Confluent Development’s Post

Check out this great article from The Real Deal featuring our Southwest Region President, John Zogg. He discusses our strategy in the North Texas area. #GoldenrodCompanies

Though known as Second City, make no mistake, #Chicago is second to none. Ranked #1 in corporate relocations and expansions by Site Selection magazine, the Windy City is not playing catch up in the race for business success, it's setting the pace. From the first-rate economic climate to the top-tier talent pool, learn why Chicago is first in the minds of corporate decision-makers with our latest Spotlight: Chicago report. https://co.jll/4eh1906 #ChicagoLeads #SecondCityFirstChoice #CRE #JLLMarketSpotlight

We ❤️ this approach! When a business or organization intentionally selects local suppliers, particularly diverse local suppliers, money continues to circulate within our region. What else happens? ⬆️Community Investment increases ⬆️Hiring increases 🔗Supply chains grow more resilient and robust. Everyone wins. At BEAM, we are forging a brighter and more equitable future for local businesses. We are designing new procurement practices based on data science and best practices.

On this, the final official day of #blackhistorymonth, we are going to take a bit of a turn and focus on two *current* business development #historymakers right here in Louisville. If you have not had a chance to meet James Beckett and Johnetta Roberts, then you have at least been - or will be - impacted by their business development work in West Louisville. In his own words, Re:land Group founding partner James H. Beckett describes his passion and drive: "I build things that were not previously there. This includes 'hope.' Embarking on purpose-driven journeys to make transformational change takes conviction and courage. My passion for building transcends industries, organizational charts, job titles and international borders. Being comfortable with the uncomfortable runs in my veins and it is time to inspire my colleagues to get a bit uncomfortable for the betterment of others. I am always considering the possibilities to create a better future." Johnetta Roberts is making her own mark on business development that focuses on the needs and voices of the community, and uplifts community members as critical stakeholders in any business development project. The Founder and CEO of The 40 & 1 Company -- a real estate project and business initiatives consulting firm based in Louisville's west end -- reflects, "I grew up in a neighborhood that was rich with people but lacked financial investment and wealth building opportunities. I founded my company because I want children currently living in Louisville's west end to enjoy vibrant and safe commercial buildings full of thriving businesses in their neighborhoods." There is much, much more to come from these two local history makers, and we at Bakers Studio are thrilled to have a front-row seat to the action. #blackhistorymonth #wmbe #businessdevelopment #louisville #westlouisville #fortyandone #relandgroup #bakersstudio

The root of crappy leadership is fear. Over eggs, toast, and coffee this morning, Asim and I talked about what it takes to gather a group of people and get them moving toward a positive, unified goal. Clearly one of his strengths because he's done several times in his career, Asim reminded me of the power of understanding the collective benefit of working together when we just decide that's what we're going to do. I saw many examples of bravery, excitement, and success from his experiences. (As a part of our chat, he shared this article from Steve Smith in the St. Louis Business Journal as a response to a The Wall Street Journal article on STL.) These regional issues are the same issues I see within many organizations. They're because a leader and/or group of people are operating from a place of fear. Fear keeps people and organizations not just stagnant, but eventually dry and dusty places where life used to be. What is one practical way you take action to solve problems as a leader? What is the impact you’ve noticed?

Great article on Downtown St. Paul by Liz Fedor of Twin Cities Business and the opportunities as well as challenges facing the Capital City. I started my career in St. Paul 25 years ago. It was tough then as companies were migrating to downtown Minneapolis. The office market has become more challenging with hybrid and remote working. However, St. Paul is an amazing city with great opportunities. I have always loved lower town, Mears Park and Rice Park. As Melvin W. Carter III said, we "need to think differently". Thinking differently might be considering small business and business incubation space. This is not easy for office owners trying to pay mortgages, insurance, keeping up on maintenance and real estate taxes, but a public/private partnership is needed. Some ideas could include; (a) zero interest or forgivable loans for building and tenant improvements, (b) government returning to work to help retail, (c) a grant from a non profit institution to stimulate business incubation with provided business coaches to help launch the next start up (for example a super charged Bush Fellowship program), (d) tackling crime and lawlessness head on. The solutions will not be easy and they will take time, energy and money. https://lnkd.in/gb-x94Km

