Posts Tagged ‘entrepreneurship’

Why rural communities need artists

August 20th, 2010

If I were in charge of giving out awards at the Midwest Rural Assembly, I’d give Becky McCray the “Best Tweet” award.  While listening to Deb Marquart speak about the role of artists in communities, Becky tweeted:

“Grow more artists, not just corn and athletes. Artists are the ones who reimagine a place, help create the future. Deb Marquart #mra10“

And if I were able to give out a “Most Insightful” award, I’d give it to Deb Marquart.  I’ve been thinking about the role of the arts as an economic development strategy lately, but Marquart tuned me onto another potential impact artists can make.  We need artists to help us solve the significant problems facing rural communities.

Marquart described artists as problem solvers, with a gift for looking at the world differently than the rest of us.  We need artists to bring those problem solving skills and perspective to the table as we deal with the economic and social challenges confronting our rural communities.  It’s key to helping us reimagine our futures. 

There was a lot of wisdom in Marquart’s words, so I attempted to recapture some of it in a short interview following her presentation.  You can watch that video below.

 

(Source:  “Deb Marquart on Why Rural Communities need Artists,” Youtube, Rural Learning Center, Aug. 16, 2010)

I think Marquart is right in her assessment of artists, especially if it includes a wide definition of the term.  Sadly, our communities don’t include artists enough in our community work.  Even worse, we make little effort to cultivate their development in our schools and communities. 

Later in the day, I participated in a discussion about the importance of teaching entrepreneurship to young people.  It was at that moment that I began to think about potential connections between artists and entrepreneurs.

Similar to the way Marquart views artists, I’ve always looked at entrepreneurs as problem solvers; they see an economic problem and attempt to find a business solution.  It’s got me thinking there’s a connection between teaching art and teaching entrepreneurship.  Perhaps programs and classes that cultivate artists could help grow more entrepreneurs, and vice-versa. 

Whether it’s artists, entrepreneurs, or someone else, we need to harness the energy and skills of people who bring a different perspective to the table and are good at overcoming obstacles.  Our reimagined future depends on it.

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Broadband: An entrepreneurial requirement

July 28th, 2010

I’ve been thinking about broadband a bit lately with the approaching Midwest Rural Assembly.  Spreading broadband to more rural communities was front-and-center at last years’ Assembly.  I’m sure it will be a hot topic again this year.

Broadband helps Break Barriers of Distance

Those of us who live and work in rural communities know the importance of high speed Internet connections.  Because of it, the barriers of distance are broken and more businesses are possible in small towns.  In fact, just the other week I met with an entrepreneur from Howard, SD whose business would not be possible without it.  The owner has an engineering background, and he needs the Internet to connect with clients around the country.  He’s a creative guy and wants to live in a rural community.  Without broadband, he might have to consider moving to a city.

Howard is lucky to have high-speed Internet, but not all rural places are that lucky.  My experience in rural economic development tells me that those communities who lack broadband access have little opportunity to attract entrepreneurs.  And without entrepreneurs, they have little future.

Digging into broadband access in South Dakota, I learned that 81% of South Dakotans currently have high speed access.  sources: (Broadband for America)  That will increase with the latest round of federal funding recently announce (link), but I doubt it reaches the current access rates in Finland, where 96% has high speed access.  (source:  “Finland makes Broadband a legal right,” BBC News, July 1, 2010)

 

More Can Be Done

It is in the long-term interest of the US to spread broadband access to every small town, so more people like my entrepreneur friend, can live where they choose without being limited to densely populated, and therefore connected, areas. Finland’s move to make access to broadband a “right” is dramatic (although mostly symbolic, since, as previously stated, 96% are already connected) proclamation that broadband is the way of the future; a statement that I strongly agree with.

What is important for us to focus on is that rural communities need to foster entrepreneurial economies, and those entrepreneurial economies require broadband access.   Lack of broadband access is like a death sentence for any community, large or small.  And that’s something nobody wants to see.

