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Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource
  • Baby points to baby chicks. Photo by Becky McCray
    entrepreneurship | ideas | rural

    Rural business idea: Rent chicks for Easter

    February 19, 2018February 18, 2018

      Everyone loves baby chicks. That’s probably why every Easter, we hear about families who buy chicks for their children, only to realize they grow up to be full size chickens that don’t really fit into their lives. One farmer in Nebraska turned that into a business idea: she rents chicks to families for Easter….

    Read More Rural business idea: Rent chicks for EasterContinue

  • Pin your good news in the Brag Basket
    brag basket

    Pin your good news in the Brag Basket

    February 16, 2018January 28, 2018

    The Brag Basket is open! This one is for Feb. 16-18, 2018. Bring your good news, big or small, to share with everyone. What can you share in the Brag Basket? introduce yourself share some great news from this week celebrate progress, even baby steps congratulate a friend applaud for each other confess your undying…

    Read More Pin your good news in the Brag BasketContinue

  • rural | success

    What’s Holding You Back?

    February 14, 2018February 11, 2018

    Are you getting what you want out of your business? Quite often, we, as people, get into a funk. We take a look at our surroundings and wish that things were different. This certainly holds true for small-business owners.  So what can we do to change our attitude and direction? Last month, I discussed one activity…

    Read More What’s Holding You Back?Continue

  • What hours should a retail store be open in a small town?
    Best of | customer service | entrepreneurship | marketing

    What hours should a retail store be open in a small town?

    February 12, 2018January 21, 2020

      Setting business hours is a big mess. In our Survey of Rural Challenges, small business owners told us that trying to be open later hours with no success was their number one challenge, two years in a row. When Deb Brown and I did our Q&A session on The Future of Retail, several people asked…

    Read More What hours should a retail store be open in a small town?Continue

  • The good news goes up a level in the Brag Basket
    brag basket

    The good news goes up a level in the Brag Basket

    February 9, 2018January 24, 2018

    The Brag Basket is open! This one is for Feb. 9-11, 2018. Bring your good news, big or small, to share with everyone. What can you share in the Brag Basket? introduce yourself share some great news from this week celebrate progress, even baby steps congratulate a friend applaud for each other confess your undying…

    Read More The good news goes up a level in the Brag BasketContinue

  • family business | Small Biz 100

    Involving Family in the Business

    February 7, 2018February 6, 2018

    Is your business a family business? When most people hear that phrase they think in terms of some formal and regular involvement of family members in defined business activities with some payment for such activity. Yet in the broadest sense, family businesses cover a much broader involvement of family members. The work might include the…

    Read More Involving Family in the BusinessContinue

  • Want more young families to shop downtown? Consider family parking
    customer service | entrepreneurship | rural | shop local

    Want more young families to shop downtown? Consider family parking

    February 5, 2018January 24, 2018

      We want our downtowns and our retail stores to be welcoming for all kinds of customers. We’re especially interested in bringing young families downtown for shopping and for special events. To do that, we have to think from their perspective about what keeps them from coming downtown. Their answers might surprise you. Jennifer Carlson…

    Read More Want more young families to shop downtown? Consider family parkingContinue

  • Are you too yellow for the Brag Basket?
    brag basket

    Are you too yellow for the Brag Basket?

    February 2, 2018January 14, 2018

      The Brag Basket is open! This one is for Feb. 2-4, 2018. Bring your good news, big or small, to share with everyone. What can you share in the Brag Basket? introduce yourself share some great news from this week celebrate progress, even baby steps congratulate a friend applaud for each other confess your…

    Read More Are you too yellow for the Brag Basket?Continue

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