It’s the stereotypical small town business: the bait shop, tire store, and gas station all in one. But multiplying your lines of income is much more than just cramming more businesses into your building. It’s also about businesses that stick to one niche, but find more than one way to produce their income. Multiple businesses:…
Guest Post by Lance Trebesch I’m not your typical rural businessman. Though my office may be located in the countryside these days, I actually began my career managing and growing startups in Silicon Valley. I spent more than fifteen years in the “heart of the concrete jungle,” helping companies turn their promising new businesses into…
Reader Dan Johnson, from the Main Street Mall and Perkins Pizza Factory in Perkins, Oklahoma, asked about getting noticed when you’re in the middle of the block. With a row of brick storefronts, it can be tough to stand out! When you’re one business on a long block,how can you stand out?This block is in Traverse City,…
Following up on what CASUDI wrote yesterday about the “Take It or Leave It” section in her local recycling facility, that’s a pretty darn good business idea, too. Hey, if people will bid on stuff for silent auctions,maybe they would buy it from a recycling business. Imagine all those garage sale leftovers, estate items that…
Guest Post by Caroline DiDiego, aka @CASUDI Imagine you are a small local environmental business, open 3 days a week, with a couple of employees and several volunteers, required by a local county agency to spend $50,000 for a toilet (sewer hookup), a toilet to be used only very occasionally. Regulations also preclude a Johnny-on-the-spot (obvious…
Photos are terrific at attracting visitors to your story and your place. I promise you that there are not enough photos of your place online. Over at Tourism Currents, Leslie McLellan explained the need for pictures, pictures and more pictures: “With Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Foodspotting and all the other sites that emphasize social photography, it…
We’re looking for more examples of programs to connect rural youth to local jobs. Twitter friend Jenise Cook asked: I’m wondering if you and your rural small biz network might have some experience helping students/young people find work in their area, so that they don’t have to leave their towns to go live in huge…
Do you know what you need to do to grow your business in the next 12 months? You’ve probably thought about your big ideas, big goals, and your dreams. But how’s the foundation? That’s what I want to work on with you. Let’s put a solid foundation under your businessfor a prosperous 2013. Back a…
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