Elena Verna’s Post

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Oh for the love of LinkedIn 👀 When I stepped across the threshold at Cecil Sharp House almost 3 weeks ago I didn’t need to be sold on the benefits of LinkedIn, I wanted to get better at writing. Some of the group that joined David & Joe that day were more sceptical, seeing LinkedIn as a place full of ego and bluster. I’m privileged. During my time at Topcon I’ve benefited from training and advice from some of the best social media brains in the business. My first, grown-up, LinkedIn training came via our then marketing manager Danielle. Dan drafted in the social media powerhouse that is Kineta Kelsall - via our long term partners - Tangerine (of Specsavers fame) for a LinkedIn workshop. What we didn’t do: - ideate - hustle - think outside the box Instead, we listened to the experts, began to build our own community from the GB team, and then gave it a go. Learning as we went. Social media has changed a lot since then, like others, we need to bend and flex with the algorithms. IMHO* authenticity and honesty wins. It builds communities and relationships online. It helps create conversation and connections. Widens the audience, yet helps narrow the focus. This morning I chatted with Paula George, in the comments section of a previous post. Paula’s building communities in West-Africa, one stitch at a time. Quite the story. And there are many others to be told within the #No4thFloor community alone. For now, I’m sharing a link to a project we support with Topcon Positioning Systems. Our partnership with Bridges to Prosperity - and saying thank you for being the inspiration for today’s post to Paula. https://lnkd.in/eurph7Nb *IMHO - down with the kids speak for In My Humble Opinion. I can already sense the cringe from my pair of teenagers. #forworkthatmatters #bridgestoprosperity #sustainabilitymatters

If you're interested in how buildings can be used to support local communities, this 14-minute video will change how you view workspace and the future of our cities. 3Space International House: A Space For Public Good. We offer a flexible home for entrepreneurs and locals that focuses not only on enterprise but also on well-being, social impact and culture. Facilitated by our BuyGiveWork initiative, this giant of a building is spread over 12 storeys. The rent commercial tenants pay subsidises the uses that are crucial to the health and vitality of our town centres - young people looking to start a business, non-profits and cultural providers and practitioners. Please watch it - it'll inspire you and change your perspective. https://lnkd.in/eziCyf7U #CommunityBuilding #UrbanDevelopment #SocialImpact #CulturalSpaces #Entrepreneurship #PublicGood #SustainableCities #InnovativeWorkspaces #FutureOfCities #CommunitySupport #BuyGiveWork #NonProfitSupport #WorkplaceWellbeing #3Space

A heartfelt congratulations to William P. Murphy, IOM, CEcD, EDFP, President and CEO of the Ardmore Development Authority, for being honored as one of North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers! Consultant Connect is delighted to celebrate Bill's remarkable contributions to his community. Thank you, Bill, for sharing your wisdom and insights with us! How has economic development changed since you entered the field? "When I first entered economic development, it was a 'build it and they will come' mentality. Today, it is much more complex. Issues like quality of place, daycare, and other community concerns have become crucial in our project work."   What shifts do you feel will happen in the profession over the next five years? "Energy demands, global competition, automation, and artificial intelligence are going to fundamentally change how we do our jobs. Smaller and more rural communities will have new opportunities to compete for projects that they previously would not have had."   What is your favorite characteristic of your community or region? Why? "Ardmore is a smaller, rural community that offers access to the larger metros of Oklahoma City and Dallas-Fort Worth. It boasts short commute times, great recreational amenities, and the benefits of big-city access without the big-city headaches."   What led you to economic development? What’s kept you here? "Like most economic developers, I think economic development found me. I was working at the local utility in Dayton, Ohio (Dayton Power & Light) and sort of stumbled into it. I have never looked back. There is something special about helping your community and working on something different almost every day."   What is your economic development superpower? "My superpower is my ability to build and maintain relationships and friendships with people I've met in economic development over the last 25 years. It's important to nurture those relationships, as you never know when someone might be a resource for you on a project or issue."   What is your favorite economic development memory? "My favorite economic development memory is attending the Farnborough Airshow in London in 2015. I was working with a local company on a big expansion, and they were attending the show. I had the opportunity to meet with the CEO at a reception before the show at the US Ambassador's home in Hyde Park. We ultimately landed the expansion project, and I believe our commitment to showing support at every opportunity (locally, at tradeshows, and corporately) made the difference." Visit https://lnkd.in/dpMqSunD to view all the #NATop50 award winners for 2024. #economicdevelopment #econdev #award

Come along and engage with an expert panel (and me) on investment. Don't pass up on the opportunity to learn more about this vital, but difficult to navigate part of a venture's journey. #entrepreneurship #innovation #startup #growth #scale SETsquared Exeter Exeter Innovation The FSE Group Exeter Science Park Limited

Growing into our futures pop up workshop on hopeful futures and sharing personal sense of capacities and belonging as part of Reimagine Stroud’s Futures. A workshop I’ve run inside organisations and conferences but never simply outdoors and on the street. It was interesting and we shared many conversations. I’m also still highly aware of how many people won’t engage or cannot engage. I need to re-think materials again. #ClimateCrisis #Change

