Rural business owners work on their businesses—not just in them

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

NetWork Kansas presented the Growing Rural Businesses entrepreneurial certificate program in Scott City this fall. Western Kansas-based entrepreneurs and small business owners from Scott City, Leoti and Dighton participated in the eight-week course in October and November. Wichita State University’s Center for Entrepreneurship developed the program, and WSU instructors and other experts taught the weekly seminars.

Katie Eisenhour, economic developer and executive director for Scott County Development Committee, Inc., said 22 entrepreneurs representing a variety of rural businesses in the area participated in the Scott City program. Some participants have only been in business for a couple of years or are still in the idea phase, and others were looking for ways to expand an existing business.

Belinda Oldham and Deb Case have been operating Prairie Flower Quilts in Leoti for about eight years. The quilt shop offers fabric, books, patterns, sewing notions, block-of-the-month programs, classes, Baby Lock A-Line sewing machines and machine-quilting services.

Case said Growing Rural Businesses organizers approached her and Oldham to see whether they would be interested in taking the course. “A year or two ago we took a business boot camp in Colorado and felt it was really beneficial. They really gave us some good ideas, and we thought this sounded like a good idea, too,” she said.

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