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Boost your rural retail business with this trick

By Deb Brown

Shoppers at a furniture store find temporary displays of jewelry and skin care products.

By Deb Brown The old way of doing business is one building, one business. What if you could test an idea and have a business inside a business? Anyone of us either knows or can find someone who is making things from their home and selling it. What if you encouraged already existing home-based businesses […]

November 5, 2021 Filed Under: economic development, entrepreneurship, ideas, rural Tagged With: building community, Deb Brown, economic development, entrepreneurs, guest post, pop ups, retail, rural, store

Rural business idea: sell foraged fruits and more

By Becky McCray

Several apples on a tree, closeup

By Becky McCray Need an idea for your next small town or rural business? This one would make a good side hustle: Gather and resell fruit that would otherwise be wasted. Think of all the fruit, berries and nuts that no one picks, especially in yards and public spaces in your town. You don’t have […]

August 3, 2021 Filed Under: economic development, entrepreneurship, ideas, rural Tagged With: building a business, business ideas, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, farmers markets, food business, foodpreneur, local food, part time businesses, rural, side gigs, side hustles, small business

How to be more open to new ideas #IdeaFriendly

By Becky McCray

Greet a new idea like you would greet a new person: with your respect, not your opinion. #IdeaFriendly

When you’re introduced to someone, you wouldn’t start the conversation with, “Hi, I think your hair style is a big mistake.” So why do we greet new ideas with “That will never work”? How to greet an idea respectfully Picture being introduced to someone you’ve never met. You look them in the eye, and you […]

July 3, 2021 Filed Under: ideas, rural Tagged With: idea friendly, innovation

Youth business idea: phone clinics

By Becky McCray

Young man helps abuela with a cell phone

  Looking for the perfect instant summer business idea for young entrepreneurs? Try phone clinics. I saw this idea pop-up in a meeting that involved a cross section of the town of Cathlamet, Washington. People of all ages were there: students from the high school, county commissioners, chamber of commerce members. One of the adults […]

July 8, 2019 Filed Under: community, economic development, entrepreneurship, ideas, rural, tech, youth Tagged With: business ideas, startup, technology

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