What we're reading

The Western World has become so focused on finding our natural in-born abilities that we lose sight of the fact that we can improve with hard work. A few years ago, I was hugely disappointed by Marcus Buckingham's Now, Discover Your Strengths, which is designed to help you discover your talents, based on the idea that you cannot be happy unless you do. But it doesn't help you discover tangible talents, and it perpetuates a misconception.

The growth mindset, in fact, fundamentally separates resilient, successful people from those who coulda' shouda' done.  That's what I'm reading about in Carol Dweck's Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Okay,  I cheated and skimmed the last half. But to do all the books I do, that is how I do it.

If you want to learn similar concepts, but want an enjoyable read, try Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers: The Story of Success.

More ideas

Reason number 46 that starting a business in a rural area is more difficult is scalability.

Scalability is a word made popular by venture capitalists in the late 1990s as a critical criterion for investing. It essentially refers to the ability to easily replicate transactions. Pouring concrete foundations can only be done one at a time. To scale up and double the transaction, you need to double your workforce, almost double the amount of equipment. You save a little on administration costs, such as bookkeeping. and advertising. That is not an easily scalable business.

A scalable business is eBay. Once they pay for a software writer and server space, they can handle 10,000 customers for not much more than the effort of covering one customer.

In small towns, you have fewer potential customers. So scalability is a challenge.

So what?  Do you need to become huge?

If you have reached critical mass, if you are profitable enough to earn the living you need, then you are big enough. Any more growth is icing on the cake.

Wha'cha gonna do?

Let's depart from philosophical discussions, and talk specific ideas.

Etsy.com started off quietly, referred to as the eBay of handicrafts, but is now much more than a boutique. People earn good revenue through side businesses selling their handmade goods over the store. Being more focused than eBay has been their strength. (example: our shop)

Think Etsy is too large?  Try Wedzu, a handicraft sales-enabling site, like Etsy, that focuses only on wedding-related gear.

This is something YOU can do from your tiny town, out there "on the edge of the prairie."

Independence and Success

The Nauvoo Commuter recently sent a daughter away to attend university. The dictum given and repeated for several years was that she would be financially independent once university studies began. She would be responsible for all of her living and education expenses. She would be an adult.

Once the day of reckoning approached, she was sure that sugar daddy would soften up and pay out. I almost did. The temptation was strong, but forbearance won the day.

So she buckled down and reached down inside of herself and rose to the occasion. She made a valiant effort to earn scholarships. She worked three jobs all summer.  She became an adult.

And so it is with all of us. When forced to do so, people can overcome tremendous difficulties and succeed. They creatively solve problems and hurdle barriers. They find better ways of doing things. They become entrepreneurs. Out of the current recession will arise winners who blaze new trails.