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101+
Quips, Quotes
and Concepts for
Sustainable Small
Town Development
101+ Quips, Quotes and Concepts for
Sustainable Small Town Development
A number of factors challenge our small communities. Manufacturing operations that would have sought a low-cost location in
a rural area 25 years ago are now locating their plants offshore.
There are fewer job prospects, and many small communities are
losing key segments of their population, particularly younger
adults. Yet, small towns and rural areas still have an attraction
and some communities are responding with a new approach
to economic development. They are focusing on creating jobs
– rather than just hoping to attract them – and finding ways to
make their communities unique, interesting and inviting as places
to live and work.
Edited by Allan Hooper
Consumers Energy
September 2007
1. “ In an Information
Age, leadership, not
location, is the most
important factor in
community survival.”
Heartland Center for Leadership Development
2. Some humor – You know you
live in a small town when you
think the people in the city
dress funny, but then you pick
up on the trends a few years
later.
3. Some humor – “The smaller the
town, the better the food and the
more you get.” Gayden Metcalfe
4. O n our changing small
towns – “If we could take a
time machine back to small
towns in the 1960s and the
1970s, we would find a relatively prosperous environment.
While small towns faced
challenges, many communities
enjoyed robust and healthy local
economies. Many farmers were
prospering, local factories were
winning new orders, and small
town main streets were full of
shops and restaurants. Fast-forward to 2003 and we find that
many of these old economic
anchors no longer exist or
have been greatly weakened.
Modernization of agriculture
has led to consolidation on the
farm. Globalization and new
technologies have made it difficult for many manufacturers
to maintain operations in the
U.S. Bank consolidations have
led to closure of many local
banks, and the rise of Wal-Mart
and other big box retailers have
made life more challenging for
Main Street businesses.” Grassroots Entrepreneurship: Best Practices for Small
Communities
101+ Quips, Quotes and Concepts for
Sustainable Small Town Development
5. O n local business commitment
to the community – “Who
advertises in the high school
newspaper? Who sponsors
Little League baseball teams?
Who donates their facilities for
a youth group car wash? Who
stays in town and who transfers
out? Who has roots and who
passes through? Whose first
interest is the local community
and whose interest is where corporate is located? ... More and
more data indicate that small
and locally owned businesses
make indispensable contributions to communities and neighborhoods, particularly smaller
ones.” National Federation of Independent
Business (NFIB) Small Business Policy Guide
anonymous smaller firms that
are carrying the burden in the
older sections of our country
— and the lion’s share in the
growing areas as well.” David Birch,
The Job Generation Process
8. On “civic” entrepreneurs – Increasingly the entrepreneurial
talent in rural communities is
critically important if innovative
answers are to be found. We
need not only business-oriented
entrepreneurs but also civic entrepreneurs committed to building new approaches to health
care, education, transportation
and even recreation.
Don Macke, RUPRI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship
9. On communities looking within
6. O n niches for small town busifor their futures – “While there
nesses – “Some small towns are
discovering that the combination of small, adaptable firms,
immediate access to market
information on the Internet and
support from state and federal
trade development programs
have opened up exports as a real
opportunity for small, as well
as large, businesses.” Harvesting
Hometown Jobs
7. On sources of new jobs –
“Small firms, despite their difficulties in obtaining capital and
their inherently higher death
rates are still, on balance, the
major generators of new jobs
in our economy and, in slower
growing areas, the only significant provider. Any economic
development policy aimed at
stimulating job growth must
come to grips with this reality.
It is not the relatively few large
corporations, about which we
hear so much in the press, that
are bringing stability to older
areas. It is the thousands of
•5•
is no single template that will
succeed in all communities,
there is a single perspective
that makes sense: Look within.
Small towns cannot count on
business recruitment or outside
investment to lift them up. They
will have to do it themselves by
building on the skills and talent
already existing in their community. This homegrown strategy will be based on supporting
local entrepreneurs – nurturing
people with dreams and a plan
to start new businesses or to
expand existing businesses.”
Grassroots Rural Entrepreneurship, Best Practices
for Small Communities
10. The nice part about living in a
small town is that when you don’t
know what you’re doing, someone
else does.
Projected Trends for Agurbs
(Agurbs® are rural communities with populations of less
than 50,000 that have ties to agriculture and a location
outside a metropolitan statistical area).
1. Entrepreneurs – You can’t have enough of them.
The number of entrepreneurs will continue to rise.
The impact entrepreneurs have in the agurbs® will
continue to increase, growing jobs and contributing
to community lifestyles.
2. Arts and Culture – Communities focused on
becoming magnets for artists and working to
develop artisan cultures are creating a niche that
will not only attract more artisans, but tourists and
residents.
3. Downtowns – Communities need a vibrant area,
where a person can live and work, with amenities, social outlets and culture. The downtowns
will continue their come back from the run-down,
abandoned regions they have been in the past few
decades.
4. Recreational Land – Land that is suited to sport
and relaxation is becoming more valuable than
rich agricultural land in many areas. The first baby
boomer turned 60 January 1, 2006. This massive
wave of retirees is looking for spaces to spend their
golden years.
5. Brain Banks – Communities and regions are recognizing and reaching out to their brain banks. Local
alumni will become a better known and utilized
resource in 2006, with many communities working
to entice them to move back and benefit the community with their skills.
®
from the Boomtown Institute
6. Regionalism – Progressive communities are realizing that artificial borders set by surveyors in the
19th century are not how people are running businesses or deciding on where to live. A regional focus
on job creation and retention will continue to be
pivotal to many agurbs®. Competition will have to
subside and communities will have to leave behind
their silo mentalities.
7. Clusters – As globalization becomes stronger,
the advantages of agglomeration economies (i.e.,
clusters) become more profound. Clusters equal
synergies, synergy equals increased efficiencies,
efficiency equals competitiveness.
8. Community Foundations – The transfer of wealth
that will take place in the next decade is unprecedented. Capturing merely 2 percent to 5 percent
of that transfer will enable community transformations.
