News and Media

It’s Economic Development Week!  The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) created Economic Development Week (EDW) in 2016 to help raise awareness for the profession. Economic Development Organizations often power the local economy behind the scenes out of the spotlight, but their work is instrumental to a successful, growing community. EDW i...Continue Reading

For more than 50 years, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has celebrated National Small Business Week which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. This year’s virtual summit, taking place May 1–7, 2022, will focus on the theme, “Building a Better America Through Entrepreneurship.” Th...Continue Reading

ST. PAUL -- Minnesota's unemployment rate is now tied for the lowest ever recorded in the state. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development says the state gained 11,500 jobs in March dropping the unemployment rate to 2.5 percent, which is down from 2.7 percent in February. The only other tim...Continue Reading

We’ve all been affected by the disruptions of global supply chains in some way, especially those of us who operate within the industrial sector of the corporate real estate industry. On paper the industrial market is in an extremely strong place; vacancies are at all-time lows and rents have bee...Continue Reading

The State of Minnesota has expanded a new mobile application, called Workforce One Connect, that provides customers of employment and economic support programs with quick and easy access to their counselors and caseworkers using a smartphone or tablet. Using the app, customers can sign in securely and directly message thei...Continue Reading

For nearly two years, the predominant COVID-19 driven incentive compliance issue looming over companies has been the difficulty to achieve and report on headcount performance as part of economic development incentive agreements. The evolving workplace landscape precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic adds another wrinkle to this process. With the trend towar...Continue Reading

The post-COVID economy has proven challenging for many Minnesota businesses. Supply chains disruptions, a workforce shortage and rising inflation create headwinds to growth. Minnesota Chamber member Trystar is no different. Trystar experienced increased demand for their products that resulted in challenges to find enough production assembly workers to meet th...Continue Reading

It’s no news that lingering supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures have forced project teams across the U.S. to shake up their procurement and delivery processes. The projects of today are rife with risk, as supplied materials’ lead times and pricing have proven to be no longer as reliable a...Continue Reading

Landing pages are one of the most important elements of lead generation. The use of landing pages enables organizations to direct website visitors to targeted pages and capture leads at a much higher rate. Here are some statistics worth noting: Addressing buyer concerns on landing pages increases conversions by up t...Continue Reading

Agriculture, including livestock and crops, is big business in Minnesota. In 2021, 67,400 farm operations totaling 26 million acres generated $16.7 billion — earning it fifth place in the United States for agricultural production. Exports valued at  $6.37 billion make the ag industry the number one exporter in Minnesota o...Continue Reading

HOW TO SOLVE WORKFORCE SHORTAGES IN YOUR COMMUNITY Workforce shortages are a primary concern for businesses and economic developers throughout the country. For economic developers, this creates a clear and urgent challenge - find workers to support existing businesses or risk them going elsewhere. The same is true for business attraction...Continue Reading

The term “smart cities” has a certain aura — it promises to solve the problems urban areas face using technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, robotics, digital cameras, and sensor networks. The potential of smart city solutions is seemingly limitless — the market opportunity ( estimated at $741.6 billion i...Continue Reading

Over the past two years, building occupants have become more aware of the health of the environment around them, especially indoors. Additionally, awareness of “Sick Building Syndrome” — the idea that building occupants become sick from the building they work in — has grown. Now, occupants expect the opposite: ...Continue Reading

ST. CLOUD -- The new Taco Villa in downtown St. Cloud has announced its opening day. According to a Facebook post, they plan to open their drive-thru on Tuesday. Read full article.Continue Reading

Business succession is a critical issue for businesses leaders and their stakeholders alike (e.g. employees, customers, suppliers, and local communities).  Research from the Minnesota Center for Employee Ownership (MNCEO) and Project Equity shows that roughly half of employer businesses in Minnesota have owners over the age of 55, reaching an ag...Continue Reading

Minnesota’s economic engine is powered by more than 100,000 businesses, a diverse landscape interconnected in ways not understood by the casual observer. For a select group, Leadership Minnesota opens the window to a behind-the-scenes look at what makes our state’s economy tick. This exclusive program also helps you understand ho...Continue Reading

St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced that Launch Minnesota has awarded nearly $440,000 in matching grants to 17 local startups who were competitively awarded over $8 million in federal Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer funding (SBIR/STTR). Of th...Continue Reading

Networking is one of the most important business skills to master in the franchise industry. It’s equally as important for a franchisor as it is for a franchisee. Developing and nurturing a network of professional peers is vital to career success and can give you a competitive edge in variou...Continue Reading

As businesses throughout the country struggle to fill job vacancies, EDCs are stepping up to the plate. EDCs are working with community partners to develop innovative programs, connect talent with employers who are hiring, upskill the local workforce, and grow a pipeline of next-generation workers. Here are some of th...Continue Reading

Empathy is now a strategic imperative for leaders. Here are four ways to embrace empathy and build teams with higher levels of productivity, innovation, and engagement. Click here to view the video.Continue Reading

The pandemic has been a game-changer for employee and employer attitudes concerning wellness, well-being, safety, health, and hygiene. Many — if not most — organizations are doubling down on wellness in the workplace. Some are going so far as to incorporate health and well-being into their corporate site selection an...Continue Reading

States have always competed for new development projects and expansions to broaden their tax base and create good-paying jobs for their workers. Incentive packages typically include free workforce recruitment, training, and other support, as long as the companies hit their investment and employment goals. However, the COVID-19 has disrupted th...Continue Reading

The growing number of ships queuing outside the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which are responsible for approximately 40 percent of the nation’s imports, stems from a surge in cargo that was anticipated over a year ago. In March 2020, just one month into the pandemic, terminal operators implemente...Continue Reading

You’re evaluating a new site. It checks all the boxes when it comes to the property, local infrastructure, and business climate. You have one more box to check — labor supply. You’re presented with a hodge-podge of numbers. How can you make sense of it all? And what’s the botto...Continue Reading