Beauty salons as business incubators 💇

It seems so obvious once you see it.  View this email in your browser   Howdy Beauty salons. Even really small towns probably have one. But when was the last time an economic developer considered them as important business development tools?  Last week I was speaking to the Northwest Oklahoma Workforce Board about the 8 Innovative Rural Business Models. When I got to the Business Inside a Business model, my own local economic developer Alex Mantz pointed out that hair salons are a great example. She said salons always have other little businesses growing inside them because they have great foot traffic.   Walk into any small town salon, and you're likely to find that the women who work there are actually independent contractors who rent their booths. Maybe there's also a massage therapist seeing clients in a side room. They're all business owners. Look around at the displays. Besides the hair care products offered by the salon owner, you may see scarves and candles and all manner of retail items. These are pop-up temporary businesses, often set up by other potential entrepreneurs testing out the market. Except they don't call themselves that. They think they're "just" selling something as a side business.   The more business ideas that get tried, then the more entrepreneurs will have more opportunities to learn. If they can try out an idea with a pop-up display in a salon, they can learn more about what will work with local customers and gain market intelligence. The woman selling her handmade jewelry this way is also a potential booth vendor at your next fair or festival, a possible future store owner and at the very least qualifies as a local entrepreneur who is earning extra income for her family. Treat salons like important business development assets in your town. Visit them. Ask some questions about all the different businesses represented in there. Show them respect as mini business incubators. Make sure they know about business support and coaching opportunities. Invite them to training events. Ask if they'll let you know about mini-businesses that they learn about and to refer those folks to you.  That was just one idea that's part of just one of the 8 Innovative Rural Business Models that Deb Brown and I will cover in our upcoming webinar on March 16. It's US$20. If you can't attend live, you can still register to get the recording which will be available until March 31. You can register at saveyour.town   Keep shaping the future of your town,  Becky     Like this idea? Boldly share:  Share Tweet Share +1 Forward to Friend  Unsubscribe New email address? Go here to update your profile. Want to refer a friend to get these weekly emails? Send them to sign up at SmallBizSurvival. You received this newsletter because you signed up at our website. You get it once a week and notices when we offer products and services to help you shape the future of your town. SaveYour.Town PO Box 8 Hopeton, OK 73746 Add us to your address book     Did someone forward this to you? Sign up to get your own.