Growing Idaho Falls on Purpose
Paul Baker · RizeX Monthly Mastermind · May 2026 · Eastern Idaho
Idaho Falls just earned the title of number one small city in the United States — but is that by design or by accident? Paul Baker, CEO of the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce, walked the room through a honest, interactive assessment of what it actually takes to turn a fast-growing community into a sustainably thriving one. The answer, he argued, isn’t luck — it’s intentional alignment across every sector and demographic.
What Paul Covered
The Seven Factors of a Magnet City. Paul introduced a framework used to evaluate whether a city is genuinely attracting and retaining people and investment, or just riding a wave. The seven factors — young wealth creators, physical renewal, city-region identity, connectivity, cultivating new ideas, stimulating investment, and developing strong leadership — served as a live scoring exercise for the room. Scores ranged from the low fives on young wealth creators to the high eights on physical renewal and leadership, giving the group a real-time picture of where Greater Idaho Falls is thriving and where it’s leaving opportunity on the table.
The Silo Problem. The most consistent theme across every category was that Eastern Idaho operates in silos. Businesses focus inward. Educational institutions think locally. Cities like Pocatello and Rexburg feel harder to do business with than Boise or Salt Lake — cities three times the distance away. Paul framed this not as a character flaw but as a structural challenge with real economic consequences, including stagnant wage growth and a tech sector concentrated in too few industries.
Identity as Strategy. Paul drew on his experience helping organize the 2012 London Olympics — where the guiding motto was “Inspire a Generation” — to argue that Idaho Falls needs a defined, intentional identity. Not just “family friendly” or “close to Yellowstone,” but something that tells a 17-year-old there is a pathway here for them — entrepreneurially, professionally, and personally. Without that identity, the community keeps losing its young talent to cities that have already told that story.
The Chamber’s 2026 Focus: Integration and Alignment. Rather than adding more programs, the Chamber is focused this year on mapping a clear pathway of opportunity for every demographic — from high school graduates to emerging entrepreneurs to established business owners. The goal is to convert Idaho Falls’ momentum into something self-determined and sustainable, not something that happened to the community but something the community chose.
What the Room Walked Away With
The scoring exercise gave attendees a concrete baseline — a shared language for where Greater Idaho Falls stands across the seven magnet city factors. The room identified the biggest gaps as workspace for entrepreneurs and collaboration infrastructure (think: Boise’s Trailhead or Kiln), stronger cross-city connectivity with Pocatello and Rexburg, and a clearer civic identity that speaks to younger residents. Paul’s ask was direct: stop waiting for someone else to define the city’s future and start designing a preferred one together.
A Moment That Landed
When the room scored “young wealth creators,” someone mentioned their graduating class from Skyline High — kids who left, built careers elsewhere, and came back. Paul seized on it: the seed is already here, the question is how to magnify it. Then Ryan Kohler described watching Salt Lake transform through Silicon Slopes — not because of geography or luck, but because business leaders made a collective decision to invest in keeping great people. That is the model. The room got quiet for a moment.
“We need to look at how we can be self-determined as a city and design what we call a preferred future.” — Paul Baker
“My invitation to you is to look at how we can leverage what we have right here on our doorstep.” — Paul Baker
About Paul
Paul Baker is the CEO of the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce and brings an unlikely résumé to Eastern Idaho — he helped organize the 2012 London Olympics before falling in love with this community and planting roots here. His perspective blends global experience with genuine local investment, and his accent gives every Chamber meeting a little extra energy.
Join Us Next Month
The RizeX Monthly Mastermind meets every month in Eastern Idaho — an intimate gathering of local business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals committed to real growth. Every event features a speaker who’s in the trenches alongside you, plus time for meaningful conversation and connection.