Ted Abernathy

Enthusiast
DISC Type : i

Managing Partner at Economic Leadership LLC

Shallotte, North Carolina, United States

Overview

Ted Abernathy is the Managing Partner of Economic Leadership LLC, recognized as a leading national authority and economic futurist. An Eisenhower Fellow with degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill and Johns Hopkins, he advises state chambers and has authored nearly 125 reports on economic competitiveness, global trends, and workforce development.

Originally from Dallas, North Carolina, Ted now lives with his wife in a small town on the states coast. He has deep family roots in North Carolina, which he uses as a storytelling backdrop to illustrate economic change and community competitiveness in his speeches.

Unique fact: He and his wife share their coastal backyard with hundreds of sea birds and a number of alligators.

Personality Overview

Optimistic

Story Driven

Non-Confrontational

They are generally friendly, so be careful when relying on their word.  They prefer to build relationships rather than staying totally transactional. Unlike D or C types, they are convinced more by stories and testimonials.

Topics They Care About

Regional Competitiveness
He frequently delivers data-rich "State of the Region" reports, benchmarking communities against peer cities to improve their economic strategies and vitality.
Future Economic Trends
As a prominent economic futurist, he speaks to over 100 groups annually, focusing on helping leaders anticipate and adapt to global economic shifts and technology trends.
Workforce Development
A core focus of his work is aligning workforce skills with future economic needs, recently analyzing how AI will impact regional job markets and require retraining.

Media Appearances

12th Annual Economic Summit – Speaker: Ted Abernathy, Managing Partner, Economic Leadership LLC. Featured in Alamance Chamber of Commerce

See Now

Work History

10-2013
Managing Partner at Economic Leadership LLC
11-2008 - 9-2013
Executive Director at Southern Growth Policies Board
1-2001 - 10-2008
Executive Vice President/COO at Research Triangle Regional Partnership
1-1998 - 1-2001
Director Economic and Employment Development at Durham City

Education

1976 - 1980
BA from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
1981 - 1985
MAS from The Johns Hopkins University

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 28 Location : Shallotte, North Carolina, United States Job Level : N/A Designation : Managing Partner at Economic Leadership LLC
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Insights For Selling To Ted

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Compliment them about their personality if you get a chance
  • Speak from experience about success that the product has seen with other customers
  • Invite them for a lunch or a drink/coffee

DONT's

  • Don't be critical or challenge them openly, they can react defensively
  • Don’t be too formal with them, they trust informality more
  • Avoid overloading them with too much information

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Ted is

  • Relationship and rapport are valuable for them, but so is proven product value.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Ted

  • They will hardly ever say a direct no.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Ted move?

  • Even when they are constantly engaged, they do not reach decisions quickly.
  • Can Ted take some risk or not?

  • They can take some low-probability risks if needed.

You And Ted

Personality Compatibility


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