Elevate Polk is a podcast about the ideas, people, and partnerships shaping the future of Polk County. Hosted by Chrissanne Long and Dan Thumberg, the show explores entrepreneurship, small business, economic development, leadership, and the systems that help communities grow stronger from the inside out. Through honest conversations, local insight, and a practical look at both opportunities and gaps, Elevate Polk highlights what it really takes to build a thriving community where innovators,…
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Are you working toward progress—or quietly standing in your own way? In Episode 11 of the Elevate Polk Podcast, Chrissanne Long and Dan Thumberg get honest about perfectionism, analysis paralysis and the hidden cost of refusing to “ship” something until it feels flawless. They explore how business owners become their own bottleneck by fixating on details that may never change the outcome,…
AI is everywhere — but is it actually helping your business, or just creating more noise? In this episode of the Elevate Polk Podcast, Chrissanne Long and Dan Thumberg dive into the real-world use of AI for business owners, leaders, and operators who are trying to figure out what’s useful, what’s hype, and what needs a serious “trust but verify” approach. From ChatGPT and Claude to AI…
What happens when a community suddenly wakes up to a public process that has technically been available all along? In this episode of ElevatePolk, Chrissanne Long and Dan Thumberg unpack the conversation surrounding proposed data centers in Lakeland and Polk County, but this episode is not really about data centers. It is about engagement. It is about how local government works, why public process…
Lakeland is growing, and the decisions being made today will shape what it feels like to live, work, build, and do business here for years to come. In this episode of Elevate Polk, @ChrissanneLong and Dan @thumberg sit down with Shawn Sherrouse, City Manager for the City of Lakeland, for a deeper conversation about the 2026 State of the City, Lakeland’s strategic priorities, and how city planning…
In this episode of Elevate Polk, Chrissanne Long and Dan Thumberg sit down with Omar Arroyo, a Polk County entrepreneur, construction business owner, Haines City public servant, husband, and father whose story reaches far beyond a title. Omar shares his journey from Mexico to Texas and eventually to Haines City, where what began as a short-term work opportunity became the place he chose to…
In this episode of the ElevatePolk Podcast Dan Thumberg and Chrissanne Long dig into a difficult but important question for Polk County’s business and civic community: Are we building relationships that are truly mutually beneficial, or have too many small businesses been pulled into a “pay to play” culture where visibility, access, and opportunity come with unclear expectations and little real…
Episode Notes: Episode 5, “The Bill Comes Due” What does public transit have to do with economic development, workforce access, infrastructure, local government budgets, and the future of Polk County? More than most people realize. In this episode of Elevate Polk, Dan Thumberg and Chrissanne Long sit down with Tom Phillips, CEO of Citrus Connection, for a candid conversation about the role public…
Episode Notes: Episode 4, “No Man’s Land” In this episode of Elevate Polk , Chrissanne Long and Dan Thumberg dig into the phrase “No Man’s Land” and what it reveals about Polk County’s identity, reputation, and small business ecosystem. The conversation begins with a personal reflection on growing up in Polk County and the assumptions people have carried about the area for decades. From outdated…
In this episode of the ElevatePolk Podcast , we sit down with Shauna Dykes of Junior Achievement of Polk County to explore how students are being prepared for the real world through hands-on learning, business exposure, mentorship, and entrepreneurial thinking. Shauna shares how Junior Achievement is helping bridge the gap between the classroom and the workforce by giving young people practical…
Topics discussed in this episode: Why the phrase “Our Greatest Export” became the framing for the episode and what it suggests about local talent loss. Polk County’s Innovation Intelligence Index data, including the gap between Human Capital and Economic Well-Being. Peer county comparisons with Pasco, Marion, and Lee. Labor shed and commuter data showing how many Polk residents leave the county…
