Raven

Raven Rural Virtual Networking: A Great Opportunity for Torrance County Businesses

Todd Brogowski

28 Aug 2025 • 3 min read

What’s Happening?

Mark your calendar! On September 17, 2025 at 11:00 AM, the Raven Rural Virtual Networking (RVN) event is back to support small businesses throughout the county. Hosted by the Mountainair Dispatch, this online gathering invites local business owners to connect, share, and grow.

Last year, I had set aside the concept of virtual networking with the Raven program when I was informed that someone was working on reviving the Torrance County Chamber of Commerce. As a year has passed, and there has been no discernible progress in the chamber’s revival, I have decided to reintroduce rural virtual networking as a means to collaborate and support local businesses.

How This Helps

Connect with Fellow Business Owners and Build Support
- Rural small businesses flourish through strong community ties and collaboration. Studies show rural entrepreneurs rely on collaborative strategies and local networks to overcome isolation and reach more people. See Gesine Tuitjer and Patrick Küpper, Local and vertical networking as drivers of innovativeness and growth in rural businesses, Journal of Rural Studies, Vol. 95, (Oct. 2022), pp. 412-422, and John Kirk Ring, Ana Maria Peredo, and James J. Chrisman, Business Networks and Economic Development in Rural Communities in the United States, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Vol.34, Iss. 1 (Jan. 2010).
Boost Innovation and Resilience
- Business networking fuels innovation, helps manage risks, and can even open up new sales opportunities. Cf., USDA Research, Education & Economics Information System, Iowa State University submitted to NRP, Business Networks and Rural Community Economic Vitality (Sep. 14, 2006).
Keep Money in the County
- Small businesses are pillars of rural economies, creating jobs and fostering local pride. See Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Erika W. Bell, Rural Spotlight: Promoting Small Business Development in South Carolina (Dec. 9, 2021). Securing the fortunes of small businesses secures the communities that they serve.
A Smart, Cost-Effective Way to Grow
- Business networking is a low-cost, high-return strategy. You’ll gain access to ideas, advice, and referrals that can transform your business. The best part? It's free. See Wikipedia, Business Networking (last visited August 28, 2025).

What to Expect from the Event

Meet other local business owners and discover shared goals or challenges.
Learn new ideas and strategies from peers who understand the complexities of rural business life.
Enjoy a friendly, easy-to-follow format, perfect for anyone, even if you’re not a tech pro.

Real-World Benefits from Networking & Rural Innovation

Social support matters
Strong local networks help rural businesses thrive. See Timo Suutari, Merja Lähdesmäki, and Sami Kurki, Doing well and doing good? Small rural businesses’ performance and responsibility towards local communities, Journal of Rural Studies, Vol. 102 (Aug. 2023) and Wikipedia, Social Capital (last visited August 28, 2025).
Rural economies thrive on innovation
Connections within rural communities spark business vitality, particularly through the sharing of knowledge and resources. See Ring, et al., supra.

Join In! It doesn’t cost you a thing.

Join in, get connected. Meet people who get what it's like to run a business in a small town.
Learn something new. You might find fresh ideas or support that helps your business.
Support your own community. Helping your business helps all of Torrance County.

Act Now

Don’t miss the Raven Rural Virtual Networking on September 17, 2025, at 11:00 AM. It’s a relaxed, friendly way to meet fellow business owners, get inspired, and learn how to grow (especially when resources can be hard to find). We can drive Torrance County forward together.

If you would like to attend this event, please click the link here and fill out the short (four-question) form so I can get a sense of how many people are coming (and so I can send the link to the meeting room). Alternatively, you can fill out this form embedded here.

The Mountainair Dispatch’s rural virtual networking events are made possible by the support of its paying members. I cannot stress enough that what I do with the Mountainair Dispatch is only possible because of the kindness of people here in Torrance County who support the site. Through their generosity, I can purchase the necessary tools to report on Torrance County and offer programs for its residents and businesses. Would you like to be a member? Click here to join on an annual or monthly basis. If membership is not right for you, but you still want to support the Mountainair Dispatch, I would be grateful if you clicked here to make a one-time contribution.