April is traditionally Move Your Money Month in the shop local community. Bank Local and Invest Local are the financial parts of the shop local movement. In 2023, the timing couldn’t be more noticeable. High profile bank failures, lots of talk about other banks in trouble, and a serious debate about the financial system (AGAIN!) […]
Need funding for the next step in your business?
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 […]
