• Survey
  • Book Becky to speak
  • The book: Small Town Rules
  • Shop Local video
  • SaveYour.Town

Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource

A row of small town shops
  • Front Page
  • Latest stories
  • About
  • Guided Tour
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • RSS

How do you get from the idea to the action?

By Becky McCray

Our Friend Nairobi Paul has given me an idea, with his post Biz idea.

Heather had a great idea of starting an import-export business between Kenya and the US. We’d fill up a shipping container with this artist’s furniture and sell it through an exclusive group of stores in appropriate shopping areas in the States. (Denver – think Cherry Creek.)

Shoot, if shipping wasn’t so expensive, we’d send a bunch back for our own use!

One huge problem is just figuring out all the problems. One small example – the beautiful wood is probably banned from export. (Can you say “governmental laws to prevent deforestation”?)

By the way, this is another example of a “jua kali” (hot sun) artisan. The storeroom floor is indeed dirt and grass. (Hey – it’s pretty low overhead.)

Now, my idea is not for an import/export business, but for an article on how to go from the raw idea, like this one, to a concrete action. What are your thoughts? What would you do first? What specific steps, and what general lessons can you and I dream up together?

Yes, I mean you! You, personally! Please, share your thoughts in a comment or an email.

New to SmallBizSurvival.com? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Get our updates.

  • About the Author
  • Latest Posts

About Becky McCray

Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.
  • Downtown is your town’s core: How to make your case - February 22, 2021
  • Zoom Towns: attracting and supporting remote workers in rural small towns - December 10, 2020
  • In an economic crisis, spend your brainpower before your dollars - November 25, 2020
  • Video: How to fill empty car dealership buildings for the holidays - November 6, 2020
  • How has 2020 changed the challenges rural small towns face? Tell us here - October 20, 2020
  • The Idea Friendly Method to surviving a business crisis - October 6, 2020
  • Join me for the Rural Renewal Symposium online Oct 13 - September 26, 2020
  • Cheap placemaking idea: instant murals - September 11, 2020
  • Refilling the rural business pipeline - July 7, 2020
  • Huge vacant buildings: grants to renovate? - June 9, 2020

February 21, 2007 Filed Under: entrepreneurship, global, ideas

Wondering what is and is not allowed in the comments?
Or how to get a nifty photo beside your name?
Check our commenting policy.
Use your real name, not a business name.


Don't see the comment form?
Comments are automatically closed on older posts, but you can send me your comment via this contact form and I'll add it manually for you. Thanks!

Comments

  1. Matt says

    February 21, 2007 at 9:54 pm

    Hi,

    We have starting a business step by step broken down into exactly 35 steps, starting with researching your options and ending with launching the business.

    The whole point of it is to make each step easy, and small enough that no one step is too daunting.

    Currently the list, and our personal consulting, is only available to our members, but we do have lots of free startup resources, articles and information available as well.

    I would be happy to answer any specific questions, however, anyone wanted to post here.

    Thanks,
    Matt Remuzzi
    Founder, CapForge.com

  2. Becky McCray says

    February 21, 2007 at 10:26 pm

    Matt, thanks for taking time to share! Your advice to break it down into smaller steps is a great starting point.
    Looks like your group at CapForge offers a very broad support system, too. Glad you dropped by today!

  3. BoomtownUSA says

    February 23, 2007 at 12:03 am

    Becky:
    I’m on my way back home but found a very interesting store in New Zealand called Trade Aid (www.tradeaid.org.nz) which started about 15 years ago to source and help people in less developed countries sell goods like this. They have grown to 35 stores and had quite an impressive story to tell. Perhaps it is something we could do in the USA. I’ll be bloggin more on it next week.

    jack

  4. Becky McCray says

    February 23, 2007 at 4:06 am

    Thanks, Jack. I’m searching for and finding some other interesting resources as well. This should prove to be an interesting online conversation!

  5. Nairobi Paul says

    March 2, 2007 at 1:07 pm

    Thanks for the tips, all.

    Thanks for what you’re doing, too, Small Biz Survival!

Trackbacks

  1. How to start a small import firm: learn from others says:
    May 1, 2013 at 4:12 am

    […] Nairobi Paul’s business idea of importing Kenyan handicrafts to the USA? He (and you) could get started by talking to someone […]

  2. Startup: Resources to get from Idea to In Business says:
    November 20, 2013 at 11:26 am

    […] Ideas for Small Towns and check out our previous ideas posts to get started. Oh, and look at Nairobi Paul’s Biz Idea, the inspiration for this article. I’ll wait […]

Howdy!

Glad you dropped in to the rural and small town business blog, established in 2006.

We want you to feel at home, so please take our guided tour.

Meet our authors on the About page.

Have something to say? You can give us a holler on the contact form.

If you would like permission to re-use an article you've read here, please make a Reprint Request.

Want to search our past articles? Catch up with the latest stories? Browse through the categories? All the good stuff is on the Front Page.

Shop Local

Buy local buttonReady to set up a shop local campaign in your small town? You'll need a guide who understands how we're different and what really works: Shop Local Campaigns for Small Towns.

Best of Small Biz Survival

What is holding us back? Why does every project take so long in small towns?

How any business can be part of downtown events by going mobile

Concert-goers talking and enjoying the evening in downtown Webster City, Iowa.

Why do people say there’s nothing to do here then not come to our concerts?

Retailers: Fill all empty space, floor to ceiling

More of the best of Small Biz Survival

Copyright © 2021 Becky McCray
Front Page · Log in