![\"\"](\"https:\/\/smallbizsurvival.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Galveston-Texas-small-business-3a.jpg\")
Rural small business owners cited challenges with being open later hours, marketing and finding help. This small business in Galveston, Texas, is cooperating in the national Shop Small Saturday marketing. Photo by Becky McCray.<\/p><\/div>\n
By Becky McCray<\/p>\n
When you ask small town people what challenges they want help with, the responses provide an interesting insight into rural areas today.<\/p>\n
SaveYour.Town<\/a> and SmallBizSurvival.com<\/a> conducted a survey among subscribers and visitors to their sites during 2017, receiving 250 individual responses. Participants included 215 from the USA, 25 from Canada, and 10 from other international locations. The results were compared with a similar survey in 2015 that received 227 responses.<\/p>\n Top five concerns at the community-wide level were mostly the same in 2017 as 2015.<\/p>\n The top four choices are the same as in the 2015 results, but with the first two switched in position. The fifth most-chosen answer, \u201cNeed new residents,\u201d rose two slots from seventh position in the 2015 results. The number five choice in 2015 was \u201cNo businesses in town,\u201d which dropped one position to sixth in 2017.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Over \u00be of those surveyed identified themselves as current or prospective small business owners. Top concerns among business owners were mostly the same in 2017 as 2015.<\/p>\n The top four choices are the same as in the 2015 survey, but with choices three and four switched in position. The fifth most-chosen challenge, \u201cNeed a usable building,\u201d rose two slots from seventh position in the 2015 results. The number five choice in 2015 was \u201cNeed an idea to start a business,\u201d which fell to ninth position this year.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Over 85% of participants chose among the coming trends of most interest to them. This was a new question on the 2017 survey.<\/p>\n The top trends garnering attention were:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Taking the structured and open-ended responses together, several themes emerged where the surveyed rural people most feel the need for help.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Even though the survey focused on identifying rural challenges, positive responses focused on the future, creating their own solutions and moving forward.<\/p>\n The responses from rural people broke down some prevalent small-town stereotypes.<\/p>\n When given open space to mention any other challenges, the surveyed rural people shared many additional areas where they need help.<\/p>\n *edited for brevity and clarity<\/em><\/p>\nRural Community Challenges<\/h1>\n
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Small-Town Business Owner Challenges<\/h1>\n
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Rural Trends of Interest<\/h1>\n
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Other Rural Challenges<\/h1>\n
Conflicts and negativity hinder progress<\/h2>\n
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Uncertainty around population<\/h2>\n
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Rural communities are focused on downtown<\/h2>\n
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Rural Solutions<\/h1>\n
Rural people are focused on creating their own solutions<\/h2>\n
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Lack of people is more of a limiting factor than lack of funding<\/h2>\n
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There\u2019s more interest in makers than in manufacturers<\/h2>\n
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![\"Chart](\"https:\/\/smallbizsurvival.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Chart_Q4-trends.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWhat the Survey DIDN\u2019T say<\/h1>\n
Small towns aren\u2019t interested in recruiting outside businesses<\/h2>\n
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Rural people are not waiting for factory jobs to come back<\/h2>\n
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Rural community challenges aren\u2019t as poverty- and crisis-driven as you might think<\/h2>\n
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Small town business challenges are more about buildings and marketing than about loans<\/h2>\n
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Housing shortages didn\u2019t get many mentions<\/h2>\n
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The Write-In Candidates<\/h1>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/smallbizsurvival.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Survey-results-cover-232x300.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nSurvey Details and Recommended Action Steps for Rural Communities<\/h1>\n