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Small Biz Survival

Small Biz Survival

Practical ideas for small town business and community builders

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Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource
  • rural | Small Biz 100 | success

    Is it really a deal?

    ByGlenn Muske October 10, 2018October 9, 2018

    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…

    Read More Is it really a deal?Continue

  • Need more volunteers? Give everyone a tiny role
    community | rural

    Need more volunteers? Give everyone a tiny role

    ByBecky McCray October 8, 2018September 3, 2018

      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…

    Read More Need more volunteers? Give everyone a tiny roleContinue

  • Retailers: Fill all empty space, floor to ceiling
    Best of | entrepreneurship | marketing | rural

    Retailers: Fill all empty space, floor to ceiling

    ByBecky McCray October 1, 2018December 9, 2018

      Empty space is an enemy of small town retail stores. Empty shelves and empty space make customers think you don’t have much to sell. They already think you don’t have much because that’s the stereotype of small town stores. You can combat this perception easily: fill all empty space, floor to ceiling.  Secret: You…

    Read More Retailers: Fill all empty space, floor to ceilingContinue

  • Shipping container businesses downtown: don’t make this big mistake
    economic development | entrepreneurship | mistakes | rural

    Shipping container businesses downtown: don’t make this big mistake

    ByBecky McCray September 24, 2018August 26, 2018

    Lots of big cities have started shipping container business villages. I love the idea. But many of them are making a huge mistake that I don’t want to see small towns copy. The Big Mistake: Ignoring the street My friend Carlos Moreno of Tulsa, Oklahoma, pointed this out. Here’s a picture of the Boxyard in…

    Read More Shipping container businesses downtown: don’t make this big mistakeContinue

  • A sign in a retail store points to more businesses downstair
    economic development | rural

    Easy economic development tip: Write down all new businesses in your small town

    ByBecky McCray September 17, 2018August 26, 2018

    This is an easy idea for small town economic developers, chambers of commerce, banks and all the people who care about their small towns. It’s pretty common to hear people say something like, “There’s no new businesses in our town!” That’s because they aren’t remembering all the new business activity or they maybe aren’t paying…

    Read More Easy economic development tip: Write down all new businesses in your small townContinue

  • rural | Small Biz 100 | success

    Build Trust to Build Your Business

    ByGlenn Muske September 12, 2018September 11, 2018

    Small-business owners always are looking for ways to build their business. Often their thoughts focus on having the right products and/or services at the right price and selling to the right market. . These are key elements in building a sustainable business. As a scientist would say, they are necessary but not sufficient, however. Without…

    Read More Build Trust to Build Your BusinessContinue

  • Commerce builds communities
    community | economic development | entrepreneurship | rural

    Commerce builds communities

    ByBecky McCray September 10, 2018November 16, 2020

      You’ve probably heard me say this one before: The best way to save your town is to start your own small business. I have four reasons that back that up: You’ll decide what values to put first More small businesses means more jobs* Locally-owned businesses are the key to local prosperity* You’ll return more…

    Read More Commerce builds communitiesContinue

  • rural | Small Biz 100 | success

    I Can’t Handle Success

    ByGlenn Muske September 5, 2018September 4, 2018

    What a crazy thought.  Who couldn’t handle more money, more visibility, more fame, and a larger share of the market? The writer of this blog must have lost his mind. It does seem like a foolish thought, but then I look back on various companies I have worked with who were on the brink of …

    Read More I Can’t Handle SuccessContinue

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Since 2006, this site has been helping people like you in small towns move forward without waiting on outside experts, big budgets, or perfect plans. You don’t need any of that to get started.

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