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Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource
  • women using laptops
    economic development | entrepreneurship | rural | tech | trends | workforce

    Two 2019 small business trends that are good for small towns

    ByBecky McCray January 14, 2019May 26, 2022

      Brother released their small business trends for 2019, and two struck me as particularly good for small towns and rural businesses. Remote workforces will continue to rise Brother says: “2018 was a pivotal year for remote working and as we head into 2019 that is not going to slow down. Good talent is becoming…

    Read More Two 2019 small business trends that are good for small townsContinue

  • UAV or drone used in agriculture
    economic development | rural | tech | trends

    Small towns as testing grounds for future technology

    ByBecky McCray December 31, 2018January 6, 2019

      Necessity breeds innovation, and rural people have always been innovative. Working with limited resources makes us more creative thinkers. That’s just one of the reasons that small towns and rural places are the perfect testing grounds for the future. The infrastructure of future technology will be the result of rural testing. Drones and UAVs – perfect…

    Read More Small towns as testing grounds for future technologyContinue

  • Empty building ideas: Art gallery in the windows
    community | rural

    Empty building ideas: Art gallery in the windows

    ByBecky McCray December 24, 2018March 8, 2019

      Many small towns have a challenge of too many empty buildings or too many buildings used only for storage. In one small town, the problem was an existing store that was using a neighboring building for storage, but had nothing in the windows. In another town, it was a building used for storage by…

    Read More Empty building ideas: Art gallery in the windowsContinue

  • What is holding us back? Why does every project take so long in small towns?
    announcement | Best of | community | rural | trends

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

    ByBecky McCray December 3, 2018September 17, 2019

      We all hold different titles, work in different fields or sectors, but we’re all fighting for the future of our towns and rural places. We want to be a place our children and grandchildren and our nieces and nephews can live a good life. Quality of Life, a prosperous future for our towns, these are things…

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

  • Control your business holiday lights with smart home tools
    entrepreneurship | rural | tools

    Control your business holiday lights with smart home tools

    ByBecky McCray November 19, 2018January 6, 2019

      Older downtown buildings in small towns are a good use for “smart home” technology. Small businesses struggling with vintage or outdated electrical systems can use smart outlets to control displays more easily. I thought of this when I was in a local retail store at closing time. The owner and a clerk were talking…

    Read More Control your business holiday lights with smart home toolsContinue

  • A sign in an old-fashioned feed store says "better feeding brings bigger profits"
    customer service | entrepreneurship | marketing

    Don’t bother to mention the benefits unless you tie them to this

    ByBecky McCray November 12, 2018January 6, 2019

      “This product is great! It will save your marriage, improve your bank account and make you slimmer!” OK, enough with the benefits overload! I can’t believe your benefits claims because you didn’t show me why they’re believable. Sales pages online are drowning in benefits, but without any hint that they connect to an actual…

    Read More Don’t bother to mention the benefits unless you tie them to thisContinue

  • What business does every small town need? A store full of tiny retail spaces
    economic development | entrepreneurship | ideas | rural

    What business does every small town need? A store full of tiny retail spaces

    ByBecky McCray November 5, 2018October 17, 2022

      Small towns are so different, there is no one business will work in every small town. But there’s one business idea that almost every single small town I’ve visited needs: small spaces. Every rural town could use smaller spaces for locals to start tiny retail businesses. Not everyone can afford to rent an entire…

    Read More What business does every small town need? A store full of tiny retail spacesContinue

  • How any business can be part of downtown events by going mobile
    Best of | community | entrepreneurship | marketing | rural

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

    ByBecky McCray October 29, 2018March 12, 2025

      When you hold events downtown, the businesses that aren’t located downtown sometimes feel left out. There’s one bank not in downtown, that figured out a great way to participate in the First Thursday fun in downtown Colfax, Washington. They could have done what other groups are doing and set up a booth on the…

    Read More How any business can be part of downtown events by going mobileContinue

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