Silicon Valley is the capital of venture capital and the acknowledged headquarters of disruptive ideas, fierce determination and hard work.
That aura of potential casts a golden glow on the zillions of Bay Area startups trying to make it big. It sometimes seems that if you’re blessed to work where unicorns graze, there’s no doubt you’re on the path to success. But what if you’re not in the San Jose-to-San Francisco corridor?
The truth is entrepreneurs and startups can flourish anywhere, even in places that lack Philz Coffee (said to be a favorite of Mark Zuckerberg) and whose residents would laugh at the conceit of $4 toast.
Small businesses -- which, by definition, include startups -- and entrepreneurship are doing just fine beyond the confines of Silicon Valley. According to the Kauffman Foundation's 2015 study of entrepreneurial trends, 38 of 40 major metro areas showed an increase in small businesses. These incuded cities such as Nashville, Tenn.; Austin, Texas; and Jacksonville, Fla.
Whether you’re in St. Augustine, Fla., (pop. 14,000) or Topeka, Kan., (pop. 128,000) a bit of creativity and persistence will enable you to assemble critical resources and position your business to thrive. Pay special attention to three vital areas:
