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The well-intentioned call to “Shop Local” is everywhere. But slogans alone aren’t enough when families - and businesses - are stretching every dollar. If we want to help these businesses survive, we need to go deeper than marketing campaigns.

At SmartStart, we have become convinced that if you want many thriving microbusinesses in your community, you need to make sure a support system has been identified and activated. Microbusinesses can’t grow and thrive in a silo. They need a community and an ecosystem of support - mentors, resources, peers, and champions - to help them overcome challenges and seize opportunities. Building this ecosystem takes time, intention, and work, but the payoff is worth it. The Wink H

If you are trying to connect with, engage, and serve your local microbusiness owners, but feel like you are hitting a wall, you are not alone. Here is the secret to engaging microbusiness owners that really works.

"Helping a few small (micro) businesses isn't going to help our local economy." "Are small businesses assistance programs really worth...

We have identified three types of microbusiness owners: the Explorer, the Connector, and the Builder. These profiles aren't just helpful labels. They are a guide for how to better engage, support, and champion the entrepreneurs in your community.

It’s time we start thinking differently about small business development program funding sources. Stop relying on grants and utilize the resources already in your community.

For Main Street businesses, staying current with technology and processes isn’t just beneficial, it’s essential for growth and sustainability. Businesses that are open to new ideas and willing to adapt are the ones that thrive. On the other hand, those that stick to outdated practices risk being left behind.

Small town small businesses are no longer limited to serving just local residents, they now attract tourists from outside the community seeking boutique shops, artisanal eateries, cultural venues, and unique events.

Thriving microbusinesses and local microbusiness ecosystems don’t happen in a silo. They are built through partnerships and collaboration.

One of the most recent eye-opening observations from our work at SmartStart is this: not all microbusiness owners look for assistance and interact with the local microbusiness ecosystem the same way

It’s the people that bring energy and life to a downtown. But having the right mix of businesses is essential to drawing people in and making them stay. This is where the concept of curating businesses comes in.

Take a look at the top Main Street businesses in the 1970s compared with today

FALL APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED. STAY TUNED FOR THE SPRING COHORT ANNOUNCEMENT! Are you an early stage small business owner in Pekin or...

According to the latest research from the GoDaddy Venture Forward initiative , these are the biggest microbusiness challenges: 39% ...

In many small communities, the responsibility for supporting and growing microbusinesses often falls on one person or a single...

For many of us, supporting microbusinesses gives us that warm and fuzzy feeling. There’s something heartwarming about seeing a new...

You are passionate about building your microbusiness ecosystem and are ready to launch programs or bring in outside resources to help....

Opening a storefront is one of the most exciting yet nerve-wracking milestones for any small business owner. The stakes feel especially...

Last fall, I had the pleasure of attending the grand opening of Ichabod's Apothecary in the small, rural town of Delavan, Illinois,...

Did you know the average startup cost for a microbusiness is just $3,000? Yet, this relatively small amount can be a huge hurdle for many