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BRE Basics
Now, more than ever, it is important for economic developers in California
to focus on keeping the businesses we have and helping them grow. With
the negative perceptions about doing business in California and our
business climater, attracting new business is not always the easiest
fom of economic development. And, as we've all heard before, "A
bird in the hand, is better than two in the bush".
Economic developers work hard to find new and innovative ways of working
with their existing businesses. But there are some basics of business
retention and expansion that a successful BRE program will have.
CALED's Orange County Chapter Leadership delivers
an excellent training on the subject: Business Retention and Expansion
Workshop (BREW). Here are some of the basics they feel are important:
- Build a business database--collect informaiton
on your local businesses
- Be aware of market conditions--analyze
and understand your community & businesses in it
- Build a support system--lean on your colleagues
- Foster relationships with internal partners--know
the "go-to" people in your organization
- Foster relationships with key external partners--agencies,
real estate professionals, and other ED stakeholders
- Get a toolbox--identify business incentives, Workforce
Investment Act, know Federal/State designations, etc...
- Know your permit process--Is there are permit assistance
team or fast-track program in place
- Make business calls--prioritize your contacts and
visit your businesses
- Be prepared
- Sell yourself as a resource
- Call bak on your major businesses--keep in touch
with them
Thank you to the following members of the Orange County
Chapter for sharing their insight and expertise:
Janet
Coe, CEcD, Orange County Chapter Chair
Economic Developemnt Manager, City of Lake Forest
Kari Caldwell, Orange County Center of Excellence,
Economic & Workforce Development Program, Hosted by Rancho Santiago
Community College District
Lina German, Enterprise Zone Manager, City of Santa Ana
Bart Hoffman, Director, Digital Media Center, Rancho
Santiago Community College District
Mark Lazzaretto, Economic Development Manager, City
of Buena Park
David Lund, Economic Development and Public Works
Director, City of San Clemente
Thomas Welch, Assistant Project Manager, City of Huntington
Beach
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