Interview with Bethany Miller, vice president of business development at Greater Richmond Partnership. Bethany helps coordinate the region’s existing business efforts in Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico, and Richmond as part of the Business First Greater Richmond umbrella.

What is your job function?
I’m responsible for coordinating the region’s existing business efforts. Each of the communities represented by the Greater Richmond Partnership (Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico, and Richmond) has its own existing business program that falls under the Business First Greater Richmond umbrella. Those programs have community-specific autonomy, but at the regional level, we work on initiatives that can be used across the board.

Tell me about Business First Greater Richmond.
Business First is focused entirely on company retention and expansion. Local economic development professionals and lots of volunteers regularly interview company decision makers face-to-face in order to learn how we can help their businesses grow in the area. Whether we feel businesses will benefit from a conference explaining what is pri and how improved communication can benefit their business or, on an individual basis, we can help them secure things like funding that would allow them to grow their brand. Based on the information that comes from the interview, we get information about individual company needs and can look at regional business trends.

Why should a company disclose its information with economic developers?
One of the biggest challenges for the public sector level is conveying that we can actually help a company’s bottom line. The better the conversation between the company and the economic development professional-the more objectively we ask for information and get clear answers-the better we can understand a company’s growth and life cycle and provide valuable assistance towards meeting their needs.

Please give me an example.
Let’s say a firm needs to diversify in order to survive. Depending upon the product or service, we may be able to connect them to exporting assistance or guide them to layoff aversion expertise through the Virginia Rapid Response Program. We could provide tools for innovation by connect- ing them to the GenEdge Alliance or help companies learn more about SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) or SBTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) grant funds. The list is really endless.

You’re a native of Ohio. What helped you adjust to life in Greater Richmond?
Getting lost! (laughs) I never stopped exploring. I honestly fell in love with the city because it’s walkable and endear- ing. I quickly volunteered at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. I think when you volunteer, it teaches you about the place. I was given the helpful advice to volunteer in order to learn more about the community. When I moved here I didn’t know anyone so I had to figure how to find my place here. Lewis Ginter welcomed me with open arms and I’ve volunteered in the Garden Shop there for almost four years. I’ve also volunteered with Hands on Greater Richmond. It’s a great way to find like-minded people and a great way to get connected to your community.

You earned your undergrad and master’s degree from The Ohio State University. Why do they make people call it “The” Ohio State University?
It gets you in the spirit! And it’s a differentiator between Ohio State University and Ohio University.

I hear you really enjoy cooking. But what are your favorite restaurants in town? I’m a fan of the Hill Café, Thai Diner Too, and The Water Grill.

How do you want to impact the Richmond region? I want the partnership with the communities that GRP represents to brand the Business First program as a really valuable stop-the first business stop-in the existing company’s resource thought process. I think it makes a huge difference in how companies feel about their location. There’s a robust set of services available regionally. The better job that we do at aligning those resources so that businesses know what they are and how to get to them, the more value we add as economic development professionals.