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Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource
  • Carlos Moreno presents a slide saying, "They will never fix it. There is no they."
    Best of | economic development | entrepreneurship | mistakes | POV | rural | survivors

    Economic self defense for small towns 

    June 7, 2020March 25, 2023

    Editorial by Becky McCray Not everyone who says they’ll help your town is telling you the truth.  If you want a resilient small town economy and prosperity for the people in your town, I have some self-defense ideas for you.  Focus more on your own people, less on attraction.  Stop paying people to bring business…

    Read More Economic self defense for small towns Continue

  • customer service | economic development | entrepreneurship | management | marketing | rural | shop local | trends

    Open Up – It’s the Customers

    May 19, 2020

    As different places begin to allow local businesses to open up, you’re not alone if you’re breathing a sigh of relief mixed with a gasp of worry. We all need the money. We all want to get back to being useful for the people we serve. And some or most of us are worried about…

    Read More Open Up – It’s the CustomersContinue

  • Two Small Town Guys
    entrepreneurship | marketing | rural | shop local | trends

    Remember when we used to try to hide our accents?

    May 7, 2020April 30, 2020

      By Chris Brogan I’m originally from Maine. Accents up there come through the nose. Most famously, people from Maine are supposed to say “Ayuh” when we mean “yes.” Midway through high school, I moved to Massachusetts, where you lose the nasal thing, but you also lose all “r’s” from conversation. “It’s hahd to sound…

    Read More Remember when we used to try to hide our accents?Continue

  • Small Town Business Lights
    entrepreneurship | marketing | rural | social media | tech | tools

    Show and Tell – How Video and Maybe Even LIVE Video Are Important for Small Town Business

    April 20, 2020April 12, 2020

    By Chris Brogan They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but sometimes, it might be worth a thousand dollars, too. Over the last ten years, restaurants and bars who post their best dishes or drinks as photos on sites like Instagram have learned that people love seeing examples of what they’ll get if…

    Read More Show and Tell – How Video and Maybe Even LIVE Video Are Important for Small Town BusinessContinue

  • Did America Get Too Big? Next steps for small businesses right now
    entrepreneurship | global | management | planning | rural | survivors

    Did America Get Too Big? Next steps for small businesses right now

    April 17, 2020April 12, 2020

    Survival skills for small town businesses in the Coronavirus era By Chris Brogan As the world starts to ask what’s going to happen when this pandemic is finally over and we can look at what it will take to jumpstart the economy again, one venture capitalist says we have to save Main Street and not…

    Read More Did America Get Too Big? Next steps for small businesses right nowContinue

  • Paula Jensen
    community | planning | rural

    What would you be doing this weekend, if the world hadn’t fallen apart?

    April 12, 2020April 12, 2020

    Guest post by Paula Jensen I was on my second video conference of the day earlier last week and a peer in the meeting said, “Time-out! I need to ask everyone a question.” We all agreed, and he said, “What would you be doing this weekend, if the world hadn’t fallen apart?” Some people answered…

    Read More What would you be doing this weekend, if the world hadn’t fallen apart?Continue

  • Social distancing sign for shoppers in a store
    economic development | entrepreneurship | rural | survivors

    The best things you can do for local businesses in light of coronavirus

    March 27, 2020March 27, 2020

      Monica Bailey of Rock Port, Missouri, sent in this question that I think you can relate to: Thank you ladies, as always, for supporting small towns! My question is super generic but it is giving me sleepless nights. I am our counties economic/community development director and I’ve been scrambling to support our small businesses…

    Read More The best things you can do for local businesses in light of coronavirusContinue

  • How to get more parking downtown without adding any spaces
    Best of | customer service | economic development | entrepreneurship | marketing | rural | shop local

    How to get more parking downtown without adding any spaces

    March 7, 2020March 25, 2023

    There’s not enough parking downtown! Doesn’t every city have that problem? You’re about to learn a new way to get more parking for your Main Street without having to pave, stripe or get a permit. It doesn’t work in every town, but it very well might work in yours. Finding hidden parking There is only…

    Read More How to get more parking downtown without adding any spacesContinue

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The Best of Small Biz Survival

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

Posted on December 11, 2024

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

Posted on January 2, 2024

Get started as an outdoor outfitter without breaking the bank

Posted on August 28, 2023

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

Posted on February 19, 2023

Read more of the Best of Small Biz Survival

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