Becky McCray's Blog

I’m excited to share that The Idea Friendly Guide ebook is now available! From 10 years of Deb and I working with communities across North America, I’ve put the Idea Friendly process into this practical, encouraging guide. If you’ve ever been told you need to slow down, form another committee, or wait for permission to improve your community, then this book is for you. If you loved Deb’s…

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Too often, placemaking sounds expensive. That’s just because people talk about expensive consultants, fancy masterplans and big projects like they do in big cities. In tiny towns, placemaking doesn’t have to cost much at all. My local economic developer Jeremy Zeller says placemaking simply means making the kind of place you want to live. And most of that happens when you bring people…

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I finally made a speaker reel. After more than a decade of keynotes and workshops all over, I worked with Logan Young from SPKRstudio.com to put together footage that would show what I bring to you on stage. Logan started filling the spaces between speaking clips with beautiful, professional stock footage. These were gorgeous shots of rural landscapes, country roads, horses, farmers…

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Remember when I asked for beta readers for my Idea Friendly Guide? Y’all overwhelmed me! I ended up with double my goal for beta readers. Most were people working directly in small communities. Others were from regional organizations, nonprofits, businesses and academics who work across larger areas or everywhere. All these folks are experts at handling community projects. They know how to…

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At a recent conference, a community leader approached me with a familiar frustration. His town has four downtown buildings with active businesses. “Only four,” he said with disappointment. “At least you have four,” I said. That’s actually something to build on. He went on, “We have four other buildings downtown sitting empty. The owners won’t even discuss renting them.

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At the workshop after my recent keynote at the Arkansas Municipal League, a guy shared his frustration. He wanted to get people from his town of about 400 people together to hear their ideas. What would they like to see the city become? What kind of improvements could they work on together? “We have tried having city hall meetings to let them know, ‘Hey, come out. Voice your opinion.

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Josiah Hannah from Coalfield Development shared a good idea from their monthly staff meetings. They included meals, which made the whole thing more personal and relaxed. But then they realized they could expand this approach. They started inviting community partners to join some of their gatherings. The shared meals created natural conversation and connection. You can imagine how this…

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The first round of beta readers—Rob, Stephanie, Bob, Kim and Deb—have just finished reading and commenting on my upcoming book on the Idea Friendly Method, and I couldn’t be happier with their feedback. The book shows how people like you can transform your communities using the Idea Friendly Method: Gather Your Crowd, Build Connections, Take Small Steps. It’s full of real examples from small…

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You know those old-style outdoor grills in the public parks? You know who uses them these days? Families of color, especially Latinos. My friend Rob Hatch pointed this out. As we talked it over, he said, “You see people out there having the time of their lives.” I can picture it, kind of like picnics in parks from my childhood. Kids running around, multiple generations gathered around…

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Store owners in downtown Russellville, Arkansas, opened up on Friday to find their intersection had been painted with retro flowers and “I heart Russellville.” “Who painted that intersection overnight??!” It was the Sketchy Ninjas. OK, that may not even be their name, because they’re still deciding what to call themselves. It’s just a few folks who wanted to do a good…

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