In the latest episode of the Rural Business Show, we head to King, North Carolina—a small bedroom community just outside of Winston-Salem—to speak with a veteran of the horticultural industry - Judy Mitchell, co-founder and CEO of Mitchell’s Nursery and Greenhouse. Judy and her husband, Jim, founded the business in 1979, as a necessity after Jim lost his job due to … [Read more...]
Beyond boom and bust: Building sustainable growth in rural towns
Take it to the bank. A rural board meeting somewhere is grappling with the question of growth. These passionate discussions happen constantly in small towns. On one side are those who do not want their community to become a metropolis. On the other are those who want to see new infrastructure, services and economic opportunities. Every community changes. Look back 10 years … [Read more...]
Small Business Saturday? How about Small Business Every Day?
News articles throughout the U.S. each Thanksgiving week promote “Small Business Saturday.” It’s the day following “Black Friday,” when consumers are encouraged to support local, independent retailers with their Christmas shopping dollars. Farm Bureau Financial Services (FBFS) reports that American Express launched the promotion in 2010 “to help small businesses … [Read more...]
Episode 53: The Rural Philanthropy Gap
While rural communities contribute so much to our nation, they receive a disproportionately small share of philanthropic dollars. The numbers are stark: rural areas make up 20% of the US population, yet they only receive around 7% of the nation's philanthropic giving. This disparity has real consequences for these vital communities. We're not just talking about a lack of … [Read more...]
Building Stability: This Nonprofit is Transforming Affordable Housing in Moab
Moab, Utah has seen its fair share of boom times. First it was the uranium boom in the 1960s and 70s, when prospectors flooded Moab to mine the nuclear fuel, and trailer camps dotted the desert landscape. Then it was the tourism boom of the 2010s, when the Mighty Five campaign drew visitors from near and far to Utah’s five stunning, red-rock national parks. However, … [Read more...]