How The Net Is Revitalizing A Small Texas Town

It’s amazing how the Net is revitalizing a small Texas town. I wonder how many people will find their work at home dreams come true there?
Snyder, Texas 330 miles NW of San Antonio is gambling that Big City workers would rather telecommute from a quaint town that spend their life in the High Occupancy Vehicle lane fighting the traffic. But is this really a gamble at all? Based on the success local people have already had, it may not really be much of a gamble.

Snyder never will become a dry, flat version of the Silicon Valley, but change is under way.

For example, former schoolteacher Deanie Mills has seen 11 of her suspense and true crime books published by New York houses.

Research used to take months. Now, with the Web, she can research from her country home outside Snyder.
Jerry Baird, a caterer who specializes in “chuck wagon� meals, now makes a living selling seasonings over the Internet.

His factory is near Fort Worth. His distribution center is here. And he has customers on three continents.

A small company can survive more easily in today’s economy, says Steven Floyd, co-owner of a design firm here, because it’s not burdened with a big staff or large facilities.

Floyd worked for major retailers in Dallas and persuaded sister Fran Farmer, a Snyder banker, to create a company to design and manufacture “visual collateral� — display cases, decorations, shelving, kiosks — for his retail stores.

Thanks for this lead from the Small Business Survival Blog

Photo courtesy KB8WFH @ Flickr