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Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource
  • 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

  • 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

  • It’s time we begin to think for ourselves
    community | rural

    It’s time we begin to think for ourselves

    ByPaula Jensen October 27, 2018January 6, 2019

    Editor’s Note: Welcome our newest contributor, Paula Jensen of Dakota Resources. She works directly with small towns and rural communities as a community coach. I love her positive approach to rural places. I look forward to sharing her thoughts with you regularly! –Becky  By Paula Jensen I stood with a blue marker in my hand…

    Read More It’s time we begin to think for ourselvesContinue

  • Concert-goers talking and enjoying the evening in downtown Webster City, Iowa.
    Best of | community | entrepreneurship | marketing | mistakes | rural

    Why do people say there’s nothing to do here then not come to our concerts?

    ByBecky McCray October 15, 2018September 5, 2019

      Let’s look at the tale of two small town concerts. Concert 1: We’ve done all the work, you just need to show up! One happened at an agritourism business. They brought in a couple of professional musicians for performances out at the farm. The musicians were reasonably well known, with some previous exposure on…

    Read More Why do people say there’s nothing to do here then not come to our concerts?Continue

  • Need more volunteers? Give everyone a tiny role
    community | rural

    Need more volunteers? Give everyone a tiny role

    ByBecky McCray October 8, 2018September 3, 2018

      Every small town is struggling to find enough volunteers to keep projects going and start new ones. It’s not just you! The trick is that people have changed, but volunteering really has not. If you want to be part of making your community a little greener, you have to volunteer to be on the…

    Read More Need more volunteers? Give everyone a tiny roleContinue

  • Commerce builds communities
    community | economic development | entrepreneurship | rural

    Commerce builds communities

    ByBecky McCray September 10, 2018November 16, 2020

      You’ve probably heard me say this one before: The best way to save your town is to start your own small business. I have four reasons that back that up: You’ll decide what values to put first More small businesses means more jobs* Locally-owned businesses are the key to local prosperity* You’ll return more…

    Read More Commerce builds communitiesContinue

  • The next big opportunity downtown: the rooftops
    community | entrepreneurship | rural | trends

    The next big opportunity downtown: the rooftops

    ByBecky McCray May 14, 2018April 15, 2018

      Want to add a new level of interest to your downtown? Take advantage of your rooftop spaces. I was on a walk-though of the small town of Kendrick, Idaho, and a young man pointed up to the top of a one-story building and said, “I bet we could make a cool hangout spot up…

    Read More The next big opportunity downtown: the rooftopsContinue

  • Six big themes for small town entrepreneurship
    Best of | community | economic development | entrepreneurship | rural

    Six big themes for small town entrepreneurship

    ByBecky McCray April 16, 2018December 9, 2018

      On a recent call, Janet Soto from Oregon picked out 6 themes from what I’ve written about lately that she felt were exactly what Oregon small towns most needed to hear as they work on entrepreneurship. There are positive trends for small towns. It doesn’t matter what the numbers say about us, what negative…

    Read More Six big themes for small town entrepreneurshipContinue

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