JumpStart Blog

When I made the transition into the world of non-profit Economic Development, one of my first realizations was the staggering breadth of diversity amongst organizations in this space. It seems like it would take a decoder ring to figure out exactly who does what. Unfortunately that decoder ring does not exist—at least not yet.

Let me ask you a question. Would a wise money manager invest in a company they knew nothing about? The answer, of course is no. A wise money manager would investigate the company, scrutinize the financials, probe management, explore the industry and delve into key trends. Anything less would risk giving away the client’s money.

Did you know students who complete paid internships as undergraduates have much higher rates of post graduate employment and often start at higher salaries than the rest of their classmates? With this in mind, the State of Ohio is preparing to re-launch their Ohio Third Frontier (OTF) Internship Program to connect students, especially those from traditionally underrepresented minority groups, with internship opportunities at Ohio's most innovative early-stage technology companies.

In today’s job market Software Developers are in high-demand. With over 6,000 software developer jobs advertised in Cuyahoga County over the past 12 months, and average wages regionally at $85,000, it’s no wonder people are open to exploring a career change. The good news is that thanks to a disruptive new model in education, careers in software development no longer require a four year degree.

Let’s face it, starting a new job can be scary. The idea of tackling the unknown, meeting so many new people and proving your brand in a new place can keep you tossing and turning in the middle of the night more than a scary movie marathon. However, as you learn to adjust to your new surroundings and adapt to your new team, new conversations will start flowing and you will start developing strong relationships (and even friendships) over time.

Whether you are looking for a new job or attending on behalf of your current employer, it can be tempting to think of conferences, professional workshops and other networking opportunities, as “free days” out of the office. It’s understandable to want to relax at these events, however, they are designed to help you develop as a professional and they can make a positive impact on your career if you make the most of them.

On Wednesday, May 20, JumpStart hosted an open discussion on how to get started evaluating, planning and executing successful marketing and sales strategies for small businesses.

I didn’t spend too long with AOL co-founder and Revolution CEO Steve Case. In fact, it was just one day. We travelled together throughout Buffalo, NY on his “Rise of the Rest” tour, a bus tour dedicated to pointing out that although the bulk of venture capital dollars still flow to the coasts, there are many other communities currently “on the rise” when it comes to entrepreneurship. But in that day, Steve and his team left a major impression on me—one that will no doubt impact the work I do at JumpStart. Here are a few of my key takeaways from my brief ride on the “Rise of the Rest” tour.

On October 28, JumpStart will be in Oklahoma City to host a workshop at the 2015 State Science & Technology Institute (SSTI) annual conference. In preparation for this workshop, which will focus on the technological challenges facing the modern economic development community, we conducted a survey of more than 265 SSTI members, including Universities, Incubators & Accelerators and Economic Development Organizations.

It was former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neal who famously said, “All business retention and expansion efforts are local.” Wait … that may have been “All politics is local.” Either way, most communities have always thought of their business retention and expansion (BR&E;) programs from a strictly local perspective. After all, who better to speak to the local business community, than the local leadership of that community?

Did you know that diversity initiatives and inclusive hiring practices are increasingly topping the list of important company priorities? For organizations like JumpStart that have always been champions of inclusion, this is welcome news.

Believe it or not, your interviewer is asking you these questions for a reason. Nontraditional interviews are intended to probe your ability to think on your feet, test your grace under pressure and expose your hidden personality traits.

For as long as economic development has existed as a concept, communities have been looking for the secret elixir that will give their local economy a much-needed boost.  Many fads have gone in and out of style, but there are a few core ideas that have truly proven themselves valuable over time.

Customer relationship management (CRM) software is often thought of as a tool for salespeople; but a well-customized CRM system is also critical to the success of most modern nonprofits. While these organizations may not have “customers” in the traditional for-profit sense, they do have plenty of “clients” or “constituents” whose interactions they need to manage.

Company culture is always an important consideration when looking for a new job. Everybody wants the perfect work-life balance, but is there ever really such a thing as "perfect."