Self-Employed Trends

» Self-employment hit a high point in Florida and nationwide over the past three years, says Gene Fairbrother, lead small-business consultant for the National Association for the Self-Employed. Driving the trend more than any other factor is the economic downturn, he says, but the shift toward internet-based commerce and communication also plays a big role.

» New-business creation nationally climbed during the recession, with startups reaching their highest level in 14 years to exceed the 1999-2000 tech-boom peak, according to the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity. The index shows Florida was among the most active states for new entrepreneurs, with 440 out of every 100,000 adults who did not previously own a business launching one in each month of 2009.

» The number of women-owned businesses in Florida grew 84% from 1997 to 2006, the highest figure in the country, compared with a 42% increase nationally.

?

Small Business Friendly

The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council’s “Business Tax Index 2010” ranks the states on the costs of their tax systems to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The index combines 16 tax measures — including corporate income tax rate, income tax on S corporations and consumption-based and personal income taxes into one tax score that allows the 50 states and District of Columbia to be compared and ranked.

According to the study results, these states ranked highest for small-business entrepreneurs:

1) South Dakota
2) Texas
3) Nevada
4) Wyoming
5) Washington
6) Florida

Safety Resource

Operating out of the University of South Florida’s College of Public Health, USF SafetyFlorida is Florida’s official OSHA safety and health consultation program dedicated to serving small businesses. The program has 12 consultants statewide who conduct confidential on-site safety and health consultations. The free service isn’t enforcement, but rather meant to help business owners and safety managers. Businesses must request the service. See www.safetyflorida.usf.edu.