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Small Towns Have a Future – 10 trends in our favor

By Becky McCray

If you believe what you read or hear from the media, then all small towns are dying. But that’s not the real story. The real story is much too nuanced for a sound bite or 3 minute story: some small towns are dying, most are surviving, and some are prospering. And any town can choose to change its trajectory.

But the even bigger story is that huge sweeping trends are acting in favor of small towns. The end of geographic limits, how customers are changing retail, the local movement, and people moving in are all reshaping the future of rural and small towns. I’m convinced that this is the best time for small towns to truly prosper.

I presented on this topic at the Small Towns Conference put on by Oklahoma Main Street. I had an audience member (thanks, Dea!) shoot video of my talk just for my own review, but several people have asked me to share it to reach more people. So even though the brightness on my video camera was acting up, I’ve agreed.

If you’d like me to come to your town to present these positive stories live and in person, get in touch. If you’re reading this in your email, you can just hit reply and that comes to me directly. If you’re reading this on the website, drop by the contact form to talk to me.

 

  • About the Author
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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

June 25, 2014 Filed Under: economic development, podcast, rural, trends

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Comments

  1. monica says

    July 3, 2014 at 4:37 pm

    Love your stuff, Becky…..just listened to the Small Town Have a Future and you are right on the money. I live in Gladstone, Manitoba aka Happy Rock with a population of 879…..pretty tiny….
    My husband and I are starting a small store (Ginger General) – convenience to start with…and really want to be that Mom and Pop place you talked about.

    Thanks again for your great insights!

    • Becky McCray says

      July 5, 2014 at 11:20 am

      Monica, congratulations on getting started, and here’s hoping it brings prosperity to you and your husband, and ultimately to your town!

Trackbacks

  1. Pleasantly Parking in Coupeville During Summer | Coupeville Historic Waterfront Assoc. says:
    July 30, 2014 at 12:40 pm

    […] another note.  We recently had a chance to watch a video where the speaker, Becky McCray, makes many important points about the positive growth of small […]

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