Exploding Muths about Rural Entrepreneurship

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Report provides insight into five case studies in Iowa, North Dakota, Maine, Arkansas, and Michigan that show disparate rural economies in order to better develop strategies for rural new business entrepreneurship.

Report finds that rural new businesses were responsible for substantial contributions to job creation and that rural areas are as competitive as urban areas in developing new businesses, rural new businesses are diversified as urban businesses, and rural new businesses have higher survival rates than urban businesses. Additionally, report finds that rural entrepreneurs have access to bank financing, raise considerable capital, return more than poverty wages for effort, service more than local markets, provide health insurance for themselves and their families, and use technical assistance in getting started in businesses.

Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group
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