9. Internet – This medium is finally having the impact
that was predicted of it in the late 1990s. Communities with high-speed connectivity will be able to
grow their community and businesses by providing
new markets. A recent study showed that 750,000
Americans are making their livings on eBay, an
industry that didn’t even exist a decade ago.
10. Homesourcing – With broadband availability
in rural areas, work, not just workers, are mobile. Increasingly, companies are setting up call
centers and outsourcing work to rural areas, even
households.
11. “We want whatever happens to be our
choice and not something that happens to us.”
A Cheney, KS resident, from Clues to Rural Community Survival
•6•
12. O n the small town and rural
economy – Four economic
activity areas for future growth
in small towns include: (1) entrepreneurship, (2) value-added
processing and finishing (e.g.,
product agriculture), (3) tapping the digital economy and
(4) marketing the amenities of
scenery and space.
Mark Drabenstott, RUPRI Center for Regional
Competitiveness
13. O n retaining and strengthening downtowns – “In the newest era of this city’s history, the
Internet is propping up bricks
and mortar downtown, acting
as a mainstay for the stores
that have helped Manitowoc
(Wisconsin) establish what
development specialists call
a “recreational” shopping
experience. Indeed, besides
generating sales for giants
like Amazon, the Internet is
allowing small stores, here and
around the country, to develop
the niche products that shield
them against big-box retailers.” Keith Schneider
14. A quote – “Life in small towns
must be in line with and not in
lieu of the opportunities in the
cities. … Residents must be
able to enjoy small town living
without sacrificing economic
opportunity. … If people are
forced to choose between substandard living in a small town
and economic advancement
in the cities, they have demonstrated they will choose the
city.” Robert Shively, Economic Development
for Smaller Communities
15. S ome humor – “In small towns
as well as large, good people
outnumber the bad people by
100 to 1. In big towns the
100 are nervous. But in small
towns, it’s the one.” Paul Harvey
16. O n entrepreneurial temperament – Two CEO temperaments — in Myers-Briggs
Type Indicator® terminology,
the Sensing-Thinking-Judging
(STJ) and the IntuitiveThinking-Judging (NTJ) —
head up gazelle companies at
disproportionately high rates.
While only 25 percent of the
population, they account for
75 percent of the leadership
of growth companies. Economic
Gardening, Littleton, Colo.
business, building an entrepreneurial community takes a
long time. Small town leaders
can start small, with pilot projects and other demonstration
efforts. As these initial efforts
gain traction, new ideas and
initiatives can be thrown into
the mix. As these programs
begin to thrive, the community will be well on its way to
becoming a place where new
ventures and new entrepreneurs can grow and prosper.”
Grassroots Rural Entrepreneurship, Best Practices
for Small Communities
17. “The sun does not forget
a village just because it
is small.” African Proverb
18. A quote – “The small town
occupies a place in legend and
mythology. On the one hand
it is idealized and sentimentalized, all the more so as the
landscape becomes ever more
dominated by immense cities
and endlessly sprawling cookie-cutter suburbs; we look back
in longing to what we imagine
was a simpler and better time
when we lived in small places
with ‘a sense of community’
and ‘traditional values.’ On the
other hand, the small town has
long been ridiculed, especially among the intelligentsia,
for what is imagined to be
narrow-mindedness, conformity, insularity and prejudice;
from Sherwood Anderson and
Sinclair Lewis onward, writers
have made great sport at the
small town’s expense, and have
had a powerful effect on how
we perceive it.” Jonathon Yardley
19. O n creating entrepreneurfriendly communities – “…
there is no single policy and
no single action that directly
creates local entrepreneurs.
Much like building a new
•7•
20. On the out-migration of young
people – “In many rural communities, the out-migration of
young people is considered an
imminent threat, but we believe it is a challenge that can
be overcome. One response
is to create career opportunities that attract young people
back to rural areas.” HomeTown
Competitiveness
21. A quote – “Right now, in your
community, at this very moment, there is someone who is
dreaming about doing something to improve his/her lot.
If we could learn how to help
that person to transform the
dream into meaningful work,
we would be halfway to changing the economic fortunes of
the entire community.” Ernesto
Sirolli, Sirolli Institute for International Enterprise
Facilitation
22. A quote – “Communities that
are surviving in challenging
times are communities that are
smart enough to focus on what
they can control, rather than
worrying about all the forces
outside of their control.” Heartland Center for Leadership Development
23. Some humor – “A small town is
a place where there’s no place to
go where you shouldn’t.”
Burt Bacharach
8 Challenges for Community Leaders
from the Heartland Center for Leadership Development
1. Doing More With Less – Community needs and expectations increasingly exceed financial
resources. Leaders must be careful in planning and creative in fiscal management.
2. Mandates from Above – “Unfunded mandates” complicate the fiscal challenges of a community. Community leaders must join with others to increasingly bring the “local perspective” to the attention of state and federal officials.
3. The Rapids of Change – Change today comes at an increasingly faster pace and with
unpredictable complications.
4. Complexity of Issues – Everything is related to everything else, making it more difficult to
break complex challenges down into manageable parts.
5. Economic Realities – The economic ups and downs in any one community make it challenging to understand current conditions and put them in the context of future possibilities.
6. Social and Cultural Unrest –The influx of new residents changes what has been the status
quo for many communities. The interests of different groups may clash, developers vs. environmentalists, longtime residents vs. new groups be they different by age or ethic heritage.
7. Loss of Confidence in Institutions – Increasingly, citizens of all ages mistrust institutions
of government, office holders, corporate leaders, schools and news media.
8. Fear of “Assassination” – Today’s leaders must learn to live without constant approval.
Those who volunteer to lead may not always be respected or supported.
•8•
24. A quote – “Groups and
communities working collaboratively stimulate economic
development. This collaboration includes entrepreneurship education for youth and
adults, access to both capital
and financial networks, and
development of a community
culture that encourages, nurtures and raises the profile of
entrepreneurs.” Caroline Carpenter,
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
25. O n value of retirees to a
community – “The American
Association of Retirement
Communities estimates that
one relocating retiree can have
as great an economic impact
on a community as three to
four factory workers. The
logic is simple: retirees are,
in general, wealthier than
working people, and therefore
spend more money in the
community.” Robert Shively, Economic
Development for Smaller Communities
26. A quote – “Tired of trendiness
and materialism, Americans
are rediscovering the joys of
homelife, basic values and
roots. They’re rediscovering
sentimental movies, mixed
breed dogs, pot roast and
family reunions. … They’re
connecting with Higher Power.