 

Note:  Broadband for America’s mission is “to make broadband access to the Internet available to every household in the nation….”  The map on their homepage makes it easy see to how accessible broadband is on a state-by-state basis.  You may also want to check out their blog.

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No outdoor amenities: What do you do?

July 16th, 2010

If you live in a rural region with natural amenities, you’re in luck.  According to a study titled “The Rural Growth Trifecta: Outdoor Amenities, Creative Class and Entrepreneurial Context,” rural communities with natural amenities are positioned well to grow a knowledge economy.  Unfortunately, the study paints a bleaker picture for rural communities who don’t possess those amenities.  Sadly, that’s most of the rural Midwest where I live.  It leaves me wondering: could the future of our rural communities be decided simply because we are sans mountainous views or serene beaches?

The Study

At its core, the study (conducted by scholars David McGranahan and Timothy Wojan of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Dayton Lambert of the University of Tennessee) attempts to better understand the opportunities for economic growth in rural communities by examining the synergies created by connecting outdoor amenities, talent, and entrepreneurship.

There’s a lot of good stuff in the article, but I’ll just highlight the major points for now.

I’ve been wrestling with the findings of this study for over a week.  Deep in my heart, I know that rural communities who don’t possess loads of natural amenities can become places where talented people want to live.  I had hoped to conclude this post with advice for communities with low amenities.    But I’m not ready to offer that quite yet. 

One comment I will make today, however, is that talent attraction in rural communities without abundant natural amenities needs to look different than talent attraction in those communities with abundant amenities - much like urban and rural talent attraction strategies must follow different forms.  But the devil will be in the details. 

So, I’m curious what you think.  Whether it’s a gut reaction or an example of a low-amenity rural community that breaks the mold, your thoughts would be appreciated.  It’s too important of an issue for us to not talk about.

Update:  Cory Heidelberger at Madville Times has provided some analysis on the subject.  Check out his post titled “Boost Rural Entrepreneurship:  Build Bike Trails.” 

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Hood River Biz Buzz

June 7th, 2010

Last week I wrote a post suggesting rural communities should conduct video interviews of entrepreneurs in their communities as a way of showcasing local businesses and building their community’s brand as a great place for entrepreneurs.  A couple days ago I stumbled across a blog that’s doing something very similar.

Hood River Biz Buzzrepresents the community of Hood River, OR (pop. 5831 according to the 2010 Census).  The blog’s “About” page offers the following as its purpose: 

A big part of what makes Hood River special is the vital business scene. Frustrated with the lack of local media attention to business news, I thought that a blog would be a good first step to share what I learn in my various work and volunteer activities.”

Peruse its posts and you will discover articles featuring local businesses, upcoming community events, and the latest news.  It’s a bit more expansive and eclectic than what I was talking about the other day, but I think that’s what makes it so fun and interesting.  It definitely leaves me with an impression that Hood River is a place I’d enjoy.

Stu Watson, the blog’s publisher, is a professional journalist with over thirty years of experience.  The blog, however, is a volunteer activity and a display of his love for his community. 

When I called on people to interview entrepreneurs in their community, I had in mind community volunteers being engaged in the project.  After all, that’s who gets the work done in most of the rural communities in our part of the country. 

If your community has someone with Stu’s experience, I’d highly recommend you engage him or her in the effort.  If not, look for other alternatives.

I like the idea that Rebecca Terk left as a comment on my blog post:

I do think this is the kind of project that community volunteers could pull off with some assistance, but I also think that group of volunteers has to be diverse enough in order to be able to identify different facets of the entrepreneurial efforts in the community.

I wonder if it’s also something that could be accomplished in a media/journalism course (do they still have such courses?) on a high school level if the school had faculty savvy in this area. That ties in young people and what they see as valuable/cool/attractive about a community (the promotion of which could attract more young people to the community).”

I love the idea of youth engagement.  I can see the project being a perfect match for a media/journalism course or even a business class for that matter.  It’s also an opportunity for community volunteers to contribute their knowledge to young people.  I know most educators would welcome a volunteer with knowledge of video production expertise in their classroom.

