Latest stories
Small towns could adapt “Downtown Dining Week”
Here's an idea from Milwaukee that any small town or rural region could copy: Downtown Dining Week. Downtown restaurants are offering a special rate, lunch for $10, and dinner for $20 or $30. That keeps it … [Continued...]
Say Thanks to Small Business Owners
We walk and drive by small businesses every day. We go in their doors, make purchases and continue on our way without another thought. We depend on small businesses. They fill our need for products and … [Continued...]
Small towns could adapt “Downtown Dining Week”
Here's an idea from Milwaukee that any small town or rural region could copy: Downtown Dining Week. Downtown restaurants are offering a special rate, lunch for $10, and dinner for $20 or $30. That keeps it simple. My town of about 5,000 people has a downtown sandwich shop, a lunch counter at the drug store, and a dining area at the downtown grocery store. Not to mention the senior citizens center which also serves lunches. (Alva friends, … [Continued...]
Is it time to ban “Shop Local”?
This first appeared in our weekly email newsletter, A Positive View of Rural. Even though I love local business, I'm about ready to ban "shop local." Sounds crazy, doesn't it? I mean, I'm something of a shop local champion. So why am I ready to get rid of "shop local"? Because I'm afraid it has lost all its meaning. People have been beat over the head with "shop local" so much, that their heads hurt. They got the "shop local" part, but … [Continued...]
Hiring First Employee is Big Step
Hiring the first employee is a huge step for a small business. If your small business has reached the point where you need help because the assistance of family and friends no longer covers the gaps, you may have reached the point where you need bring paid staff on board. (A previous Small Biz Survival article focused on helping you decide when the time to hire someone had arrived - http://bit.ly/10eSmjl ). Once you have determined you want … [Continued...]
Beware of Small-business Myths
A great deal of information about starting a business is available. Some of the information is accurate and helpful. Other information is best called a myth, although it may hold a grain of truth. Probably the biggest myth is that of "free money" available for starting a business. The reality is that there is little free money or no-strings-attached grants. In some geographic areas and for some types of businesses, there may be some … [Continued...]
The secret to finding more volunteers in small towns
Every Thursday, I publish a special newsletter. It's a personal conversation with me and over a thousand rural friends that gives you a positive view of rural business and small towns. If you don't already get it, join us right here: Email Address (required) First Name I won't ever sell or rent your email address to anyone else because I wouldn't like that either. Here's last week's email newsletter, along with some very … [Continued...]
Featured Small Town Business Idea
Two successful agritourism ideas
Last week, I had the chance to tour two agri-tourism operations near my hometown of Alva, Oklahoma. Here are their stories. Bradt's Menagerie Jerad and JoDe … [Continued...]
Economic Development for small towns
Take your locals on a local tour
Last week, two local tours caught my eye. No, not local as in "my town," local as in "taking your local people to see what's local." Hamilton County, Indiana, was taking their tourism staff out for a … [Continued...]
Set your economic development data free
Economic developers have a reputation for being secretive and even hoarding data. Alva's Chamber of Commerce is trying to be different and releasing a key set of retail data to the public. Alexandra Mantz … [Continued...]
Building Community in your small town
The secret to finding more volunteers in small towns
Every Thursday, I publish a special newsletter. It's a personal conversation with me and over a thousand rural friends that gives you a positive view of rural business and small towns. If you don't already get … [Continued...]
Placemaking is more about developing talent from within, not attracting talent from afar
Placemaking is all about the planning, design and management of the public spaces and assets in your town. When done right, placemaking involves asking the people who actually live and work there, who use the … [Continued...]
Promoting Rural Tourism
Take your locals on a local tour
Last week, two local tours caught my eye. No, not local as in "my town," local as in "taking your local people to see what's local." Hamilton County, Indiana, was taking their tourism staff out for a … [Continued...]
Make your small town tourism delicious
In January, I spoke in Norfolk County, Ontario. It's a rural county with several small towns and lots of farms, and a beautiful coastline. They sent me probably the best speaker-preparation packet I've ever … [Continued...]
