What's the Big Idea?
From January 2006
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But in this era of Homeland Security, with the government instructing citizens to be suspicious in public places and issuing fewer student visas to foreign nationals, the immigrant’s version of the American Dream is losing its luster. However, these circumstances could be the perfect storm for a community that bucks the prevailing winds and welcomes new thought, provides social freedom and recognizes brilliance with venture capital.
THAIN: “The 25-year-old college grads are the ones who are going to make the next family formations and start the next businesses. What can we deliver as a region that makes it worth their while to stay or move here? We have to stand for something that resonates with young college graduates. Keep the talent pool here and the corporations will follow.”
MAISEL: “We should put together a team to identify what it would take to move Sacramento into the top of the most livable, best places in America. Then, from that, identify certain speci?c projects that would help us move in that direction. That’s what will make folks want to come to Sacramento, and companies follow people.”
Sacramento does seem to be tracking on that front. The magazine Fast Company included Sacramento on its recent “10 Fastest Cities in America.” “Fast Cities” are deemed the 10 hot emerging hubs for creative talent in the United States.
Cities chosen were those showing the highest rates of growth among the creative class, de? ned as scientists, engineers, artists, cultural creatives, managers and professionals.
Between 1999 and 2003, the average annual growth rate of Sacramento’s creative class demo-graphic was 4.3 percent, one of the more remark-able increases posted by the selected cities. Other regional strengths that the area knows about, and the world is ? nding out about, are UC Davis’s medical research capabilities, the city’s close prox-imity to world-class destinations, the recent attraction of internationally known architects and chefs and the growth of venture capital.
FRIEDMAN: “You can measure the quality of a community by looking at who’s coming and who’s leaving. Let’s do a survey as you would in any other business. Go interview your customers and ask them what would make them want to come to this community.”
Surprisingly, in a region with a large population of college students, a survey asking what they want for their future and where they want to live has apparently never happened. “We have approached it from the other end. We have surveyed businesses and asked them what is important to growing their business here. Asking students what it would take to keep them here would be easy to do,” says Sharp.
Continued...
THAIN: “The 25-year-old college grads are the ones who are going to make the next family formations and start the next businesses. What can we deliver as a region that makes it worth their while to stay or move here? We have to stand for something that resonates with young college graduates. Keep the talent pool here and the corporations will follow.”
MAISEL: “We should put together a team to identify what it would take to move Sacramento into the top of the most livable, best places in America. Then, from that, identify certain speci?c projects that would help us move in that direction. That’s what will make folks want to come to Sacramento, and companies follow people.”
Sacramento does seem to be tracking on that front. The magazine Fast Company included Sacramento on its recent “10 Fastest Cities in America.” “Fast Cities” are deemed the 10 hot emerging hubs for creative talent in the United States.
Cities chosen were those showing the highest rates of growth among the creative class, de? ned as scientists, engineers, artists, cultural creatives, managers and professionals.
Between 1999 and 2003, the average annual growth rate of Sacramento’s creative class demo-graphic was 4.3 percent, one of the more remark-able increases posted by the selected cities. Other regional strengths that the area knows about, and the world is ? nding out about, are UC Davis’s medical research capabilities, the city’s close prox-imity to world-class destinations, the recent attraction of internationally known architects and chefs and the growth of venture capital.
FRIEDMAN: “You can measure the quality of a community by looking at who’s coming and who’s leaving. Let’s do a survey as you would in any other business. Go interview your customers and ask them what would make them want to come to this community.”
Surprisingly, in a region with a large population of college students, a survey asking what they want for their future and where they want to live has apparently never happened. “We have approached it from the other end. We have surveyed businesses and asked them what is important to growing their business here. Asking students what it would take to keep them here would be easy to do,” says Sharp.
Continued...
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