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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
  • A screenshot of the Common Ground Coffee and Market Instagram feed, showing four images, a group of people with valentine hearts, a group of staff members, one person facing the camera for an explainer video, and one video with text that says "open the shop with me"
    community | customer service | entrepreneurship | marketing | rural | trends

    Create customer experiences online like Open the Shop With Me videos, and in person, like Silent Book Club

    ByBecky McCray March 23, 2025August 6, 2025

    When Kathleen Minogue of Crowdfund Better mentioned Common Ground Coffee and Market to me, I found their Instagram feed was full of stealable ideas for small business social media marketing. We first talked about how they let customers know about changes to their hours. They’re in Boise, Idaho, which I realize is not a small…

    Read More Create customer experiences online like Open the Shop With Me videos, and in person, like Silent Book ClubContinue

  • In a colorful room, a woman is offering instructions to two men seated at a craft table, preparing to pour their own candles.
    economic development | entrepreneurship | ideas | rural | trends

    Hands-on and experience-based businesses boost local economies

    BySmall Biz Survival March 17, 2025April 4, 2026

    Guest post by Jason Duff, founder of Small Nation Ever wanted to pour your own candle? Now you can right here in Downtown Bellefontaine! Triple Moon Designs in Bellefontaine, Ohio, recently added a new and exciting candle bar, offering a unique experience not typically seen in small towns. My team has had the chance to try it out…

    Read More Hands-on and experience-based businesses boost local economiesContinue

  • Screenshot of an instagram post with Christmas week business hours. One comment asks, "How late are you open new year's eve?"
    customer service | entrepreneurship | marketing | rural | Small Biz 100 | social media

    How to let customers know when changing your business hours

    ByBecky McCray March 12, 2025August 6, 2025

    Post extensively on social channels, and pin your hours post to the top of your page Your small business has times when you need to change your hours either for holidays, staff issues or (my favorite) extending into evening hours. How do you retrain your customers so they notice the change? Let’s look at a…

    Read More How to let customers know when changing your business hoursContinue

  • A plain brick building in a small downtown has a window decal that says “Caldwell Workspace: create, connect, work your way” Next door is an ornate brick building from the late 1800s.
    community | economic development | entrepreneurship | rural

    Boost your co-working space with social hours

    ByBecky McCray December 5, 2024December 2, 2024

    When I visited Caldwell, Kansas, the manager of the co-working site said they had filled their private offices, but struggled to attract day users. People who work from home like working from home. They don’t want a full time office, so they said they don’t want to use the coworking space. How can the coworking…

    Read More Boost your co-working space with social hoursContinue

  • A Pinterest board showing local businesses and attractions in Crows Nest Pass, Alberta, Canada.
    community | economic development | marketing | rural | tools | tourism

    Make a “What to do in…” Pinterest Board

    ByBecky McCray September 11, 2024March 12, 2025

    — How many times have you heard it? Someone lamenting, “There’s nothing to do here!” Worse yet, hearing someone tell visitors that. “What is there to do around here?” “Nothing, really. I don’t know.” Enough with that. Let’s give people an easy way to answer, and let’s do it the Idea Friendly way. Make a…

    Read More Make a “What to do in…” Pinterest BoardContinue

  • A group of diverse young people in a casual bar setting. One is holding a mic and speaking as others listen.
    community | rural | trends | youth

    Young Americans Returning to Rural for More than Just Holiday Dinners

    BySmall Biz Survival August 7, 2024

    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…

    Read More Young Americans Returning to Rural for More than Just Holiday DinnersContinue

  • The front of a restaurant features a neon style sign that says "Hobo's House of Burgers and Booze."
    entrepreneurship | marketing | rural

    Rural marketing tip: the name is the claim

    BySmall Biz Survival May 22, 2024

    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…

    Read More Rural marketing tip: the name is the claimContinue

  • A two-story brick downtown building has been recently rehabbed with new windows and updated paint. A small "for sale" sign is in the window.
    rural

    These small town neighbors bought vacant buildings, brought them up to code. Here’s what happened next

    ByBecky McCray April 18, 2024April 18, 2024

      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….

    Read More These small town neighbors bought vacant buildings, brought them up to code. Here’s what happened nextContinue

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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.

If you care about your business, your downtown, or your community, you’ll find ideas here you can actually use. Take one. Try it out. Let me know how it goes for you.

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