Remember Nairobi Paul’s business idea of importing Kenyan handicrafts to the USA? He (and you) could get started by talking to someone successfully importing from the developing world, like Kristen Evans. Evans is importing crafts from Bolivia, like the angel pictured to the right. She’s succeeding in spite of increasing political difficulties and the constant…
Small business people in rural areas and small towns often feel overlooked. Here’s a roundup of some recent rural-urban conflict news stories. What’s the right way to divide transportation dollars between rural and urban? Should you go by road miles or by people? Rural areas have more road miles, but urban areas have more people….
Alfredo Tjiurimo Hengari is encouraging his country’s political leaders to start using New Media and technology, in Namibia: Youtube, E-Mail, Skype And MPs. Hengari points out that it is easy for leaders to talk about the importance of technology, even if they have no knowledge of it. If leaders actually use wikis, blogs, and even…
Our Friend Chuck Huckaby wants to share some ideas on where to find local sources of merchandise to resell. This is a solid model for a small town business: take a local resource into a larger market. Find your local sources: landfills, garage sales, auctions, local manufacturers, local retailers, local farmers. Look for their overstocks,…
UPDATE: Even more brags!UPDATE: Read our brags, at the end of the post. And join us by sharing some news of your own! Sometimes you just want to share some good news. It may not be something earth-shattering, just something good. Or maybe something bad that you learned from. You can brag on yourself, your…
Reader Evelyn Mitchell sent this story to me. I’ve been following the blog The Thrifty Knitter. She’s participating in this: I thought it was an interesting story for you for a couple of reasons. First, that the Harveyville Project is re-purposing buildings in a small town for conference space and artistic residences. Secondly, that the…
Two truths about your customers and your business: 1. It’s not a popularity contest. The organization that actually motivates people to act positively wins. Read more of the story at the Donor Power Blog. 2. Happy customers reward you. Our Friend Zane Safrit boils it all down to just that. Go read how those happy…
AOL is showing an AP story today, Alaska Town is Giving Away Free Land. Here’s the interesting twist: the program was developed by the local high school students. They convinced the city council to go along with it. Other free land programs exist. I’m familiar with Kansas Free Land, an impressive regional effort. Actions: Ask…
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