What if a community’s next engine of growth is already there? On this episode of Main Street Business Insight, host Matt Wagner talks with Chris Gibbons of the National Center for Economic Gardening about how Littleton, Colorado, responded to major job losses by helping local businesses grow instead of relying only on recruiting outside companies.
Gibbons shares how economic gardening took shape, why growing businesses need timely market research and strategic insight, and how patient leadership helped the approach take root. He also explores what makes local entrepreneurs more likely to stay: deep community ties, a strong sense of place, and businesses that offer something distinctive rather than competing on price alone.
The conversation looks ahead to AI, independent contracting, and changing ideas about what counts as a job—and makes the case for connecting economic development with the everyday vitality of downtowns. For community leaders, economic developers, and Main Street advocates, it’s a thoughtful look at how to grow opportunity while keeping local character in the picture.
