Resource network helps rural businesses grow

Original story by Shauna Rumbaugh. Published November 28, 2016 in the High Plains Journal.

Entrepreneurs drive community and economic development no matter where they are located, but entrepreneurs and small business owners in rural areas face different challenges than entrepreneurs in more populated areas. Because resources are often scarcer in rural areas than in urban centers, regional partnerships are vital to sustaining and growing small businesses in rural communities.

Cooperation among local businesses also helps, said Simone Elder, manager of rural entrepreneurship, western region, for NetWork Kansas. “Even though you may be competing for some customers’ dollars, you really are in this together,” Elder said. “Having a strong network of references within a community is important too.”

The Kansas Center for Entrepreneurship, or NetWork Kansas, is a statewide network of nonprofit business-building resources dedicated to entrepreneurship and small business growth. NetWork Kansas partners with more than 500 business development organizations and educational institutions throughout Kansas, connecting them with entrepreneurs and other small business owners to help them grow and expand.

For the rest of the story, visit the High Plains Journal.