Weed Whackers and Windex

Ninjas Needed I visited Roscommon County, Michigan and toured a few empty buildings.  On one corner, a major intersection into town, there was an empty building on each corner.  We talked about building possibility, working with the county and the town and hosting a tour. Next to one of the buildings that needed to be…

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Christmas is the PERFECT Time to Shop Where You Live

If you’re a small business, you’re neck deep in Christmas. It’s only 23 days until Christmas.  We all know how fast time goes, and even faster as you get older. Do you buy gifts for your employees?  Many do.  Many give out cash.  Why not purchase Chamber bucks instead of giving out cash?  Ours can…

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Eight Thinks to Do on Small Business Saturday

Buy new furniture.  Locally.  Go visit your local furniture store and be surprised.  The value, the customer service and the attention to detail will simply blow you away.  I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what is now available in the better lines of furniture and how affordable the pieces are.  Don’t big box it…

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What is Showrooming?

You see something on tv, or online.  You go to your local store to actually look at the item.  Then you go online, often on your phone while you’re in the store, to find it somewhere else cheaper.  That is showrooming. We live in a small town.  Small towns need local jobs, sales tax revenue,…

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Kindness Matters – Take an Hour

Kindness really matters. Often it’s the real difference in relationships. My misfit friends are hosting 24 hours of speakers in an online free conference called GenKind24. Take a look at this speaker lineup! I’m asking you to take an hour out of your day to listen to one of these phenomenal speakers – and to…

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TEDx Brookings

Today I speak at TEDx Brookings.  This year we are exploring the origins of ideas, community and movements.  True change begins with a small number of people who care. It started several months ago when I was invited to speak about the Tour of Empty Buildings at this event.  I have 8 minutes, a slide…

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What will be important in the end?

My mom died August 11.  In the weeks before she passed, we knew it was coming and she wanted to be surrounded by those she loved. Her kids, grand kids, great grand kids – her brother, sister in law and sister – her nieces – close family friends – these were the people who brought…

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Historical Road Trip

Most of us are tied down in the towns we live in.  We work, play, eat and live in our own little acre of the world.  A vacation is something you take all year to plan, and you go somewhere exotic (at least to you).  You save for it, you read about it, you change…

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What Makes a Good Facebook Post

Brevity This is not the place to write six paragraphs on one post.  We don’t need to know how smart you are.  We need to know the what of it all – what it is, what it means for me, what do you want me to do. Pictures If you can tell me in a…

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