HomeProgress-Index, 03/30/2006
Building economy takes more than bricks and mortar
To the editor:
Tuesday night I enjoyed the opportunity to attend the Town Hall Meeting regarding the Petersburg Harbor Initiative. While the dredging project itself seemed to be very well engineered and of incalculable value to the region, what really made an impression on me was the extraordinary vitality of the business leaders, especially Downtown Petersburg, Inc. Not only were the participants sincere, I could also sense they were extremely well grounded in their vision of the opportunities.
It takes much more than physical improvements to build economic prosperity. All too often, small businesses expect to be “rescued” by urban development. Business owners fall victim to the projections of planners and developers without understanding that their own initiative and skill base, and not a city plan, will oftentimes most greatly affect their future.
Tuesday night, I saw no one looking to the pie in the sky.
Everyone was focused clearly on what was happening on the ground. Human capital is every bit as important as working capital. I saw business leadership that understands the mechanics of working together, building alliances, creating relationships, and achieving short-term gains for long-term growth.
As someone who helps small businesses become more profitable, that's very reassuring. The energy was infectious. I'm going to start spending a lot more time in Petersburg.
Sincerely,
Stephen B. Perez
President, Journey Business Development, LLC
Chesterfield
