Invest:Insights is the true encapsulation of the business community’s collective voice. This video series showcases the unique perspectives of industry leaders, leading executives, prominent community figures and entrepreneurs. Each episode features in-depth conversations that reveal deeper insight into the various sectors that make up the local economy, while also highlighting the opportunities for the business community therein.
Episodes
Wednesday Jul 29, 2020
Wednesday Jul 29, 2020
May 13, 2020
Like every sector of business, the arts are looking towards an unpredictable future and adapting as they deem necessary. David Devan, General Director and President of Opera Philadelphia, discussed with Abby Melone how his organization is adapting to the current times by means of their new Digital Festival O which hopes to bring in a global audience and let them experience opera in a new way. Mr. Devan also made note during the conversation that future performances could possibly become smaller in size with less performers, and that the current pandemic has forced all rehearsals for future shows to be indefinitely postponed due to safety concerns. For more information, visit: https://www.operaphila.org/
Monday Jul 27, 2020
Monday Jul 27, 2020
Apr 26, 2020
As the Orlando region begins to turn its attention towards what the future holds post COVID-19, the small businesses that make up their local economy are looking for any information or additional capital that is currently available. In his conversation with Abby Melone, City of Orlando's Mayor Buddy Dyer spoke on Orlando Economic Partnership’s new Business Recovery Assistance and Collaborative Engagement Program (BRACE) that has already seen over three hundred small to medium sized businesses register. This program is designed to pair these businesses with an individual who can assist with finding and capitalizing on all of the various resources that are currently available to these businesses. For more information, visit: www.orlando.gov
Friday Jul 24, 2020
Friday Jul 24, 2020
May 13, 2020
During times of crisis, the emphasis on being able to circulate the most current news and happenings is heightened ten-fold. This need for current information showcases the importance of great journalism during these uncertain times, especially local journalism. This was one of the messages Raul Moas, the Miami Program Director for Knight Foundation, relayed to Abby Melone as well as speaking to the importance of entrepreneurialism during times of economic crisis. For more information, visit: https://knightfoundation.org/
Wednesday Jul 22, 2020
Wednesday Jul 22, 2020
May 13, 2020
During times of crisis, innovation thrives. In 2020, a lot of this innovation is in the form of new and improved upon technologies and when Abby Melone spoke with Larry Williams, President and CEO of TAG (Technology Association of Georgia), he touched upon the fact that the technology space is currently buzzing over the capabilities and innovations currently coming from the telemedicine data and cloud storage sectors.He also identified that, even with the COVID-19 pandemic, there hasn't been very much change in the investment environment as it relates to technology. For more information, visit: https://www.tagonline.org/
Friday Jul 17, 2020
Friday Jul 17, 2020
Each city and regions' needs are similar in some facets but vastly different in others. Julie Eiselt, Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Charlotte, discussed how her city's needs are very different from the rest of the state of North Carolina because of the dense population therein. She also spoke on the city's 'Open for Business' initiative which allows the entirety of the local community access to information about restaurants and retail operations, if they are currently open during this transition period and, if they are open, what the rules are in order to patron these locations.
Wednesday Jul 15, 2020
Wednesday Jul 15, 2020
Monday Jul 13, 2020
Monday Jul 13, 2020
May 14, 2020
Since the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an encouraging movement of large companies in the United States enacting various wide-scale initiatives to assist and benefit their communities and customer base. UnitedHealthcare is one of those larger companies that has stepped up to make a real difference for their customers and community with a commitment of $1.5 billion of additional support towards tackling Coronavirus related challenges. Dan Tropeano, CEO of UnitedHealthcare of Pennsylvania and Delaware, discussed this initiative with Abby Melone and how an additional $750,000 of support specifically for the state of Pennsylvania was just announced by his company. For more information, visit: www.uhc.com
Friday Jul 10, 2020
Friday Jul 10, 2020
Jun 3, 2020
Like all business sectors, live sports were hit hard by the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now as the world begins to reopen and adjust operations to accommodate social distancing and safer measures, sports entities are in the process of figuring out how to come back, and in some cases finish their seasons, within this 'new normal'. Matthew Caldwell, President and CEO of the Florida Panthers, spoke on his team's preparations to return and finish out the NHL season via a new, innovative playoff structure. He discussed what it has been like for the organization to work completely remote, retaining everyone's full salary and preparing their arena with more touchless technology. For more information, visit: https://www.nhl.com/panthers
Wednesday Jul 08, 2020
Wednesday Jul 08, 2020
May 4, 2020
Swift action and working ahead of state shelter-in-place measures allowed Gaston County to combat the coronavirus pandemic efficiently. The county mandated its own shelter-in-place measure a week before Gov. Roy Cooper implemented a statewide shutdown. As a result, the county is ready to phase out the opening of its economy with health guidelines remaining a top priority, Gaston County Manager Kim Eagle told Invest: Insights. For the small business community, the county's SBA bridge loans have been critical in helping small businesses throughout Gaston County. For more information, visit: https://www.gastongov.com/
Monday Jul 06, 2020
Monday Jul 06, 2020
May 5, 2020
While the economic and social recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is going to be a long and gradual process, there are large organizations currently working to help where they can in easing this process along. One of the organizations that has stepped up in a big way is UnitedHealthcare who have provided more than $70 million directly to the global community since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Michael Lawton, Chief Executive Officer of the UnitedHealthcare Community and State Health Plan of Florida, spoke on the organization contributing two $500,000 donations to two Florida agencies, Feeding Florida and the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida. For more information, visit: https://www.uhc.com/