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If they want to lead, empower them to lead

By Paula Jensen

Guest Post by Paula Jensen Leaders are the essence of small towns and rural communities. The success or failure of any housing, community or economic development efforts in the places we call home often rests upon the level of engagement and investment of local citizen leaders. Yet, in so many communities I work in across […]

April 27, 2019 Filed Under: community, rural, youth Tagged With: #Iamrural, change, emerging leaders, leadership, Paula Jensen, rural, trends

Solving the rural Brain Drain at Career Day

By Small Biz Survival

Guest post by Jimi Coplen  Executive Director, Development Corporation of Haskell, Texas In rural America, we know the “Brain Drain” is a real issue. We do a great job educating our kids, teaching them good work ethic, and turning them into amazing adults. Then, they leave for college, never to be seen again. Employers are left […]

January 7, 2019 Filed Under: economic development, rural, workforce, youth Tagged With: boomerang, brain drain, career day, guest post, in migration, out migration, recruiting, return to rural, rural population

Build Tomorrow’s Community Business Sector

By Glenn Muske

Future business owner

Want a strong local economy? Then it should come as no surprise that you need a continuous flow of new businesses. That message is one that we hear often and loudly in both rural and urban areas. New businesses help grow the economy. They also employee workers, spend money, borrow money, and are often active […]

October 24, 2018 Filed Under: economic development, entrepreneurship, rural, youth

From kids with summer jobs to kids with summer businesses with these small town business ideas

By Becky McCray

  Norfolk County, Ontario, is home to dozens of real businesses started by kids in grades 6 through 12, part of their Student Start Up project. Kids can apply with a simple “business plan” template and may receive $200 in start up funds to kick them off. This year (2018), they funded 39 student entrepreneurs. […]

August 6, 2018 Filed Under: economic development, entrepreneurship, ideas, rural, youth

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