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Zoom Towns: attracting and supporting remote workers in rural small towns

By Becky McCray

Zoom Towns: Remote Work Ready from SaveYour.Town

People have been saying for years that they would prefer to live in rural areas. Trulia research in 2014 showed 7% more people wanted to live in rural places than did then. In 2018, Gallup asked people where they preferred to live. Rural came out on top for all age groups except for 18-29 year olds. With the 18-29 […]

December 10, 2020 Filed Under: economic development, entrepreneurship, rural, trends, workforce Tagged With: attraction, economic development, entrepreneurs, remote work, rural, rural sourcing

In an economic crisis, spend your brainpower before your dollars

By Becky McCray

Book shelves with divided cardboard boxes filled with wine bottles

Be frugal. One of the Small Town Rules is to spend your brain power before spending dollars. Be creative about how you handle challenges rather than to throw money at the problem. Venture capital vs. Bootstrapped We’ve all heard about startups that have been funded by whatever venture capitalist or angel that has just dropped a […]

November 25, 2020 Filed Under: entrepreneurship, management, rural, survivors Tagged With: economic crisis, economic downturn, entrepreneurship, frugal, good management practices, recession, small business success

How has 2020 changed the challenges rural small towns face? Tell us here

By Becky McCray

Survey Crew Ahead. Photo by RustyClark on Flickr

Seems like there have been a lot of coronavirus-related surveys this year. This survey is different: we’ve been asking for and listening to your rural challenges since 2015. Of course rural challenges are different this year with COVID-19. That doesn’t mean all your other challenges disappeared, but it might mean your priorities have changed. We’d like your […]

October 20, 2020 Filed Under: announcement, community, entrepreneurship, rural Tagged With: ABCD, assets, coronavirus, covid-19, COVID19, survey, Survey of Rural Challenges

The Idea Friendly Method to surviving a business crisis

By Becky McCray

Holyoke Hummus Company cart

Small towns have endured boom and bust cycles, commodity crashes, mill and factory closures, environmental disasters and losing their economic reason for existing. Rural communities have reinvented themselves before, and rural businesses are re-inventing the way they do things.  How Holyoke Hummus stays Idea Friendly through a crisis John is the owner of Holyoke Hummus […]

October 6, 2020 Filed Under: entrepreneurship, management, rural, survivors Tagged With: business crisis, business success, change, coronavirus, COVID, covid-19, COVID19, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, Holyoke Hummus Company, idea friendly, Idea Friendly Method, Innovative Rural Business Models, SaveYourTown, small business, small business success, success, take small steps

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