What advantages help small businesses thrive?

"An uncertain economy has not stopped people from starting new companies. The National Federation of Independent Businesses reports that 85 percent of Americans view small businesses as a positive influence on American life. This is not surprising when you consider the many reasons why small businesses continue to thrive in the United States:\n\n• Independence and a better lifestyle: Large corporations no longer represent job security or offer the fast-track career opportunities they once did. Mid-career employees leave the corporate world—either voluntarily or as a result of downsizing—in search of the new opportunities that self-employment provides. Many new college and business school graduates shun the corporate world altogether to start their own companies or look for work in smaller firms.\n\n• Personal satisfaction from work: Many small-business owners cite this as one of the primary reasons for starting their companies. They love what they do.\n\n• Best route to success: Business ownership provides greater advancement opportunities for women and minorities, as we will discuss later in this chapter. It also offers small-business owners the potential for profit.\n\n• Rapidly changing technology: Technology advances and decreased costs provide individuals and small companies with the power to compete in industries that were formerly closed to them.\n\n• Major corporate restructuring and downsizing: These force many employees to look for other jobs or careers. They may also provide the opportunity to buy a business unit that a company no longer wants.\n\n• Outsourcing: As a result of downsizing, corporations may contract with outside firms for services they used to provide in-house. Outsourcing creates opportunities for smaller companies that offer these specialized goods and services.\n\n• Small businesses are resilient: They are able to respond fairly quickly to changing economic conditions by refocusing their operations.\n\nThere are several cities and regions that are regarded as the best locations for start-up businesses and entrepreneurs. Among them are Tulsa, Oklahoma; Tampa, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Raleigh, North Carolina; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Seattle, Washington; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Austin, Texas."