Your Community Has All the Ingredients to Thrive. Let's Make It Happen.

You see the potential everywhere: talented entrepreneurs working from home, creative businesses ready to scale, and a downtown that could be the beating heart of your local economy. The question isn't whether your community can succeed—it's how fast you can unlock that success.

Recast Leaders gives you the proven roadmap, expert coaching, and peer support to transform your downtown* into a thriving destination in just 10 months.

* Or neighborhood main street, or urban industrial area, or commercial corridor…

The Challenge Every Successful Leader Faces

You know what needs to happen. Fill vacant storefronts. Support local entrepreneurs. Create the kind of place where businesses thrive and people want to spend time.

The real challenge? Moving from vision to implementation quickly and effectively.

Most economic and real estate development approaches take years to show results. Your community needs solutions that work now—strategies that build momentum, create visible wins, and establish the foundation for long-term growth.

That's exactly what Recast Leaders delivers.

How Recast Leaders Accelerates Your Success

The Proven 5-Step Implementation Method

Transform scattered efforts into focused action with our systematic approach:

• Discover hidden assets: Map the small-scale manufacturers already in your community

• Build powerful coalitions: Align property owners, business leaders, and officials around shared goals

• Remove key barriers: Identify and solve specific policy, space, and support challenges

• Create your action plan: Design strategies tailored to your community's unique strengths

• Implement with confidence: Execute with ongoing expert support and proven tools

Elite Peer Learning Cohort

Join just 5 other carefully selected communities for 10 months of intensive collaboration. Share strategies, solve challenges together, and accelerate results through collective wisdom.

Expert Coaching When You Need It

Bi-weekly group sessions with Recast City founder Ilana Preuss, dedicated office hours for your specific challenges, and direct implementation support to overcome obstacles quickly.

Now the right time for you to become a recast leader.

Real Results Communities Achieve

Within 6-12 months, Recast Leaders graduates consistently deliver:

✅ Filled vacant storefronts with thriving local businesses
✅ Launched business support programs that help entrepreneurs scale
✅ Secured property investments and redevelopment projects
✅ Built stronger networks connecting business owners and community leaders
✅ Implemented policy changes that remove barriers to business growth

Columbia, MO Success Story: Transformed their downtown from a "pass-through area" into a destination by launching strategic pop-ups and a commercial shared kitchen with training programs—all implemented within 9 months of completing the program.

"The final report felt very specific to us—there were steps I could start moving on Day 1. We will have the commercial shared kitchen open 9 months from the date of the report!"
Carrie Gartner, Executive Director, Business Loop Improvement District

Who Should Apply for Recast Leaders

This intensive program is designed for action-oriented leaders with the authority and commitment to create change:

Decision-Makers Ready to Act

• Economic development directors

• Main street and downtown development leaders

• Mayors and city managers

• Business district executives

• Entrepreneurship program leaders

• Real estate developers focused on community impact

Communities Positioned for Success

• 3-4 committed participants from your community

• Authority to influence policy, programming, and development decisions

• Readiness to implement changes within 6-12 months

• Some existing small business assets to build upon

Most importantly: You're ready to move beyond planning into implementation. You want proven strategies, not more studies.

What You Get as a Recast Leader:

Complete Implementation Toolkit

• Proprietary worksheets and assessment tools

• Step-by-step guides for outreach and engagement

• Policy templates from successful communities

• Best practice models you can adapt immediately

Intensive Coaching & Support

• Bi-weekly group training sessions with expert facilitators

• Monthly office hours for your specific questions

• Direct one-on-one implementation support

• Access to national network of successful communities

Rapid Results Timeline

• Months 1-3: Direct RC method training and assess assets

• Months 4-7: Outreach to target business owners & other community leaders with ongoing coaching

• Months 8-10: Develop action plan and achieve measurable results

Investment: $2,100/month for 10 months (or $18,000 upfront—save $3,000)

Your Downtown's Transformation Starts Now

Applications are open for the next Recast Leaders cohort—but space is limited to just 6 communities.

While other places debate and study, you'll be implementing proven strategies that create immediate impact and long-term success.

Ready to lead your community's transformation?

Apply Today

Schedule your application call to discuss your community's goals and see if Recast Leaders is the right fit for your timeline and vision.

Questions About Your Community's Readiness?

Not sure if now is the right time? Schedule a brief consultation with Ilana to discuss your specific situation and explore the best path forward for your community.

Join the growing network of communities using small-scale manufacturing to revitalize their downtowns and build thriving local economies. Your success story starts here.

Meet Ilana Preuss, Community Development Coach

Ilana is the Founder & CEO of Recast City, as well as the author of, Recast Your City: How to Save Your Downtown with Small-Scale Manufacturing, released by Island Press in June 2021.

Preuss’ passion for great places grew out of her experience working with big and small cities all over the country when she led the technical assistance program at the U.S. EPA Smart Growth Program, and as the Vice President & Chief of Staff at Smart Growth America.

As the daughter of a maker (you should see her mother’s quilts!) and a life-long city lover (her father still teaches her how to wander cities well!), Ilana combined her love of places, locals who love those places, and her impatience to make things happen NOW in communities into a new firm.

Through Recast City, she partners with local leaders to bring main street back to life, bring business back to downtown, and build an inclusive and resilient economy. All by bringing small-scale manufacturing businesses into redevelopment projects and place-based economic development. She is passionate about making great places and sees that small-scale product businesses are a missing piece in today’s mixed-use development, commercial property repositioning, and local economic development strategy.

When Preuss is not onsite with a city or coaching a community leader, she can be found cooking up a storm with her two amazing teens. She lives in Maryland, always hunts down the local chocolate production business, and still sings along to all 80’s music.

What clients are saying:

Still have questions? Schedule a time for us to talk and let’s see if the timing is right to bring this unique cohort program to your community. Jump ahead to make your community a great place with thriving local businesses.

Are you a regional or state leader and want to consider a sponsored cohort only for your communities? Book a chat with Ilana and see if a sponsored cohort of Recast Leaders is a fit.