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Surviving the Peaks and Valleys of Seasonal Small Business in a Rural Ski Town

By Small Biz Survival

A group of skiers in colorful outfits on snowy slopes. Banners in Japanese script are in the foreground.

Part of our Global Entrepreneurship Week celebration Nov 13-19, 2023. Guest post by Mike Humphrey, Japan Skiing has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I don’t know why my parents decided skiing would be our family sport. They were not avid skiers, and we didn’t live in a ski […]

November 17, 2023 Filed Under: entrepreneurship, global, management, POV, rural, tourism, workforce Tagged With: building a business, entrepreneurship, GEW, Global Entrepreneurship Week, good management practices, guest post, hospitality business, management, rural, seasonal business, small business success

Turn free advice requests into paying clients

By Becky McCray

Becky McCray is talking with a woman with dark skin and hair who cradles her head on one hand while thinking.

Years ago, Thursday Bram asked me some questions about how freelancers and other consulting and professional folks can avoid giving away too much of their knowledge for free. Her article at Freelance Switch is no longer online, so I thought it was time to share it here, as well. Here’s some of my best advice […]

October 3, 2023 Filed Under: entrepreneurship, marketing, rural Tagged With: building a business, coaching, consulting, freelancing, selling services, service businesses

How to start a real small small business

By Becky McCray

Small Steps with kettle corn

  Your fellow reader Ava asked a great question: If I am already working, in school, and wanting to start up just a real small small business, then how would that work differently from someone who is coming from a completely different stand point, like not working or in school and is just generally starting […]

December 17, 2021 Filed Under: entrepreneurship, planning, rural, youth Tagged With: building a business, business ideas, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, part time businesses, rural, side gigs, side hustle, side hustles, small business

Rural business idea: sell foraged fruits and more

By Becky McCray

Several apples on a tree, closeup

By Becky McCray Need an idea for your next small town or rural business? This one would make a good side hustle: Gather and resell fruit that would otherwise be wasted. Think of all the fruit, berries and nuts that no one picks, especially in yards and public spaces in your town. You don’t have […]

August 3, 2021 Filed Under: economic development, entrepreneurship, ideas, rural Tagged With: building a business, business ideas, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, farmers markets, food business, food ecosystem, foodpreneur, local food, local food system, outdoors jobs, part time businesses, rural, side gigs, side hustles, small business

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