2022 was an exciting year for the Golden Shovel team. Our last episode of 2022 features Aaron Brossoit (CEO), Bethany Quinn (Vice President of Strategy & Content Development), Darren Varley (Vice President of Client Retention & Creative Services), Warren Westcott (Vice President of Sales) and Greg Kolbjornsen (PlaceVR Executive Producer) talking about what was 2022 and what will be 2023. Enjoy and Happy Holidays from the entire Golden Shovel team!

Shannon Landauer, CEcD, is the President & CEO of the Iowa Lakes Corridor and the immediate past President of the Professional Developers of Iowa (PDI).Shannon champions mentorship and is a fierce advocate for young economic developers looking to grow within the industry. On this podcast she explores ways to engage economic developers in mentorship programs.Having started her career working for a small rural community, Shannon understands the power of community and regional partnerships. She advocates for a regional approach to economic development as a way to make rural America more competitive. "One community may not have a technical and community college while another may lack a large industrial park. But together, they have what companies are looking for. We win by pooling our resources." 

In episode three of the remote worker mini-series you'll meet Tayler Gill (aka "Traveling Tayler"), a remote worker, travel coach and trip facilitator for Hacker Paradise. Amanda met Tayler through Hacker Paradise, a company that curates experiences for remote workers in communities across the world. Listen as Amanda chats with Tayler about what Hacker Paradise looks for when scouting new communities and businesses to work with, all about Youtube, her coaching businesses and of course, remote work!Learn more about "Traveling Tayler" on social media!https://travelingtayler.com/https://travelingtayler.com/instagram/https://www.youtube.com/c/travelingtaylerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/tayler-gill/

In the second episode of the remote worker podcast mini-series, Amanda introduces you to Adim Ofunne who is an entrepreneur and business owner from Nigeria. Adim shares his journey to owning two very different businesses, one being a product based business he started mid-COVID using Kickstarter. Listen in to hear about the successful crowdfunding campaign and his experiences working remotely.Links:https://nativescards.com/

Alicia Wilson is the first Vice President for Economic Development at John Hopkins University and John Hopkins Health System. As the largest employer in the City of Baltimore and state of Maryland, John Hopkins recognized the impact the organization could play on the economic development of the city of Baltimore specifically. Creating this department and hiring Wilson is a historic first for the organization.

In the first episode of our new remote worker podcast mini-series, Amanda introduces you to Alexis Ramos, remote worker and TikToker from the US who lives and works abroad. Alexis shares a bit about current conditions and humanitarian efforts in Eastern Europe since Russia invaded Ukraine. We dive into her professional background, what brought her to remote and travel life, and pros and cons for companies who employ remote workers and digital nomads. Don’t miss her tips and tricks for remote work, travel and TikTok for business. She also shares some of the most important things a community can provide to attract remote workers and of course, a few fun travel stories she has experienced with Amanda and other remote workers she has met along her journey.Find Alexis on Social Media:https://www.tiktok.com/@tabumoney https://www.youtube.com/c/tabumoney Humanitarian/Donation Efforts for Ukraine:Razom for Ukraine (Ukrainian NGO):https://razomforukraine.org/razom-emergency-response/ Nova Ukraina:https://novaukraine.org/donate/ UNICEF:https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/conflict-ukraine-pose-immediate-threat-children Polska Akcja Humanitarna (Polish NGO helping displaced persons in Ukraine and in Poland):https://www.pah.org.pl/en/ Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher are matching up to $3 million USD for humanitarian relief for those who have fled Ukraine in Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and surrounding countries:https://www.gofundme.com/f/stand-with-ukraine

Video can reach your audience in powerful ways. In this podcast, Greg Kolbjornsen walks our audience through developments in video and the metaverse and how economic developers can use these powerful tools. We also take a trip down memory lane, hearing hilarious stories from video shoots throughout the world. Listen to discover what Greg's most adventurous shot was (and how he wasn't wearing a proper harness!). 

Gerri Lawing knows what it takes to further complicated development goals at a regional level. As the economic developer for GVEC, Gerri promotes growth in a large territory that includes rural and urban areas of Texas. Hear her insights and learn how working with Golden Shovel has made it easier for Gerri to get the job done! 

As a passionate advocate for his community and tribe, Arvin Trujillo builds bridges between a wide group of stakeholders and communities. His approach to economic development is collaborative and inclusive - something that has made it possible for historic agreements to be reached and projects to be completed. Learn from his strategic approach to community building that is both optimistic and forward-thinking. This is a must-listen for anyone looking to collaborate on a broader scale or promote a regional mindset. 

Sara Harris is the next generation of economic developers and she's tackling a legacy challenge - transitioning an energy economy into one that is diverse and attractive to younger residents. Her strategies, and the collaborative efforts of the MDC, are working. A historic oil and gas community, Midland is undergoing a transformation with notable achievements that include being recognized as a startup hub and developing a Spaceport Business Park.