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Practical ideas for small town business and community builders

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Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource
  • Caseys and a Dollar General big box stores right next to each other in a small town
    community | economic development | rural | shop local | trends

    The Rural Double Rainbow: economic development, retail chains and local businesses

    ByDeb Brown May 29, 2026May 29, 2026

    Erik Reader is a rural friend of ours, and much like us, out there everyday doing his best to make a difference and help somebody out. Erik is the president of Reader Area Development , and is a downtown revitalization professional with more than 15 years of hands-on experience working inside the realities of small…

    Read More The Rural Double Rainbow: economic development, retail chains and local businessesContinue

  • Clear coffee travel mug with iced coffee, and a local newspaper on a busy desk.
    community | economic development | entrepreneurship | marketing | rural | shop local | social media | tools

    Let’s Talk Newspapers: Working Together Locally

    ByDeb Brown April 17, 2026April 29, 2026

    Hometown newspapers are small businesses, just like the hardware store, the cafe, or the auto repair shop. They’re not just “media.” They’re employers, sponsors, storytellers, and neighbors, and their work ripples through every corner of the community. This year, collaboration is a focus of ours at SaveYour.Town, and I want to talk about how newspapers…

    Read More Let’s Talk Newspapers: Working Together LocallyContinue

  • Survey of Rural Challenges
    announcement | rural | Survey of Rural Challenges

    2024 Survey of Rural Challenges Is Open!

    ByDeb Brown March 14, 2024

    These 10 questions will provide information to many organizations and people on what is challenging for rural communities. Are you rural? This survey is for you. SmallBizSurvival.com and SaveYour.Town are conducting the 10th-anniversary edition of the Survey of Rural Challenges! Take the Survey of Rural Challenges. Spread the word Could you help us spread the word on…

    Read More 2024 Survey of Rural Challenges Is Open!Continue

  • A group of people seated at outdoor tables in front of a tapas restaurant in Portugal. They turn and smile for the camera.
    entrepreneurship | global | rural

    GEW: Rural Entrepreneurship in small villages in Portugal – panel video

    ByDeb Brown November 19, 2023

    Part of our Global Entrepreneurship Week celebration Nov 13-19, 2023. Speaking about small businesses, entrepreneurship and sharing rural stories Story and photos by Deb Brown I was invited to speak in Portugal by my friend and business associate Frederico Lucas. My first night in Lisbon I spoke at this event hosted at the coworking space NOW…

    Read More GEW: Rural Entrepreneurship in small villages in Portugal – panel videoContinue

  • empty lot pop up
    economic development | entrepreneurship | rural | success

    Pop Up in An Empty Lot

    ByDeb Brown November 15, 2023November 9, 2023

    Part of our Global Entrepreneurship Week celebration Nov 13-19, 2023. Starting a business the old way is hard On an Idea Friendly visit to Jackson County, Kentucky, I visited with a group of artists/entrepreneurs. This group had created a loose organization called the Jackson County KY Creative Community. They wanted to start businesses, but were…

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  • Solve Rural Community Challenges the Idea Friendly Way – stories from IEDC
    community | economic development | ideas | rural | youth

    Solve Rural Community Challenges the Idea Friendly Way – stories from IEDC

    ByDeb Brown November 9, 2023

    Guest post by Deb Brown What attendees learned from attending the Idea Friendly Session by SaveYour.Town at the International Economic Development Council Conference — Big Ideas you can copy in your town  Becky McCray and I were excited to lead an interactive Idea Friendly workshop at the International Economic Development Council Conference in Dallas in…

    Read More Solve Rural Community Challenges the Idea Friendly Way – stories from IEDCContinue

  • A group of smiling people around a dinner table
    community | rural | survivors

    Jackson County and Grayson KY Stories and Volunteers

    ByDeb Brown August 8, 2023July 6, 2023

    Guest post by Deb Brown Change can be activated in a society by way of story.” from the book Spirit Run I just returned from Jackson County, Kentucky and the small town of Grayson, Kentucky. There’s a natural beauty in those mountains and winding roads. The people were kind, helpful and want to see their…

    Read More Jackson County and Grayson KY Stories and VolunteersContinue

  • How to fill empty buildings: real world examples Deb Brown shared with Gowrie, Iowa
    community | economic development | rural

    How to fill empty buildings: real world examples Deb Brown shared with Gowrie, Iowa

    ByDeb Brown July 25, 2023July 7, 2023

    I attended the Chamber Dinner in Gowrie, Iowa and talked about small town ideas they could use. It was my pleasure to spend a couple of days there. This article talks about small town ideas for the community and by the community. Got empty buildings? Every small town has empty buildings and empty lots. Gowrie…

    Read More How to fill empty buildings: real world examples Deb Brown shared with Gowrie, IowaContinue

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Since 2006, this site has been helping people like you in small towns move forward without waiting on outside experts, big budgets, or perfect plans. You don’t need any of that to get started.

If you care about your business, your downtown, or your community, you’ll find ideas here you can actually use. Take one. Try it out. Let me know how it goes for you.

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