Big Ideas for Small Towns in San Juan County
On December 5, 2024, over 120 people gathered in San Juan County, Utah, for the third annual Business Basecamp Conference & Expo — dedicated to energizing rural economic development through practical tools, bold ideas, and meaningful connection. Thanks to a grant from Economic Development Corporation of Utah, the San Juan County Economic Development folks had…
I tried a few new things (for me) in Washington
I had the honor of presenting all day in Malden, Washington to the area community leaders, providers, and visitors. I was brought to town by Paul Kimmel from Avista and the Inland Northwest Partners. We talked about the results of the Survey of Rural Challenges to kick off the day. Lots of people nodded their…
Beer, coffee, cheese and a place to sit
At the Rural Retreat in Great Falls, Montana, our Idea Friendly 23-minute movie was shown to a group of people at a local spot, the Commons on Central – just like we do at a watch party! The Commons on Central is a Shared Space There are four businesses at the Commons on Central: a…
Get Them Off The Highway
Duane asked this question on a recent webinar: I am a county commissioner and also serve on the board of directors at [my town]. We have tried desperately to get visitors to make the left turn into [our county] instead of the right turn to return to the interstate. We need marketing ideas to promote my town…
Successfully Attend a Conference
Do you really want to go? Do your research. Answer these questions: Is the speaker talking about topics relevant to your work? Are there connections you can make that will advance your work? Are there attendees you want to speak to who are attending? Can you schedule time with them while you’re there? Can you…
Buy? Rent? What one family did with a small business in Pittsburg, Kansas
On a Kansas State University/Extension webinar I did about my book, Pam Thompson shared about their small business in SE Kansas. Arggghh old buildings My husband, Don, and I have been in business for over 10 years now. Last August, we were scouting around for a place to move his business to a better location.…
Idea Friendly Solutions to the old way of thinking
Idea Friendly Solutions to the old way of thinking You’ve been answering the Survey of Rural Challenges for ten years now. One of the common themes is the persistence of old way thinking. In rural communities, old-way thinkers are often the folks who say things like: Let’s not change anything; we like it this way. …
Let go of the old way
Are you still trying to connect with people the old way? On LinkedIn an economic developer posted this: Local government has spent years bending over backward to get more public engagement. We’ve expanded meetings, flooded social media with updates, hosted town halls, and created endless platforms for feedback. And yet, after all of that effort,…
2024 – an absolute whirlwind of adventures, ideas, and community building goodness
Phew! What a year it’s been. From small towns to big ideas, 2024 has shown me once again that the heart of community development lies in the passion and creativity of people like you. Chatsworth, Georgia: Where Empty Buildings Come to Life We kicked off the year in Chatsworth, Georgia, where the Chamber of Commerce…
Clean ups don’t need to be hard – Natchez, Mississippi
Having an idea, bringing people together, and taking small steps gets things done. Joe Smith, executive director of Black Natchez, wanted a clean-up of his street, MLK Street. Joe told me, “I took a page from your playbook and worked to build a coalition and gather allies.” Anyone can host a clean-up. In Natchez, clean-up…