Whether it’s a blog like Hood River Biz Buzz or a series of video interviews with student involvement, I hope you find a way to lift up entrepreneurs and build a stronger brand for your rural community. 

Note:  I discovered Hood River Biz Buzz in a blog post by Rural Tourism Marketing, another excellent resource.

Photo Credit:  BillFromSpokane - Flickr

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4 Reasons to Interview Entrepreneurs

May 26th, 2010

Have you ever thought about conducting video interviews with entrepreneurs in your rural community and posting them to YouTube?

One organization to do just this is the Prince Edward/Lennox & Addington Community Futures Development Corporation (PELA CFDC).  I recently stumbled across a video interview (embedded below) with the owners of the Prince Edward County Lavender Farm.  It led me to discover a series of interviews with entrepreneurs on the PELA CFDC YouTube channel. 

PELA CFDC is a community based non-profit corporation focused on encouraging entrepreneurship and economic development. 

I’m not sure what goals PELA intended for the videos, but I’d offer the following 4 reasons your rural community should strongly consider interviewing entrepreneurs and uploading them to YouTube. 

1) Entrepreneurs deserve all the attention they can get. Being an entrepreneur is no easy task, and rural communities often forget to celebrate them. This is one easy way for you to help them receive the attention they deserve.

2) Asking their stories will help connect the entrepreneur to your community. Hugh Weber does a nice job of explaining how this works in a post titled “When their story becomes your story.” Hugh tells the story of being interviewed by Mutual of Omaha last summer, and explains how he “developed a fondness” for the company as a result of sharing his story with them. I think enabling entrepreneurs to share their stories will produce similar results. (source: Hugh Weber, “When their story becomes your story: Mutual of Omaha’s AHA moment,’ We Discover Stories, April 28, 2010.)

3) It’s a great way to showcase entrepreneurship as a part of your community’s brand. Many communities try to sell this concept by telling people, “Entrepreneurs love our community because we’re a great place to do business.” I’m seldom convinced. I’d much prefer to hear stories from the entrepreneurs themselves.

4) It’s easier to accomplish than you think. PELA CFDC hired a production company for their project and the videos definitely were well done. If hiring a production company is something you can’t afford, I’d encourage you to produce the videos yourself. Purchase (or borrow) a high resolution video camera, find a computer with free or low-cost video editing software, and teach yourself to produce a video. I’ve learned how to do it myself…and if I can do it, anyone can.

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Cameron Herold on Youth Entrepreneurship

May 3rd, 2010

Let me preface this blog post by saying, I’ve got nothing against lawyers.  When a person needs legal advice, they are a guy or gal’s best friend.  But I have to agree with Cameron Herold when he says:

 I think we should be raising kids to be entrepreneurs, instead of lawyers.   And unfortunately, the school system is grooming this world to say ‘hey let’s be a lawyer or a doctor’…no one ever says, ‘let’s be an entrepreneur’.”  (Source:  Cameron Herold, TEDxEdmonton video presentation, embedded below)

Cameron Herold made the statement during a TEDx Edmonton  presentation back in March 2010.  Herold, a serial entrepreneur turned business coach, goes on in the presentation to say that he believes young people are capable of solving all the world’s problems if adults would only help them embrace entrepreneurial thinking. 

 

 

What skills do kids need to be entrepreneurs?

Towards the end of his presentation, Herold identifies the skills sets of entrepreneurs that he thinks need to be taught in schools.  I took a screen shot from the video and have embedded his list below. 

 

(Source:  TEDxEdmonton video presentation, embedded above)

It’s a great list because these are skills that can be taught across all academic disciplines - not just in business class. 

For instance, I think that any high school English class could include a unit on “personal branding.”  Students could learn to be creative and position their personal assets while improving their writing skills.  And to top it off, students could use what they learn about branding regardless of what career path they choose. 

Let’s share some stories

That’s just one example, and it addressed two of the skills Herold identified. And I’m sure there are better, more creative, examples of what some teachers are already doing.

