CASE STUDY
The Challenge: Fragmented Capacity, High Stakes
Post-pandemic, Annapolis Royal, Middleton, and the County of Annapolis were facing economic uncertainty, reduced civic engagement, and disjointed development tools. With the Board of Trade dissolved in one region and volunteer networks stretched thin, the need for real coordination—and real support—was urgent.
A short-term provincial grant allowed these municipalities to do something rare: go in together on dedicated expertise. Daniela Siggia-Beasant was brought in as Economic Development Coordinator to stabilize, strategize, and deliver lasting value. A 9-month contract spanning Annapolis Royal, Middleton, and the County of Annapolis—resulting in new partnerships, funding-ready plans, and sustained community capacity.
- 💬 Stakeholder Engagement: 100+ business connections, consultations, and roundtables
- 📚 Tool Creation: 27 tailored training materials and digital guides, regional business directory & grant directory
- 📊 Research & Analysis: 15 sector scans and economic studies
- 🛠 Funding Infrastructure: Designed and wrote a costed 3-year Economic Revitalization Action Plan
- 📈 Growth Marketing: Community profile catalogs, land inventories, and promotional collateral
- 🤝 Institutional Support: Saved a community hall from closure; supported faith-based organizations; created onboarding and revenue training for nonprofits
Just a Sample of the Reports Delivered
The examples below are not a complete list, just a sample
Written for a community wrestling with sameness fatigue—this book reframed a perceived lack of business variety as a unique brand identity. Instead of resisting it, Daniela showed how to market into it, helping communities double down on what made them different.
Written for new entrepreneurs whose move to the Maritimes was rooted in personal upheaval or trauma. This book addressed the invisible emotional risks behind “vanity businesses,” and offered tools for building something sustainable, even when starting from a place of vulnerability.
A guide for entrepreneurs relocating from urban centers to rural Nova Scotia. It tackled culture shock, local skepticism, and integration friction with clarity and compassion—serving as an onboarding tool for smoother transitions and long-term community buy-in.
Building Trust in Real Time
From Frustration to Dialogue
Public trust can’t be built overnight—especially in communities where hope has been eroded. Daniela led public meetings that were often raw and emotionally charged, offering space for long-held frustrations to surface. With steady leadership and a willingness to listen without defensiveness, she turned those moments into momentum. By showing up, following through, and answering earnestly, trust was rebuilt—one conversation at a time.
Rooted in Community. Reaching Beyond
Listening, Learning, Rebuilding
Daniela took initiative to re-establish lines of communication with Bear River First Nation—approaching the relationship with humility, consistency, and care. The process became one of the most meaningful aspects of the contract.
A Vision for Pilgrimage Tourism
Exploring how Nova Scotia’s trail systems could anchor a globally recognized spiritual and cultural tourism offering—blending landscape, story, and economic renewal.
Centering the Most Vulnerable
From vocational schools to corrections, Daniela ensured the voices and needs of those often overlooked were brought into the region’s economic strategy.
Saving Upper Clements Community Hall
From Consultant to Community Steward
During her early economic analysis, Daniela identified the local community hall as a critical piece of rural infrastructure—one that was quietly on the verge of collapse. With declining board capacity and shrinking revenue, it faced imminent closure. Understanding the social and economic cost of that loss, she stepped in to help the board restructure, stabilize operations, and build toward sustainability.
As a reflection of her long-term commitment to the region, Daniela continues to serve as President of the board—ensuring that this essential gathering space remains open, active, and accountable to the community it serves.
National Reach, No Extra Cost
Design support—off-contract, on deadline
When Annapolis Royal had a last-minute opportunity to advertise on Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway and in a national PostMedia travel magazine reaching 160,000 homes, Daniela stepped in—volunteering professional design support to ensure the town didn’t miss its moment.
Sparking the Next Generation
A grassroots idea, expanded region-wide
After supporting a packed youth entrepreneur expo hosted by a local community hall—where the youngest vendor was just six years old—Daniela saw a clear opportunity. Rural youth often need to invent their own futures, and events like this prove they’re ready to rise. In response, she developed a concept and implementation plan for a region-wide Youth Entrepreneur Expo, submitted as a bonus deliverable to inspire and empower young creators across Annapolis County.
A Hub for Economic Growth
Designed, unprompted, as a bonus deliverable
An online platform concept designed to host all 27 training tools—giving local entrepreneurs 24/7 access to skills, support, and strategy. No barriers. No cost.