Skip to content
  • Survey of Rural Challenges
  • Small Town Speaker Becky McCray
  • Shop Local video
  • SaveYour.Town
Small Biz Survival
The small town and rural business resource
Small town main street
  • Front Page
  • Latest stories
  • About
  • Guided Tour
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • RSS
Small Biz Survival
  • empty lot pop up
    economic development | entrepreneurship | rural | success

    Pop Up in An Empty Lot

    November 15, 2023November 9, 2023

    Part of our Global Entrepreneurship Week celebration Nov 13-19, 2023. Starting a business the old way is hard On an Idea Friendly visit to Jackson County, Kentucky, I visited with a group of artists/entrepreneurs. This group had created a loose organization called the Jackson County KY Creative Community. They wanted to start businesses, but were…

    Read More Pop Up in An Empty LotContinue

  • Multicolor logo with text that says "Global Entrepreneurship Week"
    economic development | entrepreneurship | global | rural

    Entrepreneur week advice for small towns: 3 practical steps for economic developers and chambers of commerce

    November 14, 2023November 9, 2023

    Part of our Global Entrepreneurship Week celebration Nov 13-19, 2023. Last year during entrepreneurship week, I saw lots of articles about what big cities can do to support entrepreneurship. Advice for small towns got left out. Again. So I wrote this entrepreneur week advice for small town economic developers and chambers of commerce, whether you…

    Read More Entrepreneur week advice for small towns: 3 practical steps for economic developers and chambers of commerceContinue

  • A tiny travel trailer being used as a mobile retail store, two customers are smiling just outside with their purchase.
    entrepreneurship | rural | Small Biz 100

    Rural entrepreneurs start small to succeed: Global Entrepreneurship Week

    November 13, 2023November 9, 2023

    Part of our Global Entrepreneurship Week celebration Nov 13-19, 2023. Find this and other Global Entrepreneurship Week events listed on the official calendar at GenGlobal. The old way to go into business Imagine all the work that goes into starting a new business. You need to be a good business manager, a marketing guru, and a…

    Read More Rural entrepreneurs start small to succeed: Global Entrepreneurship WeekContinue

  • 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

    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

  • IEDC 2023 annual conference logotype over a nighttime skyline of Dallas, Texas.
    economic development | rural | trends

    Small town retail topics from IEDC conference: getting owners to improve their buildings, recruiting chain groceries and supporting local retail startups

    October 9, 2023

    I’m sharing notes from sessions and conversations at the International Economic Development Council annual conference in Dallas. First up: Retail! Lacy Beasley of Retail Strategies moderated a panel on retail real estate and development. While it was mostly big city stuff, several topics were relevant for smaller towns. How to convince a property owner to…

    Read More Small town retail topics from IEDC conference: getting owners to improve their buildings, recruiting chain groceries and supporting local retail startupsContinue

  • October is the new December: Shop early, shop indie local
    entrepreneurship | marketing | rural | shop local

    October is the new December: Shop early, shop indie local

    October 5, 2023

    Heads up, rural retailers: holiday shopping has already started! Guest post by Jen Risley, AMIBA Why promote Shop Indie Local early this holiday season? Because more of us are shopping early for holiday gifts. From National Retail Federation: Over the last decade, consumers have been kicking off their holiday shopping early in order to spread…

    Read More October is the new December: Shop early, shop indie localContinue

  • Becky McCray is talking with a woman with dark skin and hair who cradles her head on one hand while thinking.
    entrepreneurship | marketing | rural

    Turn free advice requests into paying clients

    October 3, 2023October 5, 2023

    Years ago, Thursday Bram asked me some questions about how freelancers and other consulting and professional folks can avoid giving away too much of their knowledge for free. Her article at Freelance Switch is no longer online, so I thought it was time to share it here, as well. Here’s some of my best advice…

    Read More Turn free advice requests into paying clientsContinue

  • An open retail space with colorful and appealing displays of handcrafted goods
    entrepreneurship | marketing | rural | social media

    The Allure of Authenticity: Rural stories can give your product a leg up

    September 13, 2023September 13, 2023

    Why Rural Craftsmanship Resonates in Online Sales Guest post by Tance Hughes In today’s digital age, the online marketplace is bustling with options at every click. Amidst the buzz of big brands and flashy advertisements, there lies an understated yet profound power: the allure of authenticity. For rural entrepreneurs, this authenticity is rooted in their craft,…

    Read More The Allure of Authenticity: Rural stories can give your product a leg upContinue

Page navigation

Previous PagePrevious 1 … 5 6 7 8 9 … 398 Next PageNext

Howdy!

Glad you dropped in to the rural and small town business blog, established in 2006.

We want you to feel at home, so please take our guided tour.

Meet our authors on the About page.

Have something to say? You can give us a holler on the contact form.

If you would like permission to re-use an article you’ve read here, please make a Reprint Request.

Want to search our past articles? Catch up with the latest stories? Browse through the categories? All the good stuff is on the Front Page.

More of 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

Partners

We partner with campaigns and organizations that we think best benefit rural small businesses.

Logo with "Shop Indie Local"
Graphic of US currency with the text Move Your Money, bank local, invest local
Multicolor logo with text that says "Global Entrepreneurship Week"
Save Your Town logotype
Copyright © 2006–2026 Becky McCray • Site by Webdancers
  • Front Page
  • Latest stories
  • About
  • Guided Tour
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • RSS