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Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource
  • A stainless steel table covered with candles in progress
    entrepreneurship | POV | rural | survivors | workforce

    How a Two-Alarm Fire Almost Ended Our 30-Year Candle Business, But Didn’t

    BySmall Biz Survival April 3, 2026March 31, 2026

    Guest post by Mark Gross, A Cheerful Giver I run A Cheerful Giver out of Elmer, New Jersey. The population is about 1,300. We make candles. Been at it since 1991. January 11, 2025, I got the phone call. Our building was on fire. Two-alarm. They had to bring in trucks from Gloucester County to…

    Read More How a Two-Alarm Fire Almost Ended Our 30-Year Candle Business, But Didn’tContinue

  • customer service | economic development | entrepreneurship | management | marketing | rural | shop local | trends

    Open Up – It’s the Customers

    ByChris Brogan May 19, 2020

    As different places begin to allow local businesses to open up, you’re not alone if you’re breathing a sigh of relief mixed with a gasp of worry. We all need the money. We all want to get back to being useful for the people we serve. And some or most of us are worried about…

    Read More Open Up – It’s the CustomersContinue

  • Planning lessons every small town can learn from disaster
    community | POV | rural | survivors

    Planning lessons every small town can learn from disaster

    BySmall Biz Survival December 10, 2018January 6, 2019

    Note: This week and next week, I’m pleased to share these guest posts by Whitney Hoffman. She’s sharing some thoughts about being ready for and recovering from disasters. -Becky Guest post by Whitney Hoffman I’ve been a Township Supervisor in Kennett Township PA for over three years now. We’re located in what some people call…

    Read More Planning lessons every small town can learn from disasterContinue

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