S5:E7 - Building Possibilities in Small Towns with Deb Brown
Release Date: 03/24/2025
S6:E4 - Bearing the Weight of Expectations with Anna McLean
The Growing Small Towns Show
Many small-town people carry more than their fair share and, in some cases, tie their self-worth to how much they do for others or to their role in their small town (we’re lovingly looking at you, farmers and ranchers and Heads of Everything). In this episode, therapist Anna and our host Rebecca explore burnout, boundaries, and why emotional awareness and resilience can coexist. It’s a grounded conversation about choosing alignment over obligation and building healthier communities from the inside out. About Anna: Welcome! I’m Anna. I am dedicated to helping individuals and...
info_outline
S6:E3 - A 25-Year-Old Buys a Quilt Shop with TJ Roney
The Growing Small Towns Show
What happens when a 25-year-old buys a quilt shop in a town of 1,800 people? (Spoiler: awesome stuff.) In this episode, our very own TJ Roney shares how entrepreneurship, creativity, social media, and community support collided to create unexpected momentum. It’s a powerful reminder that rural opportunity doesn’t always look the way we expect it to, and that young people are, in fact, interested in things that aren’t on their phones. About TJ: Hey there, my name is TJ, and I’m a 25-year-old grandma! I love anything creative, and learned to sew when I was 5 years old. Thanks to...
info_outline
S6:E2 - Downtown Redevelopment with Luke Henry
The Growing Small Towns Show
Downtowns don’t come back by accident. They come back because someone decides they should, and then acts on it. In this episode, Luke Henry shares how he helped catalyze downtown redevelopment in Marion, Ohio. It involves real financial risk, building an ecosystem of local businesses, and staying committed when the work got hard. It’s a real, honest look into the challenges and joys of community-led revitalization, because, like many things, it’s hard but worth it. About Luke: Luke Henry grew up in Mount Gilead, Ohio and transplanted to Marion with his wife Lindsey in 2006...
info_outline
S6:E1 - Microbusiness Development in Small Towns with Marci Goodwin, Katie Kelly, and Leigh Ann Brown
The Growing Small Towns Show
Welcome to the first episode of season SIX of the Growing Small Towns podcast! We’re starting off big by having our first-ever TRIO on the pod, and we’re so excited to share this episode with you. Most small towns aren’t built on startups or corporations; they’re built on small (and smaller!) businesses, and today’s episode is all about those “smaller” ones: microbusinesses. This episode explores how supporting solopreneurs, side hustles, and local makers creates stronger economies, fuller Main Streets, and communities where people can stay, build, and belong. About Marci,...
info_outline
S5:E31 - What’s to Come in 2026 Rebecca Undem
The Growing Small Towns Show
In this solo season finale, Rebecca shares an honest reflection on entrepreneurship, community work, and the courage it takes to keep trying when things feel uncertain. It’s a reminder that success doesn’t have to look one way, and that showing up, evolving, and staying in the work matters more than perfect outcomes. This is the final episode of Season 5! We’ll be back in February, refreshed and ready with Season 6! In this episode, we cover: Why most business owners and community leaders quietly want to quit — and why that’s normal The myth that success requires scaling,...
info_outline
S5:E30 - Life by Design with Brooke Clay Taylor
The Growing Small Towns Show
Brooke Clay Taylor is a force. We are so excited to have her on the podcast because her story is so darn inspiring, and she’s just a really cool human. In this episode, Brooke shares her journey from growing up in a small town, moving to the big city for college and work, moving back to a small town for entrepreneurship and love, and then becoming an entrepreneur, mother, and cancer survivor. This episode explores what it really looks like to design your life with intention, build community by being a “villager,” and choose authenticity in both business and life. About Brooke: Brooke...
info_outline
S5:E29- How Chambers Can Change with the Times with Kausha Magill
The Growing Small Towns Show
We’re back with one of our most very favorite people and Oakes local, Kausha Magill, to talk Chambers of Commerce. This episode explores how Chambers of Commerce can stay relevant by embracing collaboration, experimentation, and a regional mindset. It’s a practical, uplifting look at what happens when chambers evolve with the times instead of sticking to the “Well, this is how we’ve always done it.” About Kausha: Kausha lives on her family's farm and ranch about 15 miles north of Oakes. She and her husband Chuck, have been married for 30 years and have three children: Dalton,...
info_outline
S5:28 - Fostering Belonging and Creating Community with Emma McIntyre
The Growing Small Towns Show
Loneliness is a big deal, and it’s become an actual epidemic. And, while it may seem simple to combat (the opposite of loneliness is belonging and community, right?), creating belonging and community can actually be much harder. This is what Emma McIntyre is all about. She builds events that create belonging — from farmers markets to winter festivals to senior socials — and this episode is all about how small towns can replicate these ideas at any scale by focusing on comfort, connection, and purpose. It’s a roadmap for how to build community in ways that actually stick. ...
info_outline
S5:27 - Cattle, Creativity, and Community with Tesa Klein
The Growing Small Towns Show
This episode dives into the amazing creative journey of Tesa Klein, the cowgirl-turned-entrepreneur behind Wildflowers, who rebuilt her business after years in the rodeo world and rediscovered her spark. She’s deeply rooted in rural (she lives in a NoDak town of 50!) but has had her share of big-time viral moments. It’s an inspiring look at trusting yourself even when your dreams don’t seem to match your zip code, and we love hearing her take on balance and dreaming big from her tiny ND town. About Tesa: Tesa is the owner, operator, and creative artist behind Wildflowers, a western and...
