The Idea Friendly Guide

You've been told you need to slow down. To hold more meetings, form another committee, write a better plan.

People say, “We tried that once. That's not how we do things here. And what about liability??”

But you’re about to discover a different way. A way to transform your community by taking small steps, starting now, without waiting for permission, support or perfect conditions.

You don’t need to struggle with difficult people. Those are not your people.

You don’t need permission from resistant leaders. 99% of the best things you can do don’t require anyone’s permission.

You don’t need to fix your community. It’s not broken. People are using broken methods because that’s how they’ve been taught for years.

The new way is the Idea Friendly Method.

Gather Your Crowd with an idea that entices others to join you.
Build Connections to turn your crowd into a powerful network.
Take Small Steps to accomplish your vision together.

It doesn't have to be more complicated than that.

This framework helps you break free from the "slow down and ask more questions" trap that keeps good ideas from happening. Not through grand plans and big committees. Through people taking action in this new way, together.

Communities like yours are doing this.

This is how Webster City, Iowa, recovered from losing a major manufacturer, filled 10 empty buildings and became their own heroes to save their movie theater. It's how communities across the USA, Canada, and globally are nurturing new businesses, expanding libraries, and beautifying their towns.

If you genuinely care about your community and are ready to stop waiting for permission to improve it, this book is your easier way forward.

In this quick read, you'll discover:

• The complete Idea Friendly Method with real-world examples from communities like yours
• How to gather people around ideas that create momentum, not meetings
• Why a crowd can show up to an event, but only a network can make things happen
• Practical steps for working with skeptics and resistant leaders
• How to transform organizations from the inside using these behaviors
• Ways to collaborate across groups without getting bogged down
• The mindset shifts that make this stick as lasting change

You won't be overwhelmed with an endless sea of "you should do it this way" advice. You'll be having a conversation with someone who has lived this work in communities from 30 to 30,000 people.

"Becky McCray's Idea Friendly Guide is one of those rare reads that makes you want to jump off the couch and get to work. With her powerful Idea Friendly Method—gather your crowd, build connections, take small steps—she offers practical and energizing advice about sparking meaningful change in your community. Bottom line: You don't have to ask for permission; you can get out there and start creating the place you want to live right now. I love this book!"
—Melody Warnick, author of This Is Where You Belong

"The Idea Friendly Guide offers a refreshing take on grassroots community development with practical examples and guidance for those who want to create positive change in their communities."
—John C. Shepard, AICP, Vice-Chair, APA Small Town and Rural Division

We're all in this together. We're just in different towns.

If you’re tired of waiting for leadership to change, this book is your invitation to stop waiting. To start now. To take one small step.

Becky McCray has helped hundreds of rural communities discover they already have everything they need to thrive. A lifelong rural entrepreneur and cattle rancher, she's the co-founder of SaveYour.Town and creator of the influential Survey of Rural Challenges, used by businesses, organizations and educators since 2015. Her previous book, Small Town Rules, won a Small Business Book Award and was named one of the best small business books of 2012 by the National Federation of Independent Business.

Her hands-on experience as a retail business owner, city administrator, nonprofit executive and community volunteer-all in towns of 5,000 or fewer-gives her unique insight into what actually works in small places. She's collaborated with Harvard Kennedy School, Oklahoma State University's Rural Renewal Initiative, and Main Street America, and has presented at more than 300 events across the US, Canada, UK and Australia.

Becky makes her home in Hopeton, Oklahoma, a community of 30 people. Her goal is to deliver practical steps you can put into action right away to shape the future of your town.

Photo by Meg Hatch Photography, Maine.