This week’s episode is a special sort of follow-up to last week’s episode about remote work in our small towns, and it’s special because it’s featuring a member of the Growing Small Towns team! Cassidy has been with Rebecca and Growing Small Towns for four years as a remote virtual assistant, and this episode takes our listeners through the whole story and how being a virtual assistant opened the door for so many other things.   About Cassidy Cassidy (but call her Cass) is a wife, mother, first-generation rancher, communicator, and yes—virtual assistant! She lives on a large cattle operation in Colorado with her husband and three boys. Because the life of a working cowboy and his family often involves a lot of moving, at least in the early years, after the birth of her second son Cassidy set out to build a business that would go with her wherever life took them, and virtual assisting was her first remote gig, and Rebecca was her first client! Since then, her business has grown to more VA clients and more recently has evolved into agriculture consulting, communications, and speaking.     In this episode, we cover: How Rebecca and Cass even got introduced (thanks, internet!) What a virtual assistant does (and why you might need one) How to have a successful relationship with a VA or remote employee What being a virtual employee can do for small-town residents  How to find your own virtual gig or hire someone virtually How weird it is for Cass to be writing all of these posts about herself in third person (kidding, but also accurate and delightfully silly.)  Links and Resources Mentioned: Cassidy’s LinkedIn (her most active online home): https://www.linkedin.com/in/casskjohn/ Cassidy’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/casskjohn/ Cassidy’s Website: www.casskjohnston.com

Remote work is, to use a buzzy buzzword, a game-changer for small communities. One of the only good things to come out of the pandemic, the rise in remote work opportunities means people can move to small towns without having to quit their job or ask their spouse/partner to do the same, which is, well, fabulous for us! Danielle Teigen is kind of an expert in small-town remote work—it’s kind of her actual life—and she’s here to talk us through what that can look like and share the possibilities, and how to highlight what makes our small towns great so more people want to move here.    About Danielle Danielle Teigen is a professional communicator with more than a decade of experience in journalism, public relations, digital content creation, and marketing. She is the author of two nonfiction history books and the managing editor of Forum Communications' parenting brand. After living in Fargo for nearly 16 years, she recently moved back to her small hometown in South Dakota with her husband and three children.    In this episode, we cover: How Danielle got into remote work What remote work means for small towns The value of personal recruitment How to get the attention of a news outlet How to recruit people like Danielle to your small towns Links and Resources Mentioned: The Forum: https://www.inforum.com/ Danielle’s article she mentions about her small town’s jelly maker: https://www.inforum.com/news/south-dakota/small-favor-turns-into-big-business-for-homemade-jelly-maker

If you have listened to our show for any length of time or follow us on social media, you know that here at Growing Small Towns the traditional approach to economic growth just doesn’t get us real excited. While it’s great if a big business does want to come to your town and build an office or something, we like to think outside that particular box. What we like to focus on is how our communities feel and make others feel and what kinds of mentalities are holding us back from realizing our full potential, both as individual humans and as small town communities. This episode is all about those feelings and mentalities and it all shows up in practice.    In this episode, we cover:  Two big feelings we at GST like to generate: juicy connection, and brain/heart swell Why we as humans love an either/or, black and white scenario, and why those scenarios aren’t the most productive Three of Those Scenarios: Audacity OR pragmatism  Love/Acceptance of What IS OR Desire to Make it Better We’re the Most Unique-ist OR We’re Just Like Everyone Else   Links + Resources Mentioned Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert   Get In Touch Have an idea for a future episode/guest, have feedback or a question, or just want to chat? Email us at [email protected]   Subscribe + Review Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Growing Small Towns Show! If the information in our conversations and interviews has helped you in your small town, head out to Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify, subscribe to the show, and leave us an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help us continue to deliver relevant, helpful content, but it will also help us reach even more small-town trailblazers just like you!

Startup Colorado is a 501(c)(3) that works with rural entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders throughout the state to cultivate successful environments to start and grow businesses in the places that they call home. They have an amazing, effective approach to supporting entrepreneurs in rural places and if you are involved in this work and their Communications and Editorial Director, Margaret Hedderman, is here to tell us all about it.    About Margaret Before relocating to the Front Range, Margaret managed the marketing and events programs for several independent businesses and startups in Durango, CO. She specializes in developing strong community initiatives to not only support business growth, but also foster creative connections and opportunities. In 2016, she conceptualized and created the annual Women Outside Adventure Forum and Colorado Trail Days festival. She is also a writer of creative non-fiction, screenplays, and the odd bit of fiction. Margaret recently earned her MA from the University of East Anglia in England. Originally from rural New Mexico, she considers the empty, quiet places of Colorado home.   In this episode, we cover: What an entrepreneurial ecosystem is and why it’s so complicated The importance of partnership and trust Why it can be helpful to emphasize regionality  How storytelling fits into rural entrepreneurial ecosystem building How an online community can work in tandem with in-person efforts    Links and Resources Mentioned: Startup Colorado Website: https://startupcolorado.org/ Startup Colorado Facebook: https://www.growingsmalltowns.org/post/episode99 Startup Colorado Podcast  