info_outline
S5:26 - Generational Perspectives in Small Towns with Jackie Knutson and Lisa Schulz
The Growing Small Towns Show
In this episode, we sit down with “Oakes Folks” Jackie Knutson and Lisa Schulz, a mother–daughter duo who represent two generations deeply invested in their hometown. They talk about leaving and returning, building belonging, showing up for community, navigating change, and why small towns need to both embrace the future and remember the past in order to thrive. It’s a heartfelt, grounded conversation about loving where you live, even when it’s not perfect. About Jackie and Lisa: Jackie Knutson and Lisa Schulz are a mother–daughter pair deeply rooted in GST’s hometown of Oakes,...
info_outlineDeb Brown is one of our favorite people in the world, and we’re so glad to have her on the show with us to share her words, her new book (!!!) and all the work she’s doing to help small-town dreamers just like you. This episode is all about approaching big problems in small towns in idea-friendly ways and starting small to build big.
About Deb:
Deb Brown is a dynamic small-town advocate and community development expert with a wealth of experience empowering rural communities. As the co-founder of SaveYour.Town, she has been working alongside Becky McCray for a decade, providing practical advice and innovative solutions to shape brighter futures for small towns.
Deb's background is diverse and practical. She served as a Chamber of Commerce Executive Director for 4 years, holding certification from the Institute for Organization Management. Prior to that, she was a Tourism Specialist for 4 years. Her varied business experience includes roles as a foreign casualty insurance underwriter, retail manager, and bartender.
Deb specializes in addressing common rural challenges, including:
- Revitalizing empty buildings
- Downtown rejuvenation
- Youth retention
- Marketing and promotion for small towns
- Business development and economic growth
- Innovative rural business models
Deb excels at building connections, storytelling, and active listening. She guides people in taking small steps toward their ideas and helps them find the resources and connections needed to bring those ideas to fruition.
Her presentations are interactive and engaging, designed to provide attendees with actionable ideas they can implement immediately. Deb has spoken at local and national conferences, addressing chambers, economic developers, tourism specialists, museum experts, volunteers, residents and business groups.
Deb is the author of "From Possibilities to Reality: Save Your Small Town with these Uniquely Do-able Ideas, Projects, and Success Stories," a comprehensive workbook filled with practical strategies and real-world examples for small-town revitalization.
Through her work with SaveYour.Town, Deb provides weekly newsletters focused on small-town challenges and offers exclusive video content to Megaphone Members.
Deb Brown's passion for community development and her ability to provide real-world, practical solutions make her an invaluable resource for small towns looking to create positive change and build a thriving future.
In this episode, we cover:
-
The process of writing and publishing her book
-
Who and what her book is for
-
Why you don’t need permission to do cool stuff
-
Her favorite stories and concepts from the book
Links + Resources Mentioned:
From Possibilities to Reality: Save Your Small Town with these Uniquely Do-able Ideas, Projects, and Success Stories
SaveYour.Town - Practical steps your rural community can take now
Free Newsletters - Get your tips to address rural challenges
Deb's Speaking Site - Take a look at how Deb can help you
Andrew Laddusaw’s YouTube Channel
Trolls in DL website (from Small Town Shout-Out)
Episode 49 with Becky and Deb: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMo32Jzm5aM
Small-Town Shout-Out!
The biggest shout-out to Becker County, Minnesota’s Project 412. They had the audacious goal of bringing world-renowned Danish recycling artist Thomas Dambo to the area--and it happened!
“Trolls in DL” is one of 130 permanent art installations around the world. We love a BHAG (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal) and we’re proud of you, Project 412. Thanks to Cody Piper for sharing this big freaking deal with us.
New Segment Alert!
We think some of the best parts about radio shows and podcasts are listener call-ins, so we’ve decided to make those a part of the Growing Small Towns Podcast. We really, really want to hear from you! We’re introducing two new parts to the show:
-
“Small town humblebrags”: Call in and tell us about something amazing you did in your small town so we can celebrate with you. No win is too small—we want to hear it all, and we will be excessively enthusiastic about whatever it is! You can call in for your friends, too, because giving shout-outs is one of our favorite things.
-
“Solving Your Small-Town People Challenges”: Have a tough issue in your community? We want to help. Call in and tell us about your problem, and we’ll solve it on an episode of the podcast. Want to remain anonymous? Totally cool, we can be all secretive and stuff. We’re suave like that.
If you’ve got a humblebrag or a tricky people problem, call 701-203-3337 and leave a message with the deets. We really can’t wait to hear from you!
Get In Touch
Have an idea for a future episode/guest, have feedback or a question, or just want to chat? Email us at hello@growingsmalltowns.org
Subscribe + Review
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Growing Small Towns Show! If the information in our conversations and interviews has helped you in your small town, head out to Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify, subscribe to the show, and leave us an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help us continue to deliver relevant, helpful content, but it will also help us reach even more small-town trailblazers just like you!