Building Possibility
Don’t Bet the Farm – Collaboration in the Rural
There’s a piece of research I love by a scholar named Sim Sitkin called “the strategy of small losses.” In plain language, it means this: don’t bet the farm. Try small things you can afford to lose, learn from each one, and use what you learn to make the next move smarter. If that sounds…
Read MoreCollaboration and Toilet Paper
Collaboration does not mean: Forming another committee. One person doing all the work while everyone else watches. Everybody agreeing on everything. Anyone giving up ownership of their own good ideas. Collaboration means people, organizations, and businesses working together around a big idea. Let me share a story with you about how toilet paper became…
Read MoreDone is better than perfect
Natchez, Mississippi. One of my favorite things to do is tour empty buildings and empty lots, because a town’s empty buildings aren’t a symptom of failure. They’re an inventory of possibility. On an event trip, we toured empty lots in residential neighborhoods and learned about the African American history in Natchez. The organizer, Joe Smith, sent…
Read MoreFrom Possibilities to Reality: Stop Waiting, Start Doing
Every small town has the same temptation: wait. Wait for the factory to come back. Wait for a big grant. Wait for some outside expert with the one right answer. I’ve seen it play out in hundreds of rural communities — no one is coming to save your town. You are. And the good news…
Read MoreWhat to do with a Community Action Committee
I love getting emails from small town folks who have seen or heard us speak, especially when they form committee action committees as a result! Rebecca wanted some next step help, and I was happy to share! Here’s her email: I was so inspired by your story and how you were able to change your…
Read MoreBut what about the cost?
The big idea at Franklin Street Relics in Natchez, MS, was to get more customers. The owner has 84 vendors, and they all discussed it among themselves. And they got stuck on how much it would cost. They’d have to do more advertising! And expand their ad region, which means more money. No one knew how to…
Read MoreRural Speaker for Your Event
Why Me? I work with rural people who are ready to move beyond complaining and start doing. Speaking is one of the ways I help small towns see what’s possible and take the next small steps with the resources they already have. When you hire me, you’re not just paying for an hour on stage.…
Read MoreBig Rules versus New Ideas
Small Steps, Not Big Rules: Innovative Rural Business Models for Your Small Town I recently had the privilege of presenting to a statewide group of economic developers about Innovative Rural Business Models—what we call the “Tiny, Temporary, Together, Travelling, and Tech” models. These are creative ways for entrepreneurs to test business ideas without breaking the…
Read MoreWhat has rural expert Deb Brown been doing for the last ten years?
I got asked the other day what I have been doing for the last ten years. I took some time and wrote it all down. It surprised even me! Take a look, and if you’d like to have a free call with me, just book 30 minutes here. Here’s a comprehensive list (I may have…
Read MoreKittanning, PA Changed Their City One House at a Time
Andrew Laddaslaw, a local pastor in Kittanning, PA, had this idea for a project to do during their Summer of Giving programming. 5 years ago, Kittanning, PA had a blight problem. Many houses in neighborhoods needed sprucing up, repairing, and a few needed tearing down. What they did He and his crowd got together and…
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