Economic development associations are well aware that cities, counties, and communities must have a strong, capable, and educated workforce to be successful. If we look at Silicon Valley, we realize that the incredible growth and all those high-tech parks from San Jose to San Francisco could not have been developed if it hadn’t been for the quality workforce that was available. Some of the best colleges and universities are located in the area, making it a perfect breeding ground for future high-tech economic development.
Silicon Valley took advantage of this because of its excellence in the workplace. And their economic development associations joined in and promoted themselves as the money began to flow. Any area that excels in the workforce can do the same, of course it takes planning, commitment and perseverance. It also requires collaboration between academia, government and business. Anyone who has ever been involved in these types of committees knows that this is easier said than done.
You see, venture capitalists, venture capitalists, and seasoned corporate executives often have a stern disdain for government (how could you know?). Many people in government don’t trust business people and therefore are constantly trying to close loopholes and rules and regulations, because they think the business community is trying to circumvent their guidelines. The reality is that business people are just trying to make money and feel stifled by all the nonsense.
Then we have the academics who believe they can organize capitalism to serve the common good by getting government and business to agree to work together. Unfortunately, venture capitalists don’t have much good to say about academics who think they can run anything, any industry, or any business, even if they’ve never earned a payroll in their lives.
Then we add the politicians (cheerleaders), we sprinkle it with a bit of chaos and media controversy, and the economic development departments wonder how they can’t make it all work together. Venture capitalists just want everyone to find a way to let them do their job, politicians want to take credit for everything, academics want to sit in the wings and publish or perish, and the government wants to grow up so they can control everything.
So people wonder why everything doesn’t work. It’s simple, can’t you see why?
In the Coachella Valley, we have everyone talking about doing things, all kinds of brilliant minds working in committees, which seems to have a silly effect. We have some of the most beautiful full-color reports I’ve ever seen in my entire damn life, and yet don’t we have a recruiting task force to go out and bring business to the valley?
Perhaps my remarks will be met with anger, but personally, I don’t care, that to me is irrelevant, someone has to say it. I see everything as clear as day, and before I retired at age 40, I had already established franchises in 23 states serving some 450 cities.
In fact, I’ve seen this scenario time and time again, committees formed, banquets attended, awards given out, everyone ready, set, set, set, then excuses and more challenges, more “what if” scenarios being thrown out, more problems arise and all the lawyers rush to fix it. Well, what the Coachella Valley needs right now is a “just do it” attitude and stop having silly meetings congratulating themselves. I’m not impressed. Do something people; impress me!