They realize it’s time to enjoy
the little things, for one day we
may realize they were the big
things.” Marilyn and Tom Ross, Country
Bound - Trade Your Business Suit Blues for Blue
Jean Dreams
27. A quote – “There’s a lot more
business out there in small
town America than I ever
dreamed of.” Sam Walton
28, A quote – “In the 21st century, 34. On an entrepreneur’s need for
we will increasingly rely on
support – “The death of the
the lean and agile entrepreneurship of the small, growthoriented business – rather
than the resources, scale and
market size of the large corporation – to fuel our economic
growth through the creation of
jobs and innovative goods and
services.” The E Generation
29. Some humor – You know you
live in a small town when no
social events can be scheduled
when the school’s gym floor is
being varnished.
30. A quote – “We came to the
inescapable conclusion: our
towns are what their people
make them; the responsibility
for our future is our own.”
Phil R. Hockenberger, Sr.
31. Some humor – You know you
live in a small town when the
next town over is considered
“trashy” or “uppity” but is
actually just like your town.
32. A quote – “In a big city, you
often cannot get there from
here. In a small town you
can.” A Small Town and Rural Development
Conference Attendee
33. O n educating and motivating entrepreneurs – “Since
entrepreneurship is a learned
behavior, any young person
has the potential to become an
entrepreneur. Youth represent a massive population
of potential entrepreneurs.
The question is whether we
are educating and motivating young people to become
employees or entrepreneurs.”
entrepreneur is solitude. To
succeed, the entrepreneur has
to take care of three fields: the
product or service, marketing
and financial management. It
is not possible for one person
to do all three things well
because she or he is going to
be passionate about only one
– maybe two – of them and
hate the others. Every successful entrepreneur, right
from the business-plan-writing
stage, forms a team of people
who complement each other’s
characters and abilities.” Ernesto
Sirolli, Ripples from the Zambezi
35. On manufacturing in rural
areas – “According to a recent
study, high-performance
manufacturing firms favor
rural areas. Indeed they look
favorably upon rural regions
not because they are seeking out a low-cost site, but
because rural workers are
perceived to be more flexible
and hold stronger work ethics.” George Erickcek, W.E. Upjohn Institute
for Employment Research
36. A quote – “Quality of life
is on everyone’s mind here,
and people know what’s good
about it. Clean air and clear
water rank high on the list,
as does the attractive countryside. But so do human
traits, such as a small-town
atmosphere, a strong sense of
community and family orientation. The word neighborly
fits nicely.” A Chadron, NE resident, from
Clues to Rural Community Survival
Energizing Entrepreneurs
37. “It’s more of a mindset than anything.
Rural means people willing to help one another.”
Fred Smith
•9•
On promising tourism niches for rural areas
• Ecotourism and Nature Tourism – more leisurely activities such as hiking, photography,
wildlife and bird watching enjoyed in areas with striking or unusual natural features,
• Agricultural Tourism – enjoyment of the craftsmanship, practices and products of those
working the land,
• Cultural and Heritage Tourism – experiencing the arts, heritage, culture and unique
aspects of a place, and
• Adventure Tourism – active outdoor pursuits such as climbing, rafting, skiing and biking.
Julie Leones, Niche Markets for Rural Tourism Development
• 10 •
38. “ Farming in our
rural communities is
not just an economic
industry, but a way
of life.” Sue Kelly
39. O n small businesses and the
Internet – “On the road I see
a lot of unique retail shops.
Lately, the ones that have
drawn my attention are the
retailers making their stores a
success by selling online. Last
month I blogged on a company
in Vermont that sells car racks
and snowshoes – successfully
– online. I’ve mentioned many
times Dakota Cabin Quilts
in Hettinger, N.D. (population 1,200) that sells quilting
supplies all over the world. In
their local market it would be
hard to be successful with such
a niche focus, but because of
their online business they have
built a solid company, employing eight, in only a few years.”
Jack Schultz, Boomtown Institute
40. On strategies for rural economic
development – “How can rural
regions tap into the power of the
new economy? While technologies offer good reasons to be
bullish, the new frontier will
require a different map … with
three new strategies for rural
economic development – thinking and acting regionally; finding a new economic niche for a
region; and putting a premium
on entrepreneurs.” Mark Drabenstott,
RUPRI Center for Regional Competitiveness
41. O n the importance of leadership and attitude – Conventional wisdom suggests that
for a small town to survive it
needs to be near a major highway, have significant natural
resources in the region, be
close to a larger city or have
some other “characteristic or
circumstance” working in its
favor. Yet in reality, leadership is proving to be more
important than location and
attitude is more important than
community size. Heartland Center for
Leadership Development
42. A quote – “As farmers, we need
to look in a totally different
direction for enterprising
opportunities. To make farms
viable in the future, we need
to look beyond the norms.
Building local markets helps
our local economy and ensures
jobs for all of us – right here
in Michigan.” Harley Thomas, Thomas
Organic Creamery, Henderson, Michigan
43. O n small businesses and the
Internet – A concerted effort
to encourage and train people
in eBay selling may be well
worthwhile for a local community’s economy. According to a
July 2005 survey conducted for
eBay by ACNielsen International Research, about 725,000
Americans use eBay as their
primary or secondary source of
income. Another 1.5 million
individuals say they supplement their income by selling
on eBay. These 2,225,000 who
are active in eBay represent
about 1.5 percent of our labor
force. In a county with a population of about 25,000, 50 to75
people will use eBay as their
primary or secondary source of
income and another 100 to 150
will use eBay to supplement
their income. A Small Town and Rural
Development Conference Attendee
44. O n value of locally grown
companies – A local economy
based on encouraging the cre-
• 11 •
ation and expansion of locally
grown companies has distinct
advantages for the community.
