With 25,000 new jobs predicted by 2000, Nashville, Tennessee's, thriving economy is music to the ears of local entrepreneurs. The number of start-ups has exploded in recent years, and availability of capital and other resources is higher than the national average.
Many attribute the positive economic outlook in part to the acquisition of the Houston Oilers and the approval of an NHL team. A new sports arena and the anticipated completion of the Tennessee Oilers' stadium in 1999 have scored small businesses hundreds of subcontracting jobs and other opportunities.
The tourism, health-care, manufacturing, service, music and food industries remain strong. And entrepreneurs have access to such resources as the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Small Business Resource Center and the Nashville Chamber of Commerce/SBA Access Loan Program, which has financed 39 Nashville companies in just three years.
Nashville is not without problems, however. A shortage of skilled labor--ever-present in our ranking--has prompted the city to work on lowering the high-school dropout rate. And experts predict the city's transportation system will need upgrades. But with export and Internet-related companies expected to gain momentum, Nashville seems poised to net rewards for small business.
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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