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Orlando Earns Top Five Ranking from Small Business Association
July 31, 2014, Tallahassee, FL — In the July/August issue of MyBusiness magazine, the National Federation of Independent Business, America’s voice of small business, ranked Orlando as one of the top five cities in the country “Opening Their Doors to Small Business.”
Thanks to Governor Rick Scott’s focus on helping Florida become one of the most business-friendly states in the country, Orlando has flourished into an economic powerhouse where businesses in a variety of sectors can find success.
“Governor Scott has rolled out the welcome mat for small businesses through many business-friendly initiatives,” said NFIB/Florida Executive Director Bill Herrle. “As a result, Florida is a leader in job creation, and Orlando is one of the best places to open a business. I look forward to watching the city continue to grow and attract entrepreneurs from across the country.”
Orlando is a great city for a small business owner, thanks to weather, location and access to talent, says Walter Carpenter, a longtime NFIB member and co-owner of Pinel and Carpenter in downtown Orlando.
“Of course everyone thinks of Orlando in terms of tourism, but we also have the second largest university in the U.S. — University of Central Florida — which is a feeder for small and large businesses,” Carpenter
said. “This results in Orlando typically having one of the highest employment rates in the state.”
Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs acknowledged the accolade and her county’s work to position Orlando as a premier city for small business owners.
“Orange County is committed to creating an environment in which small business and entrepreneurs can flourish, and we are proud to be recognized by the NFIB,” Mayor Jacobs said. “Providing resources for small and minority business development remains a top focus of our economic development efforts, along with the development of robust incubation and entrepreneurship programs. From small business initiatives to the development of entrepreneurial innovations that will revolutionize entire industries, Orange County is proud to partner with our small business community.”
Carpenter also notes that Orange County’s efforts are working.
“The city of Orlando, as well as Orange County, are very supportive of new and expanding businesses,” Carpenter says. “Job growth is key, and they often provide tax incentives for adding new jobs.”
Other cities making the top five list were Caspar, Wyoming; Jackson, Mississippi; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Phoenix, Arizona.
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