Rural America is more than wide open land—it’s home to one in five Americans. Nearly 66 million people live in rural communities, covering 97% of U.S. land. And behind every small town is a business owner keeping daily life moving—creating jobs, delivering essential services, and fueling community pride. Our Mastercard proprietary research shows rural small business owners aren’t just participants in their local economies—they’re the backbone: • Rural entrepreneurs employ more than half of workers in rural counties • 86% say they plan to grow their businesses • They’re 14% more likely to invest directly back into their communities From hiring neighbors to preserving local traditions, rural entrepreneurs keep money circulating locally and strengthen the social fabric that holds their towns together. For marketers and financial institutions, this insight changes everything. Supporting rural entrepreneurs means supporting entire communities. When these businesses succeed, Main Streets stay vibrant, jobs remain local, and schools and services continue to thrive. The opportunity isn’t just to serve rural SBOs—but to partner with them as engines of long term progress. This content series breaks down Mastercard’s proprietary research, thousands of qualitative interviews, and quantitative surveys across the Americas to uncover the real attitudes and behaviors shaping U.S. consumers and small businesses. The insights featured here come from our Powering Prosperity Entrepreneur study. Each insight is delivered as a short-form video designed for teams across product, marketing, portfolio, experience, sales/operations, and creative. The goal: help anyone telling stories at scale turn consumer realities into meaningful action. Subscribe for the latest insights from Tobias Puehse, SVP Insights & Intelligence Americas. Stay Curious!

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