Talent Wars: A Podcast By DCI

Hosted by Development Counsellors International

Business Marketing Society CultureInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

About the show

Companies can't find the talent they need – and cities around the world are feeling the pressure to attract and retain a skilled workforce. Talent Wars goes inside the global battle for talent and what cities, regions, states, and countries are doing to attract and retain the workforce they need. Host Patience Fairbrother sits down with experts and community leaders on the front lines of the talent challenge to bring you data-driven insights, tips, case studies, and a few cautionary tales along the way.

Listen to episodes

38 recent

June 9, 2026Episode 328 min

Fault Lines: The Three Forces Reshaping the Talent Landscape

On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother welcomes back Josh Wright, head of growth and strategy at Lightcast, to unpack the three forces redefining the future of the talent landscape: AI disruption, geopolitical instability and demographic decline. Drawing on research from Lightcast's Fault Lines report, Josh explains why these trends are not happening in isolation and why their convergence is creating a fundamentally different environment for communities, employers and economic developers. Josh explains why AI is accelerating disruption in white-collar work while doing little to address the most acute shortages in healthcare, construction and skilled trades. He also breaks down how immigration slowdowns and an aging population are accelerating a talent scarcity era that's arriving faster than most regions are prepared for. At the center of the discussion is a clear message: this is not a moment for communities to scale back talent investment. It is a moment to better understand the forces reshaping the labor market and prepare for what comes next. Tune in to hear why the regions that stay proactive, data-informed and talent-focused will be the ones best positioned for the decade ahead.

May 26, 2026Episode 229 min

AI, Wage Transparency and More: 2026 Hiring Market in Focus

The labor market is changing faster than ever, but most decisions are still being made with outdated information. On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother sits down with Cary Sparrow, founder and CEO of WageScape, to explore what real-time labor market data reveals about hiring, pay and workforce strategy today. Cary draws on data from roughly 800,000 career sites, offering a live view into how companies are actually competing for talent. The conversation centers on a core shift: the labor market is moving too quickly for traditional data sources to keep up. Factors like AI and the rise of wage transparency are reshaping expectations for both employers and job seekers, creating a growing gap between what companies think is happening and what is actually happening in the market. For companies and communities that have historically relied on lagging indicators like surveys and annual benchmarks, Cary makes the case for a new approach built on real-time insight. Tune in to hear why the future of talent strategy depends on seeing the market as it is, not as it used to be.

May 12, 2026Episode 129 min

How Cleveland Turned Brain Drain Into a Blueprint

Most talent attraction strategies start with marketing. In Cleveland, they start one step earlier—by building the infrastructure to support what comes next. On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother sits down with Sara Greicius, director of the Cleveland Talent Alliance, to unpack how a 14-partner regional collaborative is working together to grow Greater Cleveland's population. From breaking down silos across economic development organizations to leveraging the power of tourism marketing, Sara shares what it takes to align stakeholders around a shared mission. Patiance and Sara explore the Alliance's "faucet and sink" approach—why turning on marketing without the systems to capture and support interested talent leads to missed opportunities—and how Cleveland is building a full relocation pipeline, from first impression to long-term retention. Tune in to learn how Cleveland is improving perceptions as a place to live and work, why human connection still plays a critical role in relocation decisions and how intentional programming is helping the region retain more of its college graduates.

January 29, 2026Episode 1718 min

Bonus Episode: 4 Shifts Redefining Talent Strategies in 2026

Season 2 of Talent Wars: A Podcast by DCI took us from Maine to Michigan, Baton Rouge to Kansas City and beyond to Canada and Europe, uncovering how communities are tackling today's complex talent challenges. In this bonus episode, host Patience Fairbrother steps back to highlight the biggest insights from the season and what they mean for talent strategies in 2026. From the rising importance of retention and inclusion to rethinking who qualifies as "talent," these conversations reveal the fundamental shifts that will shape how communities attract, retain and grow their workforce in the year ahead. Tune in to uncover a roadmap for navigating demographic change, economic uncertainty and evolving workforce expectations.

December 11, 2025Episode 1625 min

How KC Turned a Love Story into a Talent Strategy

What happens when a viral pop-culture moment suddenly puts your region on the national stage? On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother sits down with Danielle Hilton, managing director of TeamKC, to unpack how her team moved at lightning speed to turn the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce love story into a full-fledged talent attraction strategy. From recognizing the moment to aligning stakeholders and crafting messaging on the fly, TeamKC managed national media pressure and translated fandom-driven buzz into long-term market awareness, and Danielle is here to share how other talent leaders can do the same by moving fast, staying authentic and building a strategy when the moment chooses you—not the other way around. Join Patience and Danielle as they break down the 300 million impressions this campaign generated, how TeamKC built a media strategy around "the epiphany of the visit" and the playbook they're now using to prepare for an even bigger moment, like the FIFA World Cup in 2026. Whether you're preparing for your region to be in the spotlight in 2026 or just waiting for the right hook, this is an episode you won't want to miss!

