When you hold events downtown, the businesses that aren’t located downtown sometimes feel left out. There’s one bank not in downtown, that figured out a great way to participate in the First Thursday fun in downtown Colfax, Washington. They could have done what other groups are doing and set up a booth on the…
Editor’s Note: Welcome our newest contributor, Paula Jensen of Dakota Resources. She works directly with small towns and rural communities as a community coach. I love her positive approach to rural places. I look forward to sharing her thoughts with you regularly! –Becky By Paula Jensen I stood with a blue marker in my hand…
Want a strong local economy? Then it should come as no surprise that you need a continuous flow of new businesses. That message is one that we hear often and loudly in both rural and urban areas. New businesses help grow the economy. They also employee workers, spend money, borrow money, and are often active…
Awards are a great way to recognize your small businesses in small towns. Unfortunately, most business awards encourage the people who need the least encouragement: those who are long-term successes. Sure your long-time businesses deserve some recognition. It also helps inspire others to see the successes. Keep doing that. Just don’t let that be…
My mother has recently moved to an assisted living center. For me, this has meant some changes in my help. For one thing, I am more active in getting her medicines. Recently I commented that I suspect her pharmacy will not be in business in the near future. She asked why I say that since…
Let’s look at the tale of two small town concerts. Concert 1: We’ve done all the work, you just need to show up! One happened at an agritourism business. They brought in a couple of professional musicians for performances out at the farm. The musicians were reasonably well known, with some previous exposure on…
I am sure we all have been asked, “Do you want the meal deal?” And it doesn’t stop there. Deals surround us. Go for a simple oil change and you might be presented with a package deal that includes a new air filter, tire rotation, and more. Buy a car and get offered an extended…
Every small town is struggling to find enough volunteers to keep projects going and start new ones. It’s not just you! The trick is that people have changed, but volunteering really has not. If you want to be part of making your community a little greener, you have to volunteer to be on the…
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