In 2017, Extension Community Development and the Purdue Center for Regional Development (PCRD) sought a way to help Indiana small businesses enhance their online presence. Together they created the Digital Ready Businesses program, hosting numerous hands-on training sessions through educational workshops. Now, in 2022, the program has been updated to add new content that reflect …

~ by Heather Strohm, Regional Extension Educator, Community Development – Purdue University   Ribbon cuttings with large gold scissors often celebrate the wins of communities as businesses open. What steps are taken as companies add employees? How do communities, cities, towns, counties, and regions celebrate company success as businesses navigate aspects such as adding water …

~ by Heather Strohm, Regional Extension Educator, Community Development – Purdue University   Driving across dusty country roads, we often find tattered traffic signs, including old detour signs that invite us to create a new path or stay on course. Seeing a green traffic light might solicit a quick glance before the gas pedal is …

~ by Heather Strohm, Regional Extension Educator, Community Development – Purdue University     Knock! Knock! The wrapping of knuckles on the large, dark door frame bellows down the corridor of the distillery. The distillery marks the history of what founded the town more than one hundred years ago. Grandparents were secretaries, bookkeepers, and the …

~ by Heather Strohm, Regional Extension Educator, Community Development – Purdue University     What does it mean to live and belong to a community? By definition, belonging to a community requires an affinity for that community and having the qualities that afford you membership in that community. Those qualities align with basic community capitals: social, …

~ by Heather Strohm, Regional Extension Educator, Community Development – Purdue University     Three-legged stools are important concepts in economic development. Communities need attraction, retention and expansion by their companies so that sustainability and longevity are firmly planted and ingrained in their foundation. A community needs all three! As business retention and expansion continue to …

~ by Heather Strohm, Regional Extension Educator, Community Development – Purdue University   America is scattered with small companies, and they compose the culture that defines our communities. A business retention and expansion program is designed to ensure the sustainability of businesses within particular communities and regions. Business Retention and Expansion, BR&E, programs are meant to …

~ by Heather Strohm, Regional Extension Educator, Community Development – Purdue University   When it comes to business success, focusing on survival often trumps focusing on mission and vision. However, research reminds us that organizational culture—driven by mission and vision—is ultimately a key indicator of success (Adel et al, 2007). A commonly accepted definition of organizational …

~ by Heather Strohm, Regional Extension Educator, Community Development – Purdue University     Over the course of time, most companies develop and establish a set of priorities – either intentionally or unintentionally – from which they operate. It is critical to recognize how those priorities affect organizations at the people level. What is the climate …

~ by Heather Strohm, Regional Extension Educator, Community Development – Purdue University   Businesses have encouraged employees to take a part in their own health for decades. As society has gradually become more health-conscious, employers have recognized the importance of providing health and wellness incentives to their employee base and embedding it as a core …