Two years ago to the day Greensboro was shown where the jobs were.  Why aren’t they here already?

Looking at the fastest growing occupations a reasonable argument can be made that 8 out of 10 bear a direct realationship to the Creative and Weblog Industry, which is experiencing a growth of over 100,000 new blogs launching daily.

Fastest Growing Occupations, 2000-2010

                                                                                   Employment    Change

Occupations 2000 2010 Number Percent 
Computer software engineers, applications
 380 760 380 100 
Computer support specialists
506 996 490 97 
Computer software engineers, systems software
 317 601 284 90 
Network and computer systems administrators
 229 416 187 82 
Network systems and data communications analysts
 119 211 92 77 
Desktop publishers
38 63 25 67 
Database administrators
 106 176 70 66 
Personal and home care aides
 414 672 258 62 
Computer systems analysts
431 689 258 60 
Medical assistants
 329 516 187 57

Of course if one attracts the higher paying jobs in the Fastest Growing Sector, the service jobs in the Largest Growing Sector naturally follow.

So where are the business models headed that create these jobs? The latest has headed to Virginia.  PaidContent.org posted recently that Northern Virginia based BackFence.com has received a $3 million dollar first round of Venture Capital. This announcement comes on the heels of other internet blog properties moving, Weblogs, Inc. and Weblogs.com.

Reports like this touting a 26% growth in internet advertising revenue may have sparked a bit of a boom, but are we feeling it here? As the dollars begin to flow thru the blogosphere, where’s Greensboro?

Sadly, it’s lead of years, faded to 30 seconds, and now it’s behind.  Local start-up companies with National aspirations, like Greensboro101, TriadBlogs, EpiCourier and BlackCache who have been uniquely posistioned to capitalize in their respective market niches may just miss the curve. Companies not prepared with the needed resources to develop the management, content, audiences and roll out a national footprint to distribute too, will lose out on opportunities like, the political advertising market of 2006, that will be crucial to their ability to compete against MSM and survive.

How can Greensboro regain its lead or maintain it present market opportunities?

It needs to break free of the manufacturing based economy mentality and "find some love" from the local investor community. It needs to translate the community support given to ConvergeSouth into a long term investment strategy. It needs to be shown how the business of Creative Industry directly relates to the Mid-Atlantic Fed Ex Hub and how it will be  the two working together that will bring the future jobs to our community, to our children.

Our company’s business plan has not called for VC, but if the recent Shopping Spree continues we may consider looking for a "little love" ourselves for some of our internet properties. I just hope we don’t have to go to Northern Virginia to find it.

But, if it comes to it, you know what they say, "Virginia IS for Lovers."