Sarah Carabias Rush, President and CEO of greater:SATX, just closed her best year yet: 7,000 new jobs, a goal exceeded for the first time since she took the role, and 59 active projects worth nearly $19 billion in the pipeline. In this episode, Sarah breaks down what it actually takes to land a company like Toyota or IEM, why data alone doesn't win deals, and how San Antonio went from a market that wasn't even getting a look to one now outpacing its peers in GDP growth, educational attainment, and poverty reduction.

Sarah also opens up about her path to San Antonio, from being blessed by the Pope as a baby in Alaska to competitive acting in high school to building an international career in Dallas before taking the leap to lead economic development here. Plus her take on data centers, the case for South Texas Parkway, and why site readiness, not marketing, is what actually closes a deal.

Episode Chapters

• (00:00) - Cold Open
• (00:47) - Welcome and Guest Introduction
• (02:42) - From Alaska to San Antonio
• (17:28) - Why Sarah Chose San Antonio Over Everywhere Else
• (28:43) - Turning Greater SATX Into a Proactive Recruiter
• (36:24) - What It Actually Takes to Land a Major Company
• (45:56) - San Antonio's Real Growth Story
• (50:38) - 59 Active Projects and the Road to Momentum 2030
• (1:03:11) - Data Centers and South Texas Parkway
• (1:12:03) - Rapid Fire

Links and Resources

• greater:SATX: https://greatersatx.com
• Real Estate Council of San Antonio: https://recsanantonio.com/

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