Imagine a downtown where interesting and beautiful places keep you wanting to walk further, to see more and experience all of the diverse activity that surrounds you; (kinda like the feeling you had the first time you visited City Museum). I envision a place where people would prefer to not have a car when living in or visiting downtown because of how it takes away from the vibrant experience and sense of adventure one gets just from being there. What if we rebuilt downtown to be a fully livable, self-sustaining community that has everything one needs for a happy and healthy life, (like groceries, parks, schools, jobs, etc.) all without ever needing to get into a car? But let's not stop there. What if we built a place that was truly invigorating... a place that daily inspires creativity and sparks the innovative and creative juices waiting to be unlocked in each of our brains? We can use lessons learned from neuroscience to inform how we create such a place that stimulates our neurons. We can even tap into the brain hacks that gaming and social media companies have used to design this place by creating a compulsion loop that: 1. triggers interest, 2. provokes action (i.e., walking one more block, checking out a store/event/piece of art, etc.), 3. provides a variable reward (things change and you never know what you will experience from one day to the next), and 4. entices an investment (time, money, talent, etc.) back into the community so that each resident or visitor can leave their finger print on the place - which then triggers the interest of the next person. Let's not make the mistake of thinking that we need to build back what once was, (i.e., a central business district where people come for their 9-5 and little else). Downtown hitting "rock bottom" is our chance to build something entirely new and different. It's time to think outside the box. Please share your thoughts in the comments below. Let's start a discussion!

In 2013, the Georgetown BID brought together a diverse group of Georgetown merchants, property owners, ANC members, restaurateurs, office tenants, architects, BID Board members, community leaders, and engaged citizens. The goal? To collaborate on enhancing the Georgetown experience for visitors, residents, business owners, and employees. After over 100 hours of meetings and input from 200+ members of our community, we developed a consensus plan with 76 recommendations to tackle key issues—ranging from transportation challenges to public space improvements, reducing office vacancies, and attracting unique shops and restaurants. This effort gave rise to the Georgetown 2028 15-Year Action Plan. By 2021, we completed or made significant progress on 67 of the 76 action items. Since then, we have adapted to changing priorities in a post-pandemic world, continuing to refine efforts to support our neighborhood’s evolving needs. Take a look at some of our progress below! https://bit.ly/4d9aENG

🏀 🏒 Exciting times ahead for downtown Salt Lake City 🏒🏀 Ryan Smith, one of the most extraordinary entrepreneurs the State of Utah has ever seen, announced a rendition of what a revitalized downtown area could look like with the Utah Jazz arena at its core, along with the potential of a National Hockey League (NHL) team joining. The area reminds me of Texas Live! in Arlington, sitting between the Cowboys and Rangers stadiums, as well as The Battery in Atlanta, and the upcoming project in Washington DC involving the Wizards and the Capitals. As Ryan mentioned, this project is more than an arena; it is about breathing new life into a downtown that's ready for investment and growth. My imagination then took off! Imagine having the power to understand how people move through this vibrant downtown area, to gain insights into which areas are the most visited, where people dine, shop, and gather, and how the entire guest journey unfolds in real-time. Imagine empowering businesses and urban planners with real-time actionable insights to make data-driven decisions that leads to digital transformation of spaces, growth, and shaping vibrant communities. Downtown Salt Lake City Corporation could harness the power of data to optimize the guest experience, enhance safety and security measures, and maximize economic impact. From understanding foot traffic patterns to optimizing retail and dining placements, having the tools and insights needed to create a dynamic and thriving downtown environment become an absolute necessity. Having such powerful tool at the heart of the revitalization efforts, downtown Salt Lake City could become a beacon of innovation and economic prosperity. The area would create exceptional experiences for everyone. That is the power of Salt Lake City combined with Ariadne! #DowntownRevitalization #UrbanPlanning #Ariadne #DataDrivenDecisionMaking #SaltLakeCity #UtahJazz #LocationAnaLytics #PeopleCounting

Check out this story with Solving Sacramento & SN&R!