One of the main goals of our department is to promote business recruitment and expansions to create high quality jobs in Tennessee. When it comes to our recruitment efforts, our Business Development team takes the lead. Oftentimes, one of TNECD’s six directors of business development is the first person a company comes in contact with at the start of the recruitment process. Each director of business development serves as a vital resource for companies, providing them with information ranging from Tennessee’s business advantages to workforce development to grants to site development and much more.
[perfectpullquote align=”left” bordertop=”false” cite=”Lyndi Berrones” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“Day in and day out I get to work with companies across the globe that are looking to make their next location decision, and I get to do this all for the purpose of creating new, high-quality jobs for the people of this great state. That’s incredibly rewarding.”[/perfectpullquote]
Our directors of business development are in a unique position. They help each business find the best location in Tennessee — one that fits a company’s needs and positions it for growth. Along with local communities and other partners, TNECD’s directors of business development are key players for business recruitment and job growth in Tennessee.
We sat down with three of the team members to get a better idea of what it’s like to work with prospect companies every day and what they’ve learned from each project.
What are the top three things companies look for during the recruitment process?
- Lyndi Berrones: Every project is different, with different needs and different weights assigned to factors driving a location decision. However, if I were to boil it down the top three things most companies look for are a skilled workforce, available real estate options and a business-friendly climate, which includes everything from the tax environment to the cost of living. I believe these three things are at the heart of economic development; however, a couple of things that I am seeing play a larger role are logistics costs and perhaps something that’s a little harder to quantify on a spreadsheet – a sense of place.
Companies nowadays aren’t locating in a particular area because they are selling their products nearby. Instead, companies are choosing places where they can cost-effectively receive raw materials and then cost-effectively sell their finished goods across the U.S. and around the globe. Shipping and logistics costs are now playing a much more important role in the decision-making process. How consumers purchase goods and services is definitely contributing to a changing landscape as well.
Finally, “a sense of place” relates to a company’s comfort level as it pertains to a particular area. The warmth of the community, the welcoming attitude of the locals and if a company feels like they can fit in are all things that shouldn’t be taken for granted. I don’t think a sense of place can get a community on a shortlist without having all of the other factors such as workforce, sites and low taxes.; however, I do believe that it is often what seals the deal once a list of top sites has been determined.