Once you figure out your business, it’s time to set some goals for making money. The problem is that no one shows you how to do that, so you just guess. Then you have no idea how to reach that goal, and you have no way to tell if you are on track. Here’s a…
[Adapted from the “IRS GuideWire,” 16 July 2008] In a tax emergency, would you be ready? Well–organized records not only help you prepare your tax return, but they also help you answer questions if your return is selected for examination or prepare a response if you are billed for additional tax. Fortunately, you don’t have…
If you know how to blog, podcast, share photos online, and basically use social media tools, you could start a business today. Dress professionally.Get a pad of paper and a pen.Go to a business.Ask questions. This is where the magic happens. Ask them what they are doing to reach out and connect with customers. What…
If you set up your business’s office inside your home, how will you go about deducting the costs of that office? Since not all of your home expenses are for the business, then some sort of allotment must be made in order to accurately reflect business expenses. A certifiable “home office” that is used “exclusively…
Every small service business gets them: people fishing for free help, or asking twenty questions so they can go off and do it on their own. If you don’t have an established way to help them easily and convert them into paying clients, you are missing out on business and going crazy, I’ll bet. Cody…
Many newly independent small business people make the mistake of giving away too much of their services for free. Many seasoned professionals run into the same issue, like Drew McLellan giving away the milk. I was at lunch with a peer and friend the other day, telling her a story about how a mutual acquaintance…
What do you do with interactive tools like blogs, video, all that web 2.0 stuff, to build relationships, to reach customers? First, it’s not about you. Let’s start with the message I previously shared from Hugh MacLeod, small town global microbrand, who writes and draws at Gaping Void: Marketing is moving away from our message…
“I just got my first paying side gig! Now what? Am I a business? What do I have to file? How does all this work?” If you are active in the world of social and creative media, you may find yourself with an unexpected offer to accept advertising, do some consulting work, or speak for…
Glad you dropped in to the rural and small town business blog, established in 2006.
We want you to feel at home, so please take our guided tour.
Meet our authors on the About page.
Have something to say? You can give us a holler on the contact form.
Want to search our past articles? Catch up with the latest stories? Browse through the categories? All the good stuff is on the Front Page.
We partner with campaigns and organizations that we think best benefit rural small businesses.
Copyright © 2006–2026 Becky McCray • Site by Webdancers