Entrepreneurial companies
have the greatest potential
for growing jobs as they are
more nimble and resourceful
in transforming new ideas and
technologies into products and
services. These homegrown
firms also have a stake in the
community and greater loyalty
than branch plants. And, small
businesses are more likely to
survive economic downturns,
and the loss of any single small
employer is not as devastating
as a significant job reduction
or closing of a large employer.
University of Kentucky Entrepreneurial Coaches
Institute
45. On the values of small towns –
“People in cities are seeking
the values small town folks
never lost. The wholesome
small town is still there! The
vision of “Main Street” brings
back nostalgia, a sense of community, basic moral values,
concern for others, friendly
people, accessible city government and involvement in community life” Robert Schively, Economic
Development for Smaller Communities
46. On retaining and strengthening downtowns – “Beyond
the revenue from online sales,
Manitowoc’s (Wisconsin)
merchants say the biggest
benefit of e-commerce is that
it enables them to turn over
their inventory much more
quickly, so owners can add
more products and variety to
their sales floors. That, in turn,
encourages more interest and
customer traffic, diversifies the
revenue stream and contributes
to downtown street life here
and in other small cities.”
Keith Schneider
Economic Opportunities for Rural Communities
from Energizing Entrepreneurs: Charting a Course for Rural Communities
Elder Industries – The single fastest-growing demographic group in rural areas are those 65 years of age
and older. Most elders are relatively affluent and have
resources, spending power and considerable political power. The aging baby boom demographic (the
single-largest group in American history) is driving the
creation of entire new industries to meet their needs.
Lone Eagles – Lone Eagles are those who can
work virtually anywhere because of the advances
in telecommunications and broadband. “The trend
line is clear and strong – many urban Americans are
moving to rural settings and making their living via
the Internet.” Although we do not fully understand
the economic and social impacts Lone Eagles will
have on rural communities, they may well become the
next generation of business and community leaders,
community philanthropists and mentors for emerging
entrepreneurs and youth.
Suburbanization – In terms of dollar value, activity
level and impact, the single largest economic force in
rural America today is suburbanization. More and more
Americans are pushing further out into the adjoining
rural countryside to live and raise their families. This
transformation brings competitive challenges as well
as economic opportunities to rural communities.
Seasonal Residents – People are increasingly choosing rural landscapes for recreational, retirement and
second homes. Rural acreages, subdivisions and entire
new communities are emerging from this trend. The
growth in this sector brings both challenges and opportunities to rural places.
Entrepreneurial Growth Companies – Entrepreneurial growth companies or “gazelles” are the companies that are achieving rapid and sustained growth
and are the engines of regional economic performance.
Supporting these gazelles and helping other growthoriented entrepreneurial companies reach this status
may represent a core rural development opportunity.
• 12 •
Technological Advancement – Rural economies
continue to be influenced by advancements in technology, particularly in broadband access to the Internet.
With these technologies, Lone Eagles can work from
remote locations, Main Street businesses can tap national markets and small town and rural entrepreneurs
can reach national and even international markets. But,
these access technologies also raise the competitive
stakes for rural businesses.
Recreational Tourism – Recreational tourism is a
diverse and complicated sector with literally thousands
of emerging niche markets. Although it tends to concentrate in traditional high-amenity rural areas (e.g.,
mountains, lakes, coastal areas), it is also reaching
more diverse areas. New ideas about ecotourism are
bringing curious and nature-minded visitors to rural
communities.
Artisans – There is a counter movement to standardization that is centered on uniqueness and artistic
drive. In rural communities, individuals are engaged
in making arts and crafts. While often small in scale as
individual enterprises, artisans are reaching industry
proportions through marketing associations, retail
outlets and cooperatives.
New Generation Natural Resource Industries –
There is a new generation of ventures in natural
resource industries focused on products rather than
commodities. Small ventures are producing specialty
products such as organic wheat, grass-fed beef, freerange poultry, furniture from restoration timber and
seafood for urban restaurants.
Alternative Energy Production – Wind power and
solar energy are making a comeback in rural areas.
New, more efficient technologies are making the
economics for these concepts better.
Hydrocarbon Feedstock – A growing percentage
of agricultural and natural resource production has
the potential to replace crude and refined oil. Corn,
soybeans, oilseeds and timber are being used in new
ways as the base or ingredients in inks, plastics, foods
and ethanol and biodiesel.
47. O n promoting your community
on the Internet – “Happy,
Texas is tickled to be on the
World Wide Web. Sour Lake,
Texas uses it to sweeten its
image. And Rosebud, Texas
lets the world know there’s
a rose bush in every yard in
town. Those communities
and dozens of other small (to
downright tiny) Texas towns are
posting their own home pages
on the Internet. For the cost of
a billboard along the nearest
Interstate, they’re putting up
their own exit ramps on the
information superhighway.”
Houston Chronicle
48. On entrepreneurs and their
communities – “Although
entrepreneurs often tend primarily to their own self-interests,
it’s an enlightened self-interest
– one that takes into account the
bigger picture of town prosperity – that drives many towns to
success. Nurture these people,
and give them room to operate.
Towns that recognize that the
better their entrepreneurs do, the
better the town will do, generally find themselves on a positive
growth curve.” Jack Schultz, Boomtown
USA - The 7 1/2 Keys to Big Success in Small Towns
49. On flexibility and adaptability
of small towns – “Small towns
can use size as a competitive
advantage. As with a small
business, the smaller community can retain a certain flexibility.
