There are many rankings that highlight certain states as being business friendly. Usually my adopted home state of Tennessee ranks fairly high. However, even within a business friendly state different cities can have very different business climates. A new study released by the Tennessee Center for Policy Research examines the differences in business climate in cities across this generally business friendly state.
For example, Franklin (where we live) is a suburb of Nashville. But where Franklin ranks near the top in terms of being business friendly, Nashville (where I work) is in the middle. In general, the middle and eastern parts of the state have the highest rankings, while the west has generally the lowest. And which city is at the bottom? Memphis, which has a political climate that has been dominated by anti-business types for generations.
So when looking for a location for your business, make sure to understand the business climate of that city. Look at local taxes, local business regulations, business amenities, and available work force. Moving just a few miles down the road can make a world of difference for you and your business.
(Thanks to Dean Larry Hall for passing this study along).
