Doing the Work

“I learned the value of hard work by working hard.”
-Margaret Mead

Great athletes and their teams practice hours and hours to gain skill and prepare their bodies. Musicians practice to perfect their craft until the slightest notes are nuanced. The commitment to the work and hours spent in preparation for the game winning shot or the big stage are always worth it, even if those moments never come.

Economic development often requires years of preparation. Organizations must be built and resourced, and infrastructure must be financed and built, often before it is fully necessary. Plans must be created, revised and sometimes thrown out. Economic cycles come and go, as do the economic policies meant to stimulate growth.

The one constant is hard work. Community leaders and economic development professionals must not only work together, they must also put in the hours to build relationships, crunch the numbers and generate opportunities. This tireless advocacy isn’t always rewarded with big job prospects and millions of dollars of investment, but it is certain that those opportunities will never come if your community doesn’t do the work.

This week we salute those who toil in anonymity in our neighborhoods, our villages and states to make economic development work.

-Kenny McDonald

One Columbus Update

Franklin County and the Columbus Chamber are hosting the Retail Summit on August 9 and 10. Insights and strategies will be shared by industry thought leaders and trailblazers from around the country. Learn more and register here.