The Creative Coast’s blogspot is Savannah’s sounding board for local thinkers, innovators, wanderers and wonderers. Guest bloggers share their thoughts, opinions and creative noodling from all over the map. This week’s blog is from Summer Teal Simpson,  one of Savannah’s non-stop movers, shakers, and all round hip people.  Read on for Summer’s approach to making good things happen……

I moved to Savannah nearly six years ago, leaving behind fast-paced life in Atlanta in favor of the charm, the ease, and the eccentricity of the Hostess City. Finding myself in a state of professional transition, I waltzed into the United Way building in search of a position volunteering until steady employment came along.

That’s the day I met Shirley Sessions, the director of Hands On Savannah, the volunteer center of United Way of the Coastal Empire (UWCE). She was instantly – and is still – one of my most favorite people I’ve ever met. She is genuine, kind, fun and remarkable champion and vehicle for volunteerism in Savannah. By the end of that meeting, our fates were sealed. I would go to work for her in service as AmeriCorps Project Coordinator. It was a tremendous introduction to this great community and one of the more uplifting professional endeavors I’ve ever been part of.

 The Creative Coast’s blogspot is Savannah’s sounding board for local thinkers, innovators, wanderers and wonderers. Guest bloggers share their thoughts, opinions and creative noodling from all over the map. This week’s blog is from Savannah Mayor Edna Jackson.  A life-long community activist, Mayor Jackson is proudly waving the flag for all corners of Savannah.  Read on for some questions from the Mayor which will make you stop and think about life’s priorities…

As a young woman coming of age in the 60s, I was a dedicated participant in the Civil Rights Movement. My life was forever changed by this experience. I learned the power of passionate ideals and unwavering commitment to the greater good.  Today as Mayor of Savannah, I believe Savannah is again at an historic crossroads, where the choices we make and the actions we take will shape our community’s social and economic prospects far into the future.

We’ve made great progress toward positioning Savannah as a leader in the new economy. From cutting-edge design, to sustainable industry, to advanced technology, we are competing at an international level.  Our reputation as a hub for creative and tech innovation only continues to grow.

 The Creative Coast’s blogspot is Savannah’s sounding board for local thinkers, innovators, wanderers and wonderers. Normally, guest bloggers share their thoughts, opinions and creative noodling from all over the map, but this week I can’t resist breaking in line and posting about FastPitch 2012.  This is truely an amazing event, one which connects entrepreneurs with potential investors, but more important, it helps push emerging entreprenuers into action.  For you entreprenuers still sitting on the couch, read on for motivation ….

(Savannah News published this article today, March 28 2012)

Tomorrow, 33 local entrepreneurs will gather at the Coastal Georgia Center to compete for cash, prizes, and the attention of the FastPitch 2012 judging panel. These entrepreneurs and emerging businesses will pitch their ideas to investors from throughout the region with the hope that at least one investor will find their idea intriguing, forge a relationship, and help move their product or service from concept to market. The stakes are high. The pressure is tremendous. The energy will be incredible. And the event is open to the public.

Tomorrow not only marks an important date for those competing, it also serves as an indicator for how vibrant our local business sector has become: this is the second year in a row that more than 100 applicants have turned out for this event.

 The Creative Coast’s blogspot is Savannah’s sounding board for local thinkers, innovators, wanderers and wonderers. Guest bloggers share their thoughts, opinions and creative noodling from all over the map. This week’s blog is from Brynn Grant, SEDA’s Vice President for Competitiveness.   Brynn lives, eats, thinks, dreams Savannah’s economic development possibilities.  Read on for Brynn’s update on SEDA’s plans to harness the local community’s brainpower on a broader scale ….

In December 2011, on this blog, we told you a little about the SRI International study that will direct SEDA’s proactive efforts to create, grow and attract jobs here for many years to come. In the final analysis, in addition to identifying four target industries, SRI outlined areas of opportunity for our community along with possible recommendations for growth and development that included advanced manufacturing workforce initiatives, models and mechanisms for supporting start-ups, the linking of materials and design assets, maximizing the well-established logistics and transportation sector to attract more of the higher-wage businesses that support it, and of course, entertainment production.