7 Best States for Startups
Even states with laws and government attitudes hostile to business can be great places to grow a company in spite of them. That’s the case with nearly half of our “7 Best States for Entrepreneurs.”
Even states with laws and government attitudes hostile to business can be great places to grow a company in spite of them. That’s the case with nearly half of our “7 Best States for Entrepreneurs.”
Despite losing 1 million chickens to tornadoes over the past year, poultry sales are expected to increase this year due to “factors that are hurting beef and pork,” according to the Mississippi Business Journal. In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration has approve a $4.8 million grant to the state for airport safety improvements. Also, the Mississippi Legislature passed $17 million in tornado relief funding, which should help the state’s business economy.
Adding to CEOs’ negative sentiment, just 18% of Rhode Island residents surveyed ranked their state “the best place to live.” On the positive side, unemployment dropped from 9.3% to 8.7% in March. Rhode Island has had the highest unemployment rate in the country in recent months.
The number of farms in Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes, was down 8%, but the acreage per farm and the income per farm were up in 2012, according to the Census of Agriculture. Conversely, for the first four months of 2014, 31 business expansions resulted in 1,800 new jobs, according to the Department of Employment and Economic Development. Also, Minnesota is bidding for the 2018 Super Bowl, and local and regional businesses are footing the cost of the bid. Should the state claim the event, the regional economy stands to win tenfold.
Nashua Community College, in conjunction with Southern New Hampshire University, received a $2.5 million federal grant to develop an advanced manufacturing program. Comcast Cable is bringing 600 jobs to New Hampshire with the opening of its new call center, but economic development continues to be both New Hampshire’s biggest challenge and its focus going forward.
Gov. Rick Snyder defended his state’s economy when he spoke to Chief Executive magazine in February. “Michigan’s economic transformation is well underway and the success of our reinvention, although not captured in Chief Executive’s “Best States / Worst States” rankings, can be summed up as America’s Comeback State … Our economy is at a 10-year high and Michigan has the sixth-fastest growing economy in the country.”
CEOs responded that Tennessee, a right-to-work state, was good for both manufacturing and high tech, “especially in the Nashville area.” Another respondent called Tennessee “outstanding.”
The state maintains one of the most varied biotech sectors in the U.S. and employs more than 62,000 people at more than 2,500 locations. Creatively, North Carolina used $60 million from tobacco-settlement trust funds to form a statewide training program for biomanufacturing workers, which provided North Carolina State University with the money to create a training center.
“Corporate tax rates in Illinois are lower than many competing states in the region and the country,” Gov. Pat Quinn told Chief Executive magazine in February. When you take into account the tax incentives we offer for new business investment, Illinois has one of the lowest effective corporate tax rates in the United States… [It’s a] top state for business, as more and more domestic and foreign firms are realizing every day.”
A Gallup poll shows that 76% of Connecticut residents feel the taxes they pay are too high. In addition, the New Britain Herald reports that there are 5,000 fewer businesses today than there were five years ago, as a result of the Great Recession.
Chief Executive Group exists to improve the performance of U.S. CEOs, senior executives and public-company directors, helping you grow your companies, build your communities and strengthen society. Learn more at chiefexecutivegroup.com.
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.