November 25, 2025Episode 1526 min

Smart Population Growth: Canada's Path to 100 Million

Canada has long been recognized as a global leader in attracting top talent and building economic strength through immigration. With its population on track to reach 100 million by 2100, the country is now tackling an important question: how do you ensure that growth is not just rapid, but smart and sustainable? On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother sits down with Muraly Srinarayanathas, serial entrepreneur and board member of Century Initiative, which aims to grow Canada's population responsibly to 100 million by the year 2100. Patience and Muraly explore how companies can leverage international perspectives to drive innovation, what it takes to balance population growth with housing and infrastructure needs and how to maintain public support for immigration during periods of rapid change. They also examine the Century Initiative's framework for responsible growth, share examples of places successfully managing population expansion—from Tasmania to South Korea—and discuss what American cities and regions can learn from Canada's approach. This conversation offers practical insights for economic developers, workforce professionals and business leaders navigating the intersection of growth strategy, immigration policy and talent attraction.

November 11, 2025Episode 1417 min

The Forces Reshaping Talent and How Places Are Pivoting: Insights from Young Smart & Local 2025

From "Peak 18" to AI transforming work itself, communities are realizing they need to pivot and rethink how they attract and retain talent. On this special episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother captures insights from some of the top workforce leaders and experts in the U.S. at the 2025 Young Smart & Local Conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Through conversations with leaders on the frontlines of the talent wars, this episode uncovers how communities are pivoting to meet demographic challenges, embrace skills-based hiring, leverage real-time data and use AI as a strategic tool—all while keeping authenticity and human connection at the center of their efforts. Tune in to learn how regions are experimenting with bold approaches, learning from peers and redefining what it means to win the talent wars in today's rapidly evolving environment.

October 28, 2025Episode 1331 min

How Storytelling Builds Tech Ecosystems

Attracting tech talent takes more than spreadsheets and strategy. What really makes a place "sticky" is its social fabric, which is made up of connections, conversations and stories that make people feel part of something bigger. On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother sits down with CEO and Co-founder of Technical.ly, Chris Wink, to discuss what nearly two decades of reporting on local tech ecosystems have revealed about what truly drives growth. From the role of "ecosystem storytelling" in shaping reputation to why community events matter more than most realize, they unpack how authentic local stories translate into national recognition and real talent attraction results. Tune in to learn why storytelling should be an input to strategy, how cities like Pittsburgh and Miami used narrative to shift perception, as well as why focusing on value, not just cost of living, matters in today's talent market.

October 14, 2025Episode 1224 min

Cross-Border Relocation: A View from Europe

What drives a professional to pack up their life and move to another country? On this episode, host Patience Fairbrother sits down with Steve Duncan, managing director of C Studios, to discuss the latest "What Talent Wants" study. Inspired by DCI's "Talent Wars" research, the study explores what drives cross-border, international relocation in Europe. Patience and Steve discuss how career opportunities, lifestyle factors and family considerations shape talent decisions in Europe, why most professionals search for jobs by role and skill rather than industry and what cities can do to attract and retain internationally mobile talent. They also discuss the importance of partner and family needs in relocation, the role of upskilling and reskilling in today's workforce, and how AI is reshaping place marketing. Tune in for insights on what U.S. communities can learn from employers and places across the Atlantic, and find out if European and U.S. talent share similar relocation triggers and wants.

September 30, 2025Episode 1130 min

Live from DCI Marketing Summit 2025

Live from the 2025 DCI Marketing Summit in New York, Talent Wars is coming to you with a special episode! Host Patience Fairbrother sits down with three leaders shaping talent initiatives in different regions: Alicia Chilton, vice president of marketing at Greater Des Moines Partnership, Haley Waxman, strategic marketing manager at Wake County Economic Development and Murphy Gray, marketing director for JAXUSA Partnership. The conversation explores the unique approaches behind each talent attraction and retention program. Haley discusses why Work in the Triangle, one of the longest-running talent attraction programs in the country, continues to invest in proactive strategies. Murphy shares the goals of Find Your JAX and why the campaign is important for Jacksonville's ongoing in-migration. Alicia highlights Do Something Greater and the early results the program has achieved. Panelists also reflect on the tactics and metrics that have driven success, how their programs nurture relationships over time, the role of retention strategies and the lessons they would share with regions just starting a talent attraction campaign. Tune in for a discussion full of actionable insights for anyone working to attract, retain and grow talent in their region.