When it comes to building an economy, there is often a belief that it is done primarily by bankers, politicians, and the "1 percent."

The reality is that economies are built by you. It happens when you take pride in your country, state or town and participate in ways that create change. It is a mix of "we can do it" work ethic, you being responsible for your own personal education and strategically looking for and acting upon opportunities.

Education affects the economy - such as your personal development toward becoming knowledgeable at a skill you want to learn and offering it to others. Another part we should all know is what tools we have to improve our region's economic outlook. Did you know that if you start in or move a company to Idaho, it is possible to get as much as 30 percent back on the sales, income and employee taxes you pay as a company for as long as 15 years?

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How many of you have a friend running a business in another state who could benefit from this new opportunity our state recently put in place? I recently contacted a large household-name corporation and discussed why North Idaho made sense for them to expand here. A back-and-forth conversation ended with them earmarking a few locations I proposed, for further research. Will they move here? I don't know. Will I keep trying? Yes, because it is my town and healthy, sustainable growth matters to my family and your family.

It isn't just a tool to be used by politicians and government workers to affect our economy. It is for all of us to do what we can to share why our region is the best place in the world to live and that includes raising a family, enjoying a hike, going to the farmers market, watching the fireworks on the Fourth of July, have a 10-minute commute to work - all while you make a livable wage or build your company in a state that encourages you by providing great tax incentives.

Did you know that buying from local stores is another way we can all impact the economy? On average, when you spend $100 at a locally owned store, $60 stays here versus $100 spent at a big box retailer results in $43 staying local. Money spent at a local retailer generates as much as 3.5 times more wealth for the local economy compared to chain-owned businesses.

So join the efforts of people like Marty and Barb Mueller who run Gizmo-CDA as an economic development effort where they are educating future engineers and artists. Join Patty Shea, who is working with Avista to help expand the entrepreneurship program at NIC. Help Charles Buck at University of Idaho explore new computer software classes for Coeur d'Alene; or Yoshi Kanamiya, who has partnered with the Innovation Collective and moved to Coeur d'Alene from Tokyo for six months to offer his 35 years of expertise in medical rehab robotics to the universities and private companies - and all the other people just like you who are rolling up their sleeves and building a great tomorrow with the tools to which we all have access.

Be sure to not miss the next Innovation Collective Fireside Chat on April 8 at 6 p.m. I will be interviewing both Mayor Steve Widmyer of Coeur d'Alene and Mayor Ron Jacobson of Post Falls regarding our local economy, tech startups and their thoughts on innovation. The Cellar at 317 Sherman continues to graciously host our group and complimentary beer is provided by Centennial Distributing.

For more information about the Innovation Collective go to www.InnovateNW.com and learn about more than 40 events per year, the co-working space, and the tech accelerator, all focused on developing a strong tech startup community here in our region.