What does it look like to write your own rural narrative, and how can you actively incorporate that idea into convincing people to move to your small town? Well, we happen to have Erik Osberg to tell us all about it. He’s his county’s (and perhaps the country’s only) Rural Rebound Initiative Coordinator and yes, it’s the coolest.    About Erik Erik Osberg is the Rural Rebound Initiative Coordinator for Otter Tail County which is in west-central Minnesota. In 2016 Otter Tail County embarked on an effort to create a position that would take advantage of the "Brain Gain" phenomena through resident recruitment efforts. Through a series of grants and other funding mechanisms, Otter Tail County created the Rural Rebound Initiative Coordinator position and Erik was tasked with the experiment of creating what is believed to be the first nation's first such job in January 2017. Erik is a self-described social-media zealot and believes in a simple, yet effective approach to marketing.  His wife is a principal at Freshwater Education District in Wadena, MN. They have three children, ages 11, 13 & 16. Erik is also the Chair of the 2020 Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener planning committee. The Governor's Opener will be held in Otter Tail County in May of 2021. And given a choice, Erik would rather be fishing.   In this episode, we cover: The “Brain Gain” idea What it means to “Write your own rural narrative.” His community’s approach to rural resident recruitment and the role a rural narrative plays in that process.  Why most change is positive but it’s rarely easy—and why that’s normal One thing every single person can do right now to start rewriting their own rural community’s narrative     Links and Resources Mentioned: Episode 75 with Ben Winchester: https://www.growingsmalltowns.org/post/episode75 Episode 99 with Jeff Siegler: https://www.growingsmalltowns.org/post/episode99 Otter Tail County’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ottertailcounty Daily Yonder article: https://dailyyonder.com/rural-brain-gain-in-otter-tail-county-minnesota-state-community-technical-college/2023/01/19/

Happy New Year! We’re so excited to be back, although we’re not quite sure how we got here. Because we’re more mindset folks than resolution folks around these parts, this episode is all about things to try this year for all of you small-town changemakers. When we have a new goal or are ready to embark on a new journey, we need to make sure we’re starting with sustainability in mind, meaning that we aren’t setting ourselves too many new things or habits, and that the processes we are using are going to be helpful, buildable, and conducive to long-term success vs. failure. We think of these things in two broad categories: subtle mind   We think of these things in two broad categories Subtle mindset shifts Simple process tweaks   Subtle mindset shifts for 2023:  Prioritize your joy Don’t take things personally Show yourself radical compassion   Simple process tweaks for 2023: Take your holiday cards and each week (pick a day that works for you), choose 3 and send them a note of appreciation for their role in your life. Schedule time to improve the area of your life that’s holding you back the most.  ChatGPT - embrace AI for good   Links + Resources Mentioned Patrick’s post: https://www.dogoodbetterconsulting.com/post/the-future-of-nonprofits-how-to-ensure-your-skills-are-ai-proof My blog post: https://rebeccaundem.com/blog/the-future-is-herehow-small-town-small-businesses-can-embrace-ai Jordan Peterson’s ChatGPT Query video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUkTz_1uzSs   Get In Touch Have an idea for a future episode/guest, have feedback or a question, or just want to chat? Email us at [email protected]   Subscribe + Review Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Growing Small Towns Show! If the information in our conversations and interviews has helped you in your small town, head out to Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify, subscribe to the show, and leave us an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help us continue to deliver relevant, helpful content, but it will also help us reach even more small-town trailblazers just like you!

Happy December! Today we’ve got a solocast and it’s all about what holds small towns back. There are five things, and Rebecca is here to talk through all of them.     So what are those five things that hold small towns back? Constraint-led thinking Underestimating the cost of doing nothing Treating today’s decisions as if they’re only about us An unwillingness to right-size ideas Accepting sliding standards   Links + Resources Mentioned How to Combat Apathy In Small Towns with Jeff Siegler: https://www.growingsmalltowns.org/post/episode99 How to Host a Community Cleanup Event with Aaron Baker: https://www.growingsmalltowns.org/post/episode102 Keeping Your Fire Lit in a Small Town with Rebecca Undem: https://www.growingsmalltowns.org/post/episode103   Get In Touch Have an idea for a future episode/guest, have feedback or a question, or just want to chat? Email us at [email protected]   Subscribe + Review Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Growing Small Towns Show! If the information in our conversations and interviews has helped you in your small town, head out to Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify, subscribe to the show, and leave us an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help us continue to deliver relevant, helpful content, but it will also help us reach even more small-town trailblazers just like you!

