Inc. White Papers Examine How Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners Can Thrive in Ohio

Experts have identified four criteria that make up an ideal location for entrepreneurial business development: access to business capital and support services, access to supply chain and markets, access to knowledge and labor, and access to a balanced life.

Inc. magazine recently developed a series of white papers to help Ohio entrepreneurs evaluate potential locations for starting or growing their businesses. These white papers are available for downloading on both the Inc.com website and the Enterprise Appalachia website (under the Resources section of the home page).

• “Finding Funding,” focuses on the types of funding most commonly required by small businesses and where to find the financing you need.
• "Building Your Knowledge Base," outlines a wide range of resources, including online databases for competitive research; executive MBA programs; Small Business Development Center programs; executive coaching; and CEO peer organizations.
• "Real Best Practices for Supply Chain Optimization," offers a prescription for efficiently managing the supply chain – the continuum of materials, information, and finances needed to convert raw materials or resources into a product or service delivered to the final customer.
• "Expanding Your Market Reach," offers practical perspectives on business expansion, along with real-world examples.

Savvy entrepreneurs know that choosing the ideal location to start a business can mean the difference between success and failure. For example, the Appalachian Ohio Region has become a hub for entrepreneurial enterprise, in part because its location in Ohio's manufacturing heartland provides access both to a strong supply chain and a ready market for products and services. Click here to learn more about the strategic advantages of Ohio’s Appalachian Region.

Ohio Sees Substantial Increase in Venture Capital Investment

This past year, despite a financial climate that has dried up venture capital nationwide, Ohio received an increase in capital funding to support entrepreneurship and business development. In fact, Ohio was the only state that did not experience a decline in venture capital investment in the past 12 months.

Details about Ohio’s increase in venture capital investment will be on display this Wednesday, October 14 and Thursday, October 15 at the Ohio Early Stage Summit V in Columbus, Ohio, an education and networking event for entrepreneurs and investors nationwide. Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher, and past leader of the Ohio Department of Development, is the keynote speaker at the event.

State funding supporting early stage venture capital investment has been key to Ohio beating the odds in the current venture capital environment. For example, the Ohio Third Frontier has created or commercialized more than 500 companies and has created $6.6 billion in economic impact in Ohio, a 9:1 return on investment.

Click here for more information about the Ohio Early Stage Summit V and Ohio’s venture capital investments.