Bold– courageous and daring.

The essence of Austin can be described as courageous and daring. Austinites exhibit unwavering determination to dream big and act big.

From September 20 through 22, 85 regional leaders joined together in Austin, TX with the common purpose of gaining insights from Austin’s experiences in addressing critical challenges we have in common. The Metro Leadership Visit served as a unique learning opportunity, allowing attendees to step away from their daily routines, explore new ideas, draw inspiration, explore potential solutions and establish deep connections with fellow leaders.

Why Austin? While Austin is larger than the Charleston Metro, boasting a metro population of nearly 2.5 million and ranking among the top 10 largest cities in the country, our communities share both many commonalities and we face many similar challenges.   

Attendees engaged in a rigorous program that involved learning from experts in the areas of housing attainability, infrastructure, equitable transit-oriented development, inclusivity and innovation. While these issues may look a little different in Austin, the insights gained during this learning lab provided valuable perspectives, potential solutions and inspiration we can apply to address similar issues in our region.

Our time in Austin showcased the influential leadership and fearless attitude that drive the success and ambition of this vibrant region.

Bryan Derreberry, Chamber President and CEO, distilled the top insights and remarkable experiences that defined the 2024 Metro Leadership Visit:

• Bold Austin Mindset: Austin’s success is rooted in its steadfast determination to dream big and take concrete steps toward realizing those dreams. Dean Allan Cole of the University of Texas at Austin spoke to this ethos and University President Jay Hartzell’s goal to be the highest-impact public research university in the world. Austin, often dubbed the “Wild West,” embraces a fearless willingness to take risks. The term “civic entrepreneurs” was used and encapsulates their relentless dissatisfaction with the status quo, a mindset we can uphold here in our own region.

• Acknowledging Imperfections: Austin readily acknowledges its past mistakes, including the consequences of the 1928 City Master Plan in segregating their downtown, insufficient investments in infrastructure, a fragmented public education system and a housing attainability crisis. What sets Austin apart is its dual approach to tackling these issues: staying true to their Texan identity, as demonstrated by University of Texas at Austin Professor Steven Pedigo, and rigorous strategic planning coupled with real-time metric tracking, as seen in the Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint Scorecard.

• Power of Public Private Partnerships: Austin’s progress thrives on the foundation of partnerships, not rivalries. We witnessed the harmonious collaboration between different levels of government and the private sector on transformative infrastructure projects, equitable transit-oriented development and workforce readiness initiatives. This shared-goal mindset, vital for tackling regional challenges, relies on trusted allies committed for the long term.

• Astonishing Trip Highlights: Our visit to Austin was filled with wow moments. From innovative repurposing of a mall into a world-class campus by Austin Community College to Tesla’s impressive hiring initiatives and the maturity of attainable housing efforts, Austin’s achievements are impressive. Upcoming projects like the I-35 upgrade and the commitment to equitable and inclusive place-making culture promise to ensure that Austin’s history, essence and vitality continue to flourish. Their bold entrepreneurial mindset continues to attract both people and businesses.

The Metro Leadership Austin experience provided invaluable insights into propelling a region toward excellence. Austin’s resilient spirit, acknowledgement of its past, spirit of collaboration and boldness to dream big were truly inspiring.

As we return home, we must harness this inspiration to address our critical challenges and drive prosperity for everyone in our region.

What’s next? Get engaged in an issue that is meaningful to you.

• Want to help solve our region’s housing crisis? Join the Regional Housing Coalition.
• Explore the Chamber’s Minority Business Accelerator and the possibility becoming a coach.
• Engage with Lowcountry Rapid Transit and learn more about how we can create equitable transit-oriented development.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in Austin for their commitment to learning and advancing our region. Special thanks to all of our sponsors, especially our presenting sponsor TD Bank.

Presenting Sponsor: TD Bank
Dinner Sponsors: Ingevity and Lee & Associates
Hospitality Sponsor: Hilton Garden Inn – Charleston Waterfront/Downtown
Session Sponsors: College of Charleston, HI Mark Capital, Seamon Whiteside and E3 Foundation