We are so excited for another (crossover!) episode with one of our most favorite people: small-town nonprofit expert and fun-haver, Patrick Kirby. This episode is all about how small town nonprofits can raise more money and create a bigger impact.    About Patrick Patrick Kirby is the Founder of Do Good Better Consulting and a believer that “we’ve always done it this way” is the most dangerous phrase in the English language.    Patrick has spent over a decade working in nearly every capacity in the nonprofit industry, for organizations of all shapes and sizes, and strives to ‘Do Good Better’ every day. From organizing $10,000 cure walks to $1 million galas, Patrick’s passion lies in creating creative solutions to make fundraising less boring.   He cut his donor relations/fundraising teeth as the Alumni Coordinator at the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield, MN, before trying his hand as a manufacturing sales rep to companies such as Target and Best Buy. Tired of being yelled at for uncontrollable international shipping issues in both English and Chinese, Patrick re-joined the world of nonprofit work as the Sr. Development Director at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation MN/Dakotas Chapter before taking the Chief Development Officer position at the Anne Carlsen Center.   He earned his B.A. in “B.S.” (politics) at Loras College in Dubuque, IA, and is hopelessly addicted to super nerdy Sci-Fi/Fantasy novels and old school SquareSoft ® RPG Nintendo games. Patrick married out of his league to his wife Shannon, has three ridiculously adorable children named Spencer, Preston, and Willow, and lives in West Fargo, ND.   In this episode, we cover: The unique struggles of small town non-profits Why we need to be more intentional with our giving  Why we need to say no to form letters What steps to take to transform your fundraising What the future of impactful, aligned philanthropy looks like   Links and Resources Mentioned: Do Good Better Consulting Website: https://www.dogoodbetterconsulting.com/ Do Good Better Consulting Podcast: https://www.dogoodbetterconsulting.com/dogoodbetterpodcast

You may have heard about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) since it’s a hot topic for many companies today, but how can we apply those principles to our small towns in a meaningful and intentional way? Rebecca and Cecily talk about what embracing diversity in small towns looks like, and how to have these own difficult but valuable conversations in your own sphere.   About Cecily Cecily Engelhart is an Ihanktonwan & Oglala mother, artist, coach, media nerd, foodie, bookworm, and kitchen dancing enthusiast. She was raised in South Dakota; her school years spent with her mother in the small college town of Vermillion and summers with her father, grandparents, and innumerable cousins on the Yankton Sioux Reservation along the muddy banks of the Missouri River. All her fondest memories relate to cooking delicious food, being in the sunshine, playing favorite games, and watching movies. She is unwaveringly passionate about how methods of expression shape our understanding of ourselves and each other. Her personal and professional work have consistently coalesced around storytelling in its various forms, most often through cooking, design, writing, and filmmaking. Through all her contributions to the world, she seeks to be a good relative, a good future ancestor, and a responsible steward of Unči Maka.   In this episode, we cover: How diversity affects the growth of our small towns Why wanting our communities to improve does not equal throwing them under the bus We don’t know what we don’t know, and that’s okay.  Intentional, nuanced engagement vs. checking a box or tokenism Ways to increase the diversity of your own circle   Links and Resources Mentioned: Seven Fires Community, a nonprofit that Cecily is a part of launching: www.sevenfirescommunity.org  The consulting company Cecily works for: www.hopenationconsulting.com/transformational-coaching  Cecily’s small business: https://www.facebook.com/rosiematho/

Melissa Nelson is a woman after our own hearts here at Growing Small Towns. She is a lifelong small-town girl and rural champion who uses her love of agriculture, community development, and creativity to inspire ways to get involved in small towns. About Melissa Melissa Nelson is a Nebraska farm and cattle gal who transplanted to Northwest Iowa after college to build an agricultural education non-profit and marry an Iowa farm boy. Her farm background and creative, entrepreneurial spirit allow her to put a unique spin on everyday items in her small business, Hungry Canyon. Melissa assisted in the foundation of the non-profit, Siouxland Agriculture in the Classroom and served as Director of the organization from 2013-2018. In 2018, she began serving as Externship Coordinator for the Applied Agricultural and Food Studies Department at Morningside University. Melissa and her husband Mark have two boys--Roy and Charlie-- seventh generation farm kids and lovers of tractors and cows. They live on a farm near Correctionville, Iowa. In this episode, we cover: How passion can inform how we get involved in our small communities Amazing ideas for small town events Fostering the next generation of small-town champions How a simple idea can be the catalyst for a small business How to get involved when you’re new in town Links and Resources Mentioned: The Hungry Canyon Website: https://www.hungrycanyondesign.com/ Hungry Canyon IG: https://www.instagram.com/hungrycanyon/ Rural Route Ramble: https://www.facebook.com/RuralRouteRamble/