“It was surprising to us how many things a business owner can do beyond offering competitive wages and good benefits,” said Michael Cinquino, Co-Founder of SoHo Creative Studio. “The interviewees were incredibly candid in their shares, and we want to thank everyone who participated in the project for being so upfront with what is working and with what is not working.”

Over the past six months, the Seacoast Economic Development Stakeholders –  known as a Collaborative Economic Development Region by the state of New Hampshire –  partnered with SoHo Creative Studio to create an employee attraction, development, and retention toolkit. 

“We are thrilled that this toolkit is now available to help businesses with implementing solutions to attract, develop and retain top talent on the Seacoast and beyond,” said Jen Czysz, Executive Director of Strafford Regional Planning Commission. “Special thanks to our regional partners at Rockingham Planning Commission, Regional Economic Development Corporation, University of New Hampshire, the City of Portsmouth, Town of Exeter, City of Dover, and the NH Small Business Development Center. These partners met regularly to collaborate on this important tool for the region’s businesses. We can’t wait to promote it widely.”

Cinquino interviewed local and regional business owners, including: Anne Nichols, Krystal Hicks, Beth Blaney, Jilan Hall-Johnson, Diana Bourns, Kimiko Ebata, Bill Stowell Jr., Barbara Marchetti, as well as job seekers to hear their challenges in the job market. After receiving feedback from our interviewees, we have incorporated these insights into our toolkit. This toolkit will be a resource to support the economic vitality of the Seacoast Region.

"What SoHo Creative Studio has accomplished with this toolkit is unprecedented in the Seacoast; it's a far deeper dive than has been done into the issues that fuel our current workforce crisis," opined Darren Winham, Exeter's Economic Development Director.  "They've done their job and now it's up to my colleagues and me to get this product, including dates for follow up events, into the hands of businesses, job seekers and any other player that can help promote its use."

The Employer Toolkit aims to battle the struggles of finding a reliable workforce. At SoHo Creative Studio, we saw this project as an opportunity to support developing brands in our community.

SoHo Creative Studio:

SoHo Creative Studio is a Veteran-owned business based out of Portsmouth, NH. We’re a team of multi-hyphenate storytellers who take a human-centered approach to branding and development. We craft intentional brand identities that help you attract ideal clients, reach new customers, and land top-tier talent.

Seacoast Economic Development Stakeholders:
The New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs (NH BEA) recognized the success of the Seacoast Economic Development Stakeholders  (SEDS) model, which served as inspiration for the Collaborative Economic Development Regions (CEDRs) proposed in NH BEA’s 2021 Economic Recovery and Expansion Strategy. NH BEA has recognized the Seacoast Economic Development Stakeholders as the CEDR for the greater seacoast region and has sought to replicate its success through the creation of new CEDRs throughout the state.

For more information on this resource, or to learn more about how SoHo Creative Studio can support your employer brand, please visit sohocreativestudio.com/employer-toolkit.