The trusted quick-start guide to economic development
Stop re-teaching ED 101 every time the board changes.
LandWise gives economic developers, states, regional
alliances, and community organizations a trusted,
repeatable system for educating elected officials, board
members, and stakeholders.
Sound familiar?
“Our leaders would benefit from hearing the message from an outside voice“
“Another election.
Another reset.”
“We worked 18 months
on that project. One
county council
meeting killed it.”
“The loudest voices
aren’t the most
informed. And
misinformation
happens fast.”
Start Here. It’s Free.
A taste of the LandWise playbook. Download two practical resources designed to help elected officials navigate economic development decisions with more confidence.
Top 10 Economic Development Mistakes Elected Officials Should Avoid
The decisions elected officials make today can shape their communities for decades. This guide highlights ten common mistakes that can delay growth, limit opportunity, and create unintended consequences—and how to avoid them.
What Loud Opposition in Economic Development Sounds Like & How to Lead through It
Public opposition is part of the process. This guide provides examples of common objections elected officials hear during economic development discussions, along with practical ways to respond and lead productive conversations.
LandWise Philosophy:
Knowledge Spreads Because People Care About the Places we Call Home
LandWise doesn’t prescribe a methodology—that should be up to local leaders. Our goal is to help community stakeholders understand the core fundamentals of economic development so they can make informed decisions for their own communities. Every region has its own priorities, challenges, and opportunities, but the need for practical, accessible education is universal.
When people understand the issues shaping their community, better conversations happen. Better questions get asked. Better decisions get made. And because people care deeply about the places they call home, the ideas that matter most have a way of spreading, which leads to meaningful advocacy.
Your community. Your needs. Your path.
Discovery call (30 minutes)
We learn your community’s goals, stakeholders, and economic development environment. What’s working. What’s not. What your people need to understand before the next big vote.
Choose your path
Purchase Ready Content
Best For: Organizations that need a fast, proven solution
Explore our library of videos and curriculum that are already available and ready to license. Deploy content quickly without the time and expense of custom production.
Includes:
- Ready-to-use video curriculum
- Immediate deployment
- Proven economic development topic
Create Custom Content
Best For: Organizations with unique priorities, stakeholders, or regional considerations
Work with the LandWise team to script, produce, and deliver content tailored to your community, your brand, and your economic development environment.
Includes:
- Custom video production
- Region-specific examples
- Tailored messaging and curriculum
Hybrid Approach
Best For: Organizations that want both speed and customization
Combine ready-to-license content with custom videos designed specifically for your community. Start with proven foundational content and supplement it with region-specific education where it matters most.
Includes:
- Ready curriculum + custom content
- Faster implementation
- Flexible deployment strategy
Deployment
Launch your selected program through your stakeholder network, leadership team, board, or broader community audience.
Ongoing support
New officials every 2–4 years. The need never goes away.
LandWise remains available for each new cohort of leaders, preserving institutional knowledge and providing consistent education as boards and leadership teams evolve.
Six ways LandWise serves your community.
Educational Video Platform
A growing library of short, practical video lessons built around the questions, scenarios, and objections community leaders actually face. Videos average less than five minutes in length, creating bite size learning opportunities designed for busy shedules.
Custom Curriculum Development
Printable one-pagers, PDF curricula, and branded materials developed around your community’s specific challenges and priorities.
Elected Official & Board Workshops
Hands-on training for elected officials, boards, and stakeholder groups, focused on real-world economic development topics.
Conference & Event Presentations
Bring Beth Land to your annual meeting, conference, or stakeholder event for engaging and practical economic development education.
Stakeholder Engagement & Community Alignment
Facilitated conversations, stakeholder interviews, surveys, and alignment strategies designed to help communities move forward together.
Advocacy & Communications Support
Messaging, talking points, and communications support that help communities speak with clarity and confidence.
Practical insight. Multiple perspectives.
Real-world application.
Each lesson is built around the questions, scenarios, and objections community leaders actually face. Designed to be engaging
and accessible, these videos help stakeholders build a stronger understanding of the issues shaping their communities.
UPSTATE SC ALLIANCE CASE STUDY
Produced in partnership with the Upstate SC Alliance, these videos were developed as a regional case study for the Upstate South Carolina market. The content demonstrates how LandWise works with partner organizations to create customized stakeholder education programs tailored to their communities.
Why Economic Development Matters
Why Communities Compete
Understanding the Local Tax Base
Full Series
Additional curriculum topics included with
license access:
- Intro to Economic Development
- Site Selection 101: The Funnel
- Site Selection 102: Analyzing Locations
- Why Site Readiness Matters
- Navigating the Finalist Stage
- Intro to Fee-in-Lieu-of-Tax (FILOT)
- The Vision & Role of Elected Officials
- The Cost of Doing Nothing
- The Benefits to Quality of Life
What should we cover next?
An easy way to bring value to your investors.
Regional alliances and chambers of commerce have budgets, boards, and the constant pressure to demonstrate value to their investors. LandWise gives you a tangible, brandable, renewable initiative you can point to every year—not just when a big project comes to town.
