Talent Wars: A Podcast By DCI

Hosted by Development Counsellors International

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Aug 2026

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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.

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September 1, 2026Episode 824 min

The New Rules of Digital Talent Attraction

The digital journey to a new place is no longer a straight line. People are discovering communities through social media, search , AI tools and the stories shared by the people who already live and work there. So , what does it take to cut through the noise and build trust? On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother Wallace speaks with Hanna Gbordzoe , vice president of digital at DCI, about what these changes mean for talent attraction. Together, they explore what makes digital content resonate, how communities can build trust online and where place marketers should be focusing their efforts as the digital landscape continues to evolve. From knowing when to follow a social trend to understanding how AI is changing the way people find information, Hanna offers a practical look at what's changing, what still matters and what communities may need to rethink. If you're trying to attract talent in an increasingly crowded digital landscape, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on how to stay relevant without trying to do everything. Tune in to hear what's next for digital marketing in talent attraction and what communities can do now to keep up.

August 18, 2026Episode 731 min

Lessons from a Sunset Talent Attraction Campaign

Success stories are easy to celebrate. The harder and often more valuable work is understanding what happened after the spotlight fades. On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother Wallace speaks with Matt Lewis , vice president of partnership strategy at the GREATER MSP Partnership , to reflect on the Make It MSP campaign : what made it successful, where it fell short and what its e volution and eventual sunset can teach communities today. Drawing on his recent " belated exit memo ," Matt reflects on the talent attraction and retention system his team built over a decade ago and the ideas that have stayed with him . Matt shares why talent attraction is really an ecosystem, how newcomers and recruiters can become a community's most credible ambassadors and why a strong identity of place is essential to breaking through with prospective residents. He also explores the relationship between building a better community and marketing what makes it attractive, along with the importance of creating the right structures and partnerships around talent attraction. Rather than looking at Make It MSP simply as a campaign that ended, this conversation explores what can be carried forward from the experience. Matt offers a candid look at the approaches that made the work meaningful, the challenges that emerged along the way and the ideas communities can apply to their own talent attraction efforts.

August 4, 2026Episode 651 min

How West Virginia Turned Outdoor Recreation Into a Population Strategy

West Virginia has faced population decline for decades, but Ascend WV is showing how storytelling, community connections and a deep understanding of what talent values can help reverse the trend. Their approach proves that incentivizing new residents takes more than offering financial perks. On this episode of Talent Wars , host Patience Fairbrother Wallace speaks with Danny Twilley , assistant vice president of economic & community development at West Virginia University, and Emily Huguenin , director of Ascend WV, about how West Virginia's nationally recognized remote worker program is helping reverse population loss by leveraging the state's outdoor assets. Danny shares how years of research led his team to view outdoor recreation as an economic development strategy, not just a tourism asset, while Emily explains how Ascend has evolved into a six-community initiative with more than 660 members and a remarkable 96% retention rate. Together, they go over how the program's high-touch approach, local partnerships and focus on belonging have become far more valuable than the $12,000 relocation incentive that initially grabs applicants' attention. Throughout the conversation, we explore how data shaped the program's community selection process, why they call Ascend a "trust exercise" and how new initiatives like First Ascent WV and Ascend Heroes are expanding the model to retain college graduates and attract veterans. Tune in to learn how communities can turn their unique assets into a long-term population strategy and why authentic experiences, strong partnerships and a sense of belonging often matter more than financial incentives when attracting and retaining talent.

July 7, 2026Episode 517 min

Real, Not Perfect: Helsinki's Authentic Pitch to Talent

Finland consistently ranks as the world's happiest country, but Helsinki's talent strategy goes beyond that narrative. Instead of promoting perfection, it focuses on authenticity to better connect with international talent. On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother Wallace speaks with Anita Lankinen , marketing manager at Helsinki Partners , about how Helsinki competes for global talent through authenticity, quality of life and focused targeting. Anita shares her personal journey from Russia to Finland and how that experience shapes her lens and strategies for attracting talent. She digs into how Helsinki Partners brings visitor, talent and investment promotion together under one roof to align messaging and share insights across teams. During this episode, the conversation explores how Helsinki translates its "Happy Helsinki" narrative into practical messaging around "life-work balance," short commutes, childcare and healthcare, while also being transparent about taxes and climate realities. Anita also breaks down the "Hire Helsinki" campaign which positioned the city as a job candidate competing for talent and delivered more than 71,000 job application clicks in three months, and shares the story behind the Pamela Anderson campaign , which generated more than 500 million impressions. Tune in to hear how Helsinki is redefining place branding through focus, data driven targeting and honesty about what life and work are really like in Finland.

June 23, 2026Episode 424 min

Detroit's Case for Immigrant-Inclusive Economic Development

Detroit's story has always been one of reinvention , and Global Detroit is building on that legacy by championing the idea that immigrant inclusion is not just a social good. It's an economic development strategy. On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother sits down with Dr. Alaina Jackson , managing director at Global Detroit, to explore how immigrant-inclusive strategies can help regions strengthen talent pipelines, support entrepreneurship and drive long-term economic growth. Dr. Jackson explains how skilled immigrant professionals are often underutilized, despite having the experience and expertise employers need . She shares how Global Detroit works to connect employers, universities and communities with international talent while helping newcomers build careers, launch businesses and put down roots in Michigan. The conversation explores why international migrants should be a key part of any region's talent strategy, why retention matters just as much as attraction, how belonging influences talent decisions and why economic development and community development must go hand in hand. Tune in to hear why regions that invest in welcoming strategies, cross-sector partnerships and the talent already in their backyard will be better positioned to compete in the race for talent .

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 , h ead of g rowth and s trategy 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 Faul t 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 , f ounder 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, Team KC 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, t his is an episode you won't want to miss!