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Small Biz Survival

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Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource
  • 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

  • Solve Rural Community Challenges the Idea Friendly Way – stories from IEDC
    community | economic development | ideas | rural | youth

    Solve Rural Community Challenges the Idea Friendly Way – stories from IEDC

    ByDeb Brown November 9, 2023

    Guest post by Deb Brown What attendees learned from attending the Idea Friendly Session by SaveYour.Town at the International Economic Development Council Conference — Big Ideas you can copy in your town  Becky McCray and I were excited to lead an interactive Idea Friendly workshop at the International Economic Development Council Conference in Dallas in…

    Read More Solve Rural Community Challenges the Idea Friendly Way – stories from IEDCContinue

  • Reaching “at risk” kids for local jobs
    economic development | rural | workforce | youth

    Reaching “at risk” kids for local jobs

    ByBecky McCray July 15, 2022July 10, 2022

    Workforce is a challenge for 2/3rds of rural small businesses. Source: Survey of Rural Challenges, 2021 One under-utilized source of workers: At-risk students Tony Guidroz, from San Saba, Texas, told me he was shocked when he found out there were 702 kids in the local school district, and more than 400 were considered “at-risk” either…

    Read More Reaching “at risk” kids for local jobsContinue

  • A girl smiles while eating a meal at Eagle Butte, South Dakota.
    community | failure | rural | youth

    How Parents are Keeping Children from Becoming the Next Generation of Leaders

    ByPaula Jensen December 28, 2019December 22, 2019

      By Paula Jensen It seems I have almost always been interested in leadership.  My parents modeled leadership as I was growing up through their active roles in community, church, and school.  I joined 4-H at the age of eight, was called a “ring-leader” as an elementary student (which I don’t think this was a…

    Read More How Parents are Keeping Children from Becoming the Next Generation of LeadersContinue

  • Chain link fence made into a mural of a stream
    community | rural | youth

    Chain link is everywhere in downtowns. Here’s how to dress it up.

    ByBecky McCray June 30, 2019November 11, 2019

      You’ve seen it before: a chain link fence right in the middle of a downtown. Usually there’s barbed wire at the top. Let’s face it, barbed wire is not the friendliest look for a downtown. We can do better. Why chain link in the first place? When a business ends up with an empty lot…

    Read More Chain link is everywhere in downtowns. Here’s how to dress it up.Continue

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