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Hop into the Brag Basket

By Small Biz Survival

The Brag Basket is our tradition of sharing. The basket is always free and open all weekend, this one March 29-31, 2013. What good news will you add to the brag basket?

Huge furry bunny in a basket

Hop into the Brag Basket with your good news. Photo (CC) by Camelia TWU on Flickr.

Don’t hold back because of that word, “brag.” When you hold back, you hide your good news and accomplishments that might inspire others. Even though I call this the Brag Basket, it’s not really about bragging. It’s about sharing.

What can you do in the Brag Basket?

  • introduce yourself
  • share some great news from this week
  • congratulate a friend
  • laugh about something wonderful that you tried that failed
  • applaud for each other

Speak up and add yourself or another deserving soul in the comments. It lets you meet each other a bit. Reading each others’ stories brings us a bit closer to being a community.

How does it work? You write a comment on this post. We all cheer, and everyone feels great.

This is not an ad. (I delete the ads.) If you talk more about the people involved than the things, you’ll be fine.

It’s a conversation with friends. So jump in. And remember to cheer for each other.

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Small Biz Survival

The rural small business blog. We talk about small town business, with how-to articles, especially on social media marketing and making your community a better place. We use this “author” for announcements and other things you’ll want to know.

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March 29, 2013 Filed Under: brag basket

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Comments

  1. Joe Crawford says

    March 29, 2013 at 12:12 pm

    Hi Becky!
    I always think about posting to the brag basket on Monday, but I remembered on time this week! For one, I want to thank you for all the great content you share, and I reference your work on a regular basis to my small town businesses. Always fantastic stuff!
    I also wanted to share my excitement. I’ve been working in my hometown in development for just over 8 years – always on a shoestring budget in a high poverty, rural area. We’ve had many ups and downs over the years, but I have remained diligent. This week, 2 projects I have been working on for nearly as long as I have been working here have finally been green-lighted. Both are tied to capturing wealth in our community and protecting our small businesses from the constant barrage of donation seekers.
    I guess my “brag” is that persistence and patience really does pay off. I’d share with any other folks out there who are trying to make a difference in the world and feel like they’re banging their heads against the wall every day, stay the course! Your work will pay off!
    The scary part is – now that I have a green light and funding, I have to actually do these things now! Ha!
    Thanks again, Becky, for doing what you do, and for sharing it with all us small town folks!

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    • Becky McCray says

      March 29, 2013 at 4:29 pm

      Joe, thank you for the kind words and for making use of our work here. And a big round of applause on your accomplishments! I’m thrilled to hear your persistence has worked!

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    • Marc A. Pitman, FundraisingCoach.com says

      March 29, 2013 at 8:37 pm

      Great encouragement, Joe! Thanks! (And congrats!)

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    • Wayne McEvilly says

      March 31, 2013 at 7:15 pm

      Joe:
      I always think about the Brag Basket as the weekend approaches too. Then, Whoa! , it’s Monday – well I made it in under the wire.
      This is a great resource, and I’d like to join you in thanking Becky for making it available to us.
      Wayne

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  2. Becky McCray says

    March 29, 2013 at 4:32 pm

    I have to hop in myself. I’m honored that my book with Barry Moltz, Small Town Rules, is a winner in the 2013 Small Business Book Awards! The perfect present for celebrating the one year anniversary of its release.

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    • Marc A. Pitman, FundraisingCoach.com says

      March 29, 2013 at 8:37 pm

      Congratulations!!

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    • Wayne McEvilly says

      March 31, 2013 at 7:16 pm

      Becky –
      Congratulations! I always knew you are “out standing in your field”
      Wayne

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  3. Cheryl Lawson says

    March 29, 2013 at 5:29 pm

    Congratulations Becky & Barry!
    I’m happy to have another SMTULSA conference finalized and in my opinion successful. The third such. Managed, Organized, and Bootstrapped! Grateful to you and all of the folks who make it possible. Proud to hear so many people enjoyed themselves and learned so much in a comfortable and welcoming way. Blaming all technical issues on the Hotel’s Ghost and moving on :) Viva la SMTULSA!

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    • Becky McCray says

      March 31, 2013 at 1:09 pm

      Cheryl, congratulations! You put together an outstanding event each year. No one else does what you do to make it feel like one big conversation in a friend’s living room. I’m already excited for next year!

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  4. Marc A. Pitman, FundraisingCoach.com says

    March 29, 2013 at 8:42 pm

    I am THRILLED that response to our new product, The Donor Retention Project, CRASHED THE SERVER yesterday! (I’m also thrilled that my business partner had to deal with getting the servers back up!)

    We interviewed 12 experts to find simple, step-by-step ways nonprofits, especially small ones, could retain donors and help them make bigger gifts. Definitely a need for nonprofits!
    http://bit.ly/donorproject

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    • Becky McCray says

      March 31, 2013 at 1:10 pm

      Congratulations, Marc! That’s the way to look on the bright side of technical problems! I’m sure lots of small town nonprofits will benefit, too.

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  5. Macky Bradley says

    March 29, 2013 at 11:43 pm

    Hi Becky,
    I wanted to say THANK YOU for your Small Biz Survival WebSite! I really appreciate all of your postings and e-mails, you are really in tune with the rural community and hyper focused on helping develop the economies in these areas. I am also thankful for the webinar you did in January of this year, it was the driving factor for me kicking off my small business. What a resource and inspiration you are! Here is my website (www.mackybradley.com), please come by and sign my guestbook!
    I wish you a Happy Easter Becky!
    Macky Bradley

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    • Becky McCray says

      March 31, 2013 at 1:11 pm

      Macky, thank you so much for dropping in! Glad to have you here and hope to see you often. Much success to you!

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  6. Todd Jordan says

    March 30, 2013 at 6:11 pm

    Brag for myself. I’m continuing to make art and growing.
    To bolster my confidence this week I was asked to donate a piece for a friend’s fund raiser.

    Woot.

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    • Becky McCray says

      March 31, 2013 at 1:12 pm

      Todd, I’m so thrilled at what you’ve found with your art! Congratulations on having your value recognized by others, too.

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  7. Wayne McEvilly says

    March 31, 2013 at 7:20 pm

    Well, I like to tell myself: “Wayne, yours is the discipline of whimsy – but that doesn’t always get you to the church on time, as it were. So here I am just bragging about the fact that I made this appointment to visit the Brag Basket.
    I’d like to say a word about my sister, who is the single mom of two children under the ages of ten – they are actually her grandchildren. On this Easter, there is no one I know of on the entire planet who so models the love of God as she does, and she never ever, to my knowledge, has been known to preach one word. She doesn’t have to.
    I am here to pay my respects to my sister.
    Wayne
    Thanks Becky

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    • Becky McCray says

      March 31, 2013 at 8:09 pm

      My new favorite phrase: “the discipline of whimsy.”
      And a big Easter blessing on your sister and her family.
      And a big hug to you, my friend.

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      • Wayne McEvilly says

        April 1, 2013 at 8:39 am

        Becky – Your hug felt so good. thank you.
        Wayne

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