Creative Marty Coleman aka @TheNapkinDad shared some suggestions for creativity at BlogWorld Expo. Because creativity is key to innovation and entrepreneurship, I want to pass them along. The Napkin Dad Marty Colemanprepares to talk at BlogWorld Expo. Why do we call him The Napkin Dad? While making his junior high and high school daughters’ lunches, he…
Many small towns and small cities have a terrible shortage of skilled workforce, especially in today’s high-tech skills. The reasons why are complex: some places lack local training, some have high out-migration rates, some places just have no history of high tech work. Lindsey and Cory Miller A few Oklahomans decided to do something about…
You are not your target market: What you like doesn’t equate into what customers like. I don’t like country music. I don’t like pop up newsletter subscription boxes. I don’t even like the idea of whipped cream flavored vodka. None of that should influence my marketing. What should? My customers. What do my customers like? What music…
You are not your target market. This simple sentence is powerful. It is my best advice for recruiting volunteers. And on the plane ride home from BlogWorld, it inspired three more stories. Here’s the first one: Quit hanging around with your own people. Go find the customers. I see many business owners or freelancers talking…
Sometimes I ask the hard questions or make the hard points. This is one of those times. Photo by my friend Gloria Bell. If your business is not making it, then it is time to change something. Let me share a couple of examples. But I Can’t Afford To! Part 1When I suggested small business…
At the Oklahoma Governor’s Conference on Small Business, Larry Mocha gave a couple of pieces of pointed networking advice. Vikki Dearing from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce is a long time friend,and Tara Fiechtl from CareerTechwas a new friend from the conference. You know how it is at conferences; we always gravitate towards the people we already…
Cascade Supply, Inc., in Concrete, Washington, is the “You name it – We got it” store. They aren’t kidding. There is more packed into this downtown store than you could ever imagine. If you love a good hardware store or lumber yard, this place is a piece of heaven. Cascade Supply Lumber and Builders Supply….
Dave Shideler is a fellow rural entrepreneurship-aholic from the Oklahoma State University Agricultural Economics Extension service. After he spoke at the recent Oklahoma Governor’s Conference on Small Business, I sat him down for a couple of quick interviews. Rural small business tips Dave shares some things any small business could do to improve their chances…
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