Category: Articles
-
New Entrepreneurial Directory
We all know the importance of entrepreneurs and small business growth to West Virginia’s economy. Connecting them to the right source for services, information and products is critical. A Vision Shared, in collaboration with the West Virginia Small Business Development Centers, is creating a new, comprehensive online directory. It is designed to connect West Virginia…
-
Golden Opportunity Missed?
We often talk about ways to attract, retain, and develop creative talent here in West Virginia. But how well are we doing? If this story is true, not well. Recently, a high profile position opened up and a person with a very bright future and innovative ideas was looked over. Perhaps because he was from…
-
Pride and Prejudice
It can be a difficult thing, opening up old definitions and systems to new ways of respecting the wide range of human experience and identity. Kudos to the WV Legislature for moving forward with adding sexual orientation to the State Human Rights and Fair Housing Act. http://www.news-register.net/page/content.detail/id/41591.html?isap=1&nav=535 When relationships are between consenting adults, no one…
-
Money is No Object
Money Is No Object From time to time, I hear rumbles that the concept of a creative community is, well,……perhaps the word is high falutin’. Somewhere along the line, creative thinking and wanting something beautiful and expressive became all mixed up with elitism. I have two simple examples of how profoundly off-base this idea is.…
-
Lessons to Learn From Finland?
Did you hear about the school whose students rate the highest in the world in science and close to the top in math among the top 57 countries? And oh, by the way, assign very little homework, don’t have school uniforms, no “achievement award” programs like honor societies, very little standardized testing and wait until…
-
West Virginia Says YES to Entrepreneurs
Last night in Morgantown, Martinsburg, Charleston and Fayetteville, dozens of young entrepreneurs gathered to launch the YES Network (Young Entrepreneurs Support). It was an energizing and inspirational milestone for the Vision Shared Entrepreneurship team – congratulations! It is YES Network’s goal to: provide active, consistent programming that spurs the development of peer to peer and…
-
Creative Communities Resolution
In preparation for future legislation in support of building creative communities for the new economy, the West Virginia House of Representatives passed House Concurrent Resolution 63 (HCR63) in Wednesday. This is an exciting step towards building the awareness and insight among our state legislators on how to draft legislation to support creative economy activity and…
-
Talent or Taxes? Where Should We Become Leaders?
If you were the Governor, or a leader in the Legislature, where would you place your bet for future economic development in West Virginia? Would you prioritize the development and recruitment of talented, highly-educated workers, researchers and teachers to build up our state’s brainpower, or take a much more aggressive whack at eliminating what are…
-
Planners as Case Workers for Communities
A Guest Post by Calah Young, AICP, Terrell Ellis & Associates: As a practicing planner and consultant in West Virginia I often find myself playing the role of social worker to communities in trouble. According to Wikipedia the main tasks of social workers are “casework (linking clients with agencies and programs that will meet their…
-
Elkins: A Creative Mountain Community
After spending a couple of days in Elkins, it is easy to grasp the creative potential of one of West Virginia’s larger small towns. With its Vision 2010 plan, it has developed an impressive roadmap for the future. Sitting in the heart of West Virginia’s mountain highlands, natural beauty is a given. License plates from…