Lots of big cities have started shipping container business villages. I love the idea. But many of them are making a huge mistake that I don’t want to see small towns copy. The Big Mistake: Ignoring the street My friend Carlos Moreno of Tulsa, Oklahoma, pointed this out. Here’s a picture of the Boxyard in […]
Easy economic development tip: Write down all new businesses in your small town
This is an easy idea for small town economic developers, chambers of commerce, banks and all the people who care about their small towns. It’s pretty common to hear people say something like, “There’s no new businesses in our town!” That’s because they aren’t remembering all the new business activity or they maybe aren’t paying […]
Commerce builds communties
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 […]
Quick insights into local tourism trends
Small town tourism groups and chambers of commerce often need information about their local tourism trends, but don’t have reliable sources of data. Statistics from the state are usually divided by county or only cover larger communities. The few stats you can get your hands on are usually well out of date. Turns out, […]