For that reason, I’d like to issue a little challenge.  If you know of creative educators who are already teaching entrepreneurial skills, please take a moment and share their stories.  And if you don’t have time to write about it, just post a comment or send me an email.  I’ll try to uncover the story. 

I’m convinced that sharing stories of talented educators who teach entrepreneurial skills is the first step in convincing rural community leaders and educators that teaching entrepreneurship is possible-even in small schools with limited resources.  

As Herold infers, our world may depend on it.

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Jack Schultz: It’s about entrepreneurship

April 12th, 2010

People love lists, and Jack Schultz has the ultimate list for rural economic development professionals:  7 1/2 Keys to Success in Small Towns.  If you haven’t heard, it’s worth reading. 

But which one is “The One”?  In other words, if a community had to choose, which one should it focus on?

Jack the evangelist

Last Thursday (April 8), Jack spoke to a group of community residents and students on the University of South Dakota campus.  I was already on campus working on another project, so I couldn’t resist crashing the party. 

Jack delivered what I expected; he evangelized on behalf of small towns, telling the audience to incorporate his 7 1/2 principles into their development effort.  I bought his book on its first printing, so I was familiar with his principles and stories.   It’s good stuff.

What impressed me most, however, was Jack’s statement that Principle #5: Encouraging an Entrepreneurial Approach is probably the most important development strategy for small towns to follow.  I didn’t get his exact quote, but Jack emphasized growth through entrepreneurship because the odds of landing a business through recruitment is slim.  For instance, last year there were only around 200 significant “smokestack chasing” projects in the entire country, and tens of thousands of communities were pursuing them.  In that light, growing your own entrepreneurs looks like a pretty good idea! 

What’s Jack doing about it?

Part of the reason Jack is a hit on the speaker trail is that he’s done it. Dating back to the 1980s, Jack has been helping his hometown of Effingham, Illinois (pop. 12,384) with its economic development initiatives.  When asked about the community’s entrepreneurship efforts, he responded by describing a recent initiative he’s been involved with. 

Here are the basics:

Listening to Jack, I could hear his passion for this project.  He claimed the training would be transformational, and I’m inclined to believe him.  Jack volunteered to share more information with anyone who was interested;  he’s already responded to my request with an e-mail.  Reading it has inspired additional questions, and I hope Jack (and others) will have some time to answer them.  As I learn more, I promise to share. 

Entrepreneurship education.  It’s something all rural communities need to learn more about. 

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Gen Y Entrepreneurship: Nick Graham Style

April 7th, 2010

Nick Graham has struck again.  Now, 21 years-old, Nick recently purchased the Nodaway Valley Market in Fontanelle, IA; his third grocery store in small town Iowa.

I wrote briefly about Nick in January 2009, almost three years after he had purchased his first grocery store in Truman, MN at age seventeen.  He went on to buy two additional stores before selling them off because another grocer made him a “good offer.” 

According to Kyle Munson in the Des Moines Register, Nick has jumped back into the grocery business with the purchase of three stores in the Iowa communities of Fontanelle, Pomeroy and Rolfe.  His efforts prompted one of his employees to say:

“Holy cow,” Debbie Frank says Wednesday from behind the cash register. Just hearing Nick’s resume “makes me think I’ve done nothing with my life!” (Source: Kyle Munson, Des Moines Register, “Munson: Iowa grocery tycoon, 21, builds small-town business,” April 2, 2010),

In my original article, I suggest Nick was “just another typical Millennial” because many Gen Yers share his entrepreneurial spirit.  Obviously, Nick’s entrepreneurial spirit is on steroids.  But the point I wanted to make was that rural communities everywhere should be thinking about how they can tap into young people by supporting their entrepreneurial spirit. 

Although I’ve never met Nick, the Des Moines Register article helps me see some additional characteristics that Nick possesses.  I think they are worth lifting up for consideration. 

