My weekly emails on the future of small towns

I’ve restarted my weekly email newsletter, and I thought you might want to join in.

It comes out on Thursdays, different from the articles we post here. It’s a positive view of our rural future, and more about connecting us.

Here’s a taste of what went out last week:

I had one of those “I’ve had enough” moments. And that made it crystal clear what I want to talk with you about.

The trigger was another email lamenting the sad state of rural communities. I get quite a few emails from rural advocacy and action groups. They do great work on a variety of rural subjects, but going by their emails, it seems like they focus on the problems of rural, on our shortcomings. I understand that it’s their job to see the negatives and address them.

Whose job is it to share a positive view of rural?

I’ve decided it’s my job. Maybe it’s your job, too.

I know that we have a future. Despite all the urban bias in the world, small towns have a future. Whether anyone else remembers it or not, rural people are necessary to the wider world.

• We’re necessary for food and agriculture.
• We’re necessary for natural resources.
• We’re necessary for environmental conservation and recreation.

Sounds like we’re pretty necessary!

So that’s what we’re going to talk about in this email, each week. A positive story from a small town, a project that is worth getting excited about, or a quote that has got me thinking.

The world just might as well get used to us. Because small towns are here to stay.

You’ll get the Small Biz Survival articles that you see on this site and you’ll get A Positive View of Rural, our weekly newsletter with practical steps to shape the future of your town and info about products and services to help you and your town. The Positive View of Rural articles never appear on this site. The only way to get them is via email.

I will not ever sell or rent your email address to anyone else, because I wouldn’t like that either.

Sign up here

New to SmallBizSurvival.com? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Subscribe.

• 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