Why I’d like to feed business plan competitions to the sharks 

I’m not a big fan of business plan or startup competitions. I especially don’t like shark-style pitch competitions. I do love that you’re taking action to support more startups and entrepreneurs. I like that you’re including training and support for everyone who participates. I can even live with the package of services you’re awarding as…

No more talking ideas to death. Cut straight to the test ✂✂✂

I heard from a reader who, along with some others, wanted to promote her community online. We talked a bit, and I said to test their ideas online right away.  Start by taking a photo that shows the way you want people to see your town, maybe dress it up in your favorite graphics program,…

Want to rebuild your community? Start selling

You’ve probably heard me say this one before: The best way to save your town is to start your own small business.  I have four reasons that back that up:  You’ll decide what values to put first More small businesses means more jobs* Locally-owned businesses are the key to local prosperity* You’ll return more of what…

“Take Small Steps” doesn’t mean just any small step ???

You’ve heard me talk about “Take Small Steps” before. It’s part of the Idea Friendly framework. It’s how you and the crowd accomplish the big vision you have for your community. But not every small step is an Idea Friendly Small Step.  Here’s an example. When Deb worked at a chamber of commerce, they were…

What do you think about diagonal parking? ??

During a downtown walk-through, a woman picked a quiet moment to ask me a side question.  “What do you think about diagonal parking?” she asked.  I allowed that I had no opinion on it.  “Oh. I thought in your travels you might have found… from other towns…” she said.  That’s when I stopped the entire…