The Care and Feeding of Your Local Business Community: Seven Questions Community Leaders Should Ask Themselves

When small businesses thrive, America thrives. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, they create two out of every three net new jobs in the private sector. Plus, over half of all Americans own or work for a small business.

Communities everywhere should focus on helping their small businesses stay strong and vitalonce they’re up and running.Community leaders need to do everything possible to help their start-ups—and really, all of their local businesses—stay strong and healthy for the long haul.

This is the approach Pensacola has taken over the past decade or so. Studer Community Institute(SCI)—which focuses heavily on leadership skills training for entrepreneurs and small business leaders—has played an integral role in the city’s revitalization. Andin the last four of five years, our city has improved its assessed property value over 30 percent, has gotten investments in the downtown community up 60 percent, and has seen the population grow by 5.4 percent after years of decline.We have also won several awards for our thriving downtown.

To make sure you are showing your small business community the love, community leaders need to ask themselves some crucial questions:

Do our small business owners have access to solid training? Getting a new business started is one thing. Sustaining it is quite another. This is why it’s so important that new business owners learn the basics of leadership and sound business practices. To achieve this, SCI holds monthly training and development workshops, small business “roundtables,” and even an annual business conference (EntreCon).

Do they feel all alone in the wilderness? Small business owners need support and collegiality. Communities need to start and promote clubs and groups that allow them to connect with other entrepreneurs.

Do we encourage and promote mentorship? Mentors help entrepreneurs navigate what they don’t know. Not only does thiskeep them from making costly mistakes, it helps them feel supported so they don’t mind taking the risks necessary for growth.

Does our regulatory environment help or hinder businesses? Small businesses need easy-to-understand codes from local government as well as a solid understanding of whysuch regulations are in place. Too often (accurately or not), entrepreneurs and small business owners perceive that local governments put up hurdles for them to jump over.

Are we overly focused on big businesses? Local governments can have a tendency to court big business and big industry, usually at the expense of new ventures and mom and pop shops. This trend needs to shift. Cities need to invest in their small shops, restaurants, and small and mid-size businesses and make decisions that benefit them just as much as (if not more than) the big box retailers and manufacturing giants.

Is there a strong talent pool for business owners to draw from? It’s crucial for your community to be a place where people want to live. Safe neighborhoods, a strong education system, a vibrant downtown, and other amenities that add up to a good quality of life are must haves. This is one reason we’re focused on creating America’s first Early Learning City and boosting kindergarten readiness.

Do local citizens support small business? Entrepreneurs and small business owners need to feel that the community is invested in their well-being. Once leaders start this conversation, the community will respond. Once we made the case that small businesses make communities better, our citizens became huge supporters.

Of course, plenty of other factors also play into keeping businesses healthy. But just sitting down to answer these questions—especially if you invite a good cross section of the business community to the table with you—can really open your eyes.

When we get intentional about and focused on the subject, we can start a conversation that’s incredibly productive. It’s about paying attention to the environment you’re creating for small businesses. If you want to revitalize your community, few things matter more.