“If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” – MLK Jr.
I just completed Jack Schultz’s book “Boomtown USA: the 7 ½ Keys to Big Success in Small Towns“, which covers a post-9/11 timeframe in the early 2000s in which a ‘third wave’ of outmigration from large cities to small towns was beginning to take place. Two decades have passed since that time, yet recommendations such as adopting a can-do attitude, encouraging entrepreneurs, and embracing your brand seem just as relevant today.
It reminded me of an unrelated mantra I had found last year, written on a sticky note, and continue to carry with me: “strength of big, service of small.” I honestly don’t remember where I came across it, but those six words provide a foundation for how our community is well-positioned to succeed in this decade. Warsaw was included among the top 2.5% of ‘agurbs’ in “Boomtown USA”, and our county continues to offer exceptional quality of life amenities and a robust industry base that cannot be matched in many other places. Schultz talks about “Eagle communities that see opportunities that other communities are unable to see – or are afraid to take…Focused on growth and prosperity, they become leaders and models in the process of achieving their maximum potential.”
Warsaw was not included among the Top 100 agurbs in Boomtown USA, but I am confident we are on track to realize that potential.
– Alan Tio
