Picking the right niche for your business is a large task. I hear from many small business people who have several different targets, but can’t pick one to be their niche. This seems to be especially true for freelancers, consultants, and other independent business folks. Time to pick a direction. If you have trouble deciding…
I’m not a QuickBooks user. I don’t run a small business. But I’m a family member, the family member that understands computers. I’ve spent time with parents and in-laws trying to troubleshoot and explain and update and install. Recently, a family client wanted to update the QuickBooks version used to run a family business. Since…
By Andrea Cook There are over 14.5 million self-employed independent professionals throughout our country. Working hard to provide jobs, solve problems and succeed day in and day out, without burning out, these individuals are some of our most bravest, boldest and innovative leaders in our country’s workforce. Yet, many independent professionals work from home, isolated…
Last week, we talked about the small town style to social media. Our small town style sets us apart online, because we are closer to our customers, we are natural community builders, and we care about our people. If you use that style, it applies no matter what tools you use. This week, we’re talking…
Small town businesses need social media, despite a few claims to the contrary. Almost every small town business can benefit from a smart, customer-focused and community-serving approach online. Why? Because local customers are actively using social networks like Facebook. Because visitors to town are using their smart phones and tablets to access the internet from…
A headline like, “Regional and rural small businesses outperform metropolitan-based businesses,” is sure to get my attention. This one is from Australia, and mirrors U.S. trends. In Australia: Business looks good at the Exchange Hotel, in Grenfell, Australia (population 1900).Photo (CC) by Pip Wilson. All small business monthly growth for October 2011 was 2.8%, while regional and rural…
By Glenna Mae Hendricks, E.A. The first of the year is very fast approaching. This means it is very important for all business owners to start gathering the information needed to file Form 1099-MISC for each sub-contractor who has been commissioned to do work for you and who you paid more than $600 total for…
Business listing sites are like theyellow pages: lots of choices,and always changing. My friend Allison Aldrige-Saur asked for a list of online places to register a business. She had Yelp, Google Places and several others, but was not finding a list. Here’s why there is no list: it changes all the time. Business listing sites…
Glad you dropped in to the rural and small town business blog, established in 2006.
We want you to feel at home, so please take our guided tour.
Meet our authors on the About page.
Have something to say? You can give us a holler on the contact form.
Want to search our past articles? Catch up with the latest stories? Browse through the categories? All the good stuff is on the Front Page.
We partner with campaigns and organizations that we think best benefit rural small businesses.
Copyright © 2006–2026 Becky McCray • Site by Webdancers