We don’t routinely see economic data that spotlights small businesses, so last Thursday’s State of Small Business forum sponsored by the Savannah chapter of SCORE was an enlightening event.
I was one of more than 100 people in attendance for the lunchtime gathering in the community room at Savannah Mall and helped facilitate the Q&A session after 11 speakers spoke for a fact-filled three minutes each.
Organizer Marjorie Young rounded up a variety of experts tracking important data. Key numbers are not easy to find, but some are being tracked by various professionals in government, real estate, small business, economic development and related fields.
As was noted in a report in this paper, the forum had an upbeat tone. That was no surprise given the general improvement in the economy and given the fundamentally optimistic nature of Americans who start their own businesses.
All in all, I’d say SCORE’s State of Small Business forum was a rousing success that will provide a great platform for an even better discussion next year.
Multiple speakers noted the measurable economic improvement in the area, with several using 2008 as the starting point.
But if 2008 is our benchmark, then every year is a boom year.
Will 2013 turn out to be more or less the new normal in terms of business licenses, loans for startups and other measurable trends? Or are we still far from a new peak of small business activity?
Next year’s forum can address those questions as it moves more fluidly from the descriptive to the prescriptive.
What can be done, for example, about the number of small businesses that are undercapitalized from the moment they open their doors? And what about the litany of complaints from small business owners about delays in permitting, licensing and inspections?
Regarding that first question, the data presented at the forum about loans to small businesses and the capital available for startups was rather disappointing.
And it was a shame that no representatives from the city of Savannah were available to attend the forum to address the issue of bureaucratic delays. (The event was held on the day of a scheduled City Council meeting, so no one was necessarily ducking hard questions.)
I was also surprised that survey results presented at the forum revealed considerable pessimism among small business owners about the prospects for economic improvement.
The response was consistent with the dire rhetoric of TV talk shows but not consistent with our most reliable economic indicators.
Maybe the numbers will help us sort out some of these questions before next year’s forum.
City Talk appears every Sunday and Tuesday. Bill Dawers can be reached via billdawers@comcast.net and http://www.billdawers.com. Send mail to 10 E. 32nd St., Savannah, GA 31401.
