MP3 download: Mike Knutson interview Small towns have a future. Despite all the negative press, I have a positive view of rural, and I talk to others who share it. Small towns play a key role in our world. Everyone else better get used to us, because we aren’t going away! Mike Knutson I met…
Taking credit cards used to be a big deal for small businesses. It involved setting up a merchant account, passing a credit check, leasing or buying equipment and agreeing to a multi-year commitment. That was just the getting started part. The traditional merchant processing industry standard seemed to be lots of fees, and little…
The 7 Most Common Weaknesses of Local Shops And what we’re all going to do about them. As we head into the busy holiday shopping season, we’ll see lots of Shop Local messages working to get customers to think about shifting their shopping more to local stores. I want to add another layer, and get…
Welcome to the Brag Basket, our tradition of sharing. The basket is always free and open all weekend, this one October 25-27, 2013. What good news will you add to the brag basket? Don’t hold back because of that word, “brag.” When you hold back, you hide your good news and accomplishments that might inspire others….
Luther Snow may have grown up in the big city, but he found his stride in small towns. His work with Asset Based Community Development for rural has been extremely influential in rural development. Currently, he lives in Decorah, Iowa. He and I felt a connection in our approaches and a strong pull to work…
Is your small town ready for the explorers? Travel expert Wendy Perrin presented these changing travel motivations from the Condé Nast Traveler Research Center at an event in Australia. I had to share them with you. THEN: Planned “cultural experiences” NOW: Local immersion In small towns, visitors can dive into local events and experiences. Help them with…
The 7 Most Common Weaknesses of Local Shops And what we’re all going to do about them. As we head into the busy holiday shopping season, we’ll see lots of Shop Local messages working to get customers to think about shifting their shopping more to local stores. I want to add another layer, and get…
Welcome to the Brag Basket, our tradition of sharing. The basket is always free and open all weekend, this one October 18-20, 2013. What good news will you add to the brag basket? Don’t hold back because of that word, “brag.” When you hold back, you hide your good news and accomplishments that might inspire others….
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