Without the disadvantages of
city bureaucracy, it can respond
faster to new trends and changing market opportunities. Like
a small business, it can seek its
own unique niche.” Heartland Center
for Leadership Development
50. On value of attracting retirees –
The “retirement industry” clearly boosts the local economy and
provides high employment mul-
tipliers. Retirees are more apt
to spend locally – especially on
goods and services such as food,
travel, recreation, entertainment
and healthcare. Retirees do
not require large investments in
infrastructure or tax abatements,
nor do they pollute. They increase the number of volunteers
and contributors that benefit
many organizations. Obviously,
the retirement industry is a good
industry to recruit for economic
development. Attracting the Migratory
Retiree, Alabama Cooperative Extension System
51. “It almost takes an outsider
to be able to – with no
cynicism – look at small town
America and realize how
fantastic it is.” Michael Davies
52. On value of locally owned and
managed businesses – “The
underlying reason why local
businesses have higher multipliers is obvious and unlikely to
ever change – they spend more
locally.” Local management
spending locally for businesses
services, supplies and advertising, and enjoying their profits
locally yield two to four times
the multiplier benefit as comparable nonlocal businesses. Michael
Shuman, The Small-Mart Revolution
53. On attracting young adults –
Behavioral and motivational
psychologists suggest that our
values are “locked-in” at about
10 years of age. This is when
we decide what is good/bad,
normal/not normal, comfortable/uncomfortable. Consider
the implications of this on attracting and reattracting young
adults to small communities. If
these people grew up in small
towns (i.e., had their values
locked-in in a small town atmo-
• 13 •
sphere), they most likely value
what small towns offer. Our
communities need to communicate the values these young
adults will recall and respond
to, and this, with some genuine
career opportunities, can bring
our young adults back home.
A Small Town and Rural Development
Conference Attendee
54. Some humor – “It was a small
town: Ferguson, Ohio. When
you entered, there was a big
sign and it said, “Welcome to
Ferguson. Beware of the Dog.”
The all-night drugstore closed
at noon.” Jackie Vernon
55. A quote – “To read the papers
and to listen to the news one
would think the country is in
terrible trouble. You do not
get that impression when you
travel the back roads, and the
small towns do care about their
country and wish it well.”
Charles Kuralt
56. O n the rural economy – Rural
America constitutes a $1.2
trillion economy, home to 56
million people, a market nearly
as big as Great Britain or Italy.
A Place in the Country, Standup for Rural America
57. On small town life – “Clean
Your Plate.” “When city folk
rave to waitress Angie about
their huge three-course meal
for $5, she muses, “I don’t
know what to say. I’ve lived
here all my life. It’s all I’ve
ever known. I can’t finish
the dinner, so I just order the
sandwich.”
58. A quote – “The community that
learns how to use the system of
grant writing and fund raising
is definitely ahead in the effort
to expand the local economy.”
Heartland Center for Leadership Development
10 Ideas for Recruiting New Leaders
from the Heartland Center for Leadership Development
1.Ask the Question: “Who’s Not Here?” – The missing people or organizations are what is possibly keeping the
effort from being truly representative of the community.
2.Look for Skills, Not Names – By looking at skills needed rather than just the person who “did it last,” new
people become involved in leadership and those who have done it before are given a break.
3.Involve New Leaders by Degrees – Offer ways for new leaders to become involved on a limited basis so as to
grow into larger and more prominent roles.
4. Appeal to Self-interests – Recruit new leaders based on their personal interests and motivations.
5.Use a Wide-angle Lens – Have a sense of the big picture and realize that any and all volunteer efforts contributed, no matter how small or limited, are part of leadership activities adding value to the community’s survival
and growth.
6. Define the Task – Recruiting new leaders can be more effective when the project or task is more clearly defined.
7. Use Current Leaders to Recruit New Leaders – The most successful recruitment efforts are by those already in
leadership positions.
8. Create a History of Efficient Use of Time – The efficient use of time and the appreciation of its value are signs
a community respects its leaders and volunteers.
9. Offer Membership “Premiums” – Rewards for those who participate and/or accept leadership can be effective
in getting new leaders involved and committed. These can be intangible and even symbolic … perhaps attending a workshop or convention, or a letter of recognition sent to an employer.
10.Market Your Wares – Be creative in promoting the results of an organization’s efforts and its future plans. Let
those in the community know that what is being done is effective and important. This reputation can make the
organization attractive to volunteers and emerging leaders.
• 14 •
59. “People come here for something that is not
someplace else.” A Chadron, NE resident, Clues to Rural Community Survival
60. O n tourism – A cultural tourist
64. A quote – “Folks need to have
is one whose travel is directed,
in part, to experiencing the
arts, culture, heritage and
special character of places.
Those whose travels include
cultural experiences stay
longer and spend more than
other tourists. Travel Industry
the confidence that they CAN
make a difference before
they will TRY to make a
difference.” A Small Town and Rural
Association of American
61. O n the amenities of small
towns – The amenities of
small towns are emerging
as one of the comparative
advantages to more urban
areas. The natural, cultural
and recreational amenities of
a small town bring pleasure
and pride to the local
population and attract new
residents, including retirees
to the community. Peaceful
landscapes, wildlife habitats,
dramatic scenery and the
relative absence of crime,
congestion and pollution are
amenities small towns offer.
Robert Schively, Economic Development for
Smaller Communities
62. O n local business commitment
to the community – A study of
businesses in Oregon showed
that when in-kind contributions
were included, small firms
gave an average of $789 per
employee compared to $172
for medium-size firms and
$334 for large firms. National
Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)
Small Business Policy Guide
63. S ome humor – “When I don’t
know what I’m doing, I go to
town and listen to the rumors
about myself. Then I know
what I’m doing.” A Small Town and
Rural Development Conference Attendee
Development Conference Attendee
65. A quote – “My children didn’t
grow up on a farm as I did.
It’s important that my children
and grandchildren have
opportunities to experience
what farming is all about. It’s
a proud part of our American
heritage.” Russell Andrews, Chippewa
County, Minnesota
66. O n completing projects and
showing results – “Completion
of challenging, but doable,
projects in a timely manner
taught citizens that early
successes build credibility
for their renewal effort and
their oversight organization.
They create a sense of
accomplishment and help the
new organization establish its
identity. Credibility brings
new people into the process,
as the lead organization is
recognized for getting things
done. … Early success also
attracted the media, and visibly
opened doors to new partners
and opportunities.” Handmade in
America, Building Creative Communities: A Story
of American Renewal
67. On entrepreneurial training
and education – “One of the
best means to grow the local
economy is to encourage
more people to become
entrepreneurs. And, the best
way to achieve this goal is
via education and training.
Entrepreneurial curricula
exist for all levels, starting in
kindergarten and going all the
• 15 •
way through graduate school.
