Saturday marks the end of Small Business Week, and Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) across Iowa are encouraging consumers to spend the day shopping at local companies. May 6 has been designated as Focal on Local Day, and Kimberly Tiefenthaler, a business advisor from the Carroll and Fort Dodge offices, says the SBDC cannot recognize small business enough for the benefits they provide Iowa.
Small businesses plays a huge factor in job creation on a national scale. According to the SBDC, small companies create a new job every five minutes. Tiefenthaler says that impact is even higher here.
Large online companies have proven a challenge for these businesses with many struggling to compete. Tiefenthaler says consumers need to consider how their shopping habits affect the economy.
It is difficult for many to pass up a deal by shopping online, but spending just a bit more leaves a lasting impression.
Iowa’s 266,000 small business make up 99.3 percent of the total establishments, and nearly half of the state’s workforce is employed by these companies. The Iowa SBDC is a department of the U.S. Small Business Administration serviced out of Iowa State University and provides no-fee services and advice for companies throughout the state.
