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Small Biz Survival

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Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource
  • 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

  • 99% of the best things you can do for your town don’t require anyone’s permission
    Best of | community | rural

    99% of the best things you can do for your town don’t require anyone’s permission

    ByBecky McCray January 2, 2024March 4, 2026

    Building community in your small town sounds like a daunting task. It’s easy to get bogged down, thinking there’s too much to do, that you’d need too many permissions or it would take too much money. The reality of building community is it’s a change of mindset to Take Small Steps. 99% of the best…

    Read More 99% of the best things you can do for your town don’t require anyone’s permissionContinue

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The Best of Small Biz Survival

TREND 2025: Retail’s Big Split: what small town retailers can do now

99% of the best things you can do for your town don’t require anyone’s permission

Get started as an outdoor outfitter without breaking the bank

How to get customers in the door of small town and rural retail stores

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