99. How to Combat Apathy in Small Towns
Jeff Siegler knows small towns. He loves them. And he wants the people who live in them to love them, too. This episode is all about apathy in small towns--what it looks like, how it starts, how it gets worse--and how we fix it. About Jeff Jeff Siegler is a writer, speaker and consultant concerned with the powerful role place plays in our lives. He is the founder of the civic pride consulting firm, Revitalize, or Die. and a co-founding partner of Proud Places. Having grown up in a struggling rustbelt city Jeff understands the devastating cost of civic apathy and works everyday to combat its effects. After obtaining his Masters in Urban Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University, Jeff went to work on Main Street. First as a downtown manager and BID director, and later as the Ohio Main Street State Coordinator. As a consultant, Jeff's work takes him around the country to assist cities in their efforts to restore civic health. He believes we have to move beyond economic development and tourism and instead focus on making our cities into places residents can be proud to call home. He is currently in the process of writing his first book, titled Your City is Sick. Jeff, his wife Amber, and their four children call Pittsburgh home. In this episode, we cover: Why you can’t out-plan or out-fund apathy Civic pride as self-esteem How do we get people to care? (Spoiler: socializing is kind of a great place to start.) Why place matters Why specific asks are almost always better than just asking someone to join a committee Links and Resources Mentioned: Revitalize or Die website: www.revitalizeordie.com Revitalize or Die Facebook: www.facebook.com/revitalizeordie.com