What you get:
Custom video curriculum
Use video content we have on the shelf, or create a customized package that speaks to your geography.
Organization branding
Your logo, your colors, your community’s story.
Landing Page designated for your geography’s access
A dedicated platform for your stakeholder network.
Printable curriculum materials
PDFs and one-pagers for meetings and stakeholder engagement.
Two-year subscription
Access to updates as the library grows.
Ongoing support
Support from Beth and LandWise team to the issues that matter most in your area.
Why organizations choose LandWise
Stop re-explaining the basics.
Start every stakeholder conversation at a higher level.
Train without the red tape.
Educate officials while respecting quorum requirements.
One-time set-up. Recurring long-term value.
Use the platform every time your board, council, or committee changes hands.
Leadership changes are inevitable.
Officials turn over. Board members change. Implement a repeatable system for training.
Who this is for:
Regional Economic
Development
Alliances
City/County ED
Organizations
State Associations
Utility Providers
Rail Providers
Service Providers Supporting ED
New ED
Practitioners
Beth Land has sat in every seat at this table.
Beth Land is president and founder of Land Strategies. She’s worked both sides of the table — public-side economic development and over a decade in private site selection helping Fortune 500 companies choose where to locate.
She knows what a site selector is thinking when your community is on the short list, and she knows what makes an elected official freeze when the vote comes up. She’s sat in countless meetings where those two perspectives collide. She’s not here to lecture. She’s here because she cares about communities getting this right, and elevating the level of conversation.
Public-Side
Economic
Development
York County,
South Carolina.
10+ Years in
Site Selection
Aerospace,
chemicals,
manufacturing,
and distribution
projects.
Regional
Alliance
Leadership
Built a regional economic development alliance from the ground up.
Direct
Manufacturing
Experience
Firsthand experience in aerospace manufacturing and industrial workforce challenges.
Trusted
Industry
Partner
Works with states, regional alliances, rail providers, and utility companies.
Certified
Expertise
CEcD | MBA
“If your industrial corridor is like a jar – and you allow it to be filled with the wrong stuff, you’ll never squeeze the right things in that lift your community up. Communities don’t get a second chances to get this right.”
-Beth H. Land
Trusted by:
“As a regional alliance, we’ve created value for our communities through LandWise, by helping establish a foundation of knowledge that leads to better decisions.”
John Lummus,
CEO, Upstate SC Alliance
“As an elected official, I appreciate how LandWise simplifies complex economic development topics and provides my community with the knowledge needed to make thoughtful, informed decisions.”
Chris Sullivan,
Elected Official, Upstate SC region
Download the LandWise info packet and find out how your organization can put a repeatable education system in place — so you can focus on long term visioning and goals, not the next election cycle.
What you’re probably wondering.
What’s the difference between LandWise and Land Strategies?
Land Strategies is Beth’s site selection and economic development consulting firm. LandWise is an educational platform that grew out of that work. If Land Strategies is the consulting practice, LandWise is the curriculum. They’re related, but they serve different needs. If you want to work directly with Beth on a site selection or community strategy engagement, visit Land-Strategies.com. If you want to educate and align your stakeholders at scale, you’re in the right place.
What geography are the core video library applicable to?
The core library includes content that applies across a broad range of geographies. The process starts with a discovery call to determine which existing content “travels” well and what additional content we may want to build together for your region. Many concepts—like site selection, how tax revenue flows, and what makes communities competitive—are universal. Others are highly specific to things like state tax codes, incentive structures, and local economic development priorities.
Is this a finished product or a work in progress?
Both. There’s a growing library of core content available now, and a process for developing custom content for your specific needs. We’ll be transparent about what’s on the shelf and what we’d build together. Think of it as a platform that’s live and growing – not a box set.
How does this platform complement valuable existing resources provided by states and conferences?
There are a lot of wonderful events and state-led programs available. Beth is a zealous advocate of these and continues to present to these groups across the country. LandWise is designed to complement and not duplicate these resources. The challenge with most existing training is that it’s event-based: a conference session, a certification course, a one-time presentation. When leadership turns over, you’re back to square one. LandWise is a system, not an event. It lives in your organization permanently and resets every time a new person joins the team.
How long are the videos?
Average run time is under five minutes. Designed to be watched in a variety of ways. An economic developer could play one at the beginning of every monthly board meeting, or have an annual training session. They are designed to be watched at your pace.
Who owns the content?
LandWise retains ownership and license of the “core library”, but we can work together to build a series that incorporates educational videos that weaves in your brand, regions specific imagery, and address topics that “hit home”. While we suggest considering 3 public videos, and 9 licensed videos as the standard package, we will work collaboratively to determine what makes the most sense for your organization.
Can individual elected officials or board members get access on their own?
Yes – get on the early access list and we’ll be in touch. Organizations that license LandWise for their region are the primary distribution channel, but individuals can get access too. If you’d like to discuss options, email us at beth@land-strategies.com