Small businesses have long been creators of jobs in Virginia. But they also face some growth challenges.
Thumbtack, a website and app finds in its 2019 Small Business Friendliness Survey that Virginia ranks second only to Arkansas.
Mississippi is third in terms of being a friendly state for small businesses.
The top states get an A+ for small business friendliness in 2019, according to the survey, which got feedback over 5,000 Thumbtack pros in 49 states and 44 cities before tabulating the states.
The pros express their views on how well their state and local governments are supporting their business on elements like licensing requirements, tax regulations, and labor and hiring regulations.
George Washington Masonic National Memorial glitters in holidays glow as seen from Kings Street Old Town Alexandria
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This summer Virginia, which will soon have Amazon’s HQ2, also got top rating on CNBC’s 2019 ranking of America’s Top States for Business.
Immigrants have been a big force in Virginia’s small business boom in recent years, and Northern Virginia is home to highly successful entrepreneurs from diverse communities.
The Thumbtack survey on small businesses indicates that across the United States an increasing share of pros say it is “becoming harder to establish their business near the clients they serve.”
The survey reveals that more than 30 percent of these small business owners travel between 30 to 60 minutes to perform work with 7 percent traveling more than 60 minutes. Frank from Atlanta agreed, saying that “Improvements to the transportation infrastructure could greatly improve my profession.”
Some of the other challenges include navigating the maze of government forms and compliance requirements which can feel like a full time job, as described by Alexander in Anaheim.
The survey yields a host of interesting takeaways as listed by Thumbtrack.
“Small businesses are struggling to afford rising health insurance costs. Only 79 percent of pros currently have health insurance and of those, 58 percent reported their monthly premium increased in the last year, with more than 30 percent of small business owners reporting premium increases of more than $100 per month in the last year. Paula from Durham shared, “Most people who are interested in working for or with me can’t afford to do so due to the cost of private health insurance.”
Meanwhile, to a survey carried out by Chesapeake Beach Consulting for the Small Business Majority highlights the need for the government to listen to the small businesses, with just 15% of small business owners saying that the state and government officials understand their needs.
