3 actions to start a local business

Want to start your own business? Start by experimenting with borrowed space inside an existing business. Photo by Becky McCray

In a recent conference call by the Orton Family Foundation, one of the listeners asked a great practical question:

What are 3 actions most effective at starting a local company? —Jay B., KS

My answer was:

Try 3 small scale tests.

That’s how you’ll build knowledge of what works, build an initial following in the market, and build assets toward your next, bigger step.

What can you do to test a business idea?

• Try something temporary: pop-up for a day, a week or a season
• Try something tiny: look for just a few hundred square feet to set up in
• Try something together: set up your business inside an existing business, coworking space, maker space, shared art studio, or shared commercial kitchen
• Try a truck or trailer: use more than one town to gather enough customers

Those are four of the Innovative Rural Business Models. They are the best way to build up to bigger future business successes. (Watch for a more in-depth article on this updated version of the Innovative Rural Business Models, coming soon.)

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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.

www.beckymccray.com

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