Site Selectors Are People, Too

In this installment of our "Stories from the Road" mini-series, Devin sits down with John Launius, Senior Vice President and Chief Economic Development Officer at One Southern Indiana, and the newly appointed Board Chair of the Indiana Economic Development Association (IEDA). In a wide-ranging conversation, John shares his unique journey from a small Missouri town of 800 people to leading major economic development initiatives in t...

In this installment of our "Stories from the Road" mini-series, Devin packs up the mic and heads to Bloomington, Indiana, to sit down in person with Jeremy Sowders, Economic Development Leader at Hoosier Energy and recent Board Chair of the Indiana Economic Development Association (IEDA).

In a candid, laugh-out-loud conversation, Devin and Jeremy cut through the corporate jargon to discuss what networking actually looks like when y...

We've all been guilty of it—getting so deep into the weeds of economic development that we forget what our world looks like to an outsider. When was the last time you had to explain a PILOT, a TIF, or what a LEDO actually does to someone who wasn't already an industry veteran?

In this episode of Site Selectors Are People Too, host Devin Hillsdon-Smith sits down with Tianya Pinkham, the newly minted Vice President of Business Develo...

In a somber departure from our usual programming, host Devin Hilston-Smith addresses the immediate and staggering business fallout from Operation Epic Fury. With global markets reeling from the strikes in Iran, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and the tragic loss of American lives, the landscape of global trade has fundamentally shifted overnight.

Moving beyond geopolitical commentary, Devin breaks down the conflict strictly th...

"I’m trying to come up with a legitimate connection to the podcast... but maybe I just want to talk about my stuff!"

In this special technical breakdown, Devin peels back the curtain on the brand-new audio engine powering Season 3. After receiving feedback on previous audio quality, Devin invested in a professional-grade rig designed to strip away the "corporate distance" of tinny laptop mics and echoey boardrooms.

Whether you’re a...

How many highly confidential, multi-million dollar project calls have been derailed by a dog barking at a delivery driver?

In this episode of Site Selectors Are People, Too, we’re stepping away from the RFIs and real estate data to talk about the actual MVPs of our home offices: our pets. The economic development and site selection industry can be a grueling mix of isolated remote work and exhausting road-warrior travel. Today, we’...

"I didn’t think this podcast was coming back—especially not like this."

After a year of significant professional and personal shifts, Devin Hillsdon-Smith returns for Season 3 of Site Selectors Are People, Too. This isn't just an industry update; it’s a raw, unfiltered look at the human behind the professional.

In this episode, Devin pulls back the curtain on a 2025 that was defined by "burnout, depression, anxiety, and an identity...

In this episode, Devin talks through a topic he's passionate about - activating your real estate for economic development purposes. A community's land is one of its most precious assets, and if you don't take control of its future then someone sure as heck will. We explore how to break down the steps to real estate activation through a simple process and bring some order to the chaos. So let's roll up our sleeves, get down and dirt...

Stories from the Road, a miniseries within the podcast, features the people behind the profession in the communities Devin visits and within his network of esteemed misfits.

In this installment of the miniseries, Devin is joined by Keith Gillenwater, the president & CEO of The Enterprise Group of Jackson in Michigan. We discuss what it's like as an economic developer to land in a new community and how to host a top tier familia...

Stories from the Road, a miniseries within the podcast, features the people behind the profession in the communities Devin visits and within his network of esteemed misfits.

In this installment of the miniseries, Devin is joined by Jonathan Sackett, head of marketing and communications at the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership.

How do economic development professionals market their communities? How do you create a compelling br...

In this episode of Site Selectors Are People, Too, Devin tackles work-life balance in a highly competitive environment. Let's take a look at some of the unique demands and challenges associated with each profession (site selection and economic development) and scratch the surface of some best practices and strategies for finding balance. Traveling too much? Expected to show up at too many community events? You're not alone.

Here's ...

Stories from the Road, a miniseries within the podcast, features the people behind the profession in the communities Devin visits and within his network of esteemed misfits.

In this second installment of the miniseries, Devin is joined by Matthew Marshall, manager of member services, rates & economic development for the Minnkota Power Cooperative in North Dakota and Minnesota.

Matthew can be reached at:

mmarshall@minnkota.c...

In the 1st Episode of Season 2 of Site Selectors Are People, Too, Devin responds to a listener question about how the public can get more engaged with economic development projects. How do we balance critical project confidentiality with the community's right to know what's coming next? It's not an easy topic, but it's one worth discussing.

Here's some resources for those interested in learning more (see Site Selectors Are People, ...

In the 10th episode of Site Selectors Are People, Too, Devin takes a look at the RFI and how it informs the site selection process as a whole. We dig into how the RFI is put together and how economic developers can better tailor their efforts to increase their chances of success. If you don't get the results you want, does that mean you failed? Or does that mean your community simply wasn't the right fit for the project?

Here's som...

In today's episode, Devin explores the realities of being an economic developer. What does it take to get the job done? What does a day in the life look like? Let's dig beyond the tip of the iceberg of being an economic developer, including what it takes to serve as the intersection between community and business.

Here's some resources for those interested in learning more (see Site Selectors Are People, Too | Devin Hillsdon-Smith ...

In today's episode, Devin explores the realities of being a site selector. What does it take to get the job done? What does a day in the life look like? Let's dig beyond the tip of the iceberg of being a site selector, including what it takes to manage a corporate site selection project.

Note: winning clients and getting paid will be discussed in future episodes.

Here's some resources for those interested in learning more (see Site...

Devin tackles a fundamental aspect of human interaction - trust. In this episode, we explore the definition of trust, how to build it, how to ruin it, and its role in economic development and site selection. Economic developers and site selectors serve as a bridge between communities and companies, requiring a focus on being trusted advisors and representatives.

Here's some resources for those interested in learning more (see Site ...