Children and adults can also
learn about entrepreneurship
through after school clubs
and programs (4-H and Junior
Achievement) or adult training
programs (like the Kauffman
Foundation’s Fast-Trac
program or training provided
by Enterprise Facilitation
and many Small Business
Development Centers). The
research on the impact of these
programs is overwhelming:
those who receive such training
are more likely to start new
businesses and more likely
to succeed in growing them.”
Grassroots Entrepreneurship: Best Practices for
Small Communities
68. On tourism – “Experiential
tourists seek out new
opportunities to enjoy soft
adventure activities like
camping, biking, hiking,
wildlife watching, horseback
riding and canoeing in pristine
natural areas. In fact, 76
percent of all U.S. travelers
want to go someplace they
have never been before, and of
these, 48 percent prefer remote,
untouched destinations. Fiftyseven percent of these travelers
are attracted by an area’s
culture and 44 percent want
to learn new skills or engage
in a new activity. People
come to an area to buy ‘good
stories,’ so we have to sell them
experiences that become fond
memories – the makings of
those stories.” Ted Eubanks, Fermata, Inc.
On business retention – Some
signs that a local business may
be vulnerable
• Labor – worker skill levels are low and wages are disproportionately high
• Productivity – sales and employment are declining, particularly when counter to industry trends
• Investment – there are little or no investments in machinery,
equipment and technology
• Competition – there is international competition and/or other
domestic plants are capable of producing the same products
• Ownership – the business is either family-owned with no
succession plan or part of a conglomerate
Ginger Rich, Keeping Business Healthy, Happy & Local
• 16 •
69. “You can’t move your
town to a different
location; you can move
your town’s attitude in
a different direction.”
Heartland Center for Leadership Development
70. A quote – “In the U.S.,
we cannot allow our
competitiveness to suffer,
and neither must we forget
about the resources and the
resourcefulness of rural
America.” Jo Ann Emerson
71. S ome humor – “The Moon
Pie is a bedrock of the country
store and rural tradition. It
is more than a snack. It is a
cultural artifact.” William Ferris
72. A quote – “I think maybe
the rural influence in my
life helped me in a sense of
knowing how to get close to
people and talk to them and get
my work done.” Gordon Parks
73. S ome humor – I come from a
small town whose population
never changed. Each time a
woman got pregnant, someone
left town.
74. On the difference an individual
has in a small community – “In
a small town, you don’t have a
lot of red tape to cut through;
the channels of government are
not usually difficult to maneuver. And, compared to large cities, a greater percent of people
in small towns are usually
more active in their communities because they know they
can make a difference. This
community involvement and
sense of control contribute to
the attractiveness and prosperity
of many small towns.” Jack Schultz,
Boomtown USA - The 7 1/2 Keys to Big Success in
Small Towns
75. O n entrepreneurs and
economic clusters – “Clusters
have become a hot topic in
economic development circles
today, and communities
across the United States are
embracing cluster development
strategies. Industry specialization makes sense in some
cases, but it’s not always an
effective entrepreneurship
model for small towns.
Entrepreneurs succeed because
they are passionate about
building a business. By
definition, such passions are
diverse and eclectic – from
running a restaurant, to
managing a child care center,
to making widgets.” Grassroots
Rural Entrepreneurship, Best Practices for Small
Communities
76. On tourism – “Successful
communities are weaving their
culture and heritage into agritourism, showcasing a special
relationship between people
and place. The interpretive
uses of the farm, and its appeal
to visitors, are limited only by
the creativity of the farmer.”
Carole Summers, HandMade in America
77. On silo mentality – “A narrowminded way of thinking that
is detrimental to an area’s
success. The proverbial
question, ‘Can’t we all get
along?’ is one to act upon. If
you are experiencing a lack
of focus due to silo mentality,
it’s time for a meeting of the
minds. Come together, unify,
for the good of the area. It
is essential for success. It
may take some doing, but it’s
worth it.” ABC Volume One: Enriching Your
Community One Letter at a Time
78. On tourism – Long considered
“fluff ” or a nuisance to local
residents, tourism is big
business. If considered as a
single industry, the tourism
sector is the third-largest retail
• 17 •
industry in terms of business
receipts. Those larger are
automotive dealerships and
food stores. Attracting the Migratory
Retiree, Alabama Cooperative Extension System
79. A quote – “Entrepreneurship
embraces the legacy that
was left behind by previous
generations.” A Small Town and Rural
Development Conference Attendee
80. Some humor – You know you
live in a small town when
everyone knows the news
before it’s printed; they just
read the hometown paper to see
if the publisher got it right.
81. A quote – (on rural
entrepreneurs) “Go out and
find people with gumption and
figure out a way to lend them
money.” Platte, Nebraska Banker
82. On retirees in small towns –
According to AARP, 37 percent
of those nearing retirement age
express a preference for life in
a small town.
83. A quote – “Unlike many other
towns … we’ve never been able
to rely on the Interstate to bring
us business. Our community
has always had to compete
because of our location.
Economic survival has never
been handed to us as a result of
traffic.” A community leader, Broken Bow,
NE, Clues to Rural Community Survival
84. Some humor – You know you
live in a small town when you
have to name six surrounding
towns to explain to people
where you’re from.
85. A quote – “Ironically, rural
America has become viewed by
a growing number of Americans
as having a higher quality of life
not because of what it has, but
rather because of what it does
not have!” Don Dillman
20 Clues to Rural Community Survival
from the Heartland Center for Leadersip Develpment
1. Evidence of Community Pride – Successful
communities are often showplaces of care, attention, history and heritage.
12. Strong Belief in and Support for Education –
Good schools are the norm and centers of community activity.
2. Emphasis on Quality in Business and Community Life – People believe that something worth
doing is worth doing right.
13. Problem–solving Approach to Providing
Health Care – Health care is considered essential, and smart strategies are in place for diverse
methods of delivery.
3. Willingness to Invest in the Future – In addition to the brick-and-mortar investments, all
decisions are made with an outlook on the future.
4. Participatory Approach to Community
Decision Making – Even the most powerful of
opinion leaders seem to work toward building
consensus.
5. Cooperative Community Spirit – The stress is
on working together toward a common goal, and
the focus is on positive results.
