by Caroline Tremblay, The Daily Yonder August 5, 2024 Kansas: Elevate the work of younger people In rural Kansas, if you’re between the ages of 21 and 39ish, you might be considered a PowerUp — but not just because of your age or location. A PowerUp is someone who is rural by choice. “The name […]
Unlocking Community Potential: The Catalyst Approach for Change
Who do we envision ourselves becoming? The big framing question, “Who do we envision ourselves becoming?” was written in wide black marker on a large flip chart and placed at the front of the room for easy viewing. I introduced the question and gave some context. The ten local leaders stared blankly at it. The […]
Rural marketing tip: the name is the claim
Guest post and photo by Debbie Saviano NO GUESSWORK Here! You know exactly what you’re getting! Great burgers and a relaxed boozy atmosphere. Small town businesses have a way of getting to the point. The name is the claim. About the author Debbie Saviano helps people learn how to use LinkedIn, online courses and social […]
Test your business idea with small steps: starting a quilt retreat
Uniontown, Washington, (population 300) has a strong base of arts, artisan and craft entrepreneurship. When I toured Uniontown, a woman spoke up who wants to start a quilt retreat, a place for people to come and quilt together. More than a local quilting bee, she’s imagining a full retreat space. She owns a historic home […]
Pet friendly business opportunities
Any business can offer pet friendly amenities In 2023, SaveYour.Town identified pet friendly communities as a Top Topic. Here’s an example of a business offering a pet friendly amenity. In Palouse, Washington, a local veterinarian has an office in the downtown. Out front, they’ve installed a small patch of artificial turf as a pet relief […]
Seasonal businesses: post signs year-round
Marketing tip: keep signs up year-round even if you’re a seasonal business. When I toured several small towns in Washington and Idaho with the Inland Northwest Partners, I noticed many part-time and seasonal businesses did not have signs up during their off season. In the town of Deary, Idaho, (population 500) there is a wine […]
These small town neighbors bought vacant buildings, brought them up to code. Here’s what happened next
Waynoka, Oklahoma, had a lot of vacant run-down buildings in their downtown. In a town of 900 people, the prospects didn’t look great. At an all-class reunion, a group of alumni got together and decided to change that. They called themselves Project Waynoka, our friend and early contributor Jeanne Cole said. They started raising money. […]
Beyond the Big Banks: How rural small businesses can Move Their Money locally
The “Move Your Money” campaign wants you to shift your financial resources to local banks and investment opportunities. That makes a lot of sense for small town businesses who care about having a thriving local economy. The 2024 Move Your Money Campaign The American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) has been at the forefront of the […]
2024 Survey of Rural Challenges Is Open!
These 10 questions will provide information to many organizations and people on what is challenging for rural communities. Are you rural? This survey is for you. SmallBizSurvival.com and SaveYour.Town are conducting the 10th-anniversary edition of the Survey of Rural Challenges! Take the Survey of Rural Challenges. Spread the word Could you help us spread the word on […]
Improving the rural workforce: small town stories and takeaways
Takeaways for improving rural workforce: Bring together students, employers and multiple levels of education Build and document employee skills with micro-credentials Use apprenticeships to build skills, increase awareness of local job options Stitch together multiple programs to build your own workforce To add a new program in the public schools, hire dedicated program staff (at […]
