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What helps rural communities grow: entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurs -- people who start and run their own businesses -- create jobs, restore and fill vacant buildings, contribute to the community with their time, resources and money, and support their fellow small business owners through mentoring and patronage.

Daily Yonder took a look at communities in rural Oklahoma and found the communities doing the best economically had strong entrepreneurship. They also emphasized their downtowns, diversified their business base and focused on community strengths.

As I wrote the other day, Batavia has a lot going for it and there is an impressive number of entrepreneurs starting and expanding businesses locally.

But we can always use more. And the area has resources to help, from the BID, to the city's revolving loan program to the Chamber of Commerce and BEST Center (which offers small business help) at GCC, and, of course GCEDC.

Maybe it's time for you to start a business. All it takes is a good idea and a willingness to work hard. If you're successful, the rewards are much more satisfying than working for somebody else. Trust me.