economic development
Coffee and Calendars
It’s the antidote to “I wish I’d known about that!” Ever find out about an event or project in your town only after it was happening? Ever wish you could have helped with something or offered some insight, if you only knew it was coming? You want to collaborate more with local and regional organizations, but you can’t possibly…
Read MoreBig 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…
Read MoreBeer, 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…
Read MoreGet 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…
Read MoreSuccessfully 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…
Read MoreBuy? 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.…
Read More2024 – 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…
Read MoreClean 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…
Read MoreStart your own beautification project
I’ll be traveling to a small county in Nevada to help with a beautification project. So will Becky later on – it’s an Intensive, Idea Friendly Package. Back in my chamber days, this kind of thing would scare the bejesus out of me. It would involve endless meetings with boring, important-feeling people. No talking to the…
Read MoreBikes on Bell
The owners of Bell Street Tattoo in Shawnee, OK, had this idea for an event – Bikes on Bell. They wanted to close the street in front of their shop downtown and invite bikers and anyone else to come and meet each other, eat from the food trucks, listen to live music, and have some…
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