6. Realistic Appraisal of Future Opportunities –
Successful communities have learned how to build
on strengths and minimize weaknesses.
7. Awareness of Competitive Positioning – Loyalty to local businesses is emphasized, but thriving
communities know who their competitors are and
position themselves accordingly.
8. Knowledge of the Physical Environment –
Relative location and available natural resources
underscore decision making.
9. Active Economic Development Program –
There is an organized, public/private approach to
economic development.
10. Deliberate Transition of Power to a Younger
Generation of Leaders – People younger than
40 regularly hold key positions in civic and business affairs.
11. Acceptance of Women in Leadership Roles –
Women are elected officials, plant managers and
entrepreneurial developers.
• 18 •
14. S trong Multigenerational Family Orientation –
The definition of family is broad, and activities
include younger as well as older generations.
15. Strong Presence of Traditional Institutions –
Churches, schools and service clubs are strong
influences on community development and social
activities.
16. Sound and Well-maintained Infrastructure –
Leaders work hard to maintain and improve
streets, sidewalks, water systems and sewage
facilities.
17. Careful Use of Fiscal Resources – Frugality
is a way of life and expenditures are considered
investments in the future.
18. Sophisticated Use of Information Resources –
Leaders access information that is beyond the
knowledge base available in the community.
19. Willingness to Seek Help from the Outside –
People readily seek outside help for community
needs, and compete for grants and contracts for
economic and social programs.
20. Conviction That, in the Long Run, You Have
to Do It Yourself – Thriving rural communities
believe their destiny is in their own hands. Making
their communities good places is a pro-active
assignment, and they willingly accept it.
86. On a community’s vision –
“Vision is as critical as
attitude in achieving goals
and attaining or maintaining a
healthy economy. If attitude is
the fuel to your success, vision
is the roadmap, helping you
determine the destination and
the best routes to get there.
A vision gives you an image
of what success looks like in
whatever you are pursuing.
It should challenge and
inspire. The vision will serve
as common ground to which
you can return when there is
controversy about goals or
when the planning process
seems to lose direction.” ABC
Volume One: Enriching Your Community One
Letter at a Time
87. O n adopting a broad-based
economic development
approach – “Too often,
small towns have wasted
all their time, energy and
money trying to attract new
industry only to learn they
should have been working
harder to keep the employers
they have. Communities
must adopt a broad-based
economic development
plan that supports existing
businesses and encourages
entrepreneurship.” Heartland Center
for Leadership Development
88. O n Asset Based Community
Development (ABCD)
- Traditional community
development tends to look at
communities as having needs
or deficiencies. With this
approach, people focus on
their deficits, not capabilities.
“Successful communities don’t
concentrate on deficiencies
or look for outsiders and
professionals to fill their needs.
Successful communities use
the talents of people, the web
of associations, the strength
of institutions, and their
available land, property and
economic power to create new
opportunities for themselves.
In short, they build on their
assets.” Asset Based Community
Development Institute
89. O n the rural work ethic – The
1,000 employee auto parts
manufacturer near St. Paris,
Ohio asked for and received
community concessions, first
for locating the plant and later
for its expansion. However,
Infotel, a locally grown
entrepreneurial company
in computer components
employing 400, never
considered tax incentives as
an ingredient for success.
According to its founder, “Our
biggest help has been being in
a rural environment. The work
ethic … that’s an important part
of it. It’s a big strength in rural
America.” Clues to Rural Community
Survival
90. O n rural tourism potential –
“Traveling to experience the
“Real America.” That’s what
rural tourism is all about,
and an increasing number of
remote areas and small towns
are finding that there are more
opportunities for rural tourism
than ever before. The “Great
American Time Squeeze”
is changing vacation habits,
causing Americans to take
shorter, more frequent trips
closer to home.” Stories Across America
- Opportunities for Rural Tourism
91. On the importance of a
vision – Communities need to
answer the equivalent of the
question – “What business are
we in?” Towns coping with
change find the ways to take
what makes them unique and
translate it into a vision that
their citizens can embrace and
work toward achieving. Heartland
Center for Leadership Development
92. On attracting new residents
to small towns – “It is clear
that having attractive job
opportunities within driving
distance of a community is
an essential prerequisite for
drawing in adults in their
wage-earning years. However,
among all the towns within
driving distance of the job,
the community that has the
best buys in housing and the
most attractive quality of life
will be the one to realize the
net gain in residents – not
necessarily the town where the
jobs are located. This supports
the position that neighboring
communities all can gain when
employment opportunities are
increased in any one of them.
Likewise, it shows that jobs
alone are not enough to induce
people to move to a town if
a community with a better
quality of life is within driving
distance. Terry Besser, Attracting New
Residents to Small Towns
93. “Things will begin to look better in
rural America when farmers are wearing
caps with their own names on it.”
Ernesto Sirolli
• 19 •
On entrepreneurial characteristics
• 10.5 percent of our adult population is engaged in some
form of “entrepreneurial activity”
• U.S. entrepreneurs tend to be older – 36 percent are in the
45-64 age bracket. Older Americans are more likely to
have deep industry experience and networks that help
them identify financing opportunities
• The highest entrepreneurial participation rate is for those
who have completed high school. College graduates
participate to a lesser degree, possibly because of greater
opportunities to earn high incomes as employees of other
businesses. Those with less than a high school diploma
tend to be merely self-employed, creating a living, but not
creating additional jobs.
from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor
• 20 •
94. O n a sister city concept –
Pursuing and establishing a
relationship with a “sister
city” can get a community
organized and involved. It
does not have to be a formal
sister city relationship,
and the sister community
can be domestic as well
as international. Making
contact with and interacting
with another community can
help both groups of citizens.
The sister community can
be chosen based on similar
size, same name in another
state or country, national
origin of your citizens,
natural features, etc. What’s
important is the process of
organizing in the community
to find a relationship and
brainstorming on what the
relationship might produce.
