Have you heard of “soup” events? People pay a small amount, say $5, to attend a local pitch event. Local groups pitch their ideas, everyone votes, and the winner gets the money. The real winner is the community, of course. It boosts activity, gets people talking to each other, builds momentum and rewards people…
The Celebrity CEO by Ramon Ray Summary: Community building in a way small town entrepreneurs can identify with. Good section on tools, and lots of timeless techniques. The title sounds a bit grandiose to small town ears, but the way Ramon Ray talks about building community will sound very familiar. You are the face of…
Guest Post by Deb Brown When I visited Decatur County, Iowa, several people said that wanted a brewery. They talked about the big barriers in their way: finding the right building, the right funding, the right people. The big idea seems really hard this way. Why not start smaller? Start by using the Idea…
Want to have a successful small business? Then build your network. Comments like this are not uncommon. Good networking is one factor in building a successful, sustainable small-business. Both anecdotal information and research supports such claims. We have written about it previously in this blog when discussing “Networking for Business Success.” Most articles, like this…
Want to improve the operation of your business? One simple tip is to listen to and watch what other business owners are doing. This simple piece of advice can save you a great deal of time, effort and money. It can help you from going down a path that others have tried and found unsuccessful….
Do you get caught up in daily life? Are there things that you want to do but just don’t get done. Such is the life of a small business owner. It never seems like there is enough time to get to all of the tasks you desire. How often do you tell yourself that it…
Many entrepreneurs see working at home as a great way to combine their work and personal life. Not only can they save money because they’re not paying rent for an office or manufacturing space, but the idea of flexible schedules and blending their work and personal life is appealing. Home-based businesses remain today an important…
Starting a business is risky. Data the U.S. Census Bureau has gathered show maybe 20 percent of businesses do not last through the first year, and 70 to 80 percent will not be around five years after starting. While that information may be depressing and suggest you not even try, you have ways to increase…
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.
We partner with campaigns and organizations that we think best benefit rural small businesses.
