Articles

Embedded Community Experience Follow Up

Six Months Later in Belle Fourche “It’s because you told us to take small steps, and we did,” said Gary Wood, Chamber Director at Belle Fourche, South Dakota. I visited there in October of 2017 for an Embedded Community Experience. Since my visit, much has happened! BUSINESS UPDATES Cowboys Too! Moved across the street from…

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A Few Ideas from Bennettsville, SC ECE

I had the pleasure to visit several small towns in March on my Massive March Road Trip.  I’ll be writing more about it, but today I’m sharing ideas from Bennettsville, SC you can put to work right away! Newcomers Gathering Bennettsville, SC had me come to town for an Embedded Community Experience. One cool thing…

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A Visit to Akron, Iowa

Embedded Community Experience Sharon Frerichs, the mayor of Akron, Iowa invited me to come and be a part of the Embedded Community Experience in September. I spent three days there. WHAT HAPPENED: I told the mayor, that once I stepped out of my car, I was hers. She took me at my word. The embedded…

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Artisan Pop Up

Every year Sidney, Iowa hosts a rodeo. People come from all over to attend and enjoy SW Iowa. It’s a big deal. Sidney is a pretty small town, about 1,100 people. Professional cowboys come to this rodeo to compete in this four day event. There’s carnival rides, bucking broncos and lots of cowboys! This year…

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The future of retail

  McKenzie reports that by 2020 1/3 of the worlds markets will be emerging. Retail stores will need to be leaner, denser and more in touch with their digital channels. When it’s so easy to shop online, it’s obviously affected the brick and mortar stores. Did you know 44% of those surveyed actually do product…

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Why pay for a speaker?

I often get asked “why should we pay for you to come? Our mayor (or business owner or local politician) will do it free.” Let me answer that for you. Keynote speakers should be considered an investment in your event and community. They will provide a great experience and your attendees – which should be…

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Harvest Tour

6 bloggers came to Franklin County Iowa for the first Harvest Tour. The tour guides took them to the REA Plant and Museum (first farmer owned electricity plant in the United States), the Old Stone House (built in 1854) and Maynes Grove Lodge for some wine and food and mingling on the first day. Adam…

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WTF

Wrench That Fits Kickstarter is this site where inventors can raise money to back their projects. It’s a real grassroots kind of thing, and those of us in small towns are very familiar with grass roots fundraising. People will give if it’s a worthwhile project. Lots of things get done when local, small town people…

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Why Toilet Paper?

Buy One Product Local Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce created the Buy One Product Local Campaign. The strategy was to use toilet paper as the product focus for this campaign. Toilet paper was chosen because it is a product that is universally consumed. Toilet paper is also a product that is readily available from…

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Great use of an empty building

Kathy Bohn-Bagley of Bohn’s Bones Arts, LLC and Art Spot located at 46 S 1st St E, Malta, MT 59538 shared a story with me about an empty building. I thought you’d like to hear it too!  Milk River Contractors, Inc., headed by Mark Ereaux, conceived of taking an empty building in Downtown Malta, Phillips County,…

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