Express Yourself!

Austin Skyline | Stevie Ray Vaughan - Fotopedia.com

For 2010, 2011, and 2012, Austin, Texas has been consistently ranked as one of the best places in the United States for small businesses to flourish.

In 2010, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance published a ranking that listed Austin, Texas as #1 for growth potential for the next decade. The article stated that the capital of Texas is “Where small business rocks!” Along a similar line of thought, CNN Living described Austin as “a city that fosters entrepreneurship and is a magnet for small business start-ups”.

Last year (2011), when Texas Governor Rick Perry was a guest speaker at the NFIB (National Federation of Independent Business) Texas Small Business Day luncheon, he emphasized that small businesses are the reason for the vibrant economy of Texas. (Click link to video of the governor speaking at the luncheon/forum.)

U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R) represents Texas and is fully committed to addressing the concerns of small businesses and growing the economy. He recently announced the Small Business Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act of 2012, legislation aimed at helping small business owners and taxpayers cut through IRS red tape. His vision, in his own words:

• “The role of the government is not to create wealth, but to foster an environment where America’s entrepreneurial spirit can thrive and achieve great things. We must help the economy grow, encourage the creation of jobs and opportunities, and help Americans keep more of their hard-earned money to save and spend as they see fit.”

As of April 2012, the Austin Business Journal (ABJ) was pleased to report that Austin, Texas is still esteemed as one of the best cities in the United States for small businesses. ABJ also reported that as a result of the $30 billion Small Business Lending Fund, approved as part of the Small Business Jobs Act, Texas banks added nearly $700 million in financing to small business owners; and three banks are located in Austin, Texas.

So if you’re thinking of setting up a small business in Austin, these organizations and programs provide assistance:

Texas Association of Business: The mission of the Texas Association of Business (TAB) is: “To make the Texas business climate the best in the world”. Their goal is to help make the Texas state’s economy the strongest in the world.

The City of Austin’s small business development programs encourage the economic growth. In particular, the Small Business Solutions Center is a library-style no cost service for aspiring business owners and entrepreneurs that offers current information and innovative technology resources. There is also the Department of Small and Minority Business Resources, a program aimed at encouraging and assisting minorities-owned (MBE) and women-owned business enterprises (WBE) to pursue contracting opportunities with the City.

More on this topic

• The Austin Post
• Austin Formula One Circuit Brings Grand Prix back to the U.S.
• Top Ten Best College Towns - Best Education and Quality of Life

In addition, various area Chambers of Commerce have collaborative relationships with the City and play an instrumental role in local economic development. Here are some of the most active COCs:

• The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce
• Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce
• Capital City African American Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

This is the link to the official website for the City of Austin and you can find their page on Facebook as well.

Frankly, in my opinion, the state of Texas is a fabulous place to live, work, raise a family and retire. I relocated to Austin, TX back in 1998 and discovered that this city a great place for everything, i.e. live music, education, real estate investing, healthcare, health consciousness, raising a family, retiring, worship, etc., as well as for owning and operating a small business.

Recommended Links:

• Startup ATX - Austin’s Startup and Entrepreneur News and Events

• Austin Business Owners (Austin, TX) – Meetup: a monthly meeting focused on providing information from subject matter experts (SMEs) on small business issues as well as networking amongst members located in the greater Austin area.

References:

“10 Best Cities For the Next Decade.” Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine. Editors. July 2010. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.

Chen, Stephanie. “For Job Seekers, Top Five Cities for the next Decade.” CNN Living. Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., 08 June 2010. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.

“Gov. Perry: Small Businesses Represent True Vibrancy of Texas’ Economy.” TexasInsider.org. Ed. Gil Rodriguez. 01 Mar. 2011. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.

Thomas, G. Scott. “Austin Is Best U.S. City for Small Businesses.” Austin Business Journal. American City Business Journals, 13 Apr. 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.

Phinisee, Tamarind. “Texas Banks Added Nearly $700M in Financing to Small Business Owners.” Austin Business Journal. American City Business Journals, 11 Apr. 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.

“Fact Sheet: Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act of 2012.” United States Senate Democrats. 26 Mar. 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2012. Official news and legislative information from Democrats in the U.S. Senate.

“United States Senator John Cornyn, Texas.” Key Issues - Jobs & The Economy, Etc. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.

Copyright Treathyl Fox. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.

Treathyl Fox - Renaissance woman Independent Investor. Home Business Entrepreneur. Freelance Writer. Articles cover diverse topics. (aka Cmoneyspinner)

 

Print Article

Tweet

***

Follow my boards on Pinterest:

• ALL THINGS TEXAS!

• Places I’d Like to Go

• Halloween Moons