If you need outside funding to get to the next step in your rural small business, your next step is too big. Before you bet big on your business idea, test it with small steps. Make some sales from your front yard, then try a booth, then a trailer, then think about moving up […]
How $5 and a bowl of soup can rebuild your community
Have you heard of “soup” events? People pay a small amount, say $5, to attend a local pitch event. Local groups pitch their ideas, everyone votes, and the winner gets the money. The real winner is the community, of course. It boosts activity, gets people talking to each other, builds momentum and rewards people […]
US small businesses can get small loans through Kiva
You might have heard of Kiva, where a crowd of regular people pool money to make small loans to business people in the developing world. But you probably didn’t know they are making loans to small businesses in the US. In fact, I was surprised to find there has been a representative of Kiva […]
Finding the money to renovate an old building in a small town: grants, loans and other funds
Empty buildings in small towns are often empty for a reason, and that reason is often that they need work before any business could use them. Remodeling costs can be astonishingly expensive, so people often ask where they can find grants, loans or other funds to help them. Here are some of my favorite “usual […]
