For many, summer ushers in much needed downtime. But in our industry, we can’t afford to take a vacation from focusing on the details, data points and changing landscapes that create opportunities for our clients. We operate in complex regulatory, policy and civic environments, where paying close attention to new information and trends is critical to success. Here are a few examples of what we’re thinking about, and lessons learned from leaders who needed to feel the heat to seize a growth opportunity.

Form a Winning Development Strategy
Many developers ask us: what’s it take to get a land-use project approved in Seattle’s white-hot real estate market? To better understand how to navigate the complex, and often confounding, approval process, while promoting the healthy expansion of our city, we invite you to download a free copy of our e-book, Land Use in Seattle: Mastering the Art of the Possible.

It Sounded Cool at the Time . . .
Apple is one of the world’s most visionary companies, and it has a new headquarters to match. But did the company miss an opportunity to engage neighbors and more thoughtfully integrate “The Ring” into the surrounding Cupertino community?

J.Crew Doubles Down on Digital Marketing to Right the Ship
J.Crew hasn’t given up on quality, but Mickey Drexler, current board chairman and former CEO, acknowledges that ignoring digital marketing data in the past contributed to the retailer’s decline. The company hopes a shift in strategy, like the creation of targeted catalogs informed by customer behavior and online data, will help it tackle looming debt payments.

Tourism is an Export—So Why Don’t We Treat it Like One?
Seattle and King County hosted more than 38 million visitors in 2015, creating a combined economic impact of nearly $10 billion, according to Visit Seattle. Tourism was America’s largest service export in 2015, but some big-ticket policies are presenting roadblocks for Americans looking to capitalize on the growing industry.

To Ping or Not to Ping
Email revolutionized office communications, but does the lack of in-person connection undermine its effectiveness? A new study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology highlights the power of face-to-face communication as a tool for advocacy and provides tips on how to fight inbox overload.