The 7 Best States to Start a Business Ranking the states based on how friendly they are to entrepreneurs
When it comes to starting a business, the question of "where" can be just as important as "what," "why," and "how." Some states offer better business climates for entrepreneurs than others. And in today's economy, entrepreneurs need all the help they can get when launching a new business.
U.S. News decided to look at two comprehensive studies that take completely different approaches to measuring the friendliness of the 50 states to entrepreneurs: the 2008 New State Economy Index, by the Kauffman Foundation and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, and the Small Business Survival Index 2008, by the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council.
They combined the rankings of these two studies to help come up with their list of the top seven states for starting a business. Click here to learn what they found.
SBE Council chief economist Raymond J. Keating, author of the study, said: "The U.S. economy is in a serious downturn, and the outlook for a robust recovery seems remote. That means state and local policymakers face some very difficult decisions, especially on budget matters. Depending on the policy course that state lawmakers choose, they can either make the economic situation in their own state better or far worse."
In terms of their policy environments, the most entrepreneur-friendly states under the "Small Business Survival Index 2008" are: 1) South Dakota, 2) Nevada, 3) Wyoming, 4) Florida, 5) Washington, 6) Texas, 7) South Carolina, 8) Alabama, 9) Virginia, and 10) Colorado. The more difficult state policy environments for entrepreneurs include: 40) West Virginia, 41) Hawaii, 42) Iowa, 43) Vermont, 44) Massachusetts, 45) New York, 46) Minnesota, 47) Rhode Island, 48) Maine, 49) California, 50) New Jersey and 51) District of Columbia.
What CEOs are saying about Nevada When Development Counsellors International (DCI) conducted its survey last summer, CEOs ranked Nevada as the 5th best business climate in the U.S. Click here to read what CEOs are saying about Nevada. To download a copy of the full report, visit DCI's website by clicking here.
Chambers Group, Inc., a certified Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) and Small Business Enterprise (SBE), provides interdisciplinary environmental consulting services such as environmental planning, regulatory permitting, and related technical studies that evaluate impacts to biological resources, cultural resources, restoration, air, noise, and water quality. Founded in 1978, the firm dedicates its services in assisting clients meet stringent compliance requirements of federal, state, and local regulatory agencies. Chambers Group professionals have the expertise to comply with environmental regulations such as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Archaeological Resources Protection Act, Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, and Clean Air Act. The firm has successfully prepared thousands of environmental and planning reports and studies in compliance with these and other regulations.
Local experience includes mining, energy, telecommunications, pipeline, water, military and local government projects providing cultural resources management, inventories, archaeological testing and surveys, ethnohistoric studies, ethnographic assessments, and biological resources services in support of environmental documentation and compliance. Significant projects have included the completion of an Environmental Assessment/Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for the AT&T Fiber Optic Cable Installation project that went from California to Nevada; a Cultural Resources Inventory and Survey for the Granite Fox Power Plant project; and Natural resources services for the Naval Air Station Fallon. Chambers Group often works on lands under the jurisdiction of Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Land Management, and Nevada Division of Environmental Protection.
Chambers Group maintains offices in Reno, NV as well as Santa Ana, Redlands, San Diego, and Palm Desert, CA.
Chambers Group, Inc. 1755 E. Plumb Lane, Ste. 260 Reno, NV 89502 Tel: (775) 323-3555 | Fax: (775) 323-3554 Contact: Terry Reed [email protected] www.chambersgroupinc.com
