Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

At 62 I find myself in a rather unexpected situation. We`re already following my wife`s "bliss"* which, because of the dead housing market, has us going from two-incomes/one-mortgage to two-mortgages/one-income. I`m already drawing from my retirement funds to cover the shortfall.
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If we can ever get a reliable internet connection in the rural homestead, I`ll finally be able to rejoin my wife and work from home -- at least until the contract with my current employer expires in December.

In the meantime, particularly being a big-city-boy, how do I introduce myself to the movers-and-shakers of my new rural culture given that I am still not living there? I have some ideas, but I`d be more interested in yours.

Regards,

Poppa Brian
* my wife works with special needs folk in a process called "equine therapy". She is one of very few to achieve NARHA Advanced Certified status. This field sports high fixed costs (horses, stable, et. al.) and low unit revenue. However, non-monetary rewards -- as the commercial goes -- priceless.

How about the local Chamber of Commerce or Charity Events? Is there a downtown area that you can say hello to the shop owners? Ask around  about where the go to place is for community business folks or check for a local business group like a BNI. Check out the local diners or coffee houses. I hope that you get high speed internet. We moved about 10 miles to the "country" and had to deal with dial up and then satellite for 2 years. I finally convinced the cable company to give me a main line to my house!! It has been great since. I rented an office downtown, just to have better internet when I would rather be working from my home studio. Now I have to decide if I keep that office or give it up. Check out the local Chamber and there events..I am sure you can meet some neat people.

 

Erin

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Our Goal Is Your Success!
Founder Girls with Goals

I agree with you Erin.  As a matter of fact this is just what I am doing to help my business grow.

POlease dont give up on the Real Estate effort either.  Continune to educate yourself on the subject.  It is not a dead end business.

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Yolonda R Wilson
CEO /President
Y and A Magpower Inc

Thank you stonesledge (Erin, is that stones-ledge or stone-sledge?) and Yoli.

There is a Rotary Club in Dwight, but I believe Rotary membership is invitation-only. Still there is a Lions club and a number of others that might have open membership.

The just-stopping-in-to-chat sounds like the ticket, all right. Though not something I`m going to be able to do until I relocate. And, though I am gregarious, I seldom know what to say after "Hello." Perhaps I`ll work up a patter: suggestions welcome!

Erin: I`ll do a Google search on BNI. and may want to get back to you.

Yoli: I`m not quite sure what you mean by "give up on Real Estate effort". Do you have a suggestion as to something proactive I can pursue? To this point, I figure there`s only three things I can do: (1) Change the price, (2) Change the offering, (3) Change the Realtor. I`m on my third Realtor and I have the utmost respect for her. We`ve lowered the price twice and remain the lowest priced house in our sub division. And I am now changing the offering by tearing down a wall in the finished basement to create a single large family room. And I`m adding a shower to the half-bath to make it a full one. We`ll see what happens. Again, I`d be very interested in any ideas you have.

Here is a thought?  You can least out each room on a weekly basis to help with the income.  Are there any Colleges or University in the area?  Or Large Executive Offices who have guest coming into town,  use these option to generate income.  Of Course you will have to go and talk.  However until you sell, this is a option.  What I met was do not give up on the Real Estate business.

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Yolonda R Wilson
CEO /President
Y and A Magpower Inc

Poppa,

It is stones ledge. My Company is "On Stones Ledge" A lot of folks think it is stone sledge....  :)

BNI is Business Networking International.

Let me know how you do!

Erin

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Our Goal Is Your Success!
Founder Girls with Goals

Thank you all for your valuable suggestions. I plan to apply them all.

Great idea, strick. The problem with satellite is, though the download speeds are spectacular, my compnay`s help desk tells me the upload speeds are little better than dial-up.(And my work involves a great deal of uploads). I suspect that`s where we will ultimately end up, but my company wants to go through all the wireless options first.

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Jack Shuster
Kona Cowboy Coffee Company
Ruidoso, New Mexico

PANIOLA 100% Kona Cowboy Coffee
Miss Kitty`s Cocolate-covered 100% Kona Cowboy Coffee beans

info@KonaCowboyCoffee.com