Welcome to Live. Work. Playlist.

Writing this as I pack my bags to join my IEDC colleagues and over 1,000 economic development rockstars in Dallas for IEDC's 2023 Annual Conference. Can't wait to connect with our members as they share their insights and best practices in the field of economic development.

I'm starting "Live. Work. Playlist." as a way to highlight the amazing people and projects that are helping communities thrive. Hopefully what's featured can spark ideas. Inspire. Amplify great work. Strike up conversation.

Each post will be accompanied by track that's somehow connected to the content (Get it? Live. Work. Playlist). So something good for your minds...and good for your ears.

I encourage everyone - whether you're joining us in Dallas or not - to check out everything happening at Annual this year. It's all going to be great. But here are a few plugs to people I've been working with as we lead up to the Conference...

• Jeanine Jerkovic, CEcD & Tedra Cheatham, CEcD will be detailing the exciting future of IEDC's research coming out of our Economic Development Research Partners.
• Rob Williams, EDP , Betsy Kramer, CEcD, EDP and Terri May Peters, MBA, EDP will share best practices in incorporating entrepreneurship-led economic development in your economic development strategies (Here's IEDC's work on that front)
• James Kohnstamm, CEcD , Kevin Schmotzer, Sandy Fazeli and Christine Bryant CEcD will feature how they're implementing sustainable economic development.

I encourage you all to take a look at the great work these folks are doing. And if you're at Annual, hope to see you.

Today's Side of Music: Looking ahead to Dallas has me looking back to Cincinnati. This year marks the 20th anniversary of my first IEDC Annual Conference, back in 2003 as a staffer with Development Counsellors International . Around that time, The National - a group of UC Bearcats - were building steam on the indie rock scene. 20 years later they're collaborating with Taylor and playing MSG (saw them there this summer...so good). In honor of their home state, here's "Bloodbuzz Ohio".