A peek into the Rockford files reveals a city best known for its manufacturing base--but increasingly focused on a wave of service-oriented businesses. Internet providers, temporary employment agencies and cleaning companies are just a few examples of service opportunities in Illinois' second-largest metropolitan area.
Even if nearby Chicago garners more attention, Rockford has become the kind of city that affords its small businesses wide distribution for their products, thanks in large part to the local UPS hub. (It doesn't hurt that Rockford is centrally located in the country.) Other advantages include a network of city support services that ranges from an acclaimed chapter of the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) to a progressive chamber of commerce that recently put together an amnesty program to educate local businesses on environmental regulations compliance. Additionally, entrepreneurs in Rockford have good access to financial assistance.
With its tree-lined streets, Rockford seems the picture of prosperity. Nonetheless, relatively high property taxes remain a problem--even as other forms of taxation are considered more competitive by national standards. And look for Rockford to continue making strides in overall exports and in the field of consumer electronics repair.
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This article was originally published in the October 1997 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: 20 Best Cities For Small Business.
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