Oklahoma’s Human Capital: Why it is a Problem and Why it Matters

I usually write about general venture development and tech start-up topics, but this topic is really important to me, so I’m going hyper-local today.

Most of the time, I’m in Oklahoma or Texas, where my companies are based. I grew up in Oklahoma City, born from a long line of Oklahomans, and care passionately about the future of this place and its people.

But Oklahoma has a serious problem.

The evidence is mounting and it is damning: Oklahoma needs a serious policy change in order to compete effectively in the 21st century economy.

I had lunch with David Holt, the chief of staff to the mayor of Oklahoma City, awhile ago. He is currently running for the state senate and asked me what could be done to improve the state.

I gave him one simple exhortation: Do not fail to develop Oklahoma’s human capital, or we will be left in the dust as the rest of the nation and the world stampedes past us, into the 21st century’s knowledge economy.

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