Author: Becky McCray

In the high-pressure realm of economic development, the idea of self-employment gets a bad rap. In this view, entrepreneurs who start companies and grow them big are good, but people who create employment only for themselves are bad. I disagree. I think self-employment is terrific, especially in small towns. Admittedly, I’m biased because I’m self-employed. Have…

This is an email exchange I had yesterday that I thought you might be able to use or learn from, too. I’ve withheld names and town details, but otherwise have not edited it.  Becky, We are very interested in your professional opinion on any research or experience on the success of these small theaters in…

Rural business isn’t the same as urban business, and rural places are always changing. Those two facts are why I issue a report on rural business trends. And you get the first look, right here. ============================================Download the PDF or EPUB version here. ============================================Share this reportPlease do share this report with your email list, post it on your own…

I’m not much on resolutions, but John C. Shepard, planner from Wyoming, said something that caught my attention: “Implementation is my watch-word for 2014.”  That deceptively simple sentence could change everything for us this year. What if you made implementation your watch word? You’d choose to act now, instead of waiting for the perfect time, or the perfect…

I’m not official. I’m not sanctioned by any organization. I don’t hold any economic development credentials or chamber certification. I’m not an academic, and I haven’t authored any scholarly papers. I have not conducted any scientific research. My businesses are nothing special. I don’t hold a seat on any local boards or commissions. I’m barely…

Three things hit me today that made me think the theme this week is “technology gets us beyond boundaries.” 1. You can live the life you want anywhere in the world.That’s from the introduction to Navigating Social Media: A Field Guide from our rural friends at 9 Clouds.  “When you are digitally literate, you are no longer…

In my travels, I’be been refining my latest hypothesis of small towns:  Sometimes it takes an outside perspective to see what’s really going on.  You know you’ve heard (or maybe said): We tried that once. That’s not how we do things here. That wouldn’t work here because… We can’t because we’re just a …  Each…

Today, I finished my last speaking event for 2013. (Whew!) So I’m taking time to reconnect with you. I’ve missed talking with you! You know that I’m writing a 7 week series on The 7 Most Common Weaknesses of Local Shops, and what we’re all going to do about them. Here’s the list so far:…

I have several random topics this week. (Does it sound better if I say it’s like a topic sampler?) Wait! I just figured out the connection: It’s time for us to look ahead. 1. Upcoming TravelI’m going to be out of town the next several weeks, visiting communities and speaking in Ardmore, Oklahoma; Simcoe, Ontario,…

When you’re trying to make a positive difference in your rural place, it can feel like you’re the only one in the world. This week, I heard from Triona Walsh, in Roscrea, Co Tipperary in Ireland. She’s there on a temporary post as an “Animator”, charged with making big changes and building the capacity of…

It’s the start of October. For a retail store owner like me, that means getting ready for the holidays kicks into a higher gear. Our annual supplier trade show is this weekend. (And let me tell you, the liquor trade show is more fun than the average trade show.) Holiday gift sets are already arriving,…

Do you remember the “Copy and Paste Towns” discussion from a few weeks ago? I mentioned how national chains want to “copy and paste” their standard template on your town. No one wants their small town to end up looking just like every other town and suburb. And we don’t want national chains to be…