A Small Town and Rural Development
Conference Attendee
95. O n a “To Do” list – “Create a
community “To Do” list to
let prospective investors and
benefactors know what the
community wants, needs and
will support.” A Small Town and Rural
Development Conference Attendee
96. A quote – “In the future, the
best leadership will appreciate
multiple realities and an
understanding that there is
no best way, and one size
doesn’t fit all. It will be more
embracing, more inviting
and more empowering. New
leadership will recognize
that the outcome is not as
predetermined as the past,
but fluid, moving in less
predictable directions.” Frank Fear,
Professor, Michigan State University
97. O n an early retirement strategy – The Boomtown Institute suggests a possible niche
for small towns as havens
for “early retirement.” The
example is given of a couple
from San Francisco selling
their home and moving to
Vincennes, Ind. (pop. 18,700).
They bought a $90,000 Victorian home and put another
$90,000 into fixing it up. The
couple not only had a dream
home in a small town, but
brought with them a substantial amount of money from
the sale of the house in the
expensive California market.
They were able to retire 10
years earlier than they would
have been able to otherwise.
Boomtown Institute
98. On establishing a brand for your
community – Branding is a vehicle to distinguish a product,
a company or a person (or a
community or region!) from
the crowd. It sets your community apart by giving the
region, state or even the nation
notice of what you’re about
and what you offer. A brand
is a town’s calling card – it can
put a town on a map and keep
it there for the entire world
to see. If you’re not working
to promote a positive brand,
another – and perhaps a negative – brand may be attached
to your town. It’s important
to ask, does your community
have a brand, or has it been
branded? ABC Volume One: Enriching
Your Community One Letter at a Time
99. Some humor – “Fame is only
good for one thing – they will
cash your check in a small
town.” Truman Capote
100. On support of rural areas –
“Here’s what I think happens.
Urban/suburban areas account
for about 70 percent of our
population, rural areas
30 percent. Agencies, organizations and officials tend to
direct their focus and resources
toward the 70 percent bloc of
the population, perhaps thinking rural areas are addressed by
others. The cumulative effect
of this logic is that rural areas
tend to be neglected. I thought
we gave equal attention to all
areas of the state, but when I
checked, only 10 percent of our
support goes to rural areas.”
A Small Town and Rural Development
Conference Attendee
101. “While not having sufficient funds may ultimately
be the reason an effort is not as big or successful as
possible, don’t let it be the excuse to not pursue it.”
A Small Town and Rural Development Conference Attendee
• 21 •
Sources and References
10 Ideas for Recruiting New Leaders, Heartland Center
for Leadership Development
8 Challenges for Community Leaders, Heartland Center
for Leadership Development
Grassroots Entrepreneurship: Best Practices for Small
Communities, National Center for Small Communities
www.smallcommunities.org/ncsc/Kauffman/
entrepdefault.htm
A Place in the Country, Standup for Rural America
www.ruralamerica.org/reports.htm
HandMade in America
www.handmadeinamerica.org/
ABC Volume One: Enriching Your Community One
Letter at a Time, Megan Beeler and Coleen Phillips,
Boomtown Institute
Harvesting Hometown Jobs: The New Small Town Guide
to Economic Development, Nancy Stark, National Center for Small Communities
An Economic Development Benchmarking System for
Rural Michigan, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment
Research
www.upjohninstitute.org/
Heartland Center for Leadership Development
www.heartlandcenter.info/
HomeTown Competitiveness: A Come-Back/Give-Back
Approach to Rural Community Building
www.htcnebraska.org/
Asset Based Community Development Institute
www.northwestern.edu/ipr/abcd.html
Keeping Business Healthy, Happy & Local, Ginger Rich,
Washington State Department of Community, Trade and
Economic Development
Attracting New Residents to Small Towns, Terry Besser,
Iowa State University Extension
www.extension.iastate.edu/communities/news/Com
Con65.html
Mapping Rural Entrepreneurship, W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Corporation for Enterprise Development
www.wkkf.org/
Attracting the Migratory Retiree, Alabama Cooperative
Extension System
www.aces.edu/department/crd/publications/
CRD-56.html
National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)
Small Business Policy Guide
www.nfib.com/object/2753115.html
Niche Markets for Rural Tourism Development, Julie
Leones, Dept. of Agricultural & Resource Economics,
The University of Arizona
ag.arizona.edu/arec/dept/currents/article8.html
Boomtown Institute
www.boomtowninstitute.com/
Boomtown USA: The 7 1/2 Keys to Big Success in Small
Towns, Jack Schultz
Ripples from the Zambezi: Passion, Entrepreneurship
and the Rebirth of Local Economies, Ernesto Sirolli
Building Creative Communities: A Story of American
Renewal, Handmade in America
www.handmadeinamerica.org/
Sirolli Institute for International Enterprise Facilitation
www.sirolli.com/
Center for Regional Competitiveness
www.rupri.org/regionalcomp.php
Spurring Enterpreneurship: Roles for Local Elected
Leaders, Nancy Stark
Center for Rural Entrepreneurship
www.ruraleship.org/
Stories Across America: Opportunities for Rural Tourism, Rural Information Center, National Agricultural
Library
www.nal.usda.gov/ric/ricpubs/stories.htm
Clues to Rural Community Survival, Vicki Luther and
Milan Wall, Heartland Center for Leadership Development
The E Generation, Marilyn L. Kourilsky and William B.
Walstad
Country Bound: Trade Your Business Suite Blues for
Blue Jean Dreams, Marilyn and Tom Ross
The Job Generation Process, David Birch, Grant No.
OER-608-G-78-7, Economic Development Administration
Economic Development for Smaller Communities, Robert Shively, National Center for Small Communities
Economic Gardening, Littleton, Colorado
www.littletongov.org/bia/economicgardening/
Energizing Entrepreneurs: Charting a Course for Rural
Communities, RUPRI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship
and Heartland Center for Leadership Development
www.energizingentrepreneurs.org
Global Entrepreneurship Monitor
www.gemconsortium.org/
The Small-Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses are
Beating the Global Competition, Michael Shuman
Thriving Online: Small-Town Shops Bulk Up on the Web,
Keith Schneider, The New York Times, November 16, 2005
University of Kentucky Entrepreneurial Coaches Institute
www.uky.edu/Ag/KECI/
• 22 •
www.consumersenergy.com
9/07