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"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small businesses continue to thrive in the United States:\n\n• Independence and a better lifestyle: Large corporations no longer represent job security or offer the fast-track career opportunities they once did.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."