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From Finance to Creativity: A Journey to Building an Experience-Based Business in Bellefontaine

By Jamie Beasley

A young girl carefully pours her own candle.

In today’s fast-paced world, many individuals find themselves stuck in careers that fail to ignite their passions. For some, the journey to rediscovering creativity can lead to unexpected and fulfilling paths. This is the story of one such entrepreneur who transitioned from a corporate finance job to creating a vibrant experience-based business in downtown Bellefontaine. […]

April 7, 2025 Filed Under: economic development, entrepreneurship, rural, success, trends Tagged With: building a business, entrepreneurship, events, experience economy, retail, rural, shop indie local, shop local, shop small, small business success, take small steps

Will trendy axe throwing and escape room businesses last? More experience-based retail: the Hat Bar

By Becky McCray

An old book spine says, "You can't escape"

Continuing the discussion on experience-based businesses, what happens after everyone in town tries it? Do these businesses go away? Sheila Scarborough posed the question this way: How do all these axe-throwing and escape room places think they’re going to stay in business past a few years? Main Street Expert Jackie Wolven weighed in: In a […]

March 31, 2025 Filed Under: entrepreneurship, ideas, marketing, rural, survivors, trends Tagged With: building a business, experience, experience economy, retail, rural, shop indie local, shop local, shop small, small business success

Shop Local tools: Easy Editorial, Letter to the Editor template to copy

By Becky McCray

It's the Most Wonderful Time to Shop Indie Local

Promote local shopping with a letter to the editor or editorial Step by step instructions Ready to promote local shopping to more of your community? Try an editorial or a letter to the editor. You can submit this to your local newspaper, share it in any organization newsletters, and post it on social media! Step […]

November 27, 2023 Filed Under: entrepreneurship, marketing, rural, shop local Tagged With: holiday shopping, shop indie local, shop local

October is the new December: Shop early, shop indie local

By Small Biz Survival

Heads up, rural retailers: holiday shopping has already started! Guest post by Jen Risley, AMIBA Why promote Shop Indie Local early this holiday season? Because more of us are shopping early for holiday gifts. From National Retail Federation: Over the last decade, consumers have been kicking off their holiday shopping early in order to spread […]

October 5, 2023 Filed Under: entrepreneurship, marketing, rural, shop local Tagged With: retail, shop indie local, shop local, shop small, small business

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