You don’t need to read demographic statistics or employment data or even the business page or tech blogs to know what’s happening in Seattle. Just look around at the bumper crop of construction cranes rising all over the city.

Seattle is growing, at an unprecedented rate. And all of this growth is inducing enormous change on the city—and triggering strong feelings and polarized opinions among its citizens.

How did we get here? And where are we going? Jeff Shulman, an associate professor of marketing at the UW Foster School of business, decided to take these questions to the people. And from his in-depth conversations with 100 Seattleites, he has produced the “Seattle Growth Podcast.”

In his 13-episode journey Shulman explores the many facets of Seattle’s on-going transformation through the eyes of renters, home owners and tent city residents, educators, nurses and fire fighters, leaders of city government, businesses and arts and cultural organizations.

The first episode, available today for free on iTunes, examines the topic of “Growth and Seattle’s Tech Scene.”

Why is Seattle’s tech sector booming? What challenges does Seattle’s growth create for business leaders? The first episode explores these questions and more in Shulman’s conversations with:

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A new episode of the weekly Seattle Growth podcast will premiere each Tuesday on iTunes throughout the summer and fall.

Upcoming episodes in the series will address a wide range of additional issues arising around Seattle’s transformation, including home buying, homelessness, renting, density, preserving the city’s character, emergency services, health care, public utilities, schools, transportation, city budget and visions for the future.

Top row from left to right: Mike Gibbons and Stu Tanquist at Tent City 7. Chief Operating Officer of SPD Brian Maxey, CEO of Experience Hendrix Janie Hendrix.

Second row: Sounders FC VP of Business Operations Taylor Graham, Associate Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools Flip Herndon, Fire Chief Harold Scoggins.

Third row: Director of Seattle City Budget Office Ben Noble, City Council Member Kshama Sawant, Artist-developer Sam Farrazaino.