Becky McCray oozes small town. She runs a small cattle ranch, the local liquor store, writes about Small Biz Survival and even helps with rural tourism.

Obviously when it was time to learn what makes some small towns thrive and others fade away, she was the person to call. In this interview Becky discusses how a small number of people can make a huge difference and dramatically alter the arc of a town.

With outside perspective and by highlighting your strengths (and getting help with your weaknesses), your town can grow and thrive wherever it is.

Develop your community with the resources you have. Pamela Slim, author of Escape from Cubicle Nation and the forthcoming Body of Work, talks about community developing, working remote and aligning passion with work.

Erik Hersman, also know as White African after his tech blog and twitter handle of the same name, creates local solutions based on exisiting technology. His organization Ushahidi finds new use cases for technology based on omnipresent tools. By making solutions everyone can use, Erik is changing the flow of information, power and development.

Meet Erik and learn how you can create new solutions with existing tools in today's episode.

How can a rural business work with large clients around the world? In a word: focus.

My brother and brofounder John Meyer joins us today to talk about focusing on your "superpower", the one thing you are most skilled and passionate about. We'll learn how he has grown the infographic design firm Lemonly in to a multinational creative firm that operates from South Dakota.

How do you revive a community? 

In today's episode, we look at how one community of 8000 that lost its main manufacturing employer decided not to quietly fade away. Instead of a brain drain, they have experienced a brain gain by encouraging entrepreneurship and collaboration between the Chamber, Small Business Development Center and local businesses. 

Deb Brown of Webster City, IA is today's guest and shares with us the blueprint for reviving a community.

We often think of fear as an indication to be wary. To take care.

What if we thought of it a whole new way and actually said yes to whatever scares us?

That's what Marcella Chamorro has done. She took the leap to prioritize the things most important to her: family and freedom. She moved back home to Nicaragua, started her own business and encourages others to live the Perpetual Vacation by doing what scares them.

In May 2013 I had a chance to meet Marcella Chamorro at the Misfits Conf in Fargo, North Dakota. Her passion and excitement was contagious. Plus, her ability to run a business with employees in rural Nicaragua, collaborators throughout the US and clients throughout the world is incredible.

In today's episode of Digital Homsteading, her the lessons she's learned while building a business in her own community and the challenges and rewards that await entrepreneurs.

Chris Guillebeau has inspired travelers and entrepreneurs by pursuing and fulfilling his mission of visiting every country in the world. During his journeys he built a business and helped show others how to find and pursue their passions. His first book, The Art of Non-Conformity, and the blog of the same name outlined exactly how to do just that.

After completing his travel mission he didn't rest on his laurels. Instead he directed his focus at what he calls "The Micro-Business Revolution." 

He explores how solopreneurs can start up a business and easily find customers and work for themselves. He even argues that being an entrepreneur is a safer decision than working for someone else.

In this podcast episode originally recorded right before his book launch last year, he explores the idea of "The Micro-Business Revolution" and walks through how to choose a project and create the business and life you want.

A perfect fit for the Digital Homesteading podcast! You can listen and subscribe on iTunes, list or subscribe on Stitcher and listen below. Prepare for inspiration as we sit down with Chris Guillebeau.

Carla White originally thought she would write a quick ebook over the weekend. Months later she published her first ebook: Ideas to Apps.

Years later the publishing houses took notice and asked her to create her ebook in to a full-fledged book. The result: Idea to iPhone. Here new book helps "ideapreneuers," defined as people with ideas but who aren't sure how to execute their ideas. Ideapreneuers with an app idea can read her book and bring their app to life...even if they aren't a developer.

Get started with apps in this episode of Digital Homesteading.