Clifftop or Bust!
I am not a travel writer, but I do frequently write about places where business takes me. Indeed, I visit places on a fairly regular basis at the bequest of both companies and communities.
For communities, I typically come to give counsel on how they may become more competitive for corporate investment. Sometimes, I speak to stakeholders, as was the case last week when I was in Dayton, Ohio.
Sometimes I come to a community for several days of familiarization, and sometimes a blog results. (Here’s the one on Dayton.)
For companies, I am typically engaged in an investigative process in determining optimal locations for future operations. Typically, I only go to finalist communities after much winnowing based on a company’s specific wants and needs. Read “Why Companies Should Outsource Site Selection.”
Mountain Music
Having said all that, every few years I drive east from my home in Dallas to West Virginia to attend the Appalachian String Band Festival at Camp Washington-Carver. It is a beautiful retreat listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the event, commonly referred to as “Clifftop,” will be held July 29-Aug. 7.
Playing old-time music, the precursor to bluegrass, has long been a hobby of mine. I play banjo and guitar, and go to Clifftop to connect with old friends, make new friends and play old songs and fiddle tunes. I usually leave after a week, exhausted and sleep deprived, the cost of having fun with 3,000 other musicians.
A Day or Two With You
On my long trek from Dallas to Clifftop and back, I will be passing many communities, some of which I know well, and some of which I do not.
To economic developers from East Texas to Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia, if you would like me to spend a day or two in your community, either on the front end or the back end of Clifftop, please let me know, and we can make arrangements.
Please understand that I cannot give my time away for free or this consultancy will not, could not, last. But our fees are more than reasonable and will be further discounted on this road trip.
Just as I hope to learn some new (old) fiddle tunes at Clifftop, I also hope to learn more about certain communities and provide insight on how to make your place more business friendly. But only if you want that.
I’ll see you down the road.
Dean Barber is the president/CEO of Barber Business Advisors, LLC, a location advisory and economic development consulting firm based in Dallas. He can be reached at [email protected] or at 972-890-3733. Mr. Barber is available as a keynote speaker.