 

5 characteristics of Nick Graham’s entrepreneurial spirit

1. Live conservatively: A lot of young people spend money freely. Some rush into buying a fancy car, whiles others jump into homeownership; both leading them down a pathway to a lifetime of debt. Nick’s a homeowner himself. But rather than spend $150,000 - $250,000 on a starter home in a larger community, Nick purchased a four-bedroom house in Rolfe for $4,000.

2. Work hard: If you are ambitious, you’re going to end up working long hours to gain the success you want. The difference with Nick is that he’s putting in these hours for himself, rather than a boss or shareholders. In other words, he keeps the fruits of his hard work.

3. Find your muse & get started early: Nick’s first venture into business wasn’t the Truman grocery store. From the Des Moines Register article, we learn that The Adventures of Tom Sawyer inspired Nick to set up a lawn mowing business. My guess is that some of that money came in handy when buying his first grocery store.

4. Skip college: Ok, I don’t actually believe this is a good move for most young people, but it has worked for Nick. I suspect it’s because he’s found ways to teach himself the skills he needs for his business.

5. Don’t give up: Having never met Nick, I’m not sure what disappointments and failures he’s had to overcome, but one quote from the Des Moines Register article suggests he’s not a quitter: “Good things fall apart for better things to fall together.”

I’m inspired by Nick, and I hope you are too.  But more importantly, this is the type of story that I hope inspires young people.

Too often, the only stories young people in rural communities hear are about people who move away to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.  There’s nothing wrong with celebrating their success.  But it’s a travesty when we ignore those doing it in small, rural communities. 

 

Photo Credit:  Aplysa_06 - Flickr

 

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How are you supporting your future popcorn ball makers?

March 15th, 2010

I’ve seen them at every gas station in town.  They catch my eye every time, but I’d never tried one.  Until last week, that is.  That’s when I enjoyed my first Original Kimball Popcorn Ball.  Mike filled me in on the story of the Kimball Popcorn ball awhile back, and we discussed how we should share the story on the blog.  My first response was, “I need to try the popcorn ball!”  So, I stopped at my local Casey’s to purchase one for inspiration … I ended up buying three. 

But, there’s more to this story.  Because popcorn balls, especially those from Kimball, South Dakota, don’t just land on the shelves of our local convenience stores.  There’s the making of the popcorn balls, which I would guess is a difficult process in mass quantities. And then there’s the fact that the business owners have to decide to pursue a business and need to be supported by community, proper facilities and a productive workforce.    As it turns out, it’s quite a story. 

 

The big decision

The owners of The Original Kimball Popcorn Ball, LLC didn’t set out to make popcorn balls.  Lee Pulse and Scott Handel (two of the owners) owned and operated a hunting and fishing guide service in Kimball, South Dakota.  When a convenience store became available a few years ago, they purchased it.  Popcorn balls were part of the deal. 

The business’ previous owner made homemade popcorn balls to sell out of the store’s kitchen.  Lee and Scott continued this practice, tinkering with the recipe as time went by.  Meanwhile the popcorn balls gained a reputation and grew in popularity.  Lee’s brother, Eric Pulse, and another partner Dennis Husman entered the picture as thoughts of expansion emerged. 

Despite a seemingly high demand, the decision to move into production full time wasn’t an easy one.  A special request from a hospital patient who loved the popcorn balls gave the business team the final push they needed.  And today, they ship The Original Kimball Popcorn Ball to convenience and specialty food stores across the country.   Six full time employees are employed out of the facility the company leases in Kimball, South Dakota.

 

How is your community supporting its future entrepreneurs?

The four partners that make up The Original Kimball Popcorn Ball LLC made their decision to pursue a business opportunity based on some market demand information and previous business experience.  But what if the future entrepreneurs in your community don’t have that information?  What would it take to help them make a successful leap into popcorn ball making, gear box remanufacturing or hair styling? 

