ve received very positive feedback from attendees. He was a hit for sure!” — B Gorman, President & CEO, Tahoe Chamber

Exceptional

“Jason… Your share in Salisbury was exceptional on many levels.” — Bob Rich, Owner, Delmarva Farm Management Services / Land Advisor, Sperry Van Ness

Icing on the Cake

“Your presentation was the icing on the cake. You brought a very inspiring and well thought out message. I would love to see your ideas begin to root here in Nevada.” — Sheryl Gonzales, Project Manager, Western Nevada Development District

Uncanny

“Jason’s ability to convey the message of how crowdsourcing can be used as a tool to spur redevelopment efforts is uncanny. He has made the connection between public engagement and community redevelopment.” — Wade Luther II, Economic Development Director, Camden, SC

Visionary

“Jason is a self-organizing and visionary entrepreneur and a leader in our community.” — Debra Heintz, Executive Director, Arts Council of York County (retired)

Excites the Mind

“Jason excites the mind when he is speaking. He is creative and brings the ever-changing culture to the discussion of long-time problems. He looks through new eyes. Our 60-plus CEO attendees enjoyed his talk greatly…and are still referring to his ideas!” — T. Jan Wiseman, Executive Director, Greater Salisbury Committee

Incredible Ability

“Jason has the incredible ability to take complex, creative ideas and articulate those ideas in a very powerful way. Our community WILL move forward thanks to Jason Broadwater.” — David Bradley, President & CEO, Athens Area Chamber of Commerce

Ideas for Change

Thought-Leadership Articles

Blog Economic Development Small Business Workforce

The Physics of Local Prosperity

Does your community have a good economy or a bad one? Your economic developers will say a good one, and they will point to growth, jobs, amenities, development, and more. Yet, your community developers will say a bad one and cite poverty, homelessness, food deserts, lack of mobility, lack of wealth-building, and deteriorating access to healthcare. Why the tale of two cities? And what do we do about it? First we must understand the physics of our economy, so we can then alter it for better community outcomes over time.

Blog Small Business

Dopamine Dashboard

Online advertising has become gamified consumerism. Increasingly, we buy online advertising because the advertising platforms give us satisfying evidence that something is happening on the screen. We buy reach, views, and clicks because it feels good when we get them, a rush, a fix. Social media taught us to crave the quantified social reaction. Advertising platforms then turned that same psychological device into a business model to sell clicks.

Blog Economic Development Small Business

Why “Shop Local” Campaigns Don’t Work (and what to do about it)

While Shop Local campaigns may generate a slight bump in local sales for a few weeks, the results are usually mediocre and temporary. This is not a criticism of the people running these campaigns. The problem is, instead, with the nature of the Shop Local campaign itself. Ditch your Shop Local Campaign for a Discover Local initiative, and see a permanent change in local consumer behavior.

Blog Small Business

Save Your Community’s Small Businesses from Extractive Debt

A Small Business Debt Fund can save your community’s local small businesses from extractive debt cycles that kill small businesses and send money out of the local economy.

small basketball player outmaneuvering large basketball player

Blog Small Business

Category Marketing: How Small Businesses Win

Category Marketing: How Small Businesses Win The Art If David would have walked out to meet Goliath with sword and…

Blog Economic Development

Extractive Economics: Why communities are getting poorer & what to do about it

Are the people of your community getting richer or poorer? Well, by isolated metrics, like wages and 401ks, one could argue richer. But by lived experience, in relation to the important expenses of our lives and our ability to build wealth over time, the clear answer is poorer. But why? The answer is woven into our economic system.

Blog Workforce

Kids, Character, and Workforce Economics

There is no better workforce investment than my wife. My wife is a counselor at a small, rural, Title I elementary school in South Carolina. How much money is being spent to address the soft-skills crisis in the US right now? How many billions of dollars? How many employers report that workers struggle with communication, teamwork, adaptability, conflict management, and self-regulation? Working with adults is triage. We must invest in the future of our workforce.

Blog Economic Development

Individual Economic Health

Economic Developers have traditionally focused on business recruitment and real estate development. Now we find ourselves in workforce development, skills training, soft-skills, even transportation and childcare. We need a new perspective on what it means to serve a community in Economic Development.

GDP vs. median income in the us 1985-2022

Blog Economic Development

Shift: Pending U.S. Economic Crisis

More people are getting poorer over time. We must evolve our understanding of the economy so that we can see the pending crisis that lurks underneath. Only then can we design the changes that will avoid calamity and create a better future for all.

Blog Economic Development

The Agriconomy as an Economic Development Strategy for York County, South Carolina

York County should invest significantly in developing the “Agriconomy” (as I call it) – agri-business, agri-tourism, agri-lifestyle, etc. – in the western part of the county.

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