Awareness of the world around you has been the start of many businesses. The business world is filled with examples of people who started a busines based on watching, reading and listening to things around them. Being aware may lead in many directions. Sometimes the product is already around, but it just takes the right…
Guest post by Cathy Lloyd, The Village In the summer of 2007, I had an idea to help the state of retail on the square in downtown Washington, Iowa. Since Wal-Mart came to town in the ‘70s, there had been a steady decline in the number of retail businesses in the downtown area. I hoped…
Today, food isn’t limited to restaurants. Food trucks, pop up cafes, and other mobile food options are taking hold. But what works for big cities doesn’t necessarily work for small towns. What are the rural options for mobile food? In northwest Oklahoma, we commonly see barbecue trailers and trucks. At events like festivals and fairs,…
I’m always collecting small town business ideas. On Twitter, I saw Scott Balster @scottbalster of Loveland, CO, suggest a small version of two popular labor-exchange services: TaskRabbit and Elance. TaskRabbit is a task and errand service connection. People list tasks they need done, everything from housecleaning to delivering groceries. Other people sign up to take…
Last week, I had the chance to tour two agri-tourism operations near my hometown of Alva, Oklahoma. Here are their stories. Bradt’s Menagerie Jerad and JoDe Bradt wanted to get their kids out of video games and more into the real world. Jerad suggested they try raising chickens. JoDe had raised chicks when she was…
We love sharing small town business ideas, and this one came from Pamela at the Kansas Kids “More Than a Museum” in Hutchinson, Kansas. Seems a woman living in Hutch is a good vegetable gardener. So her business is helping out those who need help with their gardens. Not landscaping, or yard work, but vegetable…
Are you looking for new product ideas for your business? Have you asked your customers? First rule of product ideas: The people in field doing the work always come up with the best ideas. Lisle Corporation (Clarinda, Iowa, population 5,500) makes, among other things, automotive specialty tools. You know, the funny hand tools mechanics use for all…
[Stephanie Ward is a fellow Oklahoman, who happens to now reside in The Netherlands. She’s been a good friend and coach, and I’m proud to offer this guest post from her. – Becky] By Stephanie Ward What if there was a business that could save children’s lives, protect women from rape, improve the environment, and even…
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