These questions are being answered differently in communities across South Dakota and the region, but here are a couple of great examples:

Deuel Area Development (DAD), a development organization based in Deuel County, SD is in the process of developing an entrepreneurship program that relies on an Area Resource Team to provide targeted, specific assistance to entrepreneurs.  The Resource Team is made up of a variety of individuals with specific skills and experiences needed to help budding entrepreneurs (resource team members include lenders, lawyers, engineers, etc.).  DAD is also developing marketing materials and strategy to reach potential entrepreneurs in their region.

The Dakota Rising program partners local communities with start-up phase entrepreneurs to begin building capacity and relationships to encourage rural entrepreneurship.  The program is unique in a few ways; first, the program intentionally builds relationships with communities who then seek out area entrepreneurs.  Second, the program develops a strong social network among the entrepreneurs so they can learn from, and lean on one another.  During the 2009 National Economic Gardening Conference, one participant of the program described that “entrepreneurs need other entrepreneurs.”  This program is delivering that need for a number of entrepreneurs in South Dakota. 

I guess the bottom line is that there are many ways to help find and support potential entrepreneurs in your community, and no one program will work for every community.  Eric Pulse’s inspiration shared in the post Still Wondering What If…? applies to rural communities as well.  Rural communities can’t afford to let potential entrepreneurs sit back and wonder “what if?”

 

 

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Symbols of Entrepreneurial Spirit

February 26th, 2010

I believe in the power of symbols.  The wind turbines we put up in Miner County back in 2001 served as a symbol of inspiration as we “reimagined” the future of our rural community.  They became a powerful visible reminder of the work we were trying to accomplish.

I was reminded of the power of symbols yesterday during two presentations at the Launch10, an entrepreneurship conference by Dakota Wesleyan University.  The first reminder came from keynote speaker Sheena Lindahl, and the second came from three young South Dakota entrepreneurs, Matt Douglas, Matt Smart, and Lezlie Kaitfors.  Both presentation offered symbols of entrepreneurship and success for the largely college-aged crowd in attendance — but in very different ways.

Sheena’s presentation revolved around taking limited resources and turning them into something big.  To make her point, she drew on her personal story of growing up in poverty in rural New Hampshire (or Vermont, I forget which). 

Sheena described herself as an average high school student who always wanted to go to New York City, despite being afraid of it.  Facing her fears (a common theme throughout the day), Sheena enrolled at New York University and hopped on the bus for NYC - even though she didn’t have the money to pay for the semester.  Through determination and hard work, she consistently overcame every obstacle put in her path.  Today she’s a Gen Y entrepreneur rock star. She’s definitely someone every young person in the audience can aspire to become.

While a symbol herself, what struck me most about her presentation was how NYC served as the symbol that inspired her.  She was going to “make it” in New York City, and that thought drove her.  

Although unintentional, I’m afraid that young people in the audience may also interpreted NYC as a symbol for success.  In other words, they have to go off to the big city to achieve their dreams of entrepreneurial success.  Maybe that’s just my interpretation, and I know Sheena didn’t intend it.  But as a rural community fanatic, I worry about the constant messaging that preaches this idea.

Personally, I was more inspired by the round table involving the young South Dakota entrepreneurs.  After briefly highlighting their personal stories, the session turned into a question and answer period.  In contrast to other speakers during the day, these three entrepreneurs were not polished presenters who made their living telling others how to become entrepreneurs.  They shared an authentic and inspirational message about what it’s like to be young South Dakotan entrepreneurs. 

I was particularly struck by how well they answered a question about what South Dakota high schools should be doing to help develop future entrepreneurs.  I want to share their responses with you:

Through these and other answers, the three reminded the audience that young people don’t have to go out of state to be successful entrepreneurs.  That’s a message that excited me!

But what’s more powerful?  Images of NYC or stories of young people?  I’m afraid that NYC’s visibility is naturally more powerful.  I guess that’s where Sheena’s message of overcoming adversity comes back into play.  Those of us with a passion for South Dakota have a responsibility to share stories of successful South Dakota entrepreneurs. 

In the future, we’ll try to do a better job of that here at ReImagine Rural.

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