Utah Focuses on Building a Strong Rural Economy

By Marla Trollan, SBA Utah District Director

Year after year, the state of Utah has been recognized for its phenomenal economic environment and success. This past year, multiple Utah cities were recognized on WalletHub’s top ten list for “Best Small Cities to Start a Business” including St. George (#1), Cedar City (#2), Washington (#4), Logan (#5), Midvale (#7) and Clearfield (#9).

Utah’s rural small businesses are run by extremely capable and talented individuals who employ many individuals with diverse, valuable skill sets. Did you know that Utah has over 55,000 small businesses in rural counties including Washington and Cache? That includes over 15,000 women-owned small businesses, almost 4,000 veteran-owned businesses and more than 2,500 minority-owned businesses. These businesses not only help the state’s overall economy but fulfill a necessary role providing jobs, products and services within their own communities. We want all Utah businesses to know that we are here to support them and help them succeed.

Now is a critical time for businesses and we need to continue to work together to help Utah’s small businesses recover from the hardships caused by the pandemic. During this time of recovery, we want to ensure that our businesses in rural communities and small towns throughout Utah are aware of and have the counseling and economic support they need from the myriad of resources that are available.

Often, businesses based in rural areas struggle more with growth and success than businesses located in urban areas. Nationwide, metropolitan and urban areas have seen 30 percent growth since 2000 compared to the more meager seven percent growth in rural counties. The slower growth and success usually results from fewer economic opportunities.

To ensure that rural businesses have access to essential resources to recover, grow and succeed, Utah’s Small Businesses Administration is partnering with the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, the Utah Small Business Development Center network and the Women’s Business Center to bring the Small Business Resource Roadshow to six small towns in Utah.

The Small Business Resource Roadshow will include more than a dozen organizations that assist businesses and bolster economic development. The event’s focus is to connect the right resource partners to the business owners who need that specific type of help. There will be six different stops for live events as well as an additional virtual roadshow option for communities we don’t visit this year or for individuals who cannot make it to public events.

The following are the specific event locations and dates:

We understand that it has been an extremely difficult year. As travel restrictions are beginning to lift, we want to get out to our small and rural communities and let them know we are here for them. We don’t want businesses and entrepreneurs to miss out on any of the great resources available. We look forward to assisting small businesses by bringing the resources to them in their own hometowns and communities. See you this summer.