Your community’s best economic developers are not on the payroll at your development authority or the local government. Lots of times, they are the successful entrepreneurs. Pat Matthews, author of Small Town, Big Ideas blog, is a perfect example. As many of you know, I think that Blacksburg has a lot of potential as a…
Nebraska is faced with familiar problems of rural decline: declining population and depressed economies. Some small towns are actively trying to promote entrepreneurship and development. The Blog for Rural America reports on a new program for those towns. The Building Entrepreneurial Communities Act (BECA) program, administered by the Nebraska Rural Development Commission and Department of…
How do small towns react when outsiders move in and start development? It’s not always pretty. Here is one example, Kirksville, Missouri, profiled in the Kansas City Star. The outsider in this case is Big Louie Keen, owner of a “sprawling strip club complex along Interstate 44,” about 200 miles to the south of Kirksville….
Read the story of one woman and her family in rural Scotland. Denice Purdie’s husband was disabled in an accident around Christmas 2004. Her family couldn’t afford to stay in the tiny village of Colintraive, and couldn’t uproot the children to move. At the urging of friends, she started a business selling the organic soaps…
Two news stories yesterday on supporting rural business, especially in traditionally agricultural areas. The interesting thing is that the stories are from India and Scotland. In Cupar, Scotland, the local college has opened a Rural Business Centre. Services will include: business and skills related information, short courses, skills training, flexible learning and tailored training. It…
Ed Morrison writes a weekly roundup of stories and commentary. Three items came together for me today. I’ll try to tie them together to share with you. What does your small town need to grow? Entrepreneurs need mentors and networks of support. Education is economic development, especially early education. Tourism is a traded business just…
Take time to send an email or make a phone call. Trouble for Rural Entrepreneurs in Federal Budget By John Crabtree, Center for Rural Affairs, johnc@cfra.org If Congress goes along with the President’s proposed 2007 Small Business Administration budget, the SBA Microloan Program would be wiped out, totally. Eliminating this program would have dire consequences…
Small towns and areas with declining populations have fought for years to increase industry and employment. One of the economic development strategies being used today is to locate businesses that are for sale, select ones that match the special natural resources of your area, and support local business people and entrepreneurs in buying those businesses…
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