Small Businesses Bypassing Big Cities

BusinessWeek.com points out the trend of entrepreneurs bypassing big cities in favor of small towns. The article highlights the fundamental shift our economy is undergoing, as small businesses and small locales take on greater importance:

"With the old-line manufacturing economy almost a thing of the past and service and information economies taking its place, the enticements that make a city attractive for entrepreneurs also are changing. The traditional menu of tax incentives, low office rents, and favorable regulatory environments remain in play. But more frequently, observers say, a host of variables that emphasize quality of life, population diversity, infrastructure, and a culture of creativity have become weightier matters to consider when choosing a city.

Indeed, in his book, The Rise of the Creative Class, Carnegie Mellon University professor Richard Florida argues that more than 30% of the American workforce -- some 38 million people -- now makes up what he calls the "creative class," in which he includes artists, scientists, architects, designers, musicians, and the like. That trend, in turn, has caused a fundamental shift in values, attitudes, and subsequently, the economy.

THINKING SMALL. From this creative class come some of the most innovative business ideas, and from those come employment -- roughly three-quarters of all new jobs are generated by small businesses, according to the Small Business Administration. The net result is that a number of unexpected cities are becoming fertile breeding grounds for entrepreneurship."

Hat tip to Dane Carlson at the Business Opportunities Weblog for the link.


Tags: Business; small business; entrepreneur; startup; trends