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…
The narrower your niche, the wider your opportunity. After I wrote that story, Darrell Hyatt asked a great question: Sheila Scarborough and Darrell Hyattshare a laugh at dinnerat BlogWorld Expo 2010 When you narrow your niche, how do you find the clients inside it? Let me walk you through an example, from my own business…
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