From WCTV.tv
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV)— The Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce held a three day retreat in Nashville, Tennessee in an effort to find out what makes the economy thrive in the music city.
“We wanted to be able to take away some great ideas and see if they work here,” said Chamber Chairman Reggie Bouthillier.
Bouthillier said one of the biggest takeaways was the strong brand Nashville has, citywide.
“Whether we heard from a business person, a council member, they all seemed to be on the same page as to what their strategic vision was as a community,” he said.
Bouthillier said all sectors of the community came together to create that vision and a “brand” for the city; something he feels is lacking here in Tallahassee.
“We need a common community vision. We need a branding for our community, we lack branding. And we are really at this critical point in time where if we’re going to move forward, and we are, we do need to come together in that way,” he said.
The chairman said the Chamber will focus on creating such a vision, moving forward. Other takeaways include the importance of collaboration city wide, with a focus on connecting people with resources. As well as making sure the private sector is investing in startups and entrepreneurs.
More than 80 chamber members were on the trip, which wrapped up Wednesday, including elected offices, business leaders and academia.