El Paso is on the move! We’re stepping into the spotlight in a major way, aimed at transforming and connecting our workforce to quality jobs and fostering an environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. 🤝🏠👥   As it unfolds into Phase II, the Recompete Pilot Program competition becomes fierce, but the community of El Paso is ready! We’re change-makers on a mission to redefine economic success. • Educational Insight: Becoming finalists is only a small part of the journey. El Paso is dedicated to the entire process to understand how we can pave the way for a brighter future for our prime age workers. 📚 • Promoting Phase 2 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): This funding opportunity is an open invitation to innovate, inspire, and invest in our community’s future. We are at the forefront of innovation through our partnership with Workforce Solutions Borderplex, Rio Grande Council of Governments, The University of Texas at El Paso, and the Aerospace Center. 👐   These key collaborators are essential in driving our economy ahead, creating sustainable job prospects, and fostering a thriving habitat for both businesses and individuals. The City of El Paso is united with the El Paso Chamber, the Underserved Communities Foundation and many others as we stand on the brink of launching groundbreaking changes destined to benefit generations to come. Together, we are more than mere participants in progress; we are leading the charge toward a prosperous future. 👨🎓 👩🎓 👨🏫 👩🏫 👨🔧 👩🔧 👨💻 👩💻 👨✈️ 👩✈️ 👨🚒 👩🚒 👩🏭 👨🏭  #EconomicDevelopment #RecompetePilot #CommunityGrowth #InnovationInAction #NOFO #Phase2HereWeCome #ElPasoForward #RecompeteFinalists #EconomicDevelopment #Innovation #Partnership #ElPaso #RecompeteFinalists

Check out my latest Hyphens and Spaces blog post!

Recharged and (nearly!) recovered from this year’s #UKREiiF, a few reflections before I head back to my desk tomorrow: - #SocialValue remains top of the #UKREiiF agenda and continues to evolve – as a long-term advocate/practitioner, this is very heartening. Our communities need well-crafted SV interventions more than ever – the headwinds of the cost-of-living crisis, public fiscal constraints and deepening inequalities - have all increased need. As such, SV offers need to be tightly anchored to People and Place – and the best people to steer what local people and local places need, is local government. Don’t overlook the most obvious and most committed partner for SV delivery. - At a ‘hard’ infrastructure conference, I spent a lot of time talking about ‘soft’ infrastructure. We increasingly need central/regional government to provide funding that enables communities to position themselves for the opportunities in the pipeline. #LifeSciences is a great example – we need to invest in the talent pipeline as much as the lab pipeline! There needs to be increased flexibility in #apprenticeship funding and more agility to twin-track the development of #skills and spaces. - Intentionality (spellcheck tells me that it is a word!) – is key to tackling #inclusion. It is simply not enough to believe or hope that #investment will deliver economic and environmental justice in places like Islington where so many are locked out of growth sectors. I loved talking to #Islington investors who understand this and stand ready to work to ensure that inward investment benefits local people. Targeted programmes like #LIFT really deliver for local people AND can deliver against #ESG investment objectives. - Finally, I often say I’m not a planner, so this is not a self-interested plea. A big theme this year was the need to value and invest in our #planning departments. Planning functions are a key delivery vehicle for our housing and economic ambitions, so we must prioritise the skills and resources within planning teams – and harness the power of the planning system to deliver good outcomes for local people, planet and place. As ever, great creative space to catch up with old contacts and new - look forward to continuing to develop those ideas into implementation, now back at the ranch. Finally, thanks to Nathan Spencer and Phil Laycock for a fab second year at UKREiiF – it was a blast! Look forward to seeing what you do for 2025! Off now to recycle my water-logged ☔ conference badge and to reflect on my lack of selfies with Alistair and Rory... 😃 Clare Bailey | Matthew Dibben | Paul Singh | Wesley Ankrah | Olivia Sutcliffe | Jenny Danson | Emily Gabb (Wilson)| Mike Pitts | Mairi Dillon | Neelam Patel Rachna LEVEQUE | Stephen Biggs | Damien Martin | Guy Battle | Darragh Hurley | Lisa Ravenscroft | Cathy Reynolds | Peter O'Brien |

We are proud to sponsor Venture Timmins 2024: A spotlight on Northern Ontario's untapped innovators! Join Northern Ontario Angels and Link North in Timmins on April 25th, 2024, 2 pm - 7 pm, at the Northern College Quill Lounge to access investment opportunities, network, and hear Alicia Woods, CEO of Covergalls Workwear challenge the female mining experience with her coveralls designed specifically for females in mind! Featured investment opportunities and business pitches by: She's Connected: She’s Connected is developing an innovative platform for Canadian women who are seeking to connect with audience growth opportunities, including local and international SMEs, organizations, and corporations. Hybrid Power Solutions: Hybrid Power Solutions was founded in 2015 in response to a pressing need for safer, cleaner and more effective portable electric systems. Today, Hybrid Power Solutions produces patent pending portable battery systems and customized energy solutions for a variety of industrial markets, including the mining, construction, railway, marine and military sectors. Tickets are $30+HST: https://lnkd.in/eAcmuGSd #VentureTimmins #NorthernOntario #Innovation #InvestmentOpportunities #Networking #FemaleEntrepreneurs #MiningIndustry #Covergalls #WomenInBusiness #SheConnected #HybridPowerSolutions #SMEs #CleanEnergy #ElectricSystems #Eventbrite #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPitch