Making the Case for Entrepreneurs: Lessons from Kansas City

Most entrepreneurial ventures create jobs one or two at a time, and in the business of economic development, that can be a marketing challenge–especially when communities all seek the home run wins of a big auto plant or other major employer bringing hundreds of jobs.  So, small business advocates need to be creative in making the case for why local entrepreneurs matter.

If you’re looking for good models, check out the new report from Kansas City’s KCSourceLink:  We Create Jobs.   This is an excellent model for making the case for small businesses as key drivers of regional economies.   It’s an easy read with compelling graphics, and it has a strong case to make.   According to the report, new small firms created more 16,000 jobs in the KC metro area in 2016.   If you’re looking to tell a better story about your local entrepreneurs, We Create Jobs is a good example of how to do it right.  (NOTE:  Full report access requires registration).