When we launched EDO Breakthrough in 2024, our mission was earnest: we wanted to put relatable, boots-on-the-ground economic developers front and center. We sought out economic developers, tourism experts, nonprofit dynamos, and thought leaders from a range of industries who weren’t afraid to get down and dirty when discussing their fears, failures, and triumphs. We wanted to hear it all: the actual stories, challenges, and creative solutions happening every day in communities big and small.
As we wind down season three, we’re celebrating some fun data points about our listeners, and we hope you find them interesting, too:
The Power of People and Place
- 1,000+ downloads across 29 episodes: Proof that there’s a steady and loyal audience for this kind of practitioner-driven content.
- 70.4% average consumption rate on Apple: Above average compared to other podcasts. Yeah!
- 200+ unique listening locations: From Washington, D.C. to Berlin, Germany, Marianna, Florida to Bath, England, economic development challenges and wins resonate everywhere. Whether you’re shaping policy in a buzzy metro hub or renewing hope in a small mountain town, the conversations we share hit many types of homes!
- Within the last 6 months, our listenership has DOUBLED!
Facilitating Conversations That Matter
And what conversations they have been! In each episode, we try to peel back the layers of what economic development really looks like today: complex, creative, and deeply human. From what we gather from our listeners, you like learning about the collaborations and accelerators that communities of all sizes can make their own. From strategic planning to storytelling, talent attraction to tech integration, we try to deliver practical, replicable ideas (and dashes of self-deprecating humor) straight to your ears—and your communities. Not surprisingly, some of our most popular episodes to date all involve collaboration, connection, and creativity, featuring:
Season 1, Episode 2, All Economic Developers are Marketers Too, with Maria Satira
Season 2, Episode 20, Rural Economic Development Reimagined, with Jolene Schalper
Season 3, Episode 6, Building Relationships That Attract Investment, with Chris Knight
Forging Ahead
So, as we celebrate International Podcast Day, I want to thank everyone who’s been part of this ride: our guests who generously share their expertise (and giggles), our listeners who tune in from near and far, and our colleagues who crave practitioner-driven storytelling.
At the end of the day, EDO Breakthrough isn’t just a podcast. It’s a community. One that stretches across states, across sectors, and even across oceans!
Here’s to the breakthroughs behind us—and the ones still to come! What do you want to hear more of? Less of? I’m all ears, so drop me a line!
