idea friendly
What 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 MoreSunflower Festival is Idea Friendly
Beth didn’t like sunflowers. Until she moved to central South Dakota. They were everywhere! And her husband, the farmer, grew them. Beth attended the Energize Conference in 2018 and heard the Red Ants Pants Presentation. Sarah Calhoun has her store (they make workwear for women) in White Sulphur Springs, Montana, and that is a very…
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…
Read More99 Things You Don’t Need Permission To Do
What is a local neighborhood revolution and why do you want one?
The Local Revolution: How You Can Save Your Small Town Natchez is kicking off a Neighborhood Revolution, and you’re invited to be part of it—and to imagine bringing this same energy back home to your town On Saturday, February 21, I’ll be in Natchez, Mississippi, for a full day of hands-on, street-level community building hosted…
Read MoreDoing more with less – no thank you
I’ve never liked the phrase “doing more with less.” It gets tossed around so often that it sounds noble, but it usually feels like a scolding. It implies people aren’t working hard enough or wringing every drop out of their already-limited time, energy, and budgets. It piles guilt on top of fatigue. That phrase comes…
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